When John and Jesse got Jebb calmed down enough to move into the living room, Jesse got a glass of ‘shine out for Jebb to drink. Unlike last night, though, he refused to touch it. They were trying to dull the pain for him but right now he didn’t want to dull it. Even if he didn’t think that he could bear it. Right now it was the only thing that was real. Once in the living room, he collapsed onto the chaise and hugged the pillow to him.

Jebb had heard the talk over the CB. He watched as people stopped talking when he stopped off for gas today. Saw the stares. He knew what everyone was saying about how if the kidnappers hadn’t contacted him by now; they weren’t planning on doing it at all. That Kira was as good as dead. There was no one in the county that still believed that there was a chance of her still being alive by now. Not if no one had asked for a ransom yet. Not if they weren’t going to, either.

Jebb wasn’t sure how he’d be able to face that kind of reality. To be trapped in a nightmare that just won’t end. Over in the corner, his mom stood watching him like she was ready for him to snap again. He wasn’t sure if he’d have the energy or strength to do it though. He was wiped out. Physically and emotionally. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

“Lost Sheep to Shepherd, Lost Sheep to Shepherd. You got your ears on Shepherd?”

Jesse stood up and walked over to the CB to respond to Luke. “Shepherd here. Where are you boys at? I expected you back hours ago.”

“Well we got a little delayed. Is Jebb there with you?”

“Yeh, he’s here but I don’t think that he’s up to talkin’ just now. Where are you?”

“We’re on our way to the hospital... With Kira.”

Jebb jumped up at that and ran to the CB. “KIRA! Let me talk to her! Is she hurt? Why the hospital?”

There was a pause before Luke responded. “She wasn’t hurt, Jebb. She can’t talk right now though.”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say that if there is anything left that you want to do before you become a proud Papa, you’d better go do it now. You’re runnin’ out of time.”

“Kira’s in labor again?”

“Come on son, your mom and I will drive ya. Jesse?”

“Go on? I’ll watch the girls.” Jesse watch as Jebb bolted out of the door with his parents at his heels. Right after the door was closed, he got back onto the CB. “Luke, turn to channel 22.” Jesse turned the dial and waited for his nephew to let him know that he’d joined him on the channel. “Alright, what’s really goin’ on?”

“We have one of the kidnappers locked in the trunk. She was already in hard labor when we found her. Right after her water broke, she went into convulsions. Bo can’t wake her up now. WH...Uncle Jesse, she’s havin’ another seizure!”

“Alright, stay calm. I’ll call the hospital and let them know you’re comin’. Get that girl there as fast as you can. I don’t care what you have to do to do it. Just get her there.”

“Yes sir.”




The state police had hauled Harry and Shawn in right after they’d gotten the deal going down on tape. Now they were still trying to get Harry to talk but he refused to tell them where he’d hidden the missing Duke. He only had one way out as he saw it and he planned to use it.

“That’s my price. You want the girl. I want a walk. No walk, no girl. It’s a shame too. She was in labor when I left her. You think that kid will last long if you don’t get her to a hospital?”

Rosco watched from behind the two way mirror in the state precinct. He’d been allowed to watch the interrogations as a professional courtesy as the man that had been captured continued to dangle Kira’s safety over them to try to get away with kidnapping with the intent of murder and murder for hire. He couldn’t believe that he had once again been drug into looking for the same girl, kidnapped twice in a lifetime; decades apart. Now this scum wanted to get away with it just like the nurse had when she’d taken the girl from her crib.

“Sheriff, Sheriff!” Enos came running into the room.

“Hush! What is it Dipstick?”

“They found her, Sheriff! The Duke Boys found her!”

“Are you sure?”

“Uh-huh. Jesse Duke just called. Bo and Luke have the other kidnapper in their trunk and they are on their way to the hospital now.”

Rosco smiled and turned as he walked into the interrogation room. “Oh, good news! Good news!”

“Sheriff, you were told that you could watch. Not join in. What’s the meaning of this?”

“I just wanted to let you know that you don’t have to make that horrendous deal. The Duke Boys found Mrs. Duke. They are on their way to the hospital now.” Turning toward the man in the hot seat, he added, “And you’d better hope that they throw the book at you. You don’t want the Dukes to be able to get a hold of you if they ever let you go.” In a way, he wished he could watch the Duke Boys rip into this fella. And by the way Jebb took Kira’s absence; he just might get to watch a show later on.




“How much further?” Bo was worried that he couldn’t wake his sister. Her pulse was racing and her breathing shallow.

“Just one more minute, Bo. How’s she doin’?”

“Not good. I kinda hope that we get to the hospital before Jebb. I know he wants to see Kira but I ain’t sure that seein’ her like this will exactly help him all that much with the way he’s been.”

“I know.” Looking ahead, Luke sees the entrance to the emergency room up ahead. “It looks like the welcome wagon is waitin’ for us. Jesse got them all ready for us.”

“Even the state police are here waiting to take our unwanted passenger off of our hands.”

Luke pulled up into the ambulance loading area and the nurses and orderlies all helped Bo get his twin out of the car and loaded her up on a stretcher. Luke filled them in on the decline of her condition from when they first found her as they checked her vitals.

“Let’s get her on upstairs. We need to get her to delivery right away.” The man that seemed to be in charge said as they took Kira inside.

