Frozen Solid A Novel

40




GRAETER WASN’T THERE.

She went to the comms office and asked. “He’s out on the iceway,” the comms operator said. “Some landing lights are out.”

“I thought it was Condition One.”

“Yeah. But planes won’t land without those lights working right. Gotta be ready for them.”

“Did he take someone with him?”

“Nope.”

“When will he be back?”

“Couple hours, I expect.”

“As soon as he gets in, will you tell him to call me, please? It’s important.”

“Sure will, Doc.” All Draggers called all Beakers “Doc,” she had learned.

“Thanks.”

“Um, ma’am?” He looked at the comms office door, then back to her. His face was partially hidden by his long, lank brown hair and the requisite Pole beard. But underneath all the hair she saw that he was very young. He had large, fanlike ears, bulb cheeks with blemishes, a receding chin, and a squashed-looking nose. And fear in his eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“These women that died?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think happened?”

“Rockie Bacon was sick and had a bad accident. I don’t know about Harriet Lanahan or Diana Montalban.”

He paused, looked uncertain, then went on: “You think there’s something down here? Some germ?”

Reassuring lie or frightening truth? She decided on a little of both. “I don’t know that. But I do know that only women have died.”

He lowered his voice. “People are saying you brought something.”

“Is that what you think?”

“Don’t make much sense to me.”

“No. Why not?”

“You aren’t dead.”

“There is that.”

“Tell you one thing. This is my first tour at Pole. And my last.”

“Can’t say I blame you.”

“Ask you something else?”

“Sure.”

“Doc Fida took a penguin?”

“It’s what they’re saying.”

“You don’t think so?”

“I didn’t know him well,” she said.

“I knew Doc Fida.”

“You don’t use his Pole name?”

“He didn’t like it. I could relate. One they gave me? Neuman. As in, Alfred E.”

Hallie understood. Beautiful people sought their kind. So did those at the other end of that spectrum.

“He was a little weird. Everybody gets a little weird down here. But him just up and taking a penguin? Doesn’t compute for me.”

“You know what? Me neither.”

He seemed relieved to hear that he was not the only one.

“Good talking with you,” Hallie said.

“You, too.”

She started away. His voice stopped her. “Hey, Doc?”

“Yes?”

“Strange people down here. A lot of ’em are scared shitless. Do well to watch your back.”