Trust in Me

Chapter 3: The Plan

Boss Hogg leaned back in his chair and smiled around his cigar. "So Jesse believed the boy. I knew he would."

"So what ya wanna us to do now?" Tommy asked.

"All you men haveta do is put the rest of… the stuff… in the kids locker along with this." Boss said taking a small jar of moonshine from his desk drawer and sitting it in front of them. "Then you're done… for now."

Gathering the items from Boss' desk Tommy and Fred left to finish the job they were hired for.

Pushing the button on his CB base, Boss spoke. "This is J.D. Hogg callin' Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane."

Silence

"Roscoe, Ya got ya ears on?"

Silence

"ROSCOE, you'd better wake up and answer me right now or you're gonna be the night watchman at the all night deli on Sycamore Street!"

Waking instantly from his nap, Roscoe grabbed the mic, "This is Sheriff Roscoooe P. Coltrane. You there little fat buddy?"

"Roscoe, I ain't ya little fat buddy… I ain't even ya little buddy." Boss called back.

"Yeah, ya just fat." Roscoe mumbled before pressing the button. "Ah…ah… ya there Boss?"

"Roscoe, I need ya to come on in here, we got some plans to discuss."

"Ohh… ohhh… ya mean about…"

"Roscoe, will ya just hush. Ya on the air ya nitwit. Now get in here."

"On my way little fat… on my way." Roscoe said as he started his car and sped off to the Boars Nest.

'Don't that make ya wonder just what ole Boss has up his sleeve for the Dukes now? Besides that fat pink arm of his.'

It was close to nine o'clock when Roscoe arrived at the Boars Nest. He gathered up Flash and headed inside. "I know velvet ears, it's past ya bedtime ain't it sweetheart." He cooed into the basset's ear.

"Roscoe would ya get on in here and quite that talkin' to that fleabag." Boss growled.

"That ain't a fleabag, that's Flash." Roscoe mumbled as he sat the dog on the chair.

"Roscoe, I want ya at the high school around eight in the mornin'." Boss said as he bit into a chicken leg.

"Why's that Boss?" Roscoe asked inching his hand closer to the platter of chicken.

Slapping his hand away Boss frowned at his brother-in-law. "Because dipstick, that's when ya gonna arrest Bo Duke."

"Arrest 'em? For what?" Roscoe asked rubbing his stinging hand.

"For possession of marijuana and illegal liquor."

"Gook Gook." Roscoe snickered. Frowning he added. "How ya know he's gonna have it on 'em?"

"Because you knucklehead, Tommy and Fred are puttin' them in his locker as we speak. So ya gotta get there before the boy goes to his locker."

"What makes ya think Jesse's gonna believe it's his this time?"

"Because of the shine." Boss said picking up his fifth chicken leg.

"What about the shine?" Roscoe asked licking his lips.

"It's Jesse's shine, and no one but a Duke can get ahold of any of it, ceptin'…

"Ceptin' you." Roscoe said.

"Ceptin' me." Boss agreed. "When ole Jesse smells of that shine, he's gonna know it's his. That's when he'll start doubtin' the boy."

"Ohh… ohh… I wouldn't wanna be Bo when Jesse comes and gets 'em." Roscoe said laughing.

"No, me either, but ya see that's when we can make our move." Boss smiled.

"Our move?"

"Yes, but we'll discuss that later. Right now you just make sure ya at the school on time in the mornin'."

"Don't worry Boss, you can count on me." Roscoe crowed as he picked up Flash. "But now I gotta get velvet ears on home to bed. She's gotta be fresh in the mornin' to search out that there… stuff."

"Roscoe, that there mutt couldn't find her food bowl if'n it wasn't for her ears weighing down her head." Boss said as he watched the man leavin' the room whispering to his puppy.

'That man's as sneaky as a fox what done got in the chicken coop. He ain't careful, he's liable to end up with a backside full of buckshot if Jesse catches 'em.'

Now morning always comes too early on a farm, but when you toss and turn all night like Bo did, it really came early. Rubbing his eyes, he joined his family at the table for breakfast. "Mornin'."

"Mornin'." Came the reply from around the table. "Bo ya better hurry up or ya gonna be late for school." Jesse added.

"Wish I didn't haveta go." Bo mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothin' Uncle Jesse." Bo said grabbing a piece of toast from the plate and standing. "Ya ready Luke?"

"Ain't ya gonna eat?" Jesse asked.

"I just ain't hungry this mornin'." He said walking out the door.

"Luke, see if ya can find out what's wrong with 'em." Jesse asked of his eldest nephew.

"I ain't gotta try. It's this whole business from yesterday. It's got the kid worried." Luke told Jesse.

"Well see if ya can't cheer 'em up or somethin'. Make sure the boy knows we believe him."

"I will Uncle Jesse." Luke said following his cousin out the door.

