CHAPTER 51 (PART - B)end of chapter 51


Lucille sat in the corner of the small sheltered room quietly holding Cocoa in her lap. Yates and Ballard were slowly going about their tasks as Captain Haddock was trying to bite his tongue knowing this wasn’t his ship. There wasn’t a whole lot of work to be done to get the boat going, but there was a lot of work in making room so there was a place for each of them to sit and move around on the boat. Old fishing nets, rods, tackle boxes, and other various fishing equipment was strewn about. Empty whiskey bottles were also ubiquitous. Lucille knew that most fishermen weren’t well known for their high standard of living.

A couple hours moving across the channel kept both Haddock and Lucille anxious hoping that they wouldn’t miss Tintin and the others. Cocoa slept with one eye open on Lucille’s lap watching things around them. Lucille sat quietly as Ballard stood at the wheel. The night sky began to get darker with contrasting flashes of lightning ahead.

“Ah! It looks like a storm is coming up eh?” Ballard commented.
“Shouldn’t we reach the coast before it gets too bad?” Lucille asked a bit unconcerned.
“That depends lass…” Ballard said taking a drink from the flask he was given.
“Depends on what?” Lucille asked suspiciously.
“Well, how fast ya move, how fast the storm is movin’, and in which direction you and the storm are movin’” Ballard said keeping his eye ahead.
“Aye, and it looks like we’re not too far from Belfast… we’ll need to refuel there hehehe!” Ballard laughed.
“As long as it’s to only refuel the boat and not your addictions” Lucille said petting Cocoa growling.
“Your father sure raised you cheeky didn’t he? You’re a cute one you are!” Ballard laughed.

Lucille looked out behind her seeing Haddock and Yates outside sitting on the back catching up on old news.
“How much longer until we arrive in Dublin?” Lucille asked wanting to get off the boat as soon as possible.
“Again lass it all depends…” Ballard said taking another swig.
“Don’t be making too much love to that bottle, we want to arrive in one piece” Lucille chastised him.
“Oi! Now mind yer business lass, this be my ship!” Ballard said shaking his fist at her annoyingly as Cocoa growled hearing him raise his voice.
“Ya brought that mangy mutt…a lot of good it will do ya” Ballard ridiculed Cocoa.
“I didn’t see you bringing your ‘Scurvy’ mutt” Lucille sighed not wanting to go outside and deal with the spray from the water.

Ballard ignored her taking another swig muttering unintelligibly under his breath. Lucille nodded shamefully at him.
“I hope Tintin and his friends are having better luck than we are” Lucille thought as she leaned against the window petting Cocoa. Cocoa licked her hand and lied watchfully.

XXXXXXXXXXX

“So ya say Allan’s behind everythin’ eh?” Yates blabbered taking a swig of the whiskey.
“He’s only part of the problem mate” Haddock said as they were approaching the bay in Belfast.
“So you and this Tintin have been on the run for some time now eh?” Yates said watching as they passed some of the other ships in the bay.
“Yea, but now he’s going head-long after ‘em” Haddock lamented.
“This Tintin sounds like a son… is he yer son?” Yates asked a bit confused.
“You could say that…” Haddock kept staring across the bay.
“Aye! Ya got ta look after yer best mates ya know?” Yates said taking another swig.
“Aye!” Haddock agreed.
“Are ya sure we can get fuel at this hour?” Haddock asked a bit unsure.
“Of course we can! Who do ya think yer talkin’ ta?” Yates said as if he was offended he was even doubted then offered Haddock a drink.
“Na, I’d better not…” Haddock shook his head.
“Ah come on, it ain’t like the ole Captain Haddock I know ta turn down a drink!” Yates bellowed.
“Alright, ya twisted my arm” Haddock said snatching the bottle from Yates taking a nice long swig.

“Y’know, I think I recall hearin’ ‘bout that man by da the name of Gaspar you mentioned… right wicked he was” Yates suddenly remembered.
“You did?” Haddock said with a bit of surprise.
“I heard some other folk who used ta work on the Sirius fer ole Captain Chester, that he was a buccaneer to the third degree!” Yates declared.
“Is that so?” Haddock said taking a look back to make sure Lucille was fine.
“Yea! Don’t know why he did what he did according ta what other blokes said about him kidnappin’ and…” Yates trailed off.
“That body snatcher’s day is coming really soon” Haddock said adamantly.
“Well it looks like we’re here. We’ll refuel and be back ta sea before ya know it!” Yates said as they approached the harbor.
“I appreciate it y’know” Haddock said thankfully.
“Ya can thank me by settin’ me up on a date wif yer daughter hehehe!” Yates laughed.
“Forget it Yates!” Haddock replied sternly.
“Hey! Ya can’t blame a bloke fer tryin’!” Yates protested.

“We’re finally here! I need to get off the boat and take Cocoa for a quick stroll” Lucille said with a sigh of relief coming out of the sheltered room.
Yates and Haddock began securing the boat to one of the piers near a refueling area.
“Alright, but don’t ya stray too far ya hear?” Haddock warned.
“I’ll be fine” Lucille said confidently as she picked Cocoa up and carefully stepped up onto the pier with Haddock standing next to her just in case she slipped.
“You’re not harassin’ my daughter are ya?” Haddock asked Ballard suspiciously.
“Yer daughter’s a cheeky one! I don’t think no bloke will be gettin’ anywhere fast wif her” Ballard complained.

“Well she’s married!” Haddock almost yelled.
“Yea, she made it perfectly clear!” Ballard snapped back.
“Well good, get this tub refueled so we can get back on the trail” Haddock ordered.
“Yea sure Captain…” Ballard said for a moment then realized he was no longer working under him.

