The first thing that Bo registered when he woke up, was that he was not at home. There were no friendly farmyard sounds to greet him, no soft breathing of his closest cousin in the bed across from him, no scent of Daisy making breakfast wafting down the hall. All of that had been replaced by the sounds and smells of the race track.
Bo sat up in the small bed of the borrowed RV Camper and peeked through the blinds; smiling slightly as he saw a few cars already out on the race track and the pit crews already preparing. He gently put the blinds back into place and climbed out of the bed, swallowing as he saw the race suit that Chris had already given him the night before.
He really was going to accomplish his dream, join the NASCAR races and end his family's money troubles once and for all. And yet as he headed into the shower to freshen up and prepare for the upcoming race….he couldn't help but feel a little downcast.
He had hoped that his family would be here for him today, that Luke would be riding shotgun in General Lee with him, coaching Bo on the speed, what he needed to look out for next lap round, relaying information from the pit crew to him…Luke did a lot in the race but the most important thing he ever did was tell the younger man that he was proud of him, that it didn't matter whether he won or he lost, as long as he drove well and tried his best.
It wasn't in his dream to go at this alone; it never had been and never would be. Stepping under the hot spray of the shower, he thought about what his dream might consist of now. Would he always be pining for Luke in a race? Would he get another shotgun driver that just didn't understand what he needed them to do? Being a shotgun driver to Bo meant more to him than just relaying useless statistics and information, he needed the shotgun driver to be firm, encouraging, supportive and yet ready to tell Bo to back off and take it slower if needs be….the only shotgun driver he had ever come across that was able to do that was Luke.
Everything he had ever known about driving was taught to him by his older cousin so that no matter what he was doing round here and maybe later on round the NASCAR circuit, he would always be reminded of his older cousin and what his older cousin had done to him….and yet that still didn't make any sense! Luke was still as determined as ever that Bo was being cheated and that look….the heartbreaking, pleading look last night at the farm as Luke begged him to Luke really fake that?
He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sharp rapping at the door. Shutting off the water and wrapping the towel around his middle and grabbing a smaller one to roughly towel his mop of blonde hair, he stepped out the shower and called out as he walked by the door and casually flipped the lock.
"S'open, come on in."
Chris grinned as he entered and saw Bo leaning casually against the table, towelling his hair and looking on top of the world….even though Bo felt lower than a snake's belly….
"Well good mornin'….trust you slept well. Ain't interruptin' anythin' am I?"
Bo laughed and shook his head gently, cleaning out the inside of his ears.
"Nah, always take a shower before a race, is somethin' Luke taught me 'bout….washin' away….tension…."
And there it was again! Once more Luke was still giving him advice, still helping him prepare for the race even though he wasn't here! Normally, this would have soothed Bo, but now it was beginning to upset him a little.
Chris noticed the way Bo trailed off and the morose look that passed across his face as he turned away to look in the mirror. He couldn't have his main income and ticket to being out of the Boss's bad books quit on them now.
"You alright kid?"
Bo turned back to him, smiling slightly but still wearing the same look.
"Yeah…s'just….I never thought Luke would do such a thing like this….I mean he loves me and I love him….we're so close we're closer than brother's even though we's only cousin's…"
Chris gave a sympathetic sigh and a sad nod, laying it on so thick that if Bo hadn't been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he would have noticed it a mile off.
"I know….but jealousy and hunger for power can make even the most stable men do the most unexpected things….anyway I have someone at the gates who wants to see you, claims to be a friend of yours…."
Bo frowned and turned to him again, thinking that there was only one person who would know what he was doing today.
"What's his name?"
"Says he's Cooter Davenport…"
Bo bit his lip, Luke had said that Cooter had been helping him to discover more about this race, that Cooter had been with him when they had overheard the conversation between Jack and Chris at the Boar's Nest…had Luke now sent him to try and get Cooter to convince him that it was true?
Slowly he nodded and looked back up at Chris.
"Yeah Cooter's my friend…known him for years. Show him in."
Chris nodded but couldn't help but notice Bo's slight hesitation, but decided not to comment on it.
"Alright, he'll be over in about 5 minutes. That okay with you?"
"Yeah, should be fine, thanks Chris!"
"No problem Bo."
Chris shut the door behind him as he left and headed over to the gates where the friendly mechanic was sitting in his wrecker, humming an idle tune as he waited, noting that all of this had indeed been set up to look so official. He could understand now why Bo had been sucked in, these guys were really laying it on.
Cooter looked up as Chris poked his head in the window and nodded.
"Alright, he'll see you. In that RV over there, don't be too long though, he's preparing for the race."
"Much obliged."
Cooter watched as the gates were opened and he drove his wrecker over to the RV, parking beside the General Lee which looked like it had been washed as it glinted clean in the bright sunlight. He couldn't believe that Bo had actually taken full responsibility for the car now….for as long as he could remember, the General had been both Bo and Luke's…to see only Bo now driving it around would be not only unusual but also fairly upsetting.
He had always admired the way Bo and Luke had been able to share the General so readily with each other, it represented their bond as family, as cousins closer than brothers and to see that now only one of them would be driving….well….it was more now like a symbol that that bond was under heavy strain if it hadn't already gently patted the confederate flag pained on the top.
"Sorry General….if I could change it I would…"
With that he knocked on the door and was soon greeted by Bo, fully clothed now, his wet tangle of hair already starting to dry.
"Hey Cooter, what brings you here?"
"Well buddy roe, I couldn't let my buddy go into the biggest race of his life without sayin' good luck now could I?"
Bo laughed and gestured for Cooter to step inside, crossing over to the fridge and pulling out two cold cans of beer, tossing one to Cooter. Cooter whistled as he looked around and took a sip of the drink.
