by: Tara

A twenty five year rumor about Bo and Luke’s parents being killed because of the family business resurfaces.

Author’s Note: Thank you, Reese =)

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

by: Tara

The post mistress sat on her motorbike outside the post office. She scanned passing vehicles for Jesse’s pick up and the orange Dodge stock car that belonged to his nephews. Her gaze came to rest on a yellow Plymouth. The early 70s roadrunner had eased into the last available parking spot. “You ain’t Jesse,” she shouted to the figures that emerged from the two door sedan and walked gracefully to the sidewalk.

“Hi Miz Tisdale,” Daisy said politely.

“Hey Miz Tisdale,” Daney greeted cheerfully. Her hands came up and grabbed the stings of her cowgirl hat that was slipping off her head.

“Colonial City was late,” Miz Tisdale looked apologetically at the purple shirted, white jeans attired twosome. “I had to leave it for y’all.”

“That’s okay,” both cousins replied.

“Appreciate you bein’ able to do this on short notice,” Miz Tisdale fixed her eye glasses and placed her hands on the handlebars. “Thanks.”

Before Daisy or Daney could answer, the motorbike sped away.

“Think she’ll be back before closing time?” The older one asked.

“Depends on if she runs into Jesse at Doc’s place or not,” Daney grinned mischievously. She followed her cousin inside. Hazel eyes darted to the clock. “The city one should be arrivin’ soon.” She removed her cowgirl hat and sat it on the counter top.

“Uh huh,” Daisy agreed. She stood by the wooden slotted box built into the south wall across from the window that faced the street. Daney leaned over the counter and almost fell onto the bags. “At least we’ll be busy,” She asseted outloud.

Daisy put her hands on an odd shaped box. “Wonder what this is?”

Daney noticed the addressee. “Maybe Miss Hulmes’ll tell us when she picks it up.”

* * *

Jesse carried a load of firewood inside the farmhouse. Not just the usual stuff from the woods on his property but furniture store remnants. The elderly farmer clad in a faded knit thermal shirt and bib overalls continued. He stooped down and placed the kindling in a large metal box under the window. A weathered left hand touched the fireplace’s rough brick.

His right hand rested on the bookshelf and he straightened up. He squinted and peered through the glass at the General Lee turning onto the dirt and rock driveway. He hurried from the living room to the kitchen and out to the porch. The boys were part way out of their vehicle when Jesse got outside. “You boys finished with helpin’ Cooter already?”

Luke nodded. “He’s gonna forget about our last bill to express his gratitude.”

“He don’t have to do that,” Jesse frowned. “What you boys got planned for the rest of the afternoon?”

“Hmm,” Bo paused. He glanced to his cousin and noticed the Plymouth wasn’t parked in the yard.

Jesse smiled. “I told the girls you’d do their chores since they went to help Emma at the post office.”

“I’ll clean the barn if you do the wash.” Luke turned his head to hide a smile.

“Cousin,” Bo began and glanced toward his uncle.

“All they left was cleanin’ out the barn and I’m sure you’ll have it done by the time I get back from Pettichord’s,” Jesse said.

“We’ll start on it right after we get a cold drink and a bite to eat,” Luke replied for himself and his blond cousin.

Bo nodded in agreement to his dark haired cousin’s words. “How come you’re going to Doc’s?” Bo asked.

“Just a check up,” Jesse went to his truck. The engine came to life as the boys ran to the porch.

* * *

“We just leave these by the door?” Daney asked. She held the empty white bags marked U.S. Postal Service.

“Don’t know where else they would go,” Daisy heard the door squeak open and close, then the voice of the second best car salesman in the county. “Mr. Parker.” Her cousin stepped behind the counter.

“Hi girls,” He smiled.

Daney grabbed the envelopes from under the label titled Ace’s Used Car Lot and turned around. “Got your id, sir?”

Ace gave the young woman a disapproving look. “Daney Hannah…”

“If Miz Tisdale was here,” Daisy started to say.

Ace sighed. “She’d make me take a number.” He pulled out the requested proof from his shirt pocket. He took the envelopes held out. “Thank you,” he said.

“Your welcome, have a good afternoon.” Daney waited until Mr. Parker left before her attention turned to her cousin. “Weren’t you gonna go over to Rhuebottom’s?”

“I don’t really need,” Daisy glanced out the large window to the flower shop across the street. “Suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get some fresh air.”

Daney peeked over her shoulder. “Take your time.” After her cousin ventured outside, she got the mail pieces from the family box and rifled through the collection. She put all but one envelope back. She studied the return address for a moment. Faith Allyson- Colter, Savannah GA.

She took a deep breath. The flap loosened from the envelope which fluttered to the floor. Her fingers unfolded the letter…

“Daney?” a female voice called.

She stuffed the paper in her back pocket. “Hey.” She put her hands on the counter. “I mean Hi Miss Mabel, how can I help you?”

“Besides coming to work for me?” Mabel teased. The young woman’s cheeks were a bright pink. “Would you be a dear and see if I have any mail.”

“Sure,” Daney glanced over her shoulder and saw the slot was empty. She heard the older woman’s sigh. “No, ma’am. Expectin’ something?” She watched Mabel nod. “If anything comes in before Daisy and me leave, we could drop it off for you.” She offered.

Mabel smiled. “If we’re not at the house, you’ll have to use the cb to find us.”

“Yes, ma’am. Same handle?” Daney fake coughed.

Mabel reached a hand up and ran a finger across her temple. “Of course.”

“Can you leave a note for Miz Tisdale incase she has any problems?” Daney asked.

“No problem,” Mabel got a business card out of her skirt pocket and scribbled on the back with a pen from the counter. She placed it in Daney’s hand. “Don’t lose that now.”

“I won’t,” Daney smiled and put the card in a jeans pocket. “Have a good afternoon.” Daney glanced past Mabel to the person coming through the door. “Doc Pettichord, how are ya?”

“Just fine. Need to mail these.” He placed several thick manila envelopes on the counter.

Daney grabbed them and took the bundle over to the postal scale. “Bye, Miss Mabel. Take care.” She waved and returned her attention to the machine. The elderly physician muttered something unkind about the departing customer.

“Doc, you know her girls give you alotta business.”

“And the other half comes from Bo and Luke’s affrays,” he snorted.

Daney chuckled. “Overnight or parcel?”

“What’s the difference?”

“About ten bucks and five days, sir.”

His lips pursed for a moment. “Five days?”

“At least two or three,” Daney paused. “And that’s if they don’t lose ‘em.”

“Overnight’ll be fine,” he decided outloud.

Daney wordlessly punched a few keys and then the postage labels spit out of the machine. She placed them on the envelopes. She kept them on the scale while she marked each item with a ‘Hazzard, GA. 00965’ stamp. “You want to pay now or let Miz Tisdale send ya a bill?”

Doctor Pettichord got his wallet from his vest pocket. “How much?”

“Twenty five,” Daney answered. She took the two bills that were held out. She moved over to the register and placed them inside. She got a receipt and laid it on the counter. “Have a good day and take care, Doc.” She replied sweetly and turned to the postage scale where the envelopes laid. She winced hearing the door slam closed and then bang open.

“Forget somethin’, sir?” She inquired without a glance in the direction of the footsteps.

“Not that I know of,” a cheery voice responded.

Hazel eyes glanced sheepishly at the approaching figure.

Daney remembered a piece of mail in the slot labeled Sheriff’s Department and a few in the Coltrane box. She reached over and got them, then turned back to the counter. “Bet I know who that is from,” Daney commented in reference to the top envelope with a smile.

“Maybe ya never know,” Rosco grinned. “You want me to take a number or see my id?”

Daney shook her head. “No, sir. Just don’t tell Miz Tisdale.”

“Course not,” He caught a glimpse of the time on the young woman’s watch. “Jit, lunch break is almost over.”

“Take care, Rosco.”

“You too.”

“10 4,” Daney got the paper from her pocket and began to read after Rosco made his exit. Faith was a cousin to her and Daisy but not Bo and Luke. They were related through Daisy’s birth mother.

“Dear cousin,

How are you? I’d appreciate any assistance you or Daisy could give me about the antique doll.

Faith

Daney folded the paper and got the envelope. She put both pieces back with the rest of the family mail. She glanced at the counter; a smile came to her lips at the sight of the odd shaped box again. Miss Hulmes worked for a trucking company and dealt with antiques. Isabella had originally come from Charleston, South Carolina.

Daney frowned. The young dance student only vaguely recalled the porcelain lady’s appearance. An outfit of faded mint green calico, its edges trimmed with silk. A lace bonnet, shawl, and parasol were accessories that may or may not have been part of the doll’s original attire.

Daney snapped her fingers, there had been a little paper tucked in the bonnet that said Julep. She could only guess that was the doll’s name because it hadn’t said Co. or anything after it that would’ve indicted the maker. Now if you took that with outfit color… it was a summer drink called Mint Julep. Did that mean the other doll would have a name like that too?
Daney thought to herself. There really wasn’t anything she could do but wait for Miss Hulmes.

* * *

Half the state away in Savannah, a light haired woman sat on a piano bench in front of French style patio doors. The bench’s shiny hue matched the 1870 rosewood colored antique Broadwood upright piano that had been placed in the furthest corner of the room. Her left hand held a phone receiver to her ear. “Well,” She spoke with a thick southern city accent. “It’s possible an existing doll isn’t out there after all these years.”

A smile crossed her lips. “I’ll talk to you later this evening, take care.” She hung the receiver up, and then used both hands to fix her sheet music on the matching music stand to the right of the bench. The young music teacher glanced over her shoulder at the sheet music cabinet in the opposite room corner. The doll sat on top.

A clear protective cover around the hundred year contents. The original presentation box had been moldy and dusty. The package’s markings were too faded.

She was pretty sure it was a fashion doll because of the vintage, regionalist clothing. Her friend thought it was a character or portrait since an embossed mark or provenance hadn’t been found. The doll hadn’t been incised in the head or shoulder plate. Nor did it have the crazing that most composition dolls had of criss cross cracks. And it wasn’t the pure white wash color of unglazed bisque Parian.

The genre of the doll was based on head material not what the body was made of. “Mint” had paperweight eyes, watermelon mouth and feathered eyebrows. The type was frozen charlotte, all the parts had been molded in one piece and not separate components put together. An odd expression came across her face as she realized who the doll reminded her of.

* * *

“Hey Luke, you ever figured how come Jesse keeps all this stuff out here instead of the attic,” Bo asked and took a deep breath. “I don’t know,” Luke’s eyelids fluttered closed. The hayloft much like the farmhouse held a lot of history. For not having a lot, items had accumulated.

“Think Jesse would mind if we took a peek.” Bo thought outloud. His hands wiped a layer of thin dust from a white oblong box that had been sat on a big brown crate moments earlier. Luke’s eyes opened. He glanced at his cousin. “Probably not,” the wooden floor creaked with each step over to the boxes. He picked up the white box. “Ever wonder what’s in here?”

Bo shook his head. “Not really.” He watched Luke carefully take the box lid off. “Wow,” He exclaimed. Luke stared at the item. “I don’t think this is Jesse’s…” He paused and walked over to the window. “Hold the box,” He requested after Bo joined him. The dark haired Duke hesitantly took a hold of the item surrounded by tissue.

“Ok,” Bo put his hands under the box and whistled. “Sure is pretty,” He commented. “Yeah,” Luke agreed with his blonde haired cousin. The material was a black silk with a tiger lily flower print pattern. Neither of them remembered seeing it before.

“Kinda looks like Daisy,” Bo commented.

“Sorta,” Luke replied and placed the doll back in the box that was still in Bo’s hands.

“Maybe we should take this in the house…”

“What if?”

