Catherine Martell

Living… in Twin Peaks, Washington. Catherine is the sister of Andrew Packard, former owner of the Packard Mill, and estranged wife of Pete Martell, a local lumberjack. As the manager of the town’s lumber mill, Catherine carries a considerable amount of clout and influence, making her both influential and susceptible to a fair share of enemies. She served on the Twin Peaks Town Council for 13 years.

Profession… running the Packard lumber mill. She started running the place after her brother Andrew’s death. Though legal ownership of the plant belongs to Andrew’s window, Josie, Catherine is more hands-on with the company’s day-to-day operations. Before that, she was president of the United Way for two terms. She also plans to become chief operating officer of Ghostwood Country Club Estates someday.

Interests… maintaining and increasing her involvement in her community. Catherine inherited a strong sense of civic duty from her mother, who was very active in the PTA and League of Women Voters. Catherine brought that community-minded approach to her stint at the Town Council. She’s fluent in Japanese and French and she enjoys Halloween parties, becoming known for her exceptional costumes.

Relationship Status… technically married, but in an affair with businessman and landowner Ben Horne. Her marriage to lumberjack Pete Martell is in name only, as it quickly devolved into a contemptuous and loveless pairing. Now she and Horne are thinking about mixing (underhanded) business with pleasure; let’s just say it involves the lumber mill and his real estate development project. But can, or should, Catherine trust Ben?

Challenge… getting what’s coming to her. Or to look at it another way, avoiding what she truly deserves. Catherine is trying to double-cross others, but may well be getting out-maneuvered in ways she would never have imagined. If she discovers she’s lost this latest battle, she’ll have to find the ingenuity, dishonesty, and perseverance to win the war. The spoils in Twin Peaks seem to go to whoever schemes best – and last.

Personality… devious. Catherine will turn on anyone if it means getting ahead. She’s a narcissist with low tolerance for anything that requires patience or sacrifice. Her husband is too simple for her, so she abandons him. She resents her position at the mill, so it’s probably not long for this world. Catherine is a spiteful opportunist, but it may be because she’s been burned so many times. That may also be what makes her so persistent. She’ll do whatever it takes to get even.