by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 16: California Dreamin’

 

It took Daisy an hour and a half to get to Atlanta, and another twenty minutes to actually get into the airport parking lot. The last time she’d been here, she’d been going the same place – Los Angeles, but back then she’d wide-eyed and excited, going across the country to drive in the Baja Auto Race, with the perk of seeing Enos again while she was there.

He was just Officer Strate back then, somehow always getting caught up in wild adventures with his fellow officer, Turk Adams. She’d stay up late into the night, reading the letters he’d send her every week of the world outside of Hazzard. She would write him back occasionally, but not often. There just wasn’t much to say about home. Nothing ever changed, and about all she could tell him was that she missed him, though she had phrased it as “we miss you” instead of “I miss you”.

“When’s the next flight to Los Angeles?” she asked the girl at the ticket counter.

The woman checked a log-book next to her on the desk. “We have three seats left on our 10:15. It’s boarding in about ten minutes, though.”

“I’ll take a ticket for that one, please.”

“Will this be one-way or round trip?”

“Uh…” she hadn’t thought that far about it. “Just one-way for now,” she said. “I’m not sure when I’ll be comin’ back.”

She paid for the ticket, checked the gate number, and rushed off to find it. Her ticket was for seat 37B, which meant she ended up flanked on either side by two strangers. To her left, in the window seat was a pimply-faced teenage boy, whose first reaction to Daisy sitting down beside him was to oggle her chest. On her right was a woman dressed in a smart business suit with too much makeup, reading the Wall Street Journal.

Daisy closed her eyes and lay her head back against the seat, trying to think of what to say Enos when she found him. The truth,…but what was the truth, exactly? It had been so long since she’d been honest even with herself about it, she hardly knew where to start. And what if he’d left because he really didn’t want to talk about it? What if he didn’t want to hear what she had to say? What if he just wanted to forget her?

No, she resolved, he had come back, and whether he’d set out in the beginning for anything to happen between them or not, something almost had. She determined she was just going to think positive about the whole thing. After all, this was Enos, not some stranger- however long he’d been gone.

The hours dragged on and on until, after a little over four and a half hours, the plane finally landed at LAX. She stepped out of the plane and into what might just as well have been a foreign county. Surrounded by strangers, her courage wavered, feeling like someone who had no business in such a place.

This was what she’d sent him to, her conscience reminded her. On June 7th, 1985, on a rainy night in Georgia, Enos left his home and came here – to this sea of people who all seemed to be in a hurry. Sweet Enos, who she knew would have rather stayed in Hazzard than have all the money in the world. She took a deep breath and walked through the giant terminal until she saw a sign directing her to the main entrance and the taxis.

The driver of the cab gave her an odd look when she asked him to take her to the Metro division of the LAPD, but shrugged his shoulders and said something in an accent that Daisy couldn’t quite catch. Driving into the heart of L.A. took it’s toll on her nerves, and each mile seemed to take an eternity. The buildings rose around her like massive sentinels of concrete and glass. Finally, the taxi pulled over at 150 North Los Angeles Street in front of the Parker Center, the headquarters for the LAPD. She paid the driver and got out.

Her footsteps on the granite floor echoed through the lobby as she made her way to the elevators. She read through the information posted on the wall, found the Homicide Division, and hit the ‘up’ button for the elevator. It dinged softly as it opened, and three officers exited past her. The door nearly closed again before she could make herself move. She caught it just in time and slipped in as it reopened, and leaned against the wall, thinking that she couldn’t remember in all her life being so nervous, and still having no idea what she was going to say. After a short ride, there was another ding and the door slid open onto a small landing. Across from the elevator was a glass door that read “Homicide Division”. She opened it and went inside.

The rest of the building had been mostly quiet. She supposed the evening and night saw more activity from the LAPD than the morning hours did, but here there was a flurry of activity. Rows of light brown metal desks and file cabinets scattered with stacks of folders sat in the slightly cluttered and chaotic room. The acrid smell of print toner and coffee hung in the air, and if the room had been any larger it would have been overwhelming. As it was, it looked like the Robbery/Homicide Division had outgrown it’s living space.

“Ma’am,” said a woman at the front desk, “is there something I can help you with?”

Daisy tore her eyes away from the rest of the room and looked at her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m lookin’ for Detective Enos Strate.”

“Oh, he was just in a couple hours ago, but he left. I could leave him a message if you’d like.”

“No. No, that’s okay. Do you know when he might be back?”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t.” she answered.

Daisy sighed. “Okay, well…thanks. I guess I’ll check back later.” She pushed the door back open and hit the elevator button, wondering where she could go to wait when she heard the door behind her open.

“Excuse me…Ma’am?”

She turned around to see a young woman, barely past her teens, with long black hair coming towards her. “Um…yes?”

“You’re her, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry,” said Daisy, confused. “I’m who?”

The girl smiled. “I’m sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m Connie,” she said sticking her hand out, “and you have to be Daisy Duke.”

Daisy shook her hand awkwardly. “That’s me. How’d you know?”

“Well, I’d know you from your picture on the news, but you’re the same girl Detective Strate had a picture of in his top drawer.” She blanched as though she’d been caught red-handed at something. “Not that I was snooping! I just…I had some papers for him a couple months ago, but he wasn’t in his office, and I needed a pen, and… Ooo, sorry, I’m rambling.”

Daisy grinned. “That’s okay, I’m sure he wouldn’t be that upset.”

“Oh no, he doesn’t seem like the type that would.” The girl’s face turned suddenly serious. “Ms. Duke…”

“Daisy.”

“…Daisy, what are you doing here?”

“I need t’ talk to Enos. Do ya’ have any idea when he’d be back?”

Connie shook her head, a puzzled look on her face. “But that’s just it. He quit this morning.”

Daisy thought she might need to sit down. She leaned back against the wall behind her. “What d’ya’ mean, he quit?” she whispered.

“He came in here about 7:00 this morning, turned in his badge to the Chief, and cleaned out his desk. Of course he’s still on paid leave right now for the next month and a half, but pretty much that means he’s done, I guess. He told me it had been real nice working with me and left.”

“But…where…”

“Gosh, Ms…I mean Daisy, I don’t really have a clue. I know he got a job offer from the Montana State Patrol a few weeks ago. We were all trying to talk him into taking it – not that we wanted to get rid of him or anything, I mean he’s a great detective, but we know how much he hates Los Angeles. He gets that look sometimes, you know, and you can tell he’s missing something.”

“Montana…” How th’ hell was she gonna find him there?

“Look, we’re not supposed to give out personal information, but I’m sure he’d want to know you’re here. He doesn’t have a phone, but this is where he lives,” she handed Daisy a scrap of paper with directions on it. “I put down directions on it. The quickest way to get there is taking the subway if you don’t mind walking. Just turn left when you leave the building, then turn left on East 1st, and Civic Center Station is three blocks. You can’t miss it. It’s the only other place I know to tell you to check.”

“Oh, Connie! I can’t thank you enough.”

“I’m just glad you’re safe, ma’am,” she said, her face clouding. “Detective Strate…he was really broken up when the Chief told him you were missing.” Someone in the office behind her called the receptionist’s name. “I’ve got to get back. Good luck to you, Daisy.” She opened the door and disappeared back inside before Daisy could reply.

She looked down at the piece of paper clutched in her hand. The subway was three blocks away, and she had a sinking feeling she needed to hurry. She jabbed the ‘down’ button again on the elevator in a useless attempt to make it faster. At last she made it back into the elevator, down to the first floor and outside the building. She started towards the station, not even realizing that she was running by the time she made it there. It took her a couple minutes to figure out the ticket vending machine, and she ended up buying a day pass instead of a one-way ticket. She stepped into one of the cars on the Metro Purple Line, and fifteen minutes later, she was at her stop. Checking the directions again, she turned left and walked about half a block until she found Pinehurst Street.

She wasn’t sure if these were what people called condos or if they were just apartments. She supposed at one time the old, tall, brick houses that seemed awfully crammed together might have just belonged to one family – back in California’s more prosperous days and less populated days. 1141 Pinehurst was no different that any of the rest, stuck between two other houses that looked exactly the same, save for their trim. She stood at the door, feeling dreadfully out of place as she tried to figure out how people got in, until she saw the list of names and buzzers on a panel in the brick facing. Second from the bottom read “3C Strate”. She pushed the buzzer next to his name and waited, but there was no answer. Subsequent buzzings were met with equal silence, and she was just about to give up when the door opened and another man came out.

“You need in?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks,” she said as he held the door for her.

“No problem, half the time those buzzers don’t work for crap.”

The door closed behind her and she found herself in a cramped alcove with a narrow metal staircase leading up to other floors. She supposed 3C would mean the third floor so she headed up. C turned out to be the very last apartment on the floor, and the way it was situated in the building, Daisy was fairly sure it couldn’t be much larger inside than a broom closet. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A man stuck his head out from the next door apartment to look at her. “Yo, girl! If you’re lookin’ for Enos, he’s done gone.”

Her heart sank. “How long ago?”

“Aw, dude..prob’ly three hours ago. The door’s open if you want to check. He told us we could have the furniture if we wanted. Guess he was in a hurry.”

“He just left everything?”

“Yeah, bummer, too. It was nice havin’ a cop livin’ around. Our apartment hadn’t been robbed but once the last six months.” The man disappeared back inside his room and she heard the sound of a chain lock fastening from the other side.

