As Luke drove away from the farm, he looked in the rearview mirror of the General Lee. There stood Jesse, staring after him. Luke didn't need a picture perfect view of his face to know that he was worried. Luke could physically feel the weight of the double heavy burden on his shoulders, first for Bo, then for Jesse. At least Jesse couldn't get out follow him, which was a relief. Luke himself had the General, Daisy had the pickup with her at the Boar's nest, and only God knew where Dixie was as Bo had borrowed it to go to Nashville.

Luke knew he had to come up with that money, and fast. He brainstormed for ideas. He figured going to the bank wasn't much of an option. Even if the Dukes had something to put up for collateral, Boss's hatred of the family would cause him to turn the loan down. Cooter had a little money, Luke knew, from when they paid him back for helping to cover a hospital bill for Jesse. Still, Cooter's savings would only skim the surface of what Luke would need to collect. And Luke knew that although Frothy Brewing Company had benefited greatly from the help of the Dukes in the past, they would flat out refuse to lend any money. They had found that out from Jesse's hospital stay as well.

Luke suddenly thought of an idea. An idea he hated, but maybe it would work. He sighed a heavy sigh, puffing out his cheeks with the escaping air. He needed to get to a phone. Since he was nearing town, he decided to use the one at Cooter's garage.

Pulling up to the garage, he looked across Hazzard Square and spotted Rosco and Enos, writing parking tickets. How he wished he could rush up to them and explain the situation before demanding they search ever cemetery within a 50 mile radius. But he remembered what Charlie had said about the bug. Luke was smart enough to know that there may not even be a bug, but he was also smart enough to know that there could be bugs anywhere the Dukes normally occupied- including the patrol cars. Knowing that there was no way Bo could possibly rescue himself this time, he decided it would be best to follow Charlie's instructions and keep quiet.

Luke climbed out of the window and walked up to Cooter's office door. A piece of notebook paper had been torn haphazardly out of a notebook and hung on a rusty nail that had protruded from the door for years for just that purpose. 'Out to Lunch' Cooter had scribbled hurriedly with a black marker.

Luke fished the key from the old spare tire that was propped up against the door. Unlocking it, he walked in and out the next door into the garage area where the dusty black rotary phone stood waiting.

"Mabel. Get me the Speedway up in Nashville." Luke requested.

After going through several people on the phone, Luke was finally connected with Billy Kay, Bo's favorite race car driver in the world, the very one who had invited Bo to be his special guest at the race that weekend.

"Mr. Kay, this is Luke Duke." Luke began.

"Luke! What a coincidence. I was just about to call your farm. The race ended up here about a half-hour ago and I haven't seen hide nor hair of Bo the whole day. I know he was real excited about coming, thought he might of got sick or something."

Luke shuddered a little at the thought of Billy Kay having reached Uncle Jesse, glad that he made the phone call when he did.

"As a matter of fact, Bo did get sick, Mr. Kay. That's why he didn't come."

"Oh my, Luke. I hope it's nothing serious."

"Oh no no, nothing like that. He should be back on his feet in no time."

"Well I'm glad you let me know, Luke. Maybe he can make it next time."

"Actually, that's not the only reason I called." Luke continued.

"Oh?" Billy Kay asked.

"No. Well you see, I…..that is me 'n Bo. We was wondering' if you might still be interested in buying the General Lee from us."

Billy laughed. "Luke, I don't know what to say. I can see for myself you boys love that car. What made ya change your mind?"

"Well…." Luke began, thinking madly. "It's just that our Uncle Jesse needs some supplies to run the farm this year, you know, a new tractor and such. And if we don't get them we can't work and then we'll lose the house and everything." He sighed, hoping that sounded convincing. "I guess sometimes you just have to do what you have to do."

Luke held his breath for the few moments that Billy Kay sat silent on the line. Finally he spoke.

"Luke, I'd take that car in a heartbeat- if you and your cousin hadn't grown on me. But cha have. Your whole family has. You're part of one of the most down to earth, sincere, neighborly families I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. And for that reason, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to turn you down."

"Oh." Luke simply replied, unable to remove the disappointment from his voice. "I understand, Mr. Kay."

Billy laughed. "No, you don't understand everything, Luke. Now I said I couldn't take your car, but that don't mean I can't put up some money for you, if you need it."

Luke immediately brightened. "You could, Mr. Kay? Oh that would be fantastic!" He replied. Normally, Luke would turn down such an offer. He hated to take money like that from anybody without putting something up, even if he did intend to pay it back. But considering the current circumstance, he was agreeable with any offer.

"I sure could." Billy Kay confirmed. "I trust you enough to pay me back, when you can. All I ask is that you run another race for me in the near future, in the General Lee, of course."

