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Zusatztext “Tense and terrifying! this final book from Cormier will leave a lasting impression.” –Booklist ! Starred “The chilling results of the questioning will leave an indelible mark on readers and prompt heated discussions regarding the definition of guilt and the fine line between truth and deception.” – Publishers Weekly ! Starred Informationen zum Autor Robert Cormier’s many acclaimed novels include the classics The Chocolate War and I Am the Cheese . He is a recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring his lifetime contribution to writing for teens. Klappentext Twelve-year old Jason is accused of the brutal murder of a young girl. Is he innocent or guilty? The shocked town calls on an interrogator with a stellar reputation: he always gets a confession. The confrontation between Jason and his interrogator forms the chilling climax of this terrifying look at what can happen when the pursuit of justice becomes a personal crusade for victory at any cost.Part I “Feeling better?” “I guess so. My headache’s gone. Is there a connection?” “Maybe. They say confession’s good for the soul. But I don’t know if it eliminates headaches.” “Am I supposed to say I’m sorry now?” “The fact that you confessed indicates a degree of sorrow.” “Is that enough?” “That’s up to you, Carl. What you did can’t be erased, of course.” “I know. They’re dead. Gone. Can’t bring them back. But—can the sin be erased?” “I can’t tell you that. I’m not a priest.” “But I confessed to you.” “Yes, but I can’t give you absolution.” Pause. “Are the police coming?” “They’re waiting outside.” Trent shut off the tape player and leaned back in the chair, kneaded the flesh above his eyebrows. In the silence of the office, he still heard Carl Seaton’s voice, all cunning gone, penitent, full of regret. Trent had sat across from him for four hours, under the harsh light of a 100-watt ceiling bulb, in the small cluttered office. The relentless questions and answers, the evasions and rationalizations, the eventual admission (not the same as a confession), and, finally, the confession itself. The Trent magic touch at work, as a newspaper headline had once proclaimed. But Trent felt no particular magic now, no thrill of accomplishment. Too many confessions? Like Carl Seaton’s? Having induced Carl to confess (that old Trent magic has you in its spell), Trent had had to listen to the recitation of his cold-blooded, deliberate murder of three people. The victims were a thirty-five-year-old woman, her thirty-seven-year-old husband and their ten-year-old son, although Carl hadn’t known their ages at the time. Six months ago, in the milky whiteness of a winter dawn, Carl Seaton had broken into the modest two-story home of Aaron and Muriel Stone to steal the small gun collection in the cellar. He admitted that he knew nothing about guns except the pleasure of holding them in his hands and the sense of power they gave him. Carl Seaton broke a cellar window, not worried about the noise of his intrusion, having learned that the family was away on vacation and that there was no alarm system. He was disappointed to find that there were only three small guns in the so-called collection. He was surprised to find that the guns were loaded. He then decided to search the house. Thought he might find something of value, although he knew nothing about fencing stolen goods. Heard a noise from the second floor. Padded toward the stairs, his sneakers noiseless in the carpeted hallway. Upstairs, he entered a bedroom and was surprised to see a man and woman asleep in the bed. The woman slightly curled up, the bedclothes thrown off. Beautiful eyelashes, thick and curved. The husband flat on his back, mouth open, snoring gently. Carl became conscious of the gun in his hand, felt suddenly t...
