Monday, April 23, 2007, Episode #5043

As Stephanie stands by the marina, wondering what's going on, Ridge brings the Shady Marlin II back to the dock. After stopping the engine, he puts the keys back in the coffee can and leaves the can on the counter, accidentally knocking a sleeve of Nick's cigars into the sink. He then leaves the boat. Still watching, Stephanie notices that Ridge doesn't have the garment bag he brought on the boat with him anymore; she wonders where the bag is and what was in it.

Stephanie is shocked to learn what Ridge did.
Ridge makes his way back to his office and locks the door. As he walks around, he spots the drop of blood on the carpet where Shane fell, so he grabs a bottle of water and tries to clean it. When Stephanie knocks at the door, asking him to let her in, Ridge puts a chair over the stain and lets his mother in. Stephanie asks what's going on. Ridge tries to cover that he must have fallen asleep at his desk. "And then you sleepwalked over and locked the door?" Stephanie sarcastically asks, reminding Ridge that he was supposed to be on a date with Ashley. Ridge continues with his lie that he must have slept through the date, remarking that he hasn't been sleeping well lately. Stephanie asks if this has to do with Taylor marrying Nick and his rivalry with his paternal half-brother, but Ridge shouts that he doesn't give a damn about who Nick marries! "Then why were you on his boat tonight?" Stephanie asks. Ridge again claims he was here all night. Stephanie tells him that she knows he wasn't here, and so does Ashley, since Ashley came here looking for him and found an empty office. Stephanie then tells Ridge that she followed him to the marina and saw him carrying a big bag to the car, whatever it was. "Shane McGrath," Ridge replies. Stephanie tells him to stick to tonight's events, but Ridge says he is talking about tonight and explains how Shane came there tonight and wound up dead. Stephanie is stunned that Ridge dumped Shane's body in Santa Monica Bay and asks Ridge why he didn't call the police.

Ridge tells his mother what happened with Shane.
Ridge explains that he recalled the judge's warning from when he was sentenced for shooting Grant Chambers and panicked at the thought of being thrown in jail for the rest of his life, so he took Shane's body, stuffed it in a garment bag and dumped it and the gun in the Bay. He knows it was a stupid move, but it's done. Stephanie remarks that this isn't good. Ridge agrees and decides to call the police, but Stephanie tells him to put the phone down. Ridge is sure the police will understand once he tells them how unstable Shane was. But that won't matter once he tells them that he dumped the body overboard, Stephanie points out, since only murderers do things like that. She then reminds Ridge that she and Ashley heard the shot, although she told Ashley she thought that was the freight elevator, and she asks if anyone else was in the building. Ridge answers that he thinks everyone else was gone. Stephanie asks if Shane was living in his car and suggests they find that car. She then asks about Shane's family. Ridge recalls that Shane was adopted and hadn't been in touch with his family for a while. Then no one will be looking for him for a while, Stephanie surmises. Ridge laments that he took a life, but Stephanie points out that it was an accident that stemmed from his trying to help Shane. The problem is what Ridge did after, but what's done is done. Ridge explains that he feared no one would believe his story because of his recent fits of anger with Rick. He then shows Stephanie the spot of blood on the carpet; Stephanie thinks they both know what the first order of business is.

Bridget comforts her mother.
Bridget is having dinner at Brooke's house. Brooke frets about her doctor daughter's poor eating habits, but Bridget notices that her mom is on nibbling at her own food and asks what's going on. Brooke laments that even though she's out of the Forrester family, Stephanie is still on her case, ordering her to stay away from... She pauses and ends the sentence with, "everyone." Bridget figures out what her mom was about to say and tells Brooke that she doesn't have to stumble over Nick's name. In fact, Bridget admits that she's over Nick and was much happier once she accepted that things wouldn't work out with him, and she thinks her mom should do the same thing. Brooke thanks Bridget for the advice, but she doesn't agree. Bridget asks why Stephanie even cares about Taylor marrying Nick; Brooke guesses it's Stephanie's way of redeeming herself with her old friend Taylor. Bridget asks if it's because Taylor is pregnant. Brooke points out that Taylor isn't pregnant, which is why she has to make her move to reclaim Nick now. She knows she hurt Nick deeply and has to make him understand. Bridget suggests that Rick move back in here to help Brooke, since she wishes she had someone around when she was dealing with her own feelings for Nick. Brooke doesn't think that's necessary, because she knows now what her big mistake with Nick was. She recalls how Nick wanted to have a child with her, but she said no. She thought Nick's loss of Nicole was still fresh in his mind, and she was happy with her life and her career at the time, so the timing was wrong for a baby. But if she had only said yes... Brooke starts to cry. Bridget puts her hands on her mom's shoulders and comforts her.

Nick arrives on the Marlin and sees that the coffee can with the keys has moved. He then spots his cigars in the sink. He wonders what's going on, but he then recalls that Phoebe was on the boat recently. "Women and boats," he sarcastically remarks as he takes off his jacket, checks in with the harbormaster and takes the boat out for a spin. As he moves out, he compares the new Marlin to the old one, guessing that it will take a while to adjust to the new boat. Once he's out at sea, he drops anchor, only to find that his new boat has an anchor with no chain! [Actually, it did have one, but Ridge wrapped the chain around the garment bag with Shane's body.] "Women and boats," Nick again laments. Guessing that there's no sense staying out without an anchor, Nick turns the boat around and heads home. He finds an eye patch on the counter that sparks memories of times she spent with Brooke and her kids on the old Marlin.

Nick tells Brooke that he has to talk to her.
Back at Brooke's house, Bridget has left and Brooke is preparing to turn in. When she hears a knock at the door, Brooke answers and is surprised to find Nick there. She invites him in and asks if something happened. "You could say that," he says. Brooke asks if this has to do with Taylor, but Nick says it doesn't. He tells Brooke that he was out on the Marlin, thinking about her pleas to resume the life they shared when they were married. While thinking about that, he recalled that she said she made a mistake. Brooke admits that she did make a mistake. Nick recalls her claims that she still loves him, and her pleas to reunite their family. Brooke says that she meant those things and tells him that she still thinks about him every day. She has this dream where everyone tells her he's upstairs and she goes to look for him, but his back is to her. She calls to him, but he doesn't hear him, and when she tries to reach out to him, something is always in the way. She thinks that dream shows how much she loves him, as much as she wishes she didn't, and she can't shake the feeling that he feels the same way. Nick admits that he does feel the same way; he can't get rid of his feelings for her because he doesn't know how not to love her. Brooke is thrilled to hear that and holds Nick's face in her hands.