Daisy put her hand on the knob and turned it, slowly opening the door. “Enos?” she called, though she knew from the silence the place was empty. She went in and closed the door behind her. Like his room at the boarding house in Hazzard had been, the place was neat and tidy, and sparse. There was nothing more than a bed, a tiny bathroom, and a half-stove, the kind you’d expect to find in a small cabin with only two burners. The closet was open and he’d taken his clothes, but that appeared to be it. The bed was still made and what little furniture he had was still there.

She took the pillow from his bed and sat down, hugging to to herself and looking out the window that didn’t show much of anything outside. His pillow smelled of the aftershave he wore and it made tears spring to her eyes. It was all she had left of him…and it was nothing. Nothing at all.

Her eyes caught a piece of fabric sticking out from behind the bed post, something that had gotten left behind. She knelt down, pulled it out, and smiled sadly. It was one of his favorite fishing shirts, a soft blue and gray flannel that she’d always thought made him look so…huggable, and she thought she might have even told him that one time. Daisy sighed, remembering the shy, pleased smile he undoubtedly would have given her for such a comment. She pulled the shirt on over her own, got up, and left the apartment, closing the door behind her. For a minute, she debated where to go, but in truth there was no where left for her to look. Whether he was still somewhere in L.A. or on his way to Montana, he might as well have been on the moon. A warm breeze blew past her, smelling of brine and tasting of the tears that filled her eyes.

“I’ve lost him,” she thought, and in doing so she knew she’d lost a piece of herself forever.

At least before, she’d known where he was – all those years she could have driven or flown to California and found him and told him the truth and begged him to come home to her. What she wouldn’t give to turn back time.

Now the only thing left was to go back to Hazzard. She could call the Montana State Patrol and see if he’d taken the job – if they’d even tell her such a thing over the phone – and try to track him down, but it would be an uphill battle with little chance of ever finding him again.

She went back to the subway station and studied the line maps until she figured out how to get back to LAX and a home that wasn’t where her heart was.

by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 15: Best Laid Plans

 

Dawn rose over the little farmhouse in Eastern Hazzard County like it did every other morning. It wasn’t a holiday, it was no one’s birthday, it wasn’t even a ‘Sunday morning ‘go-t’-meetin’-day’, but Daisy climbed out of bed with a feeling of anticipation like a kid on Christmas morning, dressed, and went to the kitchen to start breakfast.

“Mornin’, Uncle Jesse,” she said, happily.

“Mornin’ Daisy,” he answered. “Feelin’ better?”

She’d forgot she had left supper in a foul mood. “Yes sir, nothin’ a good night sleep didn’t cure.”

Bo and Luke stumbled in, bleary eyed as usual. “Mornin’ fella’s. Ya’ know, y’all should go t’ bed earlier if you’re gonna look that worse for wear this early.”

Luke shot a sour look at Bo. “I’ll just be happy when I can have th’ guest room back. Can’t nobody get a wink o’ sleep with Bo’s snorin’ all night long.”

“Me? I’m not th’ one who had t’ get up in th’ middle of the night. Why th’ heck’d ya’ have t’ turn the gosh-darned light on for at two in th’ mornin’?”

“I though maybe you were dyin’ or somethin’, you were so loud.”

“Boys, quit your fussin’,” said Uncle Jesse. “Just sit down an’ have yer breakfast.”

“Yes sir,” griped Bo.

Luke poured himself a cup of coffee and looked out the window. “Huh, wonder where Enos left off to this mornin’. Ain’t like him t’ get up early.”

Daisy frowned. “What’d ya’ mean?”

“Well, his car ain’t here,” shrugged Luke. “I don’t reckon it drove itself off somewhere’s.”

“He didn’t say anything about going anywhere this mornin’,” she complained. That effectively knocked her plans out of the water.

“He probl’y wanted t’ get away from you for a while,” teased Bo, “You been fussin’ over him like a mother hen ever since he got hisself shot.”

Luke took a drink of his coffee to keep from laughing at the blush that stained her cheeks. He’d always wondered about his cousin on that subject. Everybody’d always known how Enos felt about Daisy – he’d worn his heart on his sleeve since they were kids, but Daisy…now she was harder to read.
As he’d told Bo before, he’d always thought like everyone else had, that she wasn’t interested in him at all. Hindsight was 20/20, though, and he’d been the one to have to tell her Enos was gone after she’d married L.D. The change in her had been immediate and lasting, like someone had stolen the sun from her sky, and for all he knew it had been raining over his cousin for the last three and a half years – until Enos had showed up one night outta the blue to come and save her. He wondered if it was as apparent to everyone else as it was to him that she was in love with the man.

“Well, now,” he said, watching for her reaction, “I don’t recall Enos ever havin’ a problem with Daisy’s attentions before.”

The easy smile and smart comment he would have expected to have heard from her five years ago was gone, replaced only by an even deeper blush and exasperated look his way as she turned her back on them, which only served to further confirm his suspicions.

“He said he had t’ go down to Atlanta sometime this week t’ do some paperwork with th’ State Patrol,” she said. “He prob’ly just got up and left early t’ get it over with.” She opened the front door and went outside to feed the animals.

Luke turned his attention back to the table to finish his breakfast when he noticed Uncle Jesse watching him. “What?”

“Stop pickin’ on yer cousin,” he said sternly, and Luke knew his uncle had picked up on her odd behavior as well.

“I…”

“Luke…”

“Yes, sir.”

 

Daisy was in the barn when she heard the sound of a car coming across the field. As much as she hoped it was Enos, she wasn’t surprised when she saw Cletus’s patrol car jouncing along over the uneven ground. Wondering what kind of charge Rosco had thought up for the boys this time, Daisy ran back into the house.

“Cletus is comin’,” she told them.

Bo groaned. “This better not be about that dang school crossin’ sign Rosco put out on Skunk Hollow Road th’ other day. I’m about t’ give that man a piece of my mind if he’s done sendin’ Cletus out on house calls fer tickets now.”

“Now Bo,” said Uncle Jesse, “Just calm down and lets see what he wants.”

They heard the car door open and shut, the footsteps on the porch, and finally the knock on the door. Daisy waited a few seconds and opened it.

“Hey Cletus, you sure are out bright an’ early this mornin’,” she said.

“Mornin’, Daisy,” he replied shyly, removing his hat. He turned to the others. “Hey fellas, hey Uncle Jesse.”

“I ain’t yer Uncle Jesse, Cletus. What brings ya’ here?”

“If this is about that ticket Rosco says we owe him for,” said Bo, “you can just take it right back to him. Ain’t no school on Skunk Hollow Road.”

Cletus laughed and waved his hand dismissively. “Oh no, this ain’t nothin’ like that. I just come by t’ let ya’ know that you’ve got a brake light out on th’ General. Saw it when you were pulling outta th’ Boar’s Nest yesterday. Thought I’d let ya’ know for I have t’ pull y’ over for it.”

“Well, we’re much obliged, Cletus,” said Luke. “but I don’t think Rosco’s gonna take kindly to ya’ bein’ out here warnin’ us.”

“Oh, that don’t matter none. He’s not around today on account of he had t’ drop Enos off at th’ airport in Atlanta early this mornin’.”

Confused looks surrounded the table.

“Th’ airport?” asked Uncle Jesse, baffled. “He didn’t say nothin’ about leavin’ th’ other day.”

Cletus shrugged. “I don’t know anything about it, I just heard him sayin’ to Rosco that there was somethin’ he had t’ take care of back in L.A. ‘fore it was too late.”

The slam of the door startled Cletus as Daisy ran out of the kitchen. “Jumpin’ Jeehosaphat! She done nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Luke and Uncle Jesse both got up from the table. “Hey, Cletus,” said Luke, steering him out towards the door, “Thanks for lettin’ us know about that brake light, we’ll be sure t’ take care of it.”

“Oh, no problem,” said the deputy, not taking the hint to leave. “Say, ya’ think I might be able t’ get a bushel of apples from ya’ this spring? My momma’s wantin’ t’ put up some fresh applesauce.”

“Uh, sure, Cletus…no problem. Ya’ know, I think I heard Rosco callin’ ya on your CB. You’d best be getting’ outta here.”

“Oh! Thanks Luke, I’ll see y’all later.”

Luke waved as Cletus got in his car, turned around, and pulled out towards the road.

“Luke.” Uncle Jesse called to him quietly from the doorway and pointed to the barn.

He nodded to his uncle and walked over to the barn and the door that was partially open. He found Daisy sitting against the wall. He walked over and knelt down in front of her.

“If you’re here to make fun of me, you can just go away.”

He looked at her confused. “I wouldn’t do that, Daisy, you know that.”

“I don’t need any advice, either.”

“That’s fine. How ’bout you tell me what’s goin’ on.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. “Tell me somethin’, Luke. If there was a girl you really wanted t’ be with and she led you on all the time an’ acted like it didn’t mean anything to her, would ya’ still want t’ be with her?”

“Well, I don’t know. Is she pretty?”

She gave him a disgusted look, stood up, and walked out the other side of the barn into the field. He ran after her and stopped her.

“Wait, Daisy…Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to joke. I…just… I don’t know what you want me to say. Just talk to me and stop with th’ ‘what-if’s’.”

She turned back to him and in the daylight he could see the tear tracks on her cheeks. “Enos left because of me.”

He shook his head. “I’m not followin’ you. Did somethin’ happen between you two yesterday? You were all down in the dumps, but he didn’t seem like anything was wrong.”

“No, Luke, nothin’ happened yesterday.”

Luke knew her well enough that that wasn’t the whole story. “Daisy, I’m just a guy. I’m not good with riddles. Can’t you just tell me what’s wrong?”

She looked up at him and took a deep breath. “If I tell you what I’ve done to that man, you’ll understand, but it won’t make me an angel, that’s for darn sure.”

