Disclaimer: I own the Dukes. Please don't sue.
Well folks, everything started out like a relatively quiet day here in Hazard County. But as you probably already know it's the quiet days that almost always end up in mayhem of some sort. At least, that's the way quiet days in Hazard usually go. Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane for once, had the day off and decided to go fishing out by the creek on the far side of Hazard. It seemed like being the sheriff he hardly ever got a day off.
After a few moments of unloading his gear from his squad car and his faithful dog, Flash, Roscoe headed for trail that led down to the creek. He had already noticed the General Lee parked a few yards away and knew at once that he'd be seeing the Duke boys in a few short minutes.
"Ohh, darn it Flash. Looks like we're not the only ones who that got a day off." Roscoe said to the little dog. Flash just cocked her head and looked up at Roscoe as he spoke to her.
"Oh well. I guess it could be worse. Let's just enjoy the day and..." Roscoe let out a sharp cry as he slid in wet patch of mud and lost his balance. He went rolling off to the side moments and finally came to an abrupt stop at the roots of a large tree.
Bo and Luke Duke had heard the commotion and came running to the trail to see what had happened.
"Hey Roscoe, is that you down there?" Bo called as he and Luke made their way over to help the sheriff up to his feet.
"Are you all right? That's some fall you took." Luke asked as they checked Roscoe over any serious injury.
"I'm fine. I just slipped in some mud. Thanks for the concern though boys." Roscoe replied and started to gather up his fishing gear.
"Now where'd my little long ears go? Here girl, here Flash." Roscoe called.
"Come on Flash." Bo called as he spotted the little dog.
"Hey it looks like he's found something." Luke said walking over to where Flash had started digging.
"Now Flash, you cut that out. I jest gave a bath two days ago. You're gonna...." Roscoe's voice trailed off as got a closer look at what Flash had dug up.
Bo and Luke had stopped dead in their tracks and just stood staring down at the sight of what appeared to be a human skeleton. Only Roscoe had managed to move closer.
Letting his fishing supplies drop to the ground, Roscoe bent over and scooped up his dog in his arms and carefully walked around the grave site which the body had been crudely buried in. As he walked around the grave Roscoe took note of the few remaining articles of clothing the body still wore.
Definitely female, he thought to himself as he spotted a faded high heel shoe on one foot.
He had no idea who victim was or how long the body had there. All Roscoe knew for sure was that judging by the area it was buried in, the killer believed it would be a very long time before anyone found the body.
Roscoe shook his head warily and went with the Duke boys back to his squad car to radio in for Enos and a coroner to examine the body.
"So much for our peaceful day off, huh Flash." Roscoe said as he, Bo, and Luke waited for Deputy Enos, Boss Hogg and the local coroner to arrive.
Like I said folks, its the quiet days in Hazard that usually end up in the most mayhem.
**************************************************
Later that evening Roscoe sat at his desk at the Sheriff's Dept. going over what little information he had managed to gather on the case so far.
He hadn't gotten the autopsy report back yet and there really wasn't much that they knew of for certain, except that this was a murder, and the victim was female. Other than that, he only knew that the victim had been there an awfully long time.
Roscoe looked up as Jesse Duke came in folled closely by Bo and Luke and their younger cousin Daisy. Daisy was carrying in one hand a large picnic basket. The smell of fried chicken wafted out as she walked towards Roscoe.
"Hey there Roscoe. The boys told us all about the excitement from this morning, and Daisy here thought you might want something to eat after such a long day." Jesse said smiling to the tired sheriff.
"Well that's real nice of you all to think of me like that. Thank you Daisy it smells great." Roscoe said as Daisy fixed him a full plate.
This certainly came as somewhat of a surprise to Roscoe, considering all the times he'd helped Boss Hogg try get rid of the Dukes using various plans. But, when he thought about it more Roscoe figured it really wasn't that much of a surprise. The Dukes were good people at heart and so was he and even Boss Hogg, who hardly ever showed it.
Roscoe sat and chatted with the Dukes for a few minutes until the phone on his desk rang.
"Hello. Hazard County Sheriff's Department. How can I help you?" Roscoe said picking up the phone, he hoped it wasn't another nosy reporter calling to try and get him to spill information about the case. He'd had several such calls all day long and by now was sick of them all.
"Yes this is Sheriff Coltrane. You are? Tomorrow morning at nine? That's fine. Thanks for calling." Roscoe hung up the phone.
"Well what was that all about Roscoe?" Bo asked.
"None of our business Bo. We need to get going and let Roscoe finish up his work for tonight." Uncle Jesse said.
"Now just a minute Jesse. That was the state police on the phone. It seems that the government is sending down one of their own to help with the investigation. They want to have a word with me, Bo, and Luke about the case so far." Roscoe told them. The Dukes left a moment later after telling him that they'd do what they could to help out.
"Roscoe!!! Who was that on the phone? Don't tell me it was another reporter?" Boss Hogg said as walked up to Roscoe.
"No sir, Little Fat Buddy. That was the state police. They're sending someone down to help out with the case. They don't think a small town like Hazard can handle murder case." Roscoe explained. In a way he was glad to have some extra help, after all the last major murder in Hazard was over twenty years ago.
"State Police? Well you better hope that they help you find the killer and soon. Because if not it might not be good for your re-election this fall. And it's not good for town publicity to have a murder mystery." Boss Hogg said.
Roscoe just shook his head. He knew in part the real reason Boss Hogg was upset, but decided to keep quiet. Boss Hogg had been wanting to purchase the land surrounding the creek for a long time now. His only problem was that Mr. Potter owned at least half the land Boss Hogg wanted, but he refused to sell. He knew now that the land developer's who had originally wanted the land if Boss Hogg could help them acquire it, would pay big money for it. But now it was highly unlikely that he'd be getting his hands on that land for a long, long time. This also meant that Boss Hogg would have to be on his best behaviour, at least until all the excitement was over before resuming any plans to take Mr. Potter's land.
***************************************************
"Uncle Jesse, you think the killer will be found soon?" Daisy as she and the rest of Dukes arrived home at the Duke farm.
"Well, I don't really know for sure. Roscoe said that body had been there for quite some time. Maybe even years, we won't for sure just yet." Uncle Jesse said.
"I wonder who it is? I mean its not like everyday that someone here in Hazard just turns up dead." Bo said.
"Maybe they're not from around here. Hazard is a small town. Everybody knows somebody moves away, moves in, or when we get stranger just stoping for gas and passing through." Luke said.
"Yeah, you got a point there Luke. Could be that they were just passing through. Who knows, the killer might be clear across the country." Uncle Jesse said.
"You don't think the killer's from Hazard, do you?" Daisy asked.
"I don't know about that Daisy. But if he is, the killer will be found and put where he belongs. After all, Roscoe is on the case and so is that fellow that the state's sending down." Uncle Jesse said, trying to reassure Daisy.
But, what the Dukes didn't know was that the killer was still around and that there would be another murder very soon. And secrets would come out.