So you want to hear more!
Here comes the happy ever after bit. Or does it? This is Hazzard and they are Dukes
Bobby lent on the porch rail looking out over the farm and glanced round as Jess came out of the house.
"You OK?" She asked rubbing his back.
" 'Spose. " He replied returning his gaze to the moonlit countryside.
" It's been a long tough day" She leant on the railing next too him.
"Yeah, but it's worth it................ Bekka would love this place"
"Don't you think it would be too quiet here for her?"
Bobby flashed her a quick grin. "Nah, she's like you and you love it here."
"We'll have to make sure she comes and sees it then" Jess smiled then looked serious "What about you?"
"There's something special about this farm, about Hazzard. It's like we belong here. I'm going to miss everyone at home and the life we had there but..........I don't suppose I'd've said this before..........but you needed this.............you need Luke........I suppose we all do"
Jess gave a surprised chuckle "That's very profound and very grown up"
"Well, I guess I'm not a little kid anymore."
Jess bit her lip and put her hand on his back "I guess not.............but if you ever change your mind about any of this........we want you and Kait to be happy too"
"I know" He smiled at her as Luke returned from the barn to join them.
"You guys OK?" He asked wrapping his arms round Jess.
Bobby smiled at him "Just fine Dad"
"Is everything OK?" Jess indicated the animals.
"Yeah Hank took real good care of things"
"What are we doing tomorrow?" Bobby asked.
"Not got anythin' planned. Ya wanna go someplace?" Luke replied
"I just thought I might take Jackson for a run over to Jed's place."
"No problem, but I need to have a talk to y'all about the farm afore ya go"
"OK." Bobby pushed himself up from the rails "I'm going to go to bed then"
"Hey kiddo. " Luke's eyes met Bobby's "I just want ya to know .........."
Then Bobby grinned at him "I know" And he hugged him "Night Dad"
He hugged Jess and they said goodnight and Jess bit her lip as she watched him go in.
"Jess, what's wrong?" Luke asked.
She turned and lent back on the rails. "Oh, I guess my little boy isn't a little boy any more"
Luke wrapped his arms back round her. "I guess not" They stood in silence for a moment just enjoying the night before Luke spoke "I know today's been hard............but I'm glad you're all here"
Jess turned to face him "So am I" and she kissed him.
After spending a while kissing on the porch, Jess took Luke's hand and pulled him up from the seat "I think it 's time we took this inside"
Luke grinned "I like ya thinkin' Jess Duke"
.
Luke woke next morning wondering why it felt like he had a mouth full of cotton. As he opened his eyes and brushed it away, he realised it was Jess's hair. She was laid with her head on
his chest his arms round her shoulders. He looked down at her and smiled to himself. It was early he could tell from the sun trickling through the curtains. He checked the clock by the bed.
Time for chores. He gently slid himself out from under Jess and got up, not wanting to wake her. He pulled on his work clothes and was just about to creep out of the door when he was
startled by the voice behind him.
"Sneaking out on me already"
He turned and smiled at Jess as she lent up on one elbow "I didn't wanna wake ya. Ya lookin' so peaceful 'n' all. Chores won't do themselves" He walked back over to the bed as he spoke
She smiled as she reached up for his hand. "So you should have woken me so I can help"
"There's plenty of time for that. You go back to sleep"
"I'm awake now."
Luke smiled, kissed her hand and went to go back out but Jess wouldn't let go of his hand "Haven't you forgotten something?"
Luke looked puzzled.
Jess pulled him to sit on the bed and kissed him "Good morning"
Luke laughed and kissed her back "I guess I did.........Good mornin' "
With that Jess let him go and threw her legs out of bed.
"Now what?" Luke watched her.
She smiled at him "Chores won't do themselves"
Jess was preparing breakfast when Kait came padding in barefooted, still in her pyjamas.
"Good morning Sweetie" Jess hugged her
Kait sat at the table. "I'm hungry"
"Breakfast won't be long. Did you sleep well?"
Kait nodded and rubbed her eyes "Where's Luke?"
"Outside seeing to the animals. He'll be in soon"
"Can I ride Dollar today?"
"I expect so. We'll ask at breakfast"
The screen door clattered as Luke came in "We got eggs" He said putting them on the counter and giving Jess a quick kiss. "Mornin' Princess" he moved across and kissed the top of her head.
