See Tom Run (30 page)

“When I drove back to Columbus, all I could think of
was you and how I was not going to let this happen again. All I
wanted to do was tell you that I would be a father to our baby and
that I didn’t care what happened as a result. I tried to call you
several times but only got your voicemail. I went straight to your
apartment and that’s when I realized that those bastards had taken
you.”

Tom looked intently into Tracy’s eyes. She put her
arms around him and they embraced. He could hear her crying softly
as her body heaved against his. He resisted his own urge to cry for
a moment, then relented. He didn’t care. They were tears of
relief.

He faced the girl and smiled. “You may not believe
this, but I haven’t felt this good in a long, long time. For once,
I feel complete. I know that I’m doing the right thing for a
change. And it feels good.”

Tracy said, “You don’t know how much this means to
me, Tom. I’ve been so down and beside myself since all of this
happened. I blamed myself for much of this—I knew that we should
have been more careful, but I didn’t do or say anything about it. I
started feeling cheap and unworthy of any joy. But right now, I
couldn’t be any happier. Thank you so much.”

“Please don’t thank me—I don’t deserve it. Do you
realize that I almost got you killed by not listening to you in the
first place? And Molly Barnes? None of that would have ever
happened if we had gone to the cops like we should have. I was an
idiot! All I thought about was myself and how this was going to
ruin me. I still can’t believe I was that damn selfish.”

“I must confess, I was appalled at how self-centered
you were being. It just wasn’t right, our playing mute while that
man went scot-free after raping some poor girl and dropping her off
like she was so much garbage.”

“That’s what I’m saying—I should burn in hell for
being such a heartless bastard!”

“But Tom, you’re forgetting something. You have more
than atoned for what you’ve done. As it turns out, you were
responsible for busting a drug ring that would have resulted in
more violence and god only knows how many more victims.”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

“Come on—give yourself some credit! The paper said
that the cops have been trying to nail that doctor on drug charges
for a long time. You were the reason they were able to finally nab
him.”

“I’ll admit I’m happy about that. But it doesn’t
lessen the hell I put everyone through by being so damn obstinate.
I just wish I’d listened to you in the first place, that’s
all.”

A moment of silence fell. Tracy suddenly took Tom by
the hand and placed it over her tummy.

“I think we should call her Erin, if it’s a girl,”
she said.

Tom smiled and replied, “That would be a fitting
name.”

Tracy said, “More than just fitting. Don’t you see,
Tom? This little person living inside of me is the Erin you’ve been
looking for since you had your dream. It has just taken you this
long to realize it.”

Tom considered Tracy’s words and experienced an
epiphany.

Her words rang absolutely true.

He had indeed finally found the elusive Erin.

# # #

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See Tom Run
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Website:
www.scottwittenburg.com

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Other novels by Scott Wittenburg:

The May Day Murders

Katherine’s Prophecy

The Edge