The 45th Parallel Page 18

  “In this case, I’m glad I could help,” Kat said as she laughed. Patrick drove Kat back to Mary’s house and watched television while Kat went up to get ready. Kat wasn’t sure how she should dress for this event. She decided on a pair of Anna’s jeans and a dressy, black sleeveless top Helene had given her. That way she was a little dressed up, but still casual. Patrick had on jeans, but Patrick could pull off wearing jeans to a black tie affair.

  “So what exactly are we looking for?” Patrick asked as they walked down to the park from Mary’s house.

  “I asked Martine the same question. She didn’t really give me a good answer.”

  “I guess we’ll just have to see what the full moon brings,” Patrick said as they rounded the corner and the park came into view.

  Chapter Thirty

  From two blocks away, Kat could see a large white tent set up. It was similar to the tent they put up for the fish boil, but instead of leaving the sides open, there was a sheer black fabric that hung down from the white roof. When they got inside the tent, Kat was amazed at what a great job the committee had done decorating the inside.

  The same sheer black fabric covered the ceiling along with strands of white lights that twinkled like small stars. A large white lantern hung from the center of the tent, completing the night sky effect. Around the perimeter of the tent were a couple of bars, stations for appetizers from local restaurants, three different wineries including North Light, a palm reader, and a tarot card reader. A DJ was setting up in the corner next to a makeshift dance floor and there were groupings of tables with silver tablecloths and silver, black, and white balloons as centerpieces.

  “Well, what do you think?” Kat heard Mary say from behind them.

  “It looks amazing. You’ve really out done yourselves,” Kat said as she turned to face Mary.

  “This is the biggest fund raiser we have ever done. We are even going to have a local tribe come and demonstrate a full moon ritual dance,” Mary beamed. “Oh, you have to meet Eleanor Hughes. She is from a local Ottawa tribe. She is here to provide information and history on the tribes in this area,” Mary said as she took Kat’s arm and dragged her over to the booths set up along the side of the tent.

  Eleanor stood behind a table lined with literature on the Native American population. Kat guessed she was around sixty with gray and black hair pulled back into a bun. She was an attractive woman with high cheekbones and dark eyes. Her outfit was simple, jeans and a blousy white shirt accessorized with Indian jewelry.

  “Eleanor, this is my niece, Katherine Collins.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Eleanor said as she took Kat’s hand.

  “Kat is staying with me for a while until she goes back to college.”

  “I hope you enjoy your stay,” Eleanor said to Kat.

  “Thank you, I will certainly try.”

  “In addition to being a historian when it comes to the Native American population in the Great Lakes, Eleanor is also a healer,” Mary said.

  “Come by and see me if you want any information on the local tribes or if you need any help connecting with your spirit,” Eleanor said as she handed Kat her card.

  “Thank you,” Kat said. “It was nice to meet you.”

  As they walked away from Eleanor, Kat saw the North Light Winery table.

  “Aunt Mary, let’s go say hello to Greg,” Kat said as they walked toward the table. Greg, who had been helping to set up, spotted them and came around to the front of the table.

  “I think the Ladies Group of Northport has done a great job Mary,” Greg said as he kissed Kat and Mary on the cheek.

  “Thank you, the tickets went fast,” Mary said.

  “Are you sticking around for the festivities?” Kat asked Greg.

  “I’ll hang out for a little while.”

  “I figured you would be here until the bitter end,” Kat said.

  “I’ll be here long enough to dance with you and your beautiful cousins.”

  “That’s a deal.” Kat smiled.

  “Kat, would you mind helping Dora collect the tickets at the door? It looks like the line is starting to back up,” Mary said.

  “Sure.” Kat turned back to Greg and said, “I’ll catch you later,” before she walked over to the door and sat down at the table with Dora. Kat recognized a lot of the people who came through the door, but there were also quite a few tourists. That should make our task this evening all the more difficult.

