Author's Note: This chapter was SO hard to write! I'm still not totally happy with it. I couldn't even agree with myself on a title. But I had to post it sometime, so...here it is. I apologize for any mistakes.
Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 9: Sins of the Father (Grateful Darkness)
As much as Bo had wanted to sleep that night, he couldn't. Jake Fowler's threats kept ringing in his mind: "We'll go after your family...don't think we can't track ya down...ya got three days..."
He lay motionless in his bed for nearly an hour, wracking his tired brain. He never should have let Luke come with him; now his whole family was in danger, Brenda and Cindy too. Maybe he never should've even come to Savannah. This whole thing was just one big mess.
Bo sighed and shifted on the futon to stare out the window at the twisted limbs belonging to the old Oak tree in Brenda's backyard. As he watched the dark shadows dance across the windowpanes, a thought came to him. Robbie was his father, and like it or not, he had a debt to pay. It was his responsibility to clear his father's name, and his alone, regardless of the conditions.
Sitting up in bed, Bo's heart was filled with determination. He had to get that money. He refused to let his family suffer because of his father's mistake. Bo was going to make it right. And he was going to have to do it alone. He glanced guiltily across the room at the sleeping form of his cousin. Luke had asked him earlier what had happened after he'd been knocked out, and Bo refused to tell him. It wasn't Luke's responsibility. Robbie was his father; his problem. In Bo's eyes it was unfair to even expect Luke to get caught up in this mess and possibly hurt. He'd already been hurt. No, Bo had to do this alone.
Dressing in the dark as quietly as possible, Bo tried to form a plan. Where in the world would he get fifty thousand dollars? The answer wasn't easy, as there was only one man Bo had ever known who could possess that kind of cash. And that man was the one and only J.D. Hogg.
Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen off of a nearby desk, he quickly scribbled a note to Luke. Later, he wouldn't even remember what he had written. His mind was going so fast he could hardly concentrate, and he was so tired that his hand was shaking the entire time. He didn't know what to say, so he kept it brief, hoping he hadn't left any clues in his words that Luke would pick up on and follow him.
After hesitating another moment wondering whether he was doing the right thing, he slipped downstairs and grabbed the keys to the General off of the kitchen table. As he pulled out of the parking space out on the street, he shot one last glance up at Brenda's house. Then, pursing his lips in resolution, he sped off into the dawn.
"Brenda!" Luke's voice was urgent as he gently shook the older woman's shoulder to wake her.
"L-Luke? What's wrong?" She quickly sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Bo's gone."
"What!" Instantly she was awake, eyes wide in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"He ain't here. He left sometime last night. Did you hear him leave?"
"No, or I would've stopped him. Where did he go?" Luke sighed and handed her the note.
"I don't know. He left that on his pillow." She scanned the paper and gasped.
"Oh Lord...Jake and Tom must've threatened him or something. He sounds afraid for your family." Luke nodded.
"That's what I reckon. But he mentioned Wednesday...why Wednesday?" Brenda just shrugged.
"Dang it all...if he just woulda talked to me last night...!" Luke exclaimed, frustrated. "I don't even know where to look for him!" Brenda watched him for a moment, then stood up with a sigh.
"Well. You'd best eat some breakfast before ya go searching. You'll be no good going on an empty stomach." Reluctantly Luke followed her out to the kitchen, then sat and waited at the table while she fixed them some eggs.
"A police officer is coming here at noon. He's a deputy under the sheriff I talked to at the hospital," she informed Luke as she leaned over the stove.
"Why?"
"Well, after I told him what happened, he wanted an on-duty officer to stay at the house until Jake and Tom are arrested."
"Did you tell him 'bout the money?" Luke asked hopefully. He knew that not all cops were as dimwitted as Roscoe and Enos. Maybe the law could help them.
"Of course not," she replied. "They'd ask too many questions." Luke's face fell.
"What did you tell him?"
"That they were robbers who broke in and that you boys tried to stop them." Luke exhaled loudly.
"Ya shoulda told him the truth—they could've helped us!" He was surprised when Brenda turned to snap at him.
"No. They only would've made it worse. I don't need the fuzz around here, poking their business where it don't belong."
"Sounds like you got somethin' to hide," Luke said, cocking his head to the side and folding his arms across his chest.
Brenda's back was to him, and he watched her shoulders slump in defeat. "It's just that...well...Robbie wasn't the most law-abidin' men in the world. He got away with most of the stuff he did. I just...don't want to throw mud on his name."
