John Sandford - Dark of the Moon

"But you sorta killed the Schmidts, Joanie."

"OH, HORSESHIT," she said. "I thought about that, I really did. And the Gleasons. But you know what? The Gleasons killed the Gleasons. And the Schmidts killed the Schmidts. And the Johnstones would have killed the Johnstones, if they'd been killed. They'd all covered up that awful murder and what they got back was Todd Williamson. That was the return on the investment."

"Jesus."

"He would probably disapprove."

AFTER A WHILE, Joan asked, "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing," Virgil said. "Go home."

"That's it?" She seemed a little surprised.

"I think you fucked up, Joanie. But I'm not sure you've committed a crime," Virgil said. "If you have, I sure couldn't prove it."

She sighed, and lay back on the blanket. "Ah, gosh, Virgil."

"Yeah."

They picked out more clouds: an atomic-bomb explosion, a semierect and uncircumcised penis, and the hat of the quaker guy on the Quaker Oats label.

Eventually, Joan sat up and stretched and said, "Listen. If you ever come by this way again…"

Virgil pulled out another blade of grass, chewed for a second, getting the sweet out, then said, "Bite me."