“Daisy, we’ve all done things we regret. Just tell me, I swear I won’t talk about it t’ anyone else, not even Uncle Jesse if ya’ don’t want.”

She hesitated, trying to find the right words, but eventually just settled on the simple truth. “I love him, Luke.”

“Well, alright…I kinda figured that out on my own.”

“That’s not the bad part. The bad part is how long I’ve loved him.”

He shrugged. “A lot of people find out how much they love someone when they go away. Y’ain’t been th’ same ever since he left Hazzard.”

“It wasn’t this last time he left that I figured it out.”

“What? When he came back from LA the first time?”

She shook her head, ashamed to even say it aloud. “Remember when he left for the Academy?”

“Daisy, that…that was…nearly twenty years ago.”

“Puts things in a whole different light now, doesn’t it? I’ve spent twenty years making him believe he never meant anything to me, and now, when I’ve finally come to my senses, he’s given up on me.” Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered.

Luke just stared at her, bewildered. It was a lot to take in because if she’d felt this way since they were kids, there were a whole lot of things that took on new meaning. It also meant that… “Daisy, why’d you marry L.D. if you loved Enos?”

She looked away, shaking her head. “I don’t have a good answer for that one. I guess I thought he could do better than me, an’ his ma’ said some pretty nasty things about it, too. I thought he’d just find someone else, not move to California. Pretty awful, huh?”

He hardly knew what to say to her. Truthfully it gave him a queasy feeling to think of how Enos must have felt, and any way it was sifted it sure looked like she’d waited too long to say what needed to be said. “Look,” he answered finally, “what’s done is done. You’re not gonna be able to change th’ past, so you’d better start workin’ on th’ future.”

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“Just come on.” He took her by the arm and steered her back to the house and through the now empty kitchen, into the room he’d been sharing with Bo. “Stand there and don’t run off,” he told her as he opened the top of the dresser drawer and took out a wooden box.

She knew that box, it was where he’d put the rest of the money he’d gotten from the reward for catching Andy Higgins. As she watched, he took several $100 dollar bills from it, folded them together, and closed it back up. “Luke, what’re you doin’?”

He turned back to her. “Take this. Go to Atlanta, get on a plane to Los Angeles, and you go tell him the truth.”

“Luke, I’m not gonna take your money.”

“Daisy, it ain’t hardly mine in th’ first place. Me an’ Bo were just along for th’ ride when we got Andy. If you wanna know, it’s more Enos’s money than mine. He’s the one who did all th’ hard work findin’ th’ guy.” He pressed the money into her hands. “I ain’t takin’ no for an answer. You go and find him and tell him what you should’a told him a long time ago.”

Daisy could have stood there and argued, but more than anything she wanted to go after him. She threw her arms around her cousin’s neck. “Oh Luke…thank you.”

“You just do what you need t’ do, Daisy.” he said, hugging her back. “and be careful.”

 

Luke walked back behind the house where Bo and Uncle Jesse were working on untangling a roll of bailing wire.

“Hey y’all, need some help?”

“Yep. Get them snippers over there an’ cut this part here,” said Uncle Jesse, holding a rusted knot of wire. “You talk t’ Daisy?”

“Yes, sir.”

Just then Daisy’s Jeep pulled out from the front of the house and sped down the drive towards the road. The three of them turned around to watch.

“Where’s she off to?” asked Bo.

Luke’s eyes followed the dust trail behind Dixie until she was out of sight. “Lord willing, t’ do a whole lot of explainin’.”

 

by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 14: His Father’s Son

 

When the doctor finally let Enos out of the hospital two days later, Rosco insisted on picking him up and taking him to Jake’s so he could pick up his car. The sheriff was happier than anyone could remember seeing him – not only did Rosco get to flaunt it that he’d arrested a wanted fugitive, but Enos had apparently told whoever was in charge of those kind of things that Rosco, Bo, Luke, and Amos were the ones who were responsible for the capture of Andy Higgins. Turned out there was a sizable reward out for it and split four ways still left each of them with $5000. Rumor had it that Amos’s son had a nice new still set up somewhere in the hills. Bo and Luke donated most of theirs to the mortgage on the farm.

Jake had offered to let Enos stay in the loft above the garage free of charge while he was there, but Uncle Jesse had refused to hear of it.

“Ya’ ain’t packin’ up yer bags just so you can stay where ya’ got no one t’ talk to besides Rosco an’ Cletus,” he’d told him. “‘If ya’ think you’re bein’ a burden, you can always go out an’ do some chores in th’ mornin’ t’ set your mind at ease.”

So Enos had agreed to stay at the farm, at least until he had to go back to California. He’d never said when that was, some obscure date that floated out in the future. Daisy had decided to just forget about whenever that was for now and spend as much time around him as she could…without appearing to. She’d never had a problem hiding her feelings for him from anyone before, but whether it was the circumstances that had brought them both together again, or just that she’d missed him so terribly over the last four years, she couldn’t seem to stand to stay away from him.

 

Enos put on his coat, which Daisy had cleaned and mended for him, grabbed a cup of coffee and then headed out the door – purposefully letting the screen door bang shut behind him. He needed to go up Capitol City and pay off his ma’s mortgage this morning before he forgot and she lost the house. Walking slowly, he started counting to 10.

“1..2…3…4…5…6…”

“Hey Enos, where ya’ goin’?” called Daisy from the doorway.

He grinned and turned around. “I’ve gotta go up t’ Capitol City to pay my mom’s mortgage before she has t’ move in with you.”

She laughed. “Don’t let me stop ya’.”

He rested his arms on the roof of the car before getting in. “You wanna go with me? I sure could use th’ company.”

“Sure thing, I don’t have t’ go back in to work ’till Monday. Hold on an’ let me grab my coat.” She whisked back through the door and grabbed her coat from her room. As she was leaving, she passed Uncle Jesse sitting in the living room and back-tracked.

“Hey Uncle Jesse, I’ll be back after while, I’m gonna go with Enos up to Capitol City,” she said, kissing her uncle’s cheek.

“Uh…alright,” he said, surprised, but Daisy was already gone. He heard the ‘thunk’ of the front door as it closed behind her. “Somethin’ odd goin’ on with that girl lately,” he murmured to himself.

“Hey, thanks for comin’ with me, Daisy” said Enos after she’d gotten in. “I’m probably gonna need your help at th’ bank anyhow.”

Daisy couldn’t understand why he’d need her help. “At the bank? What for?”

“Oh…you’ll see. I’ve been sendin’ my ma’ money to pay th’ mortgage for three years now, and all she did with it was bury it in th’ backyard.”

“Oh no…” She was well accustomed to his mother’s eccentricities.

He shot her a sideways glance. “There’s 14 cannin’ jars in the trunk.”

The clock on the courthouse read shortly after ten o’clock when they finally pulled up in front of the Capitol City Savings & Loan. Enos and Daisy got out and went around to the trunk. He sighed and popped it open. There were 14 jars, all quart sized and stuffed with cash.

“You weren’t kiddin’,” said Daisy, incredulous. “How much you reckon there is?”

Enos shrugged. “I’m not sure, all I know is that I sent her enough over th’ last couple years to pay off what my pa’ owed.”

Daisy took off her coat and used it as a sling to carry some, and Enos did the same with his. Between the two of them, they managed to carry all 14 jars of money into the bank in one trip. The teller wasn’t too keen on counting it all by herself and called over two of the junior tellers to help her. It took three tellers over twenty minutes to count it all, but after all was said and sifted, the total came to $36, 451.42.

Daisy was floored. “Enos, that’s…that’s a lot of money.”

“Yeah, but that was over three years.”

“Still…”

He brushed it off. “Inflation’s higher in California, so ya’ get paid a lot, but it doesn’t go very far. Believe me, it wouldn’t look like much out there.”

“Mr. Strate,” said the teller, looking up from the logbook she had been searching through, “the mortgage on the property and house for Otis and Agnes Strate is only $13,450. Would you like to start an account with the rest?”

“Oh… No, I don’t live around here anymore. I guess ya’ can just put what ya’ don’t need back in th’ jars,” he said. “Um…maybe in bigger bills than one’s an’ five’s, though, if you’ve got ’em.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like a cashier’s check, sir?”

Enos shook his head. “My ma’s a little suspicious of checks. If you can just leave it in cash, I’d be mighty obliged.”

“What are ya’ gonna do with it?” whispered Daisy.

He shrugged. “I reckon I’ll give it back to my ma’. It’s her money, she can bury in th’ yard again for all I care.”

The teller handed him three of the jars back. “Here you go, sir, $23,001.42, and a receipt for the mortgage payment. They’ll have to mail the deed to your mother. Do you want the other jars back?”

“No, I reckon you can keep ’em. Thank you kindly, ma’am.” He turned to Daisy. “Come on, let’s grab an early lunch somewhere. My ma’s buyin’.”

 

“Where th’ heck did Daisy run off to?” complained Bo, as he searched through the fridge for lunch.

Uncle Jesse looked up from his sandwich. “What’s eat’n you? Daisy ain’t normally home this time o’ th’ day anyhow.”

“Yeah but she usually makes sandwiches ‘fore she heads off t’ work in th’ mornin’.” He took the leftover ham out from the night before.

“You know, son, it ain’t your cousin’s job t’ feed your face. She just does it outta th’ love of her heart. ‘Sides, she went off somewhere’s with Enos this mornin’.”

“Enos! You know, I swear she hadn’t let him outta her sight since he got back,” he griped. “It ain’t like he’s gonna fall apart or nothin’. Heck, his arm don’t even seem hurt no more.”

