Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, Violence

Rating: FRT

If You Love Something Set It Free

Chapter 13

When Bo stepped into the house, he hadn't known what to expect, but it sure wasn't this. Uncle Jesse sat in his favorite chair, behind him stood a stranger. A stranger with a gun in his hand that he held against the back of Jesse Duke's head. "Who the heck are you? What do you want?" Bo and Luke both asked.

"Who he is doesn't matter, and the question isn't what he wants. The question that should concern you is what do I want?" Mrs. Shelton spoke from the corner, startling them both. Walking towards Bo, she stopped when Luke took up position in front of the younger man. "Ah, yes of course I should have expected that. Now young man if you don't want to see your Uncle's brains on the floor you will step aside," she ordered.

"Luke, it's okay I can handle this. Please cousin do what she says," Bo said as he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. When Luke hesitated, Bo squeezed his shoulder in reassurance and gently nudged him to the side. "Alright Mrs. Shelton, you've got our attention. What do you want?" Bo asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"That's better. I suppose you've heard about the verdict, that my little girl has been found guilty? I would have spoken to you sooner Bo, but I was sure that Kathy Sue would go free. I really never believed that you would turn on her like you did. I don't know why you told those lies about my baby, but you're going to fix it."

"I didn't turn on her Mrs. Shelton, she turned on me. I know you don't want to believe it, but Kathy Sue needs help. I didn't lie, she really did do all of the things I said she did. I don't know how you think I'm supposed to fix it, the jury already found her guilty. The only thing left now is for the judge to sentence her, I can't stop that," Bo told her, confused by what she'd said.

"Actually Bo you can, and you will. You see I'm going to take your dear Uncle Jesse with me. In two days the judge will hold the sentencing hearing and you'll be given a chance to talk to him. You are going to tell him the truth. You will tell him that you lied, that my daughter didn't do anything to you that wasn't asked for. Now I could have you go to him today and tell him, but you might try to cheat. This way it's a matter of public record. The judge will be forced to dismiss the charges against Kathy Sue and release her. Luckily thanks to double jeopardy she can't be tried again on the same charges and so she'll be free. Once you've done that and Kathy Sue is released, your Uncle will be allowed to come home. If you refuse or try any tricks, well I'm afraid the only way Jesse will come home is in a body bag. Do you understand me?"

Both Bo and Luke looked at her in complete shock as she spoke. Bo didn't know what scared him more, her threats or the calm way she delivered them. The one thing he was sure of though was that she meant every word she said. If he didn't do as she wanted, she would have Uncle Jesse killed. "Yeah I understand, I'll do what you want just don't hurt Uncle Jesse," Bo answered, completely defeated.

"No Bo don't do it!" Jesse managed to yell before the gunman clipped him with the pistol.

"Leave him alone!"

"Don't hurt him!"

Bo and Luke yelled as one, stepping towards their uncle, stopping at the sound a pistol cocking. Looking at Pamela Shelton, Luke wasn't surprised to see the gun in her hand. He jerked around at the sound of Bo's voice, his heart breaking at the defeat he heard.

"Please Mrs. Shelton don't hurt him, we won't try anything again."

"Very well Bo, I'll give you another chance. Now you two boys get on your knees, very good. Mr. Smith would you be so kind as to escort Mr. Duke to my car, I will join you in a moment." Standing near the door, Pamela kept her gun trained on Bo and Luke until Mr. Smith and Jesse were seated in the rear of the car. "Now we'll be leaving, don't try anything and in a couple of days you can have your uncle back, alive." Backing out of the door, Pamela made her way outside and to her car. Pausing only long enough to shoot out the tires on Jesse's truck and the General, she slid behind the wheel and drove off.

As soon as Pamela had stepped outside, Bo and Luke were on their feet and headed for the door. Freezing in their tracks at the sound of gunshots, a second later they ran outside. Looking at each other, each seeing the fear in the other's eyes and the relief that it had been only tires she had shot. Bo spoke first, "Luke what are we gonna do?"

"Well you sure aren't going to do what she wants."

"I have to Luke, you heard what she said. If I don't tell the judge that Kathy Sue didn't do anything wrong, she'll kill Uncle Jesse," Bo protested.

"Bo, what do you think it'll do to him if Kathy Sue gets away with what she did to you? Besides, do you really think the judge or Mr. Williamson won't realize that something is going on? They're not going to buy it if you all of a sudden change your story. We've just got to figure out something else to do," Luke told him, beginning to pace as he tried to come up with a plan. Several minutes later, he turned to his cousin and snapped his fingers. "I've got it Bo! Mr. Shelton wants to make up for what Kathy Sue did, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So we let him help." Seeing the confused look on Bo's face, Luke tried to make his thoughts clearer. "Bo, she's his wife he might have an idea of where she would take Uncle Jesse. Come on, let's go give him a call."

