Colder Than Ice (27 page)

Antarctica—2010

SARAH
OPENED THE door to the mess hut and was surprised to find Michela there.
“Now I really do think that people are going to begin to talk about us.
What are you doing up at four-thirty in the morning?”

Michela
looked at the notes spread out on the table. “Catching up on some work.
With everything that’s happened lately, I’ve had very little time to
consolidate my research.”

Sarah
nodded. “I know what you mean. What a week. Getting everyone to sit down
and record their version of events in relation to Ewan’s death was like pulling
teeth. I swear at one stage there I thought I was going to have to physically
restrain Rick to a seat so that he gave his side of the story.”

Michela
slammed her pen down. “That’s what frustrates me. We all know that Rick
planted the seed of an idea with Ewan. The problem is the coroner’s only going
to see it as death by misadventure. It frustrates me to hell to think he’s
going to get off.”

Sarah
placed the kettle on the gas burner. “I know what you mean. I’m about to
make tea. Want one?”

“Hang
on. What the blazes are you doing up at this hour?”

Sarah
flopped down in a chair opposite Michela and motioned toward the door.
“Rob had one too many scotches tonight and he’s snoring like a bloody baby
elephant. I’ve gotten up out of bed and prodded him more than once, but he
keeps right on going.” They shared a quiet laugh. “So, why are you
really up this late?”

Michela’s
features sobered and she idly searched her papers. “As I said, catching up
on research. I hate to think what my boss would say if I returned with nothing
to show for my efforts but a really great story or two.”

Sarah
stood and walked to the kettle. “Yes, I don’t think anyone would be happy
with that. You seem to have gotten through a bit, if that pile’s any
indication.”

Sarah
poured tea for them both and handed a cup to Michela before taking her seat at
the table.
There’s something not right here. She hasn’t been the same since
the loss of Ewan and, by the looks of it, things aren’t getting any easier.

“Can
I ask you something?”

Michela
raised her head and looked at Sarah. “Sure, is everything okay?”

Sarah
smiled. “I could ask you the same thing. You haven’t really been all here
since the accident with Ewan.”

“What
do you mean?”

“Look
at you. From the bags under your eyes, it’s obvious you’ve been burning the
candle at both ends and have probably had more than one late night over the
past few days.” She watched as Michela nervously shifted. “Plus
you’ve been like a bear with a sore head. Listen, I know Ewan’s death hit the
team hard, but you seem to have been affected quite badly. Are you sure you
don’t want to talk about it?”

Michela
looked away as if searching for something. Running her fingers through her hair
she returned her gaze to Sarah. “It’s not Ewan.”

Sarah
sat back, a frown on her face.
If it isn’t about Ewan then who is it about?
Ah, of course, how stupid can you be, Sarah?
“This is about Alli,
isn’t it?”

Michela
vigorously rubbed her forehead. “Yes, it is.”

“I
suppose that would’ve been my next question. I don’t mean to pry, but is
something going on between the two of you? Has something happened?”

Michela
shrugged. “You could say there is and you could as easily say there isn’t.
In the same vein, you could say something’s happened but you could as easily
say it hasn’t.”

Sarah
lightly grasped Michela’s hand. “There’s one thing I do know. It’s
affecting you and the way you are with others. What happened?”

“It
started in the emergency hut when we were so cold I suggested we join the
sleeping bags together. Sometime during the first night we ended up against
each other and Alli woke up and freaked. I opened my big mouth and she shot out
of the bag. It took some convincing by me, but she eventually came back to bed.
The next night we were in a similar position, but worse. I swear I almost
kissed her, but I stopped myself. All the same, she seemed to react
differently, I can’t explain how. We were both aware something had happened and
so I tried to talk to her about it the following morning. Before we could get
into the conversation you called on the radio.”

Sarah
smiled. “Sorry about that, mate. Did you try and speak with her when you
returned?”

