The 45th Parallel

by Maureen Hands

  Kat stood and took her coffee cup over to the sink, turned to Patrick, and said, “Car keys?”

  Patrick hesitated then reached in his pocket and tossed her a set of keys. “Call us if you go anywhere besides Mary’s or work,” he said.

  “I will, I will. Are you ready Anna?”

  Anna walked over and grabbed her purse off the kitchen counter, and she and Kat walked out of the house. Kat thought that her car looked like it had been cleaned up, but the blood had stained the cloth seats. Standing in the morning light, the events of yesterday seemed so surreal. Kat had to keep looking at her leg to remind herself it wasn’t a dream. Anna and Kat drove to Mary’s house, and Anna helped Kat pack some clothes to bring back to John’s.

  By three o’clock that afternoon, Kat was climbing the walls. She couldn’t take sitting around anymore. She needed to think about something besides murder, zombies, and black magic. Fortunately, things were very busy at Muldoon’s. She had almost forgotten she had stitches until she bumped her leg up against the corner of a table while serving dinner. At about nine o’clock, Kat went in the back to take a break.

  “Hey Kat, do you mind tossing that trash in the dumpster?” Jack asked.

  “No problem,” Kat yelled back as she grabbed two large bags of trash and hauled them out the back door.

  The back door slammed shut behind Kat as she dragged the bags over to the Dumpster and tossed them in. Kat thought she saw something dart past the corner of the building in her peripheral vision. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned to look. Probably just a cat, she thought, trying to keep her frazzled nerves in check. The sun was low and cast deep shadows in the alley beyond. Kat turned quickly and went back in through the back door, making sure to lock it behind her.

  By ten o’clock, Kat was exhausted and told Jack she was done.

  “You’re a hard worker, Kat,” he said. “I really appreciate you coming in tonight.”

  “Jack do you think you could walk me out to my car?”

  “Sure, did you see someone strange out back?”

  “No, I just am a little jumpy tonight.”

  Jack walked Kat out to her car and made sure she was in safely before going back into the bar. Kat locked the doors, took a deep breath and started her car. As she was backing out, she heard a loud pop as her back tire went over a bump.

  “Shit,” Kat mumbled. She reluctantly got out and surveyed her flat tire. She had backed over a board that had a row of large nails sticking up.

  “How the heck did that get there?” Kat said. She froze when she heard a phone ringing behind her. It was the same ring she had on her cell phone, only she had dropped her phone at Crowley’s house. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.

  “It’s for you, Kitty,” she heard Crowley hiss.

  Kat’s heart began thundering in her chest. Her breathing began to quicken into short gasps. She forced herself to turn toward the voice. Crowley was standing about fifteen feet away at the edge of the parking lot. The putrid smell of rotting flesh washed over Kat’s face. She felt her stomach convulse, and then Crowley started to move fast.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  John and Patrick drove out to Township Cemetery to meet Martine. They made their way over to Crowley’s grave and looked down at the empty casket. The sun had set about twenty minutes before.

  “So what’s the rum for? Are we going to do shots by moonlight?” Patrick asked.

  “Martine called and asked me to bring an unopened bottle of rum,” John answered in a somber tone.

  Martine pulled up along the road and climbed out of her car carrying a cloth grocery bag. She reached in the bag and pulled out a flashlight to illuminate the path in front of her. John and Patrick watched silently as she approached.

  “Do you have the rum?” Martine asked.

  “Yes,” John answered as he handed her the bottle. Martine placed the bottle on top of Crowley’s gravestone, reached in her bag, pulled out a cigar, and placed it next to the rum. Patrick watched with a quizzical look on his face.

  “I’m going to call on the voodoo spirit of death. He takes souls to the afterlife,” Martine said. “You two are here to make sure I don’t go back with him.”

  “Why would you go back with the Grim Reaper?” Patrick asked.

  “We have a history.”

  “How do we keep you from going with him?” John asked.