"Mom." Cindy's exasperated voice preceded her through the kitchen doorway.
"Cindy! When did you get here? I thought you had to work today," Brenda said, surprised.
"I called off after my friend Madison, who just happens to work as a nurse up at Savannah Memorial Hospital, called me this morning an' told me y'all went up there late last night. Now what the heck is goin' on? Why didn't you call me?" So Brenda explained everything that had happened the night before, including Bo's disappearance that morning, and showed her the note he'd left.
"That's terrible! Where could he have gone? Ya don't think Jake an' Tom have him, do you?"
"I never thought of that," Luke said slowly. "Shoot, I just wish I could think straight!"
"Now hold on, he wrote that he had to go do somethin'...do you think he could've gone somewhere to try an' get the money?"
Balladeer: That girl ain't half-bad.
"It's possible...the only thing we can do is wait for that deputy to get here an' explain everythin' to him. Maybe he can help."
"But..." Brenda tried to protest, still thinking of Robbie.
"Mom! Robbie is dead, okay? Bo is the one we have to help right now. An' if it means airin' out some of Robbie's dirty old laundry, then we have to do it. Remember you promised him that you'd tell Bo the truth? Well, it's time that it all comes out. I'm sure Robbie would rather be known for what he was than have his son die because of what he wasn't." There was silence after her speech, as she put her hand on Brenda's arm and searched her eyes.
"Okay...okay," Brenda agreed finally. Luke gave a quick nod and patted Cindy on the shoulder.
"Thanks." He turned to Brenda. "Can I use your car? I can at least look for him myself until that deputy gets here."
"Sure; keys are on the table."
Balladeer: So Luke's goin' out to look for Bo. Problem is, Bo ain't even in Savannah anymore. An' if that deputy tries to get ahold of Jake an' Tom to cut a deal, which is what Luke's hopin', it'll blow everythin'. Which means biiiig trouble for everybody. Funny how ya can think you're helpin' when you're really only makin' things worse.
Bo could hardly keep his eyes open. He was traveling along highway 9, heading into Choctaw County, when he began to nod off. It wasn't until he was jerked awake by the frantic honk of car horns as he blatantly ran a red light that he decided to stop for awhile. He pulled over at a small diner and bought some coffee. He'd been driving for nearly two hours and was now only a few miles from Hazzard. It was 8 a.m. He wondered if Luke was awake yet, and if he'd started searching for him.
The throbbing in his ear had subsided a bit, to Bo's relief, but he still couldn't hear anything out of it. It made his head feel fuzzy and his thinking slow. Or maybe that was the lack of sleep? Briefly he considered calling Uncle Jesse, just to hear the comforting sound of the old man's voice, but then what would he say? Unless he played it like nothing was wrong. That is, if Luke hadn't already called and told him about Bo's running off.
Eventually Bo's homesickness won out, and he went to use the payphone.
"Duke residence."
"Uncle Jesse, its Bo."
"Bo? I wasn't expectin' ya to call 'til later. Somethin' wrong?"
"No, it's just...well, I miss ya." There was a pause on the other line as Jesse took note of the weariness in Bo's voice. Something was wrong.
"Well, we miss ya too, Bo. When're you boys expectin' be home?"
"Um...I ain't sure." He shifted uncomfortably. How much had Luke told Jesse yesterday? He couldn't remember the conversation.
"Have ya decided what to do 'bout them two lawyer fellas?" Jesse asked carefully.
"Uh, yeah...they wasn't lawyers, they was Robbie's old enemies. They want fifty thousand dollars."
"Fifty thousand dollars! How in the world are ya gonna get that kind of money? Have ya talked to the police?" Bo shut his eyes. This had been a bad idea.
"Um, yeah...Luke's hatchin' up a plan right now...listen—I gotta go." Jesse didn't want to hang up, fearing from the sound of Bo's voice and the dread growing deep in his heart that it could be the last time he ever spoke his youngest again.
"Wait! Uh...ain't ya gonna tell me any more than that?"
"Sorry, Uncle Jesse I can't...just...please be careful, okay? I love you. Tell Daisy."
"I will...now you be careful too, Bo. We love ya." All that answered him was a soft click and the dial tone.
Jesse sat motionless in the kitchen chair for nearly two hours. He blamed would blame himself, if anything was wrong. If only he'd kept Bo on the phone longer!
