A/N: Welcome! This is the second installment of The Diaries Series. If you haven't read Part 1, The Diaries of Circle M Ranch, I would highly recommend reading that installment first. That story is currently undergoing some minor editing to improve the overall writing quality.

Chapter 1 -Difficult Adjustments

"Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed."

~ Irene Peter

It was going to be another sweltering day in drought stricken Hazzard County. Enos begrudgingly left the cab of his air-conditioned pickup and walked to the County Courthouse, his mind on the the poor condition of his hay fields and low water levels in the ponds. The heat had already reached an uncomfortable level. It radiated from the pavement and wrapped around him with suffocating pressure.

Once inside the building, he walked down the corridor to the Sheriff's Department and heard Rosco and Cletus engaged in a heated discussion.

"Not again..." Enos groaned and walked through the door.

Rosco and Cletus stood in front of a large Hazzard County road map. It hung loosely pinned to the bulletin board, with multiple symbols in various colors drawn on the surface.

Enos stood quietly, taking in the scene and listening for any indication that Boss Hogg might be up to something illegal. From what he could discern, Cletus had been out setting up speed traps in road construction areas, but he'd put the signs in the wrong places.

Not noticing Enos's arrival, Rosco gestured wildly and continued chewing out his deputy. "Now listen up, dummy! I said Pond Creek and Highway 20, not Highway 14! How are you supposed to set it up at Highway 14 when it doesn't even intersect with Pond Creek?! Now ya' done wasted four hours out there and Boss Hogg plans on shutting down Highway 20 in - GYU! Enos! What are you doing standing there?!"

Waggling his fingers, he said, "Mornin', Sheriff! Hey Cletus!"

"Howdy Enos!" Cletus replied."How's things at-"

"Don't come in here and 'mornin' me, dipstick! What are you doing sneakin' up on us like that! Are ya' trying to give me a heart attack?" Rosco yanked down the map and rolled it up into a jumbled mess.

"Golly, I'm sorry," Enos replied, innocently. "I sure didn't mean to interrupt your little meeting."

"Oh just hush! We're finished anyway. Now, you two just get on outta here. Go find that convertible that's been speeding all over the county. It's getting to be plum embarrassing!"

"Convertible?" Enos crinkled his forehead. "Sheriff, I've been off duty for three days. What convertible are you talking about?"

"Oh, good grief!" Rosco replied, rolling his eyes. "Don't you keep the radio on at the house? That riff-raff has been causing all kinds of commotion around here!"

Enos considered mentioning the long hours spent working well after midnight, just to get back up at the crack of dawn to feed horses and muck stalls. He didn't dare. Balancing his job as a deputy sheriff and his new life as a ranch owner was proving to be a rather difficult task.

Boss had already voiced his displeasure over Enos's decision to remain with the Sheriff's Department. He suspected all the double shifts, tedious filing jobs, and last minute calls on the opposite side of the County - most of which turned out to be bogus - were all ways Boss had devised to force him out of his position .

It was frustrating and he'd been tempted to call it quits a time or two, but he loved being a peace officer. If he made one complaint about his duties or being overworked in any way, Boss would fire him immediately.

At this particular time, it was more important than ever to keep his job. Without it, he wouldn't be able to keep up with Boss Hogg's shenanigans ... or continue his investigation into mafia leader, Wallace Monroe.

Maybe it was time to take his foreman's advice and hire a few new ranch hands.

"Enos!" the Sheriff barked. "Are you paying attention!?"

Enos snapped to attention and said,"Yes sir, Sheriff! I always keep the radio on in the house and the barn. I reckon I spent more time away from it than I thought. What's been going on?"

"Oh, you missed our high-speed pursuits!" said Cletus.

"Pursuits? You've had more than one?" Enos winced, instantly worried for the Dukes. "In one weekend?"

"We sure did!" Cletus announced, proudly. "The first time we saw the convertible was Friday night! It was flying along..." The other deputy went on to explain, giving an animated play-by-play of the first chase. Then he stood straight, smacked his hands together, and made a high arching gesture with one arm. "...and SPLASH! That's when the silver convertible ran Sheriff Rosco right into the pond." He chuckled and hooked a thumb at the Sheriff. "Saturday he went in twice."

Rosco wasn't amused. "Oh hush! Whoever is driving that thing put you in the pond once on Saturday and twice Sunday afternoon! At this rate, we ain't gonna have no ponds … just holes with patrol cars in 'em! Now y'all split up and find that car! Oh, and watch yourselves! We're goin' through cars faster than Cooter can dry them out!

"Yes sir, Sheriff." Enos grabbed the keys to Hazzard Two and walked out with his fellow deputy. "Hey, Cletus? What were y'all talkin' about when I walked in? Is there some road construction being planned near Pond Creek and Highway 20?"