It seemed that no sooner did they get Kira inside than Jebb and his parents showed up. The fellas explained how they had decided to check one more hunting lodge in Hatchapee County before going home for the evening and had found that Kira, has indeed, been held there the whole time. They had gotten there after Kira had already escaped so they had to hunt for her in the woods, finding her cold and in labor.

Bo took their uncle aside and told him of Kira’s convulsions, not wanting to worry Jebb any further. They seemed to be waiting forever for word on Kira and the baby. Bo hoped that they were both alright. Glancing up on the T.V. that was kept in the waiting room Bo saw that it had turned midnight and there were shots of fireworks going off in various places on the east coast on the screen. He’d forgotten that it was New Year’s Eve. It was yet to be seen if it would be a Happy New Year.




“Go ahead and take these two down to the nursery to meet their daddy before they’re sent to Atlanta.”

The pediatric nurse finished cleaning up the second baby and took one last look at the mother as she got ready to leave. Everyone in at least four counties now knew who she is now. It’s too bad that she can’t see her babies before they are sent to the NICU in Atlanta. Closing the door to the operating room where the Caesarean had been performed, the doctor was finishing closing up when one of the other nurses called out.

“B.P.’s dropping! ... We’ve lost her pulse! ...We’re losing her!”




“How long have they been up there?” Jebb couldn’t believe that they hadn’t heard anything yet.

“It takes a while sometimes, son. Someone will be out as soon as there is something to tell.”

Jebb continued to stand in front of the door to the Emergency room door as he waited. Just as he had done when he’d first learned that Kira was pregnant in June after she was run off the road. He was supposed to be on that side of the door when his kids were born. Not stuck out here without knowing what was going on. He’d had enough of not knowing over the last couple of days to last him a life time.

When Doc Appleby arrived at the hospital and went to go check on Kira, he reminded Jebb that with the babies coming so early, that they would need to go to Atlanta to be admitted into the NICU. He’d be allowed to see them first, but it would be brief.

Off to the side, he saw Bo doing his usual pacing with Luke watching on, sitting near Jebb’s parents. Jebb knew that they had told his parents something that they hadn’t told him. And as soon as the doctor comes out he’ll find out what it was. Right now, he could only think about Kira and the babies.

“Duke family?”

Jebb snapped his head up. “How’s my wife?” He raced over to the nurse.

“I’m afraid that I don’t have any information on your wife. I’m a Pediatric Nurse. I was told that there were some introductions that needed to be made. If you’d just come with me.” Looking around Jebb, the nurse spoke to the rest of the family that was standing behind him. “If the rest of you would just make your way around to the nursery window you can get your first look.” The nurse took Jebb with her and took him in to where the twins were. When Jebb saw them, he noticed just how small and helpless they looked. “We’ll be getting them ready in just a moment to go to Atlanta. I’m afraid that we don’t have the special equipment here for babies born so early.”

Jebb nodded that he understood since he’d already been told about the babies needing to go to the NICU. Standing here, it felt a little unreal to be here with HIS kids. Standing between the two incubators, he reached out a hand and took a tiny little hand into his own. Looking at the name cards, he gave a small smile. DUKE BABY BOY 1 and DUKE BABY BOY 2.

“I think that we can do a little bit better than that, don’t you? Your mom and I never came up with a girl’s name, but it looks like we won’t need one. You know, boys, y’all weren’t supposed to make an appearance just yet. I guess you two were in a bit of a hurry though, huh?” Jebb looked up to ask the nurse if he could hold his boys. Picking up one of his sons, Jebb laughed as the boy in his arms yawned.

“Let’s see, the first name is Jonathan Kyle Duke. Do we have any volunteers?” The baby still in the bassinet sneezed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Jebb chuckled then looked back down at the baby in his arms. “That means that you get to be named after your uncles. Lukas and Beauregard. After all, they’ve saved your mom twice, now” The baby let out a small cry and squirmed, causing Jebb to chuckle. “Don’t worry; I wouldn’t do that to you. Even if I hadn’t already promised your uncles that I wouldn’t give you the names that they’ve hated all of their lives. Nah, you’re gonna take their daddies’ names. One of them being your momma’s daddy, too. You know that no one is expecting TWO of you. I guess you two are gettin’ off to a rough start in life. But I’ll make sure it’ll get better. Me and your mom both’ll make sure of that for you two.”

Jebb looked up wondering how Kira was. Had she seen the babies yet? Getting the nurse’s attention, Jebb asked for some help before going to the window with his boys. After all, he wanted to see the look on his parents’ faces when they realized that he and Kira had twins.




Pauline watched as her son picked up one of the babies in the nursery; her grandson. There were other babies in the nursery but Pauline honed in on the baby in her son’s arms. He was so small. But then, he wasn’t supposed to even be born yet. She wished that her son would come on over to the nursery window so that she could see the baby. When Jebb turned and smiled at the family (something that he’d not done in days) Pauline was surprised when he handed the baby that he was holding to the nurse and reached down into the next bassinet and picked up the baby in it. He then walked with the nurse to the viewing panel where his parents and cousins were waiting.

“TWINS?” Bo and Luke looked at one another in surprise.

“And I’m willing that to bet that he’s not surprised at all by it. That scamp. He was holdin’ out on us.” John laughed as Jebb made the tiny bundle in his arms wave at the family while Pauline started to cry. Twins, she had TWO grandbabies now.

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