Daisy was at work; or else she would have been hovering over him, wondering what was wrong. He knew his boys were in trouble—that was not the Bo he knew talking on the phone. That was like a whole 'nother person. It sounded like a sad, tired, frightened boy who didn't know what to do. He sounded lost. And where was Luke in all this? Jesse didn't think he was around when Bo made the call. That got him thinking. He picked up the receiver and held it to his ear as he quickly dialed a number.
"Mable, this is Jesse Duke. I need ya to trace a call for me..."
Luke had been trying to reach Uncle Jesse for nearly twenty minutes, but all he had gotten was a busy signal. Who in the world would be talking on the phone at this time of day? Unless it was Bo...
The hope was enough to bring the former marine to tears.
Finally he got through. "Uncle Jesse? It's Luke."
"Luke, thank the Lord! What in sam hill is goin' on!"
"W-what do ya mean?" Luke asked, taken off guard by his Uncle's tirade.
"Bo just called here an hour ago from a payphone over in Choctaw County soundin' like the sky'd done fallen on him."
"Wait...you talked to Bo? What did he say?"
"Not much, just that you boys had to get fifty thousand dollars to pay off some old enemies of Robbie's..." He paused as a realization dawned on him. "You mean he ain't with you?"
Balladeer: Now he's catchin' on. While Luke was explainin' everythin' that had happened to Uncle Jesse (seems like a lot of that's goin' on), Bo was pullin' 'round the Boars Nest, where Boss's cozy office was. Now y'all know what he's gonna do.
Bo figured if he hid the General out back, it would be less likely to be seen. He'd noticed Daisy's jeep parked out front and knew he'd have to sneak in. Creeping over to the only window located in Boss's office, Bo peered inside. There was the big man himself. Dressed in white, as usual, he was engrossed in reading some papers at his desk. Of course, there was a jar of pickled pig's feet within his reach, and Bo gagged.
Quickly glancing over his shoulder, Bo was grateful that Roscoe was nowhere in sight. As stealthily as possible, he inched the window up and stepped inside without Boss even noticing.
Despite Bo's fatigued state, he couldn't help but take advantage sneaking in Boss's office unnoticed. With a small smile he tiptoed up behind the big man's chair, leaned his head down, and took a deep breath.
"Hey Boss," he said in his deep country voice. He laughed as the man in white jumped out of his seat with a gasp, throwing the papers he'd been reading up in the air.
"Wha--! Bo Duke! What do mean, trespassin' on my property? How'd you get in here?"
"The window," Bo said, and pointed.
"The window---that's it! You really done it this time, Duke boy, I'm gonna have you arrested for trespassin'! ROSCOE!" Bo winced at Boss Hogg's vociferous shouting. It made his ear throb something fierce. He was silent as the large man yelled for the sheriff twice more, and then he'd had enough. With one hand clamped over his injured ear, he grabbed Boss's arm.
"Can ya stop yellin', please? Roscoe obviously ain't here." Boss just glared at him.
"Fine. I'll arrest you myself!" He headed over to his desk intending to grab a pair of handcuffs from the top drawer. His search was in vain, and he slammed the desk drawers angrily.
"Boss, can ya just wait a minute? I gotta tell ya somethin' important," Bo pleaded.
"I ain't never heard nothin' important come from the mouth of a Duke," Boss spat, bending to pick up the papers he'd thrown up, now scattered about the floor.
"If ya don't listen then a lot of people could get hurt!" Bo's voice was unnaturally desperate, and it caught Boss off guard. He frowned, pulled out cigar, and began to light up as he sat back in his chair.
"Ya got five minutes," he said, glancing at the clock.
"I need fifty thousand dollars." The words came rushing out before he could think about what to say. He hung his blonde head in defeat as he realized he'd blown his chance.
"Fifty thousand semolians? Fifty thousand—boy, you must be off your rocker to think I have that kind of money! An' even if I did, which I don't, I wouldn't lend it to you!"
Balladeer: Now that's just mean. But Bo still had to try, cuz ya could never tell when 'ole Boss was lyin' or not--he'd had so much practice, it was second nature. An' there was times when Boss did have a heart...mostly when there was big 'ole sirloin steak sittin' in front of him, but that's beside the point. Anybody hungry?
"But Boss, if ya don't help me my whole family could get hurt!" Bo stepped forward, imploring. He would've gotten down on his knees and begged if he'd thought it would help. Boss melted a bit, and he pursed his lips in thought.
"I wish I could help ya, I really do. But...I got this deal cookin' to build a new Hogg General Store downtown an'...I just can't."