“I really don’t think anyone’ll mind.” Bo looked from the antique doll to the farmhouse below. He noticed his cousin’s changing facial expression. He heard the tissue russle and smiled as Luke pulled a small paper taped to the box’s lid.

Tiger Lily 1890

“We could check this out with Miss Hulmes before we let anyone know we found it.” Luke said and put the paper back.

“That’s a good idea.” Bo helped Luke put the packaging back the way it had been. Then he shut the loft window and followed his cousin to the ladder after a glance to make sure the loft was tidy. “Think she’ll mind us stoppin’ by?”

“Why would she?” Luke chuckled.

“Maybe because the last time we dropped in on her unexpectedly…”

“That was at her house not work.”

“We’re going to the trucking firm?” Bo groaned.

“Yep.”

* * *

Daisy smiled as the post office door closed behind a pretty young woman in a business suit. “Miss Hulmes, how are you?”

“Please call me Isabella,” She requested. “I’m fine- how are you?”

“Good,” Daisy replied. She stooped down and got the box. She placed it on the counter. “This was all there was for you.”

“Oh,” Miss Hulmes ran a finger over the address label. “Would you mind if I opened it here?”

“No- you want a letter opener for the tape?”

“Don’t need one, thanks anyway.” Isabella smiled and carefully silt the clear packaging tape with a fingernail tip. Daisy held the box flaps and watched Isabella take another long white box out and open it. She whistled as the contents were displayed. It was an antique doll. “She’s beautiful.”

“Yes, if she has her original attire,” Isabella paused. “She’s mint condition.”

“How can you tell if this is the outfit?” Daisy wondered out loud. Her left hand ran over the white lace dress.

Miss Hulmes pulled a brochure from along side the box. She knew it was there from when she been at the auction a few weeks ago. It was actually a reproduction of the original document which was yellow and brittle. She opened it up and laid it on the counter next to the box. “See here…” She tapped the paper.

“Oh,” Daisy exclaimed. The outfit from the brochure was lace too but a different pattern and appeared to be of a much stiffer texture than the one that was on the doll. The color was white not ivory. She looked closer at the pamphlet. “We have a doll like this at the farm,” She paused and smiled at Isabella. She pointed to another picture. “It looks like that one.”

“Would you mind if I came out and checked it over?” Isabella asked.

“Not at all,” Daisy said. “If I can get a hold of Daney, she can pick it up on her way back from Mabel’s.”

Isabella’s eyebrows rose but she didn’t speak. Daisy chuckled. “It’s not what you might be thinkin’. Mabel stopped in to get her mail and it wasn’t here yet. Daney offered to bring it out for her if it arrived before we left. She forgot we had rehearsal…”

“Ah,” Isabella smiled.

* * *

Daney peeked into the front window of the white double wide at the back of the trailer park not far from the Interchange. It was the one near the resident club house and office. It had a wooden flower bed for a border instead of bushes and other shrubby. “Must be out with clients,” she mused to herself and walked back to the Plymouth that had been left on the curve of the cul de sac. She doubted Miss Mabel would mind if she snuck inside, so long as she left a note.

She placed the package on the worn, cracked pavement. Then reached inside the open window for her backpack that laid on the passenger floorboard. She put it on the seat, opened it and rummaged through the contents. The quietness of the street was disrupted by a vehicle pulling into Mabel’ driveway, the sports car came to a stop under the shade of the car port’s black vinyl canopy.

She closed up her backpack and turned. She stooped down and grabbed the package. Hazel eyes watched two figures hurry toward the home. Daney didn’t recognize the business suited man but the woman was a sister of Daisy’s friend. What if, she gave the package to Ivy but the man took it, would Miss Mabel be mad at her? She shook her head.

She waited until they were inside before she went up to the front door and hesitantly knocked.

“Is Miss Mabel here?” She asked with a smile.

“Not at the moment,” Ivy saw the package in her friend’s hands. “Come in. You can leave that it on the table.”

“Ok,” Daney stepped inside. The door slammed as she saw the man standing by a chair.

“I’ll take that,” he said coyly and motioned for the brunette to bring him the package.

Daney tilted her head and looked at Ivy uncertainly.

* * *

Rosco shook his head and replaced the pearl handled pistol in the holster area of his policeman belt. “Mabel, take a breath and repeat that, please.” He had received an anonymous report via the cb radio about a disturbance. The motel desk clerk had given him a room key in order to investigate.

He took his hands off the back of the chair and began to untie the knots in the rope around her wrists and ankles. He sympathetically glanced at her girls.

“I ordered something and apparently there was an error in processing. A man and his associates showed up acting like clients and brought us here. The blond leader took Ivy back to the trailer because Daney was to drop off the parcel.”

The rope dropped to the floor. “Seems extreme for a package.”

Mabel nodded in agreement. “I know and if they messed up mine, who’s to say the package I receive is even that gentleman’s?” She heard the Sheriff sigh and turned her head in time to see his broad shoulders shrug.

“Guess no one’ll know until that package is delivered- How’d he know it was mixed up with yours?”

“He never said,” Mabel replied and glanced over at her girls.

Rosco came around and stared at her for a moment. “You gonna press charges?”

Mabel shook her head and rose from the metal folding chair. “No harm has really been done.”

The Sheriff understood. Mabel had to keep things quiet because of Boss. Too much focus on her business or personal venues by the wrong people and there would be trouble for not just her and her girls, but any one that associated with or could be connected to any of them. “You think this fella will go away once he gets what he wants?”

“Can’t see any reason he wouldn’t.” Mabel answered. She walked over to her girls and loosened the rope that held the three young women together. Rosco helped her after laying his pen and ticket book on a nightstand. “Know his name or vehicle just in case…” His words faded off as he stepped back and reclaimed the items that were normally in his shirt pocket.

“He was a little taller than you, Sheriff. Shoulder length sandy blond hair and matching bushy moustache. Didn’t look like he worked out but he wasn’t scrawny either. His eyes were blue green I think.” One girl said.

Another girl continued after a glance from Mabel. “He drove a red Ferrari and the other fellas were in beige colored van.”

“Anything else?” Rosco put his pen and ticket book back in his pocket.

“Not really,” the third girl looked shyly at the uniformed man. “He mentioned something about being an executive for the auction place that Mabel and Miss Hulmes were at a few weeks ago.”

Rosco turned his attention to Mabel. “The Fallon Road property?”

“If that’s the one Jason Higgins foreclosed on a few weeks ago, that’s correct.” Mabel said quietly. She watched the Sheriff check his notes for something before looking at her again. “Sawyer Colter?” Rosco asked.

“Yeah,” the girls echoed each other.

Rosco ran a hand through his hair. “What do you reckon he’ll do if comes back and finds y’all gone?”

“Oh,” Mabel pursed her lips. The Sheriff questioned something she didn’t have an answer for. “I could always move the trailer somewhere else, Fact is Rosco, I been thinkin’ about changing my business around…” She paused and looked at him.

Rosco kept a straight faced expression, even tho’ he was surprised Mabel was confiding him like she was about too. “Really?”

“Instead of being based outta permanent residence, bein’ mobile with an RV.”

“Boss would probably go for that so long as you keep the proper legal stuff up to date.” Rosco offered an opinion.

“I figured as much- Oh Rosco, could you drive us back out to my place?”

“Well, I’m in the middle of patrol. How about Miss Tisdale’s cab?”

“It’s not available at the moment. The Duke girls were covering for Emma.” Mabel sniffed. “That yellow Plymouth wasn’t outside the post office when we went by.”

“Let’s call first…” Rosco picked up the phone and asked to be connected. The operator wondered if he wanted to hang up and try again when there was no answer.

* * *

“Hey fellas,” Daisy greeted Bo and Luke as they came into the post office and up to the counter. “Where did you get that?” She gestured to a box that was laid on the counter.

“We were just on our way to see you,” Luke ignored his cousin and commented to Miss Hulmes.

“Really?” Isabella asked with an amused expression.

“Uh huh,” Bo paused. “Where’s Daney?”

“She’s out doing the parcel deliveries,” Daisy took the box. “Why do you have this?”

Luke shrugged. “Found it in the hayloft and curiosity got the best of us.”

“I called Daney over the cb to get this on her way back to town because Isabella wanted to see it.” Daisy opened the box and looked at Isabella. “Is it the same?”

Miss Hulmes grabbed the pamphlet and held it along side the box. “I’m not sure.” She paused. “How long have you had this doll?” She asked Daisy and ignored the boys.

“Last summer at our cousin’s place,” Daisy took the doll out of the box. “It was found when they were renovating the attic.”

“Was there any others?” Isabella asked.

Daisy nodded. “Faith has one similar but I didn’t see it on the pamphlet. She looked at the boys. “Why don’t you fellas run home and give her a call.”

Luke smiled. “We could dash to the phone company and have it charged.”

“Good idea,” Bo agreed and followed his cousin to the door. “Bye, Daisy. Nice seeing you again, Miss Hulmes.”

Daisy and Isabella watched them through the window, then began to discuss the dolls again. The door opening interrupted them. “Daney,” Isabella paused in mid greeting as a gun was pointed at herself and Daisy. She gulped. “Maybe, I should’ve gone with the boys,” She thought and glanced to Daisy whose facial expression didn’t register in her own panic.

Daisy looked at her younger cousin, Ivy and the well dressed man holding the weapon. She took a deep breath and said nothing. Hazel eyes watched the man’s face turn into a mask of rage and disappointment after he stepped to the counter. “Lock that door,” he snarled.

Ivy was closest and obliged the request.

* * *

Rosco had just finished hanging up his uniform jacket on the coat rack in his office when Bo and Luke came barging in.

“What do you boys want?” He asked.

“We tried to get into the post office but it was closed.” Bo said.

“Maybe your cousins locked up and went over to the café for a break?”

Luke shook his head. “We checked to see if that was the case.”

“Tried the roof top too,” Bo added.

“Did it look like anything was outta place?”

“Nope,” both boys said. They glanced at each other as shoes squeaked across the linoleum floor.

“Any other day and I’d think y’all were mother hening again,” Rosco paused as Miss Tizdale and Jesse appeared in the archway. “But considerin’ I’ve already had an investigation for a parcel delivery, I’ll listen.” He smiled at the pint sized post mistress and the boys’ uncle. “What can I help the two of you with?”

“Rosco, I tried to return to duties but was unable too,” Miss Tizdale then described an item on the counter.

“I don’t think it was that Emma,” Jesse voiced his opinion. He had given Miss Tizdale a ride from Doc Pettichord’s place. She said her bike had broken down. They had dropped it off at the garage, then went to the post office. Now a few minutes later, they were at the Sheriff’s Department.

“Why can’t we just rush in there?” Bo asked.

“What good is it gonna do if everyone is trapped,” Luke retorted.

The sheriff held his hands up as they began to argue. “Hush, we’re gonna need some more details before there is any action taken.” He looked at the boys. He brought one hand down to the phone receiver, the other to his black hat. He brought the receiver to his ear. “Miss Tillingham, could you ring Mabel for me?” A weary smile crossed his lips. “I meant the other one.”

“What are you callin’ her for?” Boss wanted to know as he came in the room. Jesse fidgeted with the cap he had removed from his head. He whispered to J.D. what they thought had happened.

“I’m sorry but I need to know what that package of yours contained,” Rosco pressed the speaker phone button.

“I really would prefer not to.”

“Mabel, fair warning…” Rosco said gently as he could.

“Just some doll accessories for one of the girls.”

“Anyone else buy something similar or from the same lot?”

“Miss Hulmes.”

“Oh…” Rosco paused. “Thank you, now stay put until you get further instructions from me or Boss Hogg.”