"Yes sir!" Luke exclaimed. This was so much simpler than he ever could have hoped for. Somebody had to be praying for him.

"Good. Now just give me the phone number over at that bank of yours and I'll wire you the $25000.00 in a couple of hours."

"Twenty-five thousand?" Luke asked, his smile disappearing.

"Why yes, Luke. That was the amount I had originally offered on the General Lee. Why, how much did you need?"

Luke swallowed a bit before he replied. "Fifty thousand."

Billy could not help but let out a small laugh. "Luke, I don't know a lot about farming but I do know the price of a tractor, and twenty five thousand dollars should be more than enough to cover that and anything else you would need to buy. Is there something going on you're not telling me about?"

Luke remembered the bug, and was careful of what he said. "Uh, no Billy. It's just that the house's needin' a new roof and stuff too, and we were gonna try to tackle all that this summer, if web's able."

"Oh, I understand." Billy confirmed. "But Luke, all I can let go of for now is the twenty-five thousand dollars. Even old NASCAR racers have to draw the line somewhere."

"I understand, Billy. You've made us a very nice offer, one that I really appreciate. I'll still accept it, if you're willing."

"I am. Now you get that little operator you have there in Hazzard to transfer me over to your bank and I'll set things up for you."

"Thanks again, Billy. Mabel, I know you're there. Send Mr. Kay over to Boss Hogg's bank."

After Luke had confirmed that Mabel had made the transfer, he was hanging up when he heard something that made him jump out of his skin.

"What in the world is goin' on?"

Startled, Luke turned around, accidentally knocking the phone and some tools to the floor.

There stood Cooter with a very questioning look on his face.

"Hey Cooter. You scared me. Don't worry I'll pick this up." Luke announced, bending over to pick up the tools and the phone.

"I scared you? I just left a worried old man sittin' at his kitchen table in a certain farmhouse, fretting about his dark haired nephew, and then I come back to work to find that nephew on the phone needin' $50000.00. That's pretty scary to me."

Luke sighed. "Look Cooter, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to Jesse about that. And I'm not able to explain things, so please don't ask me to."

Cooter couldn't help but notice a great deal of worry on Luke's face. If he and Jesse had a worry contest, he couldn't guess who would win.

Luke now noticed Cooter's worried expression as well. He put a hand on the mechanic's shoulder. "I'm sorry. Um, I gotta go now, okay?"

Cooter simply nodded as Luke raced over to the bank. Luke closed the door behind him and went up to Iola's desk.

"Hey Iola. Boss Hogg around?"

"You're in luck. He's in his office in the back, takin' inventory."

"Takin' inventory?" Luke couldn't help but ask.

"Go see for yourself." Iola replied, nodding toward his office as the phone rang.

Luke walked back to Boss's office and opened the door. He found Boss there with several stacks of cash mounted up on his desk, stacks he could barely see over.

"……78, 79. " Boss counted as Luke opened the door. Boss immediately stopped counting and gasped before he let out a sigh. "Oh, It's only you." He snarled before he began counting again. While he wasn't fond of the Dukes, he knew they would never steal from him.

"Boss, I gotta ask you somethin'." Luke announced, putting his hands on the desk and leaning forward slightly. In doing so, he accidentally knocked over several stacks of bills."

"Aaaah!" Boss yelled, watching as some of the bills fluttered to the floor like a flock of butterflies. "You numb skull, look what you did!"

"I'm sorry Boss!" Luke said, rushing over to help Boss pick up the money.

"Hands off!" Boss demanded, slapping Luke's hand away. "You've done enough! I've been countin' all mornin' and now I'm gonna have to start all over!"

"Like I said, I'm really sorry!"

"I know ya are. The lot of ya Dukes are, sorry as they come!" Boss announced, shaking his head during the rant, causing his jaws to jiggle. "What are you doin' here anyway?"

"Well, Boss. I came to ask for a loan." Luke announced, hoping he could talk Boss into letting him borrow the remaining balance of the demand.

"Hmmm. Let me think." Boss began looking up toward the ceiling for a second before he replied with an abrupt "No!"

"But Boss….."

"N…O…NO!" Boss exclaimed.

"Come on, Boss. If you can give me a loan I'll make up for my little mishap here. I'll even help you with your counting."

"Don't you lay one grubby little paw on any of this money, Luke Duke. And you get out of my sight right now. Get out before I have Rosco come over here and arrest you."

"For what?" Luke demanded.

"I don't know….trespassing!"

"Boss….."

"Git!" Boss commanded.

Luke had no choice but to leave.

Well, Luke's halfway there, but it's sorta like saying your halfway there in an airplane—and it's run out of fuel.