"Boss mentioned something about a resurfacing project, but I don't think the County has any money in the budget for major repairs."

"Huh," Enos mumbled, scratching his cheek. "Highway 20 is the only way to get to my ranch. Sure would be nice if they repaired Old County Road though. The intersection you're talking about was just widened and resurfaced two years ago. What else can you tell me about this convertible? What's it like?"

Cletus's look of excitement returned. "Wow is it fast! I mean really fast! It's brand spanking new, a silver Mercedes 560SL. It has a black ragtop, but I've never seen it with the top down. We were swamped with calls all weekend!The farmers are fit to be tied about it racing up and down the roads and stirring up the livestock. Sheriff Rosco and I haven't even been able to get close to it. I was alone on Saturday when I chased it and it low and behold, it pulled right over! I couldn't believe it! But when I got out of my car, the dang thing took off!"

"Did you run the tags?"

"Tags?"

"The license plate number?" Enos took a calming breath. "That one time it pulled over for you, did you write down the tag number?"

Cletus looked back at him with a blank face. "I sorta forgot. But!" he said, holding up a finger, "I do remember it had dealer tags. I ... ah ... just don't remember which dealer."

"Well, there can't be that many silver Mercedes convertibles sold in this area in the last thirty days," Enos said. "Why don't you check the closest dealerships and see if anything turns up? Maybe we can get a name and address."

"Hey, that's a good idea. I think it's probably a bunch of kids."

"Maybe, but it's an awful expensive car for kids. Have you seen the Duke boys? Maybe they've seen it, too."

"I don't know. I haven't seen them all weekend." Cletus shielded his eyes and looked up at the rising sun. "I hear they've been busy digging irrigation ditches."

Enos let that set in. "Thanks, Cletus. I'll head to the Duke Farm then."

"It's about time!" Cletus slapped his shoulder. "Daisy ain't seen you in weeks!"

"I'm going out on official police business, not to visit with Daisy. I'm curious if the Duke boys have seen that convertible and if they haven't, I want to make sure they know about it so they can keep an eye out. If the car is as fast as you say it is, the General Lee won't have any trouble keeping up with it. Have you talked to Cooter?"

"Cooter?" he scoffed. "What for?"

"Well, I was just thinking that its gotta gas up somewhere, don't it?"

Enos rubbed the back of his neck. It was getting harder and harder to play dumb. Lately, he was dropping his 'dipstick' mask and working like the cop he always wanted to be. He was trying not to do that in front of Cletus and the Sheriff, as it would affect his ability to behave like a bumbling idiot when the Dukes needed his help. Life was so different now. Having all this new responsibility didn't make it easy to think and act like one of the Keystone Cops everytime Boss Hogg came up with a new scheme.

Cletus scrunched his forehead and replied, "Oh. I guess that makes sense. You want me to talk to Cooter?"

"No, thanks. I'll do it. I need to talk to him anyway about a truck that broke down at the house."

"You have another truck?"

"No, it's not mine. It's on loan and I've been too busy to look at it. I'll be sure to tell Cooter to keep an eye out for that Mercedes while I'm there."

"On loan, huh. Care to tell who you borrowed it from, Enos?" Cletus bumped him with an elbow. "C'mon, we're partners. You can tell me what really happened in Wyoming. You met a girl, didn't ya'! What's her name?"

"Nice try. I know about the bet you made with Rosco." Enos said nothing more. He stared down his partner, irritated that Cletus was trying to get a name out of him to win twenty bucks.

Cletus backed down and said, "Oh okay. But one of these days, I'm gonna find out who she was."

"Whatever might or might not have happened in Wyoming is nobody's business but mine." Enos adjusted his hat, his anger sparking to life

"I'm just teasing ya', Enos," Cletus said. "I don't mean nothin' by it. You know you can talk to me, if you have a mind to. Everybody can see you're upset half the time."

"I appreciate it, Cletus, but I'm not ready to talk about what happened while I was gone."

"Well, the offer stands." Cletus rocked in his feet and said, "Guess I'm off to pick up those road signs and call the dealerships."

"See ya' later, Cletus."

Glad to be free from the constant inquiries, Enos strolled to the patrol car and accidentally dropped the keys before he could get the door open. He bent down to pick them up when a pair of high heels appear to his right. Tall red ones, with long tan legs attached.

"Ding dang it," he muttered. Enos swallowed the dollar sign shaped lump in his throat and stood without making eye contact. "Hey Margaret, how are you today?"

Enos quickly opened the door, but Margaret slipped in front of him and blocked him from getting inside. She batted her lashes and cooed, "Hi there, handsome. It sure is hot this morning."

A single finger with perfectly fake ruby red nails drew tiny circles on his arm on it's way to his shoulder. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out to the pond and … cool off." She leaned closer and her breath blew across his ear, causing a tickling sensation that forced him to cringe and lean back. She giggled and said, "We could go swimming or something."