"Luke...are you sure we can trust him? What if he tells her, even accidently?" Bo asked, surprising Luke who stopped dialing and laid down the phone.

"Damn, you're right. Okay, well then we'll just have to figure out where she's keeping him by ourselves. Did Kathy Sue ever mention anything about a vacation house or a favorite place of her mom's?" Luke asked.

"I don't know Luke, I can't think of anything. Dang it, this is all my fault. I never should've dated Kathy Sue and then Uncle Jesse's life wouldn't be in danger."

"Stop it Bo, right now. There is no way you could have known this would happen when you started dating her, and..."

"Maybe that's true, but I could've broke up with her the first time she put me down." Bo argued, interrupting his cousin.

"Alright Bo, but even if you had that doesn't mean all of this wouldn't have happened anyway. Kathy Sue is unstable and looks like her mother is too. So if you had broke up with her when it first started, it might have only meant all of this would have happened sooner. Maybe it would have happened while I was still in the Marines, I'd hate to think of you having to deal with this on your own." Grabbing Bo by the arm before he could walk away, Luke tried one more tactic. "You think it's your fault that Mrs. Shelton is threatening Uncle Jesse? Well you're wrong Bo, but if you give in to her you might as well shoot Uncle Jesse yourself. Cause it'll kill him to think that you've put yourself back in danger to save him, besides how do you know she'll keep her word?"

"I know you're right Luke, but I can't just refuse. How could I live with myself if I didn't try everything I could to save Uncle Jesse's life? I guess all we can do is try to find him on our own, like you said. We better get busy, we've only got a couple of days to find him." Hesitating, not wanting to argue any more with Luke, Bo decided to keep his decision to himself. Heading to the General, he started changing the flat while his cousin did the same on Jesse's truck.

Finishing up a few minutes later, Luke suggested that Bo get out the county map while he called Cooter and L.B. for a little help. Phoning Cooter, he explained there was a problem and asked if him and L.B. could come out to the farm. As soon as he heard that, Cooter was more than ready to help out. Twenty minutes later the Davenport cousins pulled up in Cooter's tow truck and climbed out.

"Alright Lukas, whats a going on?"

"Cooter, L.B., we need y'alls help. Uncle Jesse's been kidnapped, by Pamela Shelton." Holding up a hand, Luke silenced them and continued on. "She wants Bo to tell the judge that he lied about Kathy Sue or she's gonna kill Uncle Jesse. We need your help searching for them, I don't want Bo out there alone and I thought maybe Cooter could ride with him, while L.B. rides with me. We have to find them before the sentencing, cause no way am I gonna let that witch go free."

"Now hold on a minute Luke, I don't need a babysitter, and if Cooter goes off searching in his truck that's one more person looking. We can cover more ground that way, like you said we only got two days." Bo protested, not liking it a bit that Luke was treating him like a helpless kid.

"Bo nobody's saying you do, but that woman is crazy. I don't think any of us should be going near her without help. Besides it's not just her, or are you forgetting Mr. Smith?"

"I'm sorry Luke, you're right." Bo replied, having the good grace to look embarassed when he realized he'd overeacted. "So who's gonna search where?" Bo knew giving Luke control of the situation was their best hope for rescuing Uncle Jesse.

Walking over to the picnic table where Bo had spread the map earlier, Luke began to outline the plan. Figuring that Mrs. Shelton wouldn't be hiding in the swamps or the old indian caves, Luke concentrated on the cabins near the lake and a few other places. He knew that a few of the cabins were kept by people like Mrs. Shelton for vacations. There were also a few houses around Hazzard that had at one time been summer homes for the wealthy. Although they had mostly been allowed to run to ruin, he thought someone like Pamela Shelton might consider them to be a good hideout. Dividing up the areas to be searched, Luke told Bo and Cooter to focus on places that would be somewhat comfortable. Agreeing that if any of them found Jesse they would call the others before making a move, they left a note for Daisy and headed out.

TBC

A/N: I want to thank Anakin'sGirl4Eva(hope I spelled that right); I wasn't planning for Pamela to go off the deep end quite so much. However I think Pamela must have read her suggestions, cause off the deep end she went. Thanks for the help Anakin'sGirl.

Okay, y'all know the drill. Please let me know what you think.