Turn My World Around (Wishful 6)

Corinne met her gaze. “I learned this a long time before nursing school.” A wealth of history underscored the simple statement. History she’d never trusted him enough to share.

“I’m going to follow up on that hunting cabin,” Judd said. “We’ll keep you posted. Once the order of protection is filed tomorrow, one of us will escort you to the house to pick up some things. Meanwhile, you’ll be safest here.”

“Thank you,” Whitney murmured.

“You can swing by the station to get a copy of the police report,” Judd told Tucker.

“I’ll do that.”

As soon as Judd left, Corinne rose, too. “I’ll give you some privacy.”

“No!” Whitney’s hand shot out, grabbed hers. “Please stay.”

Corinne sank back down, holding tight to Whitney’s hand. “As long as you want.”

How absolutely unexpected.

“It’s going to be okay. You’ll tell Tucker what happened, and he’ll file for a temporary order of protection.”

“Temporary?” Panic made Whitney’s voice squeak.

“In Mississippi, we can file a temporary order that lasts for ten days,” he explained. “After that, a hearing is required in chancery court to acquire something more permanent.”

“A hearing? I’ll have to see him?”

“Not alone,” Corinne assured her. “We won’t let him get to you.”

“What about you? He’s still out there and he’s so angry. What if he comes after you?”

“I don’t think he’s that stupid, but if he is, I can handle myself,” Corinne said.

“I’m sorry, why would he come after you? And I assume the ‘he’ in question is Garrett?”

Corinne nodded. “Because I’m the one who got her away from him.”

“With a fireplace poker,” Whitney added.

Garrett Harrington was a bull of a man, powerfully built like the linebacker he’d been in high school. At the mental image of Corinne facing him down with nothing but a fireplace poker, the blood drained out of Tucker’s head. Everything in him wanted to gather her up in his arms, check her for injuries, though evidence to the contrary was sitting right in front of him. He struggled for composure. “Do we need to worry about assault charges being filed against you?”

“I didn’t hit him. If I had, we’d know exactly where he was because he wouldn’t have gotten back up.” Her voice held grim promise.

Tucker exhaled. “Why don’t y’all start at the beginning and explain what happened?”

So they did. He listened, taking notes, asking the occasional question to clarify. He didn’t know whether to be impressed by Corinne’s bravery or appalled at her stupidity for not immediately calling the police. Some of both. But he didn’t remark on either.

“Are you willing to testify to what you witnessed?” he asked Corinne.

“Absolutely. I’ll do whatever is necessary to help her sever ties with the bastard.”

“All right. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. You know how that process works.” He didn’t make it a question.

Corinne angled her head in acknowledgment.

“I’ll file for the temporary order of protection as soon as the courthouse opens in the morning, and we can go from there. You can discuss your other legal options with me, or I can make recommendations for some other good attorneys in the area.”

“I’ll stick with you. Corinne trusts you.”

She didn’t. Not where it mattered with them.