* * *

Sawyer glanced over his hostages. They were being kept in the post office’s storage room. The ‘area’ had no windows and the light nothing but a single bulb on a string deal. The red haired girl he could’ve left at Mabel’s. She had been more hinderess than help. The curly haired woman had been his target, the other two chicks just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. “Don’t look so sad. Soon as,” He ran a sweaty palm over Isabella’s head. Fingers tangled in the thick locks. “She tells me where the rest of the Kaleidoscope collection is, y’all will be free to go.”

Daisy kept calm composure and her attention on the man’s gun in his other hand. “We’re been in tougher spots than this.”

“Name one,” Daney said in disbelief.

Daisy feigned pouted. “Oh, how about when we were at Faith’s?”

“Seems me and you have a different view of what happened,” Daney challenged her cousin. Hazel eyes glanced at the tall blond haired man. Isabella and Ivy looked amused as the cousins banter continued for several moments.

“Enough,” Sawyer stepped behind Daisy. His six foot frame towered over her. “You know where there is another doll?”

“Sure do,” She smiled mischievously. “Our cousin’s house and if we leave right now,” Daisy reached her hand up and touched along his jaw. “We can be there before dawn.” She paused. “What kind of vehicle you got?”

“Sports car,” He answered.

“Then we’ll take our vehicle, we’ll all be able to go then.” Daney offered. She wasn’t too comfortable with Daisy going off with the man or the fact he had a gun.

“If it’s gonna be a long ride, my car will be better,” Isabella winked at Sawyer. He was cute and except for the fact that he was holding her hostage, she liked him.

Sawyer pursued his lips. He wasn’t willing to take all of them.

“So mister, how come you want the dolls?” Daisy asked.

He shrugged. “There was one in my family a long time ago.”

“We haven’t had ours that long,” Daney commented. “You ain’t really a bad guy.” She surmised.

“Excuse me?” Sawyer looked curiously at her.

Daney smiled. “You just want something that was taken from you is all.”

“You’re not sacred of me?” He wondered out loud and lowered his .22 Smith and Wesson after Daney nodded.

“Fact,” Daisy gasped as Isabella used that moment to send her cousin’s cowgirl hat toward Sawyer.

* * *

Rosco underlined a word on the chalkboard. He laid the white stick from his hand on the ledge, and clapped both hands of the dust. “Mabel and Miss Hulmes received packages from the auction.”

“You Dukes had not one but two from the same collection…” Boss looked at Jesse. He in turn raised his eyebrows in puzzlement. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“Daisy and Daney had one in the hayloft,” Bo started. “Faith has the other one,” Luke paused. “Dammit, if only we hadn’t left the post office…or brought the doll there.” The blond Duke echoed his dark haired cousin’s words.

Rosco shook his head. “You’d probably be hostages too.” He pointed to a sentence on the green board…

The criminal could’ve only held one girl for his demands instead of four.

“Rosco, you sure this all ties into my auction?” Boss asked.

Rosco nodded. “From the description that Mabel and her girls gave,” the sheriff put his hands on the table. “Auction report, who else could it be?” He looked at Boss, the boys and then Jesse.

“Any idea why we haven’t heard from this fella?”

“He’s probably waiting for someone.”

“You mean we may not hear from him at all?” The Duke boys asked.

“It’s a possibility that has merit.”

“I think we should just storm…”

“Where? Don’t know if they are still even at the post office.”

“Seems to me, they are victims of habit,” Boss mused.

“If you mean this Sawyer fella took the usual route in preying on innocent folks, you’re right.” Jesse agreed.

“Innocent folks?”

“Considering he’s probably got a weapon and ladies usually don’t,” Jesse reminded.

Rosco sighed. “Once you break the small rules, it’s only a matter of time for the big ones.”

Bo wasn’t sure what the sheriff’s statement had to do with his cousins being in trouble, but it sounded logical. He looked out the window to see the rain had stopped and the sun had set.

“Possum on a gum bush,” Cooter whistled like he was out hunting. He watched the others react with gasps and wide eyed expressions to Ivy walking in.

“Before y’all start,” She stepped close to Rosco and Jesse. “Daisy, Isabella, and Daney are on their way to Savannah.” She placed a paper in Rosco’s hand. He opened it and read it out loud…

Dear family, friends and all other concerned/interested parties,

We will be gone a few days in order to clear up this caper. Sawyer has been searching in order to donate the dolls for a museum display. And we’d like to help him fulfill that goal. We are not in danger not will be seeking charges to be filed upon on return. Thank you,

Daisy, Isabella and Daney

Rosco looked at Jesse. “You believe this?”

Ivy patted the elderly gentleman’s shoulder when he didn’t respond. “They’ll be ok.”

“Yeah,” Jesse agreed and glanced at Rosco. A wry smile coming to his lips answered the Sheriff’s question.

A sunrise phone call confirmed that speculation.

* * *

A few weeks later with a special invite from the Savannah museum curator, several folks from Hazzard were treated to a theatre show that told the collection history. Sawyer’s distant relative handcrafted for his wife, a female detective. Mint Julep represented her teen days. Tiger Lily was the grown up version. And the other was how she looked on an assignment, the day they met. He had named the collection Kaleidoscope for the many patterns he had gone through to make the dolls.

by: Tara

Jesse sat the phone down with a disgusted look. That had been the second call from a customer canceling their order. He looked in the living where the three youngest Dukes were relaxing on the late April evening. Bo was sprawled on the floor with a car magazine. Daisy was sitting on the couch with pen in one hand and a notebook in the other. The radio playing softly so it wouldn’t disturb Daney who was curled up in the chair, engrossed in another library book. He glanced to his wife Martha at the pantry shelves. She was looking over her supplies for canning.

“I just don’t know what I’m going to do about Luke. He was late on two deliveries this week alone.” He said outloud, not really expecting an answer.

Martha turned. Luke was just an average twenty one year old. He liked to do all the same things everyone else his age was doing, which usually meant spending evenings like this at the Boar’s Nest. It was the only place in town, for folks to have fun. “Jesse, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. What you need to do is go see JD.”

“Yeah, and I bet Lulu would love some company.” Jesse paused as he got up from his seat and walked towards the living room. At 15, Daney and Daisy were old enough to stay by themselves, and Bo only a year younger would be all right. “You kids, mind if Aunt Martha and I head to town for a bit.”

Three voices answered. “No, go ahead. We’ll be fine.”

“Alright. If you need anything, we’ll be over at JD and Miss Lulu’s place.” Jesse said.

“Bye Bo, Daisy, Daney.” Martha smiled as Bo grinned, Daisy smiled and Daney waved her hand as if to say goodbye. Martha handed Jesse his hat and keys, then followed him out the door.

After hearing the truck rumble out of the driveway through the open window, Bo looked at his cousins. “Luke sure is acting funny.”

“I heard him talking to some girl on the phone earlier. He’s just caught up in some new relationship is all.” Daney commented, her eyes still on the book.

“He’s worrying Uncle Jesse and that ain’t right.” Daisy said, her pretty face filled with concern.

Daney finally looked up from the book. “So what are we gonna do about?”

Bo laughed. “That’s cute Daney, I don’t think there is anything we can do.”

“Well, we need to see why he’s so hung up on this girl.”

“But none of us can get in the Boar’s Nest.” Daisy reminded, laying her pen and notebook down on the coffee table.

Daney turned in the chair and stood up with a grin. “You want to wager a week of chores on it. I think can.”

Daisy shook her head but Bo who didn’t say no to any dare blurted out. “Sure Dan, what ya got in mind?”

“You’ll see.” Daney’s grin widened and she headed towards the hallway.

“Hey, that’s my room!” Bo shouted, when she opened one of the doors.

“Bo, hush she isn’t going to hurt anything.” Daisy said gently.

Bo picked up his car magazine and stood up.

Daisy laughed as the lanky blonde plopped down in the chair.

Daisy was walking back from the kitchen when Daney came out of the bedroom. She almost dropped the glass of ice tea in her hand. “Oh, my goodness. Halloween ain’t for another 5 months.”

Bo’s jaw dropped looking at his older cousin. The jeans were hers but the shirt was Luke’s and the cowboy hat that her long brunette hair was tucked under was his. “Hmm ok, but how are you gonna get there? You ain’t got a drivers license.”

“I’ll call someone.” Daney said and headed over to the phone. She thought for a second, there was only one person who she could really call. She looked over at Daisy and Bo while she waited for Gussy to connect her to the Strate farm after she called another friend of her’s.

Mrs. Strate turned from the phone. “Enos you have a phone call.”

A young man with wavy, light, brunette hair dressed in jeans, a short sleeve red and white plaid shirt walked over. He took the phone, “Thank you, Mother.”

She smiled and left the room.

Daney Duke was on the other end. “Enos, I need to go over to Betsy Ann’s house and no one but Daisy and Bo are home.” She paused. “If you could drop me off, I‘d appreciate it.”

Enos chuckled. “Sure Daney, I was on my way over to Cooter’s farm. They’re having a big bash over there.”

Daney smiled. Enos doesn’t drink, smoke, run around with girls or fib. Hmm maybe Luke is at this party and not at the Nest. “Thanks Enos, I’ll see ya in a few minutes.”

“Your welcome Daney, will you tell Daisy I said Howdy.”

“You can tell her when you pick me up.” Daney giggled. She thought it was interesting that the most honorable guy in Hazzard had a crush on her cousin. “Bye.” She hung the phone up and turned to her cousin. “Enos says Howdy.”

Daisy’s face reddened as Bo laughed. She picked up a pillow off the chair and threw it at him. They were in the middle of a pillow fight when someone knocked on the door.

“Oh sorry about that.” Daisy blushed after Daney had opened the door and the pillow in Bo’s hand sailed over her head and hit Enos.

Enos looked cheerfully at the young Dukes. “It’s alright.”

Daisy smiled. Enos was nice but at 15, she wasn’t ready to settle down with anyone. Heck she hadn’t even been on a date yet. Jesse had a firm law of no dating till the age of 16.
And when Jesse said something, you listened or else. Besides there was plenty of time after she became a professional songwriter to do all those things like marriage and kids. That was her dream, to be a songwriter, Bo was interested in cars and Daney was into photography and writing since she was on the school newspaper and yearbook committees. “Well you best get going, didn’t you tell Betsy Ann, you’d be there by 8.”
The others followed her glance to the clock on the fireplace mantle.

“Yeah, I did.” Daney said, it wasn’t a fib. “C’mon, Enos. You don’t wanna be late for Cooter’s do ya?” She stepped closer to the door.

“No, not really. Luke said him and Cooter might do a little racin’ on the interchange.” Enos replied. “Bye y’all.”

Daisy’s smiled. “Bye Enos, see ya later, Dan.”

“Yep.” Daney followed Enos out the door and down the front porch steps to a 1973 Ford Ranchero.

Meanwhile in town, Martha and Jesse were sitting at a table having coffee with JD and Lulu Hogg in their dining room. Martha adored how Lulu had decorated the 2-story home. Every time Jesse and her made it over for a visit, there seemed to be something new. Lulu loved to shop and JD could afford it being the richest man in Hazzard after taking the earnings from running shine and putting them into real estate. She turned to the younger woman after Boss lit a cigar up. “I don’t know how you can stand those things.”

Lulu chuckled. “I really can’t. Those were lovely floral arrangements you made for the Easter services. And the cookies were delicious. I’d love to have that recipe.”

Martha smiled. “You’ll have to ask Daney. She stayed up most of the night finishing the batches so they’d be fresh.”

Jesse interrupted. “And if I recall she almost missed church, because she overslept.”

Martha shook her head. “That was only because the boys turned off the alarm to be funny.”