  “So, whose idea was it to have a Full Moon Celebration?” Kat asked, in an attempt to make conversation.

  “I think it was Denise Sakal’s idea. We were trying to come up with something different. Something we have not done before. Did you know Pagan religions used to worship the moon? They felt they could draw energy directly from it. It was believed to be most powerful during a full moon.”

  “Well, there must be something to it since this event is sold out,” Kat said as she smiled at Dora. Kat felt a shiver travel up the back of her neck and she looked out into the tent. Her eyes immediately locked on John. He was across the tent standing next to her cousins but looking directly at Kat. Their eyes met and he gave her a little smile that made Kat’s heart race.

  “I think I can handle things from here. Why don’t you go out and enjoy the party,” Dora said as she noticed Kat looking at John.

  “All right, thanks Dora.” Kat stood and began walking over to John and her cousins.

  When she reached them, John said, “Martine tells me you are all making good progress.”

  “We are making some progress, but I’m not really sure what we are supposed to be looking for tonight,” Helene said.

  “I think we should all spread out, work the room and use your intuition,” John said.

  “Working the room is my specialty,” Patrick said.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention,” Kat heard Denise Sakal say into the microphone. They stood and waited for the crowd to quiet down.

  “Welcome to the first Full Moon Celebration brought to you by the Ladies Group of Northport. We are a non-profit organization that raises money to help preserve our past. Tonight’s proceeds will be used to help maintain our beautiful Grand Traverse Lighthouse.

  “In addition to the wonderful food and wine from our local restaurants and wineries, we also have palm and tarot card readings, as well as tables with information on the area. At ten-thirty, we will have a ritual tribal dance performed by a local tribe. And, since there is a full moon tonight, there is a bonfire outside the tent for those of you who would like to get a peek at the moon and our beautiful harbor. They say the moon has powerful magical properties, especially on the 45th parallel. On behalf of the Ladies Group of Northport, we hope you have a magical evening.”

  Kat watched as Denise handed the microphone back to the DJ and walked slowly back to her table. Kat thought Denise still looked ill. The crowd clapped and the music started to play.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go over to the wine booth. We can get together later to see if anyone learned anything,” John said before he turned and walked away.

  After looking around the room for a couple minutes, Patrick said, “Would anyone like a glass of wine?” Kat turned toward the North Light table to see John standing there talking to a group of young women. They were hanging on his every word. He was wearing jeans and a white button down shirt, un-tucked. He would look good wearing a potato sack.

  “Yes, I think I’ll need some,” Kat said disgusted.

  “Are you getting any strange feelings from anyone Anna?” Helene asked.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

  Anna turned in John’s direction and closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed slightly with concentration. She opened her eyes after a minute and looked at Kat. “He is conflicted,” she said.

  “Conflicted about what?”

  “Like I said before, I don’t get the reasons for the feelings, just the feelings.”

  “That isn’t very helpful.”

&nb
sp; “Sorry,” Anna said sheepishly. “Oh, I am getting something else now.”

  “What?” Kat asked.

  “Lust.”

  Kat looked over at John and he was looking right at her. Their eyes met and one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile before he returned to his conversation with the young women.

  “Are you sure that is coming from him?” Kat asked. “Look around this room. Lustful feelings could be coming from anywhere.”

  “I have gotten pretty good at pinpointing where the feelings are coming from. They are from John.”

  “He is standing next to a group of attractive women.”

  “Well, he was looking right at you.” Anna smiled.

  “I don’t think we are here to get readings on each other,” Helene said.

  “Yes, I think it is best if I don’t know what John Warren is feeling.” Kat sighed and looked over to see Patrick sauntering over toward them with two glasses of wine. He handed one to Kat and took a drink out of the other.

  “So Anna, what are you picking up from the table of beauties over there? I think they were checking out my butt.”

  Anna rolled her eyes and focused on a table of five attractive women. “I am sensing a lot of anger from the one in the dark blue.”