"Margeret, I thought we talked about this. I'm on duty."

"I made sandwiches and some peach cobbler," she said, trying to entice him with food. "I even got me a new swimming suit!" Margaret again moved in close and whispered sensually. "It's itsy-bitsy. Wanna see?" She stepped back, grabbed the hem of her too tight crop top, and began to lift the material.

"No!" Enos said, a little too loud. "No-no, no. That's okay, really."

His skin crawled from head to toe and he took another healthy step back. Margaret was one of three girls he now called 'The Three Barracudas.'

Margaret, Cindy Lou, and Lori Jean, had no shame. They had yet to get the message that he was not interested ... at all. He'd rather chew off his own arm than tangle with one of these women. They must think him to be completely unaware of their motivation, too.

The girls hadn't given him the time of day until he inherited the O'Connell assets. They weren't the only women in town to suddenly change their tune and express undying devotion, but the Barracudas' tactics were downright scary.

Enos sighed and wondered if he would ever find balance. His natural affinity to be kind had been repeatedly challenged. He constantly walked a thin line between assertive or rude and was growing weary of the games.

Margaret crossed her arms, purposely pushing her breasts further out of her low cut top. Enos's head snapped back as he looked up at the sky and blushed.

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" she said. "You can put the sunscreen on my shoulders, my back, or even my-"

"No! No ... um ... sunscreen. I'm sorry, Margaret but I'm on duty. I have to go."

"Oh, Enos. Why do you have to be so shy?" Margaret pouted and lowered heavy fake lashes. "It's summertime! Don't you want to have a little fun in the sun? You keep this up and you'll have a terrible farmers tan."

"I have bigger things to worry about these days. Now it's time for you to go on home." Enos took her arm and moved her out of the way, but she popped right back into position like she was attached to a spring.

"Wait!" Margaret blurted, startling him. "Why don't you just meet me at the pond on your break?"

Enos huffed and dug his fingers into his gun belt. "Margaret, I can't. I told you last week when I'm on duty my time belongs to the Law. When I'm not on duty, I got a mess of things to get done on the ranch. There's no time in my schedule for dating and my schedule ain't gonna change for a long time."

Putting that long red fingernail between her front teeth, she asked, "How long is a long time?"

"Really, really long. Years, maybe. It's a lot of work having two jobs."

"Margaret!! What do you think you're doing?!" The shrill voice belonged to Lori Jean. She marched across the street to confront her nemesis by grabbing the girl's arm and dragging her away from Enos. She gasped and voiced her outrage. "What on earth are you wearing?! You aren't tricking anybody! The whole town knows what you're trying yo do! Don't you have any shame? Stop acting like a hussy!"

"How dare you!" Margeret shoved Lori Jean out of her space with flat palms to the shoulders. "What did ya' call me!?"

"You heard me!" Lori Jean said, quickly regaining her balance. She stood with her arms crossed and her nose in the air. "You, are a shameful hussy!"

"Why you little tramp!" Margaret made a grab for Lori Jean's hair and the fight was on.

"Ding dang it. Is this ever gonna stop?" Enos hurried to separate the girls.

There had already been one catfight this week between Cindy Lou and Lori Jean. There had been hair pulling that time too. When Cindy Lou's ponytail had come off in Lori Jean's hand, it was a traumatic moment for Enos. He hadn't realized the extent some women would go to for the sake of appearance. In the end, he was the one who had been knocked in the head when Cindy Lou had thrown a shoe at Lori Jean ... and missed.

Once the girls were separated, his patience was spent. "The two of you can't keep acting like this! Margaret, go home. Lori Jean, where's your car?"

"It's across the street, but I think I twisted my ankle. Oh, ow. Oh, help me, Enos! I can't walk!" Lori Jean suddenly developed a limp and hooked her arm around him while still managing to stick her tongue out at Margaret.

"You little liar!" Margaret immediately countered. "Enos, that's not fair! I was here first! You should walk me home! How could you send me all that way by myself?"

Enos peeled his arm away from Lori Jean and said wearily, "Margaret, I can see your house from where I'm standing. Go on home now. Y'all are gonna get me in trouble with Sheriff Rosco if you don't cut this out!"

"But I made peach cobbler and everything!" Margaret frowned dramatically.

Lori Jean sneered, "Don't eat it, Enos. It's probably got Margaret cooties in it!"

"You ain't one to talk! You're about as useful as a sidesaddle on a pig!"

When the slapping started, Enos was right smack in the line of fire, as usual.

"Ow! Ding dang it! I said cut it out! What's wrong with you?"

"Can I give you a hand, Enos?" Doc Applebee stepped off the curb and the girls immediately stopped to stare at him.

Enos went rigid, barely able to tolerate being in the man's presence.