Jesse chuckled and turned back to JD. “Which brings me to why I’m here. People are canceling their orders. I figured maybe you would know.”

JD pursed his lips and crushed the cigar out. “I don’t really know, Jesse. I haven’t heard of any new stills being set up or folks moving into the area. I can’t think of any reason why they’d be canceling either.”

Jesse sighed. It was just what he thought, it probably had to do with Luke being late on runs. It was risky enough just to be at a drop point or still site with all the local, state and federal officers looking to catch moon shiners and runners. “Luke has been late on a few of his runs.” He confided.

“Guess you better have a talk with him,” JD took a sip from his coffee mug. “Say we haven’t been out to see Emma and Simon Partridge for a while. Y’all got time?”

Martha answered. “Yes, that sounds like fun.”

Lulu had a wide smile. “We can take our Cadillac, they haven’t seen it yet.”

Jesse wasn’t really in the mood, but everything was caught up at home and Martha deserved a break. Here was a chance to tease to his old friend. “I still can’t believe you got one of them things. A convertible.”

JD’s dark eyes were mischievous. “Yeah, well oh never mind. I gotta stop in and check on Rosco anyway.” With that they headed out to the living room and outside.

Over at Cooter Davenport’s place. A birthday party for him was in full swing. Luke was sitting on the sofa with his latest girlfriend. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his family. Just his cousins were teenagers and he enjoyed being around people of his own age. And sometimes it seemed like Jesse had forgotten what it was like to be at his age. Though Aunt Martha seemed to understand.

* * *

Daney stood outside Betsy’s house with the young woman. “I could see if one of my brothers will give you a ride over.” Betsy said.

“No, the less people that know, the better. Jesse will ground me till I’m his age if he finds out.”

“That’s true, you just be careful. I’ll see you on Monday.” Betsy replied.

Daney echoed the greeting as she turned to head towards the woods that would short cut across to Cooter’s. The trail was about the time it took to walk from the Sheriff’s office to the General Store in town.

Daney was quiet as she slipped through the woods. She was almost to the clearing when she heard voices. She got as close as she could in the dark.

“I don’t know why you haven’t gotten her to ask him when his next run is, then you could call the Sheriff, have him bust Luke. Then Jesse’d be sure to get out of the business and Dad’d get all his clients.”

“You know that wouldn’t work. Those Dukes don’t talk about their business. Just been pure luck that she delayed him those times. I figure we somehow follow him and contaminate their stills.”

“Or blow them up.”

“With it being so dry, we run the risk of causing a wild fire and then if we got caught, we’d go up on arson. I say the safest way would be to wreck the stills so they’d be out of business for a while.”

“Yeah probably, pa wouldn’t be happy if we get caught, Levi.”

“Don’t worry about it, Johnny Lee. Everything will be fine.”

Daney stepped slowly back away from the tree and quietly like the squirrels, raccoons and chipmunks and other animals that were scurrying about, she quickly dashed to the edge of the clearing where the land became Cooter’s property.

She saw Luke’s car in the driveway but he wasn’t amongst the folks who were milling around outside. Walking casually, like an invited guest, she went up to the porch and inside. It was a small place so it didn’t take her long to find that he wasn’t in the kitchen, living room, or bathroom or the cellar. She walked back up the steps and heard laughing.

She walked to the door of the room she hadn’t been to and opened it. The person she saw with Luke confirmed who the voices in the woods had been talking about.

Luke was furious after a glance. “You have five seconds to give me a damn good reason why you’re here.”

Daney gulped. “Uh oh well ya see it hmm”

Luke recognized the old stalling tactic. He looked at his girlfriend. “Would you mind excusing us.” She nodded. Luke walked out of the room to where Daney stood in the living room now.

“First I want to know how you knew where to find me, Second I want to know why you are, Third what were you doing in my room, that’s my shirt.”

“Yeah, it’s your shirt. Enos told me there was a party here and your going to be happy to hear the rest of my news but not here.” Daney’s hazel eyes were staring intensely at the young woman in the doorway.

Luke was puzzled, glancing from his girlfriend back to his cousin. “I better get you home before Jesse and Martha find out.” Was all he said, and motioned for his cousin to head outside.

Daney replied, leading the way out. “Yeah.”

The way they had went, no one seen them leave. Luke decided to take a back way home, Jesse had told him to check on one of the stills yesterday but he had forgotten.

“Alright Daney, I ain’t mad at you but you know what you did was wrong. Now tell me what’s going on.”

Daney looked out the window for a second, gathering the facts as she knew them. Uncle Jesse is losing business, Luke has been late on runs… “How well do you like Delia?”

“What does this have to do with–” Luke paused as the cb crackled to life.

“Lost Sheep 1, Shepared, Mother Goose, are you out there?”

Luke grabbed the cb mic and clicked the talk button. “This is Lost Sheep 1 and Scout… What’s going on, Bo Peep?”

“There’s a fire in the chicken coop, another one in Aunt Martha’s flower bed by the side of the house and one along the fencing supplies near the garden…me and LS2 are on the cb in the barn.”

“Can you get Tilly started?”

“Uncle Jesse has the keys. Good, Daney found ya then.”

“Yeah, have Bo hotwire it. I’ll take the blame if anything happens. Meet us on old Ridge Road.” Luke smiled but inside he was angry. From this conversation with Daisy and Daney’s question, he figured out what was going on and he didn’t like it one bit.

Daisy replied. “I called Rosco at the Sheriff’s station and he said he’d get the volunteers out here.” She paused a second, Bo was yelling something. “He couldn’t hotwire it to start. When he checked the battery, the connection sparkled and puffed smoke.”

“Just start walking and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Ok. This is Bo Peep over and out.”

“Lost Sheep 1 and Scout out.” Luke threw the cb to the floor in disgust.

Rosco had called all the names on the list for the volunteer fire department except three.
He was down to P, “Gussy, get me Simon Partridge’s place please.”

He waited wondering where Boss was since he hadn’t heard from him in some time. “Hello Emma, could I speak to Simon please? Oh he’s talking to JD and Jesse, Jit Jit, please give the phone to Boss now. This is official business.”

Boss came over to the phone. “JD Hogg here, Rosco what do you want?” His eyes grew wide hearing the message. “Oh my, well you just get out there. We’ll be there in a few minutes. I’m gone.” He hung the phone up and turned to Jesse and Martha.

His fingers fidgeted with the watch in his vest pocket. “Jesse, we gotta get going out to your place. Apparently there is a fire near the house.”

“WHAT!” Jesse’s voice was as loud as a clap of thunder.

Martha grabbed his arm. “Jesse, calm down.”

He turned to her.

Lulu interrupted. “Now Jesse, we probably should get out there. Those kids of yours are probably frightened.”

Boss, Emma and Simon Partridge echoed her words.

Jesse took a deep breath. It wasn’t so much the land or anything material, it was the idea of losing one or all of the kids that was scary. And if he was sacred, then Martha must be sick with worry. They’d been lucky so far in not having any major incidents with any of the youngsters. Bo had gone through a mild case of childhood asthma, Daney and Daisy were prone to sinusitis like a lot of folks when the weather changed from winter to spring, then autumn to winter. And they’d all had the chicken pox but that was it. Sure there were plenty of bumps, bruises and cuts from falling off bikes or playing around but none of them serious enough for more than a visit to the doctor like the time…

Daney was 12 and Bo was 11. He had gotten a new bb rifle for his birthday, Daney wanted to use it but Bo had protested, he was going though an ‘I don’t like girls’ stage at the time. In the midst of playfully fighting over it, the scope on the end cut an inch below Daney’s index finger on her right palm when Bo jerked it away. She came in, got a bandage and went right back out to the barn to help with chores after a scolding from Martha about why girls shouldn’t play with any type of weapon. That Christmas, they had each gotten a bow set after Luke had went on a hunting trip with a pal who used one much to Martha’s dismay, Daisy turned out to be a better shot than the boys.

JD nudged his old friend from his memories. “C’mon Jesse, we gotta get over there. It’ll be alright.”

Jesse saw concern in his friend’s face. JD’d always been a business comes first kind of man but some things were more precious than money to him, he valued family even if he didn’t show it sometimes. Jesse quietly followed the others out of the house. Lulu was trying her best to keep Martha from crying. The white Cadillac soon pulled away from the house and out onto the road under Boss’s skilled guidance.

Rosco meanwhile had hurried out to his 1973 Plymouth Fury patrol car. This wasn’t hot pursuit but it was police work. He pressed his foot firmly on the accelerator and sped out of town on the 18 mile journey to the Duke farm.

Daney had been silent as Luke drove. She was worried, depending on how bad the fires were, nothing short of a thunderstorm would stop them if the fire truck didn’t make it. They were a mile from the farm when they seen Bo and Daisy in the headlights that shined on the dirt road.

Luke abruptly stopped the Monaco and jumped out the driver’s side while Daney bolted out the passenger side. He hugged Daisy tightly after the four ran to each other. Daney was dang near cutting Bo’s circulation off with a bear hug. He stepped back and looked at them. “I got a pretty good idea I know what happened. What we need to do is check the farm.”

They headed back to the car. No one was there yet when they arrived back at the farm.

Daisy and Bo just stared at the fires. Luke shook his head glancing from one fire to the next. Daney smiled suddenly and ran to the barn. Burlap sacks… where are they? What was that I read? She grabbed four and ran back outside.

They looked at her ripping the shirt she had taken off into four pieces. She had remembered the rest of the book, and luckily had a t shirt on under the plaid one.

“Daney, that’s my shirt!” Luke started to say.

“You wanna save the farm or your stinking shirt?” She looked at him and walked over to a bucket near the barn door. She dipped the squares of plaid and sacks in the water. Then turned to her cousins who were behind her. “Use this like a bandana, then take the sack and start putting the flames out.”

Luke finished the rest of her sentence. “Bo, you work on the chicken coop. Girls, you work on the flower bed and I’ll work over on the fencing supplies.”

The younger ones smiled and ran to their places. He watched them for a second before doing as Daney had said.

Bo stepped back from the chicken coop as the flames shot up and engulfed the wooden structure. It could be replaced easily. He ran over to where the flames were inching toward the side of the house.

Daney made out the form of her younger cousin through smoke that made her cough and stung her face. “Bo, don’t just stand there, go get some more sacks and make sure you wet them. Hurry.” She watched for a second before turning back to the fire.

Luke took a deep breath, hearing the wail of a fire engine truck followed by a patrol car.

Daisy made a quick grab for Daney as the trellis of roses along the stone bricks from the fireplace came crashing down after the bottom of it burned.

Rosco surveyed the scene as he got out of the patrol car. He saw the cloth masks on the girls’ faces and the sacks in their hands, he wondered why they weren’t using the hose or buckets. He started walking up after instructing the volunteers to start with the fire by the house as Bo and Luke came running.

“Oh Rosco, thank good ness you’re here.” Luke said, his blue eyes darting from the volunteer fire fighters to the Sheriff.

“What happened?” Rosco pulled a notebook from his jacket pocket. Part of being the best lawman in the state meant keeping your wits about you even when friends were in danger.

Daisy began the story. “Bo and me were in the kitchen having a snack when we heard an explosion. We looked outside to see the flowerbed on fire. We ran outside and the chicken coop was ablaze. Bo noticed the fencing supplies were smoking. We went into the barn.”

They were all quiet and observed Rosco writing the statement down.

“Alright, I have it that you… Daisy and Bo were inside. You heard a noise. Saw the flowerbed on fire and ran outside. Where you then seen the fencing supplies and chicken coop ablaze. Is that correct?” He looked up from the tablet.

Daisy nodded and Bo said. “Yes, sir. We called you from the cb in the barn. Then we called Luke. Daney was with him.”

