Determined to exploit any weakness, Burke soon finds that Duvall's wife Remy is probably his most vulnerable point. Although she is the wife of one of the most prominent attorneys in New Orleans, Burke is stunned to find she has no presence in the community. Kept as a trophy only, Remy is not permitted out of sight of Duvall's body guards. Duvall had become the legal guardian of Remy and her younger sister, and had married Remy after her graduation from a convent school. Understandably, an air of mystery surrounds her.
Burke conceives a bold plan.
He kidnaps Remy and disappears with her to a fisherman's shack in the swamp. He does this to bring Duvall to him for an ultimate confrontation on his territory. Fat Tuesday is a classic example of a plot driven story. Brown creates her characters, and adds texture to them slowly as the story line develops. She introduces secondary characters with the same flair and finesse.