  “Just hold onto me.”

  “This summer is getting weirder by the minute,” Patrick grumbled. Martine stood in front of Crowley’s grave with Patrick and John on either side of her.

  “I call to you, Papa Ghede, to bring back one that has risen again,” Martine said. A strong breeze started to blow through the trees, making the branches creak and sway. “Please Papa Ghede, I need your help,” Martine continued.

  “I like it when you say please,” a deep voice said. The voice seemed to be coming from all directions. A dark form began to take shape several feet from Crowley’s grave stone. After a moment, there was a tall, black man standing there. He wore black pants, a purple silk shirt that clung to his broad chest, and a black leather jacket. Even though it was dark, he wore sunglasses. He removed his tall black hat revealing his closely cropped hair. He stroked his jaw and tapped his index finger on his full lips as he studied the people before him.

  He focused on Martine and strolled over to where they were standing.

  “That’s not how I pictured the Grim Reaper,” Patrick whispered.

  Martine bowed her head slightly as he approached. “Thank you for answering my call, Ghede.” Ghede reached over and tilted Martine’s chin up to look into his face.

  “It’s been a long time Martine. You can call me Papa.” A sly smile crossed his lips.

  “I see you have updated your look,” Martine said.

  “I grew tired of looking like an undertaker from the 1800s. Do you like it?” The spirit brushed his fingers down the side of her neck and gently touched the amulet. “I see you still have our little friend, safe and sound.”

  “Oh yes,” Martine said dreamily. John squeezed Martine’s arm and she refocused her attention. “We need your help,” she continued.

  The spirit laughed, a deep rumbling sound in his chest. “Tell me what you want and then we can negotiate a price.”

   •●• 

  Crowley reached Kat within seconds, he raised his cane and Kat dodged to the side. The cane whizzed by Kat’s shoulder and struck her car, leaving a long narrow dent across the hood. Kat tumbled to her knees, pushed herself up and started running for the back door of Muldoon’s.

  Kat reached the back door and tugged on the knob but it was locked. Crowley was right behind her and swung his cane toward her head with deadly intent. Kat ducked and the cane smashed into the wall next to the back door.

   •●• 

  “We have a zombie roaming around,” Martine said as she motioned toward Crowley’s grave.

  The spirit leaned forward and whispered in Martine’s ear. “And you want me to bring him back?” Martine closed her eyes and started drifting off again. This time Patrick gave her arm a pinch.

  “Yes,” she said with some difficulty. “And we want to know who called him from the grave.”

  “That information would be very expensive indeed,” the spirit said.

  As I recall, you owe me a favor,” Martine said.

  “Hmmmm, if I call him back, we are even. Telling you who brought him back from the grave is another story. I think you know my price for that.”

  “I am not ready to cross over,” Martine said in a whisper.

  “Pity, you would make such a nice addition.” The spirit leaned over and kissed Martine on the cheek. “Everyone has to come with me eventually, my sweet.” He turned and walked to the headstone, picked up the rum and cigar. “William Crowley!” he called in a booming voice, and then he was gone.

   •●• 

  Kat tried to run for the front door of Muldoon’s but C
rowley caught her ankle with the handle of the cane. She fell as Crowley howled with glee. He raised his cane above his head to deliver the final deadly blow, then he froze.

  “Nooo!” Crowley screeched. Still holding the cane above his head, he began walking backward, pulled by some unseen force, until he was out of sight.

  Kat sat, staring in disbelief at the spot where Crowley had stood seconds before. What if he comes back? She looked down at herself to assess the damage. She had torn open some of her stitches. She struggled to her feet and hobbled over to the side of the building and leaned one arm against the wall and threw up. After waiting a moment to see if she would get sick again, Kat limped over to where Crowley had dropped her phone, picked it up and dialed Anna’s number.

  “Anna, can you come pick me up? I have a flat. I’ll be waiting inside Muldoon’s,” Kat said when her cousin answered. “Great, thanks.” She hung up and limped around to the front of the restaurant.

