Picked to Die (An Orchard Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

stuff at the market on the way home. What are you complaining about, Bree?”
    She grinned. “I was wishing for a genie to show up with food, and bingo, here you are! Maybe I should make wishes more often.”
    They spent a few minutes opening containers and finding plates and cutlery and cold drinks. Meg fed her cat, Lolly; Seth fed his dog, Max. Bree bounced with impatience until they finally all sat down. There followed several silent minutes devoted to intense eating.
    Finally Meg leaned back in her chair and stretched. “So much better! Thank you, Seth. So how was your day?”
    “Busy, although probably less physical than yours.”
    “Gail told me to ask whether you’ve had time to look over the plans she gave you. So I am. Asking, that is. I know you probably haven’t had more than three minutes of free time all day.”
    “What’s that all about?” Bree asked.
    Meg recounted the meeting at the Historical Society that morning. “So what do you think, Seth? Is it doable?”
    “I think so. The engineers have declared that the building is rock-solid, even though it’s over two hundred years old, and I agree—I’ve looked at all the supporting beams and the sill. I think the soil beneath it is stable enough to support temporary shoring. The concrete pour wouldn’t take long, once the framing is in place. And as for the excavation, I talked to a couple of local contractors I’ve worked with before. The vacuum process is cheapest overall, and they said it was appropriate for a project of this scope, since it’s a relatively small building. So I guess that’s the way to go.”
    “Gail will be thrilled,” Meg said. “What permits and approvals does her board need to move forward?”
    “There’s a long list that the town requires, but most of them don’t apply here, like a wetlands review.” He started ticking off on his fingers, “We don’t need to bring in the highway department since there are no street or curb changes involved. No food service, no flammable or hazardous materials. No perc test if they’re hooking into town water. They
will
need a plumbing permit, but I think I can handle that for them. The only thing I’d have to verify is whether the town has to hold a public meeting or need a site plan review. Since the footprint and the elevation of the building won’t change, I think we can limit ourselves to the structural issues only. I’ll talk to the building inspector about what he’s looking for, but I don’t think he’ll stand in the way. I’ll verify a few things tomorrow, and then I’ll talk to Gail.”
    “I love it—everybody wins. Granford gets to maintain the appearance of its quaint little green, the Historical Society can finally pull all of its records and artifacts together in one place with state-of-the-art storage standards, and they’ll be able to make it available to the public—plus they’ll have an indoor bathroom for the first time in the history of the place.
And
heat. Any other miracles you want to work before bedtime?”
    “Nah. But how about you come for a walk with me and we can let Max run a bit?”
    “Sounds lovely, if I can still stand up. Bree, anything we need to go over before tomorrow?”
    “Did you order those crates?”
    “Oh, shoot, I forgot. Do you need me to do it right now?”
    “No, but you’d better do it tomorrow, lady. I’ll remind you in the morning.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Meg gathered up a light jacket while Seth whistled for Max. Outside the sun had fallen below the horizon, and the air felt deliciously cool. Meg took a deep breath. Autumn was the time of year she liked best; warm days, cool nights, and ripe apples. They headed out toward the Great Meadow, which ran alongside and then back beyond her house. Some years it was boggy, she’d been told, but this year it was lush with tall grass. Meg checked to be sure that her goats had enough hay and water before they turned toward the faint path that led toward the tree line at