by: Marty Chrisman
The Dukes decided that there was no point in saying anything to Luke about the discovery of the girl’s body. Since he couldn’t remember anything, they agreed that the news would only upset him needlessly. But the discovery of the murder made the circumstances surrounding Luke’s own injury more sinister. To protect one of their own, the family would close racks around Luke and do whatever they had to do to keep him from any further harm.
Since Daisy had to go to work and Jesse needed to go into town for a few things, Bo would have to stay at the farm with Luke, who had been sitting on the front porch swing ever since Doc left after examining him that morning. Grabbing a couple of glasses of lemonade, Bo went out on the porch to join his older cousin. Luke accepted the glass of lemonade without comment and took a drink, still staring off into the distance.
“Ya know, cousin, the scenery don’t change much.” Bo said trying to lighten up the noticeable tension in the air.
“I wouldn’t know.” Luke told him “I don’t remember ever seeing it before.” There was a certain flatness in Luke’s tone that set Bo’s nerves on edge. He wasn’t even acting like Luke. The two boys had always been so close, ever since they were kids. Luke had also been more like the big brother that Bo looked up to, admired, and wanted to grow up to be just like. But their bond went beyond that, it was almost psychic in nature sometimes. They could sense when the other one was in trouble or in pain and often finished each other’s sentences or thoughts. It could be unnerving to be around when that kicked in for someone who wasn’t used to it. Except last night. Last night Bo hadn’t sensed any problem with Luke the way he usually could.
“Dang it, Luke…” Bo said “I don’t know what I’m suppose to say or how I’m suppose to act…..I keep forgetting you can’t remember nothing…”
“Why should you care? It’s not your problem.” Luke said in that same flat tone that was grating on Bo’s nerves.
“Well, I do care!” Bo said more sharply then he intended but only because Luke’s words hurt his feelings. “You’re my cousin and I love you! And I’m worried and just as scared as you are.”
“I doubt that.” Luke said with a thin smile and a humorless laugh.
Bo frowned. This wasn’t getting them anywhere. It was hard to carry on a conversation with someone who didn’t remember you or the bond that you shared. Someone who treated you like a stranger. Bo had always been the type of person who got frustrated easily. He wanted to reach out and shake Luke, snap him out of this strange state he was in, but he knew that wouldn’t do any good. And, unfortunately, patience had always been one of Luke’s strongest traits, not Bo’s. Bo was much more impulsive, acting or reacting first and then thinking about his actions or the consequences later.
“Well, how about helping with the chores since we didn’t get ‘em done this morning?” Bo suggested “Unless you got a problem with that. It’s better than just sitting here all day.”
“Sure, why not?” Luke said shoving himself to his feet. “Just tell me what you want me to do….”
“You know wh…” Bo caught himself when he remembered that Luke really didn’t know what needed to be done. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Okay, let’s go to the barn and I’ll show ya.”
The two boys walked around the corner of the house and across the barnyard to the barn. Bo paused trying to decide which chores to have Luke do. Finally he decided to just let him do the easiest one first. He had handed him a basket and said “Here, you can gather the eggs while I feel Maudine and the goats.”
Luke stood there for a minute with a faint smile on his lips. Finally, he said “You wanna show me where they are?”
“Uh…yeah…sure.” Bo said cursing himself for forgetting again that Luke couldn’t even remember that. He led him around to the side of the barn and showed him where they kept the chickens. He left him to gather the eggs while he went to take care of the goats and the mule. As he started feeding the goats, Bo found himself wondering what it would be like one morning to wake up and not be able to remember your name, where you were or even recognize your own family. To totally lose your entire identity. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what Luke must be going through. Bo knew that he would be going crazy and knowing Luke as well as he did, he figured that was probably pretty close to how Luke must be feeling about now.
By the time he finished feeding the goats and Maudine, Luke had finished gathering the eggs. Next it was time to milk the two goats and the cow. Thankfully Luke remembered how to milk them even if he didn’t remember having done it a hundred times before. After finishing the milking, the boys went into the house to find something to eat for lunch. Bo rummaged through the refrigerator and found some left over ham so he made them both a couple of sandwiches and poured them each a glass of lemonade.
They ate in silence, a rarity for both of them. But neither of them seemed to know just what to say to each other. Luke because he couldn’t remember anything to talk about and Bo because he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Bo heard a car pulling into the drive. Shoving himself to his feet, he walked over to the sink and glanced out the window. Dang. It was Enos. Bo had forgotten about him saying he was going to come by the farm for a statement from Bo and Daisy. “Uh…hey, Luke…” he said “I gotta go outside for a minute…so why don’t you just go in the living room and watch TV or something?” Without waiting for an answer, he pushed open the back door and went outside just as Enos was climbing out of his squad car.
“Hey, Enos.” He said
“Hey, Bo.” Enos greeted him with friendly grin. Enos always seemed to have a smile on his face. He was just one of those people who seemed to be cheerful all the time.
It could get downright annoying sometimes. “I thought you should know that we identified the girl. It was little Angie Baker.”
“Gee, that’s too bad. I’ll make sure and let Uncle Jesse know.” Bo said “Did you find anything else?”
“Well, it looks like there were at least two other men there, probably three. And somebody was definitely tied up. I found the pieces of a cut rope with the knots still tied in it.”
“That had to have been Luke.” Bo said “Doc said he had marks on his wrists that looked like he’d been tied up.”
“That’s still not enough to clear Luke as a suspect.” Enos said
“Oh come on, Enos!” Bo said sharply “You can’t believe that Luke had anything to do with what happened to that poor little girl!”
“Of course not….” Enos said, shocked that Bo would even think that he would even consider such a thing. “But I still have to be able to prove it.”
“When can I get the General back?”
“I don’t know, Bo….maybe a couple days. I have to go through it yet looking for evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?”
“Anything to prove that there were other men in the car besides Luke or that Angie was in the car.” Enos told him “I promise, Bo….I’ll find a way to prove that Luke didn’t have nothing to do with it.” He glanced at the house nervously “Is Luke here?”
“Yes, he is…but you ain’t talking to him.” Bo told him firmly “He can’t remember anything anyway and you’re not gonna upset him any more than he already is.”
“I’m gonna have to talk to him sooner or later, Bo.” Enos said. He chose his words carefully, he knew that Bo had the Duke temper and he didn’t want to set him off “Well you ain’t doing it right now!” Bo said sharply, his eyes flashing with more irritation than anger “And Uncle Jesse will tell ya that you need a warrant anyway.”
“Well, I guess I better go. I’ll talk to ya later, Bo.” Enos said uneasily. Bo and Luke were his friends and he didn’t like being in the position he was in either. But he took his job seriously. It was the only thing he had ever wanted to do with his life.
“Later, Enos.” Bo said. He stood there and watched as the deputy climbed back into his squad car, then he turned and went back into the house. He wandered into the living room and joined Luke who was watching a movie on TV.