Author's Note: I had every intention of waiting a week before posting, but I will most likely be out of town and unable to post in a week. So, forgive the extremely quick update! This is also a lengthy post, since I don't know when I can post again. Hope y'all are still enjoying the story!
-Kry
DoH DoH DoH
"Bo, it's dark." Daisy tapped her blonde cousin's shoulder. "As much as I hate it, we're going to have to stop."
Bo ground his teeth and glanced at the dipping sun. "You're right, Daisy. We've been looking for over four hours. If there was any signs of Luke in any of these abandoned streets, we would have found it-" He broke off as he turned Dixie onto a small side street. A few abandoned buildings were tucked back on this far end of town; the new and upgraded buildings were in the main town now. He stopped the Jeep, staring out the windshield at something in the dirt. "Hold it!"
He vaulted out of the Jeep and knelt in the dust. "He was here!" He shouted triumphantly. He held up something Daisy could now identify as Luke's hunting knife. He then strode to one of the broken down buildings, checking for Luke.
"He would never lose that knife." Daisy quietly whispered to herself as Bo came back to Dixie.
" He's not here. It's too dark to look around anymore, but we know he was here last. We'll come back at first light tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, Bo." Daisy smiled weakly. They drove back to the Duke farm in silence.
They saw Cooter's tow truck, with the General proudly riding behind, sitting in their drive as they pulled up. Uncle Jesse's truck was also there. The lights were on despite the late hour.
Bo and Daisy walked into the house, unsure what news would greet them. Cooter and Uncle Jesse were sitting at the table, mugs of coffee in front of them.
"Well?" All four said at once.
"We found zip at the hospitals. Which could be a good thing or a bad thing." Uncle Jesse rubbed his forehead.
Cooter nodded, then looked awkwardly at the assembled Dukes. "I checked the tri-county morgue. Nothing. That's good news, I think."
"Oh, Cooter!" Daisy hugged him. "I could never have checked there!"
"I figured." Cooter patted Daisy's back.
"Well, Daisy and I found Luke's hunting knife out where the old township used to be. It was too dark to find anything else, but we're going out there again tomorrow."
"Good work, everyone. I think we know by now that Luke just didn't lose track of time; he would have come home by dark for sure." Uncle Jesse stared at the checkered table cloth with a dejected expression. "If he was able."
"Look, I hesitate to have anything to do with the so-called law in this town, but maybe y' all should call Rosco. If Luke is missing, he'll need to know." Cooter commented quietly as he took a sip of coffee.
"First thing in the morning, I'll go into town and tell him." Bo promised, then shot a glance at Daisy. She was trying not to cry, and failing.
"I'm sorry, everybody." She whispered as she brushed aside a tear. "It's just-" She broke off and broke down, sinking into a chair and sobbing. Bo felt his own throat constrict as he patted her shoulders.
"Daisy, we'll find him. We will find him." Cooter reached across the table and grabbed her hand.
"How, how can you be so sure?" Daisy raised her head, wet tracks running down her face.
"Because, I just know. We will find him." Cooter smiled sadly. "I promise."
"Thanks, Cooter. I...think I'll go to bed."
Uncle Jesse nodded. "Try to rest, sweetheart. We can't do anything more until tomorrow."
Daisy excused herself and headed to her room, leaving the men at the table.
"Fellas, I didn't want to tell Daisy this, but there was blood in the dust by Luke's knife." Bo stared at his hands, not daring to meet either of the men's eyes.
There was a brief silence, then Uncle Jesse spoke. "How much blood?" There was a slight catch at the end of the statement.
"Not enough to kill him, Uncle Jesse. But he was injured, that's for sure." Bo clenched his hands.
"Bo, you need some rest too. Cooter, there is a made up guest room and I will not take no for an answer."
"Much appreciated, Uncle Jesse." Cooter tipped his hat.
For once, Uncle Jesse did not protest at being called Uncle by a non-family member. The three men headed to their bedrooms in a subdued mood.