Rosco jotted that down as well. “So you didn’t see anyone or anything? Hear a noise like a car driving off or someone running away?”

“No sir, we didn’t.” Bo and Daisy said at almost the same time.

“Ok, y’all stay put and I’m going to have a look around. See if I can’t find anything.” He put the notebook and pencil back in his pocket and pulled a small flashlight off his gun belt. Then he walked towards the area of where the flower garden had been. The fire department was now working on the fencing supplies that had spread to the field crops.

Rosco shined the light over every inch of the ground. An idea of what had happened formed in his mind, looking how the fire had seemed to be in somewhat of a pattern, according to the wet, muddy ground. Interesting it had not touched the house.

After not finding anything, he moved over to where the chicken coop had been. Again nothing but the after smell of burned wood and metal lingered in the air. He reached down and picked a handful of dirt up, he rubbed it between his index finger and thumb, he stooped down, the smell of gasoline or was it kerosene present the closer he got to the ground. He dropped the dirt sample and glanced toward the house where the light shined on an object laying a few inches from the door. He stood up and walked over, the light shining like a rainbow in the dark.

He put the cuff of his sleeve over his hand and picked the 5-gallon gasoline can up. It could belong to the Dukes, but they weren’t that careless were they?

He turned with the object in hand as several cars pulled in the driveway. He strolled over casually as Martha, Jesse, Boss, Lulu, the Partridges, Enos Strate, Cooter Davenport and several others came up. The sight of family and friends comforting one other brought a smile to his face.

Jesse looked around as everyone talked at once. The only thing that reminded him of life on the farm, was the barn. It stood untouched by the flames that destroyed the chicken coop, the spring blossoms in the garden were gone and he wasn’t sure but it looked like most of the crops in the field were too. He whistled and held his hand to bring order. He looked at his nieces and nephews. “Alright, what happened?”

“I believe it’s a case of arson, but it’s going to be hard to prove without more evidence than this.” Rosco held the gas can out for everyone to see.

Everyone stared on it. The same question in everyone’s eyes and on their faces. No one noticed the four young Dukes looking at each, an expression that seemed to say, should we tell or take care of this ourselves?

Rosco continued. “Does this belong to you?”

Luke spoke up. “No, it’s not ours. I don’t think.”

Cooter stepped closer. “It ain’t yours. When we were at the races, you scratched Dukes on the bottom to identify it.”

Jesse nodded. “That’s right. Bo was afraid someone else would take it.”

Rosco hated to do it but according to what he had found this was a crime scene and he didn’t need folks trampling all over the place. “Jesse, I’m gonna have to ask to stay off the property till I can look it over more thoroughly in the morning.”

Jesse was going to answer him but Enos spoke up. “Well that won’t be a problem Sheriff Rosco, they can stay at our place.” He gestured to his folks who stood beside him.

“We’d be glad to have y’all over.” Dean and Ellie Strate echoed.

“No, no they can stay with us.” Lulu disagreed. She looked over at JD who nodded, then spoke quietly. “From the looks of things Jesse, you might need to take a mortgage out to get you back on your feet.”

Jesse had been thinking the same thing. What with 3 teenagers and 3 adults in the house, they made it most months. But this was a huge set back. It was going to take more than a few shine runs to make it till next harvest season. He looked at his family. “Yeah, what do y’all want to do?”

Martha spoke for the group. “The girls and I can stay with Lulu while you men folk stay out at the Strates. It’s just for a night, Sheriff?”

Rosco nodded. “Yes ma’am. One, possibly two nights… if you like you can go inside and get a few things.” He paused as one of the volunteers came up.

“Sheriff, we got the fire out. We’re gonna leave now.”

Rosco waved. “Thank you.”

“It was no problem.” Smiles crossed everyone’s faces. That was a true sediment of how many folks felt. Hazzard was a small community and most people loved to help out when they could, however they could.

* * *

The next morning while Jesse and Martha were discussing a mortgage with JD at the bank, Luke, Bo, Daney and Daisy were out at Cooter’s farm.

Luke had been up most of the night thinking. Everything he knew pointed to one thing. Someone wanted the Dukes out of the moonshine business, he firmly believed that given the chance the culprits would come back and destroy the home that had been passed on through five generations of Dukes. They’d been lucky, last night that no one had been hurt, but what if next time they weren’t?

Sure the Sheriff would investigate but if he didn’t have any evidence he couldn’t arrest anyone, plus a lot of folks preferred to handle things on their own with out the law involved and that’s just what Luke had decided and now he had a plan.

“Alright, the way I figure it. The Suttons are behind this. What we need to do is get someone on the inside to find out what they’re up. That’s where you come in, Daney. Your friends with Betsy, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t see how that will get us any where. We should just go blow up their stills.” Bo commented hastily.

“That won’t work for three reasons. One, their still sites are hidden better than ours. Two, they’d expect us to do that right away. Three, it’s kinda of silly.”

“Uncle Jesse’ll have a fit if he finds out what your up too, Luke.” Daisy gently reminded.

Luke looked at both of them. They were still young and weren’t quite grasping at what he was explaining. “So we just sit back and let them take everything we got! Jesse and Martha have worked too long and hard to have it taken away.”

“True”

“Delia said their parents were going out of town this weekend. I want you Daney to get an invite over there,” he paused a moment. “Johnny Lee usually follows everything his brother does, so I want you to get close to Levi.”

Daney raised an eyebrow, the expression on her face was sour. “I think you’re suffering from smoke inhalation.”

“No, there’ll be plenty of people around.” Luke continued, like he wasn’t interrupted. “Now go call her.”

At the farm, Rosco was searching the field. The soil there didn’t have the pattern like a deliberate arson. In the middle of the burned area, he found a small piece of metal, small enough to be a key yet he didn’t think it was. He went back to the patrol car and grabbed a few bags, a marker and a pair of gloves. He walked back to the area and gently bagged the item after putting the gloves on. He placed the item, which he believed was the handle of an oil lantern, in his jacket pocket. Then he continued searching. Finally at the end of the field he found the tip of an arrow that snapped off its shaft. It could prove to be the Dukes, then again it could be evidence. He was getting the impression that an explosion had started the field fire. Some thing had been placed in the middle of the fencing supplies and blown up. He bagged the other item and then made a final search of the area. He had started at dawn and it was afternoon now. A Sheriff’s work was never done but solving things like this and keeping folks safe was the rewarding part of the job.

* * *

The Partridges had invited everyone over for dinner of beef stew. The girls were helping Martha and Lulu clean up, when Luke announced it was time to go.

“Where you kids going?” Jesse asked looking from the game of cards he was playing with Dean Strate, Simon Partridge and JD. Ellie Strate and Emma were working on a quilt for a neighbor’s baby that was due in a few weeks.

Luke looked at him. “Figured I’d take them fishing with me. Weren’t you complaining I wasn’t spending enough quality time with the family?”

Jesse nodded. “Yes, you just have them back by 9– you got your permits?”

Daisy answered. “Yes sir, I got the permits in my pocket.”

“Have a good time.” Martha called from the kitchen.

“We will.” Bo said, before shutting the front door behind him.

Enos stood outside on the Strate farm porch after finishing his chores, the Dukes had dropped a bag off earlier and asked him to hold it for them. He was getting mighty curious what was going on. He smiled as the Monaco pulled up along side the little one level cottage type home. It being just him, his mom and dad, they hadn’t needed a big place. “Hey y’all,” he called as they got out of the car.

“Hey Enos, where’s that bag I left earlier?” Luke asked, as they walked up to the porch.

“Inside, I put it under the kitchen table. The tablecloth hides it.” Enos confided.

“Thanks Enos, you mind if me and Daney go inside and get it?” Daisy asked, with a sweet smile. She was the most cheerful of the cousins. Daney was pretty cheery and both the boys were at times.

Enos blushed. “No, go ahead.”

Bo suppressed a laugh, it wasn’t that funny that Enos seemed to be sweet for Daisy but he just couldn’t imagine Daisy with someone like Enos. Except for being the children of moon shiners, they didn’t have anything in common, no similar interests. Then again half the girls Luke had went out with, didn’t have similar interests either. He was glad he didn’t have to worry about this type of stuff for a few years. He was just old enough know how to use the tractor and other farm vehicles as long as Jesse or Luke was with him. He let the laugh go when Daney came out of the house.

With her hair curled a little and some of that stuff girls liked called make up on her face, she looked a couple of years older. The tank top and shorts were Daisy’s. Daney preferred jeans and a t shirt most days. “You’re going like that?”

Daney shot him a look. “Shut up. I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Alright Enos, I’m counting on you not to let her out of your sight.” Luke commented, as they walked down the steps and piled in the Monaco. “I’ll let y’all off a bit down the road…me, Bo and Daisy’ll be in the woods watching.”

Enos nodded, as the car began its journey. “You can count on me, Luke.”

“I know, that’s why I asked you instead of Cooter.”

Back at the Partridge farm, Rosco stopped to let Jesse and Martha know they could go home if they liked.

“Rosco, you sit down and have some dinner. You don’t look so well.” Lulu fussed.

“I’m fine. I don’t need anything to eat.” Rosco replied, over the years he gotten use to his older sister’s overprotectiveness.

“Lulu, you leave him alone. We could use another partner in our card game if your interested?” JD called from the table.

“Khee, I’d love too.” Rosco said and took a seat. He went over the details of the evidence he had gathered as the cards were shuffled and dealt by Jesse. The women listened with a keen interest as they finished up the quilt.

* * *

Delia saw Luke’s friend talking to her brothers. She watched him sit his bottle of root beer down and laugh at probably some stupid joke of Johnny Lee’s.

She grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and walked outside. She strolled up and casually took a spot in front of the table. She whispered some thing to her oldest brother.

Luke watched the scene unfold, there was nothing he could do inless he blew his cover. His eyes widened seeing Enos sip the beer that had been switched.

Bo nudged him, “Luke, Luke!”

He turned to Bo for a second and when he turned back, he saw Levi, Johnny Lee and Daney heading into the house. This was exactly what wasn’t suppose to be happening but it was. “You two stay here, I’m going to get Cooter.”

Daisy spoke quietly. “He’s talking with Delia and Enos.”

Bo jumped up to make a run but Luke grabbed him back down. “Can’t do it. We’re just going have to trust that Daney can take care of herself this once.”

Daisy looked at him. “Luke, why don’t you just over there and pretend you got done with what you had to do and well you know…”

Luke thought for a second. “I’ll go over as a diversion and you two sneak into the house.”

Enos was surprised to see Luke heading his way, it was then he noticed Daney was nowhere around and neither of the Sutton boys were either. “Hey Luke,” he called to his friend.

Cooter watched as Delia made a break for it. He stepped in front of her as Luke stepped up behind her. “That some kind of new dance?”

Delia looked at him and then turned back to Luke. “Hey sugar, thought you couldn’t make it.”

Luke smiled. “I got done early. But I guess you don’t really need me here.”

Delia laughed. “Well of course I do.”

Bo nervously led the way into the house, he hadn’t ever been here and it was a disadvantage. The house was a lot like the Duke farm but the room layout was different. There was no one anywhere on the first floor. Daisy followed her younger cousin up the flight of stairs. She grabbed his hand as they approached the landing.

Daney looked around the room. “Nice, don’t you think we should be heading back to the party now?”

“We can have a party up here. No one to bother us.” Levi half snickered.

“I left my drink,” Daney replied and stepped back toward the door. “We could go down for a few minutes and come back up here.”

“Johnny can run down and get us something to drink.” Levi replied, pulling her away from where she had stepped.

Daney cringed as the door shut behind Johnny. She glanced around the room again and smiled. “It’s a little stuffy in here. Could you open the window?”

