Out of the Ice (24 page)

•  •  •

I couldn’t get into the main building to ask Snow in person, so I emailed and asked him to meet me in the mess hall. He arrived, perplexed, and I brought two coffees over to a table in the far corner. There was no one else in the room.

‘Is something wrong?’ he asked, concerned.

‘No, not at all. Particularly if you’d do something for me.’

‘What is it?’ Often when people are put on the spot they back away, but Snow leaned forward, his smooth hands, neat and strong, resting on the table.

‘I need to get to Nantucket for research and was wondering – well, hoping – I might hitch a ride with you.’

He sat back and laughed loudly. ‘A ride. What sort of Aussie term’s that? You want to
hitch a ride
?’

‘Yes. Which way are you going?’ I grinned, enjoying being with him.

‘Well, for you, I might even take the short way. I’ll check if there’s room on the plane.’

‘Really?’

‘Yep. But I’m leaving tomorrow.’

‘Perfect. I’ll organise my things. What time?’

‘Hang on, I have to see if it can happen first.’

‘Where do you fly into? I’ll sort out my onward travel.’

He sat back and shook his head, dazzling eyes creased around the edges as he smiled broadly. ‘I haven’t said yes yet.’

‘Anyway,
if
you agree, where are you finishing up?’

‘I can take you as far as Boston.’

‘Brilliant.’ That was exactly what I’d been hoping. ‘So you’re going straight back to Harvard?’

He nodded. ‘I have a lab to run. And this one down here’s going smoothly.’

‘Will you be back this summer?’

‘That I don’t know. Depends how things go at home, and what comes up at Alliance. But for now it’s good I can get away. And you, will you be back?’

I grinned again – that sounded like he had already decided to take me along for the ride.

‘
If
you come with me,’ he quickly added.

‘Yes, I will.’

‘May I ask, then, why you’re not doing this travel at the end of your trip?’

‘I was going to, but the person I need to see at the whaling museum is off on sabbatical shortly,’ I lied. ‘It’ll be worth its weight in gold for me to meet up with her and now’s the only time. When I heard you were heading that way it seemed to be fate.’

‘I didn’t think we scientists believed in fate.’

‘Well, put it this way, I’m an opportunist, so when the possibility arose . . .’

‘I’d do exactly the same in your position,’ he said, draining his coffee and standing. ‘I’ll get back to you.’

I wanted to high five the air. Then I realised I had to set up a real meeting in Nantucket. I raced back to my room and found the details of the person I needed to contact – Betsy Bryson.

My mother always told me it was bad to lie. And today was no exception. My email to Doctor Bryson bounced back: she really was on sabbatical, from last week until March next year. I cursed loudly but Kate, who was sulking and watching her beloved Adélie penguins on computer, didn’t even look up.

I quickly searched the museum staff list and found the next most senior person: Alice Hussey. I sent a detailed email explaining who I was and why I needed to come. I added that I would like to explore any archives on the island with the hope of finding out more about Captain Erling Halvorsen and his parents, Ingerline and Lars. I crossed my fingers as I pressed send, praying that somewhere in an archive on Nantucket I’d find mention of tunnels under the village.

I looked up Norwegian staff at Harvard and emailed an academic who had a friendly face – Astrid Bredesen – asking if she might know someone who could translate Ingerline’s diaries, which I hoped I could drop off in person.

But my other concern was how I could get to spend time with Snow. After doing what I needed in Nantucket at lightning speed I planned to pay him a visit at Harvard.

After several hours talking to Georgia, mulling over everything, she gave me her blessing for the trip.

‘Be very careful with Snow,’ she said. ‘If he is involved and he senses we’re onto him, you’ll be in real danger. Tread lightly. He’s pretending to be as attracted to you as you are to him, so that does give you an opportunity.’

‘What do you mean “pretending”?’

‘You might be a few decades too old.’

I felt like she’d just slammed me in the gut. ‘Why do you say that?’

‘I’m not ruling anything in or out until we know more,’ said Georgia firmly. ‘But let’s just say, if one of my hunches is on the money, there’s no way you can get involved in the way you want. You should be able to glean something, though, and that’s why it’s important to go. Send any information straight back to me.’

