No Loose Ends

Chapter 4

            “Good grief!” Earl exclaimed, “Edna, you’re bleeding!”  as he stood with Daisy draped unceremoniously over his shoulder and his mouth open, gaping at Edna as though seeing her for the first time since the altercation began.  Neither of them had planned this.  The last thing they had wanted was to kidnap someone.  But now that Daisy had seen them and realized they were the Bank Robbers, leaving a living witness behind was not going to be acceptable.  They both knew what they had to do.

“Yeah, thanks to ‘sweet-cheeks’ here”, she dryly added, wiping most of the blood away with the back of her hands, then on her jeans like a man would, leaving bloody smears on her face as though she didn’t care.  Then, she slapped Daisy across the back of her shorts.  She looked ruefully at the blood-stains on her shirt, “The good part is, I don’t think all of it is mine, though”, she added, “I think I drew some blood, too.  And if I didn’t, I damn sure plan to!” she added menacingly. 

Daisy cringed inwardly, looking around over Earl’s shoulder as Edna came around to look at her.  “There, look at her arm.  I knew I scratched her pretty good.  I’d be surprised if her legs don’t have a scratch or two on them”.  The blood was running down Daisy’s left forearm.  A drop or two had dripped from her index finger.  Edna also pointed out a thin rivulet bleeding from Daisy’s right ankle, running into her shoe. 

“By the way, Earl”, Edna added, pulling the cable-tie off over Daisy’s wrists.  “Next time I ask you to tie someone up, don’t be worried about hurtin’ them!” she yelled.  To Daisy, she ordered, “Now, put your hands behind your back!”  When Daisy obeyed, Edna wiggled the cable-tie back over her hands and this time zipped it tightly, removing any excess slack. 

Daisy wiggled her wrists reflexively, against the uncomfortable plastic band.  The one around her ankles was already hurting.  The hard plastic rubbed uncomfortably against the scratch Edna had given her right ankle.  She knew she was bleeding, because Edna had said so, but was unable to see it.  Secretly, she was relieved that she was already bleeding because she knew that Edna, at least felt vindicated since Daisy had drawn first blood on her.  She felt Edna would not have waited long to return the favor.  When Earl had first captured her wrists, Daisy had stopped fighting and allowed him to bind her.  He stopped tightening the moment the tie seemed snug.  Daisy had turned her wrists to remove the slack, and then when she moved them again, she had managed to save a little wiggle room.  She was hoping to free herself later, but Edna had put a stop to that.  Now, she was in even worse shape with her hands tied behind her back instead of in front.

“Put her in the trailer, Earl, and stuff a gag in her mouth and use a little more rope to make sure she can’t get up.”  Earl immediately started toward the back of the trailer. 

“Won’t the horses step on her?” he asked innocently.  Edna just stood and stared as though she were talking to a child.

“In the tackroom, Earl!  Can’t you figure anything out on your own?  Do you want me to do everything?” she asked.

“Well, what are you gonna do?” he asked.

“I’m going to wipe away our fingerprints”, she answered.  “You raised and lowered the hood and touched the battery cables, and I probably got my hands on the door, top and steering wheel.” She said. 

“Well, why don’t I do that and you can tie her up better, since you don’t like the way I do it”, he argued tersely. 

“Because I don’t want to take a chance on you touching anything else, that’s why.  Besides, I plan to check your work, anyway.  You always go soft, especially around women like you’re afraid to hurt somebody.  I see right through the little tramp.  She’ll bat her pretty eyes at you and ask you not to make it so tight, but I don’t intend to give her one inch if I don’t have to!” she said. 

“She always talk to you like that, sugar?” Daisy asked Earl.

“Shut up”, Earl snapped irritably.  “You heard what she said.  I always go soft on women, and then they treat me like dirt”, he said.

“No, honey.  Edna treats you like dirt.  She just says that other women do.  I’m not like that”. 

“Just sit down and be quiet while I tie you up better”, Earl added.  “Maybe I’d better go ahead and gag you before you distract me”, he said. 

“If you’ll wait and do that last, I’ll tell you how to tie me so’s I don’t get loose”, Daisy offered. 

Earl looked at her suspiciously.  “Is this some kind of trick?”

“Nope, sugar”, Daisy smiled.  “My two cousins, Bo and Luke were always catching me and tying me up when we was kids, and I got really good at gettin’ away.  I know all the mistakes people make when they’re tyin’ somebody up now.  And”, she added, batting her eyelashes, “I know all my own little tricks that I use to get away, so I can tell you how to fix it so I can’t get loose”. 

Earl seemed to think that over.  It was probably a trick, he knew, somehow, because a beautiful woman like Daisy would not offer to help him abduct her if there weren’t some angle behind it.  “Oh, come on Earl!” Daisy begged.  “I know Edna is gonna come along and check your work, anyway.  If you do a good job, then you don’t have to tell her I helped you.  It will just be our secret.  Then she’ll trust you better the next time.  And”, she grinned, “it will help you get back in good with her.  What do you say, Earl?”