"Have we got any baby animals yet" Kait asked
"Just a few chicks" Luke replied.
Kait jumped up "Can I go and see them?"
"Not yet. You can lay the table and have breakfast first" Jess instucted her.
Luke chuckled "I'd better go wash up" he kissed her.
"Can you please wake Bobby too?"
"Sure"
"So what was it that you wanted to talk to us about" Bobby asked Luke as they finished breakfast.
Luke leaned back in his chair twisting his coffee cup on the table. "Well, with this bein' a farm'n'all, there's a lot of chores to do. Most of 'em is me and Bo's work, but..." he glanced up at Jess and she guessed what was coming. With just a look she agreed for him to go on. "But, there's things that you can do around here too"
"We have to work?" Kait interrupted.
"Kait.."Jess had a warning tone that stopped her.
Luke continued "Everyone has chores to do, and if everyone helps it makes life easier. Ya had a few chores to do before, especially when ya Mama was workin'. It just means that chores here are different. Kait y'alls been learnin' about the horses and ya can give Gaby a hand with them and collect the eggs and feed the chickens. Bobby, you can help with the animals and in the fields."
He smiled "I'm glad I'm not gonna be here long. You'll be here doing chores"He teased Kait "And I'll be with Grams and Gramps getting spoilt."
"Oh no you won't Bobby D. You've got to help out out just as much there. They aren't getting any younger and don't need to be waiting on you" Jess informed him.
"Your Mum's right. And we'll be checkin' Kiddo." Luke agreed.
"Ok, OK. I'll work" He sighed.
Jess stood up to start clearing the table "And you can start now" She threw the dishcloth at him. "By washing up"
Luke put his head back and laughed as Bobby pouted "But I was going out"
"Quicker ya get it done, quicker ya can go" Luke grinned and got up "Come on, I'll give ya a hand"
"Why do I have to wash up?" He grumbled
"Because there's no dishwasher here, Bob, and I won't have any chauvanists in this house" Jess smiled.
Kait started laughing at him teasingly before Jess turned to her.
"Don't you laugh, Kaitie Lou. You need to go and get dressed and unpack your bags."
Bobby laughed as Kait pouted and stomped off.
"Mum," Bobby frowned "So if we're all busy working, why aren't you?"
She smiled and patted his arm "I am all the time Bobby. All the time.......But right now I have to go and see Gaby" She kissed Luke quickly and left them to it.
As Jess walked back across the yard, she found Luke and the kids out with the chickens looking at the little chicks.
"Hey, Bobby. I thought you were going out?" She commented
"Yeah I am but Luke wanted to take us all somewhere first"
Luke took the chick from Kait and put it back with its mother as Jess looked at him puzzled. He took her hand and led her towards the General with the kids following "Come on you'll see"
They pulled up at the gates to the cemetery and climbed out
"This isn't a very interesting place to visit" Kait said turning up her nose.
Luke took Jess's hand and led them through the gates. "Ya got the whole history of Hazzard right here" Luke told them "Just about everybody's here, farmers, moonshiners, lawmen, even a politician or two"
"Are your family here too?" Kait asked
"Sure are." They stopped at a plot to one side "My Mama and Daddy" He pointed out "Right alongside Bo's and Daisy's" Luke stepped forward and ran his hand across the newest stone
"Jesse and Lavinia Duke, Loved by all" Kait read.
"Hey Uncle Jesse............I'm back" He murmured
Kait went to ask another question and Bobby motioned her to be quiet.
"I brought my family to see ya" Luke was hardly aware they were all still there until Jess stepped up beside him and squeezed his hand in took a deep breath and gave her a weak smile.
"He's still watching you" she whispered to him as he clenched his jaw and ran his hand through his hair keeping his emotions in check.
After a moment, the kids went off to explore and Jess and Luke sat on the grass, her head resting on his shoulder, his hand still clamped tightly in both of hers.
"He was really important to you" She commented.
"He was the closest thing I ever had to a parent" Luke replied
"Tell me about him" She asked quietly.
Luke smiled and began telling her tales of his life laughing at some and gazing wistfully at others.