The country doctor frowned and said, "Margaret, I know your daddy wouldn't be pleased with you acting like that in front of the whole town. You just come with me and I'll walk you home so you can ... ah, change."

Doc Applebee took her arm and moved her away from Enos. With a sad expression, he said, "I'd sure like to visit with you, son. I hate that we don't talk anymore. Would you please come by my office later? I've cleared my appointments this afternoon. I have some important things I'd like to share with you. It would mean a lot to Mrs. Applebee if you dropped by, too. She sure misses your visits."

"No disrespect, but I ain't your son, Doc." The breeze ruffled Enos's tie as he stared at the country doctor. He hadn't meant to be rude, but Doc Applebee had betrayed him in the worst possible way. It hurt deep into Enos's soul.

"I would appreciate you walking Margaret home Doc Applebee, but I don't see where we have anything left to discuss. Please give Mrs. Applebee my best. I'm sorry to hurt her feelings. If you'll excuse me, I have to get to work."

Enos took Lori Jean's elbow and quickly led her across the street - minus a limp - while a defeated Doc Applebee stalked away with Margaret.

"Aw, darling." Lori Jean spoke with a sugary timbre. "You're so sweet to walk me to my car."

"Lori Jean, I'm on duty and if you and Margaret don't stop this bickering I'm gonna … I'm gonna…" Enos sucked in a breath and let it out in a flustered whoosh. "Y'all just stop acting like a couple of teenagers before I have to do something I'm not proud of."

With a dramatic gasp, she stopped and smiled giddily. "Are you saying you might arrest me, Enos?"

"Lori Jean, that's downright creepy. Just get in the car!" Enos opened her door and pushed her inside, slamming the door behind her.

She leaned out the open window and grabbed his wrist. "Aw, Enos. Now don't be like that. Anytime you wanna see a movie, just give me a call!"

"Buckle up and go on home now, ya' hear?" Enos freed his hand and turned on his heels before she could respond, feeling very much like he needed to find soap.

He hurried back to his patrol car hoping to get inside before Cindy Lou popped up somewhere. It wouldn't be the first time she had hidden in the bushes to catch him off guard. Thankfully she was nowhere in sight and Enos drove to Cooter's unimpeded. Maybe he had seen the last of The Barracudas for the day.

Just a few minutes later, he walked into the cool shade of Cooter's Garage. A large industrial fan sat near the back doors, providing a strong breeze and plenty of noise as it stirred the air. Enos made a quick circle but didn't see the local mechanic.

Enos hollered above the noisy fan. "Hey, Cooter! Where ya' hiding?"

Cooter slid out from underneath a nearby station wagon, the wheels on his wooden creeper making a smooth whisper across the concrete. "Hey there, Enos! What's going on! Did you see what Margaret is wearing today? I gotta tell ya'! Since you inherited all that money? On behalf of us menfolk, we wanna 'O'-fficially thank you for improving the local scenery ... if you know what I mean." He waggled his brows before bursting into rowdy laughter.

Enos shook his head and sighed. "It ain't funny, Cooter. I feel like the last fish in the barrel and guess who is shootin' the bullets?"

"I'll trade problems with you anytime you want."

"Feel free to ask any of the three dozen women trying to wrangle me into a shotgun marriage out on a date," Enos said. "I'd even pay for the movie and popcorn as long as it gets them off my case."

"You'd have to pay me more than that to mess around with that Lori Jean," Cooter said, his expression momentarily serious. He bounced right back to his cheerful self. "Hey, sorry Boss wouldn't fix the A/C in your patrol car. Why don't you bring it in later this week and I'll see what I can do off the books?"

"Really? I'd sure appreciate that, Cooter. That's mighty kind of you."

"Hey, I'm happy to do what I can if it means keeping the real law in this town from having a heat stroke," Cooter wiped his fingers on a greasy rag and inquired, "So what brings you over here so early this morning?"

"I have another job for you, if you have the time." Enos took off his hat and worried on the brim. "There's a truck out at the ranch that won't start and I don't have time to look at it. I need it running so I can find somebody to drive it out to Wyoming next month."

Cooter looked at him quizzically, "The Ford? Again? That's a brand new motor I put in it while you were in Wyoming. What's wrong with it?"

"No, it's not the ranch truck. This is a different one."

"You mean to tell me you have three trucks now?" Cooter chuckled and said, "You can only drive one at a time. You do know that, right?"

Enos hesitated, wondering how much he should tell Cooter about his current situation. He leaned against a support post and said, "It's a real long story."

It had been four months since Hazzard discovered Beth O'Connell had left her substantial wealth to him in her Will. The news had spread through town like a raging wildfire. It burned so fiercely he heard about it from Wyoming. Despite the time that had passed, he was still the gossip vine's number one topic.

Now his life was a lot like being a circus monkey. The local citizens gleefully watched to see the next trick he would perform.

