Chapter 9
After hanging up with Bo, Luke felt more hopeful. He went to find Daisy and Cooter, who had gone back outside.
"Hey," Cooter said as Luke plodded towards them. "Uncle Jesse have any ideas?"
"Didn't really talk to 'im," Luke told them. "Talked ta Bo."
"Ya did?" Daisy asked excitedly. "How is he?"
"He's okay," Luke said, relieved. "He had a idea. He remembered overhearin' somethin' about a Harris Farm. Sound familiar?"
They each thought for a moment before replying with a no.
"I say we go ta Capitol City an' look up any Harris properties near Hazzard County," Luke suggested. Daisy and Cooter agreed. They boarded the General Lee once more and were underway.
"Hogg," John demanded upon entering the sheriff's station, "where the hell is my money?"
"I thought I made it perfectly clear ta you, ya weren't getting' no money cause the Duke boys ain't in jail!" Boss protested.
"Sorry Hogg, I think ya misunderstood." John said as he held up his revolver and pointed it at Boss. "Yer gonna give us our money."
"Oh, yeah!" Boss said, hands in the air. He made his way to his safe, and told John to shut his eyes and plug his ears.
"Ya really think ya should be givin' orders?" John hissed.
Without another word, he reached into his already open safe and pulled out a substantial amount of hundred dollar bills.
"There," Boss said as John accepted the money. "Twenty-five thousand simoleons."
"I knew ya'd see my way." John exited without another word.
Once he was gone, Boss looked like he'd lost his best friend, which he had, since that's what money was.
"I hope Luke's plan ta catch them fiends works," he whimpered to no one.
It was completely dark by the time the five-some arrived in Capitol City. Luke had contacted Becky Lynn and Rosco and told them where they were going. They went to the building where all the counties' records were held, only to find it closed.
They peered in the door and saw a janitor mopping up the floor. Luke knocked.
"Hey!" Luke shouted when the janitor turned his head. "We need ta git in!"
"Sorry!" the janitor yelled back. "It's closed! Come back tamorrah!"
"We really need in!" Luke yelled.
"We—are—CLOSED!" the janitor replied back stubbornly.
"Lemme try Luke," Rosco requested. "I'm a sheriff, he'll listen ta me." He stepped up to the door. "Hey you! I'm a sheriff! You let us in, or I'll cuff ya an' stuff ya!"
"Can't," the janitor said. "'Sides, ya can't arrest me. This ain't yer county."
Rosco mumbled something to himself before trying again. "This is official police business! Let us in or I'll make sure someone cuffs ya an' stuffs ya fer messin' up a po-lice investigation!"
"Okay," the janitor finally consented. "But I can only let the police in."
"Okay Rosco," Luke began, "remember, look for Harris. An' only near Hazzard."
"Gotcha," Rosco said as he stepped inside.
Luke sighed as the door shut. "I hope he can get it."
John stepped into the dimly lit bar, feeling he deserved a reward. He'd order himself an extra drink. His whole plan was working. He spotted the young bearded man in the corner and grinned maliciously to himself.
"Randy," he greeted. The bearded man looked up. "I got the money, Randy."
Randy grinned. "Nice job, little brother."
John beamed. "Yeah, I know. Now all I gotta do is git rid a that partner I got me. He's done his job."
Folks, there's so much double-crossin' in this here story I'm getting real lost. How bout ya'll?
Just then a waitress called out "Phone call for a Mr. John or Randy Harris!"
"Yeah!" Randy and John answered in unison.
"I'll take it," John said. He headed over to the bar and took the phone from the waitress.
"John Harris," he answered.
"Oh Johnny, a voice replied. "This is your father."
John sighed. "Hey, Dad."
"Son, I was gonna use the cabin tonight, but I noticed there were a car there. Is you or Randy lettin' someone use it?"
"Yeah," John answered. "We're sharin' it with some buddies fer a few nights. We left their car there when we went out fer a couple drinks at our favorite bar. Sorry I didn't tell ya, I thought you wouldn't mind."
"Oh not at all, son," Mr. Harris replied fondly. "Ya'll can use it as long as ya like. Just clean up when yer done."
"No problem, thanks Dad," John said. "Love ya."
"Love ya too Johnny," Mr. Harris said. They hung up, and John went back to Randy.
I don' know bout ya'll, but I feel sorry fer ol' Mr. Harris. His boys ain't the gentlemen he thinks they is.
Rosco was doing Rosco-ish laughing as he exited the state records building. Luke, Daisy, Cooter, and Becky Lynn looked expectantly up at him.
"What'd ya find out?" Daisy asked eagerly.
"I found out," Rosco proudly began, "that the nearest Harris property is in Hatchapee County. 1645 Starkey Road."
"Good job, Rosco," Luke praised. "Let's go check it out." They agreed, and left Capitol City.
Pushing the food around on his tray, Bo sighed. Hospital cafeterias had nothing on Uncle Jesse or Daisy. He glanced over at his uncle, who was snoring loudly from the nearby chair.
He kept forgetting about the pain that pierced through his left shoulder. So on one occasion when he leaned on his injured shoulder, it hurt so excruciatingly bad a small yelp escaped his mouth. It was soft, but it was loud enough to wake Jesse up.
Jesse stifled a yawn so he'd be free to ask, "Bo what's the matter?" He leapt out of his chair and rushed to the aid of his nephew.
"Just forgot I shouldn't lean on the shoulder," Bo commented painfully.
"Ya all right?" Jesse inquired.
Bo nodded. "It feels like a pinched nerve, but I'll be fine."
"Ya sure?" Jesse questioned. "Should I go fetch the doc?"
Bo shook his head. "I'll be fine," he repeated.
Jesse consented and sat back down in the chair. A few moments after shutting his eyes, Jesse heard his nephew speak again.
"Uncle Jesse?" he said in a deeply pained voice that tugged at the older man's heartstrings. "Is that offer ta fetch the doc still good?"
Jesse nodded and proceeded to find the doctor.
After riding in silence for almost an hour, General Lee and Rosco's patrol car pulled down Starkey Road. Five minutes or so after that, they turned into a driveway with a post stating "Harris" near it. It wasn't until Luke and Rosco shut off their engines when they noticed a car following them.
"Evenin'," Luke greeted as an innocent looking elderly man emerged from the black pickup.
"Howdy," the man said kindly. "Ya'll must be some of Randy an' Johnny's buddies. I'm Edward Harris."
"Nice ta meet ya," Luke said politely. He wasn't sure if Mr. Harris could be trusted yet. "I'm Luke Duke, this is my cousin Daisy, our friends Cooter Davenport, Becky Lynn Gaehrety—"
He was cut off by Rosco. "An' I'm Hazzard County Sheriff Rossssscoooooo P. Coooooltrane." He giggled Rosco-ish-ly.
"I didn't know Johnny an' Randy was friends with a sheriff," Mr. Harris commented. "How nice of them. I always thought my boys were personable people who were nice to all kinds of people."
"Uh, well, Mr. Harris—" Becky Lynn began, but was cut off by the sound of Freddy's voice.
"All right. All of ya'll put yer hands up."
The six of them put their hands up. They all looked apprehensively at one another. The next thing they knew, Luke called out, "Daisy, look out!"
Aw man, I hate it when Daisy's in trouble. Ya'll stick around.
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