“Now wait a minute! This is my boat! You refuel it!” Ballard barked back.
“Ya mutinous…” Haddock began to curse him but realized Ballard was right, and Tintin’s life may very well depend on it.
“Fine ya pirate!” Haddock said getting off the boat to go find the man at this hour who operated the refueling pump.
“…Captain Haddock…” a voice whispered in the wind.
“What is it ya scoundrels!?” Haddock turned around annoyed at both Yates and Ballard as he was walking away.
“We didn’t say anythin’!” Yates threw up his hands.
“Yea! Not a word! So get off our backs will ya!” Ballard protested.
Haddock liked that he still had that domineering effect on his former crewmen and smiled as he turned around.

XXXXXXXXXX

Lucille walked down on the dockside with a heavy heart worried about her husband. After seeing what happened to Benton’s friend and Enzo, she was unsure about what the outcome of this expedition would be. Cocoa trotted proudly next to her as they continued down passed a pub that was still open in the early hours of the morning. It wasn’t loud inside as it seemed like there wasn’t much going on at this hour. Just a couple of late night fishermen on the piers were the only other people out. Lucille could hear distant thunder rumbling in the background as the breeze began to pick up. Cocoa finally found a little area with a couple of trees she felt comfortable enough to do her business in. Lucille waited patiently watching around her vigilantly.

After Cocoa finished she looked around, and then thought she saw a familiar face down an alley.
“Snowy?” Cocoa thought as she darted further down the lane towards the alley she thought she saw Snowy.
“Cocoa!” Lucille whispered loudly trying to not to be too loud, but Cocoa quickly dashed away.
“Where does she think she’s going?” Lucille wondered as she began running after her.
Cocoa got to the alley but didn’t see Snowy. She began sniffing the air for his scent but couldn’t detect anything. “Strange” she thought looking around until she saw Snowy poke his head out from behind a corner.
“Snowy!” Cocoa barked running farther down the lane.
“Cocoa! You get back here this instant!” Lucille scolded.

Cocoa ran until she reached the corner then thinking maybe it was Snowy, she caught a much different scent. It was a scent that she remembered back in Brussels when she and Snowy went with Tintin to Mrs. Finch’s apartment, but where was Snowy’s scent? Cocoa’s sense of danger instantly went off. Not even bothering to look up, she instantly turned around and began running back the way she came.

Not too much further behind her, Lucille caught u trying to catch her breath and then began scolding her.
“Cocoa! What are you doing!?” Lucille whispered sternly.
Cocoa’s ears were laid back and her tail was tucked between her legs as she whined. Lucille picked Cocoa up and regarded her strangely.
“What’s wrong with you all the sudden, I’m not going to hurt you!” Lucille couldn’t understand what the problem was. Lucille looked ahead and finally saw what it was that scared her.

“Oh not again!” Lucille whispered to herself with Cocoa in her arms backing up.

There were two Dobermans again barring their teeth at her. Lucille didn’t think twice, she turned and ran as fast as she could back down the alley. The Dobermans were barking and snarling at her as they gave chase. Lucille sprinted for about twenty seconds without letting up, but could feel her side beginning to catch a cramp.

“Of all the times to get a cramp!” Lucille cursed.

She knew she couldn’t out run them for long. She wished she’d brought her satchel with her that had her father’s revolver in it. Lucille screamed loudly running with Cocoa as she looked back seeing those evil looking Dobermans with red eyes trained on her. Just as she felt her leg was going to give out on her she bumped into someone.

“Lucille!” Haddock looked at her with concern.
“Run!” Lucille turned around but there were no Dobermans.
“Run from what?” Haddock asked her with a confused stare on his face.
“Um… I don’t know… I mean” she didn’t know what to say.
“What are you doing here?” Lucille suddenly questioned as she realized she was back in front of the only pub open.
“Um well ya see lass…” Haddock smiled.
“You wanted a drink… fine! Let’s just get back to the boat before…” Lucille looked back nervously.

Haddock opened his mouth but said nothing and just patted her on the back as they began to return to the boat.
“The boat is being refueled right?” Lucille asked with concern.
“Don’t worry, it’s all being taken care of” Haddock reassured her. “We need to get back to our search now” he finished.
“Agreed!” Lucille said petting Cocoa holding her like a stuffed animal.
Haddock and Lucille both felt a bone chilling breeze rush by them as they were returning to the boat. When they arrived Yates and Ballard were sitting on the pier waiting for them.

“We thought ya’d jumped ship” Yates said almost accusingly.
“Of course not! Yer not callin’ ole Captain Haddock a mutinous turncoat are ya!” Haddock raised his voice.
“Of course not, we just thought ya wanted to be on yer way swiftly” Ballard explained.
“I do but I got us another flask full” Haddock smiled.
“Now ya really are da Captain!” Yates laughed.
“ ‘Bout time ya come back ta us” Ballard smiled.
“Let’s fire da engines up! Dublin awaits!” Haddock announced.

Haddock steered the boat out of the bay as they sat in the small sheltered steering room of the boat. Drops of rain began to fall, the waves began to become rougher, and the flashes of lightning became more frequent.

“Well that’s the direction we’re headin’ so no turnin’ back now” Haddock laughed.
Lucille sat quietly with Cocoa in her lap and grasped her satchel thinking she would never leave without it again. Lucille was terrified but determined at the same time. Haddock knew something was going on but decided talking about it right now in front of Yates and Ballard wasn’t a good idea. He hoped Tintin and everyone else with him would be ok until he could arrive.
“Don’t worry lad, Captain Haddock’s coming!” he thought valiantly as they left the Belfast bay heading south toward Dublin.

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