“That’s second. The biggest advantage is that I can just pass things off as nerve damage or losing my balance. Who’s going to argue?”

Luke’s smile turned to a frown and Marina realized he was looking over her shoulder.

“Trouble is headed our way,” he said. “Stay calm, Marina.”

“You!” Chastity LeDoux yelled as Marina whirled around.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“You have the nerve to show up at my house,” Chastity ranted. “After what your daughter did?”

Marina stared at the girl, whose black eyes showed through the makeup. Her nose was still swollen to twice its normal size. And she felt the room tip just a little. How had things gotten this out of control?

“Maybe if you hadn’t been stealing from her, she wouldn’t have tried to stop you,” Marina said.

Chastity’s face flashed with anger. “I wasn’t stealing. Harold gave me those clothes.”

“Harold has no right to give away the property of another adult. But then, you have a habit of trying on other people’s clothes. Maybe you should talk to your daddy about upping your allowance so that you can buy your own.”

“You bitch!” Chastity yelled and leaped at Marina, grabbing her around the neck. Marina fell backward into the table stocked with glasses for the bar and the whole thing collapsed, sending them both crashing down. Marina could feel broken glass pressing into her back and pieces nicked her arms and the side of her face as she struggled to pull Chastity’s hands from her throat. She was just about to let go with a solid right hook when Chastity flew off of her.

Adelaide and the hardware store manager helped Marina up and she saw Chastity dangling in the air as Luke clutched her around the waist. She was kicking and screaming like a small child. The entire crowd of partygoers was staring at her in horror, including the love of her life, Harold.

Dottie rushed up to Marina, clearly distressed. “Are you all right? Do you need the paramedics?”

“No,” Marina said. “I’m just a little banged up and have some glass cuts.”

“Unbelievable,” Dottie said and whirled around to look at Chastity.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked.

The fact that the question had come from Dottie, including a curse word uttered in her completely serene voice, rendered everyone silent.

“It’s not me!” Chastity screamed. “It’s all her fault.”

Dottie shook her head. “Your parents ruined you. It’s pathetic.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from those standing around and everyone froze when Preston came running up and demanded that Luke put his daughter down.

“I’ll do that when she’s in handcuffs,” Luke said. “Not a minute before, and you really don’t want to try to make me. I’m done with you people.”

“Handcuffs?” Preston stared at Luke as if he’d lost his mind.

“Your daughter attacked Mrs. Trahan,” Luke said. “She’s cut from the glass and has marks on her neck. There are about twenty witnesses, so don’t even think you’re going to weasel out of this one.”