Hank's Award

April 22, 2003

Nora: I can't believe it. Jen -- she was stealing?

Renee: Yes, and I wouldn't have thought that she was the one who was breaking into all those rooms. Hank, I have not congratulated you on your wonderful award. It's fabulous.

Hank: Oh, don't worry about it, Renee. Thank you.

Renee: Oh, I'm sorry. One of our other honorees has just arrived. I'll see you later.

Blair: This looks fabulous.

Hank: You want to leave?

Nora: No.

Hank: No? Isn't that why you got up when they gave him a standing ovation?

Nora: I got up because if I stayed seated, I was the only one that would've been, and then everyone would've turned and looked at me and said, "Aw, poor Nora."

Hank: Ah, I see. So now we can go if you want.

Nora: I don't want to go. I want to stand here and honor your standing ovation. But you know what I do need to do? Do you mind if I call the department and just check on Jen?

Hank: Oh, carry on.

Renee: Enjoy yourselves.

*~*

Nora: Ok. She has not been booked yet.

Hank: Ok, fine. So now you can put all your focus on troy.

Nora: I'm not looking at troy.

Hank: Blair?

Nora: I can't figure her out.

Hank: What she sees in troy?

Nora: No, she's badgering us to arrest Mitch Laurence for killing Sam, and then she won't even testify against him for kidnapping her.

Hank: Hmm. Well, maybe he's leaning on her, but that's not going to stop us.

Nora: It's going to be a lot harder to get a conviction without her.

Hank: Yeah, well, maybe this accident of his might slow him down. What do you think?

Nora: Oh, I doubt that. You know what they say about wounded animals. They're even more dangerous.

*~*

Nora: I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt.

Troy: Hi, Nora.

Blair: Did you want something?

Nora: A word, yes, with you, Blair.

Blair: About what?

Nora: Why is it that you decided that you weren't going to testify against Mitch Laurence?

Troy: Maybe this can wait for another time, Nora?

Hank: It'll only take a minute.

Blair: You know, I explained all this to Bo, Hank.

Nora: Yes, and he couldn't make any more sense out of it than we can.

Hank: You know, we can always have you subpoenaed.

Troy: Is there some kind of urgent reason why you decided to come over here and interrupt our dinner so that you can beat up on Blair? She's trying to forget about Mitch Laurence for one night. Is that too much to ask?

Nora: Fine. I'll be calling you, Blair. Have a nice night, both of you.

*~*

Natalie: Mom, hi.

Viki: Hi, darling.

Natalie: How was the award ceremony?

Viki: I didn't go, I didn't go.

Natalie: What happened?

Viki: Um -- oh, I'll tell you later. Excuse me. Hank, Nora --

Nora: Hi, viki.

Viki: Could I talk to you two for just a moment, please?

Hank: Well, sure. What's wrong?

Viki: Ok, Mitch Laurence is at it again.

Nora: But isn't he still in the hospital?

Viki: No, he was released, and Jessica took him home.

Natalie: What?

Viki: Yes. Now he's got her with him at Llanfair, and I cannot let this happen.

Nora: Well, did he coerce her into it?

Viki: Of course he did! Of course!

Hank: Did Jessica tell you that?

Viki: Well, no, she said it was her idea, but that's ridiculous. She feels responsible for what happened to him. He's using that to manipulate her.

Hank: Viki, if she's there on her own free will, there's nothing we can do.

*~*

Viki: I'd be much less worried about Jessica if I thought that Mitch was going to prison. But now that Blair has refused to testify against him, he's going to get away with everything he's done. Isn't he?

Hank: Not if we can help it.

Nora: This isn't a matter of if we can put him away, it's a matter of when.

Viki: Yeah, but at that point, Nora, it might just be too late.

Hank: Too late for what?

Viki: Look, I know what Mitch did to my sister, Tina, to Allison, to countless other young women -- how he was able to control them. Now he has Jessica, and I'm quite frankly afraid that I might never get her back.

*~*