Before Cooter turned out the light, he glanced at himself in the mirror. He had promised Daisy they would find Luke; he had no doubt they would. But he did not make a promise he couldn't keep; he didn't say they would find Luke okay. He just had a really bad feeling about the whole thing.
If Cooter has a bad feeling about something, he's usually right. I doubt anyone at the Duke farm is getting much sleep tonight.
That stupid book started it. Bo sat on Luke's bed, rubbing his eyes briskly. He had been looking for clues to where Luke could have gone in Luke's little nightstand and stumbled across an old, dog-eared paperback. Bo had recognized it instantly. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Bo remembered giving it to Luke for his fourteenth birthday. Uncle Jesse had helped him pick it out; saying Luke would enjoy it. Bo hadn't been too sure, after all, he never saw Luke reading. But Luke's face had broken out in a huge smile when he read Bo's inscription on the front cover, not minding the childish scrawl. He had kept it in his nightstand ever since.
One memory spun to another, this one slightly less happy. Bo was fourteen himself, and it was a few weeks before he had to start high school. And Luke was leaving to fight in some war the next morning. Bo had been sprawled on Luke's bed, burying his face into Luke's pillow, willing himself not to cry. Uncle Jesse said that they should be proud of Luke, going off to protect the country and all that. But Bo couldn't care less. All he knew was he was losing Luke for four years. If Luke was lucky and wasn't sent home in a pine box.
"Hey." He felt a hand on his shoulder and he rolled over. Luke was sitting there, face concerned. "You okay?"
Bo didn't answer, just buried his face into Luke's shoulder. Luke had hugged him close, not saying a word until Bo's shaking shoulders had steadied. He pulled back just enough so he could see Bo's face.
"Hey. You know I'm coming back, right? And things will be just like they have always been." Luke smiled that little smile that always let Bo know everything was going to be okay.
Bo sniffed. "But you might not come back, Luke. You could get shot or bitten by snakes or blown up or-"
Luke shook his head, causing Bo to trail off. "No, I won't. I promise you. I will come back, in one piece, living and breathin.'" He smiled at his younger cousin. "I promise."
Bo's shaky breath calmed as he stared at his blue-eyed cousin. He knew that if Luke promised something, he would keep it. He rubbed the scar on his palm from when they became blood brothers and felt a lot of his worry disappear.
"Okay, Luke." He smiled slightly.
Luke hugged him close for one more second, then pulled back again. "So, I heard you told Uncle Jesse you weren't going to high school."
Bo folded his arms. "I'm not. I don't even like school, and Jimmy Jackson said if he saw me around the school yard he'd knock me down."
"Oh, he did, did he?" Luke frowned, his protectiveness showing through. "What did you say to that?"
"I knocked him down. So I'm already gonna be in detention and school ain't even started yet!" Bo whined as Luke laughed, throwing his head back in his genuine belly laugh he rarely used.
"That's your Duke blood showing." Luke ruffled his little cousin's hair. "But I'm serious about this, so listen up."
Bo looked straight at him and nodded. "Yes, Luke."
"You go to school, you do good in school, and you make Uncle Jesse and Daisy-and me- proud. Got that?"
Bo frowned slightly, then nodded. "If you say to, Luke."
"I say to." Luke smiled. "Now, if you'll get off my bed we can get some shut-eye. My train leaves early tomorrow."
Bo shook his head. "I'm not moving."
"Bo, I got to get some sleep." Luke said patiently, but Bo settled himself down and stared at him. Luke narrowed his eyes at him, remembering all the times Bo had climbed in his bed, trembling from a nightmare but not wanting to seem childish. Luke had always made room for him, tucking the sheets around him and telling him he was safe. They never mentioned those nightmares again, but Bo never forgot, even when he got older. He needed that same comfort again, before Luke left. Luke didn't complain, but made room for him again. The next morning a tearful Daisy, a quiet Uncle Jesse and a white faced Bo all said their good-byes to Luke at the train station. Bo remembered him and Daisy waving at the train until it was out of sight, hoping Luke would look back and see them.