Eventually, he jumped up and pulled her to her feet. "Enough about the past, it's time to think about the future and go find the kids"
Jess wrapped her arms tightly around him "I'm sorry I never met him Luke"
"Me too. He'd have loved havin' everyone here, the farm full of kids again"
"And he'd've been proud of you I'm sure of it. I'm glad you brought us up here"
He smiled "I had to. I promised." Luke kissed her and taking her hand, he ran his other across the top of the stone again "See ya Uncle Jesse" and they walked away.
They found Bobby looking at a big white mausoleum. "This guy must have been really important" Bobby said
Luke smiled "Boss Jefferson Davis Hogg. One of the crookedest politicians to ever set foot in the whole state of Georgia. Roscoe's little fat buddy"
Bobby looked at Jess and she shrugged. "Isn't he the one who's picture's in the courthouse?"
Luke continued. "Yeah. He was behind every crooked deal and inflated tax bill in Hazzard and ran me and Bo in for tryin' to stop him more times than I care to remember. He was always up to some low down dirty scheme and pinnin' it on us Dukes"
"He sounds like a really horrible man" Jess said in disgust.
"Nah." Luke smiled at him "When it came down to it, he always did the right thing, even if it weren't for the right reasons. Him and Uncle Jesse used to run shine together back in the day. And they always abided by ridgerunner rules."
"Ridgerunner rules?" Bobby looked puzzled.
"Code of honour. They'de stand together 'gainst revenuers, no one ever got hurt, that kinda thing. Come on let's go find Kait"
"She's over under that tree" Bobby pointed and they all turned to look towards the bench Kait was dancing round partly obscured by a head stone.
"What's she doing, Mum?" Bobby asked.
"It looks like she's talking to someone" Jess frowned.
"Ain't nobody up here but us" Luke said uneasily.
"Isn't she getting a bit old for imaginary friends" Bobby grinned.
"You leave her be" Jess reprimanded him "Kait! Come on!"
Kait skipped over to them
"What were ya doin' Princess?" Luke smiled running his hand across her head.
"Just talking to that old man" She turned and looked back "Oh, he's gone"
"What old man?" Bobby pulled a face at her.
"He was sitting on that bench. He was telling me all about Hazzard in the old days and he knew all about the Duke's, Luke" Kait said brightly
Jess and Luke exchanged a look the feeling of unease growing now in both of them.
"You have been told about going off and talking to strangers Kait" Jess reprimanded her seriously.
"I'm sorry" She said droping her head, "But he was really nice"
"What did he look like, Kait?" Luke asked. Kait knew something was wrong, Luke never used her name unless she was in trouble.
"He had a red hat and a white beard"
Luke took a deep breath as a chill ran down his spine"What did he say?"
"He said 'Things ain't never bin the same since the US of A government stopped them runnin' shine' and 'it was all Sherman's fault' "
Luke ran his hand through his hair and turned taking a few steps away from them.
Jess looked at him with concern and Kait took her hand "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to do anything wrong"
"It's ok" Jess gave her a quick smile "Bobby, take Kait back to the car"
"Are we going? I was going over to Jed's"
"Yeah, OK. GIve us a minute. Just take Kait" She instructed in a tone not to argue with. Bobby grabbed Kait's shoulder and guided her away.
"Luke.."Jess said softly "Do you know who that was?"
He stood hands on hips and looked across the cemetery to the Duke plot "Uncle Jesse" He almost whispered.
"Uncle Jesse! But Luke..." She exclaimed "Do you know what that sounds like?"
He span round to face her his voice raised in confusion "I know exactly what that sounds like. But he looked like he looked, he talked like he talked, he even knew about Hazzard and the Dukes." Luke ran his hand roughly back through his hair.
"But a ghost!"
"Did you see the guy she was talkin' to?" Luke was clearly agitated as he spoke roughly.
"Well, no.......but........"
"None of us did. I don't believe in any of this any more than y'all do. But do you have a better explanation?" Hands on hips, face in turmoil. He looked into her eyes.
"It was probably just her imagination." She pulled him into a tight hug to which he didn't respond.
"Not with that kinda detail"
"There must be a reason and we'll find it"
Luke gradually began to relax and eventually put his arms round Jess. "I'm sorry. I ain't got no right to yell at you"
Jess held his chin making him look at her "It's OK. I love you Luke Duke and I understand."
