The Cats that Walked the Haunted Beach

by Karen Anne Golden

“Why?”

  “I can wait for him,” Mum offered.

  “That works, but why aren’t you going to the spa with us?”

  “Got a wee bit of a headache.”

  Colleen smirked. “Katz, what are you going to do about your hair?”

  “I thought I’d jump in the lake and wash it there. The water would probably be warmer.”

  Mum rose from her chair, “Come here, Katz. Put your head over the sink. I’ll use bottled water to wash it out.”

  “Yeah, it’s so short, it shouldn’t take too much,” Colleen kidded.

  “Okay, carrot top, enough with my short hair,” Katherine said.

  Colleen covered her face to conceal a giggle.

  ***

  Later in the afternoon, Katherine and Colleen drove back from the spa, and were several miles from the cabin, when a deputy sheriff’s vehicle, with its siren wailing and red lights flashing, passed them.

  Katherine said, “Wow, he came out of nowhere. He must be doing ninety.”

  In a few minutes, another deputy vehicle passed them.

  Both vehicles turned onto Beach Road.

  Colleen asked apprehensively, “Katz, isn’t that our road?”

  “Yeah, that’s it. I wonder what’s going on.”

  “It’s pretty remote back there. Step on the gas, so we get to the cabin sooner. I have a psychic feeling that Mum is in trouble.”

  Katherine floored the accelerator and sped down the curvy road. She overshot her lane and nearly hit a firetruck head-on.

  Colleen screamed. “Look out!”

  Katherine swerved to the right to avoid hitting it. She braked and put the SUV in park.

  The driver of the fire truck stopped. He powered his window down; Katherine did the same.

  “What’s your hurry? You drive like you’re running out of a house on fire,” he laughed loudly.

  Katherine made an annoyed face, and drove off. Driving into the cabin’s lane, she noticed the two deputy vehicles were parked in back of Cabin Three.

  “This can’t be good,” Colleen said. “Stop the car. I have to see if Mum is all right.”

  Katherine drove around the vehicles and parked.

  The deputies were chatting to each other outside the back door.

  Katherine ran to them. “What happened?”

  They stopped talking and looked at Katherine suspiciously.

  Colleen ran up. “I’m the daughter. Is my mother okay?”

  The first deputy, with an over-sized mustache, said, “You need to tell your mother to stop playing with matches.”

  “Why? What’s going on?” Katherine asked.

  “She tried to light a pilotless water heater, and set off a series of events that nearly caught the cabin on fire.”

  “Is she okay?” Colleen asked.

  “Yes, she’s inside.” Colleen flew into the cabin.

  Katherine lingered behind for a few seconds. “So, I’m curious, why are you two here?”

  “Just doing our job,” the other one said. “Good day, ma’am,” he said, walking to his vehicle. The other deputy got into his.

  Katherine didn’t stay to watch them leave. She hurried into the cabin. She covered her nose. The acrid smell of smoke was sickening. Someone had placed a box fan in the front living room window, but it wasn’t doing a very good job of getting rid of the smell.

  Colleen joined Mum at the table.

  “Girls, I’m fine. Don’t worry,” Mum said nervously.

  “What happened?”

  “That manager eejit didn’t show up, so I took matters in me own hands. How hard can it be to light a water heater?”

  Katherine looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes. “Where are the cats?”

  “I put them in your bedroom. Oh, one of the handsome lads from the fire department checked on them. He said they were fine, but he opened the window to freshen the room.”

  Katherine and Colleen shouted at the same time. “There’re no screens on the windows!”

  Katherine rushed into the bedroom. No cats. She flattened down on the floor and looked underneath the bunk bed. Still no cats. She called them, “Scout. Abra.” The cats didn’t answer. Then she yelled at the top of her lungs. “They got outside.”

  Colleen ran in. “Katz, we’ll find them. I’ll help.”

  Mum called from the kitchen table, “I’ll help, too.”

  Katherine barked, “You’ve done enough for the day. Stay out of it.”

  Katherine bolted out of the cabin and walked the perimeter of the house. Colleen headed in the opposite direction. When they met, Katherine became frantic. “Where could they go?”