The shiny red truck that sat in his driveway and the speculations about its original owner was also the talk of the town, not to mention the subject of Cletus and Rosco's bet.

The truck was on loan from Jenny MacFarland and every time he looked at it, he yearned to be with her again. Right on cue, the pang in his chest nearly took his breath away.

"Hey, you all right?" Cooter stood and kicked the creeper aside to peer closer at his face. "There it is again," he said. "It's that sad puppy look you been wearin' all summer. What's going on?"

Enos quickly schooled his features. "It's nothing. Sorry. I'm just distracted."

Cooter grinned widely. "It's that Margaret, huh!"

"No!" Enos harrumphed. "It is definitely not Margaret. The truck I need you to fix is the red half-ton that Emily borrowed when she was in town. Do you know which truck I'm talking about now?"

"Oh, that red truck! If it ain't yours and it ain't Emily's, then who is the owner?"

"Cooter, can I ask you that question so I can get back to work before Boss Hogg sends me to the house for good?"

"All right, go for it."

Enos took a calming breath relieved that he didn't have to explain further and asked, "Has a silver convertible been by lately for gas, or have you seen it out on the roads?"

Cooter's eyes widened with obvious excitement. "You mean the Mercedes 560SL rag top with tinted windows? The one that put Cletus and Rosco in the pond this weekend?"

Aha! Maybe he was getting somewhere! "Yeah! That's the one! Have you seen it?"

"Nope. Ain't seen it."

"Cooter..." Enos flopped his hat back on his head. "Would you keep an eye out for it? I'm going out to look for it now. It needs to be stopped before somebody gets hurt. If you see it, or it comes in for gas, give me a shout on the radio, okay?"

"You got it, buddy roe." Cooter sat down on the creeper and looked up with concern. "Enos, have you been sleeping at night? You look awful tired and you ain't been acting quite like yourself. I saw Daisy last night at the Boar's Nest and she's been real worried about you. I hear you ain't been to the farm for a long while neither."

"I appreciate you asking about me, but I'm all right. It's just the heat." Enos turned away to hide the embarrassment he knew was showing on his face.

"Alrighty then." Cooter grabbed his tools and reclined. "I'll go out to the ranch and take a look at that truck later this afternoon. Think about dropping by to see Daisy, would ya'? She won't admit it, but she's missing you something fierce." Cooter pointed the wrench at him and said, "Swallow your pride, Enos. Everybody can tell you're just as miserable without her as she is without you. The two of you need to kiss and make up."

Enos's stomach rolled over. "Things are just fine between Daisy and me, I just don't have much free time these days. I'm headed out there now to see Bo and Luke about that convertible. I gotta go. When you get to the ranch, the truck is in the driveway in front of the garage. I left the keys on the floorboard."

"Okay, I'll check it out. See ya'." Cooter took off his cap and scratched his head as Enos walked out the door.

"Huh. Wonder if there's any truth to the rumors about that girl? That boy's been actin' squirrelly since he got back from Wyoming."

The temperature continued to rise as Enos drove towards the Duke Farm. The air was thick with humidity and the mirage shimmered in waves across the pavement ahead of him.

As he turned onto Old Mill Road, the pavement ended and dirt peppered the undercarriage of his patrol car. He thought back to his exchange this morning with Doc Applebee.

Doc hadn't approached him since the day his ma made a rare appearance in town. The three had an ugly confrontation. Enos knew he should eventually sit down and have it out with the man but now wasn't the time.

Enos was overloaded with hurt feelings from multiple directions and wasn't prepared to deal with the fact that Doc Applebee lied to him his entire life about Beth. As a result, they had been robbed of precious time together. Even when Beth died suddenly, Doc had taken his only chance to say goodbye away from him.

Enos was tired of important choices that affected his life being controlled by someone else. The thought brought Jenny to mind.

When he met her at his godparent's ranch in Wyoming, they had an instant connection. He was drawn to her smile, her eyes, and her hourglass figure was impossible to ignore, but it was the connection between them that was so special. He felt like he'd met his soul mate, a missing part of himself. That feeling grew with every encounter. Jenny was beautiful inside and out, with a heart that overflowed with kindness.

That evening after supper they had a long, private conversation over coffee. The things they had in common were astounding and he found himself just wanting to be in her presence. He even asked her to go riding with him the very next day.

Their connection continued to grow and knowing they only had the time during the cattle drive to share each other's company, they lived a lifetime over the next several days. She became a balm to his wounded soul and gave him confidence and courage he hadn't experienced since Beth was alive.

He initially had no idea of the danger she was in, or the pain she was hiding. No matter how hard she tried to push him away to protect him from Wallace Monroe, he refused to let her go. Then things happened that were out of their control. Her brother Drake expressed his disapproval of their relationship and was now keeping them apart.

