Chapter 11: To Shuck 'N Jive


With all the relatives gone but Judd and Jebb, the house seemed oddly quiet after the invasion of the Duke farm. After evening chores, the six Duke Cousins all decided to go jukin' that night to unwind after all the chaos that always follows a big get together. Despite the chill in the air, Kira declined to either ride in the General or take her own truck. Instead, like Jebb, she rode her bike out to the Boar's Nest. After a brief attempt, Bo gave up trying to change her mind. He realized that she was only insisting on the bike because both he and Uncle Jesse had suggested for her to ride with the others. Both she and Jebb had already made a friendly bet on which of the two would beat the other to the bar first. Jebb had also tried talking to Bo about lightening up when it came to Kira. It seemed that he already knew Bo's own sister better than he did.

Reluctantly, Bo decided to try to give her some space. But he wasn't promising nothing if trouble starts. So here he was driving his three brunette cousins, Daisy, Luke, and Judd, in the General while Jebb and Kira took off on their bikes toward the Boar's Nest. And try as he might, the General just wasn't able to keep up with the bikes once they went off-road into areas that no car, General included, could go.


Kira pulled up less than a second behind Jebb; less than a second but she lost. The two hopped off their bikes while laughing and headed into the Boar's Nest. Looks like the first round would be on her. She never thought she'd be happy to lose a race, of course this time she knew she lost fair and square. Grabbing a table, she and Jebb went ahead and had a pitcher of beer brought over and Kira ordered a Scotch. By the time the drinks were delivered to the table, Bo and the others finally showed up and had joined them at the table. In no time at all, the six had begun to laugh and carry on like they hadn't a care in the world. All were dancing up a storm to the music coming from the Jukebox and Kira was having more fun than she'd had in a long time.

After a song ended, Kira made her way back to the table from dancing with Bo and Luke's dark-skinned friend, Brody. It appeared that the smooth-talk-market wasn't held exclusively by the Duke men in Hazzard. By the time she was joined by the others, she was about tempted to ask if anyone had brought a shovel; it was getting deep in here. Kira sat the next dance out as the others headed back to the dance floor. Looking towards the door, she noticed a familiar face walking in. Keeping track of the newcomer, Kira checked to see if the others had notice the latest patron. They hadn't and she wasn't about point him out.

Soon, Cooter had joined the Dukes and Kira easily saw that he really was like part of the family. Truth be told, he was already much more a Duke than Kira thought she ever could be. Eventually, he asked Kira to dance as well.

"Seeing as how your brother and cousins are here I'll even promise to behave," Cooter said while giving a lop-sided grin and a wink.

Teasing back, Kira asked, "Then what's the point?"

"Danged if I know." Both laughed along with the rest as they headed to the floor. Midway through the song, Kira noticed that Ernie had left the bar and had gone over to talk to Bo. Cooter noticed too, "Uh Oh. Trouble." Knowing that ordinarily, Luke was the one that took on Ernie for a reason. But tonight, it seemed that Bo was ready to give the fight that Ernie was looking for. Kira was ready to head back over when Cooter stopped her. "If it's a fair fight, we gotta stay out of it. Ya know how mad you were the other night when the whole family came a runnin', well same's here."

"That part of the good 'ole boys' handbook?"

Grinning slightly, "Something like that."

Still watching the exchange across the room, Kira saw Bo abruptly send a left cross at Ernie before an all-out brawl was underway. No sooner had the fight started than Kira heard something about how Rosco had been called and was on his way. Rosco, the sheriff.

After grabbing Cooter's arm, she asks, "Any rules about not letting the sheriff get in here?"

"No why?"

"You park around back or out front?"

"Round back, again, why?" Cooter asked a bit confused while still trying to follow the fight across the room.

"You up for a little shuck 'n jive?"

"Next to a good fight, there ain't nothin' like a good jive. If'n it's one on old Rosco, then it's even better. What 'cha got in mind?"

"Come on, I'll explain it outside."


Just as Cooter finished getting into place, Rosco's patrol car came to reckless stop just outside the Boar's Nest. Kira walked away from the General doing her utmost best effort not to look back. Instead she made a beeline to the patrol car as Rosco got out gleefully rubbing his hands together in anticipation of arresting a Duke.

"Sheriff Coltrane, I'm glad you made it. I hope you don't mind it being me, waitin' on ya here." Kira hopped up on the trunk to sit, causing Rosco to stop and turn back to her.