"Babe, you're somethin' else" He kissed her gently and pulled her closer towards him "I think we've all been up here a little too long if we've started seein' ghosts" He gave her a smile. "Come on"
Later that day, Luke explained what had happened to Bo, who had no better idea what was going on than the rest of them. Luke kept thinking about it and it was made worse because he felt guilty for yelling at Jess. He was very quiet that evening and when Jess woke alone in the early hours of the morning she was concerned enough to go looking for him. Luke was sat at the kitchen table surrounded by old photo albums.
"Hey Lu, What you doing?"
He put his arm round her waist as she stood next to him, her arm round his shoulders. "Just lookin' at these. I didn't mean to wake ya"
She smiled "You know I can't sleep if your not there. What is all this stuff?" She took a drink of the milk he was holding.
"Old photos. Some of it dates back to before I was born"
Jess ran her hand through his hair "It really spooked you today, didn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess it did."
"But you don't believe in ghosts. You've never seen one before" Jess sat down next to him as he stared at the table
"No" Then he smiled looking up at her "But I saw an alien once"
Jess laughed "An alien! Yeah right"
Luke chuckled "Yeah, for real. Right here at the farm. We all saw it"
"Of course" she said sarcastically. Luke flicked a couple of pages of the album as they fell silent. ""Can I see?" She asked quietly.
Luke smiled up at her and held his arm out as an invitation to come closer. "Sure"
Jess shuffled up as close as she could get, with Luke's arm round her, and they sat pouring over the albums with Luke telling stories and anecdotes on the pictures of his life and his family.
.
Luke was getting a coffee when Bo came in to start chores. "Couzin, ya look terrible"
"Thanks Bo" He frowned, handing a coffee to Bo.
Bo sat down at the table "Hey, I ain't seen these in years" He said picking up the nearest album from the table and flicking through it."Ain't no wonder ya look so bad if ya bin up all night
lookin' at these."
Luke sat down with him "Thought I might find some answers in there"
"And did ya?"
"Nope."
"Thought ya didn't believe in ghosts, Cuz?"
"No just aliens" Jess smiled as she came in and kissed Luke "Morning Bo"
"Mornin' Darlin;" He replied distractedly still looking through the pictures "Lil' Cousin never did come back"
"Lil' cousin?" She looked puzzled.
"Yeah the alien" Bo looked up and noticed her surprised face "Didn't believe him, huh?"
Jess looked from one to the other in surprise "I should have known better. If something like that is going to happen, it'll happen in Hazzard. " She said as Luke laughed "Why 'Lil' Cousin'?"
Bo and Luke looked at each other and replied together "Daisy!"
Jess laughed. "Kait's just as convinced she saw this guy yesterday"
Luke sighed "She saw him at the airport too"
Jess and Bo both looked at him "The airport!?" Bo exclaimed.
Luke looked at Jess "You remember when y'all was waitin' for me"
Jess frowned "But we all saw him Luke."
"I didn't............and Kait saw him first"
"You think it's the same person?" Jess frowned as she sat down with them
"Seems too much of a coincidence not to be" Luke replied.
"I read somewhere that kids can be more susceptable to this kinda thing. " Bo said as he flicked through some more photos.
Luke looked at Bo amazed. "What?" Bo said looking up at Luke
"I'm just surprised ya read anythin' but car magazines." Luke smiled.
Bobby came in followed by Kait
"Hey kids, y'all's up early" Bo said to them.
"Well, I heard there's chores to be done, but if you don't need our help" Bobby grinned at him.
"Heck, I ain't never gonna turn down willin' hands" Bo grinned back at him.
"Let's get at it then" Luke put down his coffee and stood up. And with a pat on Bobby's back, a quick kiss for Jess and an arm round Kait, they left.
.
Luke pulled up to the cemetary gates and turned off the engine. He let out a deep breath. He didn't know what he expected to find if anything or why he suddenly felt it necessary to keep
coming back. He'd never been up here as much as Daisy and Bo had. As he slid out of the General he looked across and saw an old man over at the Duke plot.
"Hey" he called out.
The old man looked up startled and then took off as fast as he could across the cemetary in the other direction. Luke's feet hit the ground and took off after him, but the old man had a
good head start of him. Luke was catching him up when the man disappeared between some trees. Luke went through and found himself out on the road. "Dang it!" He cussed kicking at
the dirt.
