Thanks to everyone who is following along and for being patient. Life has been in my way the last couple weeks. I have changed jobs and had to jump through some hoops (go through a totally different process) to get the new job which is actually returning to an old job I had about 4 years ago. I had started it in late 1995 and worked there until about 4 years ago and fifteen years makes a WORLD of difference! Still sore from the pre-employment and orienation / refresher stuff I've been doing for the last two weeks.

Now, onto the story, I hope you all enjoy reading!

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Chapter 69

John Duke stepped inside what was known as Cell 7 the evening of last Monday in June. Since one guy had just got out John would be the fifth man in the cell. John had been around enough to know that there would be a bunk that he was in 'line' for. He sat his mattress roll on the corner of the bench to the table and asked, "Alright fellas, which bunk is mine?"

One guy started to answer, but was cut off by Dean who had been in the cell the longest, "Don't I know you Mr.?"

John shrugged his shoulders, "You might. Name is Duke."

There was a slight groan from the young man the phone.

Dean nodded, "Ain't you Karen's and Jeb's dad?"

"That's right." John replied almost sighed at being recognized by his kids friends

Dean replied, "I had a couple classes with them. My father knows you from the feed store."

John looked at the young man closer and seen a family resemblance, "Mr. Carter's your father?"

"That he is, Mr. Duke." Dean replied. "Alright fellas back up a bunk. There is no way I'm gonna let Mr. Duke here have to be on a top bunk." Dean grabbed his bed roll, ready to move.

The others in the cell glared at Dean, but no one bucked him, that was until Ralph Green was being forced to back up to an upper bunk, "Now just wait a second!"

"There is NO waiting, Green. That man is well over 15 years older than us, I'm NOT catching he- for him being on a top bunk once my father finds out. It's bad enough that Hardcastle gave me a year here for Battery without having to deal with the old man later." Dean stated.

Most everyone grumbled but did move, thus putting Ralph on the top bunk in the corner luckily away from the bathroom area, but above John Duke.

John was ready to protest when Carter said, "Don't worry about it, they'd rather be on a bunk than the floor and not many of them want to try me."

John shrugged, "Much obliged. Anything I can do for you just let me know."

"I will." Dean smiled slightly. "How long are you hear for anyway?"

John replied, "Thirty days."

Dean nodded, "See in thirty days I'll move over there and you can have a bottom bunk Green."

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As Bo and Jeb changed the oil in Luke's car, Luke gapped the new set of sprak plugs he had picked up from Cooter's. Figuring that there wasn't anything physical to changing the spark plugs Luke got a socket and ratchet to start changing the plugs and wires. The first couple wasn't a problem but when Luke stretched a bit further to get to the back plug there was a pain that shot through his left side. Had Luke not have caught himself on the side of the car he'd likely have dropped to his knees. "$$#IT!" Luke swore as soon as he caught his breath.

"I thought you said you'd just be watching." Jesse's voice boomed.

Luke raised up quickly at the sound of his uncle's voice and promptly hit his head on the hood of his car. Luke grabbed his head and swore again.

"That's what you get for doing things you shouldn't be doing. And, watch your mouth." Jesse scolded.

Luke was now trying to hold his ribs and his aching head as Jesse said, "Boys slid on out here a few minutes."

Bo and Jeb did as they were told and took up seats on a couple bails of hay near Luke's car.

Jesse began, "Boys, I've been talking to Pauline about the situation with John. Jeb I know you have always came over here for the summer and this summer I need ya more than usual."

Luke dropped his head at that comment as did Bo, both knowing that their actions which had caused both to become injured, had not helped Jesse or the farm.

"I'd understand totally if you felt that you needed to head home with your Momma, but she has assured me that John has arranged things on the farm to be handled by Carl. Pauline is also sure that Grace will be there to help with the twins, but I've been thinking. Do you fellas think we can batch it awhile at least until we see what happens with Karen's court date on Friday?" Jesse asked.

Luke knew that he was the least productive as far as farm chores went and he may not be Daisy, but he could cook some and could do the laundry. He wasn't anymore fond of doing such things than Daisy herself was, but at least he could maybe pull his weight that way. "Well, I'll cook what I can if ya'll will eat it and I should be able to keep the laundry and house up, too."

Jeb answered, "As long as Dad has the farm taken care of, I'd like to stay here since you are counting on me and all." then paused and turned to Luke, "As long as I ain't got to eat my cooking, I'll gladly eat yours."

Bo knew Luke's cooking, but he also knew his own. "Luke sandwiches are always a good idea."

Jesse smiled at 'his' boys, "Well, now that we got that settled, I'll go talk to Daisy and see if she wants to go help with the twins. And Luke, stay out from under that hood!"

"Yes, Sir." Luke replied with a frown.

The boys soon had Luke's car in tip top shape. The oil, spark plugs and wires were changed and they had set the timing. So other than a once over and a stamp of approval from Cooter, the car was ready to race.

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After the five inmates re arranged their mattresses, John was brought a supper tray that had been held back for him and Campbell since they were being moved during dinner. John took in his surroundings as he ate and noted the phone in the cell. Before he could ask Dean or the other guys about it, John felt someone standing behind him.

"Did you say your name was Duke?" Green asked.

John knew the voice before he turned around, it was the one they called Green who had been peeved over the bunk arrangement. John turned to face the younger man, "I did. Why?"

"Do you have any family over in Hazzard?" Green asked.

John answered the question without volunteering any information, "I do."

Green's temper was rising, "Luke Duke?"

