第57部分(第3/8頁)

ee　may　have　his　doubts；　but　McGee　doesn't　matter。　Cribus　is　the　only　one　who　can　reopen　the　case；　and　Cribus　doesn't　want　to　mess　with　what　he　thinks　of　as　a　happy　ending　…　'it　was　a　nigger〃　thinks　he；　'and　not　one　of　our'n　in　any　case。　Beautiful。　I'll　go　up　there　to　Cold　Mountain；　have　me　a　steak　and　a　draft　beer　at　Ma's；　then　watch　him　fry；　and　there's　an　end　to　it；　〃

Janice　listened　to　all　this　with　a　mounting　expression　of　horror　on　her　face；　then　turned　to　me。　〃But　McGee　believes　it；　doesn't　he；　Paul？　I　could　see　it　on　your　face。　Deputy　McGee　knows　he　arrested　the　wrong　man。　Won't　he　stand　up　to　the　Sheriff？〃

〃All　he　can　do　by　standing　up　to　him　is　lose　his　job〃；　I　said。　〃Yes；　I　think　that　in　his　heart　he　knows　it　was　Wharton。　But　what　he　says　to　himself　is　that；　if　he　keeps　his　mouth　shut　and　plays　the　game　until　Cribus　either　retires　or　eats　himself　to　death；　he　gets　the　job。　And　things　will　be　different　then。　That's　what　he　tells　himself　to　get　to　sleep；　I　imagine。　And　he's　probably　not　so　much　different　than　Homer　about　one　thing。　He'll　tell　himself；　'After　all；　it's　only　a　Negro。　It's　not　like　they're　going　to　burn　a　white　man　for　it。；　〃

〃Then　you'll　have　to　go　to　them〃；　Janice　said；　and　my　heart　turned　cold　at　the　decisive；　no…doubt…about…it　tone　of　her　voice。　〃Go　and　tell　them　what　you　found　out。〃

〃And　how　should　we　tell　them　we　found　it　out；　Jan？〃　Brutal　asked　her　in　that　same　low　voice。

〃Should　we　tell　them　about　how　Wharton　gr