“Maybe that ain’t what she thinks needs fixin’,” answered Uncle Jesse, quietly.

Bo looked up from the bread he was slicing. “Now what’s that supposed t’ mean?”

Uncle Jesse shook his head. Bo wouldn’t understand, and even if it were true, he didn’t think Daisy would appreciate him explaining it to him. “Nothin’. Fix yer lunch, then you can help me with that gate over on the north end.”

Bo sighed. “Yes sir.”

 

Enos pulled the car off Highway 20 onto the unpaved Morgan Lane, which ran alongside the old airfield. He grinned as the tires spun and then caught on the loose gravel. It reminded him of all the Saturdays spent racing on the dirt-track when he was younger. He’d been a pretty decent driver, but his cars were never anything but old beaters…nothing like this car could be. Sure, it looked like a hunk of junk from the outside, but whoever had rebuilt the Javelin’s engine had known what they were doing. He glanced over at Daisy with a look in his eyes that reminded her of when they were kids, planning out some sort of mischief.

“Think I should see how fast she’ll go?”

She looked at him warily. “As much fun as that sounds, Rosco’s favorite speed trap’s right up where this meets Mill Road, an’ you know he’ll give you a ticket.”

“He’s gotta catch me first. Buckle up, Daisy, ”

She laughed and buckled her seat belt. “You’re somethin’ else, Enos, you know that?”

He gunned it all the way to Mill Road, but instead of stopping, he downshifted and swung around the corner. The car skidded and then took off. The road was nice and straight here and he was doing nearly 65 on the hardpack when when he passed the Sheriff. Rosco flipped on his lights and siren and pulled out behind him. Enos didn’t slow down, but led the patrol car through the turns on Mill Road, gradually pulling away.

“We’ll go around Stillson Canyon an’ loose him on th’ backside,” he told her.

The CB came to life with the Sheriff’s voice. “Enos? Enos I know that’s your mangy ol’ junk-heap I’m a-chasin’. You pull it over right now, boy, or I’m gonna cuff ya’ an’ stuff ya’!”

Daisy picked up the CB. “Hey there, Rosco'” she said, happily. “I always knew Enos was a better driver than you were.”

“Daisy Duke! Ooo…you…Enos, pull that car over or you’re in deep sheep-dip!”

Enos just laughed.

“Bye Rosco!” Daisy hung the CB back up and turned around to watch Rosco.

Enos hung a left at Stillson Road. “How far back is he?”

“Oh, a quarter mile easy. You’ve got plenty of time.”

“Okay, around the next corner, hold on,” he said. “Bo and Luke always used to disappear on me through here an’ it took me forever till I figured out where they went.”

He rounded the corner at the top of the canyon where the forest was deepest, and slammed on the brakes. Throwing it in reverse, he backed up onto an old road, obscured by the overgrowth. Ten seconds later, Rosco’s patrol car came speeding around the corner and kept on going as they laughed. Enos pulled out and went back the way he’d come until he reached Mill Road. He turned left in the direction of the Duke farm, but driving the speed limit.

“Daisy…are you in an awful hurry t’ get back? Would you mind if we took a detour first?”

“No, I don’t have t’ be back for a while before I start supper. That is unless you want t’ eat Luke’s cookin’,” she teased.

“Now come on, Daisy, he’s libel t’ make ya’ wish I was cookin’.”

“Enos, you can’t boil water.”

He scowled at her. “I’ll have you know I learned how t’ do that. I can also heat soup outta th’ can now.”

“Well, you’ve surpassed Bo’s culinary skills then,” she laughed.

She was about to ask where he wanted to go, but then he turned right onto the road that led to Hazzard Pond. It was the last place she would have expected him to go – a place that she knew held more memories for the both of them than she could count. If anywhere would feel like coming home for him, it would be here. Enos pulled the car up to the bank and cut the engine.

Like a typical Georgia February, the temperature which had hovered in the lower 40’s that morning was now in the 70’s. Small patches of ice at the base of the trees, sheltered in the shade and the cooler air near the water, were all that remained of the storm which had wreaked havoc the week before.

Enos threw his coat back in the car beside Daisy’s, and scooped up a handful of pebbles from the bank before joining her where she sat on the hood. He handed her half of them and they sat together, unspeaking, as one by one they tossed them out into the water.

If he closed his eyes, he could imagine they were kids again, sitting in the sun throwing rocks into Hazzard Pond, a ritual they’d once overlooked as nothing but wasting time. Just the two of them – before everything had gone to hell in a hand-basket.

“Why’d you do it?” she asked, breaking the silence of his daydream.

He frowned, not understanding. “Why’d I do what?”

“Why’d you want Rosco t’ chase you?”

“I don’t know, Daisy,” he said, shrugging. “Why not?” He threw the last of his pebbles as far out as he could.

“It’s just…you’ve always been such a stickler about the law, that’s all.”

He didn’t answer, but sat looking out over the pond, and minutes passed before he spoke again.

“Did I ever tell you ’bout th’ time Rosco almost caught me runnin’ shine on th’ way back to the Academy?”

“Yeah, I remember. With Dewey an’ some other guy. You were drivin’, though, it wasn’t like you had a choice except t’ run from him.”

Enos shook his head. “That’s the story…but that ain’t what really happened.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“Rosco wasn’t anywhere near us. We could’a gotten t’ ol’ man Tillson’s easy. But, well…I wanted t’ know what it felt like – to do what my pa’ had done. Just once.”

“You mean…you picked up Rosco on purpose?” That was so far removed from the Enos she’d always known, she didn’t even know what to think.

“The other guy’s didn’t know hide from hair up there in them parts, they never knew I back-tracked.”

Daisy was dumbfounded. “You never told me that.”

He looked down at his hands, fidgeting nervously. “I never told anyone…mostly ’cause of how much it scared me.”

“Being chased by the police?”

Enos looked back up at her. “No…it scared me ’cause I loved it.”

There was no doubt in Daisy’s mind that he was telling the truth. His eyes took on a far away look as he relived the memory. Gradually, they focused again, though not on her face, but on an errant strand of her hair. Unthinkingly he brushed it back from her face, his fingers slowly following the length of it.

“You know what Bo an’ Luke used t’ say to me when I got hired on as a deputy? They used t’ ask me how come I was on th’ wrong side of th’ law when I knew good an’ well my daddy’d been a moonshiner like every one else up in th’ hills.”

“Oh, now, Enos, you know they they didn’t mean any harm by it. They were just joshin’ you was all.”

“I know that, Daisy. Thing is,” he said, “there is a part of me that’s on that other side. I’m th’ son of a ridge-runner, and as much as I used to want to believe it, no badge is ever gonna take that part away.” His hand moved from where it absently toyed with her hair, to gently cup the side of her face. “No matter how far away I run, there are some things that will always be a part of me…”

He pulled her closer to him, and her breath caught as she realized he was going to kiss her. As the thought raced through her mind, he stopped – only an inch away, and snatched his hand away from her face. He sat back, obviously surprised by what he’d almost done.

“Gosh, I’m…I’m sorry, Daisy.” He shook his head slightly, as if clearing away the remainder of whatever had possessed him, and jumped down off the car. “Come on, we’d better get back unless we wanna eat Luke’s cookin’.”

He shot her a grin, but Daisy could only stare back. She slid down from the hood, shell-shocked and confused. The ghost of a memory from long ago swirled around her – of 17 year old Enos, looking up at her from from the shore as she climbed the bank, with eyes full of confused passion. As she got into the car, she thought she knew how he must have felt that day.

Five minutes later, they pulled up in front of the farmhouse. Enos hopped out, greeting Bo who was working on something under the hood of the General, as though nothing in the world had almost happened. It was nearly enough to make Daisy question her sanity and wonder if she’d just imagined the whole thing.

She was so distracted, she nearly ruined supper. It was saved only by Uncle Jesse’s quick hands taking the skillet from her and moving it off the burner.

“Daisy, you alright?” he asked. “You’re actin’ like ya’ ain’t here at all.”

“I’m sorry, Uncle Jesse,” she said. “I’m fine, just tired, I guess.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, knowing well enough an excuse when he heard one. “You sure? You ain’t been yourself since ya’ got back.”

“No, I’m okay. Would ya’ call th’ guys for supper for me?”

“Yeah, I’ll hunt ’em up.”

“Thanks, Uncle Jesse.”

It was the strangest meal she could ever remember sitting through. Enos, Bo, and Luke were talking about the Hazzard dirt-track, laughing and reminiscing over races and wrecks they’d had growing up. Uncle Jesse even joined in, reminding them that he’d won more races there than any of them had ever run…back when he was young and stupid, to which Bo commented he didn’t know they had cars back then.

Daisy felt like the odd duck. She had no heart to join in and instead sat, watching Enos out of the corner of her eye, wondering how he act so all-fired normal. As dinner wound down to a close, it suddenly struck her that their roles had somehow reversed. He was the one who was supposed to be sitting shyly at the table while she rattled on about something. An idea, one that threatened to shed light on everything that had ever happened between them, began to take shape in her mind.

“Ain’t that right, Daisy?”

Her eyes snapped up to meet Enos’s and she realized she hadn’t heard a word of what he’d been saying to her.

“Sorry, what?” she asked him.

Bo whistled at her. “Yoo hoo, hello… Daisy, if I didn’t see ya’ sittin’ here, I’d swear you’d gotten lost somewhere’s out yonder,” he said, gesturing at the door.

“I’m sorry, y’all. I think I’m gonna turn in.” She got up and left the table. The sound of her bedroom door closing echoed through the house.

“Wonder what’s gotten into her?” asked Luke.