Tightening his hands on the steering wheel, he battled the anger building inside. He could still hear Drake's thick Scottish brogue as he cut his heart in two.

Drake had said, "Yer relationship wi' Jenny ends now! Ye will no' look for her, speak to her, or even think about her! My sister is my responsibility and I forbid ye to go anywhere near her!"

Enos would never understand how Drake could be so cruel to his sister and claim that it was love. Deep in his heart, he knew Jenny would never ignore him this way. If she were able to contact him, she would have.

With Drake standing between them, the only choice he had was to prove his abilities and stop Monroe on his own.

That was proving to be a huge obstacle. Even after working all summer with FBI Agent Chuck Ferguson, the same agent who investigated the shooting at the ranch in June, he wasn't any closer to stopping Monroe than he was the day he met Jenny.

The only hope he had going for him was the unannounced visitor that arrived at the ranch over a month ago.

Several weeks earlier...

Enos stood on the porch and watched the new arrival closely. He hadn't seen the sporty black Jaguar that was parked in his driveway prior to today. The driver was a slender man that appeared to be all business.

Enos's visitor leaned against his Jaquar and held some papers in the air. "I have something for you to look over and then we need to have a talk," he said. "I'm here to help."

"Help," Enos replied, skeptically. "You're here to help me? Have we met?"

His visitor gave a carefree laugh and said, "No, we haven't. It's funny, though. I get that question often."

"Mister, I'd appreciate it if you would..." Enos's mouth gaped and he muttered, "No ding dang way."

The man had removed his sunglasses, revealing brilliant green eyes, then he smiled … and tilted his head to the side.

His guest took a step forward and said, "Deputy Strate, you need to read this and then we need to have a long talk about Wallace Monroe ... and my sister. My name is Jaxon MacFarland. It's very nice to meet you."

It took a minute for Enos to regain his equilibrium. This was the moment he'd been waiting for all summer. A chance to plead his case and get in touch with Jenny again. When he could speak, he blurted, "Possum on a gumbush!"

"Hey, Jaxon!" Enos rushed down the porch steps and offered his hand. "I'm sure glad to meet you! Come on inside and get out of this heat!"

"Thank you." Jaxon shook his hand and flashed a charismatic smile. "The pleasure is mine."

A few minutes later, Enos sat at the harvest style table in his refurbished kitchen, directly across from Jenny's twin. He was baffled that he didn't catch the similarities earlier. The young man had a striking resemblance to his sister, especially when it came to their eyes. He could hardly believe it. Jaxon MacFarland was the last person he expected to see on his doorstep after the way things had ended with Drake.

Enos wrung his hands to keep them from shaking. "H-how is Jenny? Do you know where she is?"

"She's doing okay," he said, putting his glass of water back on the table. "She really misses you, Enos. She talks about you every day."

"Really!?" A million questions burned through his mind at once. He opened his mouth to ask them, but the emotion strangled his voice before he could speak.

Jaxon chuckled, "Well, that answers my first question. The feeling is definitely mutual."

He nodded, emphatically. "Yes, sir. I can't stop thinking about her." Clearing his throat, he asked his most pressing question. "How is she physically? After the shooting, Drake wouldn't tell me what happened to her."

A cloud passed over Jaxon's face, but he schooled his features quickly. "Drake is... well, stubborn. So, you don't know what happened to her, the day Monroe's gunmen attacked you?"

"So, they were sent by Monroe."

"Yes. I'm sorry." Jaxon replied.

Enos, swallowed. Hard. "They found blood on my truck and in my driveway." He wiped his eyes, a bit overwhelmed by how his emotions seemed to have a mind of their own. "Jenny wouldn't have left without seeing me. Please. Tell me what happened to her."

"She was shot." Jaxon sighed, deeply. "I made sure she received the best medical care possible. Jenny had a rough time, but she's going to be fine. That's why I'm here. I made a promise to help her by reaching out to you. Let me show you a few things so you're up to speed."

Enos was overwhelmed. It hurt to know that Jenny had been injured while saving his life. She had suffered and he wasn't able to be there for her.

Jaxon handed him some papers. "Take a look at these and then ask as we many questions as you like."

"Thank you, Jaxon." Enos took papers. "What is all this?"

"An explanation," Jaxon said, taking another drink of his water.

Enos began to read. The first page was an internal memo from the office of Senior F.B.I. Agent Travis Patterson. It concerned a meeting with a confidential informant close to Wallace Monroe.

Enos's breath caught in his chest. This was huge! Then he noticed the red ink in the corner. The memo had been stamped 'TOP SECRET.' He shot a look across the table only to be met with Jaxon's laughing eyes.

"I have ways," he said.

"I'll remember that," Enos replied, returning his attention to the next report in his hands. It concerned the shooting, the same one that injured Drake, Jenny, and himself.

"You can read the details later. Skip to the bottom paragraph."

