Chapter Five
It was sunrise when the Dukes pulled up to the courthouse. "Luke,
I dunno if this is such a good idea," Bo said as he got out of
the General. "Rosco ain't gonna 'preciate us botherin' him at
a time like this."
Luke had already started up the courthouse steps. "It ain't Rosco
that we're here to see."
"It ain't? But you told Uncle Jesse - oh, now wait a minute Luke!
You thinkin' of gettin' answers of that hitman?! Luke, are you crazy?"
"Somethin' ain't right," Luke said in a troubled voice, beating
Bo to the door. "And I'm gonna find out what's goin' on."
The two cousins walked inside, pushing the booking room doors wide open.
"Hey Bo, hey Luke," the Deputy called to them, his sleep-deprived
greeting lacking all cheer. The Dukes responded with a quick hello
and a nod to Enos, while the occupant of the holding cell awoke to
their voices. Brian got to his feet and stared balefully at the Dukes.
"Good mornin'," he said to them with sarcasm.
"Enos, we'd like to have a few words with your prisoner here,"
Luke said bluntly, keeping his eyes on the hitman.
"Forget it," Brian said from his cell. "I got nothin'
to say to y'all, so just finish your gloatin', and git!"
Enos made an effort to keep the Dukes back, but they pushed past him
and strode up to the holding cell. "Well I got plenty to say,"
Luke announced fearlessly. "And since you're gonna be up on murder
charges, I figure you've got some fast talkin' of your own to do."
"Go to hell," Brian growled.
"No way we're gonna do that and keep your company,"
Bo shot back. "How could you do somethin' like kill somebody in
cold blood? 'Especially somebody like MaryAnne!"
"Who happened to be a Deputy and if I ain't mistaken, a cousin of
yours. Or so ya claimed!" Luke said angrily. "We saw MaryAnne
let ya go the last time you were in Hazzard! If I'd a known she was
gonna do that and that you were gonna come back to do what you've done
I woulda let that arrow fly."
Brian grabbed the bars with both hands and prepared to fire back, but
Enos piped up first. "Scuze me, Bo, Luke, but it wasn't Brian
that killed MaryAnne. It was his partner," he said with apology
in his voice. Enos wished again that he could tell the Dukes that MaryAnne
was alive. But until Rosco told him otherwise, he would keep his vow.
His sense of justice, however, required him to point out the limit
of Brian's guilt.
"That's just a technicality, as far as I'm concerned," Luke
replied. "I saw MaryAnne lyin' there in her own blood at the Boar's
Nest, we all did! If this skunk had the guts to shoot MaryAnne right
in front of Rosco, when there's folks standin' around outside, and..."
Luke's voice abruptly trailed off. "It don't make sense,"
he thought aloud. Luke took a few steps back and forth in front of
the cell, sorting his thoughts.
A minute passed before he confronted Brian again. "You're supposed
to be a professional. Why would you shoot MaryAnne in front of Rosco,
'specially when he's armed and wearin' a badge?"
"Ask Rosco," Brian said flatly, refusing to admit or deny anything.
Then he reminded himself that the Dukes had been friends of MaryAnne's.
Good friends, by the way they were acting. Brian didn't owe much to
the Dukes, but since he couldn't do anything for MaryAnne maybe he
could still do something that would have pleased her. While he still
had the chance.
"Listen here," he said after the long silence. "Did you
two park that damn orange car right out in the front of the courthouse?"
The Dukes blinked at the question, taken off guard. "Yeah, so what?"
Bo answered haughtily.
"So Deuce can find you that much easier," Brian said with a
sneer. He decided he would help the Dukes; but he didn't have to like
them. "You hicks have a Contract out on you. It didn't go away
just 'cause I'm busted." Brian proceeded to give them a description
of Deuce's appearance and mode of operation. He ended it with a warning.
"Git outta Hazzard before it's too late." Bo and Luke simply
gaped at Brian. "What, you plowboys got cotton in yer ears? GIT!
Deuce could show up any minute, and he ain't fussy about how he gets
the job done!"
