"Where have you been, George?" Tom Dewberry asked the next morning when the elderly doctor finally walked through the cabin door after being absent all night.
"Walking." George Foster replied in a somewhat breathy tone. "I'm absolutely worn out."
"Did you get the car hidden away?"
"Yeah, but not in the place we had planned. I ran into this mechanic in a tow truck who apparently recognized the car and I had to shake him."
Tom frowned with worry. "He followed you?"
"He did at first, but I finally managed to run him off the road." He replied, collapsing in a chair. "The main thing is that the car is hidden, and fairly well, I'm certain."
Dr. Dewberry nodded, but then added. "That's good, but don't you think you took it a little far, I mean, running the mechanic off the road?"
"I didn't have a choice. Nobody can find Bo, not yet. Do you realize how fast we would end up under the jail if anybody found out what was going on here?" George muttered. "Speaking of Bo, how is he this morning?"
"He's resting. The night got better as it went along. I expect he'll be well by the time he wakes up."
"That's good." George nodded. "It got kinda scary there for a while, didn't it?"
Tom agreed. "So what's the next course of action? Send him home and have him come back tonight?"
"No. Considering last night, I don't think we should send him home. But if we're going to keep him here we need a convincing story to give to him and especially to his family. Otherwise, they'll be combing the whole county until they find him. And that would mean big trouble for us."
As the pair brainstormed, they were interrupted when Bo emerged from the room where he had slept. He looked around in confusion, finally laying eyes on Dr. Dewberry.
Bo held his head. "What time is it?"
"It's just past eight in the morning. How do you feel?"
Bo ignored the doctor's question when he heard the time. "Eight a.m.? I've….I've got to get home, my family must be going crazy." He announced knowing how Luke and Jesse had been hovering over him lately.
"Now hang on Bo." Dr. Dewberry instructed, jumping up from his seat and placing his hand on Bo's shoulder. "You're not in any condition to go home. Do you remember anything that happened here last night?"
Bo paused a minute as he thought. "Not much, other than feelin' like I's real sick there for awhile."
"The reason you were sick Bo is because you got hit in the head." Dr. Dewberry said, thinking quickly. "While we had you hypnotized, a man broke in here and stole several things at gunpoint, the keys to your car included."
"You mean the General's gone!" Bo exclaimed, rushing over to look out the window. Not seeing his car, he wandered around the cabin a few seconds as if he didn't know what to do next. "I've got to go tell Luke." He finally decided, heading for the door.
"Don't worry." Dr. Dewberry stopped him again. "We've already called your family and the police. There's only one thing we need to worry about right now, and that's making sure you're alright."
Bo stopped worrying about the General long enough to think about how he felt. "I do have a slight headache, but other than that, I feel okay."
Dr. Dewberry nodded. "You're probably still feeling the effects of the head injury. I do have some pain relievers if you think that would help."
"Bo shook his head." I never was much for taking medicine, not unless a stroll in the fresh air or a sip of my Uncle Jesse's shine failed to do the trick."
Dr. Dewberry chuckled. "Well I don't know about getting my hands on any shine, but there's plenty of fresh air outside. Why don't you take a walk down by the lake? Dr. Foster and I have to make a phone call anyway. When you get back, we'll see about taking you home."
"Okay." Bo nodded, opening the door.
"Hang on." Dr. Dewberry suddenly announced, taking a cowboy hat and jacket from the coat rack that was near the door. "Put these on. It's a bit windy today and with that head injury, it won't do you good to get sick."
Bo took the hat and coat and put them on without question before he trailed off toward the lake. Although the cabin was isolated from the dirt road, it could still be seen from there. Dr. Dewberry felt the disguise would thwart anyone who might be circling the lake in search of Bo.
"Okay. Get the phone book and find the number for the Duke farm." Dr. Dewberry said, pointing to a drawer in the desk where the telephone sat. "You're going to talk to them."
"And what am I going to say?" Dr. Foster asked.
XXXXX
Moments later, the telephone rang at the Duke farm. Uncle Jesse and Luke jumped up from the table where Daisy sat holding an ice pack to the back of Cooter's head. It was Jesse who won the race to the phone.
"Bo? Bo, is that you?" Jesse asked into the phone.
"Duke? Is this the Duke place?" A raspy old voice asked.
"Yeah, you got Jesse Duke on the line here." Jesse replied.
"Jesse, this is Seymour Krandall from over in Chickasaw County. Are you Bo's father?"
"No, I'm his uncle. Why, you know where he is?" Jesse asked anxiously, having heard the whole story of the previous night's events after Luke had found Cooter off the side of the road, uninjured except for a nasty bump to the back of his head.
"I sure do. He's right here with me. Seems some ole' coot done stole his car last night and left him for dead. Lucky for him he wandered up on my property. I live pretty far off the road here and there ain't nobody around me."
"Well how is he?" Jesse asked as Luke frowned in confusion, straining to hear the conversation.
"Oh he'll be alright, I think. They done clobbered him on the head but ain't nothin' a little rest and a bit of shine won't help." Dr. Foster continued, remembering what Bo had said earlier.
That statement certainly found favor with Jesse. He covered the receiver with his hand as he turned to Luke. "Bo's over in Chickasaw. Somebody stole the General and hit him on the head. He's bein' taken care of by a local."
"He alright?" Luke asked with concern.
"From the sound of it." Jesse replied.
Luke sighed in relief, upset that the General had been stolen but happy to know it wasn't Bo who had put Cooter in that ditch. "I betcha he snuck across the county line to fish at Deer Creek Falls. He's been dying to go ever since Brent McCamey bragged about the eight pound trout he pulled outta there."
Jesse didn't comment, but instead went back to the phone as Cooter and Daisy joined them. "Just tell us where ya are, Mr. Kendall and we'll come over 'n pick him up."
"Oh that won't be necessary Mr. Duke. Soon as the boy's up to it, I'll drive him on over to your place. I gotta pick up some supplies from the hardware store there in Hazzard anyway."
"Well that's mighty nice of ya, Mr. Kendall, but we don't wanna put you to no trouble."
"No trouble. No trouble at all. Bye now."
"But….." Jesse began, suddenly stopping when he heard the sound of a dial tone.
Dr. Foster looked at Dr. Dewberry as soon as he hung up. "I think they bought it."
"I hope so." Dr. Dewberry nodded as he watched Bo heading back toward the cabin. "But even if they do decide to look for him, at least it'll put them in Chickasaw County, away from us."
"Which means we've probably bought at least a couple more days for ourselves." Dr. Foster added.
"And that means phase two can begin immediately." Dr. Dewberry replied as Bo opened the door to the cabin and gave the doctors a friendly smile.
Well folks, we done seen what Bo went through under the care of them doctors. Now supposin' that was the outcome of phase one, I'm pretty certain I don't wanna see the outcome of phase two.