Bo shrugged. “Darned if I know. Prob’ly just one o’ those woman things.”

Enos said nothing. Today it had all seemed so clear again, almost as though the day itself had been drenched in sepia tones of the past. He’d gotten caught up in his own reminiscing, though, and in real life he’d played out his dream unawares, coming to his senses only just in time. His fingers ached with the memory of touching her, and it had taken all the will he could muster to let her go and walk away. If there were to be a second time, he didn’t trust himself to stop again. He knew the time had come to make a decision. It had to be done sooner or later, and sooner would be infinitely easier than later.

 

Long after everyone else had gone to bed, Daisy sat at her window, looking out over the barren winter field. What had started off as a flicker of insight at supper had grown to an astral, and the clarity of that light illuminated everything that had ever happened between the two of them. If he’d been anyone else, any other guy, she would have put his actions down as designed to teach her a well deserved and cruel lesson. It was Enos, though, and Enos had never had a vengeful bone in his whole body – except when someone had threatened her safety, her conscience duly noted.
Unintended or not, Daisy finally understood how he must have felt all those years she’d played with his heart, never acting like any of it meant anything to her. Still, he’d come back – time and time again, a glutton for more punishment at her hands.

His actions today had shown her something else as well. When he hadn’t been thinking about what he was doing, there had been no hesitation in his touch, none of the former insecurity he had always shown around her. After 20 years, she finally realized that his reticence towards her was not because he was innately shy about such things… he just had no earthly idea what she was playing at. Yet, ever since that morning he’d slept in her arms at the cabin, something had changed. There was a bond between them that she thought had once been lost forever. She’d caught him watching her a couple of times, not in the same manner that most of the guys down at the Boar’s Nest watched her, but with a perceptiveness that made her uneasy. She couldn’t shake the feeling that at times Enos saw right through her, down to her very soul.

She’d never known anyone like him, and never would again. Even after she’d left him without a word and married L.D (and the magnitude of that she couldn’t bear to think about), he’d come across the country to rescue her.

He still loved her.

“He still loves me…,” she whispered, incredulous, into the night.

And yet, she was about to let him go, about to let him leave her again, and she knew the next time he’d never come back.

“He loves me…and I love him.”

Tomorrow, come hell or high water, rain, sleet, snow, ice, or any other disaster she could think of, she would tell him. After 20 years of her breaking his heart, Enos Strate would finally know that Daisy Duke loved him.

 

by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 13: Elephant in the Room

 

Daisy rested on a bed behind a curtain in what she assumed was some sort of low priority area of the emergency room since no one had come to check on her in at least an hour. She was stuck here, at least until they figured out what to do with her. After a quick check up and blood draw, the doctor on staff had insisted that she have an I.V. to rehydrate her after her ordeal. That’s what he’d called it…”her ordeal”.

Apparently she was some odd sort of minor celebrity here – the one who got away from the Tri-County Strangler, she’d overheard a nurse say to someone outside the curtain. The forced isolation gave her more than enough time to think about what had happened versus what might have happened. From Enos’s telling of the story, him finding her was nothing short of a miraculous shot in the dark, like some avenging angel coming to her rescue. She wished she’d been allowed to stay with him when they’d taken him away.

A nurse finally came through the curtain and removed the I.V., telling her that the doctor wanted to keep her overnight for observation since her iron levels were low. “We’ll take another reading after you eat breakfast and lunch tomorrow,” she said, bringing a wheelchair up to the side of the bed. “Now, I know you’re probably feeling just fine, especially after that glucose drip, but I have to take you up to your room in this anyway.”

Daisy slid off the bed. “That’s okay,” she said as she took a seat.

The nurse took in Daisy’s oversized shirt and mud-stained pants. “Would you like me to find you something to change into?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful,” said Daisy.

“I’m going to take you up past the maternity ward first. We always have some plain scrubs that we keep around for the moms who forget their bags. I’m sure we can find you something.”

They made the rounds up through the hospital, stopping in the maternity ward where they found Daisy a set of pink scrubs for her to take with her, and then eventually to her room.

“I’ll leave you here then,” said the nurse, “but if you need anything, just hit the call button on the bed.”

“There’s one thing, ma’am.”

“What’s that, Ms. Duke?”

“Is there any chance you could find out how the person they brought in with me is doing? Detective Enos Strate? ”

The nurse smiled, knowingly. “I’ll check for you. I won’t be able to tell you much because of the privacy issues, but I’ll see what I can do.” She left, closing the door behind her.

As much as Daisy longed for a shower and clean clothes, there was one thing she had to do first. She picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and dialed home.

“Hello?” Uncle Jesse answered.

Her tears surprised her, but hearing her uncle’s voice on the line suddenly made the reality of everything come crashing down on her. “Uncle Jesse?” Her voice cracked. “Uncle Jesse, it’s Daisy.”

“Daisy… ” There was nothing for a moment, then she heard him clear his throat, and she knew his eyes weren’t dry either. “Thank th’ Lord. I ain’t never heard a sweeter voice in all my days, girl.”

“I’m sorry, Uncle Jesse,” she cried, “I never meant t’ worry y’all so. I should’a been more careful, I should’a let Luke go with me, I…”

“…Daisy, Daisy, Daisy,” he soothed. “Ain’t nothin’ that you ought t’ be apologizin’ for. You’re safe an’ sound now, an’ that’s all that’s important.”

“I almost wasn’t, Uncle Jesse. If Enos’d gotten there a minute later, I wouldn’t have been, an’ I just can’t bear thinkin’ about that.”

“Well then, we just won’t think about it. He did get there in time. An’ I’m sorry, Daisy. I’d like nothin’ better than t’ be there right now, but we’ve got t’ wait ’till the sun’s up. It’s s’posed to be in th’ 40’s come mornin’ and we’ll be able to get through on th’ roads.”

“Oh no, I don’t want y’all drivin’ here at night. Atlanta’s so darn big, and it’d just be too dangerous. They’ve got me in a room here anyhow, and I promised Enos I’d find him in th’ mornin’.”

“Okay, well, that’s good. We’ll leave first thing then.”

“I love ya’, Uncle Jesse. Send Bo an’ Luke my love, too.”

“I will. We love you, too, Daisy. We’ll see ya’ tomorrow.”

“Okay. Bye then.”

“Bye, honey.”

 

Two hours later, Daisy had showered, changed, eaten, and given up on finding anything decent to watch on television. The nurse came in again and told her all that had been going on with Enos. Apparently the doctor thought his fever had been exacerbated by being run down and not having slept well in quite a while, and the infection with the gunshot wound wasn’t bad. They’d given him a sedative to help him sleep and put him on antibiotics.

The nurse gave her a confused look. “If you don’t mind me asking, are you and Detective Strate…close, Ms. Duke?”

Daisy wasn’t sure why she was asking, or exactly what she meant by close. “We grew up together. He’s always been close to my family. Why?”

“Well, I wouldn’t been able to tell you anything about him, but he put your name down as having permission to access his medical records. Guess he thinks you’re close.”

Daisy shrugged. “He’s only got his mom left for immediate family, but I don’t think she’d bother comin’ down. He’s closer to my uncle than he is her anyhow.”

“Oh, okay…well, I know it’s probably not very professional and none of my business, but I just wondered. You know how gossip goes around, safer to ask instead of believing everything you hear.”

“Gossip?” Daisy frowned. “What kind of gossip?”

“Uh…”

“Oh, good gracious!” complained Daisy. “Ya’ already asked me about him, the least you can do is finish th’ story.”

“It’s nothing really, just one of nurses on staff, her sister works for the State Patrol. She said that he called in a favor to get assigned to your case even though he’s a detective in California. It’s just making people wonder, that’s all.”

“Not many people know the area I was in better than himself. Enos knew that. I wouldn’t read too much into it.”

“Well, you’re one lucky woman, that’s all I can say. Wish I had a guardian angel looking out for me somewhere. Listen, I’ve got to finish my rounds, but page the nurse’s station if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” said Daisy, absently, as the nurse shut the door behind her.

She didn’t have time to think about what the nurse had told her. As soon as she’d gone there was another knock on the door.

“Come in,” called Daisy.

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged, blond haired, woman in a khaki dress suit. “Ms. Duke, hi. I’m Detective Shaw. Would it be okay if I asked you a couple questions right now?”

“Oh, sure, no problem.”

The woman closed the door behind her, pulled a chair over to where Daisy sat on the bed. “I won’t take too much of your time, Ms. Duke, I just need to get a few facts from you and then I’ll leave you alone.”

“Please, call me Daisy.”

“Well, Daisy, why don’t you just tell me what happened starting from when you left the bank.”

“Okay, well, I went in to pay th’ mortgage money before th’ bank closed up for th’ weekend, so I’d say it was about 4:00. I got back in my Jeep and headed home up Mill Road when a truck came up behind me and ran off th’ road.”

“The truck, did you see what it looked like?”

“It was white, I didn’t have time t’ notice much else about it.”

“Okay, you said he ran you off the road, what happened then?”

“Well, I tried to back up, but I was in a ditch and I was just spinnin’ my wheels. I thought he was just a crazy drunk until I saw him comin’ down the bank towards me. I didn’t know him, an’…well… he gave me creeps.”

“How so?”

“His face…no…I don’t know. He just seemed…out of place, and he kept mumblin’ somethin’. I didn’t give him a chance to say anything to me. I figured if he was just comin’ down there to apologize, I’d rather just take a raincheck on it, if ya’ know what I mean. There was a trail that led back through the brush and I figured I’d just hide in there ’till he left, but he started running after me. I was almost to th’ bank goin’ back up to Snake Trail Road, but I tripped. That’s about all I remember before I woke up at the bottom of the well.”

