Golden Malicious (Apple Orchard Mystery) by Sheila Connolly Read Free Book Online

pest?”
    “Are you referring to
Epiphyas postvittana
?”
    Meg grinned at Christopher. “I don’t know—am I?”
    “The light brown apple moth, native to Australia, now established in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. It has recently been found in California, but so far it is limited to that state. Rest assured I shall alert you should it venture farther eastward.”
    “One less thing I have to worry about!” Meg said. “Speaking of insects, yesterday I saw one I’d never noticed before.” She could excuse herself for forgetting about that critter, since it had been only moments later she had become aware of the body—something she didn’t feel compelled to explain to Christopher. Still, it was large and memorable enough to have made an impression on her.
    “Can you describe it?” Christopher asked.
    “About two inches long, black and white—oh, and its antennae were as long as it was.”
    Christopher’s cheerful expression faded rapidly. He pulled out his cell phone, tapped on the screen several times, then handed her the phone. “Is this what you saw?”
    Meg took the phone and looked at the image he had called up. “Yes, that’s it. You know what it is?”
    “I’m afraid I do. It looks like an Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive species that enjoys a wide range of hosts. There’s no known treatment, other than eradication.”
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “Cutting down all infested and potential host trees in the area where it was found, and a wide margin beyond that. Surely you’ve read of the problems that have emerged with this pest in and around the city of Worcester?”
    Meg shook her head. “I haven’t had a lot of time for reading the paper lately.”
    “Oh, my dear, this has been going on for several years, even before your arrival in Granford. Already they’ve cut down something like twenty-five thousand trees in the central part of the state, and there’s no guarantee that it’s under control even now.”
    “That sounds serious,” Meg said.
    “I promise you, it is. Where did you come upon this insect?”
    “In Jonas Nash’s forest plot on the north side of town, toward Amherst.”
    “Where the dead man was found?” Christopher asked.
    “How did you hear about that?” Meg asked with surprise.
    “It was on the news. No one mentioned that you were there, my dear, only that a body had been discovered and that the police were investigating. So that is indeed the same place?”
    “Yes, it is. In fact, the insect was only a few feet away.”
    “I’m sorry that you were there, Meg. But now I’m afraid I shall need to speak with Jonas Nash,” Christopher said somberly.

5

    Christopher, clearly troubled, had left without any further explanations. Before leaving he had shared the picture on his phone with Bree, whose reaction was nearly as quick as Christopher’s had been.
    “Wow, that’s bad news! There haven’t been any other sightings around here, have there?” she had asked.
    “Not yet, but there aren’t enough eyes to check every potential site,” Christopher had replied. “Meg, can you show me where you saw this?”
    “Sure.” Unless it was still a crime scene, she amended to herself. “If you think it’s important. When would you like to go?”
    Christopher tapped at his phone some more and pulled up a calendar. “Would tomorrow afternoon suit you?”
    Meg looked at Bree, who shrugged and said, “It’s okay. We’re only watering every other day at the moment, and from what you’ve told me, that’s working for now.”
    “I believe it is, my dear, although with no rain in sight I’d keep a close eye on your water levels,” Christopher said. Meg explained to him where the forest plot was, and they arranged to meet at the site, then said their good-byes.
    After watching Christopher head down the hill, Meg turned to Bree. “Why are you and Christopher so concerned about this bug?”
    “It could be nothing, but what you saw looks like