by: Susan Porter

“It was a bomb all right. If Rosco had opened that
package he wouldn’t be sitting here now. We’d be
looking for a new sheriff.”

Cooter’s dire words rang hollowly in the ears of the
men gathered around Rosco’s desk, planning.
Conspicuous by her absence was the still angry Daisy
Duke. They had all agreed that keeping her out of
harm’s way was a good idea. Of course, convincing
Daisy of that was another story. That unpleasant task
fell to Enos, with whom she was already angry.

“From the description Mrs. Murphy gave Daisy I’d say
that the man is Dak Evans. We arrested him and his
partner, Clarence Mathers, about thirteen years ago
for counterfeiting. They were Boss Hogg’s partners
but they turned on him so he turned on them. They
swore in court that they would get us back.”

“How are we going to draw them into the open without
alerting them to our plan?”

“And how are we going to carry out our plan, whatever
it is, without alerting Daisy?”

Daisy, meanwhile, paced in front of her Uncle Jesse,
her anger radiating from her. “I can’t believe the
way he talked to me! Treated me as if I were a stupid
child! I knew that package might have been dangerous.
I wasn’t going to open it.”

“He was just trying to keep you safe. He loves you.”

“I know that, Uncle Jesse, but that’s no reason to
talk to me like that. I just don’t understand what’s
going on. It’s as if he doesn’t trust me.”

Jesse reached for his niece’s hand to calm her, force
her to pay attention. “Has it ever occurred to you,
Daisy, that maybe he was afraid that, no matter how
careful you were that you might be hurt. That he
didn’t want anything to happen to you. Wouldn’t you
have done the same thing if you were in his place?”

“But…”

“If the two of you were in the swamp and he picked up
a poisonous berry and started to eat it, wouldn’t you
yell at him to put it down? Get him away from it as
quickly as possible?”

“Yes, but that would just be for his own good!”

“And you would do it because you love him and you know
more about that situation than he does.”

Uncle Jesse’s reasoning began to sink in. Daisy
relaxed then smiled. uncle Jesse was right, just like
always. She bent and kissed her uncle’s cheek. “I’m
going to change then go find Enos. I think I need to
apologize to him.”

“I think so too.”

Enos arrived at the Duke farm just as Daisy was coming
out the back door, dressed in heels and a pretty blue
dress. “Enos,” she smiled sweetly, kissing his
cheek, “why don’t you and I go someplace private where
we can talk?”

Hand in hand they walked toward the barn. “I’m sorry
about this afternoon.” She finally spoke when they
stood in the protective shadows. “I didn’t realize
you were trying to protect me.”

He arm slid around her and he held her tight against
him. “I love you, Daisy. I didn’t want to take the
chance of loosing you. I’ve had a lot of experience
with those package bombs, they can be tricky. I’m
sorry if it sounded like anything other then concern.”

“I don’t like being angry at you.” she confessed.

“I don’t like it either. I spent most of the day half
afraid you were going to burst into the office, throw
my ring at me and tell me that you never wanted to see
me again. I couldn’t think for worrying.”

“Oh, Enos, you are the most wonderful man.” she
touched his cheek, her mouth caressing his. “You were
right, Enos. Anything really good is worth waiting
for. And this is going to be the best.”

Watching them from the kitchen Jesse Duke smiled. One
down, two to go.