Enos read it aloud.

'CI reports prime suspect #7463583, W. Monroe, is abandoning all action against Hazzard County parties due to strategic risk to critical assets. The suspect is concerned about losing additional staff and operations, therefore these parties have been moved to protected status, indefinitely.'

Enos again looked over the table. "So that's what Drake meant. He said something about us being protected."

"Yes, that's what we hoped would happen. We will continue to make sure that your protected status does not change."

"How will you..." Enos flicked a look back at the memo. "This says Monroe is 'concerned about losing more staff and operations.'

"He better be." Jaxon said, flatly.

Enos stared at his guest with narrow eyes. "I have a friend in the FBI. His name is-"

"Chuck Ferguson?" Jaxon continued, "I haven't met him, but I hear he's a good guy."

Enos realized that Jaxon always seemed to be a step ahead of him. "The thing is, Chuck told me recently that Monroe's auto theft ring in Philadelphia was recently exposed. The authorities caught the men in charge red-handed. They were tied up at the pier with an entire shipment of expensive cars, but none of them would testify against Monroe. That same week there was a truck full of stolen art recovered after it was parked in front of the police chief's house in Savannah. Just last week a drug house exploded in Macon. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Pfft... Drug houses blow up all the time. Meth is a volatile mix of chemicals."

Enos frowned. "Not with all the cooks sitting across the street in handcuffs. And I didn't say it was a meth house. What do you think you're doing?"

"You know I can't answer that question."

Enos didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. "The three of you have been going after Monroe's resources. Are y'all out of your minds?!"

"No, it's like a chess game," Jaxon replied, firmly. "We are eliminating his pawns, one by one, until the FBI can catch up to him. It's limiting his ill gotten funds and keeping his focus off assassination attempts."

"I get that. I want Monroe stopped, too, but don't go and get yourselves killed, Jaxon. Chuck shared his research with me. I know what y'all can do, but Monroe has unlimited resources."

"Chuck's research is incomplete, otherwise you would know that our resources aren't exactly slim. We don't ask others to do our dirty work. Listen, Enos. I need you to trust me. We're fine. More importantly, Daisy, Commissioner Hogg, and you are safe. That's what we wanted to happen. Whether we go after any more of Monroe's assets now is a decision the three of us have to make."

"Can you at least tell me why Monroe came after us in the first place? How did Boss and Daisy get involved in this?"

"Does that really matter anymore?" Jaxon sat forward and clasped his hands together on the table. "You're safe, Enos. Safe. It's my job to know if anything changes. Jenny and I wanted you and your friends to have the reassurance that another assassin isn't waiting around the corner."

Enos rubbed the tension out of his forehead and gazed out the window for a moment. "I sure appreciate that, Jaxon. Thank you. Just know that I care about all of you and I worry."

Enos lowered the memo to the table and tried to gather his thoughts. "Can you please tell me more about Jenny? When can I see her? I have so much I need to say. The way we left things hanging is just... I can't stand it."

"I think it's best if I let Jenny explain things to you herself. Just know that she wants to come see you, but she's in a bad spot. I think we can work through the issues with Monroe, but the problem with Drake is more delicate. He's putting a lot of pressure on her to stay away."

Enos tried to bite his tongue and failed, "Why? Jenny knows the truth about my relationship with Daisy and it's not the way it looks!"

"I know, she told me," he said. "Drake is just very protective. Jenny told you about his fianceè?"

"Yes." Enos said, sympathetically. "She told me that Reid Duncan killed her."

"It was very hard, for all of us," Jaxon paused, taking on a faraway look. "It was a shock. We thought we had everyone covered. Losing a second family member to violence was brutal. Drake loved her with everything he had. When she was murdered, the guilt and grief nearly destroyed him."

"I'm sorry," Enos said, compassionately.

"Thank you." Jaxon replied. "I believe now that Drake killed Reid Duncan, he's forced to deal with his grief. He's having a lot of trouble facing that and shifted his focus to protecting Jenny and me. Please understand, he needs us right now. He will deal with his demons eventually, but until Monroe is stopped, none of us have much of a future to look forward to."

"That ain't true, Jaxon." Enos leaned across the table and pleaded with his eyes. "Let me help you stop Monroe. Please. I'm begging ya'. I won't call the FBI, or force you to do something you don't want to do. I promise. You're welcome to come stay here with me for as long as it takes, no matter what happens between Jenny and me. I'm hoping for the best, but her happiness is more important to me than my own."

Jaxon went still, his eyes doing all the speaking for him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Um..." his throat visibly moved as he swallowed, "And what about Drake? Would your offer extend to him, too?"

"Of course. Jenny loves him. I'd never come between any of you. That wouldn't be right." Shifting uncomfortably, Enos swallowed the pain as he said, "Drake told me I was using Jenny as a plaything. I'd never do that. She's not a rebound, or a fling, or a security blanket either. What I feel for Jenny is real and I'd never, ever, hurt her. Is there any way you can help us see each other?"

