When Thierry figures out that Johnny has indeed been having an affair with Zandalee, he becomes drunk and confrontational (he pulls a gun out) leading to him becoming reckless when he takes Zan and Johnny for a speedboat ride on the Bayou, which ends when he falls off the boat and drowns, refusing to be saved by either Zan or Johnny who dive into the water to save him. Both Zandalee and Johnny become distraught by Thierry's death and begin to isolate themselves with Zan jogging for long periods and Johnny trying to work on his paintings, but becoming more self-destructive. In one scene, Johnny, in a rage rips up some of his paintings and pours black paint all over himself. He also consumes some of the cocaine he is supposed to sell, which gets him in trouble with his supplier.