Page 133 of Two Kinds of Stranger

‘Would you agree that this is the same type of creature that you found in the casket?’ I asked.

The doc took a long look, said, ‘Yes, I think so. Same markings.’

‘For the record, you’re referring to the forewings, which are brown with black spots. The hind wings are red, black and white, again with black spots. And these markings are identical to the ones you found on the moth in the casket?’

‘Yes.’

‘There is only one problem with your testimony, Doctor. That is not a moth.’

‘It’s not?’

‘It’s a bug.’

I asked for a third picture to be displayed. This was an information-and-warning memo issued by New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

‘As you can see from this memo, which includes the picture you just saw, this creature is what’s commonly known as a spotted lantern fly. It’s considered a pest.’

‘Objection, Your Honor,’ said Bernice. ‘While this is all very interesting, Dr. Sharpling is here to testify about his findings as an expert pathologist, not as a moth expert.’

‘Your Honor,’ I countered, ‘this goes to the heart of the defense.’

‘What is the relevance?’ asked the judge.

There was no way around it. I needed to blow this up in testimony from the stand. If I explained to the judge the meaning of all of this, it would give Dr. Death the heads up. Effectively, I’d be telling my opponent exactly what moves I was about to play on the chess board, and that couldn’t happen.

‘Your Honor, it was the witness who said that he found a moth. He offered that opinion freely. That opinion has direct bearing on his findings on the examination of the body of Stewart Yorke. If you refuse to allow this line of questioning, then I’m going to have to ask for an appeal on your ruling.’

The judge looked at me, then Bernice.

‘I’ll allow a few more questions, but get to the point.’

‘Thank you, Your Honor. Dr. Sharpling, what is the date of death of Stewart Yorke?’

‘Seventh of January 2017.’

‘And you testified that there was no possible way this casket was opened, from the exhumation until it got into your lab.’

‘Correct.’

‘As this memo from the Parks and Recreation Department records, the first recorded sighting of the spotted lantern fly in New York was in 2020. Three years after Mr. Yorke was buried.’

Bernice’s pen moved angrily across the page. Dr. Sharpling had finally seen the punch headed his way.

‘I cannot explain that.’

‘You have already confirmed, twice now, that the casket showed no signs of interference. What is the casket made from?’

‘I believe it is constructed from brushed steel.’

‘Doctor, this is a photograph of the tree beside Mr. Yorke’s grave. Its name isAilanthus altissima, but it’s also known as the tree of heaven. It is the preferred food source of the spotted lantern fly. You can see from this photo there is a large colony of spotted lantern flies on the bark of this tree.’

The photo I brought up on screen, and entered into evidence, spoke for itself.

‘Are you suggesting this fly burrowed underground and into the casket? Because the casket was sealed with no damage, Mr. Flynn. I don’t think that’s possible,’ said Dr. Death, trying to head me off.

He called it wrong.

‘No, Doctor, I’m not suggesting that. Like you said, it’s impossible. What I am suggesting is that on the seventh of November, while my client was in police custody, someone dug up Stewart Yorke’s body, and injected his liver with traces of tetrahydrozoline to make it appear as if he had been poisoned. While the casket was open, this fly got inside.’