Trust in Me

Chapter 2: Truth or Consequences

'Now ole Bo's as good at playin' football as he is at chasin' girls. That boy's as fast as a rabbit bein' chased by a hound. Guess that comes from runnin' away from all those girls' daddys.'

Luke smiled as he watched Bo runnin' down field and catchin' the ball for a touchdown. "Alright Bo!" he yelled as his cousin made his way over to the gate.

"Hey cuz, when did ya get here?" Bo asked tryin' to catch his breath.

"Awhile ago. Ya ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my things. I'll change at home."

Luke watched as Bo put his pads and helmet away. "I sure hope ya don't hate me for this kiddo." He said to himself.

"Reckon he didn't find it?" Fred asked as he and Tommy hid in the bushes nearby.

'I wondered what happened to those two fellas. They must have a thing about bushes or somethin'. They all the time hangin' out in 'em.'

"He hadda find it. Probably just waitin' til he gets the kid home to bring it up."

"So what now?"

"We do like Boss said and head out to the farm. We'll see what happens when they get there and then talk to Boss."

"And then Karen poured her whole glass of tea over James' head." Bo laughed as he and Luke walked inside the kitchen door.

"Bet that was sure somethin' to see." Luke said walkin' over to the livin' room where Jesse and Daisy waited.

Bo looked around at his family and wondered what was goin' on. Leanin' against the doorjamb, he asked. "What's wrong?"

Lookin' over at his sixteen-year-old nephew, Jesse sighed. "Come on over here and sit down, Bo. We got some plain talkin' to do.

Bo mentally ticked off anything he had done lately that could get him in trouble with his uncle and couldn't come up with anything that would call for a family meeting. Sitting down on the couch he looked at Jesse. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"

"Bo, I wanna ask ya somethin' and I want the truth about it, son." Jesse said lookin' at the boy.

"Yes sir."

"Have you ever smoked any marijuana, boy?" Jesse asked.

Bo looked at his uncle stunned at the question. He didn't know what he had expected the man to ask, but it sure hadn't been that. "No sir, I ain't."

"You right sure on that? Cause if ya have I want ya to be honest with me and say so. This is the only time I'm gonna ask this and let the answer go with only a warnin', so if ya have, ya better own up to it now."

"I ain't never smoked pot." Bo said. Looking around at his family, he added. "I swear it, Uncle Jesse."

"Alright, but can ya tell us how this got in ya wallet?" Jesse asked, takin' the joint from his pocket and showin' it to the boy.

Shocked, Bo stammered. "Y-ya got that outta my wallet?"

"I did, Bo." Luke said. When Bo looked around at him he added. "This mornin' when I got that five back from ya."

Bo stood and faced his cousin. "You don't really believe it's mine, do ya Luke?" he asked. He had always looked up to Luke and his opinion of him meant everythin'.

"If ya say it ain't yours, I believe ya. Ya ain't never lied to me. I just hope ya know ya could tell me if it was yours. I know what it's like to wanna try different things."

"I do know that, but I swear to ya Luke, it ain't mine."

Jesse saw that Bo was getting' upset and walked over and put his arm around the boy's shoulder. "It's alright son. We all believe ya. You understand that we hadda ask."

"Ya really believe me Uncle Jesse?" Bo asked. The last thing he wanted was to have his family doubt him.

"Yes I do Bo. You learned a few years back how I feel about lyin' and as far as I know ya ain't lied to me since. I don't think ya lyin' to me now." Jesse told the boy.

Remembering back to that time he was twelve, Bo recalled when he had lied to his uncle about spending the night at a friend's house. He and the boy, Carl, had spent the night roaming around Hazzard pulling pranks. He also remembered the encounter he had with his uncle's belt the following day. "No sir, I sure ain't and I ain't now either."

"Subjects closed then long as ya understand that I won't have that there stuff in my house. You do know what'll happen if'n it is brought in here, don't ya?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright. Well we got chores ta get done while Daisy gets supper done. Come on boys."

"Worked just like Boss said it would, Tommy."

"Yep. Let's go and see what he wants done next."

'Ya know, them ole boys' luck is agonna run out one of these days, and I'll betcha a dollar to a hole in a doughnut they's gonna end up in some poison oak if they keep hangin' out in everybody's bushes.'

Luke rolled over and looked across the room at his baby cousin. He knew the boy was upset and wondered just who coulda done this to him. "Bo, ya ok?"

"Yep."

"Ya don't sound much like it. Wanna talk?"

"Nope."

Getting up, Luke cut the lamp on before sitting on the edge of his cousin's bed. "Look Bo, I'm sorry I hadda tell Jesse, but…"

"What?" Bo asked, sitting up in his bed.

"Figured ya was mad at me for tellin' Jesse on ya."

"Luke, I ain't mad at ya. Ya did what ya felt like ya hadda do. It wasn't like ya caught me ditchin' school or somethin'." Bo told him.

Smiling, Luke ruffled his hair, "Thanks kiddo. Listen ya got any idea who'd a done this?"

"No, and that's what's buggin' me. I ain't got the first clue. Whadda bout you?"

"Me either cuz." Trying to ease the boys mind, he smiled. "Hey, listen ya got school tomorrow, so ya better be gettin' to sleep. I'd hate to havta tan ya hide for ditchin'."

"Ya would too, wouldn't ya?" Bo smiled.

"Yep and ya better remember that. Now get to sleep."

Bo laid down and pulled the cover around him. "Night Luke… and thanks for believin' me."

"Always kiddo, good night."