Chapter 2

I'm washing my hands, again and again.

His blood covers my hands, and I can't wash it away.

"Bo"

Luke calls me, softly; he stands at the bathroom's threshold, looking at me, his eyes and features showing how much he's worried and tired.

It's already night.

"What the heck is happened to him?"

Luke sighs, "I don't know, Bo. Come on. Do you want to wash your hands all night long? Uncle Jesse and Doc Appleby are in the kitchen, and Daisy's there with them. She needs us, you know".

I nod: if we are shocked, Daisy is for sure the most shocked of all of us. I remember her face when she called us after Enos arrived at the farm in that condition, and I remember her face when she came out her bedroom few ago.

I dry my hands with a towel, "OK. How's Daisy?"

Luke shrugs, "She hasn't said anything, yet. She stays there and she stares into emptiness"

I take a deep breath and I close my eyes.

Luke puts a hand on my shoulder.

I envy his self-control, but when I feel his hand gently trembling on my shoulder I recognize the same fear that gripped me and Daisy underneath his coldness.

I put my hand on his one, looking in his eyes, "Thank you, Luke. If you hadn't been here when Enos…", my voice cracks as I recall everything: uncle Jesse taking care of Daisy, and Luke taking care of Enos, telling me what to do when I was frozen by fear.

And Enos….

"Bo, come on", Luke stops my thoughts.

We enter the kitchen and we sit at the table, silently.

Daisy has a cup of hot chocolate in front of her, but she's not drinking it.

I look down at my hands on the table.

I have to know.

"What's happened to Enos, Doc Appleby? What do you think 'bout those cuts…. and bruises…."

Doc Appleby sips his hot chocolate; he's so cool, so used to these situations because of his job and because his background as physician during the war, but when he puts his cup on the table I notice his hands are lightly trembling: you can know a lot of people only looking at their hands.

Doc Appleby knows Enos (and a lot of people here in Hazzard) since his birth.

He sighs, "I don't know, Bo. Those cuts and those bruises….. Those cuts are not from a knife; they are from something sharp-edged, but not a knife. Knife's cuts are more clear. And those bruises…. Someone beat him up. It's what I think looking at his wounds. But I don't know why, who and where".

Uncle Jesse nods, slowly, "It's Rosco's duty to find out why, who and where. I called him and I told him everything".

Luke looks at uncle Jesse, "And it's our duty to help Rosco. Enos is our best friend, and nobody can hurt him and get away with it".

I stand up, "Luke, go out and try to find where's his patrol car. His car can't be so distant since he arrived here by foot in that condition", I feel sick thinking about it, "If we find it, we'll understand something more".

Luke nods, standing up, but uncle Jesse stops us, "Bo, Luke. It's night. It's better to wait 'till the morning. We don't know who hurt Enos. It could be dangerous to go out now, now. Moreover, we have to search any possible clue, not undervaluing anything. So, wait the sunlight, then…..".

Uncle Jesse stops, "… Where's Daisy?".

We were too much busy talking 'bout what to do and we didn't even notice Daisy leaving the kitchen.

We shouldn't have talked 'bout Enos's injuries in front of her.

It's all my fault: I shouldn't have asked Doc Appleby 'bout it.

We rush to the living room and then to her bedroom, but she's not there.

We stand in the living room, looking at each other.

Finally we heard Daisy's sobs from the guestroom, where Enos lies in the bed, unconscious because of the bleeding and because of sedatives Doc Appleby gave him.

We enter the room.

Daisy is on his bed, her head on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his chest, holding him tight.

Enos still unconscious, but he briefly cringes in pain and he moans under Daisy's pressure.

When he moans, Daisy jerks.

Doc Appleby comes close her, putting an hand on her shoulder, "Daisy. Please. Let him rest. He's very weak, and you can hurt him if you hold him so tight".

Daisy stands up and run to the door, but I grab her and I hold her tight, letting her sobbing against my shoulder.

"Whoever hurt Enos will pay for this". It's my only thought.