“Not
about that exactly. You remember when the Dianne and Rick thing happened and we
made the change to accommodations arrangements?” Sarah nodded. “When
we returned from looking for Ewan, and given the extra space in the googie, I
gave her the chance to move in with you and Rob. She asked me if I wanted her
to leave and I said no. I can’t describe it, but something passed between us.
It was as if she really didn’t want to leave me.

“Then
we had that team meeting that she walked out of. I came back into our hut,
pretty angry that she’d stormed out and told her as much. She tried to storm
out again but I grabbed her hand. We ended up in a clinch and I swear to God
that had it not been for you knocking on the door I’d have kissed her. And by
the look in her eyes I think she would have kissed me back.”

“Bad
timing again. So have you spoken to her about that?” Sarah ventured.

Michela
shook her head. “I’ve tried to bring it up, but she seems to want to avoid
it, as if nothing’s happened between us. I don’t want to go down a path that’s
a dead end. It’s too painful. And besides, by the looks of it, she’s woken up
to what happened and is now more interested in avoiding me than anything
else.”

So,
the strange way Allison’s been behaving recently is now falling into place.
“Are you sure about that?”

Michela
picked up her tea. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I’ve
been watching our errant archaeologist over the past few days, concerned she
may be suffering a little bit of post traumatic stress disorder. When you’re
not watching, Alli follows your every move. But, the moment you turn her way,
she looks elsewhere. There’s a need in her face, as if she wants to speak with
you, but is afraid of how to raise the topic. I just assumed she wanted your
professional advice on something. Maybe Alli wants something more.” She
went to the sink and rinsed out her cup.

Michela
frowned in thought. “Do you think anyone else has noticed?”

Sarah
chuckled. “Everyone’s noticed that something’s not right with you. They’re
so used to you being a calm ship in any storm, that when you turned on Rob the
other day because he left a dirty dish in the sink I think they were all
surprised. As for noticing how Alli’s acting, I don’t think Rick, Di, or Rob
has picked up on the difference. Di and Rick are still too focused on each
other and while Rob’s not slow, he’s no sensitive new age guy either.”

Michela
vigorously rubbed her face with both hands. “I don’t know what to do here,
Sarah. I know I like her. A lot more than I care to admit. But if she’s
avoiding the issue, then I’m not about to pursue it.”

“If
that’s the way you want to deal with it then that’s your choice. But remember,
if you want to talk things over or have a rant, then come and see me. I promise
what we speak about won’t go any further.” Sarah patted Michela’s hand.
“Now, in the meantime you need to get a lot more rest and stop acting like
a grumble bum.”

Michela
rose and mock saluted Sarah. “Yes, ma’am.” She stifled a yawn.
“I’d better return to my hut and get at least a little sleep before we
start the day all over again.” She collected her notes and waved a goodbye
before heading to her own apple and hopefully some degree of slumber.

After
quietly entering the hut, she instinctively turned to Allison. The night light
cast a warm glow over Allison’s features, making her look at peace. Michela
smiled at the rogue strand of hair that always found its way onto Allison’s
face. She headed toward Allison to brush the hair away, then stopped herself
and ruefully shook her head.
I really do need to get a little sleep.
She
walked to her bed and stripped down to her underwear. After removing her bra,
she climbed into her sleeping bag, oblivious to the eyes that watched her from
the other side of the hut.

“I
CAN’T BELIEVE we’re digging out these trenches yet again,” Dianne said in
a grumpy voice. “Why can’t we leave them that way?”

Rob
smiled at Dianne’s frustration. “I don’t make the rules here, I just
follow them. Alli says it’d be a good idea to maintain this trench as a
possible indicator of any changes to the exterior of the hut.”

Rick
walked through the knee deep snow. “I thought this place was supposed to
be drier than most deserts on the earth. If that’s the case, how can it snow
down here?”