"I'm going to do my best." Jaxon smiled but turned melancholy. "I hate seeing her this sad, Enos. But, you need to understand what you are getting into. We've been living on the run and it isn't easy. Using alias names, staying in a different place every night, always watching your back, being extra careful not to create a pattern of behavior by returning to the same hotels, never being able to ... to go home, or see your friends." Flustered, he ran a hand through his hair. "With Monroe out there, the three of us have to stick together. It's a hard life. We aren't normal people."

"No, Jenny's far from normal. She's too special to be called normal, but she deserves a normal life, no matter what Monroe is trying to do to her. All of you deserve a normal life. My home is always open, to all of you. I hope you'll remember that."

Jaxon laughed and wagged his finger. "You know, Jenny said you would say exactly that. I love my sister, Enos. We have a very special bond as twins and I can't watch her wither away in front of me anymore. I'm losing her a little every day. Can you give us more time to work with Drake?"

"Whatever you need." Wrestling with disappointment, Enos said, "It means a lot to me that you're here."

"I'm glad we could talk." Jaxon looked at his watch. "I've got to go soon. Is there anything you want me to tell her? Or, I could take her a note."

Enos couldn't get to pen and paper fast enough. He poured his heart out in that short missive. When he was finished, he handed it over and said, "Thank you for helping us. I listed the ranch phone number and the number to the sherriff's department. She can call me anytime, even in the middle of the night."

After discussing a little more business and promising to return in a couple of days, Jaxon left the ranch. Enos felt an odd sense of sadness at his departure and watched until all that was left of the Jag was a tiny column of dust on the horizon. He could easily picture them becoming good friends and looked forward to seeing him again.

Present day...

Enos thought back to the day Jaxon came to his home and was bombarded with a terrible sense of fear. He'd been so full of hope, so certain he would see Jenny again, but nothing changed. Days had gone by. Then a week, then two. Now it had been nearly six weeks and Enos's excitement had returned to the same painful yearning he struggled with since his return from Wyoming.

Every morning he got out of bed and prayed that the phone would ring. He longed to hear Jenny's voice wash over him in her uniquely affectionate way. Day after day he hoped to see her smile before the sun crossed the sky and fell beneath the horizon.

It still hadn't happened. No word. No news. Nothing.

Enos would look up at the stars every night, wondering where she might be and if she was safe? Could she possibly be looking up at the same sky at that very moment? Was she thinking of him? The only comfort came during the brief moments he held her in his dreams and whispered to her how much he cared. Alas, even his dreams were marred by Drake's cruel hand. They always ended with him ripping her away from him while she screamed his name.

His biggest fear was that something would or had gone wrong during an attempt to destroy one of Monroe's illegal operations. If that was the case, he might never find out what happened to them. He should've asked Jaxon for more details, like exactly what they had planned. He might not have told him, but at least he would've tried. It was all so overwhelming.

"Please, Lord. Keep her safe. Keep all of them safe."

Enos banished his dark thoughts as he turned into the Duke Farm. The crop of corn near the road had been scorched brown by the drought, shriveling everything that once thrived. He knew the Dukes would struggle to make ends meet this year. They were proud folk, but if things got worse, he'd already taken steps to make sure they didn't lose their farm.

With Tom Grady's assistance, a relief fund would be made public any day now. He had more money than he could spend in ten lifetimes. Why not use it to help the locals affected by the drought? It felt like the right thing to do.

As the patrol car approached the farmhouse, he spotted Daisy's Jeep parked in the shade. An icy ball of dread formed in his stomach. While they were repairing their relationship, some days were more difficult than others. He had nothing but friendship and confusion to offer, but Daisy wanted much more.

"I'm here to do my duty," Enos said, repeating the mantra a few more times.

Hopefully, the Dukes had seen the silver convertible and could help him find it. If the car was as fast as Cletus said it was, Enos would have to out drive it.

The silver Mercedes was carefully hidden in the shade of the trees along Old Mill Road, it's driver waiting patiently for just the right moment to act. The last three days had been a total waste of time. The patrol cars the convertible engaged over the weekend had not been the right ones.

Losing them had been simple, but watching them crash into various ponds around Hazzard ... six times ... had been hilarious. This town might as well have a special traffic sign made, one with waves and a police car above it.

When the scanner crackled to life, it was time to get down to business. Blast. It was Hazzard Three saying he was still making calls to Mercedes dealerships around the state. That meant time was up. Today had to be the day.

There would be no more meddling in his life. She was his responsibility to love and protect. Not some hick deputy with a High School Diploma and a few years at the police academy. She was too good for him and he would make sure the cop knew it, too. He planned to teach that loser a lesson he would never forget.