She pointed her scraggly nail at him. She was pretty sure she lost that nail while attempting to claw out Josette’s crocodile-tear-shedding eyeballs and she would need to get that fixed. “Exactly. Nothing. You were way too busy drinking to help your brother with the business, much less to deal with the fact that he was obviously not meant for that soulless Barbie doll. Bayou Barbie, that’s her new name. You didn’t save him from Bayou Barbie and it cost him years of his life.” She reached over and held up the hair extension. “You want to know how to handle her? You take her down. I already got one trophy, Zep. Don’t make me take yours.”

He stared for a moment. “I heard you got in a little tussle with Josie last night. I guess I thought they were exaggerating. Jesus, is that her hair? You took her hair?”

“She came after my…Remy and he did not want to talk to her. He was polite. She did not take his ‘no’ for an answer. That is the textbook definition of sexual harassment. I took care of the problem and it wasn’t a tussle. It was a knock-down, drag-out fight and by drag-out, I mean Remy had to drag me out or I would have way more of her nasty hair for my collection.” She rolled out of bed, grasping the pillow. “So you and everyone else in town needs to get something straight. I’m not some sad-sack city slicker you can intimidate. I’m here as long as Remy wants me here, and by the way, I’m the reason he has the wharf in the first place. It was my money that bought it.” Well, her sister-in-law’s, but he didn’t need to know that. “So the next time you want to threaten me or want to make me look like some gold digger, you make a proper appointment.”

She struck him with the pillow, his muscular arms coming out to ward her off.

“Hey, honey, I was only trying to look out for my brother.” He backed out of her room though.

“I am not your honey, you infant.” She was unwilling to allow that to be the end. “And while we’re at it, my relationship with your brother is none of your business. You haven’t shown him a moment’s kindness in three years.” Another vicious swat of the pillow had him almost to the stairs.

“I thought about sending him a card, but I got ADD.” Zep started to back down the stairs with a strangely high scream.

“I don’t care. You will treat your brother right or you’re going to deal with me,” she swore.

“I’m sorry,” Zep said, turning and rushing down the stairs as though Remy could save him. “I just wanted to say hi. Your girl is mean. So mean.”