by: Marty Chrisman

After Doc left, Jesse went out on the front porch to check on Luke who was sitting on the porch swing staring at the horizon. Jesse stayed by the door not wanting to spook Luke even though what he really wanted to do was to take his oldest nephew in his arms and give him a hug. But he remembered how Luke had shied away from his touch earlier and he sensed that Luke would do the same thing if he tried to touch him now.

“Uh…you alright, Luke?”

Luke turned to look at Jesse his eyes still full of distrust and fear “I guess….” He said quietly. His mouth turned up in a humorless smile “I don’t have much choice, do I?”

“You wanna come back in the house?”

Luke shook his head. “No, I’d rather stay out here for now if you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t mind. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Luke nodded and went back to staring off into the distance. Jesse sighed and went back into the house. Daisy and Bo looked at him questioningly as he walked back into the kitchen. “He’s okay for now.” Jesse said somberly “Let’s just give him some space….don’t try to push him.” He looked at Bo “Bo, you call Mary Anne and see what time Luke dropped her off last night. Then we need to call Rosco and tell him that the General Lee’s missing.”

“What good is that gonna do?” Bo said sarcastically “Rosco ain’t gonna care.”

“He’s still the only law we got in Hazzard and something bad happened to Luke last night so we need to report it.” Jesse told him

Bo shrugged his shoulders and went to the phone to call Mary Anne. When she answered, he said “Hey, Mary Anne. This here’s Bo Duke. I just wanted to ask ya what time Luke took you home last night.”

“Took me home?” Mary Anne said in an aggravated voice “He never even showed up last night.”

“He didn’t?” Bo said in a surprised voice

“No and I waited for him until almost ten o’clock before I finally gave up and went to bed. Listen Bo, you tell that cousin of yours that the next time he can ask somebody else out!” With that Mary Anne hung up the phone.

Bo hung up and looked at his Uncle. “Luke never picked Mary Anne up last night.” He told him

“What time did he leave here?” Jesse asked

“Around seven o’clock I guess.” Bo told him. “He said he was gonna pick up Mary Anne and go to the Boars Nest for awhile.”

“So something must’ve happened after he left here and before he got to Mary Anne’s house.” Daisy said

“But what?” Jesse said in an annoyed voice “Nobody knows that but Luke and he can’t very well tell us. I don’t like this. I don’t like it one bit! I’m calling Rosco.” Jesse grabbed the phone and dialed the sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Enos Strate speaking.” Enos wasn’t just a Hazzard County Deputy Sheriff; he was also a close friend of the Duke family. He’d had a huge crush on Daisy ever since the third grade.

“Enos, this is Jesse Duke. Is Roscoe there?”

“No, sir. I’m sorry, Uncle Jesse, but he went with Boss Hogg over to Capital City this morning.” Enos told him

“Well, we got a little bit of a problem out here at the farm. Luke had some kind of accident or something and can’t remember nothing not even his name and the General Lee is missing.”

“Possum on a gum bush.” Enos said using one of his favorite sayings “Is Luke okay?”

“Well, Doc Pedicord was just here. He said it looks like Luke got hit on the head and it also looks like somebody had him tied up. You haven’t heard nothing about no trouble in Hazzard last night have ya?”

“No, sir” Enos told him “But I’ll sure ask around and I’ll keep an eye out for the General Lee too.”

“You do that, Enos. Much obliged.” Jesse told him, hanging up the phone. He looked back at his youngest nephew and his niece. “Enos ain’t heard nothing about anything unusual happening last night but he’s gonna ask around and keep an eye out for the General Lee too.”

“Maybe me and Daisy should take Dixie and check out some of Luke’s usual spots. Maybe we can find the General.” Bo suggested

“Why don’t you do that?” Jesse agreed “I’ll stay here with Luke.”

The two cousins hurried outside and climbed into Daisy’s jeep with Bo behind the wheel. The chickens in the barnyard scattered as Bo pulled out of the driveway. Bo started checking out all the spots in the county where Luke liked to go, either to make out with girls, fish or just when he wanted to be alone. It was a long shot but he hoped that maybe they’d find the General at one of them. He decided to check out Lover’s rock first since it was the closest to the Duke farm but they didn’t find anything there. Next he drove to Widow’s Peak but came up empty there too.

So they kept looking. For the next two hours they went from one spot to another. Jenson’s Holler, Hazzard Pond, the old Indian Caves, Lookout Point, Hunter’s Ridge. He even checked out Jesse’s old still sites. But each place they looked they didn’t find any sign of Luke being there or of the General Lee. Bo was starting to run out of places to look and he was getting more worried by the minute.

“Where to now?” Daisy said, starting to get worried herself. She knew that Luke would never have left the General Lee just sitting some place voluntarily. The boys co-owned the orange stock car and they had built it themselves. It was their pride and joy. And everybody in Hazzard County knew who the General Lee belonged to so it was doubtful if anyone would try to steal it. Not unless they wanted to tangle with the Duke boys and nobody in their right mind who knew the Dukes wanted to do that.

“I don’t know.” Bo said trying to think. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers  “Henderson Ridge.” He said “That’s close to Mary Anne’s house and Luke takes girls up there sometimes.”

“You two sure have all your hiding spots down pat, don’t ya?” Daisy said with a laugh.

“Very funny.” Bo teased back “As I recall you have a few favorite spots of your own that you like to go to.”

Ten minutes later, Bo turned into the dirt road that curved around through the woods until it dead ended at Henderson Ridge, an isolated spot that was perfect if you were looking for a place to make out where you knew you wouldn’t be disturbed.  As they got closer to Henderson Ridge, Daisy yelled “Look!” and pointed her finger ahead of them. Bo saw the sunlight reflecting off the bright orange of the General Lee’s paint job. He grinned happily, they may not know for sure what had happened to Luke to put him in his present condition but at least they had found the General.

Bo pulled Dixie up behind the General and the two cousins climbed out of the jeep. Bo started to check out the General to make sure nothing was wrong with the vehicle that had forced Luke to leave it where it was. Suddenly, Daisy screamed and almost scared Bo out of his skin. “Daisy, what’s wr….” He said, stopping in his tracks as he ran around to the front of the General Lee and saw what had made Daisy scream.

Lying on the ground a few feet away from the car was the naked body of a young girl. Blood streaked both of her legs and a rope was tied so tightly around her neck that it had cut deeply into the skin. It was obvious that she had been viciously raped and murdered. Bo swallowed hard to keep his breakfast from coming back up and pulled Daisy into his arms protectively. She was shaking violently and crying softly. Neither one of them had expected to find anything like this.