A chill rippled through me that her suspicions seemed to be travelling the same way as my dark fears, but I didn’t agree with her about Snow. And then an awful thought occurred. ‘Georgia, what if Connaught’s watching your computer and phone? He could have done anything to your electronic equipment when you arrived, just like with me.’

‘Don’t worry, I scanned everything as soon as we got back to proper reception. My systems are clean. I’ll do yours now. And just to bring you up to speed – last night I phoned the station leaders at Villa Las Estrellas and Esperanza. They’re adamant no one from their bases would have come to South Safety, let alone brought children.’

‘That’s one theory gone, then, I guess,’ I said, disappointed. It would have been so much better if that was the explanation. Something innocent. ‘Although they wouldn’t necessarily know, would they, if some of their own were doing it unofficially?’ I added, wishing it could be so.

Georgia nodded, concentrating on running a sophisticated software check on my phone. It hadn’t been tampered with, nor, it turned out to my amazement, had my computer, tablet or camera.

‘Why didn’t you do this before?’ I said, shaken. ‘You knew I thought they switched that penguin.’

‘Well, they didn’t. Not the photos anyway.’

She clearly hadn’t believed me at the time, either.

‘Well, let’s see who’s right about Snow,’ I said, feeling exhausted and worried to be leaving the boy down here.

‘Just find out what you can,’ said Georgia. ‘And look after yourself.’

•  •  •

Five am and the sun was already high in the sky as I hugged Kate.

‘Next time you ask for a favour, I’ll be saying no,’ she said.

‘Georgia asked you, not me,’ I replied lightly.

‘Yeah, right. Don’t try and squeeze your way out of it. You owe me big time, Alvarado, and I’m not going to let you forget it. And as for abandoning me here with Rutger . . . If I’m not back with my Adélies soon I’ll be a madwoman.’

‘I promise I’ll find a way to make it up to you.’ I tucked a strand of red hair neatly behind her ear.

‘I’ll miss you,’ she mumbled.

‘Me too,’ I said, hugging her again until it hurt.

•  •  •

Georgia and I said goodbye as Travis packed my bags into the Hägglunds.

‘Your flights have been paid, and get receipts for the rest of your travel and accommodation.’ Georgia looked at me intently. ‘Keep your head on your shoulders and your eyes in their sockets.’

‘What sort of advice is that?’

‘The best, believe me.’

‘Greek dag,’ I said, and she punched me on the arm. Hard.

I hopped up into the Hägglunds and looked back as Georgia walked out onto the icy road and stood waving as we left, her hair a black mane shining in the sun, her smile broad and caring. A lump formed in my throat – but it was stupid to be feeling so emotional when I’d be here again soon.

I didn’t turn around until Georgia was just a speck in the white.

‘So,’ said Travis, staring straight ahead, hunched over the controls, ‘I want to know what the great professor has that I don’t.’

I sat back and glanced at him. His jaw was set tight. ‘I’m going over for research,’ I replied matter-of-factly. ‘Nantucket was always part of the plan.’

‘Not in the middle of a tour here,’ he said tersely.

‘That sounds military.’

‘Whatever you want to call it, it’s very unusual for someone to go elsewhere and claim they’re coming back to Antarctica in the same season. I’m afraid I don’t believe you. You’re not coming back, are you?’

‘Travis, I am. I promise. How could I abandon my little brother? You’re family.’ I desperately hoped that he wasn’t involved with the boy.

‘Don’t say that.’ He turned to me, eyes flashing blue. ‘You know, Laura, I can be a very patient man.’ His gaze was so intense my whole body tingled. I forced myself to ignore it.

‘I’ll miss you,’ he said gently.

‘I’m really glad we got to know each other, too.’
But only if you’re innocent
. I looked away.

‘So what’s happening at Fredelighavn? You’ve gone very quiet since Georgia arrived,’ said Travis.

‘I wish you’d told me all you knew. It’s not too late.’ My voice had turned to ice. Travis sat up straight, surprised.

‘If you’re covering up a crime, you’ll be implicated, you know that. Forget Official Secrets Acts. They won’t protect you,’ I said.

Travis paled.

‘You do know something, don’t you?’ I grilled. ‘Are you involved?’ I glared at him, wanting and not wanting to hear the answer.

‘No,’ he replied emphatically. ‘No, I’m not.’