Earl stared at Daisy incredulously.  “What do you get out of this?” he asked her. 

“Well, for one thing”, Daisy began, “I’d rather deal with you, than Edna.  To tell you the truth, I’d rather not be alone with her.  And if she sees that you do a good job…..well, let’s put it this way.  I’d rather have you tie me up, than her.  Is that a good enough answer?”

Earl thought about this.  It sounded reasonable.  Maybe there was no trick, after all.  She was right.  Edna would check his work.  If she steered him wrong, Edna would catch it and fix it right away.  Then he’d know if she were lying or not.  “Okay”, Earl warned, “but if this is a trick, I swear to God, I won’t get in the way if Edna tries to hurt you.”

“It’s a deal, then”, Daisy said.  “Okay, first, get the rope and I’ll show you how to tie my legs so I can’t get up”.  Earl did as she asked and she talked him through the task of winding the rope around her ankles several times, then pulling her heels up until they were nearly touching the hem of her shorts, then binding the tie from her ankles up around the big muscles in her upper thighs, thus preventing her from straightening out her legs.  Daisy knew it would be uncomfortable, but if it gave Edna more confidence in Earl, then she might have another opportunity to trick him later, when Edna wasn’t watching so carefully.  It was a pretty good plan, she thought.

“Now, you’d better go around my upper arms and pull my elbows back behind me”.  Daisy told him how to crisscross her breasts with the rope.  Earl’s hands shook a little when he adjusted the ropes so that they were not squeezing her too uncomfortably, just like he got flustered when he was passing the rope between Daisy’s thighs the way she told him to. 

“Now, sugar, do you have a bandanna on ya?” she asked.  Earl nodded.  “Well, tie a knot in the center, and then put that in my mouth and tie the ends back behind my hair.  Pull the hair up in back.  I don’t like my hair tied in back.”  Earl did as she directed.  When Edna came over, she looked at the bound and gagged Daisy on the floor of the trailer.  In addition to the zip-ties, which were still in place, Earl had retied the girl’s wrists and ankles tightly with rope, then made it more restrictive to keep her from getting up on her feet.  She checked the ropes and they were surprisingly tight.  Daisy had told him when he was tying her that she didn’t mind if he made it a good bit tighter if it kept him out of trouble with Edna.  Otherwise, he would not have made it so tight.  “Good job, Earl!” she said.  “I don’t think I could have done a better job myself.  You’re not going anywhere, sweet-cheeks!” 

Daisy stiffened.  She wanted to argue that her name was ‘Daisy’, not ‘sweet-cheeks’.  It was obvious that the older woman enjoyed humiliating her by calling her such a name, evidently making reference to the length of her shorts, or lack thereof.

“Let’s go, Earl.  The prints are all wiped away.  I did leave them a few traces of evidence behind so their little minds can dream up all sorts of terrifying scenarios about what happened to their beloved Daisy Duke!”

Meanwhile, Bo and Luke were puttering up the Capitol City road in Chickasaw County when they spotted a familiar shape by the side of the road.  Luke slowed down as Bo turned in his seat, “Mary Lou Harper!” he shouted out the window.  “What are you doin’ walkin’ out here?” 

Mary Lou stopped for a moment, “Bo and Luke Duke?”  She smiled.  She had missed the Dukes ever since her family had moved to Chickasaw County.  She knew about their troubles with Sheriff “Big-Ed” Little, therefore, she was surprised to see them, especially without their famous General Lee. 

“Hop in, Mary Lou”, Bo called, “We’re in no hurry.  We can take ya into town if that’s where you’re headed.”  Mary Lou obliged.  Bo graciously got out and offered to let her sit between him and Luke.  She smiled, knowing they’d cooked it up between them. 

Several minutes later, a set of red and white flashing lights popped up behind Uncle Jesse’s pickup.  Luke looked in the rearview mirror and saw the familiar green and white Plymouth that conveyed the Chickasaw County Sheriff.  The sight of his big round head in his crash helmet and mirror sunglasses was enough to make him groan audibly.  “Ding dang it”, Bo complained.  “Now what are we doin’ wrong”?

Sheriff Little got out and hitched up his belt.  He took his good easy time walking up to the pickup.  He had already called in the license plate, so he knew good and well who was behind the wheel.  “Two young white males, one brunette, one blonde, with a female Caucasian in her early to mid twenties with long brunette hair.  It could only be my favorite pair of “Good Old Boys”…..Bo and Luke Duke!  How you boys been?” he grinned, flipping open his ticket book.  “I almost didn’t recognize you two without your orange supercharged popsicle!  Kindly step out of the vehicle please.  This may take awhile”.

Bo looked over at Luke.  He opened his door and got out, helping Mary Lou out behind him.  Then he went around by the road and stood by Luke as Sheriff Little proceeded to inform them of every tiny infraction of which he could accuse them.  Mary Lou stayed on the other side of the pickup, nervously pulling on her fingers.  Her family had been involved in some activities of dubious legality since moving to Chickasaw County.  Therefore, she did not wish to call attention to herself with Sheriff Little.  As for Sheriff Little, he glanced her way from time to time making mental notes to himself.  He assumed she was Bo and Luke’s cousin, Daisy, and he wanted to remember details in case something came up later, because, much to his chagrin, he knew they had not given him enough provocation to make an arrest on this day.

