As Atticus assumes Heck is ready to cover up Bob Ewell’s killing as a move to protect Jem. Who is Heck really trying to protect? Why does Heck fight so hard to protect this person?

Heck Tate wants to protect Boo Radley. He knows the limelight of having saved the children would hurt Boo more than help him. Boo is very much a fragile Mockingbird who would not survive old ladies bringing him cookies and newspaper reporters at his door. Heck Tate knows there is a time for altering the truth. Atticus is more decided. His morality and lawyer's ethic dictates telling the truth. In this case, however, he understands that reality can be a messy thing and sometimes the truth does more harm than good.