  “Anger!” Patrick said with a startled look on his face. He turned and looked toward the table of young ladies. “Oh yeah, she looks familiar. I think I met her at John’s house at the beginning of the summer.

  “Apparently you said you would call and never did,” Kat said.

  “Did you see that in a vision?” Patrick asked.

  “No, just basing that on your history.”

  “Okay then, I guess I will move on,” Patrick said as he scoped out the room. “Look at the red head over there. I wonder if she is here on vacation. She looks familiar but I think I would’ve remembered her if we had met before.”

  Kat, Anna, and Helene followed Patrick’s gaze. There was a very beautiful woman with long, wavy red hair wearing a form fitting deep purple dress standing by herself sipping a glass of red wine.

  “I think I need to check her out to see if there is anything suspicious about her. I’ll bring her another glass of wine since she is almost out,” Patrick said as he turned and walked over to Greg at the North Light booth. Anna and Kat shook their heads as he walked away.

  “I would like to bring that lady over there another glass of red wine. What do you recommend?” Patrick asked Greg once he reached the table.

  Greg looked over Patrick’s shoulder at the red headed woman and smiled. “Let’s see, I think a Baco Noir. I love this grape. It is hardy and does well in colder climates. It has a rich, fruity flavor. It always reminds me of up north.”

  “Thanks Greg,” Patrick said as he watched Greg pour a glass. “Wish me luck.”

  “Happy hunting,” Greg said as he watched Patrick walk over to the red head.

  As Patrick approached, the red head turned to face him as though she heard him coming despite the loud music.

  “I saw you from over there and thought you might like to try the North Light Winery’s Baco Noir,” Patrick said as he handed her the glass.

  “Thank you,” she said in a deep sultry voice. Her eyes were the most beautiful green he had ever seen. She put her full sensuous lips on the glass and took a drink. Once the wine was in her mouth she closed her eyes and moaned softly. “Mmmm…it tastes like the north woods, rustic and wild.”

  Patrick watched her taste the wine with a dazed expression on his face. “What’s your name?” he asked as he gazed into her beautiful eyes. She smiled and looked more deeply into his.

  “Maura,” she said after a moment.

  “I always loved that name,” Patrick said softly.

  Helene stood by Kat watching Patrick with the redhead and said, “I think we have lost him for the evening.”

  “Undoubtedly,” Kat said.

  “You look a little thirsty,” Kat heard someone say as a glass of wine was thrust in front of her. Kat looked up to see Steve standing next to her.

  “Thank you, my glass was getting a little low.” Kat smiled and gave him a hug. “This is my cousin Helene and my cousin Anna. This is Steve. He is in my bike club.”

  “I hope you are able to keep Kat from having any more accidents,” Helene said as she shook his hand.

  “We keep a close eye on her.” Steve laughed.

  “I think we better go see if Mary needs any help, Kat. It was nice to meet you,” Anna said. She and Helene made their way through the crowd to find Mary.

  “You look beautiful this evening,” Steve said.

  “You are used to seeing me in my sweaty biking attire.”

  “You look beautiful then too,” he said.

  “Oh…well…thank you,” Kat said a little embarrassed.

  “So, are you going to save me a dance tonight?”

  “Sure.” Kat smiled.

  “Hey you two,” they heard Lisa say as she approached them. “Have you been here a while?”

  “I have been here since it started. I was recruited to work the check in table,” Kat said.

  “Have either of you two seen Cole?” Lisa asked.

  “No, maybe he is sick. He didn’t look well the last time I saw him and he didn’t bike with us this week,” Kat said.

  “Kat was just promising me a dance,” Steve said as he put his hand on Kat’s back.

  “I like this DJ” Kat started to say, but before she could finish, she smelled something horrible. She put her hand up to cover her nose and mouth and her eyes began to water.

  “Are you all right?” Lisa asked.

