Book of the Dead (61 page)

    
“One of those details we may never know,” Benton says. “People don’t tell the truth. After a while, they don’t even know it.”

    
Bull stoops down to deadhead pansies. He looks up at the same time Mrs. Grimball is looking down from her upstairs window. Bull pulls a leaf bag close and minds his own business. Scarpetta can see her nosy neighbor lifting a phone to her ear.

    
“That’s it,” Scarpetta says as she gets up, smiles, and waves.

    
Mrs. Grimball looks their way and slides up the window while Benton watches with no expression on his face, and Scarpetta keeps waving as if she has something urgent to say.

    
“He just got out of jail,” Scarpetta calls out. “And if you send him back, I’ll burn your house down.”

    
The window quickly shuts. Mrs. Grimball’s face disappears from the glass.

    
“You didn’t just say that,” Benton says.

    
“I’ll say whatever the hell I want,” Scarpetta says. “I live here.”