"What? I was told that there was a-"

"I didn't figure you'd come if you were just told that a Duke wanted to talk to ya. So, well..."

"You wanted to talk to me? Why?"

"I just wanted to thank you personally for everything you did. Trying to find me when I was little and all. I know that the cases involving children are always the worst to work on. Give me an ordinary crook any day. Not everyone can handle the children."

"I was just doing my job. I'm sorry I didn't find ya. But I'm glad that everything's goin' to work out all the same."

Kira hopped off the trunk and walked over to Rosco and slipped her arm through Rosco's giving him a smile. She hoped that Cooter was ready.

"Well, how about we go on in and I'll buy ya a drink?"

"That's mighty nice of ya. I'd be just a pleased as punch to accept your offer." Just as Rosco went the close the door to the patrol car, the CB came to life.

"Breaker One, Breaker One. I might be crazy but I ain't dumb. Cr-A-zy Cooter comin' right at ya. Rosco, you got your ears on? Come back."

Reaching in to grab the CB mic, "This is Rosco P. Coltrane. I got my ears, eyes, and nose on. What do you want?"

"I thought you told them kids not to be drag racin' down by the Mudd Flatts over on Pinehurst Ridge."

"I did! Are you telling me them dang-blasted kids are back again?"

"Now I ain't sayin' they are, and I ain't sayin' they ain't. I just figured you'd might want to ride out and take a look for yourself."

"Oooh! I'll get them kids. I'm down and I'm gone." Turning back to Kira he apologized, "Looks like I'll have to take a rain-check on that drink."

"That's alright. Maybe when I'm back in town, I'll run a speed trap and we'll play tag, instead." Kira laughed as she heard Roscoe giggle to himself.

"Oh, hot pursuit! I love it, I love it! I'll catch 'cha later." With that Rosco sped off towards the Mudd Flatts.

"Not if I can help it," Kira mumbled to herself as she watched the patrol car speeding down the dirt road. When the car was out of sight she signaled the all clear to Cooter. Climbing out of the stock car, he busted out laughing causing Kira to join him.

"Just what would you have done if he hadn't of fallen for that?"

"I would've thought of something," Kira paused then added, "or prayed."

"Fortunately, it worked. Let's go see if those two are still at it, now."

Once back inside, Kira saw that Luke had Bo back at the table and it looked like some of Ernie's friends had him over in a corner and was trying to convince him that it was time to leave. By the looks of it, there hadn't really been a winner. It also looked like Bo wouldn't be driving home considering his right eye was already swelling shut. Taking her seat, Bo looked over at her.

"Where did you two disappear to?" Kira picked up her glass as she answered.

"While you were in here two steppin' with Ernie, I took Cooter outside to take advantage of em," Kira took a sip to mask the smirk as she tried to keep a straight face. After a pause to allow eyebrows to be raised and looks exchanged she added, "Puttin' him to work on a little shuck 'n jive on Rosco."

"And one fittin' of a Duke. I 'bout died when old Rosco tore out of here towards the Flatts. The whole time he thought Kira was just as sweet as can be. She even told him that they'd have a game of tag the next time she's in town." The cousins all laughed at the image of Rosco getting excited over having a new Duke to chase. Then just as Kira went to take the last sip of her scotch, Cooter added, "For the record, Darlin'. You can take advantage of me anytime."

That caused everyone to laugh once again while Kira choked on her drink.

"I'll admit I opened that door, but don't ya think that you could have waited until after I'd finished my drink?" Kira asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"Could have, but it wouldn't have been as much fun," Cooter answered.

"On that note, I think that perhaps we should get out of here before the sheriff gets out to Pinehurst and finds that no one has been up there racing. Wouldn't do at all if he came back and we were all still in here."

Bo knew that teenagers had been racing in the Flatts since Uncle Jesse was a teenager. Still, with their luck, this would be the one night that every teen with a souped-up engine would be grounded. So despite the fact that the likely hood of Rosco catching on was as slim as a Boss deciding to go on a diet, the Dukes (plus one Davenport) all headed on back out.