Sheriff Little noted the fact that both boys were wearing jeans.  He further made mental notes as to the color and style of shirt they were wearing.  The young lady managed to stay behind the pickup.  He could see the top of her blue jeans, but knowing Daisy often wore blue jean short-shorts, he knew it was as likely one or the other.  In fact, he was a little disappointed that he couldn’t get a better look.  He always liked the way Bo and Luke’s cousin was dressed.  Since he was distracted with the blue-jean versus shorts issue, he did not pay as much attention to what she had on top. 

Big Ed finished his lecture with the boys about what he would surely do the next time he caught them breaking the law in his county, when another white Ford pickup came up the road behind them.  This one was pulling a trailer.  Even though they were going slightly faster than the pickup he had pulled over, Ed recognized this vehicle as belonging to two residents of Chickasaw County.  Edna Mae and Earl Longwood. 

“Just stand here and be quiet for a few minutes”, Sheriff Little told Bo and Luke.

He put the pen back into his coat pocket and stepped out in the road to block Edna and Earl’s path.  Earl began to apply the brakes, pulling up just alongside the Sheriff. 

            “Just keep it short.  We’ve got $50,000 in here from the Hazzard Bank as well as a hostage.  We can’t afford to let Sheriff Little get suspicious”.  Her face brightened instantly.  “Why Sheriff Little!  What a pleasant surprise.  What brings you out here this fine mornin’?” she asked. 

            “Why Hello Edna!”  he beamed.  “Earl”, Earl nodded back.  “Been to see the vet today?” he asked. 

            “Uh no.  We’ve been on a trail ride out back in Texas and now we’re comin’ home”, Edna told him before Earl could think of anything to say. 

            “Oh”, Sheriff Little scratched his head.  “Well, I was gonna ask if you’ve heard about the bank robbery in Hazzard since you seem to have come from that direction, but I reckon if you’ve been out of town, you wouldn’t know”.

            “Bank robbery?” Edna asked.  “Gee Earl, could we have seen anything?”  Earl just shook his head in disappointment that the two of them had missed seeing or hearing anything about it.  About that time, a noise from the trailer caught everyone’s attention.  Sheriff Little looked up in surprise. 

            “I think your horses are getting restless back there”, he said. 

            “I’m sure that’s what it is”, Edna grinned.  “We picked up a little filly on the way.  And I think that she doesn’t take too well to being kept tied-up in the trailer for long stretches of time!”   Earl glared at Edna in disbelief that she would actually use the words “tied-up in the trailer” and come so close to telling the truth. 

            “Is she high-spirited?” Ed asked, starting back to the trailer. 

            “Most definitely”, Edna added, now getting out making sure he didn’t get too close.  She led him to the back away from the tack room.  The banging noise repeated.  “Metal shoes”, Big Ed commented.  Edna nodded.  He was, in fact, correct, she thought to herself.  “She’s got nice long legs”, he added pleased with the real filly’s shape. 

            “That she does”, Edna agreed.  “Haven’t gotten her out and untied her long enough to see her run yet, though”, she added. 

            “You will in a day or two”, Ed acknowledged.  

            “I’m not sure”, Edna countered, “if I’m ready for her to yet.  I think I’m just gonna enjoy her as a pet for a few days, then maybe get rid of her”. 

            “Get rid of her?” Ed asked curiously.

 “You know.  Find someone who’ll buy her from me at a profit?” Edna suggested.

            Big Ed whistled.  “I’d sure like to have a pretty filly like her.  How much you want for her?” 

            “Oh Ed”, Edna remarked, “You don’t want her.  She’s got wayyyy too much spirit for you.”

            “Well now, don’t be too sure about that, Edna.  I know a thing or two about horses.  I’m surprised you can’t find a way to work with her.  If she’s all that spirited, maybe you oughta start using a little more discipline on her to keep her in line.”

            “Believe me, Ed.  When me and Earl get back, my little filly and I are gonna have a long talk in the barn over a short whip across her flanks.”

            “That’s probably just what she needs”, Ed added.  “By the way”, he began, “What do y’all call her?”

            Edna smiled wickedly, “Sweet-Cheeks!”

            “That’s cute”, he smiled.  “Y’all take care now” as he watched them pull away in a cloud of dust.  Bo and Luke just looked from the trailer to Ed with curiosity.  They had never seen him so cordial with anyone before.  Mary Lou had kept further out of sight, having recognized Earl and Edna Mae.  Her parents had had some dealings with them in the past, and Mary Lou strongly suspected that the two of them might have had something to do with the Bank Robbery in Hazzard, but didn’t feel that it was any of her business.  To tell you the truth, Edna scared her a bit, and she figured that if they were going to get caught, it was best that she didn’t have anything to do with it.