"Boss, we already got a General Store," Bo said, confused.
"I know! I'm foreclosin' on it! It's gonna be Hogg's General Store come next month!" He laughed maniacally for a few seconds, then glanced at his watch.
"Oh! That reminds me, I got an important business meetin' to attend to. I have to go..." He grabbed his hat and quickly left the room, leaving Bo inside, exhausted and disappointed. A minute later he burst back through the door and loudly demanded that Bo leave before he was arrested. So Bo did the only thing he could do, he left.
Feeling incredibly discouraged, he dragged his feet back over to the General and slid inside. It was over. He'd never get the money now, unless he robbed a bank or something, which he could never do...
His fatigue was catching up with him. His head was pounding, his ear was aching, and every muscle in his body felt cramped and worn. Maybe if he just slept for a little while...
"Hey buddyroo, whatchya doin' out here? I heard tell you an' Luke was in Savannah." Cooter, who had wandered out to the back of the Boar's Nest to do his weekly scrounge for scrap metal in the dumpster, had walked over when he spotted Bo sitting dazedly in the General Lee. The blonde Duke didn't even answer him, didn't even acknowledge his presence. (What he didn't know was that he was talking into Bo's deaf ear, and that the boy was so zoned from lack of sleep that he didn't even notice Cooter standing there.)
"Uh...Bo? Somethin' wrong, buddy? Ya don't look so good. Where's Luke?" A knot of worry cinched in Cooter's stomach when Bo still wouldn't answer, so he reached inside the window and roughly shook his shoulder.
"BO!"
"What!" Bo practically jumped out of his skin, instinctively grabbing Cooter's wrist and twisting it painfully.
"Ow! Let go—it's me, Bo! It's me!" Finally Bo released Cooter's arm, and slumped back onto the seat with his hands over his face.
"M'sorry, Cooter." The mechanic just chuckled, rubbing his wrist absentmindedly.
"Shoot, its okay, buddyroo. Some grip ya got there...you okay?" Bo let his hands drop from his face and nodded slowly.
"Yep...see ya later Cooter," he said, hoping his friend would leave. It backfired though; Cooter knew something was wrong now, and he wasn't leaving until he knew what it was.
"Hold on, there, bucko. I ain't goin' nowheres 'til ya tell me what's goin' on." Nothing could have prepared him for Bo's reaction.
"Cooter—will ya just leave!" The voice was ragged, filled with emotion and pain. Bo regretted the yelling as soon as he did it—it killed his ear. He whipped his head to the side so Cooter wouldn't see his tears of frustration. "Dang it, will ya just leave," he said again, just above a whisper. He was losing it, he knew. And he was so tired...
"Get out." Cooter was standing right next to his door now, a frown on his face and determination in his voice.
"Cooter—wha-?" He was surprised when he felt the mechanic's arms wrap under his arms and his body being pulled out of the window. Cooter was just as surprised that Bo didn't resist him.
"Come on," he said, leading the youngest Duke over to his towtruck, which was waiting on the side of the Boars Nest.
"Where're we goin'?" Bo asked apprehensively. His mind was too foggy to concentrate much, but he didn't want Cooter getting ahold of Luke and telling him where he was.
"We's gonna get you down to my garage, where you're gonna sleep, for one. An' then you're gonna tell me what in the name of four wheels an' motor is goin' on."
"What 'bout the General?" Bo asked as they got in the cab of the truck.
"He'll be fine. I'll come back an' tow him later. Don't worry," he added at Bo's wary look, "I won't tell nobody you're in town." That satisfied the tired boy a bit, and he soon fell into a fitful sleep, the creak of the towtruck and Cooter's humming lulling him into grateful darkness.
"You mean he ain't with you?" Jesse asked over the phone. Luke froze. Suddenly he knew exactly where Bo was.
"Luke?"
"Uncle Jesse, I know where Bo is!"
"I just told ya he was callin' from a payphone over in..."
"No! I know where he's goin' an' what he's doin'! I gotta go!"
"Wait, Luke! ...Luke? Dang it all..." Jesse hung up the phone as the line went dead. He was gonna skin them boys when they got back...and then he was gonna hug 'em.
Balladeer: Finally. Somethin' tells me we's gonna have a regular Duke family reunion soon. I'm still worryin' 'bout them gamblers. How many days them boys got left? Two or one?
Author's Note: Whew! There it is! Now do your civic duty...review!