The Dukes held their ground for a second, before Luke jerked a thumb towards the door. "Enos, we'll check in with ya later, we're gone!" The Dukes hustled out of the booking room, with the graceful ease of life spent on the run. Brian watched them go as one thought rang in his mind. They don't have a chance anymore than I do.
***** ***** ***** *****
Out at the Duke farm, Jesse handed a cup of coffee to the haggered looking
Sheriff. Rosco was still dressed in his civilian clothes, he had managed
to catch about three hours of restless sleep and as soon as the sun
rose over the horizon he drove straight to the Duke farm, only to find
that Bo and Luke had left a little earlier.
"They went to talk to you," Jesse explained as he sat down
at the kitchen table across from Rosco. Daisy was present as well,
and sat beside her uncle.
"Well, I ain't there. If it's alright with you, Jesse, I'll wait
here for them," Rosco said.
Jesse nodded. He looked at Rosco, the man looking worn and somewhat lost.
Jesse had several questions he wanted to ask Rosco, but he refrained,
knowing there would be a time and a place for that.
"Oh...I should probably call Enos and tell him where I am. Can I
use your phone?"
"Sure."
Rosco stood up from the kitchen table and walked to the phone in the
Duke living room. He picked it up and dialed the courthouse number
from heart.
"Enos? This is Rosco. I'm out at the Duke farm....Yeah, I know,
I'm gonna wait here for them. Listen, Enos, be careful okay? There's
a possibility with the way Brian was talking yesterday that his buddy
might try to break him outta jail. If he shows up, just get the heck
outta there, don't try to stop him.....I know, Enos, I know, but that's
why I called the FBI...." Enos then told the Sheriff the warning
Brian had given the Duke boys. "He what?...Were you paying attention?
Remember everything he said Enos, we're gonna need that info at some
point. I'll be in town later." Rosco finished and hung up the
phone. He turned back to the kitchen.
"That hitman's partner might break him out of jail?" Jesse
asked.
Rosco returned to his chair and sat down. "Possibly. Brian told
me that Deuce, his partner, would either try to get the boys first
or go get him first." Rosco caught the looks on both Jesse and
Daisy's faces. "I know, I know Brian's been telling me a bunch
of things most other men in his position would not."
"Maybe because he's...kin?" Jesse wondered.
Rosco shrugged. "Maybe." The Sheriff picked up his coffee cup
and took a drink, knowing that the majority of the questions he would
face where all going to start with the same thing: Why?
Just as Rosco put his cup down, the familar sound of the General's exhaust
filled the air as the car came into the yard.
Bo and Luke recognized Rosco's car in the farmyard, and they felt some
relief in knowing Rosco was there. "Never thought I'd be glad
to see Rosco camped out at the house," Bo joked as he hopped up
the porch. Luke gave a small grin in response and followed Bo inside.
"Hey, Uncle Jesse, Daisy, Rosco...." Bo's words were echoed
by Luke's greeting, and then the Dukes stood there expectantly. They
knew the look on Rosco's face meant trouble.
"Mornin' fellas," Rosco said. He then gestured to the table.
"Why don't you sit down...I know we have a lot to discuss."
The boys did so, their eyes curious and their bodies tense. "We're
all ears," Luke prompted.
Rosco took a deep breath. "I just talked to Enos on the phone and
he told me what Brian said to you boys about Deuce. As much as I want
to nail the son of a...." Rosco paused, seeing Daisy out of the
corner of his eye. He stumbled for a word and finally settled on, "gun,
I'm afraid that a lot of folks lives would be put in danger, needlessly.
The two things we're facing is that the contract on you two is still
open, and there's the possibility that Deuce will break Brian out of
jail. I already told Enos to just let Brian go and to stay out of the
way. The only thing I can think of in regards to you two is that the
Syndicate has to somehow think that y'all are dead. How
we do that, I ain't figured yet..." Rosco looked at the boys,
wondering if they were going to accept his wanting to help. Not
that they're gonna have any choice...I'm gonna help 'em and that's
it.