“I guess so.” Levi replied and walked over to the window a few feet away. As he lifted it, he heard the door open. He glanced to see Daney making a hasty exit. Catching a glimpse of his brother on the hall floor, he forgot about the window and it caught his hand as he turned. Luckily it was a window that was loose and he freed himself. He saw Daney, Daisy, Bo and Luke making a run through the back out to the woods. He almost tripped over his brother out cold, upon his own exit from the room.

The Dukes had a heck of a head start but he could catch them. He made it as far as the back porch before Delia stopped him.

“Let them go, we’ll get them some other time.”

“But De, if we don’t do it now–”

Delia held her hand up. “Just shut up. We’re going to have to think this out.”

Levi knew his sister was right. If they made a move now the Dukes would blame them.

Luke caught his breath as they piled into the Monaco, they had left at Cooter’s place. “You guys ready for the rest of the plan?”

“No, not really. We’re gonna get caught.” Daisy said, sitting in the back seat behind Luke in the drivers seat and Bo was in the front passenger seat, Daney in back of him.

Cooter was leaning on the driver’s door. “Y’all ain’t gonna get caught. Anyone asks I’ll tell ‘em you were here the whole time.”

Luke had been having second thoughts up till then. They had the information they needed to carry out part two but would it be worth it? Or should they just let things be. “Yeah, that’s why I told you about it instead of Enos. He would’ve blabbed it to everyone.”

Enos was a really good friend but he couldn’t keep a secret or tell a lie if his life depended on it. Cooter, the best mechanic around on the other end didn’t mind a fib or a shuck and jive especially if it was done with good intentions. And he could keep a secret.

Bo was leaning towards being like Luke too, but he’d already shown a hot temper where Luke’s temper was calm until something snapped and made it explode. Daisy hardly ever got mad but when she did, you’d know it. Daney was somewhere in between. There were times she’d keep it all inside and other times she’d let her temper go right on the spot. But they all shared a strong loyalty and pride.

“Do we have everything?” Daney asked quietly, maybe if they didn’t have all the supplies they could back out of this and when Luke was calmer, he’d see it wasn’t the right thing to do.

Cooter stepped away from the car. “Yeah– Y’all wanna stay here and I’ll go, I don’t mind.”

Luke smiled as he heard three voices “No, we’ll go.”

He turned the key in the ignition, put his foot on the accelerator and drove away.

Within an hour, they had destroyed all of the Suttons stills. The first one a few miles from the Sutton place, had been left standing covered with oil, making it of no use now. The second one somewhere near the swamp was in pieces, scattered on the ground.

The Dukes made their way quickly to the last one, a bow with arrow in one hand and a jug of water in the other. After filling it with the contents of the jugs, they stepped back in almost the shape of a baseball diamond and took aim. Four arrows flew, three were duds but one was dynamite. Metal and water showered down after a loud bang. They looked to make sure no fire had started before leaving the scene.

Jesse and Martha were not home when they arrived. The girls went to their room while the boys stayed up and played cards like nothing had happened.

Emma picked up the phone after it had rung for a few seconds. Everyone was getting ready to leave, the quilt was finished and the card game over.

“Sheriff, its Gussy. She says she needs to speak to you.”

Rosco stepped over and took the phone. “Sheriff Rosco P.Coltrane here,” he listened, the smile on his face quickly turned to a frown. “I see, yes I’ll be at the station to take your complaint in a few minutes.”

He sent the phone down and turned to Jesse. “Your boys have any grudges against the Sutton boys?”

Jesse shook his head. “No, not that I’m aware of. I think Luke was seeing one of their sisters.”

“That was Levi, he claims someone destroyed their stills and it was your boys that did it. I think it’d be best if you called the boys and had them come down.” Rosco was getting an idea of what possibly happened now, the Suttons had done the arson at the Dukes farm and Luke had gotten their stills in an ‘eye for eye’ manner, that some believed was acceptable. “Boss, I may need you to officiate seeing how late it is.”

Boss nodded. “Sure, we’ll wait in the car for you Jesse, c’mon Lulu, Martha.”

It was quiet as Jesse went to the phone while the others left, Emma and Simon even went outside to give Jesse privacy. It seemed forever for Gussy to get anyone to answer.

Luke answered the phone. “Hey Uncle Jesse, the girls are in their room. Bo and me are playing cards. Everything is fine,” he cringed hearing his uncle.

“I want you, Beauregard, Daisy and Danielle at the Sheriff’s office in 20 minutes.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be there.” Luke said quickly and hung up knowing his uncle would say no more. He leaned back against the wall. “Bo, Daisy, Daney, get out here.” He waited till the three of them were standing in front of him. “I don’t know why, but Jesse called and he wants to see us as the Sheriff’s office.”

“Do we have to go?” the three of them asked.

“Does your birth certificate say Beauregard and yours say Danielle?”

“Uh, oh.”

“Yep, C’mon no use in making them wait.” Luke led the way out of the house.

Delia smiled as the Sheriff followed by Commissioner Hogg and his wife Lulu walked into the office. She nudged her brother when Martha and Jesse Duke came in.

Rosco walked over to where they were seated on the bench. “Now, what seems to be the problem?”

“We went out uh to check on our business ventures and found they’d been destroyed.” Levi stated, making sure to keep a straight face.

“You said something about the Dukes on the phone?” Rosco questioned.

Johnny added. “Yeah, he did. We see ‘em leaving the scene of the last one.”

“I take you were following them? Why would you be following them?”

At that moment the doors swung open and the Duke cousins walked in. The looks on their faces and the Suttons was all Rosco needed to know his assumptions earlier were correct.

“Why you did you do it, Luke?”

“Do what? We were at Cooter’s most of the night.” That was not really a lie.

Jesse glared at his eldest nephew. “That better be the truth.”

“It is.” Bo squeaked.

Delia held up a small bag. “Sheriff, we found these at the site. Now we probably should have left them there but we figured you’d want to see them.”

Rosco looked. He held the clear gallon size plastic up for all to see.

Martha buried her face in her hands. A hair bow of Daisy’s, a bandana of Luke’s, a scrap of Bo’s shirt, and a paperback book of Daney’s.

“Sheriff, all that proves is they were in OUR house.” Daney barely kept her voice even in tone as she walked over to the Suttons.

Delia laughed, “Oh really?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright, one at a time.” JD ordered.

“Daney, you first.” Rosco added.

“Daisy just made that hair bow at Miss Lulu’s place the other night.”

“Or did ya leave it at our house when you were at the party earlier. Bet your uncle and aunt would be happy to hear the rest of the story.” Delia looked over to the patriach and matriarch of the family.

“You shut up, Daney wasn’t anywhere near y’all’s place.” Bo exclaimed. He looked over at his elders. “Just call Cooter.”

“I already did.” Jesse stated flatly. He hadn’t believed Cooter and he wasn’t buying what the kids were saying now. Hadn’t he and Martha raised them better? They could probably reach an agreement seeing how Rosco believed the Suttons were responsible for the arson at the farm. “Rosco, go ahead and lock ‘em up.”

“No,” Daisy paused. “We did it.” Her hair covered her face as she bowed her head to look at the ground. Daney did the same and Bo’s dark blue eyes darted toward the doors behind him but Luke’s light blue eyes remained in a cold stare. “We might’ve, but y’all are the ones who started the fire at our place.”

“Yeah, we did. It was pretty cool too,” Johnny Lee stopped speaking as his brother and sister nudged him.

Delia tried to cover. “Oh Sheriff, he don’t know what he is talking about.”

Rosco didn’t buy it. Now he had a problem. Johnny Lee, Bo, Daisy and Daney were minors. Delia, Levi and Luke were adults. He hated to jail any of them but maybe the older ones would agree to leave the younger ones out of it. He doubted but it was worth a try. “Alright, Bo, Daney, Daisy, Johnny Lee, I wanna take y’all down to the cells first.” He looked apologetically at Martha and Jesse, Boss and Lulu.

“Wait, Rosco, you can’t. It was all my idea.” Luke said quietly.

Daney looked up. “And besides, last night I heard them in the woods behind their place talking about doing something to us.”

Rosco believed both statements. He could understand why tonight’s events had happened. He was about to question the Suttons again when the door swung open, it was the postmistress Emma Tisdale and Enos Strate.

“I told you they might be here.” Enos said, as they walked up to the group.

“Yes you did,” Miz Tisdale said, before stopping in front of Jesse and Martha. “I’ve been looking for y’all. This letter came and it’s important.”

“Thank you Emma,” Martha said as Jesse opened it.

Jesse’s eyes widened. He knew a little about the laws governing the county. He looked over at JD. “What does this mean?”

JD looked it over. “Well it appears to be a draft letter.”

Lulu, Martha and Emma gasped in surprise.

* * *

The next morning, Martha stopped in the archway between the kitchen and living room. She watched the girls as they made breakfast. Daney stood at the stove, cooking a pan of scrambled eggs from the ones, Ellie and Dean Strate had dropped off, along with homemade bread that Daisy was buttering over at the counter. It seemed just like any other normal day but it wasn’t, in a few hours Luke would be on his way to the Marines. And wouldn’t be home until the girls and Bo were all out of high school.

She didn’t like that or the mortgage they’d taken out but they couldn’t keep relying on the kindness and generosity of their friends and neighbors. If Jesse decided to continue making shine, they might get the mortgage paid off a little sooner but with Luke leaving, he’d have to pay people to run it for at least two years till Bo would be legal to drive, Jesse wouldn’t allow the girls to run even if they wanted too.

She turned as two arms wrapped her in a hug, it was Bo.

“Aunt Martha, it’ll be alright.”

“Yes, it will, we just need some time don’t we?”

“Go get Uncle Jesse and Luke, this breakfast is gonna get cold!” Daney said, taking her place at the table next to her cousin after setting the platter of bacon and eggs next to the plate of toast Daisy had sat down.

Bo took a couple of steps into the living room while Martha went to the table and took her seat at the end that was near the door. “Hey, y’all breakfast is ready!”

Daisy teased, “Daney or I could have done that ya know.”

Bo stepped over to the table and took his seat. He smiled, it faded a little as he looked at the seat next to him. This would be the last meal for four years that he and Luke would share, the bedroom upstairs would still have Luke’s things but his older cousin wouldn’t be. He had never thought of Luke ever leaving but a letter from the United States government had said it was to be.

He picked up his glass of juice and took a sip. Luke tousled his hair as he sat down at the table. “Hey, watch it.”

Luke smiled. “By the time I’m back, your side burns will be longer than the mess you call a crew cut.”

Bo grinned mischievously but kept quiet after a glance from Jesse. His uncle hadn’t been in the best of moods after the last few days’ events. They’d been lucky to get off with just a stern lecture after Jesse and Martha had found out. He made a small thank you during the prayer that the letter from the government for Luke had showed up when it did, or they’d probably be visiting him in the Hazzard County jail alongside Levi Sutton who was looking at 5 to 10 years.

A bit later, he watched with the rest of the family and many friends like Rosco, Boss and Lulu, the Partridges and Miz Tisdale, who’d gathered at the farm to see Enos and Luke leave. They were also here to help plant a late crop that Jesse hoped might make it in order that they wouldn’t have to use as much of the mortgage money as he estimated they would if they had to wait till next year. Only time would tell what’d happen next, since nothing in Hazzard except for taxes was guaranteed. Tho’ it was nice to get a surprise like the rainbow that everyone was staring at over the barn.

by: Tara

Spring 1968

 

Rosco picked up the phone. “Hazzard County Sheriff Department… Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane speaking, yes Gussy, I’ll take the call.” He paused and listened to the voice on the other end of the line. “Sure Lacey, I’ll be right over. Ain’t like am the only one here.” The last words more a friendly jab than a snicker. Hazzard was a small, quiet, country town in Georgia where not much but farmin’ and runnin’ shine went on. It was said Hazzard got its name because three states fought over it even though no one wanted it.

