Jesse immediately realized that the faint odor that hung in the air was not from the deputy's recent smoke break, as he initially assumed. He then turned his attention to the floor beneath his feet. As he observed the bottoms of his shoes, he could clearly see the ash and soot indicative of a recent paper burning.
"We're sorry, Uncle Jesse. We tried to stop him, but…." Luke began.
Jesse held up his hand. "No bein' sorry, Luke. It's obvious you couldn't do anything." He replied, eyeing how he was handcuffed to the wall even as he thought of how ironic it was that the very car that had been pulled over for speeding was the one that had the paperwork necessary to free his nephews.
But he was soon to realize that the courier's fate in ending up at the jail wasn't so ironic after all.
"You might want to check your pockets for holes, Jesse." Claiborne smiled. "Or better yet, you could leave them there. After all, findin' out what you Dukes are up to is a whole lot easier when you leave interestin' reading material behind."
Instinctively, Jesse began to tap around on his pockets and insert his hands into them. At the same time, he looked to the boys in confusion.
"Seems my release paperwork fell out of your pocket on your way out Friday afternoon." Luke revealed, nodding toward Marcus. "Of course, the devoted deputy there found it and wasted no time in bringin' it to Claiborne's attention."
"And just in case you're wonderin', Jesse, that's part of those ashes on the floor as well." Claiborne sneered.
Jesse took a deep, stressful breath as he took it all in. Of everywhere the paperwork could have ended up, Jesse had overlooked the most obvious answer.
But he didn't have time to concentrate on the events for long, not when Marcus began walking briskly toward the courier, who responded by yelling and begging.
"Oh please no! Please no….I don't think I can take any more….." The courier proclaimed, the last of his voice coming out as a mixture of a whine and a wail as he curled into the fetal position, as if he expected to be dealt blows. As tears streamed down his face, Marcus smiled and acted as if he were going to kick him. Satisfied that the action brought additional wails, he set his foot down and grinned before he commenced to freeing him from his handcuffs.
"Grab your briefcase and come on." Marcus ordered after he had dragged him to his feet. The courier took only a second to swipe his face with his sleeve before Marcus's gun prompted him into action. He reached to the dirty floor where he had sat and scooped up the briefcase that had been next to him.
"Over there on the table….put your briefcase down." Marcus commanded, pushing the courier and almost causing him to trip.
The courier regained his balance and walked over to the table, setting the briefcase on it.
"Now you open that thing up and get out whatever it is you need a signature on stating that you made that delivery just fine. 'Cause you see, boy? Mr. Duke here….he's gonna sign it."
The courier had obviously trembling hands as he took a moment to get the briefcase open. He then sorted through just a few papers before he came across the document that Jesse would have had to sign, acknowledging receipt of the paperwork. He was still shaking so bad when he handed Jesse a pen that it took the elderly Duke a moment to grab it.
"And what happens if I don't sign it?" Jesse asked.
"Let's just say it'd be real tragic if Marcus's gun were to accidentally go off." Claiborne smiled as Marcus raised his gun toward Jesse.
Jesse peered at him. "Are you sayin' you're gonna have him shoot me? Be kind of stupid, if you ask me. 'Cause if I ain't here, I can't make this shine you're after."
"Tis true, Jesse. That's why I wouldn't shoot you." He then placed his hand on the barrel of Marcus's gun and pushed it until the sites were lined up with Luke. "But in all reality, I really don't need both of your boys. Long as I at least have one, I still have negotiating power."
As the boys mouths fell open and they looked at each other in shock, Jesse instinctively stepped in front of Luke, forming a barrier between his nephew and the gun. "I admit, Cassius, I don't know how we are going to get out of this, but I can assure you of one thing, we'll find a way." He muttered as he pointed at the sheriff. " Now that way out may result in you being arrested again, or maybe not, but I can assure you of one thing; if both my boys don't walk out of here in the end, on accounta you killed one or both of them, you can take the 'maybe' out of that arrest theory. I can promise you that."