Roscoe sat in his patrol car watching for the General to come by. He knew that Luke would be driving Bo to school and wanted to be sure to get there just after Luke had left. Spotting the orange car go by, he turned to Flash. "I love it. I love it. Buckle up Flash, we're in silent pursuit." Reaching over and picking up the CB mic he called. "This is Sheriff Rossssco P. Coltrane callin' Boss. Ya got ya ears on?"

"This is J.D. Hogg. What cha want Roscoe? How many times have I told ya not to interrupt me when I'm eatin'?"

"Just about every time I call ya… but this is important. I'm in silent pursuit of the Duke boys as we speak. I'm gonna get that boy."

"You just remember what I told ya to do. I don't want this messed up in any way, ya hear?"

"I hear ya. I'm gone." Roscoe called.

"I'll see ya this afternoon, Bo. Ya alright now?" Luke asked as he watched the boy crawl out the window.

"Yeah, I guess I am. I'll see ya cuz." Bo said as he walked away.

Roscoe waited until Luke sped away before walking inside the building. He spotted the principal that stood just inside the door. "Howdy Mr. Tompkins."

"Sheriff Coltrane, what are you doin' here so early this mornin'?"

"Well, we got a call last night that one of ya students was messin' with some drugs, so I gotta investigate." Roscoe said, barely able to contain his laughter.

"One of my students? Why I find that hard to believe. Who?"

"Bo Duke."

"Bo! No I won't believe that. I mean there isn't much in the way of mischief the boy won't try, but not drugs. Why Jesse Duke wouldn't allow such things from them kids of his."

"Well that was the call we got, and Boss wanted me over here bright and early to search the boy's locker. So if ya show me which one it is, I'll get this done so I can cuff 'em and stuff 'em."

"I think it only right that Bo be here if you search his locker so just let me page him first." Tompkins said walking over to the intercom. "Attention, I need Bo Duke to come to the front hallway. Bo Duke to the front hallway."

Bo listened to his name being called. "What did ya do this time, Bo?" his friend Daniel asked, laughing.

"Nothin' I know of. Guess I better go and see what's up. See ya'll in class." Bo said as he stood from the bleachers. Bo felt the knot in his stomach form as he spotted Sheriff Roscoe standing with Mr. Tompkins outside the main office. Swallowing hard he made his way over to them. "Hi Sheriff Roscoe. You wanted to see me, Mr. Tompkins?"

Opening the office door, Tompkins motioned for Bo to enter. "Come on in Bo, we need to talk son."

"Yes sir." Bo said. Sitting in the chair in front of the principal's desk, Bo asked. "Did I do somethin' wrong, sir?"

"Well Bo. I don't believe it's true, but the sheriff here says he got a call last night that you were involved with drugs." Tompkins explained.

"What? No sir. I wouldn't mess with drugs." Bo said shocked at the news.

"The Sheriff says he's got to search your locker. I thought it only right that you were here when he did. Do you have a problem with that?"

Bo figured he had nothing to worry about with his locker being locked at all times, so he shook his head. "No sir. There ain't nothin' in my locker."

"Well, let's get this over with so this young man doesn't miss any more of his class time than he has to." Tompkins said as he opened the door to his office.

Bo led the men to his locker thankful that all the other students were already in class. Stopping in front of the locker he turned to see Roscoe pulling a set of bolt cutters out of his belt. "Sheriff I could just open it for ya. That's my lock, not the school's."

"Oh, ok. Go ahead, but then stand back and don't touch the contents." Roscoe stated.

Rolling his eyes, Bo entered the combination and popped the lock off. Standing back he watched as the sheriff opened the door.

"Well, well well, what do we have here?" Roscoe asked as he pulled the small bag of marijuana and pint of moonshine from the top shelf of Bo's locker. Turning to face the boy and Tompkins he smiled. "Looks like that call was right, don't it?"

"Bo Duke, I wouldn't have believed it." Tompkins said shaking his head. "What do you think this will do to your uncle?"

"Mr. Tompkins, I swear it ain't mine! I ain't never seen that stuff before. Ya gotta believe me." Bo said. His wide blue eyes showing the fear and disbelief he was feeling.

"Now ya just hush, Bo. It was in ya locker. Who else has the combination to it?" Roscoe asked.

"No one, but it ain't mine." Bo said realizing just how hopeless it really did look.

"You want me to contact Jesse?" Tompkins asked the sheriff.

Pulling the cuffs from his belt, Roscoe shook his head. "No… no… I'll do that from the jail. Let's go Bo. Ya outta be ashamed of yaself." Roscoe said clamping the cuffs closed. "Serve ya right if'n Jesse wore ya out for this here."

'Things sure are lookin' bad for Bo right 'bout now. Wonder what the family's gonna think 'bout these latest developments? Ya'll hang around and see what happens next here in Hazzard. Think they named it right, don't you?'