"Lost Sheep 2 callin' his Big Lost Cousin. You out there Luke?"
Luke pulled the CB from his belt "I hear ya cuz"
"I'm over at the General, where are ya?"
"Shelby Road. Other side of the cemetary"
"Wait there. I'll catch up to ya"
"10-4 Cousin"
.
Luke was wandering up and down the road like he was looking for something when Bo found him
"Hey Luke, Ya lost a dollar?"
"No just somethin' that I ain't sure I had to start with" Bo looked puzzled and Luke looked up at him "What you doin up here anyhow?"
"Lookin' for you. Jess said you took off in the General and she was worried about ya"
Luke pulled a face "I shoulda told her where I was goin' "
"So what ya loose?"
"Y'aint gonna believe what I just saw" And Luke told him what had just happened.
Bo walked around looking at he ground "Well, whoever this guy is, he certainly ain't no ghost"
"What?!"
Bo looked up at Luke from where he was crouched on the ground "Not unless ghosts drive cars" He held out his hand to show oil on his fingers. "There was a car parked up here not too
long ago. Tyre tracks lead south"
"Bo, You been takin' Enos pills" Luke smirked and looked off down the road.
Bo brought the General round and they followed the tracks along the road but there was no sign of the man or the car. Eventually, they reached the main road.
"We ain't gonna be able to follow tracks along the black top" Bo sighed.
"I guess we lost him" Luke said disgruntled
"Yeah, but he'll find us or we'll find him"
"How can ya be so sure?" Luke frowned.
"Coz if it means trouble, it always finds us or we find it. It's just how it always is" Bo smiled matter of factly.
Luke shook his head "I guess........Let's go home"
"Can't" Bo said.
"Why not?"
He looked at Luke "I left my car up at the cemetary"
Bo turned around and drove back up to the cemetary. They got out and walked back to the Duke plot.
Luke just stood staring at Uncle Jesse's stone as Bo ran his hand along the top of it and crouched down to remove a few leaves that had blown onto the grave. "Ya know Luke, all these
Dukes here and I don't remember a single one of them, but for Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lavinia."
"That's coz most of 'em were gone before ya could even sit up."
Bo ran his hand absent mindedly through the grass and caught sight of something at the bottom of the stone "Hey Luke, would ya look at this"
He stood up and looked at the picture he'd found before handing it to Luke. It was of two young men, dressed similarly with such a striking family resemblance that they could be brothers.
Luke turned the photo over "Jesse and Silas, 1957" He read from the back.
"You ever heard of a Silas, Luke?"
"No. It ain't been here long or the rain woulda got at it"
"Let's go call see if Daisy's home. She might know"
.
"I'm sorry fellas. I don't ever remember Uncle Jesse mentionin' any Silas"
"We're sendin' a copy of the picture on the fax" Luke said.
"I got it."
"Mama, are they twins" They heard Troy ask.
"No Honey they ain't twins but there sure is a family resemblance" Daisy replied."I'll give Coy and Vance a hollar see if they ever heard anythin' when they were stayn' with the rest of the
family"
"OK, Darlin'. Y'all take care" Bo said from the other phone.
.
After lunch, Jess came into the living room to find Luke sitting in Uncle Jesse's chair pouring over the old family Bible. "What you got there?"
"The old family bible. It's got the history of the Dukes since before they came to Hazzard." Luke closed it up and put it down next to him and took her hand "Jess I'm sorry"
"What for?"
"I bring y'all out here and as soon as ya arrive, I go chasin off after some....." He pulled a face looking for the right word.
"Ghost." Jess finished for him with a smile.
He smiled and kissed her hand "Whatever's goin' on here ain't as important as you" He pulled her into his lap.
"I know that"
"Ya do Huh?"
Jess grinned and kissed him "Yeah Luke Duke. I do, 'coz you're telling me all the time" she kissed him again.
"Is that a fact" He tickled her and amongst the tickling and kissing and teasing and giggling, they didn't hear Bo come in.
"If Uncle Jesse could see what y'all's doin' in his chair, he'd be a spinnin' in his grave." Bo said to them.
"He'd just spin to think it didn't happen sooner. What d'ya want Bo?"
