At Peace (The 'Burg #2)(179)

“Only one’s got a trashy mouth is you, Susie Shepherd,” Josie retorted and put a hand to her hitched hip and threw out a foot and I tensed because this stance boded bad tidings in Catfight Land. Josie didn’t seem at all fazed by the fact that it was pouring buckets and the wind was whipping her hair and dress all around, she was in the zone. “I don’t know what you said to Violet to make her take you down like that but I do know you better watch your ass. You got enemies and we’re not talkin’ enemies like Denny Lowe. We’re talkin’ women who are up to here,” she lifted a straightened out hand to her chin and continued, “with your and Tina’s shit and we ain’t takin’ it anymore.”

She’d mentioned Dennis Lowe, the serial killer that made Feb and Colt’s life a living hell and that was when I knew who Susie Shepherd was. I’d read about her in the articles about that whole mess. At the end, Dennis Lowe had held her hostage and shot her.

This shocked me. Something like that happened to me, I would likely not be wandering strip malls, randomly picking fights with my ex-lover’s girlfriends. Hell, I’d never do that.

That was just me though. Maybe she was experiencing post-traumatic stress or something.

“Josie –” I started.

“You the one toilet papered Tina’s yard?” Susie, eyes to Josie, asked over me.

“Nope but I’ll give you ten guesses as to who did it and I’ll bet you still won’t figure it out ‘cause there’s probably a hundred women in this town who’d do it,” Josie answered. “Both of you tryin’ to cozy up to our men, talkin’ shit about what we do and wear, makin’ trouble,” Josie said. “You know, Susie, anyone shot me because I was a bitch, I’d learn my lesson. Maybe you should take some of your Daddy’s money, go somewhere quiet and reflect. For, I don’t know, say,” she paused then finished, “a hundred years?”

Susie paled and whispered over the wind, “I can’t believe you’d say that to me.”

“And I can’t believe you’d get in Violet’s face when her brother was murdered three weeks ago!” Josie snapped. “Let me set things straight for you, Susie. Your Daddy’s money didn’t give you carte blanche to traipse around town bein’ like you are and you can’t trade on the tragedy of what happened with Denny Lowe to be like you are. We all know you sold Colt and Feb’s story to that reporter. We didn’t think much of you before, now we don’t think anything at all.”

“Josie –” Chip started, Josie jerked her head to look at her husband and lifted a hand.

“I’m done,” she stated, turned to me, switched topics and turned off her attitude so quickly I wasn’t keeping up. “You two come over for dinner. Maybe I’ll get Colt and Feb to come over too. I’ll make my pot roast. That’s a winter dish but my pot roast kicks ass. I’ll call,” she offered this invitation again like she wasn’t standing in the pouring rain and like she hadn’t just laid it out for Susie Shepherd in an extremely brutal way.

She came up to me and gave me a cheek kiss even though Joe still had me in his arms and I didn’t resist and cheek-kissed her back mostly because I was a little scared of her. Then she moved away, smiled at Joe and trotted over to her husband while I could do nothing but stare.

“Sorry, Cal,” Chip muttered.

“Nothin’ to be sorry for,” Joe replied and since his arms had loosened, I pulled a bit away and looked up at him to see he was looking at Susie.

“Later, Vi,” Chip called.

“Bye Chip,” I said and Chip and Josie moved away.

“You done or is Vi gonna have to put up with your shit every time she sees you?” Joe asked and I looked to see he was speaking to Susie.

“You gonna threaten me like you did Tina?” Susie sneered and I stared again since I couldn’t believe after that scene that she still had a sneer left in her.

“Nope, just not gonna pull her off you next time,” Joe replied.

“Whatever,” Susie muttered and started to turn away.

“Why?” Joe asked and Susie stopped.

“What?” she asked back.

“Why are you such a f**kin’ bitch? Honest to God, I don’t get it. You have everything and you always had.”

Susie’s face twisted briefly, a flash of pain then gone.

Then she snapped, “Not everything, Cal. Didn’t have a Mom.”

I almost felt sorry for her before Cal replied, “No excuse, woman, I didn’t either.”

They locked eyes and I was acutely aware that I was enduring their staring contest while standing in the wind and rain with a possible tornado approaching.

“Joe,” I whispered and Joe’s arms tensed around me.

“Learn from today, Susie,” Joe advised.

She rolled her eyes, flicked out a hand and repeated, “Whatever.”

“She won’t learn from today,” Joe muttered, let me go, took my hand and turned us toward the Mustang.

I noticed Vinnie and Gary’s cars were gone. We’d had to take three to fit everyone in what with Dad coming along, we were one over. This turned into a good thing as they had plenty of room to get everyone in and they’d all disappeared.

Joe moved me to the passenger side, bleeping the locks as he went.