"Wait a minute," Luke said lowly and stood up. "You mean
these two killed MaryAnne....and you're just gonna shuck n' jive 'em,
and let 'em walk!? Rosco, no way....." Bo was nodding agreement
to his cousin.
Rosco's blue eyes looked at the oldest Duke cousin fiercely. "If
I don't let them walk, we have more damn strangers come in and
they start wiping out the whole town! Besides..." Rosco paused
and looked at each Duke individually and then back at Luke. Softly
he said, "I've been shuckin' and jivin' them all along...."
Rosco held his breath waiting for their reaction...which he didn't
figure to be too good.
Luke sat back down, slowly, the question that he'd been holding back
finally getting it's opportunity. "Rosco....what's really goin
on?" The Dukes attentions were focused on the Sheriff, Luke having
spoken for them all.
"I'll tell ya what's goin' on, I'm trying to protect this town from
the Syndicate!" Rosco stood up abruptly and paced into the Duke's
living room. He stood for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He took
a deep breath and let it out quietly, turning back to the Dukes. "MaryAnne
had a contract on her," he started softly. "They were gonna
kill her! And for some reason gave the contract to Brian to carry out.
I think it was because he didn't get you boys before and because MaryAnne
stopped him. And because she's kin. I guess the Syndicate wasn't gonna
allow a silly little thing like 'kin' get in the way of their dirty
work." Rosco paused a moment, his eyes flashing briefly in anger.
"Anyways, Brian showed up, shot at us in town and then what happened
at the Boar's Nest. He didn't want to kill her but he wounded
her so that the Syndicate would think he was doing his job. In the
hospital, his partner, by suggestion from Brian, injected MaryAnne
with the penicillin....." Rosco's chest hitched and he looked
at the Dukes. "She ain't dead," he said in the same tone
an apology would be. "I lied to keep her alive. I wasn't
gonna give the Syndicate another chance to get to her!! You gotta understand...."
Rosco pleaded and then stopped, his emotions taking over and he closed
his eyes. The 20 plus year veteren Sheriff was crying.
Jesse Duke was the first one up and at Rosco's side. "You did what
you had to do, Rosco...." The elder Duke's voice was gentle. "You
caused us all some grief, lettin' us think MaryAnne had passed on,
but I understand why ya did it." Jesse put his arm around Rosco's
shoulders. "We'll keep it a secret till this whole thing is over...."
As Jesse went on, the younger of the Duke clan absorbed the fact that
MaryAnne was alive, and struggled to come to terms with the deception
that Rosco and Enos had played on them.
Rosco pulled himself together and looked at the Duke patriach. "Jesse,
I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "I couldn't risk anyone finding
out that she was still alive. I still can't....but all we need is for
the Syndicate to think they got the boys too." The Sheriff
looked from Jesse to the young Dukes and then back at Jesse again.
"I figured you'd understand...but I ain't so sure they do."
"I would have done the same thing, Rosco..." Jesse said quietly. "And from the sounds of it, I will be." Jesse turned to the searching faces of his young family. "Now I know you kids have had a rough few days....but the important thing is that MaryAnne's okay. And we need to figure some way out of this mess." Jesse cleared his throat and turned back to Rosco. "Though I halfta agree with my nephews...just lettin' these hoodlums go ain't the right thing to do. If you called the FBI, then there should be a way we can keep MaryAnne and my boys protected... and get them varmits arrested without losin' half the town."
"I did call the FBI," Rosco informed
them. "I called them yesterday after what happened at the Boar's
Nest. I'm still waiting for somebody to show up." Rosco then looked
at Luke. "And for the record, I do want them arrested,
all of them, I just don't want the Syndicate sending axe men
to Hazzard to get revenge for the loss of their 'associates.'"
Luke cooled down, and with
a sigh he came over to put a hand on Rosco's shoulder. "I just
need to make sure we all want the same thing here. I didn't take it
too well when MaryAnne...'died.' " Luke's eyes held apology and
renewed concern. "Is she doin' okay, Rosco?"