Welcome to Hazzard where Commissioner JD Hogg runs things around here.

Rosco set the phone down and walked over towards the door that said Commissioner Hogg. JD or Boss, as most folks called him had been in office only a few weeks after a special May election, when the previous commissioner had to step down. He had ambition and drive. He was hard working and honest.

JD Hogg had begun his work career as a moonshine runner at the age of 14 in 1934. He moved on to shine making in the forties. In the fifties, he began to buy land, seeing a chance to improve his wealth. He started dating Miss Tri Country of 1953, Lulu Coltrane.  They wed in 1958, which made him not just Rosco’s boss but also his brother in law.

“Boss, I gotta run over to Springville. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Rosco said, after opening the door.

JD Hogg looked up from his stack of papers. He was still getting use to all the records and laws as commissioner that he had to know seeing Hazzard was such a small town, it really didn’t need but one public elected official, the hours were long but a good job well done meant happy towns folks who were more than happy to pay their fines and taxes on time. “That’s fine.”

Rosco nodded and shut the door. He picked his black hat off the desk and walked outside to a 1960 Ford Thunderbird, the only patrol car the county had.

A short time later the Ford pulled up outside the Springville Orphanage. Rosco got out of the patrol car and saw Lacey on the steps waiting for him.

“Now what could be so important, you couldn’t tell me over the phone.” Rosco asked.

“Well we have a young girl here. None of the other Sheriffs recognized her, and I was hoping you might be able too.” Lacey replied, escorting the Hazzard lawman inside the building.

Part of being a good sheriff, was knowing the folks in your county. So except for the occasional visitor, most sheriffs did.

“Well I’ll be happy to help if I can.” Rosco said, following him to the first room just after the entranceway.

Lacey quietly pointed to a girl, sitting in a window alcove. A book in her hands was covered slightly by the long straight brunette hair that hung down.

Rosco wasn’t sure but from just a glance she looked familiar. She appeared to be the eleven-year-old niece of Boss’s longtime friend Jesse Duke and his wife Martha Livonia.  “Can I use your phone?”

“I take it you know her.”

“Sure that’s Daisy Duke.” Rosco exclaimed, a little louder than he meant too.

The little girl shot a curious glance over his way. “She’s my cousin.” She said and hopped down from the alcove.

Lacey didn’t look surprised. Rosco’s skills as a law officer were second to no one else. Many folks considered him to be the best lawman in the state of Georgia.

“Well uh, yes I do…” Rosco paused for a second, there were so many dang Dukes. Jesse and his wife hadn’t had any younguns but Jesse was the oldest of nine bothers and sisters. They were raising Daisy plus two nephews ten year old Bo and sixteen old Luke. Their parents had all passed on. Luke had been the first to come to the farm when he was three, his parents and new baby brother killed in a hospital fire.

Daisy’s mother had died at her birth, her father and stepmother had been killed in an accident when she was six. Bo’s folks had been killed in the same accident, he was only five. Though it hadn’t been proven, Rosco had always wondered if the accident was the result of the Duke family’s moonshine success. There were a lot of moon shiners but few could make the quality that Jesse Duke made.

Jit Jit.

“You’re Kate’s grand daughter, Daney.”

“Yeah,” Daney smiled.

Lacey frowned. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“I told the lady that but she wouldn’t listen.” If there was one thing all the Dukes seemed to have in common, it was a temper and not being afraid to speak one’s opinion.

“Now, Daney, just calm down. I’ll call Kate to come and get you.” Rosco injected.

“I’d rather stay here.” The Dukes also had a stubbornness to them too.

“Daney!”

“Yes, sir?” Daney didn’t have the traditional blue eyes that 99 % of the Dukes had or brown like the others, she had green brown hazel. It was what made her unique and set her a part from shy blonde Bo, pretty pixie Daisy, or serious brunette haired Luke and the rest of the cousins.

“Have a seat. I’m going to make a call.”

“Ok.”

Rosco chuckled and followed Chief Lacey out of the room. They went into the main office. Lacey asked for the extension.

Rosco looked around on the desk as he waited. He glanced closer at a top file. A sheet of notebook paper written in child’s cursive caught his attention. He pulled the sheet out and he began to read.

“Sheriff…”

He looked up to see Lacey handing him the receiver, he in turn handed the paper to Lacey. He listened to Kate for a few minutes, before speaking. “Would you rather I call Jesse and see what he can do?”

Lacey went through the rest of the folder, by the time Rosco hung the phone up a few minutes later he was done.

“Interesting ain’t it?” He held the folder out to the Hazzard County Sheriff, the notebook paper on the top.

“Call the Duke farm. I’d bet a meal of Mama’s, Jesse’ll take care of this.” Rosco said quietly, blue eyes scanning the documents quickly.

Lacey picked up the phone again. He waited while he was connected to the Hazzard Country operator, then finally to the Duke farm. He spoke for a moment and then handed the phone to Rosco.

“Well Martha, I don’t see a problem if Jesse and you could come over and sign some papers. Probably be best if y’all could do it today. Alright, we’ll see you in a little bit then.” Rosco hung the phone up then.

He turned and took a seat to wait for the Dukes. Lacey meanwhile begin to make a few more calls.

 

Meanwhile at a farmhouse located off Old Mill Road, 18 miles from the town of Hazzard.

Jesse Duke looked hesitantly at his niece and nephews after Martha had told him about the phone call. “I have something I want to ask you.”

11-year-old Daisy asked. “What is it?”

“Would you like Daney to come and live with us here on the farm?”

“Why… Doesn’t she like Capitol City any more?” 10-year-old Bo asked.

Luke hit him in the shoulder. “Bo, you don’t say stuff like that. Of course we do Uncle Jesse, Aunt Martha.”

Jesse gave them each a look and Martha gave them a smile. “Well it’s a long story. Rosco got a call from Chief over in Springville. I want y’all to be good while your Aunt Martha and I are gone. If you have any trouble, call Miss Lulu and JD.”

They echoed in agreement watching him and their aunt walk out.

Daney was nervous looking at the man in the uniform sitting at the other end of the table from her. Could she trust him? Mother had never believed her when she told her. She’d just say Daney should have been more careful doing her chores.  Her mother’s friend had seemed so nice at first. She had loved school till this last year, when the kids had picked on her.

Timidly she stood up. “Mr. Sheriff sir, can I talk to you.”

“Well of course.” Rosco replied.

“I don’t want to go home.” Daney replied slowly walking towards him.

“Why not?” Rosco asked, he was pretty sure the paper he had read had been written by Daney.

“She’s mean to me…” Daney replied.

Rosco rose from his seat. “How is she mean to you?”

Daney said the easiest thing. “She says a lot of mean things to me…”

Rosco could tell it was more than that. Not just from the note he read but her cheek had what appeared to be a faded bruise on it. “Did she hit you?”

“I fell off my bike yesterday and hurt myself,” She fibbed.

“Would you mind showing me?” Rosco asked, concerned.

“Sure.” Daney pulled her shirtsleeve up just above her wrist. There was a welt, like if you took a belt would make.

“You didn’t fall off your bike, did you?” He asked.

“No sir… I’m sorry I fibbed.” Daney replied, tears falling down her cheeks.

“It’s alright. You just sit right there and I’ll be back.” Rosco answered. He watched her sit quietly and then he walked out of the room, in the hall and to the next room. He threw the door opened and looked seriously at the woman sitting there smugly.

“Excuse me your Honor, I need to bring something to your attention.” Rosco said in a firm voice.

“Yes Sheriff, what is it?” The judge asked. He had been about to announce his decision.

Rosco stepped closer to the table. “Daney’s life is in danger if you send her back with this…” His words faded trying to think of a fitting word for the woman sitting across from Jesse, Martha and Kate.

“Do you have some information…Sheriff?” The judge inquired curiously.

“What’s wrong, Rosco?” Jesse asked, after the younger man didn’t speak for several moments.

Rosco had regained control of his anger when he finally spoke. “Jesse, you ever take a belt to Daisy?”

Jesse shook his head. “No, Can’t say I’ve ever had to yet, thank the good lord.” What ever else he was gonna say was forgotten when the mother laughed.

The three men and two women looked at her.

She said calmly. “That child is so clumsy. She’s always falling down or tripping over something.”

Rosco slammed his fist on the table. “Those were not from a fall or tripping over something. You hurt that little girl.”

The judge rose from his seat. “Jesse, Martha, Sheriff. Follow me. I’d like you to wait in the hall while I speak to the girl.”

Martha, Jesse and Rosco had been sitting quietly for a few minutes when the judge came back out. “Sheriff, can you come in here. She won’t talk to me.”

“I figured she wouldn’t.” Rosco said, following the judge into the room.

“Daney, your Uncle Jesse and Aunt Martha can’t take you home if you don’t talk to the judge here.” Rosco spoke.

“He’s just gonna send me home with her.” Daney replied biting on her lip, she was all cried out.

“No, he won’t. C’mon you can tell him. I know you can.” Rosco encouraged.

Daney scooted the chair back and stood up. With out a word lifted her shirtsleeve up like she had done earlier.

“Your mother did this.” The judge asked.

“Her friend.” Daney nodded, searching his face for some sort of emotion that would tell her what he was thinking. She grabbed Rosco’s arm when the judge walked out without saying anything.

Rosco looked down at her. “Don’t worry.”

Daney looked unsure. “Ok.”

The judge came back in a few minutes later. “Sheriff, I’d like you to take the young lady to her house and get what ever she wants to take to her new home. It’s going to take Jesse, Martha and Kate a bit of time to fill out all the papers for guardianship. I want to process them before they leave.”

“Yes, your honor.” He paused and took Daney’s hand. “You ready to go?”

Daney nodded, her green brown eyes shining bright. “Yes!”

Rosco listened attentively to Daney talk about school and things she liked driving to a house on one of the main streets in Capitol City. It was a two-story house with a small porch.

He followed her inside. When you walked in there was a living room to the left, a dining room to the right. The kitchen was on the other side of the dining room.

“If you’re thirsty Sheriff, there might be something in the refrigerator. I doubt it tho’… They were hardly ever home.” Daney said shyly before turning a corner and running up a flight of steps. He wasn’t thirsty so he did a bit of snooping. Trying to see if he could find anything that would indicate why the woman had done what she had done.

Besides the steps to the upstairs…there were 3 doors in the kitchen. One to the cellar, one to the small backyard where a small carport was. The other door led to a small bathroom that had a bedroom off of it. He walked trough the bedroom and found himself at the foot of the steps.

He ran up the stairs when he heard a sound like something was being thrown against a wall. On the stair landing to the right was Daney’s room. To the left was another bedroom. “Are you ok?” he asked, seeing her standing in the middle of the room.

“Yeah… I feel better.” Daney replied, her gaze resting on a smashed vase a few feet from her. She looked at it for a brief second and then grabbed a small cloth bag. “I’m ready to go.”

 

Summer 1972

Rosco listened to his sister talk about one of the kids at the orphanage. “Well you know Lulu, there might be some one you could call to help you. I don’t know how willing she’d be but you could ask Daney.”

“Oh Rosco, I don’t know.” Lulu sighed. It would be nice, the child needed someone to talk to and the Duke teenager had been though the same thing.

“Rosco picked up the phone. “Gussy, get me the Duke farm… thank you.” He paused. “Hello Jesse, how are you? — Do you think Daney might be willing to talk to one of the kids at the orphanage about some stuff.” There was another pause. “Sure, Lulu will be glad to come out and pick her up. Let her know Lulu will be there in about 30 minutes.” He glanced over at Lulu with a raised eyebrow, as if to say is that ok.