  “Surely, they wouldn’t wander off in that woods over there.”

  Katherine glanced over at a clump of closely planted trees nestled in overgrown weeds. “That would be a nightmare.”

  Colleen walked to the edge of the property and peered over the edge of the sand dune. “Katz, come over here. What’s that on the beach?”

  “Where?” Katherine asked, joining her.

  “There, right there,” she pointed anxiously.

  “It’s the cats.” Katherine didn’t waste time backtracking to the path to the beach. She jumped over the sand dune, slipped, and fell on her back. She slid down the slope until her fall was stopped by a large piece of driftwood. Picking herself up, she ran to the Siamese.

  Abra was digging in the sand, and making a series of proud muttering sounds. Scout seemed poised to jump in the lake. She swiveled her head toward Katherine, then looked at the lake.

  Katherine coaxed. “Scout, no . . . no . . . come to mommy. Treat! Treat!”

  Scout ignored her and jumped into the surf. She began paddling away.

  Colleen, taking the easier route, ran up. “I’m not used to this back-to-nature stuff,” she complained.

  “Take Abra,” Katherine said. “I’ll get Scout.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She jumped in the darn lake.”

  “Can she swim?”

  “Apparently,” Katherine said, exasperated.

  Colleen picked up Abra, and gazed down at what Abra had been digging. With one hand she took hold of the cat, and with the other one, she picked up a leather wallet. She stuck it in her jeans’ front pocket. She trod back to the cabin with Abra tucked under her arm. The Siamese shrieked like she was being tortured, and wriggled the entire way.

  “Quit it!” Colleen said, “Stop squirming.”

  Meanwhile, Katherine spotted Scout’s head bobbing in the water about ten feet from the shore. The Siamese had something in her mouth.

  Katherine waded in, grabbed the wet cat, and held her close. “What do you think you’re doing? You gave your mommy a heart attack.” Then she noticed what was in Scout’s mouth — a very dead fish.

  “Ew, drop it,” Katherine ordered.

  Scout growled.

  Katherine massaged her jaw.

  Scout bit harder into the fish.

  At her wit’s end, Katherine said, “You win. Just take it.” She held Scout close and trudged back to the cabin. “Oh my, you smell. I know a very stinky Siamese that’s getting a bath.”

  “No-waugh,” Scout complained in a muffled voice.

  Entering the cabin, Katherine took Scout to the bathroom and closed the door. Colleen knocked on the door and said, “I locked Abra in our bedroom. What’s that god-awful smell?”

  “Scout caught a fish and won’t let me have it. Hey, I’ll be out in a minute. Put the kettle on.”

  “I’m on it,” Colleen said, walking away.

  A very guilty Mum sat at the table and fidgeted with her tumbler. “I guess I put me foot in it. I was only trying to help.”

  “Mum, Katz is very annoyed at you. Maybe you should keep a low profile for a bit.”

  “Maybe I should go home,” Mum said sadly.

  “I didn’t mean that. Just chill for a bit. What did Katz do with that manager card? I’m calling the clown right now.”

  Someone
knocked on the door.

  Mum ignored the knock and said, “I told the firemen what happened.”

  Colleen moved to open the door. “Don’t bother to get up. I’ll get it. It’s probably that idiot here to fix the water heater.” She opened the door. Kate stood outside.

  “I don’t mean to be nosy, but why was the fire department here?” she asked.

  “Come in,” Colleen offered. “We’re in the kitchen.”

  “Oh, okay,” Kate said, following Colleen.

  Kate said hello to Mum. “I was just asking your daughter why the fire department was here.”

  Mum answered glumly, “I tried to light the blasted water heater with a wad of paper, and the paper fell out of me hands, and caught the throw rug on fire.”

  Kate scrunched up her face. “Oh, not good. What’s wrong with the water heater?”

  Colleen answered. “We called the manager and he hasn’t come to fix it. We don’t have any hot water.”

  “Hey, I can fix that. It’s probably the same model that I have in my cabin. The newer models have electronic ignitions. It’s an easy thing to do, but there’s a trick to it. Do you mind if I have a go at it?”

