Chapter 5

           Thenextday,thesamebunchofscrewswhohadeatenlunchinmykitchenafterthebotchedDelacroixexecutionatelunchthereagain.Thistimetherewasafifthatourcouncilofwar:mywife.ItwasJanwhoconvincedmetotelltheothers;myfirstimpulsehadbeennotto.Wasn’titbadenough,Iaskedher,thatweknew?

           "You’renotthinkingclearaboutit,"she’danswered."Probablybecauseyou’restillupset.Theyalreadyknowtheworstthing,thatJohn’sonthespotforacrimehedidn’tcommit.Ifanything,thismakesitalittlebetter."

           Iwasn’tsosure,butIdeferredtoherjudgement.IexpectedanuproarwhenItoldBrutal,Dean,andHarrywhatIknew(Icouldn’tproveit,butIknew,allright),butatfirsttherewasonlythoughtfulsilence.Then,takinganotherofJanice’sbiscuitsandbeginningtoputanoutrageousamountofbutteronit,Deansaid:"DidJohnseehim,doyouthink?DidheseeWhartondropthegirls,maybeevenrapethem?"

           "Ithinkifhe’dseenthat,hewouldhavetriedtostopit,"Isaid."AsforseeingWharton,maybeasheranoff,Isupposehemighthave.Ifhedid,heforgotitlater."

           "Sure,"Deansaid."He’sspecial,butthatdoesn’tmakehimbright.HeonlyfoundoutitwasWhartonwhenWhartonreachedthroughthebarsofhiscellandtouchedhim."

           Brutalwasnodding."That’swhyJohnlookedsosurprised...soshocked.Rememberthewayhiseyesopened?"

           Inodded.