I just realized that I never gave my disclaimer…. Ok well, as you all know, I do not own the Dukes, though I wouldn't mind owning Bo for a bit…. Enjoy and please, please review!
Luke didn't know why he was drawn to the lake again. They had searched it several times already and saw nothing. Still, he found himself hobbling through the shallow water near the shore, thinking about Bo.
He refused to believe it. Bo couldn't be dead. Bo could survive anything, or so it had seemed. "Then again, he never met up with a psycho before," thought Luke bitterly as tears streamed down his cheeks. He braced his crutches in the sand and stared out across the water. He knew he had to tell Uncle Jesse and Daisy… they had to be worried out of their minds by now. But the thought of telling Uncle Jesse about Bo… well, he couldn't do it. 'Sides, speaking it out loud would be like admitting it was true and Luke wasn't going to do that. Not 'til he knew for sure.
Rain was pouring down again and making ripples dance on the water. Luke took his flashlight from his pocket and shone it up and down the sand-covered shoreline. He was just about to pocket it and move on when he heard a low moan from somewhere up ahead.
Luke's breath caught in his throat. "Bo?" he called softly. "Bo?"
The soft moan sounded again as Luke made his way along the sand.
There, his body half submerged in the shallow water was Bo.
"Bo! cried Luke, limping to his cousin. "Help! Someone Help!"
Luke dropped into the cold water beside his cousin. Bo looked awful and his breathing was coming in labored gasps. Luke took out his flashlight and shined it over his cousin. There was a deep gash across his temple, now clotted with blood and dirt, and his left eye was swollen. "Bo? Bo, it's Luke. Can ya hear me, cousin?"
Bo moaned and hoarsely whispered, "Luke."
"Yeah, it's me buddy. Listen, you're gonna be alright. Ya hear me?"
"Luke," whispered Bo. He moaned softly before slipping into unconsciousness.
"Mr. Duke, are you al- sweet Mary, mother of Jesus, is that…" began McDougal as he and two other officers came across Luke, sitting in the lake, his cousin's head on his lap.
"It's Bo… an' he's alive. He needs a doc bad."
"Spencer, go bring the paramedics that came out here. Tell them we need a stretcher and some blankets too."
"Yes, sir," answered Officer Spencer, running across the shore.
Twenty minutes later, Bo had been loaded into the back of the ambulance. Luke sat beside him, enveloped in a warm, brown blanket, holding Bo's hand in his. He wasn't going to let his baby cousin out of his sight again.
Don't ya'll just love that about them Duke boys?
The ride to the hospital was only fifteen minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to Luke. Bo wasn't doing well. He hadn't woken up and it seemed to Luke that he grew paler and more ghost-like with each bump.
The paramedic in the back, noting the pained expression in Luke's face, asked, "Your ankle?"
Luke grimaced and nodded. "Seems worse than before."
The paramedic took out two small pills and handed them to Luke. "Here. This should help. It's just a mild analgesic."
Luke shook his head. "Thanks, but I need t' have my senses about me."
"Don't worry, Mr. Duke. This won't do much other than take the edge off your pain… course I wouldn't recommend driving anywhere."
Luke nodded. He certainly wasn't going anywhere…at least not without Bo.
Jesse, Daisy, Cooter, and Enos were gathered around the Duke's kitchen table, going over the next day's search plans.
"I'll take old Green River Road, Jesse, and look around Chickasaw County," volunteered Cooter.
Jesse nodded. "Enos, since you are on duty tomorrow, what do ya say you just keep an eye out 'round Hazzard. Who knows, maybe somethin'll turn up."
"Yes, sir, Uncle Jesse, sir."
Just then the phone rang. "I'll get it Uncle Jesse. It's probably Betty Ann. I told her to give me a call if she needed me to work her shift tonight."
