Polar Quest

Annja smiled. “Sorry about that. Someone grabbed me at the plane before I could figure out my bearings.”

Dunning frowned under the bushy mustache he wore. “Yeah, I’m working on making it mandatory, but this area presents its own unique problems in that regard.”

“Like what?”

“Well, there are over a dozen nations down here doing this and that, and not one of them wants to have anything to do with a little law and order. Antarctica, they say, represents the last real frontier in terms of land on Earth. And, of course, they don’t much like the idea of Americans telling them what to do.”

“That’s understandable,” Annja said.

Dunning smiled. “I agree. But even on a frontier like this, where everyone is ostensibly your next-best friend, people get into spats. And if that happens, there’s got to be someone around who can protect the population.”

“And that would be you.”

“At least for this year, yeah. We rotate down for a year-long stint. I’ve got a partner with me, so we can back each other up. Plus, if things get really hairy we can always call the New Zealanders in from Christchurch. Their department is top-notch, and we have a good working relationship with them.”

“You ever have to call them in?”

“Not for anything too horrible. Most of the people down here are reasonably stable folks. The snow gets to you, but if anyone starts showing signs of becoming a problem, they get rotated out pretty darned quick.”

Annja winced as another stab of pain sliced through her breathing. The pain medication wasn’t yet working. “I think there are two guys down here who might be good candidates for being shipped home.”

“Yeah? Tell me about it?” Dunning said.

Annja filled him in on what had happened at Gallagher’s. Dunning listened and stroked his mustache thoughtfully as she supplied the details. “And you didn’t get their names, huh?”

Annja shook her head. “I doubt they would have obliged me, anyway. They seemed fixated on my friend Zach.”

“Why so? What do you think made him so interesting to them?”

“I don’t know,” Annja said. Zach had asked her to keep the necklace confidential and she wanted to respect that.

Dunning looked into her eyes. “You sure about that?”

“Of course. Why would I lie about that?”

“I have no idea. I just find it tough to fathom why two guys would walk over and look to start trouble with your friend. Unless there was some underlying reason for their interest.”

“None I can think of, that’s for sure.”

Dunning patted her bed. “All right. Well, I’ll head down to Gallagher’s and see if anyone there can give me some more information. Unfortunately, you know how this is going to play out.”

“How?”

“Your word against theirs. That’s if we even find them. It’s not like our streets are crowded around here at this time of year especially. If you guys were tussling out there, no one saw it. People get into bed early during the winter. And without another witness, I can’t really do all that much except warn them to be on better behavior, that I’ll be keeping an eye on them, that sort of thing.”

Annja nodded. “Well, maybe that will be enough.”

“Yeah. Maybe it will.” Dunning stood. “Well, try to get some sleep. At least you’re safe now.”

“Until tomorrow,” Annja said.

“What’s tomorrow?”

“I’m going off-site.”

Dunning frowned. “Whereabouts?”

Annja thought hard. “I’ve been asked to take a look at the environmental situation out at Horlick Mountain.”

“Ugh, I don’t envy you. It’s a long trek to get there and from what I’ve heard, the place is a real mess.”

“Wonderful.”

“Well, best of luck to you, then. Mind those ribs and if you can think of anything else you haven’t mentioned yet, give me a call.”

Annja watched him shut the door and then she slumped back on her pillow. She felt drowsy and exhausted from everything that had happened so far.

She glanced at her clock. Ten o’clock. She’d need to be up by three to get herself squared away and then meet Zach and Dave for a four-o’clock departure time. That left five hours to get some rest.

Not much time. But she’d survived on less.

Trevor poked his head in again. “You need anything else for the night, Annja? Or are you all set?”

Annja smiled. “Just need some rest now, Trevor. But thanks.”

“My pleasure.”

“And thanks for all your help just now. I really appreciate it.”

He nodded. “I’m going to fix the lock on your door so it locks as I shut it. That way you don’t have to get out of bed, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Rest well.”

Annja closed her eyes and listened as the door clicked shut. Trevor tested the doorknob outside and couldn’t open the door. Annja turned and set the alarm, then reached for the light switch closest to her bed and managed to find it without putting herself into too much pain.

She slumped back on the bed.

She lay there in the dark thinking. What would make two guys want to kill her so soon after meeting her? Annja smirked. Yes, she thought, my personality can be abrasive when I want it to be. But was that all there was? Or was there another reason why she’d been marked for death so quickly? Why would someone want her out of the way this fast? She’d only just arrived in town and someone was measuring her for a coffin.

It didn’t make sense.

Unless Zach’s necklace was more of a threat than they thought.

But to whom? And why?

I need to rest, Annja told herself. And I need my ribs to heal fast or else I won’t be much good on the site.