  “I just got a whiff of something,” Kat said before coughing several times, “that I’m having a reaction to.” Based on the puzzled looks on their faces, Kat realized Steve and Lisa didn’t smell anything. “I think I just need to get some water.” Kat turned and started walking toward the North Light Winery booth. John watched her approach the booth, but before she could ask, he handed her a glass of water.

  “Thank you.” She coughed before swallowing half the glass. “How did you know I needed water?”

  “Intuition,” he said as he gave her a devilish smile.

  “Did you do that?”

  “Do what?” John asked, his eyes wide and innocent.

  “I smelled something awful when Steve started talking to me, but he and Lisa didn’t smell anything. Are you putting that in my head?”

  “It’s a new trick I am perfecting.”

  “And why were you practicing on me?” Kat asked angrily.

  “I thought you needed to refocus on why we are here instead of on flirting.”

  “So, let me get this straight. You can flirt with all the young women here, but as soon as someone shows an interest in me, you make them stink.”

  “I don’t want you to have to deal with strange men hitting on you. You need to stay focused.”

  “How noble of you, but he is not a strange man. He is in my bike club,” Kat said irritated.

  “I think he is interested in more than biking with you. Besides, I thought you would be impressed. I can not only persuade people to do what I want, but I can now control their senses without looking directly into their eyes.”

  “I think you better stop worrying about who I am talking to and start trying to get information on who raised old man Crowley from the dead.”

  “I have been questioning people,” John said sounding slightly angry.

  “You are asking people who come up for wine if they know how to raise the dead?” Kat said sarcastically.

  “I can compel people to tell me things, even if they don’t want to, just by asking a simple question. My abilities are stronger if I know the person I am trying to charm, if I know what motivates them.”

  Kat remembered the night they went out to dinner and the way she had rambled on about her mother’s suicide and her bad dreams. A fresh wave of anger washed over her. John leaned on the bar and looked at Kat with intense curiosit
y.

  “What?” Kat asked feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

  “You are very different from all of the women I know.”

  “Why? Because I am a seer.”

  “No, but that definitely makes you one of a kind,” John’s voice dropped slightly so Kat had to lean closer to hear him. “Most of the women I know are very easy to read. I have a difficult time reading you. I can’t figure out what you want.”

  “I want to find out who altered the course of my life by killing my mother.”

  John glanced over Kat’s shoulder. “Looks like Patrick made a new friend.” Kat turned and looked to see Patrick in a very close conversation with the redhead.

  “He just met her and he will probably be rolling around with her in the park within the hour.” Kat looked at John a little incredulously. “I’m surprised you don’t take more advantage of the swarm of females who seem to always be flocking around you.”

  John smirked. “Patrick wants what he gets.” John paused and looked at Kat, his eyes slightly dilated. “I get what I want.”

  “I’m sure you do,” Kat said softly.

  “They have started.”

  “Who has started?” Kat said as she stared into John’s beautiful blue eyes, unable to pull her gaze away.

  “The ritual tribal dance has started.”

  “Oh,” Kat said as she forced herself to turn toward the dance floor. There was a row of Native American Indians playing drums and a group of men and women dancing in a circle and chanting. They were all dressed in traditional costume.

  “When did they start?” Kat asked. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed the Indian drums playing.

  “Just a minute ago.” John moved closer to Kat. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the music. The sound of the drums and the chanting had a mystical, hypnotic quality. She began to feel like she was floating. The feeling was so disorienting she opened her eyes.

  She could still hear the Indian music but she was no longer standing in the tent, she was standing in a clearing in the woods. Kat looked up into the night sky at a blood red moon. She looked to the edge of the trees and she could see a figure emerging. At first Kat thought it was a large animal standing on its hind legs, but when it moved away from the tree line and into the red moonlight, she saw it was a man wearing a wolf skin over his shoulders; the head of the wolf resting on his head like a hat. His legs and feet were bare and his eyes glowed against his painted black face.