“It’s
dry and very little snow falls in a year,” Rob said. “But once it
falls it doesn’t evaporate like normal snow would. The blizzards on the
continent blow the snow around until it comes across a solid object or some
sort of natural barrier and it piles up. Explorers have been encountering this
problem for years. I’m sure Finlayson and his mob had similar problems with
snow drifts.”

Rick
snorted. “I guess we’ll never know. At the rate we’re going and all the
delays, we’re not likely to know what happened to him.”

Rob
stepped into Rick’s personal space. “If I were you, I’d get on with what
I’ve been told to do. Or have you forgotten that one of those delays was due to
the loss of one of our team members? Something you’re more than accountable
for?”

Rick
stumbled away from Rob. “He made up his own mind. I didn’t make it up for
him.”

“Bullshit!”
Rob roared, rushing forward as if to strike Rick. Something cold impacted on
the top of his head and he looked up.

“There
you are, you big oaf. Something’s gone pear shaped with the generator. Do you
think you can have a look at it?” Sarah asked.

Rob
glared at Rick before silently walking around Dianne, and out of the trench. He
followed Sarah away from the trench. “I swear, if he gives me one more
reason, I’ll flatten him. Then you won’t have to worry about drugging
him.”

Sarah
hugged Rob’s waist, since he was too tall to reach his shoulders. “Trust
me, he’s not worth it. I know Ewan’s death has hit you hard. You know if you
want to get if off your chest, you can always talk to me.”

Rob
removed Sarah’s cap and playfully ruffled her blonde hair. “I know,
sprite. It’s just that sometimes I wish Rick would give me a reason. I hear you
though. Maybe we can sit down tonight after a few drinks.”

Sarah
nodded. “No problem. For the moment, can you go and check the solar
panels? Michela’s doing Ewan’s shift for tea and she says she can’t see to cook
in the hut at the moment.”

“I’m
right on it.” Rob turned and headed in the direction of the solar
generator.

Sarah
sighed.
Thank heaven’s I wasn’t a little later on the scene. The last thing
I can afford to be doing is patching up Rick after Rob’s finished with him.

AFTER
WHAT SEEMED like an eternity of shoveling snow, and a checking of the walls by
Allison, the team was again ready to focus its efforts on the hut’s interior.

Allison
scanned the room with childlike wonder. Makeshift shelves lined the wooden
walls. “Look at this. This must have been one of the member’s personal
space.” She lightly ran her hand over the eclectic collection of books on
the shelves. “It’s like a time capsule from the 1890’s.”

Dianne
opened one of the novels.
“Moby Dick.
My God, it’s a first
edition.”

Allison
picked up the pile of loose sheets that were acting as a bookend. She chuckled.
“Music hall tunes. At least that was one way to while away the time. And
they’re amazingly intact.” One half of the next shelf contained a man’s
shaving mug and razor, with a half-used stick of lather stuck in an almost
jaunty angle in a willow pattern shaving cup.

Allison
squinted at the slightly faded writing on a bottle in a collection of small
bottles. “Mason’s remedy for indigestion. This must have been their
medical stores.” She pointed. “And look at those spirit bottles. I
suppose that’s one way to keep warm.”

Next
to a small table stood the remnants of a well-used rattan chair. A man’s pipe
lay on the seat where it had been left. The eerie windswept silence of the
sight affected Allison as she walked with care around the building’s interior.
By the look on their faces, she could tell that the others felt the same.

Rick
and Dianne quietly took photographs of everything, while Allison and Rob
continued to carefully use the blades to widen the path into the hut.

Rob
broke up yet another sheet of ice in front of him and jumped back in surprise.
“Shit!”

Allison
turned to see that Rob had uncovered the first of the beds.

Dianne
pointed at the long object. “What’s that?”

Allison
stroked the rough fabric and felt the distinct shape of something hard inside.
She stood, wiping her hands on her trousers. “Rob, can you go and get
Sarah and Michela?”