“He never took you out until yesterday?”

Daisy shook her head. “No. he’d come by an’ look down at me every couple hours or so, but he never let me out.”

“Did you ever hear him say his name or where he was from?”

“No, when he’d throw food in to me he’d never talk. En…Detective Strate probably remembers more than I do from that point.”

Detective Shaw finished jotting down a few more notes and then looked back up at Daisy and smiled. “Well, I think that’s about all I need for right now, so I’ll let you rest. Someone will probably be in touch with you in the next few days to have you sign a statement,” she said, standing up and placing the chair back against the wall. “If you remember anything else that you think might be important, this is my name and my extension at this number.” She handed a card to Daisy. “Thank you for your time, Ms. Duke.”

Daisy nodded to her as she left, and then got up and closed the door again. It was dark outside, so she turned the lights off and went over to the window. Downtown Atlanta was crowded with traffic, mostly people going home from work she guessed. She watched the lights change from red to green, then back to yellow and then red. Pattern upon pattern, on and on and on forever, and long after she stopped paying attention to them, nothing would change.

Enos had changed – she’d seen glimpses of it over the last 24 hours. He had gone out into that big world without a safety net, to sink or swim, and he’d learned to survive. Beyond that, she could only guess at.

 

The clock in the room said 6:10 am when Daisy woke, a force of habit from living all her life on a farm. Even when she was sick she couldn’t seem to sleep past seven. Last night, she had looked forward to the morning, but as day broke, she realized she still needed to say something to Enos about what had happened four years ago. She couldn’t just let him go forever wondering why she’d done what she’d done. The problem was, the reasons she gave everyone else were nothing but excuses, and the real reason sounded about as phony as a three dollar bill.

That aside, she’d promised him she’d look in on him this morning…she’d also promised him buttermilk, which oddly enough turned out to be a bigger chore than she’d thought. Apparently it wasn’t in high demand from patients so it wasn’t on the menu. The nurse on the morning shift didn’t even know what it was. She took the meal card the night shift nurse had given her in case she wanted to go down to the cafeteria, signed out at the nurses station, and went in search of it. It took a bit of charm to convince the head cook, but she finally ended up with some.

She took a deep breath before knocking on the door of room 317, then turned the handle and peeked in.

“Hey, Daisy!” Enos called. “You can stop hidin’ behind th’ door now.”

She opened the door and came in, shutting it behind her. “How did you know it was me?”

“‘Cause nurses don’t generally crack open people’s doors t’ make sure they’re decent first.”

“I was only bein’ polite,” she laughed. “Hey, I got ya’ somethin'” She sat the Styrofoam drink cup down in front of him.

“Tell me this is what I hope it is.” He lifted the lid and took a sip. “How in th’ world did ya’ manage t’ find buttermilk? They acted like I was a couple marbles short when I asked for some.”

“Now Enos,” she chided him, “you’ve just gotta know who t’ talk to. I got it from the head cook in th’ cafeteria.”

He took a drink and set the cup on the table beside the bed out of his way. “You sure do have a way with people, Daisy,” he said good naturedly.

She frowned at his comment and changed the subject. “So how’s your shoulder?” It was bandaged and his arm held in place by a sling.

“It’ll be fine. Only problem is they done trussed me up in one o’ these ding-dang hospital gowns first an’ now I can’t escape until they give me m’ clothes back.”

“I know where you can get some nice pretty scrubs like mine.”

“Pretty is as pretty makes,” he teased. “Don’t think they’d look quite th’ same on me. Hunt me up some blue ones an’ I’ll take ’em.”

“I’ll let you know if I find some.”

Daisy went over to the window and opened the heavy drapes that covered it, letting the light spill into the room. She turned away from him, watching the street down below for several minutes while he finished his buttermilk.

“I don’t know how anyone could stand to live in a big city,” she said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she couldn’t believe she’d said them. She turned around to find Enos watching her solemnly. “Enos…I didn’t mean…I didn’t think about…”

“It’s okay, Daisy,” he said, casually, in a voice that his eyes didn’t quite mirror. “It just takes time to get used to is all.”

Daisy knew it was now or never to bring up what she’d dreaded talking about. If she didn’t say something, she’d loose her nerve. She left the window and went over and took a seat on the side of his bed. “Enos,” she began, “I..I really need t’ talk to…”

“Daisy…”

“…you about what…”

“Daisy!”

“…happ…”

Enos leaned forward and put his fingers over her lips. “Stop, Daisy,” he said, gently, noticing her blush at his touch. “I know you probably want t’ talk about that about as much as I want t’ hear about it.” He took his hand down and she started to turn away, but he caught her arm. “Wait now, I didn’t say I didn’t want to talk to ya’. Just…can we talk about somethin’ else?”

She turned back to him. “What do ya’ want t’ talk about?”

“Well, how about you tell me all th’ gossip I’ve missed about everyone in Hazzard…‘cept for you an’ me?”

She flashed him a radiant smile. “Gosh, where do ya’ want me t’ start?”

“Well, start with Bo an’ Luke. We were all too worried ’bout findin’ you t’ talk about what they’ve been doin’. Are they still tryin’ for the NASCAR curcuit?”

“Oh, goodness no,” she said, rolling her eyes. “They finally came to their senses about that. Ain’t no use wastin’ time waitin’ around for that t’ happen. ‘Sides, they started th’ races back up again at th’ Hazzard dirt track on Saturday nights.”

“Possum on a gum-bush! I sure remember them days. Ain’t nobody raced there for fifteen years.”

“Yeah, well, I think they needed somethin’ t’ take their minds off of gettin’ older. Otherwise, Luke’s got him a job part-time with th’ Central City Fire Department three days a week. It’s not much, but it’s a foot in th’ door.”

“That’s great! Wow…Luke a firefighter, huh? What about Bo? What’s he been up to?”

“Now Bo’s th’ surprisin’ one,” she said. “Who would’a thought he’d decide he actually likes farmin’? He’s been takin’ over a lot of Uncle Jesse’s work, and I think he’s pretty serious about keepin’ up the place.”

Enos laughed. “Farmin’? Bo? Well, I guess ya’ never can say never, ‘course I think Cooter goin’ to Washington pretty much takes th’ cake on that account.”

“I know! Can you believe it? Cooter wearin’ a suit everyday, hob-nobbin’ with all th’ rich and powerful?”

The day stretched on past lunch time as they sat and talked about everyone they could think of to talk about…except themselves. As much as both had craved the attention of the other, and their banter honest and friendly, the unspoken still stretched out between them like a giant chasm. There was something behind Enos’s eyes, a depth of emotion that Daisy couldn’t quite decipher, and it bothered her that she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.

“Hey, Daisy. It’s been swell talkin’ to ya’ an all,” he said, finally, “but you’d better get on back to your room before someone comes lookin’ for ya’.”

“Enos Strate, are you tryin’ t’ get rid of me?” she teased.

Instead of laughing as she thought he would, he eyes met hers. “Never,” he answered simply.

Her heart skipped a beat, but before she had a chance to think of a reply there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” they said in unison.

The door opened and Uncle Jesse, Bo, and Luke walked in.

“Uncle Jesse!” Daisy hopped up and ran to him.

He hugged her to him. “Daisy, you sure are a sight for sore eyes, girl.” He held her back at arms length. “Let me look at ya’…are ya’ okay?”

“I’m fine, Uncle Jesse, ‘specially now that all of y’all are here.” She turned and gave Luke and Bo each a bear hug in turn.

“We’re mighty glad t’ have you back safe an’ sound,” said Luke.

“Yeah,” said Bo, “Luke ’bout poisoned us with his cookin’.”

She hit him playfully on the arm. “Bo Duke, you’re awful.”

“We went t’ your room first,” said Jesse, “but th’ nurses said they hadn’t see ya’ since breakfast. We figured we might find ya’ here.” He walked over to Enos. “We heard what ya’ did, son. I reckon we wouldn’t be standing here with Daisy if it warn’t for you.”

Bo and Luke came over beside their uncle. “He ain’t kiddin’,” said Luke. “I don’t rightly know what t’ say ‘cept we’ve got your back if ya’ ever need it.”

“Thanks Luke, Uncle Jesse.”

“Enos,” said Bo, “I sure do owe you an apology.”

He held out his hand and Enos shook it. “If I recall, Bo, I owe you one, too. How’s your jaw?”

“Just a little sore,” he said, rubbing at it.

“Okay, y’all,” complained Daisy, “I’m obviously outta th’ loop here. What happened between you two?”

“It wasn’t nothin’, just a misunderstandin’,” Enos said. Daisy didn’t miss the look he shot to Bo, though. Clearly it was something he didn’t want to talk about. She made a mental note to ask her cousin about it later.

“Oh, hey Daisy, we brought you some clothes,” said Luke. “Unless you’re partial to pink scrubs now.”

“Not on your life,” she laughed.

Both cousins threw an arm around her shoulders and wheeled her out the door before she had even had a chance to say good-bye to Enos. Uncle Jesse stayed back with him after they left.

“How’s th’ arm, son?”

“Not as bad as they’ve got it all gussied up for. It was just a .22, didn’t hit nothin’ important.”

Jesse nodded. “I wanted t’ thank ya, too, without them t’ hear,” he motioned towards the empty doorway, “for doin’…what ya’ had t’ do.”

Enos looked down from Jesse’s gaze. “I was just doin’ my job, Uncle Jesse,” he said, quietly. “I didn’t set out for it to end that way.”

