"That's right Boss, that's what Cooter said."
"You mean to tell me that Bo Duke is still alive!"
Rosco nodded, his eyes kept firmly on the floor playing with his hat. Ever since Cooter had told him about Bo being alive, he didn't really believe it. From the sounds of what Nigel and Ronny had been saying that night, it had been a horrific accident, one that no one could have survived, and they were experts, heck it was what they did for a living. But when he overheard Jesse and Cooter talking it over at the Boar's Nest just a day ago…well there was nothing to convince Rosco otherwise. Bo had to be alive.
He jumped startled when Boss gleefully clapped and got up from his chair, puffing on the cigar hanging from his mouth.
"Rosco this is perfect! Everythin' can still go accordin' to plan."
"Guh…uh…Boss…what d'ya mean?"
"I mean, with Bo Duke still alive in the hospital and with Nigel and Ronny gone clean outta Hazzard, there is no way to prove that he didn't blow that barn! He don't have an alibi 'cause he wasn't at the party."
Rosco frowned disapprovingly, knowing that his brother-in-law would stoop so low as to hit a man when he's down, but still not liking it all the same.
"But…lil' fat buddy…don't you think it a tad inappropriate to pick on the Dukes when Bo's so badly hurt? I mean…uh…well Cooter don't even know how he is yet, only knows that he's alive and hanging on."
"Rosco, I ain't your lil' fat buddy for one, and secondly, o'course it ain't inappropriate. We's just doin' out duty as lawmen. This case has gots to be investigated, and the conclusions we's drawn is that Bo has got to be the only one who's done this 'cause he was the only one at the farm at the time, and they ain't got a shred of evidence to prove otherwise!"
"But Boss…that would have to mean…uh…we arrest Bo for…arson…an' Insurance Fraud too."
"That's right, which means I get one Duke out my hair for good and the rest of them havin' to buy some new land or move out the county, which Luke Duke can't rightly do seein' as he's on probation!"
Now normally, this would be where ol' Rosco would have that cheesy grin on his face and those goofy expressions flowin' from his mouth…at the moment I rekon he looks more like a goldfish…
"Now come on Boss…I know you's got a heart in their somewhere…Bo's all banged up and…well it don't sound too good…can't we just leave the Dukes be…"
"Rosco…if you don't go out to Tri County and get that boy placed under arrest, your fat sister will be outta my house and into yours with a missin' wedding ring quicker than you's can count to 5, now git movin' and take Enos with ya."
"Yes Boss…right away…"
Rosco slunk dejectedly out of the jail, sighing and sliding into his car and petting Flash gently on the head, before half heartedly picking up the CB.
"This is Sheriff Rosco. P. Coltrane, Enos you got your ears on come on?"
"This is Enos, what can I do you for Sheriff?"
"Is…uh…anythin' happenin' on this back roads, come back?"
"Nothin' Sheriff….'s been mighty quiet since the Duke boys…well since they went to the hospital…
"I know Enos…listen we's goin' over there, I want you to meet me on Possum Road in 5 minutes…"
"Sure thing Sheriff, I'm mighty pleased to hear you say that…I's been wantin' to see Bo since he was brought in. I haven't heard anythin' for little over a week now…"
"Enos…quit your blabberin' an git movin'…"
"Yes Sir, I'm gone."
Rosco replaced the handset and sat back in his seat, staring fixedly ahead of him, before slowly powering up the engine and speeding away, sirens and lights blaring.
Now I tell y'all….if one of Boss' schemes makes Rosco feel this bad, how you think ol' Uncle Jesse, Luke and Daisy's goin' to take this…the phrase don't shoot the messenger comes to mind…
Daisy walked into the waiting room, smiling as she saw Luke splayed out across a couple of chairs with Uncle Jesse not too far off, watching over him. It had been a week since the accident, and a couple of days since Jesse's visit to Hazzard. After sorting out everything he could, he could see no point in staying at the farm and so stayed at the hospital with Luke and Daisy.
Luke still refused to leave Bo in the hospital without him being somewhere nearby. However, all three, with the help of some doctors and nurses who were rapidly becoming concerned about Luke too, reached a compromise. Luke could have round the clock visiting hours with Bo on the condition that he started to sleep, eat and take regular showers again. Of course, there were no beds to offer him, but Luke didn't care, he would sleep on the floor if it meant he could stay with Bo and the food from the cafeteria wasn't too bad either.
Jesse smiled as Daisy wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and gave his cheek and affectionate peck, gazing too at her oldest cousin. She broke away from Uncle Jesse, and sat in the chair next to Luke's head, taking it in her lap and gently stroking the dark curls away from his eyes and forehead. Luke had always been a light sleeper, and he stirred slightly at the movements, but didn't wake on account of he was too shattered to lift himself from the peaceful tranquility of slumber. Eventually, three of the Dukes were fast asleep, no need for words between them, the tension and fear that still resided in the air speaking volumes for each.
Did she just say three of the Dukes…weren't there four last time we's checked?
Bo's hand clenched painfully on the hospital sheets, as his painless slumber started to come to an end and he felt a strong hand clamped on his right arm. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he saw two shadowy figures standing beside him on either side but quickly shut them again as the glare of the bright white lights drew more pain.
He heard one of the figures speak, but still drowsy from the medication and fighting to keep back a wave of nausea, he barley heard anything. He squinted again, slowly bringing his eyes open, allowing them some time to get used to the light…but that was when he knew something was wrong. He knew that if Luke and Daisy were where he thought they would be, they would have been speaking soothingly to him, encouraging him, making him feel loved and protected…but none of those came to him, not one utterance of compassion or joy at his eyes beginning to open, just a cold strong hand clamped onto his shoulder…and then the barrel of a gun pressed into his throbbing temple.
He opened his eyes properly, and watched horrified as the blurry figures swam into focus, two figures he defiantly did not want to see. His breathing quickened through the oxygen mask on his face he could now feel was there, as the grinning man stepped over, holding a syringe in one hand and the other one reaching for the mask.
Bo tried to lift his left hand off the bed to bat the other man's hand away, but found now that it was caked in plaster and was actually laid across his stomach on top of a pillow. He felt his chest constrict painfully as the oxygen slipped away with the mask that fell onto his chest, he opened his mouth to try and scream a warning, to get someone to help him, but instead nothing but a painfully scratchy whisper emitted from the young man's throat.
"Luke….help…."
He listened helpless as the two men laughed and groaned as the barrel of the gun pressed harder still into his bruised temple.
"He ain't comin' to help ya kid, there ain't no one comin' to help you where we's planning on sending ya."
Bo tensed as the needle neared his arm, the metal point quickly approaching his feverish skin. He whimpered as his chest constricted again and he felt the sharp prick of the needle penetrate the skin of his upper right arm.
Ain't that a sight to wake up to? Right when Bo goes and pulls himself outta the land of the dead, there's two guys just waitin' to send him with a one way ticket back. Folks, I think it woulda been easier if Bo just stayed asleep, don't you?