In the present, Bo set the book aside sharply, feeling his eyes begin to water. He got down on his knees and looked under Luke's bed, eyes alighting on Luke's wooden box. Feeling only slightly guilty, he pulled it out and slid the lock off. Luke never actually snapped the lock, knowing no one would go through his personal things unless it was an emergency. Bo figured this counted as an emergency; maybe something in that box held a clue about who would want to hurt Luke. He opened it and caught his breath. The box was almost half full of old letters. He recognized most of them as letters he had sent Luke while he was still in high school, full of his little daily trials and triumphs. Luke had responded to every one of them, full of advice and brotherly ribbing. And just like that, Bo was caught up in a whirlwind of memories again.
The first memory that came to mind was his graduation. He had kept his word to Luke and done his best in school. He wasn't head of the class but he certainly wasn't last. He stood on the little stage, smiling proudly at Uncle Jesse and Daisy, who were sitting in the front row beaming ear to ear at him. When his name was called he stepped forward, accepting his diploma with pride. Over the cheers and applause, he heard a sound.
He spun around, his eyes searching the crowd. There was no way…but there it was again, louder and clearer.
"Yee-ha!" It was rough, and husky, and lacking the power that Bo's rebel yell had. But there was no doubt it was Luke's. Bo found the figure, still in his army greens, standing by the back row of the outdoor graduation arena. Bo was barely aware of running off the stage, heedless of his graduation gown and cap flying behind him. He tackled Luke as hard as he could, almost knocking his cousin to the ground.
"You came!" He gasped, ignoring the whispers of the crowd. "But, how?"
"Just got off the train an hour ago." Luke smiled at him, clapping him on the back. "I'm proud of you, little cousin."
Bo couldn't speak, just grin ear to ear. The boys had kept their promises to each other; one graduated, and one survived a war.
Other memories flittered across Bo's mind; Luke and him fishing, racing, hunting, doing chores. He remembered the time he had embarrassedly asked Luke to teach him to dance after he had asked the prettiest girl in eighth grade to the Winter Formal on a dare, and she actually accepted. They only had three days, but by the time Luke was done with him, he could two-step, slow dance, swing dance and even knew the rough steps of a couple line dances. In return, he had taught Luke how to do a proper rebel yell. It had taken Luke a long time to give the proper power and volume; his rougher voice made it harder on him, he claimed. Personally, Bo always thought Luke took so much time to learn it because he wanted to give Bo the rare pleasure of being the teacher, not the student.
Bo finally stopped trying to go through the box. It didn't hold anything that could help him, and the memories were getting the best of him.
Come on, Bo. Luke will show up tomorrow with some grand story of his latest adventure-probably involving some girl-and he won't be hurt at all, and we'll all yell at him for making us worry, then we will start morning chores and life will be back to normal. Bo reassured himself as he curled up and tried to sleep. He wasn't greatly successful.
Bo leaned against the General, waiting for Rosco P. Coltrane to show up to work. He had woke up at 4 a.m. and could not go back to sleep. He kept having nightmares about what could have happened to Luke; he could have been attacked by wolves, bitten by a snake and was lying in the woods somewhere, or fallen off one of the ridges. But he kept seeing that blood, sprinkling the ground beside Luke's hunting knife. He finally had to get up and make a quick breakfast, then get away. There were too many memories at the farm that threatened to break him down.
He looked up as the familiar white patrol car pulled up in front of the sheriff's office. He crossed the street quickly and beat Rosco up the steps.
"Bo Duke!" Rosco snarled at the blonde man. "What do you want?"
"Sheriff, I need to file a missing person's report." Bo opened the door for Rosco as he followed on the aging Sheriff's heels.
Rosco barely kept his nervousness from showing. He knew who Bo meant.
"For who?" Rosco walked into the office, almost slamming the door in Bo's face.
"Luke. We haven't seen hide nor hair of him since yesterday afternoon." Bo relayed the whole story as Rosco's nerves went on edge.