"Wow….don't do nothin' by half measures these guys do they?"
"No…."
The mechanic looked over at Bo's tone of voice and noticed him looking at the floor, more fingering the beer can than actually taking sips out of it.
"You alright Bo?"
Bo looked up and nodded, smiling at Cooter.
"Yeah….yeah I'm good, just a little nervous is all…"
Cooter bit his lip and looked away, wanting nothing more than to yell at Bo at that moment and tell him what a stupid jackass he was being which was uncharacteristic of Cooter, but then again he was jerked from his thoughts and looked back up at Bo, who was frowning at him now.
"What's wrong Cooter? You look like you just lost yer best friend or somethin'…"
Cooter sighed and put the beer can down, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking back up at Bo, not knowing how he would take this, but like Uncle Jesse had said, Bo needed to be told.
"Well….I have Bo…"
Now Bo was worried. He too set his beer can down and put his hands on his hips.
"What do ya mean Cooter?"
"Bo….it's about Luke…."
When Bo didn't yell at him to shut up and not talk to him about his cousin, Cooter continued.
"When you left the farm last night….Daisy and Jesse saw him head off into the woods and decided to leave him until the mornin'…..Bo….he didn't come back…."
For a moment there was nothing but the roar of engines and shouts of the pit crews as the barked last minute orders at each other. Cooter looked up at Bo and swallowed as he saw confusion but also fear and anger creep into his friends' expression and eyes.
"What d'ya mean he didn't come back!"
"No one's seen hide nor hair of him since last night….we looked in all his favourite spots….and when we went to the lake….there was signs of a scuffle….we found this there…"
He pulled the small object out of his pocket and handed it to Bo.
Bo swallowed as he took it and tears pooled in his eyes as he looked over it. It was Luke's pocket knife….the one that Bo had given him just before he went away to the Marine's….Luke never let it leave his pocket pouch on his belt, the only time Bo could ever remember Luke having taken it off was when he was forced to when they had been tied up together…but even after that he still always managed to get it back…for Luke to leave it behind with the clear signs that there was a scuffle…it had to mean Luke was in trouble….deep trouble…
He looked up to Cooter with tears pooling in his eyes, drawing in a deep breath and sniffing slightly.
"Cooter what have I done…"
Cooter shook his head, and gently patted him on the shoulder.
"In your position I would have believed it too…."
"You mean all this really is one big lie….that they's was really gonna…"
Cooter motioned for Bo to come outside, leading him to the hood of the General Lee and opening it, looking around inside the engine before pulling out the radiator pipe and the brake lines.
"Buddy Roe…if that there ain't proof to ya…I would say you ain't got no more sense than a turkey…"
Bo's hands clenched at his side and his whole body seemed to tremble with emotion. He had been a complete and utter jackass, he hadn't even thought of checking with Cooter to see if what Luke had been saying was true. He had been blinded by his own terrible pride, his dream and now Luke was going to pay for it. He grabbed Cooter's arm and nodded.
"Cooter, call Rosco and Enos down here…and could ya fix the General for me?"
"Sure thing Buddy Roe, 5 minutes you know that."
"Right…I'll be right back…"
With that, Bo turned on his heel and trotted over to where Chris was discussing something with the business man Bo had seen a few days ago. But at that moment, he didn't care if he was interrupting something.
"Chris….I need to talk to you, its urgent."
Chris looked over at him in surprise and frowned as he saw the expression on Bo's face, excusing himself from his partner as he was pulled rather forcefully over to behind the building by Bo.
"Alright Bo, now what is – "
But he couldn't say anymore as Bo swung round and pinned him sharply against the wall face first, holding Chris' hands tightly behind his back, using his own body weight to keep him still.
"What have you done with my cousin Chris!"
Chris swallowed….so Bo had found out….
"I ain't done nothin' to him….you's was the one who drove you two apart…"
Bo spun Chris round and sent a hard punch cracking along his jaw before kneeling over him, his fist raised again and his hand scrunching in Chris' shirt.
"Tell me Chris or there ain't gonna be much left of ya for the police to find…you got 10 seconds….9…..8….7….6….5…."
Suddenly there were sounds of police sirens wailing from all corners of the racetrack and Bo and Chris watched as the state police, followed by Enos and Rosco invaded the track. Chris took that moment to push Bo away from him and set off at a run….before he was stopped by a dynamite arrow. Bo looked up in surprise and saw Daisy grinning triumphantly from the top of the building as Chris fell backwards in surprise, straight into Bo.
"You gonna tell me where he is now?"
Chris swallowed and nodded, knowing the game was up as the police came over.
"He's….Jack's got him held at the old abandoned farm up on Pine Creek Ridge….you may be too late though…Jack's got an awful violent temper…"
"Why you…"
Bo brought his arm back to send another punch straight into Jack's nose, but found himself stopped by a claming hand on his shoulder.
"Bo…"
Bo looked round to see Uncle Jesse standing behind him, a look of forgiveness and kindness being sent his way. He looked back to Chris and angrily threw him into the policemen's waiting arms before turning tail and storming over to General Lee, as Cooter slammed the hood and slid into the passenger seat. Bo slid into the driver's seat and started up the engine with a growl. Jesse pocked his head in the window and planted a soft kiss on Bo's cheek, a relief filled, loving kiss.
"Just bring him and you back safe son…."
Bo looked over to him and nodded, now was not the time to talk about this, not when Luke's life was on the line….he looked over to Cooter who nodded. With that Bo hit the Dixie horn and stamped hard on the accelerator, sending the General surging forward in a cloud of dust. As they sped down the roads, Cooter heard Bo's gentle whisper and saw the gentle tear that slipped down his cheek.
Just hold on cousin….I'm comin'….