Chapter 17 – Opening Arguments
"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the
teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."
~Walt Disney
Boss Hogg's morning was off to a rough start. He wanted to keep Bo and Jesse occupied for the next week or so, but he never imagined that an old nemesis would step in on the their behalf. Taking a long drag of his cigar, Boss studied the lawyer standing on the other side of his desk with Jesse Duke.
Tom Grady was a tad taller than Boss with silver running through his once dark hair. He hadn't changed much. The man was still slender, despite a few pounds put on over the years. Coffee brown eyes held the same reproachful look they did thirty years ago, but now they peered over a pair of wire-framed glasses perched on the end of his prominent hawk nose. From the way his mouth was drawn in a tight line, there was no mistaking his mood.
The last time they stared one another down, Tom was striving for a full partnership in a prestigious Atlanta law firm. He'd spent years in the trenches since then, honing his skills as a criminal trial lawyer before immersing himself in lucrative family law. He was a formidable enemy, with powerful friends among Georgia's wealthy elite.
Tom cleared his throat and slapped several legal documents on Boss's desk. "You've been behaving badly again, J.D. The harassment you've perpetrated on the Duke family ends today."
Boss scrunched his nose. "Well good morning to you, too."
He grabbed the papers and began to read while Rosco looked over his shoulder. The first document was an Entry of Appearance for Beauregard Duke, but the others…
"Petition and Summons! You're filing a lawsuit against the County?"
"I haven't yet, but be assured, unless you release my client, the Court Clerk's office will be my next stop. Keep reading. I'll also file civil suits against you and your sheriff for the actions taken yesterday."
"M-my actions?" Rosco pointed a shaky finger at himself, probably thinking about his painfully low retirement account. "Why me? I was just following orders!"
"Be quiet, Rosco." Boss painted on a syrupy smile and gestured to the visitors' chairs. "Let's have a seat and talk this matter over, man to man. Surely you don't expect me to release a criminal among the fine citizens of Hazzard County."
The Duke patriarch curled his lip in disgust, but didn't speak as he lowered in the chair.
"Bo Duke is being held unjustly." Tom said, unfastening the button on his grey silk suit jacket. "He was under police surveillance for forty-eight hours prior to the discovery of the bridge collapse, correct?"
Rosco jerked to attention. "That's right. See, Cletus and I-"
"Be quiet, Rosco." Boss repeated, his eyes never leaving the attorney. "The Sheriff was just doing his job. Bo Duke is on probation on account of his criminal past."
"Yeah!" Rosco said. "We were just checking up on th' local riff-raff."
Jesse exploded. "I've heard about enough! Rosco, when it comes to riff-raff, you're at th' top of-"
"Easy Jesse," Tom held up a hand, ending Jesse's cutting retort. "Sheriff Coltrane, I'm sure you're very diligent with your records. Can you tell me what time Bo Duke left the family farm Thursday morning?"
"Are you kiddin'? Of course I can!" Rosco pulled out his notepad and licked his thumb to flip the pages. "Right here it is! It says Bo Duke left the farm in th' General Lee at 8:45AM and drove straight to the scene of the crime! He was arrested for malicious destruction of County property and two counts of threatening an officer of th' law. When we got the car back to impound, I found a rope in th' trunk. It matches the one Jesse found at the scene."
"See there?" Boss sat back in his chair and drummed his fingers on his cigar. "We caught him fair and square. So, you can take these here papers and ... and..." A vertical line formed between Boss's eyebrows as the attorney shook his head with an arrogant smirk. "What? Am I missing something here?"
"You certainly are." Tom handed another document to Boss. "This is a sworn statement from Sam Tucker, Circle M Foreman. He crossed that bridge at 11:30 Wednesday night after delivering a seriously ill horse to the vet hospital in Capitol City. The bridge was fine at the time."
"So?"
Rosco bristled, "Yeah, so?"
"So… This morning I spoke at length with Deputy Cletus Hogg. You'll be hard pressed to prove Bo Duke threatened your officers when one of them can't remember what was said. Your deputy's memory improved when I asked about Bo's schedule. He arrived home at 9:30 Wednesday night and did not leave the Duke Farm again until 8:45 the next morning, just as the Sheriff stated. Tell me, J.D. When exactly was my client supposed to have pulled down the bridge?"
Boss's throat constricted. Tom had him dead to rights. It wasn't just money on the line. If the road construction project went askew, so did the plan to acquire the ranch. Steven Cunningham would report his non-compliance to Monroe and then everyone would be right back on the mob leader's hit list.
Tom stood and his eyes darkened as he delivered his closing argument. "You framed that boy, J.D. I'll depose your officers, subpoena their records, and parade enough character witnesses in front of a jury that your career in politics will be a pile of ash when I'm through. You'll be lucky if you hold onto your freedom."
Boss sucked in a breath and the air between them pulsed with animosity.