The next day, Kira was wandering though stalls at the festival that resembled a lot like a county fair. In fact it was held at the old fair grounds at the edge of town. Several of the local merchants and craftsmen had set up to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Day Festival to kick off the Christmas shopping season. There were dozens of stalls selling everything from baked goods to knickknacks. Ordinarily, Kira did not like shopping for anything. Typically she would shop as quickly as possible unless she was with Sam. She'd long since learned that shopping to Sam was more like therapy. She loved to take her time and when Kira was with her, so did she.

Today, though, it didn't seem like shopping as she went from stall to stall. It was exploring. She was able to tell a lot about the county by the wares that it sold. She was at one of the stalls trying to find a present for Sam. Kira was debating between two music boxes. One was a light lavender, the other a pale pink. Even though Kira personally didn't care for the color pink, she knew that Sam loved it so much that her room practically looked like a Pepto-Bismol bottle had exploded. Well, you are supposed to buy the gift for the person, not for yourself. So she told the nice woman running the stall that she'd take the pink music box that played Some Where Over the Rainbow.

That was when Bo came up behind her and threw his arm across her shoulders. Seeing the box, he chuckled . "Didn't really picture you being the powder-puff type. You never liked pink if I recall right."

Kira rolled her eyes. "I don't, but I thought Sam would like it. Her room is practically a nightmare of pink. Plus she loves watchin' old Judy Garland movies. So she'll like the song too." Looking around, Kira tried to decide what to do next. "What's everyone else up to?"

"I think Daisy is over at the tilt-a-whirl with Enos. Luke met Becky Ann over at the Ferris Wheel last I saw. Not sure about the others. You want to ride any of the rides?"

"Are you kidding? After that ride here in the General Lee, they all seem just a bit tame in comparison. Not to mention, I doubt that the female half of the Hazzard population would forgive me if I monopolize your day."

Kira had noticed the looks she had been given by many of the women in town since arriving at the festival. She'd bounced between annoyance and finding them hilarious. She knew that no one but Boss, Rosco, Brody and Cooter knew who she was. With the fact that she'd already been seen twice at the Boar's Nest with the Dukes and she was a stranger in a town where everyone knew most everyone else and their families, tongues were wagging. Gossip spread like a wildfire in small areas like Hazzard.

"Why would spending the day with my sister be a problem for anyone?"

Kira looked at her brother and saw he really hadn't put things together. Could he be so dense? So as she answered, she popped her palm against his forehead. "Because, Bo-Bear, no one knows I'm your sister."

Okay, she couldn't help it. She had to laugh as Bo realized just what the townsfolk had assumed about him and Kira.

"So that's why Mary Jo gave me the cold shoulder earlier today." Mary Jo was Bo's latest fling. In fact, he was supposed to have taken her out last Saturday. In everything that had happened Bo had stood her up and forgotten all about her last week. "Oh no! Dang-it. How am I gonna explain this without it sounding like a shuck 'n jive? She ain't gonna believe me."

"You'll think of something," Kira answered as she continued to chuckle at her brother's predicament. "I'm sure this ain't the first time you've gotten in hot water with a girl only to bail your way out."

Kira took her wrapped present from the lady at the stall as she began to walk towards the center of the festivities. Across the square, Bo saw Mary Jo walking arm in arm with Ernie. Scowling, Bo got ready to head over.

"Doesn't look like I'll have that chance."

Following Bo's gaze, Kira saw the two heading over to one of the rides together. Looking back at Bo, knowing exactly what he had in mind, she put a hand up on his chest to stop him.

'You sure that's a good idea. After all, you already can't see out of one eye. Plus Jesse wasn't too happy about last night. You really want to get into it again so soon with Ernie?'

Bo looked back and forth between his sister and the couple across the square before blowing out a breath. Turning away with Kira, he figured that she was right about letting this one go. Jesse would tan him good for sure if he started anything here at the festival.

"Well, how about I start to introduce ya around. The looks we get ought to be entertaining enough." Bo tried his best to grin at her even though he'd rather be putting his fist through Ernie's teeth right now.

As the twins wandered in the opposite direction, they came across Emma Tisdale. As she walked up, she looked like she was on a mission and Bo was pretty sure what that mission might be. "Well, Bo. How are you?"

"Just fine, Ms. Tisdale; and you?"

"Fine, fine. You plannin' on introducin' that young lady to me or should I just go back and listen to the gossip floatin' around instead." She's always been known for being a bit forward and direct.

