The Cruise - Part 7
Last Time:
Colin convinces Nora to follow him to his cabin.
He proudly presents Nora with the syringe that Lindsey used to
inject her.
Bo can't sleep and he goes looking for Nora, but only finds the
Captain's coat on the deck.
**********
Nora arrives at her cabin, still smiling and clutching the
box in her hand like it was worth a million bucks. She unlocks
her door, stepping inside, closing and locking the door behind
her. She glances at her watch and can't believe it's already 1:30
in the morning. Plopping down on her bed she rubs her hand through
her hair and thinks of Lindsey.
Nora: (With a look of triumph) I gottcha, Lindsey! (Laughing out
loud)
Nora stands and starts getting ready for bed, what an incredible
night.
Bo is beginning to panic. He checked Nora's cabin around 1:00 but she wasn't there. Where could she be? (To himself, Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could you just leave her standing there by herself. I have to find Colin's cabin!) Bo decided that the quickest way to locate Colin would be to get the Captain to tell him which room was his. Bo started walking quickly to the bridge, hopefully the Captain would still be awake. He bangs on the bridge door and Bo rushes in.
The Captain was lost in thought. What an amazing night he
had. He was immediately angry when someone interrupted his throughts
by barging onto his bridge.
Captain: (Glaring at Bo) YOU!
Bo: (Seeing the anger in the Captain's eyes but not apologizing)
Have you seen Nora!
Captain: (Noticing that Bo was carrying his coat) What the he!!
are you doing with that (pointing to the coat in Bo's hand).
Bo: (Tossing the coat at the Captain) Forget the coat, I can't
find Nora!
Captain: (Standing and putting on his coat) Why would you be looking
for Ms. Buchanan?
Bo: (Becoming annoyed by all the questions) Because (pointing
to his own chest) I AM MISTER BUCHANAN!
The look on the Captain's face was priceless and if Bo wasn't
so paniced he would have really enjoyed his reaction.
Captain: (Looking apologetic) I... Um...I didn't know. She never...
Bo: (Stepping closer to the Captain and interrupting his explanation)
I'm Police Commissioner at the Llanview PD in Pennsylvania. I
have been working undercover to track a stalker of Ms. Buchanan.
(The Captain is wondering why he refers to his wife in this way).
She was unaware that he is on your ship. I need to know his room
number.
Captain: (Pausing a moment to think) Well, Commissioner, I don't
. . .
Bo: (Stepping even closer to the Captain and grabbing his lapels)
Look! I don't have time to explain anymore to you. What room is
Colin McIver in! (Now yelling in his face)
Captain: (seeing the panic in his eyes, he walks over to the computer
and calls up Colin's room number) He's on level 4, room 431.
The Captain barely got the last number out before Bo was out the
door. The Captain was right on his heels.
Bo runs to Colin's cabin and bangs on the door.
Bo: McIver! Open this door, now! (No answer, he continues to bang)
I said open up! (Still no answer, Bo's panic is on the verge of
getting out of control) Where is he!
The Captain is beginning to feel concern for Nora too. He
can tell Bo is truly worried.
Captin: This ship is huge, I'm not sure where to start looking.
Bo: (Bringing his hands up and running them through his hair)
We need to split up. I'll take the bow (pointing at the Captain),
you take the stern. (Bo gives the Captain his pager number) Page
me if you find her. (The Captain turns to leave and Bo grabs his
arm and turns him around, staring in his eyes) This guy is dangerous!
Captain: (Realizing his sincerety and trying to convince himself)
We'll find her. She seems like the kind of woman who can take
care of herself.
Bo takes off running. He arrives at the swimming pool on level 2 and he hears a man's voice with a woman screaming. Bo's heart is beating so loudly he can't even hear his own footsteps. He's standing at the deep end of the pool squinting to try to make out where the voices came from. He finally makes out what appears to be a man's body holding down a woman on one of the deck chairs. Bo hears the woman again yell, Colin!
He's not sure how he got to the other side of the pool but
he was pulling Colin off of her before he knew it.
Bo: (Yelling) You son of a _itch, get off of her (He throws him
to the cement surrounding the pool) I'm going to kill you!
Colin: (Taken totally by surprise) What the he!!
Woman: (Pulling at Bo's arm and yelling) What are you doing!
Bo: (Not realizing that the woman is not Nora, goes to grab Colin
by the neck) I swear I'll kill you!
The Woman jumps on Bo's back and tries to pull him off of Colin.
Woman: (Yelling) Let him go!
Bo finally gets a look at the woman and realizes that it's not
Nora. He releases Colin with a shove.
Colin: (Gasping for air and still smiling, rubbing his throat)
Why, good evening Commissioner. (Coughing) That's quite a greeting.
Now why am I not surprised to see you on this cruise.
Bo: (Straining for control) Where is she, McIver?
Colin: (Acting innocent) And who, may I ask, are you talking about
Commissioner?
Bo: (Glaring) You know damn well who I'm talking about. Nora!
Colin: (Smiling and sitting up) Now, why would I know where she
is?
Bo: Because you've been following her around like the dog you
are for months.
Colin: (Scratching his forehead with his finger acting like he's
thinking) Now, I do seem to remember seeing her this evening.
I believe whe was making nice-nice with the Captain.
Bo: (Grabbing for Colin again, but Colin rolled away) If you have
hurt her...
Colin: (Smile fading) Hurt her! Hurt her! I'm in love with her.