Claiborne smirked. He definitely had the upper hand, and had held it for a few days now. But he also knew from past experience that having the upper hand didn't dismiss the possibility that the Dukes could get it. He still had to play a careful hand if he expected everything to turn out according to his plan.
"Okay Jesse." He nodded, pressing his lips together then shrugging his shoulders. "I admit it. You've called my bluff as far as your boys here. But just because it wouldn't be in my…..best interest….to dispose of them, don't mean that you can't be responsible for the unexplained disappearance of your little delivery boy here."
The courier's eyes widened as he looked as Marcus, who then pointed his gun at him. He then looked toward Jesse. "Oh please mister, do whatever he says. I….I've got a new baby …..please!"
As the courier began to sob again, Cassius stepped forward and backhanded him. The courier then crumbled to the floor and began to cower again as Marcus adjusted his gun to keep him in his sites.
"Alright! Alright!" Jesse exclaimed, letting out a rare groan as he slammed the paper back down on the table, clicked the pen, and began to sign. He then picked it up and thrust it toward Claiborne "Why'd you burn that dad gum paperwork if you's gonna have me sign that I got it anyway?"
"Because Jesse….." Claiborne replied as he then extracted some other paperwork from his back pocket and placed it on the table. "…..it took me about 30 seconds after we began enjoying our little bonfire here to realize that I was making the situation a lot more complicated than it had to be. I mean, sure I could burn your paperwork and make you scurry to get some more, but then what would happen? The same senario all over again. We could dance in that circle from now till doomsday." He then tapped his finger on the paperwork that he had laid on the table in front of Jesse. "Why go that route when I could change strategies and just have you sign this additional document stating that the boys were already released to you? Especially since we have a young man here who's willing and able to make a rush delivery down to Atlanta to have it officially filed for me." He laughed. "Face it, we know how busy government workers are…..especially when it comes to taking an in depth look at what would be considered a paltry local affair such as a couple of country boys who might be illegally jailed. All they'd have to do is see the that the signature accepting the paperwork ordering their release matches the signature on the paperwork showing that they were released and…well….I'd say they ain't gonna have time to come and make sure that it all that went through the way it should have, wouldn't you agree?"
"Dang!" Luke groaned in the background, kicking the wall behind him to release some frustration. It appeared Claiborne really had their uncle over a barrel. Had it just been him and Bo in the room, Luke would have tried to convince Jesse not to sign anything, to insist on some private visitation time to come up with a different strategy. But the presence of the courier put things in a new perspective. Marcus had an itchy trigger finger and the courier was on the verge of a full blown panic attack. Of all the innocent players in this scenario, he was the most innocent and, presently, the least essential to Cassius' plans….the most easily disposed. With all things considered, Luke didn't see how Jesse would have any choice but to submit the signatures that Claiborne requested.
Nephew and uncle thought a lot alike. With another smirk, Jesse bent over and scrawled his signature on the paperwork stating that he had accepted his nephews in release. Smiling, Claiborne collected the documents once again and handed them over his shoulder to Marcus.
the sheriff then snatched yet another item from his pocket. As he walked toward the courier, the Dukes could all clearly see that it was a driver's license. "Marcus." He then stated, making sure the courier was aware of the fact that the license was being handed off to the deputy. "Make a copy of this young man's license before you release him to head back down to Atlanta. Oh, but I'm sure we're really not going to need to know his address, after all, he's going to make sure that paperwork's filed all nice and neat for me, isn't that right, boy?'
"Yessir." The courier nodded, swallowing. I won't say a word about anything to anybody...I swear!"
"I didn't think you would." Claiborne grinned. "After all, I'd hate to see your family suffer any...inconviences."
The courier shook his head with much more emphasis than needed to get his point across.
Claiborne slapped him on the shoulder a couple of times before he turned to the boys. "Well then, now that we have things in order…" Claiborne smiled as he went over and began to remove the handcuffs that bound Bo and Luke. "…..I suppose we can let you commence with your five minute visit."