"I thought we were going to fix that fence up along Old mill Road"
"Oh yeah, I forgot"
Bo grinned "You're just a little too distracted lately Cousin"
Luke pulled a face "And you ain't never been distracted from work"
.
As they worked, they talked about the events of the last few days. They were just stopping to get a drink of water , when Bo noticed a car parked up along the road.
"Hey, Luke. What d'ya suppose that car's doing there?" Bo asked as he leant back on the truck.
"Don't know. Seems a kinda odd place to be stoppin'. Maybe they got car trouble, let's go and see if we can help"
Just as they approached the car the driver got out causing both Bo and Luke to back pedal slightly. They looked at each other in disbelief and then back to the stranger.
"Breaker one, breaker one, might be crazy, but I ain't dumb. Craaaazy Cooter lookin' for the Duke boys out on the Hazzard net. Come on"
"This here's Luke. Whats up Buddy?" Luke replied keeping both eyes fixed on the stranger.
"I just wanted to let you know that there's a guy been askin' about y'all. Came into the garage a little while ago with a light blue sedan with a busted oil pump."
Bo and Luke looked at the light blue sedan in front of them "What did the guy look like. Cooter?"
"Well, you're gonna think that I've gone plumb loco, but he looked just like Uncle Jesse. To coin a phrase, gave me a right quiver in my liver, I can tell ya."
"I believe ya Buddy. I think we just seen him. Thanks Coot. I'm gone" Luke maintained a blank fixed stare as he slowly put the CB back on his belt. "Now, stranger. How about ya tell us
exactly what's goin' on?"
The man stepped forwards and held out his hand. "I guess I should, Luke. I'm Silas Duke. Your Uncle Jesse's cousin" Luke tentatively shook his hand then the Man turned to Bo"Bo", He
was equally as cautious as he shook his hand.
"I don't mean to be rude or nothin', but how come we ain't never heard about ya before?" Bo asked bluntly
"And how come ya been hangin' around, trailin' us for the past few days? It was you at the cemetery?" Luke asked
"Yeah, it was me. ............I guess I owe ya an explanation." Silas sighed.
"Was that you at the airport too, lookin' out for your son?" He asked
"Yeah, 'cept it wasn't my son I was lookin' for. I been keepin' an eye on you and ya cousins for a while"
"Mama Bear calling Lost Sheep. I just heard Cooter call. Is everything OK?"
Luke took the CB from his belt again. "Everythin's fine, Mama Bear."
"OK. I'll talk to you later"
Luke held the Cb in his hand. "Real little darlin' ya got there, Luke. Reminds me of ya Mama." Silas smiled.
"You'd better start talkin'" Bo said placing a calming hand on Luke's shoulder as he could feel the tension in him rising.
Silas began "When we were young your Uncle Jesse and I was as close as two cousins could be. Kinda like you two. Ev'ryone said we even looked alike as two peas. We ran shine, chased
girls and gen'rally got up to all the things young boys get up to. But then he up and got married and a little while after that he took on you two and ya cousin Daisy. I loved to come over
and spend time with you kids. Well, Jesse, he settled down and became more responsible and I went the other way, Drank too much, cussed too much and gambled too much. Jesse tried
all he could to get me back on the right path, but I weren't havin' none of it. I was young and stupid. Ended up, I turned up one night high on 'shine, scared Lavinia half to death. And
Jesse said I couldn't come around no more, 'till I straightened myself out. He had a responsibility now to Lavinia and you kids. Dang near broke his heart...........and mine."
"So what did ya do?" Bo asked.
"Took off, got myself into a bigger mess, got put in jail for a spell. Straightened me out for a while."
"And ya never came back to see Uncle Jesse?" Luke asked trying to imagine how Uncle Jesse felt. How he himself would feel if it was Bo.
"I was just too danged chicken to face him. But we wrote a few times and the years passed and you all growed and moved out........Eventually I got up the courage to come and put things
right before we met our maker and it was too late."
"Uncle Jesse never said" Bo said puzzled.
"Well, y'all had ya own lives and ya own problems. And just after I came a-visitin', he took sick and I was sure glad I had a chance to make my peace with him. He told me all about y'all and
how proud he was of ya. " Silas smiled "And how he despaired of any of ya's ever settlin' down"
Bo smiled slightly "He told us that a time or two, as well."