"I went to see her last
night," Rosco said softly. "She's alright. I am sorry, Luke,
I didn't want to lie to y'all, but I was scared. I'm still scared."
Rosco paused, dropping his weary gaze to the floor. "She means
a lot to me. When Brian shot her at the Boar's Nest, I thought I was
gonna lose her right there..."
Bo and Daisy quietly joined
everyone in the living room, to hear the report on MaryAnne's condition.
The faces of the Dukes held relief for MaryAnne, and sympathy for Rosco.
The Sheriff's fear was contagious, and an unspoken call to action rippled
through the Duke family. Jesse Duke cleared his throat. "You don't
need to apologize for protectin' your kin, Rosco. The important thing
is that MaryAnne is recoverin', and that we got us a chance to round
up these varmints." Murmurs of assent came from Bo, Luke, and
Daisy.
"How?" Rosco wondered.
"Jesse, I'm plum outta ideas."
Jesse glanced over at his oldest
nephew, who's blue eyes were sharp with an early idea. "If the
FBI's gonna be comin', then we've got the help we need to bust these
jerks," Luke began. "All we gotta do is get 'em herded up.
We've got the bait..." Luke's eyes met Bo's for a second, asking
his cooperation with a silent glance, and getting it. "And we
might have somethin' else the Syndicate wants. All we gotta do is stage
a little performance, and not get ourselves killed."
"Piece of cake,"
Bo commented brightly, though his gut was starting to wrench into knots.
"There's just one thing I don't like about this though..."
"Probably the same thing
I don't like," Uncle Jesse added. "Luke, your ideas always
tend to work out, but this one's more n' dangerous. It's right down
crazy, if you're thinkin' what I think yer thinkin'..."
Daisy's eyes flew wide as she
caught on. "Oh no...."
Luke held up a palm of acknowledgement.
"I know it's risky. But I think we stand a better chance, workin'
with what we got." The Dukes turned to Rosco for his opinion.
Rosco, of course, was completely
lost. He looked like a little kid who had just missed a joke that everybody
else in the class had got, and the embarrassment at not understanding
was clear in his expression. "Umm...Luke, I know you're always
the one to come up with the ideas, and like Jesse said they tend to
always work...but I think you're gonna have to explain things to me
...uh...SLOWLY." Rosco found his own comment amusing and a tiny
'khee' came out, for the first time in days.
Bo beat his cousin to it. "Rosco,
Luke's just sayin' that we outta let Brian kill us, right out in front
of Deuce and any other Syndicate hoodlums who happen to be around."
Luke nodded and grinned. "And while they're entertained with us
dyin', the FBI closes in on 'em."
"Oooh,
jit jit, now I get it! Come to think of it...that was kinda what MaryAnne
said." Rosco paused and then nodded. "Alright...what do we
need to do, specifically, to get this started?"
Luke's expression regained it seriousness. "First thing we gotta do, is get cooperation from Brian. Assumin' we can do that...then we need some blanks and...." Luke's voice was low and rapid as he brainstormed on the fly.
***** ***** ***** *****
At the intersection of Route Seven and County Line Road, Duece greeted the four hitmen who had driven out from Atlanta to assist him. He briefed them on the Don's orders, inviting no opinions. "So that's the deal. We nail the Sheriff, we finish the Dukes, and we find Brian."
One burly associate spoke up.
"Is 'finding' Brian the only thing we're supposed to do with him?"
Deuce tolerated the question.
"For starters," he said in a neutral voice. "I'm gonna
check out the local jail tonight. If Brian's in there...then we can't
take the risk on 'em squealin' to the law."
***** *****
***** *****
By the time Rosco left the
Duke farm, he felt more invigorated than he had for days. In his mind
he went over his checklist of things he had to do and items he had
to get to help the Dukes. A stop at the courthouse was first on the
list...and what he had to do there was the hardest barrier he, and
all the Dukes, had to get through. It would determine how the rest
of Luke's plan would go.
