A Distant Summer by Karen Toller Whittenburg Read Free Book Online Page B

stages of a malignancy were arrested. No complications. Case closed.
    He’d been astounded when the lawsuit was filed, furious when it wasn’t immediately dismissed, and frustrated as hell when he realized his inability to halt the widening ripple of consequences. John Abernathy alleged that he had suffered a loss of love, trust, and conjugal fellowship in his marriage because he had not been consulted by the physician before such a “radical” treatment as surgery was performed.
    “Alienation of affection” and “consortium” were the legal terms bandied about most often. But the words that drew sympathy from the general public seemed to be those spoken ostensibly in private and then subsequently printed in the newspaper—words like “Sarah’s emotional distress,” “sanitarium,” and “the children we will never have.”
    Tucker had yet to understand fully how he could be held responsible for the lack of communication between a husband and wife. In truth, he’d believed, been assured by the wife in question, that her husband both knew and approved the decision. There had been no way of knowing that John Abernathy was out of the country at the time or that he hadn’t known about the operation because Sarah lived in constant fear of incurring her husband’s displeasure.
    Tucker felt sorry for the pathetic Sarah, who was a victim of her husband’s relentless ambition and a prisoner of her own weakness. But that didn’t change the malpractice charge or his appointment cancellations once news of the lawsuit had leaked to the media.
    “But how could anyone sue you over something like that?” Kris protested when Tucker stopped speaking. “It’s insane!”
    “It’s also the right of any American to sue anyone he damn well pleases—for any reason. Most nuisance cases are thrown out of court. I just happened to be sued by a man who knew exactly how far he could stretch the integrity of our legal system.”
    “But why didn’t the insurance company let it go to trial? Surely the weight of evidence was in your favor?”
    “You can never be sure how a jury will decide, Kris. I wanted to fight, but after a while I realized that the damage to my career happened the moment the news went to press. And that sort of damage lingers no matter what the jury’s verdict may be.”
    Kris frowned, conceding his point but still reluctant to believe. “But what about Sarah Abernathy? Wouldn’t her testimony have proved your innocence?”
    “She was safely out of state before the lawsuit was even filed. I’m not sure she would have done me any favors by testifying anyway. The woman has an unhealthy fear of her husband.” He shook his head in derision. “Now that I have some personal experience with the man, I can understand how she feels. He’s a smooth talker, a slick con-man with the influence and money to back up anything he chooses to say.”
    “But surely the truth would have come out in a trial.”
    Tucker shrugged, “The truth doesn’t seem to be of much interest to anyone but me.”
    “That’s so unfair!” she stated in sympathetic frustration.
    “Yes” was his only response before the subject was dropped ... forever, as far as she could tell. But that brief glimpse had given her new insight into his character and in the process had created another bond between them.
    The rest of the day passed in easy camaraderie, and it wasn’t until dusk that Kristina was forced to confront the fragile nature of her fantasy. When Tucker turned the car onto the driveway of a neat brick house, she felt a disquieting apprehension. He parked in front of the garage and turned toward her with a smile. “This is my home.”
    An odd discomfort began a distinctive flutter in her throat. “Oh, I thought we were going to the hotel.”
    His eyes took on a glimmer of wariness. “I’ll take you there later if you want, but I was hoping you’d stay here tonight ... with me.”
    The flutter dropped to her stomach. She had