"Yes ma'am. Kira, this here is Emma Tisdale. Our post-mistress. Ms. Tisdale, this is my sister, Kira."

"Well, I remember something about how you had a sister, but I didn't know you knew. Why, let me look at you child." Emma squinted through her glasses as she studied Kira. "Well, you seemed to have done pretty well for yourself," she said as she noticed that the green sweater that Kira was wearing didn't seem to be an ordinary wool or cotton blend. Cashmere if she guessed right. Folks in Hazzard didn't bother wasting their money on expensive sweaters like that one. "Well, welcome back to Hazzard. Where you been keeping yourself lately?"

"I live in Atlanta, ma'am," Kira answered.

"Atlanta, huh? What do you do in Atlanta?"

Time for them odd looks, Kira thought to herself. "I'm a defense attorney."

Emma looked Kira up and down, then over to Bo. "Good, maybe you can help keep your brother and cousin out of trouble. They're good boys, just a bit high-spirited."

"I can try. They'll even get the family rate." Kira winked at Bo as she grinned at the elderly woman. "Of course, that's providin' that they don't keep me so busy I can't take on paying clients."

The three chuckled a bit as they all knew just how often the Dukes just might need legal help given the fact that J.D. Hogg had a vendetta on the Dukes.

"Well, I hope you'll be around Hazzard more often now. I have ta get goin' but ya'll tell ya'lls handsome Uncle Jesse I said hey. They're gonna start the cake walk without me if'n I don't get movin'."

"With Miss Tisdale knowing who you are, word will get out fast. Everyone in Hazzard has to see her to get their mail. Now if we can just find Maybelle, the operator at the telephone company, the whole county'll know by night fall." Bo said as he and Kira continued walking. Looking towards the band stand at the center of the square, Bo saw that folks had been setting up instruments and now the town's folk were all taking turns getting up and singing their favorite songs. Grinning, he turned to Kira who stopped him before he could suggest anything.

"You wanna go up there, be my guest but I ain't gettin' up there, Bo. So forget it."

A little disappointed, Bo didn't push it. Instead, he went and signed up to be put on the list. Already, Becky Ann had sweet-talked Luke into getting up on stage and was singing Up on Cripple Creek. Bo chose to sing In the Driver's Seat. He even saw Jebb walk over to the list and wondered what he'd sing. About an hour later, both he and Kira were applauding Daisy as she finished singing a song that she had written when Boss went to read the next name off the list.

"Alright, let's see who we have up next. Well, well, well, and well. It seems we have another Duke wantin' to croon a little. Next up is Miss Kira Kyle Duke."

"Bo! You didn't!" Kira swung around to her brother. She had told him specifically that she did not want to go up.

"I didn't! I swear!" Bo saw the look that Kira gave him that said she didn't believe him so he added holding up his hands, "Cross my heart, hope to give up women! I didn't!"

Despite the fact that she was peeved, that made her have to bite the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't laugh. "Well if you didn't, then who?" Taking a quick glance around, her eyes landed on the only other person that she could think of that would have signed her up then stormed over to where he was watching the stage. "Jebb! You did it, didn't you? I'm not going up there."

"Why not? You were great in Mobile last year."

"I only did it then for a couple of reasons. A) It was for charity. B) I did it on a dare. C) I'd known most those people for a couple of years-"

"D) You've known me for years," Jebb added with a grin.

"E) I'm beginning to wish I haven't." She answered in a huff. Looking around, Kira saw that people were waiting on her. Reluctantly, she headed up to the band stand as she did her best to calm her nerves. Once at the microphone she looked directly at Jebb before beginning to speak. "Before I start, I'd like to invite ya all to the wake of the soon to be late Jebb Stewart Duke. Never let it be said that he died a wise man." Kira paused as a few laughs went out at Jebb's (and her own) expense. "Well, I guess I should say that this song could never be done as well as Dottie West does it, but since I've been volunteered, I guess I'll give it my best shot."

With that Kira started to sing A Lesson in Leavin' with just enough sass that made everyone who was listening to forget the fact that she hadn't wanted to go up in the first place. When Kira left the stage, she walked over to Jebb and spoke quietly but harshly to him. Bo tried to get over to them fast enough to over hear what his sister would say to their blond cousin, but by the time he reached them both were silent. Kira still looked annoyed with Jebb while he was just grinning at the reaction he'd gotten from his fiery-tempered cousin.