Rosco walked into the booking room and looked over at Enos. The deputy
looked up and the Sheriff waved a finger at him. As Rosco started to
his office, Enos got up and followed. "What's up, Sheriff?"
Enos asked after he closed Rosco's office door.
"Yes sir," Enos
said, and smiled a little in relief, knowing the next time he saw the
Dukes he wouldn't have to lie to them. "Umm..do you really think
Brian's gonna want to cooperate?"
"No. But we'll never
know if we don't ask." Rosco sat down at his desk. "You can
go ahead back out there. I'm gonna call the FBI again and tell 'em
to hurry up their posteriors. I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay." Enos nodded
turned back to the door. He stepped out of Rosco's office and quietly
closed the door behind him.
After watching Rosco walk right
by without so much as a glance in his direction, Brian got nervous.
Something was up...and the expression on the deputy's face confirmed
it. In the course of his confinement, Brian had said nothing to Enos,
but that was about to change. "What's goin' on?" he asked
bluntly, startling the deputy.
Enos took a moment to recover
and looked at Brian. "Sheriff Rosco wants to talk to you. He'll
be out in a minute."
Brian frowned and resumed pacing
in his cell.
Rosco, meanwhile, hung up the
phone. The FBI assured him that agents were on their way to Hazzard
at that very moment and would be reporting to him by 11 am. Rosco sighed
and came out of his office. He walked over to the holding area and
looked at Brian. "The
Dukes told me what you told them about Deuce," Rosco began, no
preamble. "I can only conclude that you want to help them, for
MaryAnne's sake if nothing else. If you're really interested in helping
them, then I have a request to ask of you."
Brian looked interested almost
immediately, but then he steeled his expression. "What's in it
for me?"
"Maybe a chance to redeem yourself to the Syndicate." It was all Rosco could offer. It was all he would offer.
Brian's eyes were narrowed
with suspicion. "And why would you want to give me that, Sheriff?"
"Because I can't give
you anything else."
A tense minute passed unnoticed
as Brian stared at the Rosco, as if to read the truth behind the words.
"Why don't you tell me what you got in mind.”
Rosco explained Brian's angle
in Luke's plan, how blanks would be used in Brian's gun, ect. The Sheriff
then waited for Brian's response, finding himself holding his breath.
"So you wanna go through
all this just to make me look good with the Syndicate...while makin'
the Syndicate think the Dukes are dead?"
"Right."
"And after that, I'm free
to go?"
"I can't guarantee anything
on that. Enos and I certainly aren't going to try to nab you, but once
you leave Hazzard, it's in the hands of fate."
Rosco's offer was a better
chance than the one he'd have in court, and Brian wanted to jump at
it. But his Syndicate-honed instincts were making him cautious. "I
got MaryAnne killed... and you're gonna stage this little show in order
to let me walk?"
Rosco took a deep breath and
let it out slowly. He nodded. "If I don't let you walk...more
people could be killed. If MaryAnne were here now, she'd be tellin'
me that it wouldn't be worth it to risk so many lives just to keep
you locked up. However, that's not to say I forgive you for what you've
done. It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens."
Brian broke eye contact at
that. He held the bars and looked down at the floor, thinking everything
over. "I'll do it..."he said without looking up. "But
let me warn ya, Sheriff...everything that's happened up to this point...happened
because I had a job to do and tried to find a way out of it."
Brian suddenly lifted his dark eyes to the badge on Rosco's chest.
"Don't make the same mistake."
"I don't intend to...and
in my opinion, I don't believe you tried hard enough." Rosco turned
abruptly and trotted down the steps and out of the booking room.
"Damn you, Rosco...." Brian watched the Sheriff leave.
***** *****
***** *****
Rosco marched out of the courthouse
and started towards his car. He was so lost in thoughts that it took
Boss three calls to get his attention. "ROSCO!"
The Sheriff stopped and turned
to his brother-in-law. "Oh…hi Boss."
Boss looked at Rosco suspiciously.
"What are you doing out of uniform? And where the devil you been?"