Jesse stood with his cap in his hands. "J.D., one of these days, your scheming is gonna get you in over your head and somebody is gonna get hurt. I ain't gonna let that somebody be my kin. You know th' rope was planted."
"And I will find the guilty party." Tom eyed Rosco suspiciously.
"Gyu…" Rosco nudged Boss. "Little fat buddy, I think he's serious."
"Don't you have a ticket quota to make up?" Boss stood and retrieved the pleadings, crumpling them in his fist as he held them out to Tom. His voice turned menacing. "What will it take to get you out of my County?"
Tom ignored the papers and said, "You will drop all charges and release Bo Duke from jail. In addition, the bridge over Craggy Rock Creek will be replaced. Immediately. Anything less and you'll be dealing with another lawsuit from Enos Strate and fighting a hostile takeover of HoggaCo and it's subsidiaries. Do I need to remind you that Miss O'Connell left him a rather interesting conglomeration of corporate shares in her Will?"
The pleadings fluttered to the desk. It had been several months since Enos confronted Boss at the Boar's Nest. He still had nightmares that sent him running for comfort food. Enos had said, "I own a controlling interest, fifty-one percent of all your companies! If you come after my land again, I'll take everything you got!"
Boss's pulse whooshed in his ears. He was working on correcting the vulnerability, but wasn't ready to prevent a financial takeover.
Tom bellowed, "I'm losing my patience, J.D., do you agree to the terms I've set forth or do we fight this out in court?!"
With an ugly frown, Boss hissed, "I'll agree to your terms."
"And…" Tom leaned over the desk on his palms, his voice razor sharp. "You're going to explain why Chester Miller and the Hazzard DOT suddenly lost the Highway 20 resurfacing project to an engineering company."
With tremendous effort, Boss kept calm. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out the business card Steven Cunningham left him.
"The DOT didn't lose the job, they were outbid." He handed the card to Tom. "It's my duty to save money for the taxpayers of Hazzard County. This company presented me with an offer I couldn't refuse." He smirked and added, "In good conscience of course."
Jesse grumbled, "There's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one."
"Do you hear that click, J.D.?" Tom tapped the side of his head. "It's my eyes bouncing off the back of my skull. It's an automatic reaction to bullshit. You're playing a dangerous game."
Boss ignored his rebuke. "If you two have any other questions, you can address them to Mr. James Blake. He's the owner of Quality Engineering."
Tom snatched the card, glancing at the name in fancy script. "Oh, believe me. I will be asking Mr. Blake several questions."
"Get out of my office."
"Not without Bo Duke."
Boss gave the lawyer one last menacing glare. "Rosco, release th' prisoner and drop the charges."
"There is also the matter of his conveyance."
Boss sighed. "And give him the General Lee, but collect the-"
"Un-ac-ceptable!" Tom slammed a hand on the desk. "You'll waive any impound fees and associated charges or I'll see you in court!"
Jesse chuckled and rocked on his heels. "Well now. I kinda like havin' myself a lawyer."
"Dat! Oh, all right! Waive the impound fees while you're at it!"
"B-but…gyu…" Rosco walked out and muttered to himself, "Judas priest on a pony. I'm supposed to be th' Sheriff around here."
Ten minutes later, Boss stood at his office window and watched Bo Duke climb into the General Lee and drive away. Jesse and Tom didn't follow. They were across the street having an intense conversation with Chester Miller.
Boss picked up the phone. "Maybelle? Get me th' Marriott in Atlanta. Pronto."
It was early afternoon when Gus leaned in to hear both sides of Emily's phone call. It was a relief to hear that Bo was out of jail. With Drake slipping into flashbacks, Enos had enough on his plate. He didn't need to worry about things back home.
"We agree with you, Jesse." Emily said, winking at Gus. "Ain't no reason to tell Enos about the trouble until Tom visits Quality Engineering. J.D.'s companies always win those bids. He's up to something."
"That's what I was thinking. Chester is already gathering supplies for the bridge, but he's out of the loop on the highway project. He's doing everything he can to help get Sam access in and out of the ranch. I'll call when I know more. How's the kids? Have y'all talked to them?"
Gus took the receiver and said, "Enos called us this morning. Daisy and Luke are fine, Drake's a little ... uh…"
"Under th' weather." Emily offered.
"Right! He caught some twenty-four hour bug, but the twins are keeping Daisy safe until he gets back on his feet. They haven't had anymore mechanical problems."
"I'm right sorry to hear about Drake, but it's a load off my mind that they are getting close to their destination. Would you ask Luke to call when he gets in?"
"Course we will, Jesse." Emily put her arms around Gus's waist. "Don't you worry about a thing. I'll take care of those young-uns like they're my own."
"I know you will. Give them my love. Th' place ain't th' same without them. Bo's moping around like a lost hound. It's too dang quiet around here."