“Even so,” said the older man, setting his hand on Enos’s uninjured shoulder, “we’re in your debt. An’ Dukes have long memories. There’s ever anything you need, Enos…”

“Thank you kindly, Uncle Jesse.”

Uncle Jesse patted his shoulder. “You take care of yourself, son,” he told him, before walking out the door to find the others.

 

by: WENN9366 (EnosIsMyHero)

Chapter 12: One Step Forward

 

Hours after Daisy had finally drifted off to sleep, Enos got up and lit the oil lamp that had been stored on the mantle. Something wasn’t right. His head felt like there were huge boulders rolling around inside of it and his shoulder throbbed and burned like hot coals. He took the lamp into the bathroom, hoping to find aspirin in the medicine cabinet, but it was empty, and the kitchen didn’t have any either. There was no water to drink, only watered down moonshine. He sat the lamp down, found a small glass, and poured some from the jug. He took a drink and grimaced, not because it had a bite, but because it had the distinct flavor of pond water that tasted like it might have been stored in an old rubber tire.

“Gosh, that’s bad,” he whispered. It was just as well that it wasn’t a higher proof anyway, he’d never trusted himself to drink much around Daisy, even if it was for medicinal purposes. He might say something he didn’t intend to say.

Enos finished the glass and went back into the living room, frowning when he noticed Daisy sleeping on the floor. He knelt down beside her and watched her for a moment.

“Sweet dreams, Daisy Duke,” he whispered before returning to the couch. His headache was worse since standing up and walking around, almost blinding in it’s intensity, and his ears rang slightly. It was a long time before he slept.

 

Across the mountains, a solitary lamp burned in the window of the Duke farmhouse off Mill Road. After they’d found Andy and brought him, Rosco, and Amos back to town, Bo and Luke had made the slow, treacherous drive back through the country roads of Hazzard county. It was late, but no one felt like sleeping, and a feeling of dread hung like a black shroud over the family.

There had been no word from Enos. He’d disappeared into the storm without another word other than his last cryptic transmission, and every attempt to contact him had been met with static. Rosco, more subdued than either of the cousins had ever seen him, had even managed to keep his insults to a minimum, promising them that he would keep trying to reach Enos and that he would stay at the station overnight – just in case the power went out since the courthouse had a generator.

For now the electricity and phones were still on, though the lights had flickered a time or two. Uncle Jesse had done all the prayin’ he could think of to do on that behalf as well as the others. They could rig the CB up to a car battery, but as far as they knew, Enos was somewhere up in the hills and most of that area was out of range of the radios anyway.

Eventually Bo and Luke fell asleep where they’d been sitting, but Jesse stayed awake. Visions of Daisy as a child filled his mind. He and her late Aunt Lavinia were the only family she could remember, her parents passing away in a car accident when she was only six months old. It had taken some getting used to at first, raising a girl, but Daisy had a way of capturing everyone’s heart who knew her, and his broke to think of his little girl out there somewhere in danger.

 

The sun streaming through the window filled the tiny cabin with light and woke Daisy, and she got up and looked out the window over the frozen lake. Everything exposed to the elements was encased in ice. The branches of the pine trees, burdened with the extra weight, dipped to the ground and several larger ones from the tops had snapped off and lay scattered underneath. Just looking at the cold outside made her shiver and she threw another log on the fire for good measure.

She turned towards the couch where Enos was still sleeping and frowned. His hair was drenched with sweat. She went over to him and put her hand on his forehead. He was burning up.

She shook him gently. “Enos, Enos wake up.”

He opened his eyes and squinted up at her. “I don’t feel so good,” he whispered. “It’s freezing in here.”

“It’s not cold in here, Enos, you’ve got a fever.” She looked at the bandage on his arm. “You want me t’ see how it is?”

He nodded and she gently untied the knot she’d made in the bandage and unwrapped it. He didn’t need to ask how it looked, her eyes told him enough.

“Guess weak moonshine ain’t a very good disinfectant,” he murmured before closing his eyes again.

“Hey, I don’t think you should go t’ sleep.” Daisy shook him gently again, but got no response. “Enos? Please wake up.”

“I’m awake,” he mumbled, without opening his eyes.

She tried to think about what to do. The roads were impassible and she’d never be able to get them back to Hazzard right now. They were out of CB range to Hazzard here in the mountains as well, so she wouldn’t be able to get through to anyone she knew. Lake Chickamahony was in Choctaw County anyway, so…

“Choctaw County,” she whispered to herself. She was out of range for Hazzard, but Choctaw was half that distance away.

“Enos, where are your keys?”

“Hmm um, can’t leave…too slick. I’m fine, Daisy, just tired.”

“You’re not fine! I’m not leavin’, I’m just gonna see if I can get a hold of anyone in Choctaw. I need your keys, though.”

“In my coat.”

Daisy picked up his coat and felt in the pockets until she found them.

“I’ll be right back,” she said as she put on her coat and opened the door. She walked slowly to the car, nearly slipping twice despite the fact she only had about 20 feet to cover. The door was frozen shut on the driver’s side where the wind had blown the worst of the rain, but she was able to open the passenger’s side after beating around the door frame to loosen the ice. She slipped across to the driver’s seat, started the car, and turned the CB on.

“Breaker, breaker, this is Daisy Duke calling th’ Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone out there? Over.”

There was only static on the line. She waited for a minute, and tried again.

“This is Daisy Duke calling Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department. Please, if anyone’s out there, pickup. Over.”

Again, there was nothing. She was about to turn off the car and go back inside when the CB came to life and a faint voice broke the silence.

“This is Choctaw County Sheriff Dewey Wilkes. Daisy, can ya’ hear me? We’ve been lookin’ all over for you, girl! Are you okay? Over,”

“Dewey! It sure is good t’ hear your voice. Listen, I’m fine, but me an’ Enos are stuck up here at Lake Chickamahony, and we need t’ get out. He got shot in the arm and he doesn’t look real good.”

“I read you loud n’ clear, Daisy. Don’t you worry, you two just sit tight an’ I’ll get hold of th’ State Patrol. We’ll have ya’ outta there in a jiffy. What about the guy who had ya’? Over.”

“Thanks Dewey. I won’t be around th’ radio, but I’ll keep my eyes out. The guy who took me’s dead, Enos shot him. Over.”

“Roger that. Over an’ out.”

She turned off the car and went back inside.

“I got hold of Dewey, Enos. He said he’s gonna get in touch with the State Patrol and they’d…”

Enos was sitting up on the couch, his head in his hands. Daisy sat down beside him. It worried her, seeing how run down and defeated he looked, unlike the perpetually happy man she remembered. She wanted more than anything to throw her arms around him and tell him everything would be okay, but she dared not. She was still lost in her thoughts when he spoke, and what he said was so unexpected, she nearly asked him to say it again.

“Daisy,” he said, wearily looking up at her, “I know it sounds terribly improper of me, but would you mind if I borrowed your shoulder?”

Her heart nearly lept out of her chest. “No, that’s… that’s fine, Enos. Here, wait…,” she backed up into the corner of the couch and put the pillow in her lap. “Turn around and lean back against me.”

He did as she told him, leaning back, resting half on her and half on the pillow. She had nowhere to put her arm other than around him. “I’m sorry, Daisy. Thank you, kindly,” he mumbled and closed his eyes.

“You just rest. Someone’s gonna be here for us soon.” He didn’t answer and she felt him gradually relax and fall back asleep. The heat from his fever radiated through her, and she wished she’d left that extra log off the fire. His uncharacteristic physical closeness, though not unwelcome, concerned her. He must be worse off than she’d originally thought, or else the fever had addled his brains – she wasn’t sure which she should be hoping for. Daisy rested her head against the back of the couch and, lulled by the warmth, fell asleep.

 

Dewey Wilkes hung up the CB, smiled, and shook his head. Somehow, through the worst storm these parts had seen in thirty years, Enos Strate had managed to save Daisy Duke. He picked up the phone and dialed the Georgia State Patrol, letting them know that their detective had been wounded while taking down the Tri-County Strangler. They were more than happy to provide assistance. His next call was to the switchboard in Hazzard County.

 

The phone ringing woke Bo and Luke with a start, and they both struggled to their feet, but Uncle Jesse motioned for them to wait.

“Now, just calm down you two,an’ let me get it. Our luck it’s prob’ly a wrong number.” He got up and went to the phone and picked it up. Bo and Luke followed behind him, hoping to decipher what it was about from the one sided conversation.

“Hello?”

“Mornin’ t’ you, too, Sheriff Wilkes. What can I do for ya’?”

There was a long pause before Jesse spoke again. “How bad?”

“Okay.”

“Well thank ya’ for calling, Dewey, much obliged. You have yourself a good day, ya’ hear?”

“Alright then…Bye.” He turned to the cousins, a bewildered expression on his face.

“Well?” asked Bo. “What goin’ on?”

Luke was silent. A phone call from the Choctaw County Sheriff either meant really bad news or really good news. By the expression on his Uncle’s face, he was hoping for the good news.

“He found her,” he said simply. He stared into space for a moment, unable to process the news he’d just heard.

“Who, Enos?” Luke asked. His uncle seemed to not hear him, so Luke shook him gently by the shoulder. “Uncle Jesse, are you alright?”

His Uncle snapped out of his reverie and looked over at his nephews, laughing with relief. “What d’ ya know? He did it. That boy followed some guy up into th’ mountains in th’ middle of a storm and found her.”

Bo let out a ‘whoop’ of happiness. “Luke, remind me t’ never doubt Enos again.”

Luke shook his head in amazement. “You got that right, cuz.”