"He asked me to keep an eye on ya, make sure y'all never got into the trouble I got into. But I got another case of chicken and after I heard he passed on, I guess the responsibility was
too much and I took off again. ...............I ain't gettin' any younger and I just wanted to see y'all again. Finally, live up to what I promised."
"That's a good story, but how do we know it's the truth?" Luke asked
"Jesse said ya'd ask and to show ya these" Silas pulled a couple of letters and photos from the car. He passed them to Luke who glanced through them as Bo looked over his shoulder.
"It's Uncle Jesse's writin' alright" Bo said quietly as Luke flicked through them then handed them back.
"I guess y'are who ya say y'are" Luke said holding out his hand for Silas to shake. "Ya wanna come and meet the rest of the family?"
Silas smiled "I'd like that"
"Ya really got us spooked, lookin' so much like Uncle Jesse 'n' all" Bo smiled shaking his hand.
Silas chuckled "Duke looks musta run strong in both of us"
.
Bo and Luke pulled the truck into the yard followed by the sedan. Jess and Gaby came out of the farm house to meet them looking curious "Looks like we have company for supper` Gaby
said.
They went inside and sat in the lounge and Bo and Luke introduced Silas and explained who he was.
"I ain't been entirely straight with y'all. There was somethin' else I needed to come back here for" Silas told them
"What's that?" Bo asked
Silas produced a document and handed it to Bo. He looked it over and handed it to Luke. "It's a deed for land ownership. Where d'ya get it?"
"I've had it in my possesion since my daddy passed on. It was among some other papers I never took notice of" Silas explained.
"It's for a section of land, up near Possum's hollow." Bo stated.
"That's right" Silas agreed
Luke stood up and pulled out a map from the shelf, the deed still in his hand.
"What's wrong Luke?" Jess asked as he puzzled over the map.
"Well, unless I'm very much mistaken, it ain't near Possum's Hollow. It is Possum's Hollow" Luke looked up at them.
"What that old ghost town" Silas said in surprise.
"Ya gotta be kiddin' us Luke" Bo added equally shocked.
"See for yourself" Luke indicated the map.
Kait started laughing and they all looked at her.
Gaby was as puzzled as the rest "What's so funny Kait?"
"The ghost owns a ghost town" She giggled. They looked at her blankly then Bo started laughing with her.
"That's real cute, girl" He giggled.
Luke shook his head at the pair of them as Kait rolled around holding her sides laughing as only kids do at something that really wasn't that funny.
Luke turned to Silas "So how much is this worth? Is this what ya really came back for?" He said becoming defensive again.
"No, I meant what I said about wantin' to see you kids. You were all only little tykes last time I saw ya. Bo here weren't much older than Lacey."
Luke pulled a face at Bo, who was still giggling with Kait. "I sometimes wonder if he is now"
Silas smiled then looked at Luke seriously "I got no idea how much it's worth, Luke and even if it's worth a fortune it ain't of any use to me....... so I want you kids to have it "
They all looked at him in shock "You can't do that" Luke said.
"It's mine to do with what I want." Silas said defiantly. "And I want you boys and Daisy to have it. Jesse was the closest thing to family I had and you kids were the closest thing to family
that he had. So I want ya to have it. You can keep it or ya can sell it, whatever, but it's yours"
Luke and Bo exchanged a look and Luke shook Silas' hand "That's real generous and if ya sure, then I accept it. Thank you"
Bo shook his hand and thanked him too.
Silas grinned "It woulda been yours eventually anyhow, but I just wanted to give it to ya personal like, rather than leave it up to some no good solicitor when I'm gone"
"Well, tomorrow mornin' we'd better run this into town and see Roscoe and make it all official" Luke said folding up the deed and the map.
"Ain't he just gonna love that" Bo grinned.
"But right now, we need to get some supper" Jess said standing up "Silas, are you going to join us?"
"That's right kind ma'am. I'd love to"
Gaby passed Lacey to Bo. "I'll give you a hand"
There was the roar of an engine, followed by the screech of tyres and the frantic clucking of chickens.
"You got company?" Silas asked
Luke shook his head as he looked out of the window "No, Bobby's home"
.
Just as they were all about to sit down to supper, the phone rang and Jess went to answer it "Bo, Luke It's Daisy"
Luke went and explained everything to her, before Silas spoke to her.