Rosco looked at his attire.
"Oh..uh, my uniform's dirty. Listen, Boss, I ain't got time to
chat." Rosco turned to walk to his car when Boss grabbed him by
the arm.
"Rosco, wait a minute."
His brown eyes were looking at Rosco in dire concern now. "Are
you alright? What's going on?"
Rosco shook his head. "Boss,
please, I don't have time to explain. I've got the FBI comin' and I
gotta git---" Rosco stopped short of telling Boss he was going
out to the Duke farm. "I gotta figure out how to nail Brian's
partner."
"Rosco, I just can't
believe you're still standing. I mean, after all that's happened...with
MaryAnne..."
"I gotta keep goin',"
Rosco said. "There's too much at stake if I stop to...grieve..."
He hesitated a moment. "Look, Boss, I gotta go."
"Rosco, if there's anything
I can do to help, let me know huh? You know I want to see these pole
cats nailed as badly as you do."
Rosco nodded. "I'll let
ya know if I need ya for anything."
Boss watched the Sheriff run
to his car and drive out of the square. Something didn't sit right
in the County Commissioner's gut about the way Rosco was acting and
he was concerned that Rosco may not be up to handling any kind of police
work, not with what had happened to MaryAnne. Luckily, the FBI was
coming.
***** *****
***** *****
After a quick stop at the
house to grab a few items, Rosco drove back to the Duke farm.
The Dukes came out of the house right away, as if they'd been
waiting for his car to pull up. They held themselves back from asking
the same question all at once, leaving it to be voiced by Uncle Jesse.
"Is he gonna do it?"
Rosco nodded. "Yeah.
Believe it or not, he's gonna do it."
An anxious look passed between Daisy and her uncle. Bo fidgeted with his words and finally put them aloud. "Uh...'scuze me Rosco, but does that Brian fella know everythin' that we're plannin'?"
"Everything but the FBI
comin'. He asked that if he did this would he be free to go. I told
him that me and Enos wouldn't be trying to nail him, but I couldn't
guarantee what happened to him when he left Hazzard. I figure the minute
he steps over that county line, the FBI can pick him up."
Luke thought about Rosco's
strategy and nodded. "Once he's realized he's been double-crossed
into settin' up his cohorts..." Luke left the thought unfinished,
and the Dukes shifted uncomfortably.
"You're gonna be in a
lot of danger, Rosco," Uncle Jesse said.
Rosco paused in thought. He
looked at each of the Dukes solemnly. "I'm sure by now, I already
am."
Rosco's words couldn't have
been more true. At that moment, four cars began their circuit of Hazzard
County, searching for one Rosco P. Coltrane. A fifth vehicle headed
to Hazzard, with Deuce at the wheel. Not being one to use the front
door, Deuce parked in the alley behind Rhuebottom's and slunk inside
the courthouse through the back. He walked down the hall boldly, pushing
the booking room doors open with both hands, startling an already-jumpy
Enos.
Enos bolted to his feet and
had his gun halfway out of the holster when he made eye contact with
Deuce.
"Easy, Deputy. I just
came to visit an old friend." Deuce spread his arms in feigned
innocence.
Enos remained in the same
position, getting a good look at the man. After a moment, Enos pictured
the face with a white doctor's coat on and he realized it was Brian's
partner, Deuce. Slowly, Enos put the gun back in the holster. There was no telling what the hitman
intended. It could be a jailbreak,
or worse. As much as he would have liked to arrest him, he knew Enos
knew that Rosco’s plan depended on Brian’s cooperation.
He would have to let the two hitmen have their little meeting
– and he would have to trust Brian to keep his end of the deal.
“Sorry,” Enos said, and moved
out of the way.
"It's alright." Deuce
said in a voice like snake oil. He walked past the Deputy without concern,
striding up to the holding cell like a panther. "So, Brian. Have
a little trouble with the Dukes?"