  Colleen said, “Knock yourself out. The water heater is in that little room next to the bat room.”

  “Bat room? Where’s that?”

  Mum answered, “The rest room.”

  “Oh, okay.” Kate left the room.

  A minute later, Katherine walked in the kitchen, holding a very unhappy Siamese wrapped in a Turkish towel. “Did I hear someone come in?”

  Colleen said, “It’s Kate. She’s fixing the water heater.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Katherine said.

  Mum said, “Oh, no worries, love. She knows how to do it.”

  Katherine threw her a dirty look, then asked Colleen, “I have a favor to ask. Can you hold Scout while I get rid of the f-i-s-h?” she spelled.

  “It really stinks,” Colleen complained.

  “Yep.”

  “Okay, hand me the fisherwoman.”

  “Waugh,” Scout protested.

  “Is there a reason why she’s still in a towel?”

  Katherine glared at her friend. “Because I had to wash her in cold water, and I don’t want her to freeze to death.”

  “Okay! Okay! Don’t shoot me.”

  Katherine grabbed a roll of paper towels and headed back to the bathroom. She picked up the dead fish, wrapped it and carried it out of the cabin. She moved over to the wooded area and threw it as hard as she could into a clump of trees. Then she returned to the kitchen. Kate was explaining to Mum and Colleen that she’d fixed the water heater.

  “Yay,” Colleen said.

  “Hi, Kate. Thanks so much for fixing it,” Katherine said. “I wouldn’t have a clue how to do it.” She almost told the story about what happened on her wedding day, when Mum’s son, Jacky, had thrown a cigarette into a pile of oily rags, which blew up the water heater at the pink mansion, but she decided against it.

  “It’s something I figured out how to do. I’d much rather repair something myself, than put in a call for maintenance,” Kate criticized.

  “Why?” Colleen asked.

  “Because the owner is a dirty old man. He makes crude comments to me. I don’t want him anywhere near me.”

  “I thought you said there was a new guy that did maintenance?” Katherine asked.

  “He’s never around.”

  Katherine added, “Maybe I should call Misty and cancel our request.”

  Kate shook her head. “I wouldn’t bother. It doesn’t look like anyone is home.”

  “I’m making tea, Kate. Would you care for a cup?” Colleen offered.

  “No, thanks. Listen, I didn’t come over to nose about the fire. I came over to invite the three of you to a steak dinner.”

  Mum said, “This place is so desolate. I didn’t know there was a steakhouse nearby.”

  Kate laughed. “I’m grilling the steaks.”

  Colleen said, “Yum, that sounds delicious.”

  “Don’t make a fuss on our account,” Mum said.

  “Oh, there’s no fuss at all,” Kate assured.

  Katherine asked, “Is there anything you want us to bring?”

  “Maybe, if it’s not too much trouble, you can bring side salads.”

  “Sure,” Katherine said. “I can make coleslaw, that is, if you can point me to the closest grocery store.”

  “There’s a store up the road.”

  “I didn’t notice it driving here.”

  “Oh, it’s easy to find. When you get to the main highway, turn left. You won’t miss it. It’s called the Seagull 24/7.”

  Katherine chuckled. “Is everything named Seagull around these parts?”

  Kate laughed, “Pretty much. Anyway, we can have a picnic on the beach. Eat steaks, and—”

  Mum interrupted, “Talk a bit of treason. We’d love to come, but won’t it be too cold?”

  Kate answered, “I checked my weather app. It’s not supposed to be as cold out as it was last night. Just dress warmly.”

  “Let us know what else we can do,” Katherine said.

  “Sure,” Kate said, leaving. “You can do me a big favor. Before you head down to the beach, stop by my cabin and help me carry the food. I’ll grill steaks at seven, then we can go down.”

  “Of course, we’ll do that,” Katherine said, then asked, “Shouldn’t we build a campfire?”

  Mum offered, tongue-in-check, “I can light a match.”

  Katherine glowered at her. “Mum, don’t go there.”

  Kate said, “I’ve got one of those portable firepits. My uncle said he’d come by and move it to the beach. He’ll start the fire. Okay, then. I have to get going.”

