wknopf,
Since no one is replying I will try to help. I am not intimately familiar with your EXACT model, but on the ones that I've seen, the cruise lever simply is a bell crank whose pivot center goes through the inner, rear fender well. The other lever from the bell crank that is inboard of the fenderwell actuates a rod that goes to the hydrostatic pedals.
Pulling off the escutcheon plate around the lever will accomplish nothing.
You will have to look underneath. I would start by seeing if the linkage is connected on the bell crank at the rear inboard and the bell crank on the pedal lever which is inboard of the frame above the deck.
Hope this helps,
Doc