Jesse nodded and watched with a heavy heart as his niece made her way to the phone. It was evident that Daisy was starting to lose hope. She no longer ran to the phone in hopes that it was her cousins; in fact, the fun-loving spirit which Daisy was known for, seemed to disappear the same day the boys did leaving behind a sad, melancholy girl in its place.
"Duke residence. This is Daisy."
"God, it's good to hear your voice, sweet thing."
"Luke!" screamed Daisy, nearly dropping the phone. "Luke…I…."
Jesse raced to the phone and grabbed the receiver from her hand. Daisy, overcome with emotion, embraced Enos and kissed his lips which caused old Enos to blush redder than the apples on the table.
"Lucas Duke, you had us scared to death! Where in tarnation are ya?" asked Jesse gruffly, though he was grinning from ear to ear.
"We're in Michigan. We…"
"Michigan. What the heck are ya doin' up in Michigan? An' where's Bo?"
"Uncle Jesse, it's a long story… I don't even know all the answers. We're in West Shore Medical Center right now, in a town called Manistee."
"Medical Center… Luke is everythin' alright? Are you or Bo hurt?"
"I can't explain now, Uncle Jesse. But can ya get here… quick like?"
"We're on our way. And Luke?"
"Yes, sir?"
"I love you, son."
Luke couldn't help smiling. "Love you, too, Uncle Jesse. Bye now"
"Oh, Uncle Jesse! They're alright!" shouted Daisy, embracing him in a tight squeeze.
"Well, now, I don't know 'bout that," began Jesse. He then repeated his short conversation with Luke. "He said t' get there quick. I dunno what's goin' on, but I don't like it… not a bit."
"Maybe somethin's wrong with the General?" wondered Daisy. "We best take Dixie so we can all fit into it, just in case."
"You don't wanna take your jeep, Daisy. There's been a lot of rain up that way. 'Sides, if the fellas are hurt, they'd be more comfortable in mine. Here," said Enos, tossing Daisy the keys to his car.
"Thanks, Enos."
"Well, Daisy we best get t' packin'. We got a long trip ahead of us. Remember t' pack some things for the boys, too," began Jesse, pulling his tattered suitcase out of the closet.
"Is there anything we can do, Uncle Jesse?"
"Cooter, I ain't your Uncle Jesse… "
"Err, I mean Jesse?"
"Nah, just go home. We'll keep ya close on the phone."
Fifteen minutes later, Daisy heard Uncle Jesse call to her. "You 'bout ready, Daisy?"
"Yes sir. Just getting' some things for the boys." She quickly brought her half-full gym bag into the boys' room and packed them some clean clothes and a few magazines. She looked at the boys' empty beds, and sighed with happiness at the thought of having her cousins home again.
"Sure was nice of Enos to loan us his car," said Jesse as they started down Old Mill Pond Road.
"That ain't all he loaned us, Uncle Jesse. Look here." She handed Jesse an envelope along with a note.
Dear Daisy,
I figured it was high time I pay you back for all the free meals I've had at your place. So here ya go. I don't wanna hear 'bout you not bein' able to take it either. It's a debt an' I know you Dukes well enough that y'all believe in paying what's owed. Hope ya find Bo an' Luke well. Keep me posted.
Enos.
"There's at least $300 in here!"
"Oh, Enos," sighed Daisy happily.
"Well, normally I wouldn't take charity, even if it was given to pay off a debt."
"Since when have things been normal around here?" asked Daisy.
"You're sure right there. Well, I guess we'd better keep it. We might just need it. But we're gonna keep track of every penny an' pay him back."
"Yes, sir."
"Well, put that pedal to the floor, girl. If we take turns driving we can go straight through and get there by tomorrow."
"Alright. Hang on." Daisy pressed her foot on the gas, ignoring the speed limit signs.
Now friends, y'all see that pretty little smile on Daisy's face? You reckon that's for her cousins or for some other country boy we all know an' love? An' what's gonna happen when Daisy sees her cousins? Boy, I sure would hate to see that pretty little smile turn into a frown… y'all stick around.
