Free Justice Healed by Olivia Jaymes Page A

German Shepherd lifted his head from where he was lying on the kitchen floor and whined.  He wanted to bark and run around but was too well-trained to do it.  Tanner walked to the front window, stopping to scratch Scout behind the ears.
    "Good boy," he crooned. 
    One look outside made his gut clench.  It was Stacey, Chris's wife.  She appeared to be on her own.  He opened the door, Scout immediately behind him and ready to rip off a limb if the visitor was unwanted.
    "Hey, Stacey.  Come on in.  How about a cup of coffee?"
    Tanner acted as if it was a social call but he knew better.  Stacey's features were pinched and she looked like she hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while.  Scout recognized her and danced around her legs while she pet him.  Stacey picked up one of Scout's toys and tossed it into the living room.  Scout went scampering after it with a happy bark. 
    Stacey entered but seemed to hover in the foyer.  He put his arm around her shoulders and led her into the kitchen.  She sat down at the table, staring at her purse.  He waited while she gathered her thoughts.  He liked Stacey and she deserved better than what she had with his son.  Tanner had hoped she would be a calming influence on Chris but the opposite effect seemed to have taken place.  He was wilder than ever since he married Stacey nine months ago.
    "I've left Chris."  Her simple statement broke his heart but didn't surprise him.  He'd wondered how long she could hang in there.  Tanner sat down at the table across from her.  Her eyes were bright with tears and her lips trembled.  Scout brought his toy into the kitchen, dropping it at Stacey's feet.  As if he knew she was upset, he rested his head on her thigh in comfort. 
    "I'm sorry to hear that, but I had a feeling it might be coming.  Where are you staying?  What about Annie?" he asked gently. 
    At the mention of her daughter, she smiled weakly.  "She's with my parents.  That's where we're going to stay for awhile until I can figure out what I'm going to do."  Her face crumpled.  "I talked to my mom and dad.  I'm going to file for a divorce and ask for full custody of Annie.  Don't worry .  I'll make sure you get to see her, Tanner.  I just can't have her around Chris anymore.  I can't trust him."
    Alarm shot through him.  "Has he hurt you and Annie?"
    She shook her head but the tears were starting to fall.  "No, but he's so angry, Tanner.  He yells and scares the baby.  He scares me.  I can't take it anymore.  He says that everything will be better now that he's working for Fenton, but I need to see it before I can believe it."
    Chris had done a number on trust with his loved ones.  Tanner knew from experience it would take a long time to build it back up.  Working for Fenton wasn't a magic cure-all for what ailed Chris.
    He patted her hand.  "You did the right thing.  Until Chris sees the consequences of his behavior, he won't change."
    She lifted her tear-stained face to him, her eyes beseeching.  "Will you talk to him again?  Try and convince him to go to the AA meeting with you?  I want Annie to have her father, but not this way."
    She scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and anguish filled Tanner's soul.  He wasn't sure she would understand that Chris had to want to do this himself. 
    "I'll talk to him," Tanner found himself saying.  "I don't think it will make any difference, but I will.  Chris doesn't have any respect for me."
    "You're wrong."  Stacey shook her head.  "He does.  He knows you quit drinking cold turkey.  But he doesn't have the confidence to think he can do that himself."
    Tanner didn't agree with Stacey's assessment but that wasn't the important thing at the moment.
    "Do you need anything?  Does Annie need anything?"  Chris's regular bouts of unemployment had wrecked their finances.  Stacey, Chris, and Annie were basically living hand to mouth. 
    "My parents are taking good care of us.  We're okay."  She