read Work . The sign above the other one read Residential .
Baxter pulled off his parka. "Welcome to Kirby."
"I've seen morgues with more personality," Graham said.
Baxter ignored him. "Thanks to the aerodynamic design and anchoring, Kirby can withstand winds of up to two hundred miles per hour. I'm also proud to say it's a zero emission base. Other than the vehicles, all of its energy needs are supplied via solar and wind power."
"No wonder you've got so many blackouts."
Baxter's face clouded over.
"Hello." A girly voice sounded out. "Am I interrupting something?"
I glanced over my shoulder. A woman leaned against one of the couches. She wore a white t-shirt and jeans. Her shiny black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. A light layer of shadow accentuated her big bold eyes. Blush gave her youthful cheeks a rosy glow. Gloss, pink and juicy, covered her lips.
I blinked a few times. Since arriving in Antarctica, I'd seen all types of women. But none of them, not even Liza Baxter, had worn makeup.
"Holly!" Baxter gave her a hug. "We never see you anymore. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." She returned the hug. "How's Liza?"
"She's good. She sends her regards by the way. Unfortunately, she had to stay behind to take care of some unfortunate business."
"I heard all about the Desolation . It's so sad."
"It could be worse. One man survived." He waved at us. "Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet some people. They work with Beverly Ginger."
Holly pushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Hello."
Graham grasped her hand. "Dutch Graham."
"Holly Whitlow." Her gaze turned toward me. "And you are …?"
As I reached for her palm, traces of peach wafted into my nose. She wore the perfect amount of perfume, just enough to confuse the senses. "Cy Reed. Nice to meet you."
"What happened to your eye?"
"It's a long story." Her grip was soft, almost sensual. I could feel her individual fingers pressed against my hand. "We met your husband. You're a zoologist?"
"Sure am."
A yawn escaped my lips. "By the way, does anyone have the time?"
"It's time for bed," Baxter said. "I'm going to make some calls. Holly, can you show them to their room?"
She nodded.
As Baxter walked away, Holly gave me another glance. "Are you with those other guys who are coming here?"
I gave her a quizzical look.
"Dan Trotter and Ted Ayers."
"No." My bruised eye pulsed. "But we've met."
Footsteps scuffled across the floor. Then Rupert Whitlow strode into the room. He wore a sweat-wicking compression shirt and workout shorts. Sweat glistened from his brow.
Holly's voice lost some of its warmth. "When did you get here?"
"Maybe an hour ago," he replied. "I figured I'd grab a quick workout."
"I thought you were staying late to pick up the newbies."
"Actually, I got lucky. Another person is coming here. His name is Aaron Jenner. There wasn't enough room in the Sno-Cat for all of us plus the crate. So, Jim and I split up. He won't get here for a few hours yet." He glanced at us. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you were leaving."
"Change of plans," I replied.
"Glad to hear it."
"Next time, let me know you're back." A cold smile crept over Holly's face. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, babe. Anything."
She swept her dainty hand at us. "Help them with their luggage."
"Don't worry," I said. "We'll be fine."
"It's no problem." Rupert gathered up our bags. "I'll put them in your room."
Holly waited for him to leave. "I love him to death. But sometimes he just drives me crazy."
Graham arched an eyebrow at me.
"How long have you been married?" I asked.
"Six years."
"It must be hard living here. I know I'd get a little stir crazy after awhile."
"I like my privacy." She smiled. "But meeting new people is fun too."
"Have you spent a lot of time with Beverly so far?"
"She's only stopped in a few times. I think she's building some sort of field camp with Jeff Morin."
Baxter jogged into the common room. His face looked somber.
Baxter pulled off his parka. "Welcome to Kirby."
"I've seen morgues with more personality," Graham said.
Baxter ignored him. "Thanks to the aerodynamic design and anchoring, Kirby can withstand winds of up to two hundred miles per hour. I'm also proud to say it's a zero emission base. Other than the vehicles, all of its energy needs are supplied via solar and wind power."
"No wonder you've got so many blackouts."
Baxter's face clouded over.
"Hello." A girly voice sounded out. "Am I interrupting something?"
I glanced over my shoulder. A woman leaned against one of the couches. She wore a white t-shirt and jeans. Her shiny black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. A light layer of shadow accentuated her big bold eyes. Blush gave her youthful cheeks a rosy glow. Gloss, pink and juicy, covered her lips.
I blinked a few times. Since arriving in Antarctica, I'd seen all types of women. But none of them, not even Liza Baxter, had worn makeup.
"Holly!" Baxter gave her a hug. "We never see you anymore. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." She returned the hug. "How's Liza?"
"She's good. She sends her regards by the way. Unfortunately, she had to stay behind to take care of some unfortunate business."
"I heard all about the Desolation . It's so sad."
"It could be worse. One man survived." He waved at us. "Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet some people. They work with Beverly Ginger."
Holly pushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Hello."
Graham grasped her hand. "Dutch Graham."
"Holly Whitlow." Her gaze turned toward me. "And you are …?"
As I reached for her palm, traces of peach wafted into my nose. She wore the perfect amount of perfume, just enough to confuse the senses. "Cy Reed. Nice to meet you."
"What happened to your eye?"
"It's a long story." Her grip was soft, almost sensual. I could feel her individual fingers pressed against my hand. "We met your husband. You're a zoologist?"
"Sure am."
A yawn escaped my lips. "By the way, does anyone have the time?"
"It's time for bed," Baxter said. "I'm going to make some calls. Holly, can you show them to their room?"
She nodded.
As Baxter walked away, Holly gave me another glance. "Are you with those other guys who are coming here?"
I gave her a quizzical look.
"Dan Trotter and Ted Ayers."
"No." My bruised eye pulsed. "But we've met."
Footsteps scuffled across the floor. Then Rupert Whitlow strode into the room. He wore a sweat-wicking compression shirt and workout shorts. Sweat glistened from his brow.
Holly's voice lost some of its warmth. "When did you get here?"
"Maybe an hour ago," he replied. "I figured I'd grab a quick workout."
"I thought you were staying late to pick up the newbies."
"Actually, I got lucky. Another person is coming here. His name is Aaron Jenner. There wasn't enough room in the Sno-Cat for all of us plus the crate. So, Jim and I split up. He won't get here for a few hours yet." He glanced at us. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you were leaving."
"Change of plans," I replied.
"Glad to hear it."
"Next time, let me know you're back." A cold smile crept over Holly's face. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, babe. Anything."
She swept her dainty hand at us. "Help them with their luggage."
"Don't worry," I said. "We'll be fine."
"It's no problem." Rupert gathered up our bags. "I'll put them in your room."
Holly waited for him to leave. "I love him to death. But sometimes he just drives me crazy."
Graham arched an eyebrow at me.
"How long have you been married?" I asked.
"Six years."
"It must be hard living here. I know I'd get a little stir crazy after awhile."
"I like my privacy." She smiled. "But meeting new people is fun too."
"Have you spent a lot of time with Beverly so far?"
"She's only stopped in a few times. I think she's building some sort of field camp with Jeff Morin."
Baxter jogged into the common room. His face looked somber.
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