Updated at last. My small, insignificant tribute to Vance Duke aka Christopher Mayer.


The mustang pulled up in front of the court house and Coy and Vance got out.

"It sure feels strange bein' here again" Coy sighed looking around.

"Yeah, There's a lot of memories around the ol' place for sure " Vance agreed. He patted Coy's shoulder "Come on"

They walked up the steps and into the court house. Rosco was sat in his chair with his hat pulled down over his eyes and his feet up on the desk taking a

nap. Coy and Vance looked at each other and grinned. Vance looked round the room and seeing the radio on the shelf picked it up. Coy had found an

alarm clock on the desk and fiddling with it walked over to one side of Rosco's chair. Vance took up position on the other side and with a grin and a nod to

Coy they both turned them on loudly.

Rosco jumped wildly, knocking things from the desk and tipping the chair so that it deposited him on the floor. As he appeared slowly from behind the desk,

Coy and Vance were laughing fit to bust. Duke boys never grow up!

Rosco stuttered and snickered as he registered the Dukes in his office. "What in blue blazes are you Dukes doin' in my office?" As he spluttered and

struggled Coy and Vance helped him to his feet. "I oughta cuff ya and throw ya in the slammer out there...Scarin' a person enough to near give 'em a

heart attack. "

"Sorry, Rosco we just couldn't resist " Coy chuckled.

"I oughta tell your Uncle Jesse that's what I should do" Rosco moved round the desk wagging his finger at them.

"Rosco, we're sorry. OK?" Coy tried to placate him, backing off with his hands in the air and trying (and failing) to wipe the grin from his face.

Rosco stuttered and grumbled again. "You wanna watch your attitude, Coy Duke"

"Come on now, Rosco" Vance interrupted "We were only havin' a little fun"

"At my expense" Rosco grumbled "What ya doin' here any how? Take your fun some place else, preferably out of my county"

"We were lookin' for Boss. He ain't out at the Boar's nest. We thought he might be here" Vance explained.

"Well, y'all thought wrong. He ain't here. He ain't never been here today and he ain't gonna be here" Rosco told them "I'm in charge"

Coy and Vance frowned at each other before turning back to Rosco. "Then where is he?" Vance asked

"It ain't no business of yours where the Boss is or isn't at" Rosco said forcefully.

"Well, I guess we's just gonna have to go ask Miss Lulu" Coy said to Vance and they started to leave.

"Wait" Rosco called them back with resignation as he slumped back into his chair.

Coy and Vance looked at each other, puzzled at Rosco's sudden change of attitude as they turned back into the office.

"Rosco?" Vance asked gently.

He looked up at them with concern on his face "The Boss is home sick. Lulu's takin' care of him"

"How sick?" Coy asked

"He ain't touched his vittals in two days" Rosco said sadly.

"That sick, huh." Coy said.

"Look, Rosco, we didn't know he was sick. We'll come back." Vance told him.

"Yeah, and if there's anythin' we can do to help, you be sure and have Miss lulu give us a call" Coy added.

Rosco nodded sadly and they left.

"Wonder what that was all about?" Vance puzzled out loud as they walked down the court house steps.

Coy's cell phone beeped and he took it out "No idea" he replied distractedly as he read the message "Maybe we should go ask Uncle Jesse, see if he

knows anythin'" He continued with his phone as they walked and talked.

Vance stood still and looked at Coy.

Coy looked up when he realised Vance had stopped walking and was watching him "What?" He asked looking puzzled.

A smirk peeped through Vance's puzzled expression. "Where in the world is your head at, Partner. Coz it sure ain't here right now"

"I don't know what you're talkin' about" Coy said defensively.

"Would ya at least tell me her name?"

Coy was about to reply when Vance pulled a knowing face at him, daring him to deny it again.

Coy sighed as he slumped back onto the hood of the car "OK. It's Tilly Anne"

"Tilly Anne! Why didn't ya say? She the one ya spent the last few days talkin' to all the time?"

Coy looked down at the ground as the toe of his boot dug into the dirt. "Yeah"

Vance leant back on the hood next to him "Coy? What's goin' on?"

"Nothin'!" Coy replied not looking up

"Nothin' coz y'are just friends or nothin' coz you're too scared to do somethin' about it"

Coy looked up at him "About what?"

Vance smiled "I'm guessin' ya don't wanna just be friends, or cousins, and if I were a bettin' man,...which I ain't...I'd bet two hundred that ya felt like that

twenty years ago."

Coy looked up at him again in surprise.

"Am I right or did I just loose enough money to put me in the dog house for a month?" Vance smiled

"Vance, she's my cousin, sorta... and she probably don't feel nothin' anyhow."

"And just how many times has she contacted you in the last three days?" Vance grinned.

At that moment Coy's phone beeped again, and he laughed "Yeah, OK. I get it"

Vance clapped a hand down on Coy's shoulder. "Y'ain't gonna get no where less ya try."

Coy smiled "I guess..." then he turned serious again " but what if you're wrong?"

Vance smirked "It surely won't be the first time a girl's turned ya down?"

Coy shook his head and smiled "No...and it'll cost ya two hundred dollars"

"Nope coz I ain't wrong. Call her, go see her, and see what happens"

"Thanks Cuz" They grinned and highfived into a handshake. "Come on let's go"

They climbed into the car and headed back to the farm.

.

Vance walked into the kitchen to find Daisy busy cooking. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he pinched one of the fresh baked cookies she was

putting on a plate.

"How'd it go with Boss?" She asked smacking his hand and giving him a knowing smile.

"It was kinda strange. We couldn't find him and Rosco says he's home sick and not to be disturbed." Vance replied as he leant back against the sink and

took a bite of the cookie.

"That's odd. Uncle Jesse ain't said nothin'." Daisy pondered. "Maybe he ain't heard"

"Or maybe Boss ain't really sick" Vance responded "Maybe he's up to somethin'."

"It's possible" Daisy shrugged

"Where's the other guys at?" Vance asked.

"Gone to pick Judd and Lisa up from the bus station" Daisy explained "and Uncle Jesse's out to the barn. Where ya leave Coy?"

"He's out in the yard"

The screen door rattled as Uncle Jesse came in muttering to himself "Danged blasted things. That boy needs to get rid of that phone o'his and get himself

some real company."

Daisy and Vance exchanged a smile.

"I think that's what he's tryin' to do Uncle Jesse" Vance said.

Coy bounded into the kitchen "Uncle Jesse I'm glad to catch up to ya. I wanted to ask ya somethin'."

"Well, ask away" Uncle Jesse replied sitting down and taking the coffee Daisy passed him.

"Would ya mind if I was to take off for just a couple of days. I won't be gone long and I'll be back before your birthday" Coy rattled off as if he were a

teenager again.

"I guess it must be real important to you to even be askin' so you go on ahead and do what ya have to do. I think that this old place is gonna be pretty

crowded anyhow."

"Thanks Uncle Jesse" He smiled and shot off back outside.

"Wonder what's got him so all fired up?" Daisy said.

Uncle Jesse raised an eyebrow and gave a knowing grin. "Probably the same thing that could get any of these boys all fired up. Either a car or a girl"

Daisy and Vance started laughing as Uncle Jesse chuckled along with them.