Icy Clutches by Aaron Elkins Read Free Book Online

Park Service people at Glacier Bay. They've turned up some bones there, apparently human, and they need some help."
    "Foul play involved?"
    "No, nothing like that. It's a matter for the NPS, not the bureau. They're pretty sure they're the remains of a scientific party that was lost years ago in an avalanche. No question of murder."
    "Uh-huh.” John toyed with his pen. “I guess I don't see how we're involved."
    "We aren't, really. But they need a forensic anthropologist to sort out the bones and tell them what they have, maybe get them positively identified. The Glacier Bay people asked the Juneau agency to help them out, but the woman they usually use is somewhere in South America at the moment. So Juneau called Anchorage, and Charlie remembered that anthropologist you've brought in a few times—"
    "Gideon Oliver."
    "Right, Oliver...” The name seemed to start him thinking. John heard the creak of his high-backed leather chair. Appletree was no doubt leaning back, tapping his lower lip with one of the pencils he used instead of pens. “He does tend to stir things up, though, doesn't he?"
    "In what way, sir?” John asked. Not that it wasn't true.
    "Well, I have nothing against him, you understand. He's done some good things for us. It's just that whenever we put him on some simple, cut-and-dried case, it...well, it always seems to turn out to be anything but cut and dried. Or haven't you noticed?"
    John smiled. “I noticed. It's just that he's good at what he does, that's all. He finds things other people miss.” He paused. “At least that's what I think it is."
    "Well, what the hell, this one will be Anchorage's baby, not ours. Can you get hold of him? Do you think he'd be available to go up to Glacier Bay and help them out for a few days?"
    "To Glacier Bay?” John leaned back in his chair and laughed. He and Marti had gone out to dinner with Julie and Gideon the night before they'd left for Alaska. “Yeah, I think he'd be available."
    "Good. Can he get out there right away? Where is he now?"
    "Boss, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I'll get right on it."
    * * * *
    "I just don't know, Owen.” Tibbett shook his head darkly. “It isn't...well, seemly."
    Chief Park Ranger Owen Parker threw up his hands and disagreed succinctly with his supervisor. “Seemly? What's seemly got to do with anything? It has to be done, Arthur."
    "Why does it have to be done? We brought the remains in, didn't we? We know who they belong to, don't we? Why do we have to go through all this forensic analysis crapola?"
    "Because..." Parker couldn't keep a matching note of irritation out of his voice. Arthur had already approved the process of calling in a forensic expert to identify the bones; he was just being difficult, just covering his ass in case there were some kind of administrative repercussions; although why would there be repercussions? But of course you never knew. No doubt the ever-prudent Arthur would write a memo to file, expressing his reservations, just in case.
    Parker's exasperation was, as usual, short-lived. What the hell, it wasn't really the guy's fault. He'd spent too many years behind a desk in D.C., that was his problem. You just had to be patient with him.
    "Because,” Parker said more quietly, “how else do we deal with the remains? They'll have to go to the nearest relatives, right? Do we just divide the bones into three piles and split them between them? For that matter, how can we be absolutely positive those bones are from the expedition until—"
    Tibbett waved him down. “Oh, come off it, Owen, really. Of course they are."
    Parker shook his head. “A lot of people have disappeared out there, Arthur."
    "Right on the edge of Tirku Glacier? Practically on the spot where the avalanche happened? Don't be ridiculous."
    Parker shrugged. “I don't know. We're just lucky we have Dr. Oliver here"—he tipped his head in Gideon's direction—"to help us out."
    Gideon nodded back with a smile, but in fact he