"Yesterday afternoon, you said?" Rosco was trying to find a way to avoid this whole conversation, and failing. " I can't file a missing person's report until 24 hours have passed. Are you sure you two just didn't have a fight and he left in a huff?"
Bo pulled back, anger mounting in his eyes. "No, Rosco, we did not have a fight. We were all looking for him yesterday and we found his knife and some blood over by the old Post Office. I can show you."
Rosco frowned at the mention of blood. "Alright. Show me."
After a quick drive to the old side street, Bo pointed out the blood to Rosco.
"Well, Bo, I'm real concerned now." The Sheriff pushed back his hat. "But, I cannot file that report until 24 hours is up. I'll get Enos looking out for him, and you come back this afternoon and I'll file that report. Wish I could do more, but I can't."
"Sure you can't. It's just a Duke missing. That's nothing to worry about. But you're wrong." Bo ground his teeth. "And you can bet your Boss-owned badge I'll be back to file that report."
Bo slid into the General and sped off, not knowing where he was going, just knowing he had to go. His eyes were prickling suspiciously and he didn't dare hang around to find out why. He beat his hand against the steering wheel and turned toward the Boar's Nest. He jumped a creek or three to lose some anger, but it didn't help his frustration.
"Breaker one, breaker one, I may be crazy but I ain't dumb, Crazy Cooter coming at ya. Bo, you got your ears on?"
"Bo here." The blonde man answered, expertly grabbing the CB with one hand.
"I take it from the way you just cut in front of me you didn't have much luck with Rosco?"
Bo shot a look over his shoulder; sure enough, Cooter's battered yellow tow truck was right on his tail.
"Sorry about that, Cooter. Rosco just gave me the brush off. He says he can't file a report until Luke has been gone 24 hours." Bo growled, pulling off to the side of the road. Cooter followed suit. "Luke could be dead by then!"
"That's a shame. Look, I'm heading into town to see if Red Atkins will cover the garage for me while I help you look."
"Naw, Cooter, you head back into town and go to work like normal." Bo brushed back his hair.
"Come again?"
"I have a gut feeling Rosco and Boss Hogg are somehow connected to Luke's disappearance. I want you to keep a look out for anything out of the ordinary."
"Bo, this is Hazzard. Everything's out of the ordinary."
"I know." Bo laughed. "But I still want you to check out anything that might lead us to Luke, okay?"
"You think Boss Hogg has Luke somewhere?" Cooter guessed shrewdly. "Why would he want Luke?"
"Beats me, but I don't want to leave a stone unturned."
" 10-4, Black Sheep." Bo swallowed at the title Cooter called him. It had been a long time since he had been called that. He and Luke were collectively known as Lost Sheep; there seemed little need for their private nicknames. He watched quietly as Cooter pulled off the side of the road and began driving toward town. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to check out the old Indian caves. Maybe Luke is in one of them." Bo answered, starting the General.
"You be careful. There's rattlers in those caves, and I don't just mean the scaly varmints."
Bo was well aware of the rustlers, criminals, and mountain men that often hid in the caves. "I'll be careful, Crazy C. Would you mind checking on Daisy while you're in town?" Daisy had gone back to the Boar's Nest only after Bo and Uncle Jesse convinced her that she could keep an eye out for Luke there.
"Not a problem, buddy. Over and out."
Bo headed over to the old Indian caves Luke and he used to play around in when they ditched school. Bo smiled at the memory. It was at these caves Luke showed him how to shoot a bow; neither dreaming it would save their hides later in life, when they could not carry guns.
He hid the General in a clump of trees, hoping the bright orange paint job would not show through the branches he piled on it. He did not see any footprints in the packed dirt, but that didn't mean anything. He crept up and observed the cave in question carefully; he thought he could see something moving in the shadows.
He was so intent on the cave he did not see the large bearded man walking up behind him with gun drawn.
Now, those boys seem to get in more trouble than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Hold on folks, we'll be right back.