Lulu nodded, and listened to the formal goodbye. “Thank you, baby brother.” She said, rising from her seat.

“Khee, no problem. That’s what I’m here for.” Rosco’s smile matched his sister’s.

When Lulu pulled up to the farm, Daney was standing on the porch.

“Hi Miss Lulu,” The brunette teenager called and turned back to the screen door. “I’m leaving, Daisy. Be back soon.”

Lulu could barely hear the other Duke’s goodbye as Daney came toward the car.

“Uncle Jesse, said something about the orphanage.” Daney said, closing the door on the passenger side of the Ford Granada.

“There is a little girl there age 9,” Lulu paused. “I think she needs someone she could open up too.”

“Like a friend?” Daney asked.

“Yes.”

“Well what are we waiting for?”

Lulu chuckled and drove the car back out on the road.

“How is school going?”

“Great, I think with Bo on the team, the boys will win state championship.”

“They might. The last time Hazzard won that was when Luke played?”

“Yeah, 4 years ago. Doesn’t seem like it’s been that long. It’ll be nice to have him home again.” Daney smiled and looked out the window. 21 year old Luke had just left for a 4 year stint with the Marines.

She watched the scenery go by and listened as Miss Lulu recounted her latest shopping trip to the city. Soon the Granada pulled up in front of the Sheridan Orphanage.

Kids waved and yelled hello as they got out of the car. “Now you boys get away from this car, or I won’t take y’all to the ice cream parlor later.” Miss Lulu reminded the group of children. Daney smiled at the wide eyes and innocent grins. The ice cream parlor had only been open a few months and Miss Lulu took the kids once a week. Boss had a fit about the cost, but it made Miss Lulu happy, and that was what mattered.

“Daney, I’d like you to meet Season.” Lulu said, after they entered the living room of the home. It was plainly decorated with the drawings of the children taped to the walls. The orphanage was run mostly by donations, the biggest contributor being Lulu Hogg.

“Howdy Season, it’s nice to met you.” Daney smiled.

“You’re Bo’s cousin.” The little girl’s blue green eyes lit up.

Daney held back a laugh. For one reason or other, girls of all ages were attracted to the 15-year-old lanky blonde Duke with dark blue eyes. “Yep. He ain’t my only cousin, though. It’s really nice outside. Why don’t we go for a walk and talk about our cousins. You got cousins don’t you?”

“Yes and yes.” The little girl giggled. She slipped her hand into the older girl’s and followed her out.

Lulu was having a discussion with Mr. Sheridan when the door opened and the kids came running through.

“Settle down, what’s going?”

Several small voices echoed each other. “It started raining.”

Lulu frowned after glancing around the crowd. “Oh, dear. Did any of you see Daney or Season?”

A giggle came from the doorway. Lulu held her hand up to her mouth as she saw both girls soaking wet. Mr. Sheridan frowned, he liked to run the orphanage much like the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Forces ran their boot camps.

Season smiled as Daney stooped down to let her off her back. “We went down to the gazebo. It’s real pretty downtown.” She looked up at the older girl. “Thank you.”

Daney hugged her. “Your welcome. Maybe I’ll stop and see you after school tomorrow if you like.”

Mr. Sheridan cut off the little girl’s reply. “Children, go up to your rooms, please.”

Protests insured.

“But Miss Lulu was suppose to take us to the ice cream parlor.”

“It’s not nap or bed time.”

“I said now.”

Lulu glanced from the empty eyes of Mr. Sheridan to the anger on Daney’s face as the children filed out of the room.

Mr. Sheridan could see both of them wanted an answer. “I just don’t think it would be right for Season to have a visitor, when the others don’t. I think you can understand that.”

“I understand, maybe you should try organizing things for them. There are the girl and boy scouts, stuff like that.” Daney replied.

“We don’t have the money for those things.” Mr. Sheridan retorted.

“If it’s money you need, why didn’t you just say so? I’m sure JD would gladly put up some of the cost.” Lulu chimed in.

Daney added. “I bet you if you let folks know, you’d have all kinds of volunteers for the kind of things these children need.”

“How would you know what they need?”

“I was a kid not long ago and Season told me.”

“She doesn’t talk to anyone.”

“Well she talked to me. And I’ll tell you if I was old enough, you’d be out of a job, Mr. Sheridan.” Daney was not about to hold back now. She looked at Lulu. “Season told me one of the reasons, she don’t talk is because he tells them not to. What these kids need is activities and support, not shut up in rooms or left to run wild outside for hours.”

Lulu looked over at Mr. Sheridan. “Do you need a break or vacation?”

“Mrs. Sheridan and I run things fine, thank you.”

“I’m sure you do, but wouldn’t you like some helpers? I mean just think of all the stuff you could do. Take the kids hiking and fishing, simple things that don’t cost anything if you got all the right stuff. You could teach them about farming and nature. I’m sure you don’t want to see the kids of these kids in here someday, do you?” Daney said.

Lulu smiled. She had seen the classic Duke with a plan expression so many times on Jesse and Luke’s faces, it was natural to see it on Bo, Daisy or Daney’s.

“She has a good point.” There was a benefit of being the wife of the richest and most powerful man in the county. People didn’t argue with you as much as they would other person.

Mr. Sheridan nodded. “Yes, and you think people would volunteer?”

Daney laughed. “Heck, yes. I know Daisy would and with some persuasion, Bo probably will. Then all our buddies and Miss Lulu has lots of friends who I am sure would help.”

Lulu’s smile widened. “Yes, they would.”

Several weeks later after permits and papers were filled out and ok’ed with Boss, the first part of Daney’s plan started. The children were taken camping and fishing by some of the high school kids, Bo, Daney and Daisy.

Rosco chuckled when he saw the group come into the office. Season walked up and handed him some wildflowers wrapped in brown paper.

“Jit, Jit, you know there’s a law against picking these things when they’re on private property.”

Season giggled and looked over at Daney with a sly grin. “She made me do it!”

“You Dukes are always up to something…” Rosco teased. He wasn’t surprised, today was always the day every year that Daney stopped in with the same flowers. Then he got up from his seat and led the group on a tour of the Sheriff’s Department.

The day ended with Boss and Lulu taking some of the kids in their new convertible caddy and Rosco and the other kids in the patrol car to the ice cream parlor.

 

Autumn 1978

Life is what you make of it. Daney thought looking at the boys and Uncle Jesse sitting at the picnic table taking a break before continuing with the rest of the stuff they needed to do for harvest time. It had been 2 years since they had went on probation and an agreement with the government had been made. About the same time Uncle Jesse and Boss had had an argument and weren’t as close as they had been. She finished putting the clothes on the line and headed over to the General. It was time to head over to the Boar’s Nest to help Daisy with opening duties. Things weren’t as bad as they had been in the past and the future was uncertain. She was glad to have family like she had and friends like the Sheriff and Miss Lulu she could confide in when she was feeling troubled or had a problem and needed an opinion. Or when she had doubts about being in Hazzard…or when she got sidetracked and needed to focus on something.

Bo frowned as he saw the flash of orange pull from away from the side of the house. “Did you tell her, she could take the General!”

“No, you probably left the keys in it again.” Luke teased.

Jesse glanced at them. “I told her earlier she could since we need the truck for work and Daisy took the roadrunner.”

Both young men smiled and Jesse returned it with one of his own.

 

Winter 1982

Daisy stood next to the gate at the Atlanta airport. “I wish I could go with you to see the boys. Charlotte sounds nice.”

Daney smiled. “Yeah. But you know Boss wouldn’t let you go and if I take that job, I don’t know when I’ll be back. And I do really want to see the twins.”

Daisy laughed. 18 months ago, Season and her husband Chase Daniels become parents. Chase a trucker was away at the time. So Daney had gotten the honor of naming the twins. Shelby Rain and Carly Bree. Daisy hadn’t quite figured out how the heck she had came up with them, but that was Daney.

“Hey, that’s last call for my flight!” Daney exclaimed. She frowned, seeing something stick out of her backpack. She grabbed the 2 brown papers and handed it to her cousin. “Could you see Miss Lulu and Rosco get those. I meant to give them to them before I left. I’ll call you when I get there.” She hugged Daisy and took off.

Daisy lifted the bouquets of wildflowers and smelled them as Daney ran to where the flight was boarding. She was curious to peek at the cards attached but she knew the one was a thank you to Lulu and the other was to the person who Daney would always see as a Friend In Blue.

The End

To my own friends in ‘blue’, thank you  =)

by: Blanche Laine Hogg

I did not come up with the last line of this story, that tribute goes to Patty Loveless the line is from her song ; “How can I help you say goodbye”.

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The spring days with their beautifully colored flowers of pink, red, purple and yellow turned into a dry summer with brown grass. The usually somewhat active small town had become a pratical ghost town. The only activity to speak of was the hard working farmers, tractors could be seen working the land in the outer parts of the county in the early morning when there was a respite from the oppressive and relentless heat that would come later in the day.

Blanche had also gotten into a new routine that was more in line with the habits of the rural area, which was earlier than before as was starting the day keeping in line with the areas normalcy, learning canning and sewing, leaving behind her privileged ways of life for simpler more productive ways that made her feel as if she had accomplished something at the end of the day. The old Hogg house had also underwent some changes, it might have been the biggest house in Hazzard but, it was no longer the uninviting expensive place it had been, the rich, plush rugs had been replaced by casually ordinary looking area rugs and the ornate couches and chairs replaced by comfortable furnishings, however these changes remained true to the home’s original Victorian style.

Despite its dingy exterior appearance, the owner Cooter Davenport was a cheerful man and, helpful. The Busy Bee Café seemed to be the town gathering place to meet up with friends and, the food was good too. Blanche had found this out by eating there often in the beginning after her move to town. Shaking from her musings, Blanche stepped back from the window and, over to her walk-in closet. Donning a pair of light blue stone washed denim shorts, carnation pink silk button down sleeveless shirt with a pair of shoe-box flip flops adorned with pink rhinestones, Blanche moved back over to the bed, making it then heading from the room calling to the little Chihuahua;

“C’mon Espresso,”

Heading downstairs with the little dog in tow, toe nails clicking a fast staccato on the honey colored wood stairs, Blanche clipped the pink harness on the dog going out the front door, picking up the neatly folded, morning newspaper from the walkway on the way back inside after the dog had finished doing her business. Removing the harness once back inside, placing it in the wicker basket that sat on the table by the front door, muttering to herself.

“Hope the forecast is right and, it rains today. The plants sure need it and, it might cool things off too.” She said absently to no one in particular.

Sitting down on the comfortable hunter green couch, Blanche unfolded the morning issue of the Hazzard Gazette reading the front page headlines. Tractor Stolen getting her attention right away, Blanche kicked off her flip flops tucking her bare feet up on the couch next to herself along with picking  Espresso up from the floor, sitting the little Chihuahua on her lap as she read. The article said that Harry Henderson’s tractor had been stolen from the hay field in his south 40 acers. Not only had the green John Deere tractor was missing but, the hay bailer that was hooked behind it. No tracks had been found leading from the hay field to the road that ran in front of it, so the equipment must have been loaded onto a waiting trailer or something and driven somewhere else so no one could trace the theft easily.

Uncurling her feet from the couch, folding the newspaper neatly laying it on the coffee table, Blanche removed the little dog from her lap setting the bundle of dark fur on the floor, putting on her flip flops once again and heading for the kitchen, giving her  left thigh a pat calling to Espresso;

“C’mon Espresso, let’s go make breakfast”;

smiling to herself, Blanche reflected life’s about changing, nothing ever stays the same.