Without saying anything further, Claiborne pointed to the briefcase, motioning for the courier to pick it up. Once he did so, he grabbed him under the arm and escorted him from the room. Marcus stayed behind to keep his gun trained on the Dukes long enough for Claiborne to get away, then exited behind him, locking the door as he went.
Turning from the door, Jesse pulled a chair out from the table and sat, propping an elbow up and pressing a fist to his forehead. "Sorry boys." Jesse began. "I really thought we had this in the bag."
"Just like you said to me before, no bein' sorry, Uncle Jesse." Luke replied.
As the boys took seats at the table along with him, Jesse removed his fist from his forehead and examined his nephews, noticing the slight smiles they gave him. "You don't have to pretend." He began. "I know you're giving me those grins to make me feel better. But you're both wore out, hungry and dirty…..maybe even sick. I can tell by lookin' at you."
Luke ran a hand through his hair. "Well Uncle Jesse, while I agree that GQ Magazine probably wouldn't look to put us on their next cover right about now, we're not sick and we're not hungry."
"The food's slop, but Luke's right." Bo assured him.
Jesse managed a slight grin. "You're still dirty and tired."
Luke put his hand atop Jesse's. "We're not the only ones who look tired."
Jesse sighed. "I can't manage much sleep with you boys in this mess."
"Don't worry, Uncle Jesse." Bo replied. "It's like you told Claiborne, we don't know the way out of this right now, but eventually, we'll figure it out."
Jesse then turned his attention to the finger Bo had been nursing on Friday, noticing that it had been tied up with a piece of his ripped off shirt. "That finger's still giving you trouble, I see."
Bo sighed and put his hand on Jesse's shoulder. "Uncle Jesse, please stop thinking of new things to worry about. Luke and me….we're worried about you."
"What do you mean you're worried about me?" Jesse asked.
Bo and Luke looked at each other before Luke swallowed and began. "Well Uncle Jesse, don't take this the wrong way, but me and Bo have been talkin' and, well, we thought it might be best that you didn't come and see us for a while."
Jesse looked back and forth between them. "Why?" He asked suspiciously
It was Bo's turn to swallow. Now Uncle Jesse, please don't assume we don't love seeing you, and we appreciate the visits." He began". "But Luke was right when he pointed out that we aren't the only ones who can be accused of looking tired and wore out."
Luke then picked up on the conversation. "I also don't think it would especially come as a shock to you when I say that you're not exactly a spring chicken. We're afraid…." He trailed off.
"Afraid of what?"
"Well…..we've been talking about it, Uncle Jesse. We're in a stressful situation, probably the most stressful situation we can ever remember being in." Bo replied. "And we're afraid…well….we're afraid it might be... too much for you."
"Too much for me!" Jesse exclaimed, peering at him.
Luke cleared his throat. "We don't mean no offense, we're just looking out for you. Maybe if you were to go home…and maybe start sending Cooter over here to check on us instead. It don't mean you can't keep working on a plan, trust me, we're gonna keep thinking of one too. If we do think of something, we'll get word to you."
As soon as the words were spoken, the rusty metal door opened. "Time's up, Duke." Marcus told Jesse.
Jesse rose from his chair, never taking his eyes off of Bo and Luke. Familiar with the expression, both of them swallowed and nervously awaited whatever came next.
Jesse began to speak, his voice gradually rising until it was practically at a shout at the conclusion of his speech. "I don't know what you two ain't tellin' me, but I've known you long enough to know there's a reason behind this request. And I can tell you this….ain't nothin' would wear me out and worry me more than to put myself in a position of not knowing what's going on. And if the two of you think I'm gonna go home and do nothin' but prop myself in the lazy chair knowing that you're down here, suffering under the wrath of one Cassius Claiborne, then you've got another thing coming!"
And as Marcus steered him out and closed the door, neither Bo nor Luke had time to respond.
Let's see, Bo and Luke are in jail, wearing themselves out worryin' about Uncle Jesse, while Uncle Jesse's runnin' around and wearin' himself out worryin' about Bo and Luke. Ya know that kinda warms your heart despite everything that's goin' on around them, don't it?