Uncle Jesse’s face clouded. “Well, now, you boys better still be doing some prayin’. I guess th’ guy got off a shot at him. Don’t know where he was hit, but Dewey said th’ State Patrol was gonna air lift him t’ Atlanta.”

“Atlanta? Luke wouldn’t they just take him t’ Capitol City if it weren’t serious?” asked Bo.

“Not necessarily with th’ weather,” answered Luke. “Uncle Jesse, did Dewey happen t’ say anything about th’ other guy?”

“He did,” Jesse replied, gravely. “Enos shot him dead.”

 

A sound invaded Daisy’s dreamless sleep, and she woke with a start, confused at first by the weight resting against her. Enos was still sleeping, and still overly warm, but his fever wasn’t as alarmingly high as it had been before. An unnatural throbbing noise seemed to vibrate gently through the cabin. As she sat listening, trying to pinpoint what it could be, the sound grew louder and the vibrations more apparent until she realized that she was hearing a helicopter – and that it was landing just outside the cabin. Shortly afterwards there was a knock on the door.

“Ms. Duke, are you in there?” called a voice from behind the door.

She lifted Enos and the pillow up enough that she could slip out from under them and went and opened the door to the police officer who waited there.

He removed his hat and nodded a greeting to her. “Howdy, ma’am. I’m Sergeant Collins with the Georgia State Patrol. I’m t’ transport you and Detective Strate to th’ hospital in Atlanta.”

“Oh..,” her attention was on the helicopter instead of him and she almost missed what he said “Oh! Of course. Come in. I’ll try t’ wake him up.”

“I’m sorry, we’re kinda unprepared for a medical rescue. They called for Life-Flight from Grady, but they’re stretched pretty thin with all the accidents on th’ ice. I can help ya’ if you need, ma’am.”

“Thanks, his fever’s not as high as it was. He’s been out for a while, so hopefully he’ll feel better.” She knelt by Enos, reminding herself not to shake him by the shoulder, and patted his cheek lightly. “Enos…Enos, wake up. ”

“Cow,” he mumbled. “C…O…W…”

Daisy grinned, wondering what in the world he could be dreaming of. “Enos, wake up.”

He opened his eyes, and looked around, confused until they focused on her. “Oh, hey Daisy!” he said dreamily. “Say… did you know that there are more cows in the state of Wisconsin than there are people?”

She laughed and shook her head “How are ya’ feeling?”

“Well…other than feelin’ like someone shot me in th’ shoulder and then pounded my head in with a meat tenderizer, I guess I feel just fine.” He grinned weakly back at her and sat up.

“This here’s Sergeant Collins. He’s gonna take us to th’ hospital in Atlanta. They’ll get you fixed up good as new in no time.”

He stood up slowly and between leaning on Daisy and Sergeant Collins, they made their way out across the ice to the helicopter. Enos and Daisy climbed into the back seat and the sergeant climbed into the front passenger’s seat.

Enos looked around with wide eyes while they took off, the cold helping to clear his head. “Wow,” he said, with a nervous laugh. “I always wanted to ride th’ copter with SWAT, but never got to. Guess I never thought I’d ride in th’ Georgia Patrol one.”

“This here’s Chester,” the Sergeant told them, beating his fist affectionately on the wall of the chopper. “He’s our pot-watcher.”

“It’s a what?” asked Daisy.

“We call him a pot-watcher. From the air, you can tell a plot of marijuana by it’s blueish-green color so we take th’ chopper out in the summers and survey th’ more rural parts of th’ state. Cover quite a large area like that… Oh, I almost forgot. Did you have your keys, Detective? I’ll send someone to come and pick up your car. Where would you like them to take it?”

“I’m much obliged, sir.” He felt in his coat pocket for them.

“I still have them, Enos.” Daisy fished them out of her coat pocket and handed them to Collins.

“I guess, if you don’t mind, sir, just take it to Jake’s on th’ square in Hazzard.”

“No problem, we’ll get it taken care of. An’ if you’re th’ one who found th’ Tri-County killer we’ve been lookin’ for, you can just call me Fred.”

He stuck his hand out and Enos shook it. “Enos.”

“Now, I know you’re not really feelin’ up t’ yer peak, Enos, but I’m gonna have to ask you some questions ’bout that,” he said, pulling out a small pocket notebook and flipping it open.

“That’s okay,” he replied. “I know how it works. He’s dead, by th’ way. Up off Cedar Point Road about fifteen miles and to th’ right. It’s the ol’ Johnson place, but there ain’t no road names, so you’ll have t’ get Sheriff Coltrane to take ya’ there.”

“Did you see what kind of gun he had?”

“It was a .22 caliber revolver, I didn’t see th’ make.”

“And yours?”

“A 9mm Smith and Wesson. Shoot! It’s on the table in the cabin.”

“That’s okay, when they pick up your car I’ll have them pick that up as well. We’ll have t’ do ballistics on it anyway, just to cross our ‘t’s” an’ dot our “i’s”. If you could just run down how ya’ found him, I’ll put it in my report, though you’ll probably get sick an’ tired of tellin’ your story by th’ time everyone who thinks they’ve gotta know it is satisfied.”

Enos ran through a short explanation of how they’d seen a truck on the surveillance tape matching the suspect’s and of how they ran down a wrong trail for a while chasing Andy.

“Higgin’s is his name?” asked the Sergeant. He flipped to a different page in his notebook, and read for a minute before continuing. “He jumped bail down in Calhoun County. Went home again, huh? Feds’ll be happy t’ see him again. So how did ya’ end up findin’ this other guy?”

“Well, that was purely Providence, I reckon,” said Enos. “If m’ tires hadn’t of been so dang worn down, I would’ve taken Mill Road into Hazzard instead of Highway 20. There was a truck parked at Silas’s General Store when I passed that matched the description so I turned around an’ checked it out. I followed that guy and radioed to th’ Sheriff t’ go ahead and have th’ informant show him where Andy was.”

The Sergeant was impressed. “Nice work, detective. Two wanted men in one day, sure wish you were on our regular payroll.”

“Shucks,” said Enos, brushing the praise aside, “I can’t hardly take credit for either of ’em. Th’ Sheriff went after Andy, an’ I just got lucky findin’ the real killer.”

Daisy couldn’t sit by and be silent any longer. “Enos Strate, that’s not true! Why you followed that man up th’ mountains through an’ ice storm, and if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here! You saved my life, and I won’t sit here an’ let you not take credit for it.”

“I was just doin’ my job, Daisy,” he said, solemnly. His eyes met hers for a moment, though, and in them she saw the trace of pride that he couldn’t quite conceal.

Enos explained the rest of what had happened to Sergeant Collins from the time the man had turned off towards the Johnson place until they’d arrived at the cabin.

“You’re lucky you had someplace close to go,” said Collins. “We’ve got people everywhere in th’ ditches. You’d of never made it down th’ mountain. ‘Course it’s s’posed to warm up in th’ morning. They’re sayin’ 60’s and 70’s by th’ middle of next week. Go figure…if ya’ don’t like th’ weather in Georgia, wait five minutes and it’ll change.”

“That’ll be nice,” said Enos, “I guess I’ve gotten soft livin’ in California. I sure don’t miss th’ winters here.”

“Speakin’ of California, what division you in out there? I had a friend who was with the Valley Bureau, out in North Hollywood.”

“Never worked with Valley. I was on the Metro squad with the SWAT team for almost two years, an’ I’ve been two years with the Robbery/Homicide division as a detective.”

“Wow. Bet that looks good on a resume’. Say, that must’ve been a big move – Hazzard County t’ Los Angeles. What made ya’ go there?”

Daisy held her breath, waiting for his reply, but he answered easily.

“Oh, I don’t know…things just changed, I guess.”

Collins didn’t miss the way Daisy paled and looked away. There was a long history between these two, he surmised, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she’d had something to do with the detective’s departure from her actions. They seemed to be drawn together, like magnets, each leaning from their seats towards each other until their shoulders were nearly touching.

Enos’s quick eyes didn’t miss the glance the man shot between himself and Daisy. He sat back into his seat, nonchalantly widening the distance between them.

“Time t’ move on, huh?” asked the officer. “I hear ya’. I was with Camden County as a deputy for ten years ‘fore I got tired of sittin’ out in th’ woods waitin’ for a speeder t’ come through.”

“No kiddin?” Enos laughed. “Yeah, I remember them days. Seems like another life-time ago.”

They were approaching the greater Atlanta area now, and miles upon miles of sprawling suburbia stretched out around them. Daisy could never imagine herself living in such a place – of course she couldn’t imagine Enos living there either, and Los Angeles was over twice the size of Atlanta.

The pilot communicated something to someone via the radio and in a couple minutes they circled a huge building which read ‘Grady Memorial Hospital’.

“When we set down, the staff’ll come and get you,” said Sergeant Collins. “Ms. Duke, they’ll need to run some tests on you as well, make sure you’re okay. We’ll need you t’ give your side of the story, but that can wait until you’re settled. Th’ state’s pickin’ up th’ tab for you, too, so order th’ good food.”

The chopper set down on the helipad where a number of people in white coats waited nearby.

Enos leaned over towards Daisy. “They’re gonna stick me fulla them ding-dang needles. I can see it in their beady little eyes already,” he whispered, nervously fidgeting with his hands.

“Oh Enos, you’ll be fine.”

“You’ll check in on me in th’ mornin’ and make sure, won’t ya’?”

She grinned. “I’ll sneak you in some buttermilk.”

He laughed and flashed her a smile before the door opened and organized chaos descended on them both as the medical staff whisked them away in separate directions.