  “I thought you were leaving,” Jack said when he saw Kat come back in. “What happened to your leg? Are you all right? You are as white as a sheet.” Jack came out from behind the bar and helped Kat to a chair.

  “I got a flat. Anna is coming to pick me up.”

  “You’re shaking,” Jack said as he held Kat’s hand.

  “I slipped on the gravel in the back. It looks like I tore out a couple of my stitches. I just need to sit for a couple minutes.”

  Jack got a damp paper towel and handed it to Kat to help her clean off her leg. “I can change that flat for you,” he said.

  “I’ll take care of it tomorrow. I just really want to go home.”

  Jack looked at her with concern. “Why don’t you take off tomorrow?”

  “Thank you,” Kat said with relief. As Kat sat there waiting for Anna, she could feel exhaustion overtaking her. When Anna arrived ten minutes later, Kat could hardly keep her eyes open. Anna helped Kat to the car, and they drove in silence for a few minutes.

  “Kat, why are you so exhausted? You look terrible,” Anna said.

  “Crowley came for another visit.”

  “Oh my God, what happened?”

  “Jack walked me to my car and then he went back inside. As I was backing out, I ran over a board with nails. I know the board wasn’t there before I got in the car.” Kat felt a wave of nausea and swallowed hard to try to keep it at bay. “I got out of the car to see what had happened and that’s when he appeared.” Kat noticed Anna swallowing too.

  “How did you get away from him?”

  “I didn’t. Just as he was about to crush my skull with his cane, he screeched and started walking backward. He kept going until I could no longer see him.”

  “I wonder if whatever Martine was doing at his grave worked.”

  “If it was Martine, then she was just in time,” Kat said as she closed her eyes and put her head back. “I just want this to stop. I want my life to be back to normal.” They drove in silence until they got to John’s. Anna came around and helped Kat into the house. Kat didn’t object. Once they were in, Kat sat on the couch in the great room and slumped over to rest her head on the arm of the couch. Anna went into the kitchen and she could hear her telling Helene about her escape from Crowley.

  “Do you need some more of Mary’s tea?” Helene asked as they came out the kitchen.

  “No thank you, if I have any more of that, I’m afraid I won’t wake up until I’m an old woman.”

  They heard the front door open and John and Patrick walked into the room. They both looked at Kat’s bloodstained bandage, but before Kat had to start answering questions, Anna told them what happened. John sat next to Kat on the couch and stared into his hands.

  “I thought you weren’t going to work,” he said.

  “They had someone call in sick. It was fine till Crowley showed up,” Kat said weakly.

  John rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “We can’t protect you if you do stupid things.”

  “Since when is showing up for work a stupid thing,” Kat said, her eyes welling up with tears. John’s anger, on top of the events of the past two days, was too much to take. Anna came over and hugged Kat.

  “Leave her alone. I think she has been through enough,” Anna said giving John a sharp look.

  John stood up and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry Kat. You have to be more careful, though.”

  “The good news is that Martine’s best friend, the Grim Reaper, put Crowley back in the ground,” Patrick said.

  “Did you actually see the spirit?” Helene asked.

  “Yes we did, and he seems to have the hots for Martine,” Patrick said.

  “What did he look like?” Helene said.

  “He looked like a GQ model. Not at all what I was expecting,” Patrick said.

  “Where is Martine?” Anna asked.

  “She is staying in the guesthouse,” John answered.

  “After everything that has happened, won’t she be scared to stay out there by herself?” Anna asked.

  “Not much surprises or scares Martine.” John smirked then glanced over at Kat. “I will help you to your room.” Kat slowly pushed herself up off the couch and John took her by the arm.

  Once in the bedroom, John helped Kat over to the bed. Kat reached out and pulled him down next to her.

  “Can you stay with me?” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

  “Kat,” John said, “we can’t have that kind of relationship.”

