Duty To Protect
"He said he'd kill me if I left him. And he meant it."
Her client's assertion sent a prickle of ill ease skittering down Ginny West's nape. Even hearing such statements on a disturbingly regular basis didn't lessen the gut-twisting impact the words had on Ginny. The threat of such extreme violence had to be taken seriously, had to be dealt with quickly. Domestic violence by its nature was volatile and dangerous, and Annie Compton's situation had just reached critical mass.
Ginny looked up from her notepad and leveled a firm but sympathetic gaze on the battered wife sitting across from her at the Lagniappe Women's Center. Annie's freckled face sported a fresh set of cuts and contusions courtesy of her jealous and controlling husband and his nasty temper.
Ginny cleared the tension from her throat. "You need to get out of that house, Annie. Take these threats seriously, and get yourself and your kids out of harm's way."
Annie shook her head, tears welling in her dark eyes.
"Didn't you hear what I just said? If I leave him, he'll kill me! He'll find me, and he'll kill me. I know he will." She swiped at her damp cheeks with the sleeve of her oversized sweater. "You ... read full excerpt from: Duty To Protect ebook