  “I’ll show you out,” Katherine said.

  Kate walked to the door and stopped. “If you guys need anything while you’re here, please promise you’ll ask me. I’m more than happy to help.”

  “Great, and thanks again for fixing the water heater.”

  “No problem,” Kate said, walking out the door.

  ***

  Later that evening, Katherine, Colleen and Mum walked to Cabin Two. Kate was standing on her side porch, grilling the steaks on a small portable grill. “Hello, ladies. Tell me how you want your steaks cooked?”

  Katherine said, “Medium, thanks.”

  “Medium well,” Colleen said.

  Mum added, “Medium rare, so rare you’d think it would jump off the grill and moo.”

  Colleen brought up her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh.

  Kate laughed.

  Katherine wasn’t amused. She was still annoyed with Mum for letting the cats out. She thought, Jake was right. She is a magnet for trouble. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him what happened until I get home. He’ll probably flip.

  When the steaks were finished, Kate placed them on a metal steak plate, set on a wood base. Colleen carried a store-bought strawberry strudel while Katherine held a bowl of coleslaw.

  Kate handed Mum two steak plates. “Can you take these? Just remember your steak is the one in your left hand. You know, the one that mooed.”

  Mum smiled.

  Kate handed Colleen the third plate. “Ladies, I’ll join you on the beach. I have to fetch the baked beans I made.”

  Katherine, Colleen, and Mum walked down the lake access road to the beach. Immediately they were drawn to the idyllic scene of the blazing firepit. Four blankets flanked it.

  Kate had thought of everything. A cooler contained soft drinks. She’d placed condiments and silverware in a lidded-metal box. A piece of plywood served as a place for the bowls of food.

  “I love this,” Colleen gushed.

  Katherine smiled, finally letting go of her anger for Mum. She placed the bowl of coleslaw on the board.

  Kate walked up, juggling her steak plate and a bowl of baked beans. She set the bowl down next to the slaw. “Okay, everyone dive in. Steak knives are in the bucket. Oh
, and, some steak sauce.”

  Katherine grabbed a knife and cut the first piece of her steak. Tasting it, she said, “Oh, my. This is delicious.”

  Kate grinned. “You won’t believe where I got the steaks.”

  Mum said merrily, “You went out and found yourself a cow.”

  “It’s kind of a long story, but I’ll give you the Reader’s Digest version.”

  “Shoot,” Colleen said.

  “Every month I do volunteer work at the penitentiary.”

  “Where?” Colleen asked.

  “Michigan City.”

  “Oh, we were just there,” Katherine piped in. “I mean we weren’t at the prison, but—”

  Colleen cut her off. “What kind of volunteer work do you do?”

  “I’m an accountant. A CPA.”

  “Okay, but are you talking about preparing the taxes for the guards or the prisoners?”

  “Actually, the prisoners.”

  “Why would they need help with their taxes? I thought prisoners don’t pay taxes.”

  Kate said between bites, “Prisoners are required to work, but don’t make much income. Most don’t make enough to file taxes. Besides, I only offer my services to those prisoners who have families in need at home.”

  “How do you know who those people are?” Colleen asked.

  “The warden gives me a list of model prisoners who have a wife or significant other and kids back home. The prisoners are doing their time, so they can get back to them.”

  “That’s sweet,” Katherine said. She didn’t mention that she did charity work as well. In fact, she didn’t want to talk about her status as a millionaire. She’d found that little tidbit of intel changed people’s attitude toward her. She had just wanted a nice, quiet getaway, which was turning out to be far from quiet.

  Colleen asked, “So, where did the steaks come from?”

  “I left that part out. Oops. One particular prisoner, James, is doing time for manslaughter.”

  “Wow,” Colleen frowned.

  “He has a wife and seven children. They live on a farm. I went over to visit them today, to see how they’re getting along. Frances, James’ wife, gave me the steaks.”

  “That was precious of her,” Katherine said.

  “Plus, I had an excuse to go see the kids. They are adorable. The eldest is fourteen and the youngest is five.”

  A seagull swooped overhead and landed next to Mum. Mum screamed.