  “What?” Kat said, completely confused. He had asked me out. He had kissed me first. How could I have misread those signals?

  “Not now, I think it would be too confusing. We need to keep our focus.” John took her by the shoulders and gently pushed her away from him. “It’s for your own safety.”

  “Can’t you just stay here next to me? I won’t touch you,” Kat pleaded. John’s lips tightened and he stood, dropping his hands from Kat’s shoulders. He would not look her in the eyes.

  “I’ll tell Helene or Anna to come in with you,” he said as he turned quickly and walked out of the room.

  Kat felt like a fool. She had just thrown herself at John and he had completely rejected her. Apparently the only interest he has in me is my ability to help him find his parents’ killers. He never had any romantic feeling. It was all just a lie to manipulate me. She squeezed her eyes shut as a fat tear rolled down her cheek. How could anyone be interested in me romantically once they find out about my visions? Once they find out I’m not normal.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Kat awoke to a gentle tapping on the bedroom door. Judging by the dim light coming in through the white sheers, Kat guessed it was about seven a.m. The door slowly opened and Martine stuck her head in.

  “Kat, are you awake?”

  Kat pushed herself up into a sitting position. “What time is it?”

  “It’s seven-fifteen. I thought I would work with you and Helene first. If you are up to it, that is. Why don’t you get dressed and join us in the kitchen.”

  “I’ll throw on some clothes and be out in a few minutes.”

  Martine nodded and closed the door. Kat put on her Michigan State sweatshirt and gym shorts, brushed her teeth, and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She wondered what Martine had planned for them, and why it had to start so early in the morning. “Only one way to find out,” Kat mumbled to herself.

  Kat made her way to the kitchen to find Helene and Martine eating breakfast. The lakeside walls in the kitchen were lined with windows offering beautiful views of Lake Michigan bathed in the soft morning light.

  “Good morning,” Helene said. “Are you ready for Martine’s boot camp?”

  “Can I eat breakfast first?” Kat asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

  “Absolutely, I don’t want a growling stomach to disrupt your concentration,” Martine said.

  There was a box of granola and a container of milk on the counter. Kat poured herself a bowl and sat down between
Martine and Helene.

  “I think we should start on the deck. The sounds of the water will help you relax,” Martine said.

  After they finished eating, Kat and Helene followed Martine outside, and they all found comfortable deck chairs facing the lake.

  “I want you to work on clearing your mind and opening yourself up to the spiritual forces in your life. Allow them to guide you.”

  “I’m afraid of what I will see and I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop the visions once I have opened that door,” Kat said.

  “You must let go of your fear and trust yourself. Accept your gift of sight,” Martine said. “You have to start thinking of yourself as a powerful seer, not as someone who is having hallucinations. Changing who you are starts with changing how you perceive yourself. Every time you hear the negative thoughts or images entering your brain, shut them off. Replace them with the thought, ‘I can do this.’”

  “I trust myself, it’s other people I’m not so sure about,” Helene chimed in.

  “Lack of trust builds a barrier around you. You can’t learn to fully utilize your gift unless you remove that barrier,” Martine said.

  They worked most of the morning, took a break for lunch, and got back to work. By midafternoon, Kat had mastered the relaxing part, but would shut down as soon as she sensed her “third eye” opening. Helene had managed to project herself to a meeting at the Elks Lodge while attempting to project herself to Aunt Mary’s house.

  “I’m not sure what good this is going to do if I can’t control where I am going,” Helene said with frustration.

  “Using your gifts, like everything else in life, will take practice,” Martine said.

  “Martine, do you mind if we stop for the day? I need to have Helene take me to Muldoon’s so I can change my flat and get my car,” Kat said.

  “This is probably a good place to stop. I need to go into the winery for a while anyway.”

  “You’re sure old man Crowley won’t come popping out of any bushes?” Helene asked.

  “I’m sure. You’ll just have to trust me on that,” Martine said as she winked at Helene.