Chapter 47: Runner in the Night

Baxter turned around, his eyes squinting in the lights. He looked out at the small crowd before him, and his shoulders slumped. Behind him stood several dozen cases of clover leaf beer, but also flats of small potato chip bags stacked to the ceiling. In another corner, sat rows and rows of barbeque sauce.
Amidst the stacks, piles of money lined the walls, and barrels filled with bricks of plastic-covered white powder that Roxanne surmised were drugs, sat amongst the other loot.
Roxanne, shocked to find such a varied assortment of goods, took in a deep breath. She felt glad they’d caught Baxter, but would it be enough?
“Are you Baxter?” One of the detectives asked.
Baxter dropped his head and nodded, hugging a small load of beer cans in his arms. He looked resigned to the fact that he’d been caught.
“Where’d you get all this stuff?” the detective asked.
“He stole it,” Danny chimed in. “We told you, he…”
“Let him answer,” the detective held up his hand to stop Danny.
Baxter looked into the bright glow of the flashlights. Everyone was quiet for a moment, waiting for Baxter to answer. Instead, he burst out of the storage facility and took off running. Surprised by Baxter’s sudden burst of energy, it took a moment for Tom, Danny and the detectives to react.
Tom picked up the gun on the ground, and the four of them started to chase Baxter, who began chucking cans at them as they ran. They were only a few steps behind him, but he proved fairly quick for a middle-aged man because they couldn’t seem to catch up.
From her perch, Roxanne sprang to action. She hustled back to the truck and driving toward the direction Baxter was running, planned to block off the alleyway with the truck.
As she skidded around the corner, the truck careened into Baxter’s path. He tried to run to the side, but Roxanne quickly threw open the driver’s side door to stop him.
Tom, not wanting Baxter to get away, fired a shot. Everyone froze. The sound of the bullet, the shattering glass, and Roxanne’s scream echoed in the blackness of the night.
Tom’s heart skipped a beat. He’d fired so instinctively, getting caught in the moment, but the sound of Roxanne’s shriek sent a shiver down his spine that he might have missed and shot her instead. He’d been aiming at the window, wanting to slow down Baxter. He worried his split-second decision would end in tragedy.
Tom sprinted to the other side of the truck and opened the door. Out of breath, he heaved out her name.
“Roxanne,” he said. “Roxanne, are you okay?”
She sat behind the steering wheel, cradling her belly. “I’m fine. I think…” She winced and her face tightened. “I think it’s the baby coming.”
Tom let out a long breath, relieved he hadn’t shot her. He crawled into the cab and hugged her tightly. She looked at him, a mixture of both fear and relief releasing into a wry smile.
“Nice shot,” she said.
“Yeah, my aim’s gotten a lot better.” He smirked, happy to be holding her.
The door, in conjunction with the sudden shock from the bursting glass, had stopped Baxter in his tracks, enabling the detectives to catch up, each grabbing a hold of one of his arms. Danny stood back, letting the detectives handle Baxter.
They watched as the detectives hauled Baxter back to their car.
“I can explain. I’m a county permit official for goodness sake. Those people,” they heard Baxter say in the distance. “those people are harassing me. They came to my country club and…”
“And what?” asked the detective.
Baxter pointed back at Tom. “He threatened me in front of my friends.”
“Uh-huh,” one of the detectives said, nodding, still keeping a tight grip on Baxter’s arm.
“That girl, Roxanne. She’s behind this,” Baxter said as his voice started getting higher as he tried to protest. “She sprayed me with a beer can.”
“Did she, now?” the other detective asked. “We have embarrassment in front of one’s friends and a beer can spraying. Marty?” the detective glanced in the other detective’s direction, “What crime do you think we could classify that as?”
Realizing the detectives weren’t taking him seriously, he tried to object. “But, but…” Baxter squirmed, but the detectives’ vice grip prevented him from freeing himself.
“Just come with us so we can discuss this further,” the detective said.
After enduring another contraction, Roxanne slid over on the seat while Tom exited the truck and walked around to the driver’s side.
“Sorry Danny,” Tom said, “Looks like we’re headed to the hospital. Can you order a ride and go to the police station to give a statement?”
“Sure, thing,” Danny said. “And Tom, that was one crazy shot you pulled off.” He shook his head with an expression of awe on his face.
“I had a great teacher,” he said, smiling toward Roxanne.
Tom sped along the highway, zigzagging through traffic to reach the hospital. He helped Roxanne shuffle in, stopping once along the way and grabbing onto Tom to stabilize herself while another contraction passed.
Inside, the nurses checked Roxanne in, and she and Tom entered the delivery room. Tom adjusted her pillows, making sure Roxanne was as comfortable as possible. She beared down for a contraction before taking a seat on the bed.
Seeing her act so brave and resourceful during the unexpected turn with Baxter made Tom love her even more. He stared at her in admiration for a second, knowing she’d be a smart and strong mother.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
“You,” he said.
“Tom, now’s not the time…,” she paused for a contraction, “to be playing these games.”
“I was just thinking about how amazing you are.”
“Yeah, yeah. Get over here and rub my back,” she said.
Tom chuckled and took a seat behind her on the bed. With the next contraction he rubbed her back, and together they weathered the pain.
“It’s coming, the baby’s coming,” Roxanne shouted after a few hours of enduring contractions that grew closer and closer together. Tom scurried into the hallway to find the doctor. Roxanne’s nurse checked her dilation and agreed she was ready to push.
Roxanne grunted with each contraction, concentrating on pushing through the pain. Tom held her leg, trying his best to help but feeling useless. He stayed quiet while the nurse and doctor gave Roxanne directions and cheered her on.
After one last giant push, Eliza Jane was born.
Tom had turned green, and Roxanne thought he might pass out. He stood as still as a statue, immobilized by the miracle of his new daughter.
Roxanne experienced both relief and delight to have a healthy baby girl. She hoped Tom felt the same.
Once the nurse cleaned Eliza up, she swaddled her in a blanket and handed her to Tom. Still standing stiffly rooted to the floor, he cradled Eliza in his arms. He looked down at her, then lifted his eyes to Roxanne.
A grin as wide as the Nile flooded Tom’s face with joy, and Roxanne’s heart burst like fireworks of happiness at his reaction.