John stood up as he replied, "My nephew."

"Well I just want you to know it was your low life nephew that got ME in here!" Ralph said a bit louder than necessary.

"The way I hear it is that you jumped my nephew from out of the blue for no reason." John managed to take a step toward Green as he spoke quietly.

The foot steps of the guard were heard coming down the hallway. John held his position until Green decided that he needed to be elsewhere, only then did John sit back down.

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Jesse had come back into the farm house and spoke to Daisy. She was more than glad to help with the twins after Jesse assured her that he'd square things with Boss Hogg to get her time off at the Boar's Nest. Daisy was more than glad to go start packing, but as she did so she noticed Karen getting more and more withdrawn. "Is something wrong, Sugar?"

Karen plopped down on the bed, took a pillow to hug as she crossed her legs and said, "Do you think they are sending you home with me because they think I'm going to jail Friday?"

Daisy gave her a weak smile, "I don't think so. I think they just want you and your mom to have an extra hand is all."

"I hope so." Karen replied.

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John had talked to Dean and found out the hours of the phone and that ALL calls were collect whether they were across town or across the country. It was getting late on the farm and John knew that everyone would be heading to bed soon so if he was going to try to call now was the time. He picked up the phone and followed the directions that the recording gave him.

At the Duke farm, Pauline had been trying to stay busy to keep her mind busy as well as her hands. She was currently putting the twins bottles in the refrigerator that she has made up for the next day when the phone rang. Thinking it was a bit late for anyone to call, she answered, "Duke Farm, Pauline speaking."

Pauline heard a recording, "You have a collect call from the Tri-Counties Jail from, ..." Then she heard John's voice say his name before the recording continued, "To accept charges press '1', to decline, press '2' or simply hangup."

Pauline looked at the phone like it was from Mars a complete thirty seconds before she managed to press the number one and said, "John."

Even before John had dialed the number to Jesse's he'd feared that Pauline wouldn't accept the charges or simply wouldn't talk to him after he'd let his temper get the best of him earlier in court. It took John a full minute to swallow the huge lump that suddenly appeared out of no where in his throat before he could say lowly in hopes that the others were not listening, yet he knew that they were, "Honey." He let out the breath he'd been holding as he heard his wife's voice, "I'm glad you answered."

Pauline frowned, "Well, of course I answered."

"I figured that after everything that went down earlier in court that you would be pretty mad at me." John said carefully, trying not to make his wife any madder at him.

"John David, I am not at all mad at you about today. For two cents, I'd have slapped him myself!" Pauline said louder than necessary. "I just can NOT believe that he gave YOU thirty days, after what that no good, ...!"

John hoped he could cut off her rant. He knew he only had a few minutes to talk and that according to the sign he was looking at, any phone call could be monitored and / or recorded. He said sternly, "Pauline." Then continued as she stopped in mid sentence, "I've only got a few minutes to talk and I don't want to run Jesse's phone bill up. I understand the collect charges are a lot higher than a normal collect call. And tell Jesse I'll pay for this call."

Pauline replied, "Alright."

"Are you and the girls going home tomorrow?" John asked.

Pauline both dreaded going home alone and having to face her family, but looked forward to being back at home. She also knew that Karen had to be in court on Friday. Pauline sighed, "I suppose so. I can't stay here the whole time you are gone and besides Karen has to be home Friday."

John sighed, "Yeah, about that, I really had planned on being there for her and going with her."

"John David you don't think, ..." Pauline's voice failed her momentarily.

"Pauline there is no way I can know what will happen on Friday, but I figure that Judge Hardcastle is getting real tired of seeing the name Duke." John said. "I'm not sure how you can do it with the girls, ..."

Pauline cut him off, "Jesse is sending Daisy with me. I'll be there for Karen."

The kids themselves may not have understood jsut how big of a concession Pauline was making right then, but John Duke knew how she claimed to feel since Jeb's birth when she was told that Jeb was a baby boy. They had long ago decided that Pauline would handle any trouble at school and John would handle legal trouble that the children got into. Pauline had not been so naive to think that with four children, and one of which a male Duke, that she'd never get a call or a visit from the law. Though she hoped through teaching and preaching that her kids would learn that as far as she was concerned that if they made their bed that they would be expected to lie in it. John simply replied, "Thanks, I was a bit worried about that. Are you sure that you don't want me to ask Jesse to go?"

Pauline replied, "John David you know how impractical that would be. Her 'appointment' is at 4 o'clock that would mean Jesse would have to leave Hazzard before noon and not be back until at least 9. You know Luke is still under the weather, ..."

John looked at the young man sitting on the bunk above his that was the reason that his nephew was still under the weather. Yes, he knew Luke was limited in how much he could help Jesse right now.

"Bo's arm surely isn't a hundred percent yet and Jeb just isn't used to this sort of farm work." Pauline concluded.

John knew Pauline spoke a lot of the truth and also knew why Jeb wasn't used to that sort of work. The Loftlins used more motorized farm equipment than muscle to farm their cotton than the Duke's used to farm their corn, hay and gardens. "All right but if you change your mind, ..." The one minute warning message played. "Look I'll call tomorrow night to make sure you got home alright, then I'll call Thursday to make sure you don't want Jesse to go instead."

Pauline got a lump in her throat and tried hard to swallow it so she could answer, "Alright John David."

John looked around to make sure that no one was obviously listening to his conversation, "Let the kids know I love them and I love you too, Honey, and I'm sorry about all this."

"I love you too, John David." Pauline choked back her tears, as the phone call ended.

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