‘Then tell me what it is.’

I was clenching my fists like I was going to punch him. I’d never hit anyone in anger in my life. My feelings were a jumbled mess.

‘I don’t know exactly but I think you’re right that there’s something underground,’ he blurted.

‘Does it involve children? A boy?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re doing. You found that T-shirt . . .’

Was he really on my side? Could I trust him? I wanted to, badly. ‘Tell me about the underground part of the main building.’

‘We can only go down one floor. After that it’s restricted. And they’re definitely doing something down there.’

‘Could they have tunnels going all the way to Fredelighavn?’

‘It’s possible, I guess, but it’s such a long way. But there’s something else,’ he said quickly.

I held my breath.

‘Did you see a generator room down at the whaling station?’ he continued. ‘I had a good look around it with Moose, the day we went diving.’

‘Yes, what about it?’ I pulled out my tablet and brought up photos of the room, with its old electrical meters stacked high. Travis stopped the Hägglunds. He took the tablet and inspected the images closely.

‘Nothing was moving on the dials, right?’

I nodded.

‘But if people are underground, they’d need electricity. I’ve been thinking about it. I bet you didn’t check the oil tanks? The ones clustered at the side of the mountain. See if they were full or empty?’

I sat back, frustrated. ‘No. I didn’t think to. Do you think they’re using them?’ My heart beat faster.

Travis nodded. ‘I do. They could have diverted the underground pipes for their own use, at the point where they enter the generator room. It’d be simple; just run a connection and take it down. If they had their own generators beneath the ice, we wouldn’t hear them. They could easily have them in concrete rooms, keeping the noise in. I want to go back down – with your permission – and have a look around. Check to see how much oil is in the tanks.’

I could barely believe what I was hearing – that I’d missed such a fundamentally important point made me feel stupid and furious with myself, but it also encouraged my faith in Travis.

‘Will you do me a favour?’ I said. ‘Be really careful when you’re doing that?’

He looked at me vulnerably and nodded. I wanted to take him in my arms and kiss him. It was a brilliant idea – and not, I believed, the plan of a paedophile. Relief flooded through me.

‘Laura, will you have dinner with me when this is all over? I’d like to take you to my favourite lobster shack in Maine.’

I laughed, it was so unexpected. Travis looked mortified.

‘I’m serious,’ he said. ‘It’s the best food ever and I’d like to share it with you.’

‘Maine?’

‘We have a summerhouse in Kennebunkport. It’s not that far from Boston.’

‘So you’re from Boston?’

‘Yeah. I grew up there and went to Harvard, like all my family. Will you come?’

I squeezed his hand. It was warm and strong. And Harvard trained. A surge of heat swept through me.
He’s your little brother, Alvarado
, I reminded myself.

•  •  •

The plane was waiting on the blue ice runway. Not a Dash 7 that the British flew, but a much bigger bird. I hugged Travis goodbye and then pulled back slightly, looking into his cobalt eyes. His dark lashes were wet. He hugged me again, tightly, and a warm, gooey feeling fluttered through me.

‘Take care,’ I whispered into his ear, feeling his smooth skin. ‘Call me if you find anything.’

Travis kissed me quickly on the lips and my stomach flipped. Then I climbed the plane’s stairs as he went to put my luggage in the hold.

Inside the cabin, Snow was waiting. With a flute of champagne. There were four large seats at the front and he was the only one in that section. Behind, about a dozen scientists were crammed into smaller seats. They weren’t talking to each other, all absorbed in their computers.

‘Welcome aboard,’ said Snow, handing me the champagne. I gulped it down, suddenly feeling shy, wondering if he’d seen Travis kiss me, and what he thought about it. But I needn’t have worried: as soon as the plane took off, Snow excused himself and started to work on his computer, creating complex mathematical formulas that made no sense to me.

As we arced over Fredelighavn I focused on the cluster of tanks stretching up the mountain on the southern side of the village. Were they full of fuel-oil? I wished I could stay and investigate with Travis. I would phone Georgia and tell her about them as soon as I could.

Near Alliance Point, the Adélies were a black and white mass. In the bay, pods of humpback whales and killer whales swam through the sparkling water. The elephant seals basking on the beach looked like giant slugs, and chinstrap and gentoo penguins were all along the coastline in the other direction.