"I reckon it is." Gus gave Emily a squeeze, recalling a time when they, too, had a home that was too quiet. "Jesse, I gotta get back to work, but thanks for callin'. You take care."
The call ended and Emily went to the oven to check her pies. "I thought for a minute you were gonna let it slip about Drake. Jesse don't need to know about his troubles."
"Woman, I ain't that thick." Gus retrieved his coffee and dunked an oatmeal cookie in the brew. "Drake's a stubborn oaf. I reckon he was hotter than a rock in the desert when the ER doc gave him that injection without giving him a chance to argue."
"That sounds like his sister's doing." Emily moved to the sink and began drying the dishes in the rack. "I guarantee the prescription of sedatives were flushed down the first toilet he passed."
"Darlin', men don't cotton to being put on sedatives."
"It's just pride," Emily said. "Drake has an over abundance of it. Enos was the same way with his pain medicine after his surgery. Foolish boys."
Gus snorted and snaked an arm around her waist. "Darlin', I gotta meet Barney and get that well repair done. See ya' at supper."
A repetitive whack drew their attention outside. Emily pushed back the curtain and looked across the raised deck. Dan Thompson was busy below, splitting logs at the woodpile for their winter supply. Six feet of tan muscle brought the axe down with unusual force, splintering a log and sending the pieces flying in opposite directions. It was a clear indicator of the storm building within the man.
Gus turned to Emily. "Hmm…"
"Uh-huh. Jenny's secret champion is determined to make a fool of hisself."
"Better move up that talk." Gus kissed her cheek, inhaling the familiar scent of vanilla and spice. "He needs your special touch to set him straight."
Emily kissed her husband of thirty-five years goodbye and walked out the back door. She reached the rail of the deck and put a knee on the built in bench, leaning on her hands to look over the side. They'd taken Dan under their wings when he moved away from Montana to escape his overbearing mother. His easy-going ways and quiet disposition quickly earned a special place in Emily's heart. Enos had always been the son she never had, but Dan was a close second.
"Daniel Xavier Thompson!"
The ax halted mid-swing and his head snapped up. Wavy blonde hair peeked out from beneath his cowboy hat and pale blue eyes glittered with annoyance. He lowered the ax, leaning on it as he shifted his weight to one leg.
"Aw, geez. Miss Emily, you're th' only one around here t' get away with calling me that."
"Pfft! I can think of two other women that can. Your ma and-"
"I said around here."
"Uh-huh. That crabbiness ain't gonna fly."
"I'm sorry." He had the good sense to look sheepish. "What can I do for ya'?"
"You can help me replace those spotlights on th' rafters first thing tomorrow. Don't even think about running to Gus for extra chores to avoid it. We're gonna talk about Jenny."
Pain skittered across his face and disappeared like an angry flash of lightning. "Ain't nothin' to say. She's with Enos."
"There's plenty needs sayin'. Carryin' all that anger around ain't gonna help ya' get over it."
Dan looked away, focusing on some unseen object in the distance. "I ain't sure I want to get over it."
"That's why we're gonna talk, before you go and do something stupid, like pledging your love and ruining your friendship." Emily crossed her arms on the rail. "Sweetheart, let me help you through this. I don't want you to lose what you've shared with Jenny over the years."
He met her gaze and sighed. "I just wish I could turn back the clock, you know?"
"Things happen for a reason, sweetheart." The broken look in his eyes tugged on Emily's heart. "I feel for you, but maybe this is the Lord's way of saying y'all aren't meant to be together that way. Don't shake your head at me Daniel. What if th' right person is out there, but God ain't done preparing the two of you for each other?"
He swept an arm to the side and let it fall against his thigh. "So what do I do in th' meantime? Watch Enos take the only woman in this world that I'll ever love out of my life?"
He always had been on the dramatic side. "Dan. Jenny isn't the only gal you're going to love before finding the right one. And she ain't gonna be out of your life ... long as you don't mess this up. Just give yourself time to heal and don't do anything rash. In fact, don't make any decisions until we've talked it out. You stick around after breakfast, ya' hear?"
"Alright, Miss Emily." Dan took off his hat, swept his arm across his forehead and looked at his watch. "Shoot, I gotta go. I'm supposed to relieve Chet and camp with th' herd tonight."
Emily jabbed a fist on her hip and gave him a piqued look.
"Emily... I ain't backin' out on our talk, but I got a job to do. Everybody in town is talking about that grizzly and Gus doesn't want to lose another calf. Would ya' tell Jenny I'm sorry I missed her and that I'll see her in the morning?"
"Yes, I will." Emily relaxed a little and waved a finger. "You just keep that rifle handy. Losing a calf is one thing. I don't want an agressive bear munchin' on my favorite wrangler."
Dan blushed, "Yes ma'am. I'll be careful. See you tomorrow."
She gave a nod of approval and returned to the kitchen. She'd have her hands full over the next few days, soothing broken hearts and wounded pride. Emily smiled.
It would be a labor of love.