Walking up to Jebb, Bo clapped him on the back as he went to say, "Better you than me. I actually considered pulling that same stunt but thought better of it. Want to share with the class just what she said to ya when she came over?"

"Nope. She'll get over it though. She just inherited one minor flaw that most Dukes don't get a fair share of. Modesty. She doesn't think she's any good at it is all. As far as the stunt goes, I kind of thought that you did sign her up when I saw the two of ya'll talking before you went over to sign up on that sheet."

Grinning, Bo just said, "Why bother when she can get mad at you instead of me? It's nice to not be the one stickin' my foot in my mouth for once."

Both men laughed as they saw Kira had nearly gotten out of sight before they both decided to follow her. With any luck, the two of them will have the red-headed Duke laughing and joking around again in no time.


A short time later Kira had indeed forgotten the incident with Jebb and had once again had begun to enjoy herself at the festival. Making her way to a huge bulletin board, Kira saw that this must have been the project that Daisy had been working on last weekend. Scanning the board, it must have had hundreds of pictures on it. There were baby pictures of nearly everyone in town posted on it. And of course, Kira wouldn't know any of them but some of them were funny enough to look at anyway.

'Thought I'd find ya here.'

Kira turned around to spot Bo walking over. He was still several feet away when he had seen Kira at the Who's who game. The game that Daisy had been digging through pictures for this time last week that had turned the world upside down. Not that he'd want it right-side up no more. But looking at the board, he had mixed feelings about it all the same.

'Eventually anyway.'

With so many people around, Bo didn't really want to be over heard so he fell back on to his and Kira's link instead of speaking. Luke had pointed out to him that he and Kira seem to do that a lot already, though he hadn't really noticed until after Luke said something about it.

Kira turned and saw Bo eying the pictures. She didn't have to say what she'd been thinking. He'd been thinking the same thing too. Not really sure of what to say, Kira just didn't say anything. After a few moments, she heard Bo curse under his breath. Following Bo's gaze on the board, Kira saw what he had.

"He's goin' ta kill her."

Kira looked at the picture that had drawn Bo's attention. She recognized the young child in the photograph as being none other than Luke Duke. Looks like Daisy was good to her word. Luke hadn't helped her find a picture to his liking so she used the one that had been found of him as a toddler right after he had been given a bath.

Laughing, Kira leaned into Bo before saying, "I'd defend em. I'd say it's justifiable."

That got Bo to laughing too until he looked back and saw Luke was coming their way. "Uh oh. I think we'd better see if we can keep him from coming over and seein' this."

Looking to Kira, they both did their best not to laugh as they approached Luke and turned him as they walked with him, one on each side. Kira slipped her arm through Luke's and Bo tossed an arm across Luke's shoulders.

"Hey, Luke; you already runnin' from Becky Ann? I thought we'd be lucky to see you again before preachin' tomorrow. What's wrong, can't keep up with her no more in your old age."

Kira grinned as he ribbed Luke. Though it wasn't strictly because of Bo's antics. The way those two interacted was a class act. Worthy of any stage. And it appeared that they were succeeding in leading Luke AWAY from the pictures.

Luke looked back and forth between his cousins as Bo continued to kid him. Truth be told, Becky Ann's brothers showed up and hadn't been too happy to find their baby sister with one of the infamous Duke Boys. He couldn't read Kira as well as he'd like yet but he could definitely tell that Bo was up to something. He couldn't really figure out what. He had been coming to find them to see if they'd had enough when he found them over at the ... GUESS WHO'S WHO GAME! She wouldn't. Luke turned around so fast that Bo and Kira hadn't been able to stop him.

Luke ran over to the board and before the twins caught up to him they heard, "Daisy! Dang it!"

Luke went off in search of Daisy as he ignored the eruption of laughter from the two cousins behind him. As Luke went in search of Daisy, the remaining two cousins came over to find out just what he was now going on about. Showing Judd and Jebb, Bo explained that had actually been the first picture that Daisy and he had kidded Luke over last week and that Daisy had warned him.

"Just how did you avoid the same embarrassment, Bo?" Judd asked still smirking at his older brother's baby picture on display to the whole town to see, protected by a plate-glass covering.

"Simple, I gave her a picture to use." Bo pointed to the picture he'd handed Daisy. It was the photo that had been hidden in the brown envelope for more than two decades.