Bo: (Drawing his arm back and making contact with Colin's jaw)
You scum you don't hold a woman against her will and away from
her family and then profess to love her. Are you dillusional!
Colin: (Glaring at Bo and rubbing his jaw) Excuse me Commissioner
if I don't take love lessons from the man who walked away from
the greatest lady I have ever met. Believe me, you have hurt her
in far worse ways than I could ever imagine.
Bo: (Trying to calm) Have you seen her!
Colin: (Still enjoying the game he was playing) Well, now that
I think about it, she did come by my room this evening.
Bo: (Almost popping a blood vessel) Where is she!
Colin: (Standing and taking the woman's hand) I don't know where
she is now, but let me assure you, she left my cabin with a very
satisfied look on her face.
Bo: (Grabbing Colin's arm) If you have hurt one hair on her head
(pulling him closer so he could speak right in his face) I will
kill you!
Colin: (Smiling again) Commissioner, believe me (jerking his arm
free), Nora was in FINE shape when she left.
With that Colin put his arm around the woman and walked away. Bo was left there just standing, not knowing what to do next. He finally decided to go check her room one more time.
Nora finally drifted off to sleep. She was having a wonderful
dream. She was dancing and she had the strongest arms around her,
she looked up and there was his face, so handsome, so desirable.
She reached up to pull his head down to hers . . .
Bo: (Yelling and banging) Nora! Nora! Are you in there!
Nora coming awake with a start and not sure what broke her dream.
Bo: (Banging and sounding desperate) Nora! Please, open the door.
The panic in Bo's voice worried her and she bolted out of
the bed and jerked the door open.
The look of relief on Bo's face was immediate.
Bo: (Stepping inside Nora's room and grabbing her in his arms.
Quietly) Nora!
Nora: (Totally confused but returning the hug) Bo? What's wrong?
Bo would not answer and his grip around her was tightening.
Nora: (Concerned) Bo? You're scaring me, are you OK?
Bo: (Starting to laugh lightly and holding Nora back) I'm Great!
Nora: (Smiling along with Bo) I'm happy Bo. Why are you here?
Bo stepped back from Nora to get a better view. She was stunning
even with her mussed-up hair. She had on a cotton T-shirt and
boxers and Bo had never seen her look more sexy. Nora noticed
where Bo was looking and awkwardly turned to her bed to grab her
robe. When she turned back around she was just tightening her
belt. Bo looked up into Nora's eyes and he smiled broadly. Nora
looked down to check her belt and then looked up into Bo's smiling
eyes.
Nora: (Walking around the room nervously) Bo, what brings you
by this time of night. You scared me to death.
Bo: (Getting serious) Nora, did you know that Colin is on this
ship?
Nora: (Looking surprised) Yes, I knew, I didn't know you knew.
Bo: I've been following Colin for weeks now.
Nora: (Confused) But why?
Bo: (Raising his eyebrows) I can't believe you could ask me that
after what happened at his house between you and he.
Nora: (Waving her arm, dismissing his concern) Bo, nothing happened.
Bo: That's not what Asa said.
Nora: (Smiling) Oh Bo, you know Asa. He always exaggerates. Colin
didn't hurt me.
Bo: (Frowning) Only because Pa walked in!
Nora: (Smiling and tugging on her belt) We just were having a
misunderstanding. Everything is wonderful now.
Bo: (Furrowing his brow and misunderstanding her meaning) Oh,
really! (Putting his hands in his pocket and feeling uncomfortable)
Well....Um... I'm just glad you are OK, when I found the Captain's
coat on the deck, I thought... Well, it doesn't matter what I
thought. You're fine. (Turning to walk around the room)
Nora: (Reaching out to touch Bo's arm) Bo, I'm fine, really. Actually
I'm great!
Bo: (Not smiling, speaking very quietly) I'm just glad you're
OK. (Not looking at Nora)
Nora: (Happily) Bo, let me show you what Colin gave me tonight.
Bo is not interested at first but after Nora showed him the syringe
and explained it's significance, he smiled.
Bo: (Smiling) Well, I guess you got what you wanted, Red. Now
maybe your life could get back to normal.
Nora: (Realizing that this syringe would never fix everything
that is wrong in her life, looks at Bo sadly) It's a start. (She
turns away and walked to the window)
Bo: (Getting very serious and walking over behind Nora and holding
her arms, he pulls her back to him. Her head gently rests on his
chest. Both of their heartbeats become eratic) Red, I was crazy
out of my mind thinking that Colin had somehow hurt you. I don't
know what ... (His voice cracking)
Nora: (Turning in his arms and looking into his eyes, she reaches
up and touches his face) Oh, Bo, did you ever think we would feel
like this? Like we're standing on the outside of each others lives
looking in?
Bo: (Brushing her hair away from her face) I want back in to your
life, Red. It's so lonely standing on the outside. (He places
his fingers at the base of her jaw and draws her face to his.
Her eyes close and she reaches up to put her arms around his neck.
Captain: (Banging on Nora's door) Nora! Nora! It's Captain Stamos
are you in there.
Bo and Nora step apart, both trying to breath. Bo curses under
his breath and Nora tightens the belt around her robe. She smiles
awkwardly running her hand through her hair as she goes to the
door and opens it.
Captain: (With a look of great relief) Oh, Nora, I thought...
(Stopping mid sentence when he looked into her room and saw Bo.)
To be continued . . .
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