Corinne let out a sigh as she unlocked her car. “Have the police tracked him down yet?”
“No, but Tucker called. He said the restraining order is filed. And there’s been an officer posted at the house all night. That’s why I’m calling, actually. I was wondering if you’d go over there with me. Help me pack up some stuff?”
The request took her by surprise. Surely there was someone else she’d rather have with her. Then again, if Garrett held true to the typical pattern, he’d cut Whitney off from all her friends and family, isolating her in order to keep her in line. Because of the interview, Corinne had taken off work, but she had about seventeen other things she should be doing. “Of course. I’ll come get you.”
Whitney rose from the porch steps as Corinne pulled up. Her bruises stood out in all their multi-colored glory behind the over-sized sunglasses, but her movements weren’t stiff as she climbed into the front seat.
She took one long look at Corinne. “You fixed things with Tucker.”
“Am I wearing a sign?”
“Might as well be. Everything about you says ‘well-loved woman’.” Whitney paused. “I’m glad.”
Corinne glanced her way. “Are you?”
“Well, it’s nice to have a different reason to call you a bitch.”
Corinne just lifted a brow.
Whitney blew out a breath. “Sorry. Old habits. I didn’t call you so I could abuse you to your face.”
“Why did you call me?”
“Because as olive branches go, saving me from my abusive husband with a fireplace poker is a pretty damned big one. High school Corinne wouldn’t have done that. And I thought maybe if you could turn over a new leaf, so could I.”
A knot she’d been carrying around for years finally loosened. “I’d like that.”
“As for Tucker, I am glad. A tad jealous, maybe. He’s the genuine article—a truly good guy. And he adores you. It’s what we all want. It’s a little easier knowing you have that now, when you went through the same hell I did. Gives me faith that there’s life on the other side of all this.”
Reaching out, Corinne squeezed Whitney’s hand. “There is. It’s not easy, and it’s not fast. But I promise life will be better on the other side.”
“I sure as h
ell hope so.”
As they turned onto Whitney’s street, Corinne asked, “How are you feeling?”
One blonde brow arched above the glasses.
“I didn’t just mean physically,” Corinne clarified. “You did a huge thing yesterday. You’re doing another big one today. It’s natural if you’re scared.”
“Were you?” Whitney asked.
“Every single time. It took a while before Lance was willing to waive custody. I vomited on almost every trip to drop Kurt off or pick him up for visitation.”
“Did he ever hurt Kurt?”
“No. Thank God. If I’d stayed, I think he might have eventually. Especially once Kurt hit that point of wanting independence and defying all rules to try and get it. It was a blessing when he gave up all parental rights.”
“I can’t even imagine how much more terrifying this would have been if we’d had a child.”
That, at least, wasn’t something Corinne had to worry about anymore.
As she pulled into the drive, the driver’s side door of the police cruiser parked across the street opened and a tall black man slid out.
“Oh good. Looks like Darius is on duty.”
“I don’t think I know Darius.”