They continued to have a good visit and it got late so Silas was invited to stay and he gratefully accepted the offer.
Next morning after breakfast Bo Luke and Silas went into town to see Roscoe. They ran into Cooter at the garage and explained everything to him and introduced him properly to Uncle
Silas.
Roscoe was in his office muttering to himself when they walked in. "What d'you Dukes want just a waltzin' in here......" He stopped short and snickered as he caught sight of Silas, he
pointed at him and tried to get the words out to voice what he was thinking, but it all ended up as a bunch of random sounds.
"It's OK, Roscoe" Bo said sitting him back down. "Y'ain't seein' things"
"But.... it's..." He snickered again.
"Roscoe, this is Silas Duke" Luke introduced him "Uncle Jesse's cousin"
Rosco sat squeaking in the chair as they explained what they had come for.
"Tiddly, Tuddly," Roscoe exclaimed leaning back in his chair "Everyone knows that piece of land belongs to the county"
"We thought so too" Bo said
So after an hour of sending Cletus for various old dusty ledgers which he brought through in piles that he could hardly see past, Roscoe had to agree that the ownership of Possums
Hollow was registered to Silas Duke.
"I don't know what you'd want with it anyhow" Roscoe huffed slamming a book down onto a large pile in Cletus' already overloaded arms causing him to nearly drop them all. Bo helped
him steady them. "Ain't nothin' up there but some derelict buildin's and a few tumbleweeds"
Roscoe banging the books had disturbed the dust which made made Cletus' nose itch.
"It don't matter what it's like. It's Duke land" Bo said determinedly. "All we need to do is change the names on the title"
"AA.......aa..." Cletus thought he was going to sneeze but it stopped
"Now you know that to make it all legal you have to take this here form that I stamped over to Capitol City"
"Aa.......aa....." Cletus nearly sneezed again.
"Yeah, we know" Luke replied, "and y'aint gonna try and stop us or swindle us out of the land. Are ya Roscoe?"
"Course not....."
"Aa..."
"or my name's....."
"Aa....."
"not Roscoe P...."
"Chooo!" Cletus let out an enormous sneeze scattering books everywhere several of which landed on Roscoe's foot.
They all turned to Cletus at once "Bless you!"
Bo tapped Luke's chest with the back of his hand "What say we get outta here before he changes his mind"
"Good idea" and the three Dukes left Roscoe hopping round the room complaining how Cletus had crushed his big toe.
On the way back from Capitol City, they met Bobby up at Possums Hollow for a look round
They wandered round, looking in some of the buildings and working out the extent of the land.
"I guess the last of the old timers has gone" Bo said fiddling with a rusty petrol pump.
"Yeah, I guess" Luke sighed.
"It comes to us all eventually" Silas patted both Bo and Luke on the back.
"When was the last time anyone lived here". Bobby asked as they stood in the crumbling remains of the town square.
"There's only ever been one inhaitant that I knew of" Bo said.
"I remember a kid in second grade that lived up here" Luke said "They was one of the last families left"
"Must be nigh on forty years since they shut the town down" Silas said "Just after J.D. Hogg took over Hazzard."
"That figures" Luke pulled a face.
"Come on Let's get outta here. This place gives me the creeps" Bo said looking around like he expected a few former inhabitants to come strolling down main street.
"Well, I guess it ain't worth nothin' after all" Silas sighed.
"Think Roscoe woulda just let us have it if it was" Bo grinned.
.
The time came eventually when Silas was ready to leave."I wanna thank ya for your hospitality. You boys done good." Bo and Luke shook his hand "Jess, Gaby make sure they take care of
ya "
"We will. You're welcome any time" Jess smiled.
He shook Bobby's hand and Kait gave him a big hug. "Will you come and see us again?" she asked.
"I'd sure like that" He smiled.
"I told them you were real," she said to him.
Silas laughed and looked at Luke "Real sassy little thing ya got there, Luke"
Luke put his arms round her and smiled "You bet"
"Where are you going to go now?" Gaby asked
"It looks like I'm headin' out west to see Daisy"
They all said their goodbyes, "And keep them legs on the donkey, Darlin'" He smiled at Kait as he drove out of the yard.
Bo put his arm round Luke "How many other Dukes are gonna just turn up here outta nowhere?"
Luke gave a quick laugh "Who knows"