"No, had a little trouble
with the law." Brian and Deuce had no affection for each other,
and it showed in their tones. Deuce chuckled humorlessly and lit a
cigarette. "Looks like I'll have to finish your work again. Tell
me where to find Bo and Luke Duke." Deuce's hand moved back inside
his jacket, ostensibly to put away his lighter.
Enos kept a watchful eye on
everything Deuce did. The deputy's body was tense as he waited for
the partner's next move.
Enos wasn’t the only one who
was tense. Brian could guess that the Syndicate was about out of patience
with him. "Deuce, listen man. I got everythin' under control,"
he said quickly. "I'll be outta here by tomorrow mornin'. The
Dukes will think I'm still locked up, and I'll nab 'em easy. I'll deliver
'em gift-wrapped."
Deuce took a long drag on the
cigarette. "I could get you out right now. Why wait?" The
senior hitman pulled his gun halfway out of his jacket, tilting his
head towards the Deputy. Brian shook his head and whispered urgently.
"You'd have to take the Deputy out to do it, and that would draw
the Feds to Hazzard! So far there ain't none here, and we'll have a
better chance gettin' the Dukes if they think everything's quiet. Another
dead cop will throw this town into conniptions...and all these damn
hicks have CB's. We wouldn't gain anythin'. Lemme do it my way, Deuce,
just give me till tomorrow."
Deuce blew cigarette smoke
into Brian's face, and made it look incidental. "You've already
had your last chance. But since we're partners, I'll give you
one more." Deuce made it sound like a personal favor, though he
had his own strategy in mind. The senior hitman turned and left without
another word.
Enos slowly let out the breath he was holding. He looked at Brian.
"I almost thought he was gonna get you out of jail right now. One way or the other.”
"He should have."
Brian leaned tiredly against the bars and rubbed his healing shoulder.
"He's probably got his own reasons for givin' me another day."
It was the most conversation that Brian and Enos had ever shared. "Were
you and MaryAnne good friends?" Brian asked unexpectedly.
Enos looked at Brian, somewhat
surprised by the question. The look was sad though, as the deputy nodded.
"Yeah. She was a good friend to a lot of folks..."
The sigh that came from Brian
spoke volumes. "I wish she could have been a friend of mine,"
he said in a rare confession.
Enos found the statement odd,
coming from somebody like Brian. A member of the Syndicate and a hitman,
Brian wasn't supposed to be affected emotionally by his work. And even
though Rosco and MaryAnne were kin to him, Brian didn't know them at
all, unlike the lifetime that Rosco and MaryAnne had known each other
for. "Maybe she could have been...if the circumstances had been
different."
"Maybe." Brian fell
into a sullen silence, though his dark eyes held unspoken words.
Brian moved away from the bars and sat down heavily on the bench. "It's
my fault," he said softly, leaning his back against the cold brick
wall. In the absense of any other soul to talk to, Brian opened up
to Deputy Strate. "I just thought I was more clever than anybody
else....thought I could talk my way outta anything....When
I went back to the Syndicate, without finishin' the Dukes, I was in
trouble...big trouble...." Brian's eyes went distant. "I
did some fast talkin'...told 'em that Vinnie blew the hit and got himself
arrested. They found out who made the arrest...." Brian took another
breath. "And they figured out that MaryAnne was kin to me. They
gave me some...re-trainin'....and then gave me a 'second chance' to
prove myself. MaryAnne was my chance."
"Was proving yourself
to the Syndicate worth that much to you? The Sheriff and I found the
note you had in your pocket. You didn't want to kill MaryAnne, yet
you still wanted to be in good graces with the Syndicate." Enos
shook his head, his tone still apologetic. "You knew you couldn't
have it both ways..."
"I didn't...but I know
now." Brian turned himself away from the deputy.
Enos refrained from asking
Brian anything more, even though the more burning question was why
Brian grieved so badly, for a cousin he barely knew. The deputy wondered
though, if MaryAnne had managed to break through Brian's Syndicate-tough-guy-barrier
and lightly touch his heart in the short time they knew each other.
And that was why he grieved...
Enos sat back down at the
booking desk, filing the thoughts away for future reference.