Chapter 85
Once in Karen's room, Daisy took a seat on her side of Karen's bed. Karen closed her bedroom door against family and the world beyond. Once Karen sat on her very own bed she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief at the softness and familiarity of her own bed. "Oh God, that feels good." Karen said. She could hardly wait to sink into the familiar mattress and cover up to her neck with her light weight fluffy summer comforter. It didn't even matter that she'd be sharing her bed with her cousin Daisy.
Daisy smiled, "Nothing like your own bed huh?"
"Exactly. Yet another thing I took for granted." Karen replied. After a bit of girl talk the female Duke cousins soon fell asleep.
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Jesse Duke being the family patriarch was up early and had coffee already brewing by the time Pauline came down for the girls bottles.
The sound of the twins fussing for their morning bottle woke Luke up since he wasn't used to being in a house with small infants.
Jeb on the other hand had gotten used to listening for the twins since his room was right beside theirs so he was awake just after Luke. "Great. The twins are awake and there is no way I can get them."
"Don't worry about it... Aunt Pauline has already gone, ... down for their bottles." Luke said with a bit of difficulty.
Just then the two teens heard Pauline come back into the room talking away to the infants.
Luke had managed to slip down in the bed during the night and found he wasn't breathing nearly as well as he would have been had he been sitting up more. He was also having some pain which was likely from the coughing fits he'd had at the track and the hospital, but he couldn't figure out why he was hurting more today than he had been. "How are you feelin'?"
Jeb thought about it for a long moment before answering, "Since the wreck, well since Doc patched me up I've only felt general soreness all over and felt stiff, but today I ain't even tried to move and my shoulder and arm are hurting nearly as bad as before Doc set them. I just don't understand it, Luke."
Luke thought as he listened to Jeb, then it came to him, "Yeah, well I think, ... I figured out, ... why. Doc gave us those, ... shots about six last night, ... it's now nearly six, ... in the morning. Twelve hours, ... no pain medication."
Jeb nodded now realizing what was going on, "So we weren't feeling better the pain medication just made us think that we were?"
Luke nodded 'yes'.
"Great." Jeb said suddenly realizing that he needed to take care of a nature call. He put his feet on the floor and pushed himself to sit up with his right hand and arm. Jeb managed to get up, go to the restroom, and get back into his bed but not without managing to bump the wall and into the door facing with his casted arm which sent waves of pain surging throughout his arm and shoulder. Jeb suddenly felt very nauseous. He knew there was no way to make it back to the restroom before he was sick. He reached out with his right hand and pulled his waste basket to his bed just in time.
Luke struggled to get sitting up where he had slide down in the bed. He tossed the covers back as he sit up. Finding that his sinuses had ran down the back of his throat in the night and hearing Jeb being sick, Luke started to gag and cough. He grabbed a pillow and tried to support his ribs as best that he could while going into another all out coughing fit.
Pauline was in the next room and couldn't miss this unmistakable sounds of Jeb being sick and Luke coughing. She had her hands full with the twins, but managed to step to the top of the stairs and call, "Jesse!"
Jesse had been in the middle of laying things out to cook for breakfast when he heard Pauline call him. It wasn't like her to call out like that at this time of morning unless something was wrong. Jesse went to the bottom of the stairs, "What is it, Pauline?"
"The boys. I've got the twins." She explained.
Jesse didn't need to be told twice that something was wrong with his boys. He took the stairs two at a time. As he opened the door he found Jeb throwing up, Luke in the middle of a coughing fit and Bo sound asleep. He nudged Bo's foot, "Bo! Get up!"
"Up. Yeah get up." Bo said as he sat straight up still not awake.
In no time Jesse managed to get Bo awake, Luke calmed down enough to be able to get his coughing under control and Jeb thankfully had stopped throwing up. Jesse asked Jeb, "What time does the pharmacy open today?"
Jeb thought about it since it wasn't often that they went to the pharmacy bright and early, "Eight, ... I think." Jeb groaned.
"Bo get dressed I want you sitting at the pharmacy door at ten minutes before eight." Jesse said. He wasn't at all happy that the medications that Doctor Greenwood had given the boys had worn off before their prescriptions could be filled.
"Yes, Sir." Bo replied as he was now up and dressing.
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Mr. Hibbs had been out late the night before talking to the Sheriff instead of driving all the way to Placid County. He had figured to just let the law handle the situation. So when his alarm clock went off the man wasn't in a pleasant mood. He shut the clock off and as he reached for his bathrobe he looked out the bedroom window. There was still no sign of his car that his daughter had used.
Mr. Hibbs mumbled some foul comment as he went about starting another work day.
Mrs. Hibbs heard her husband mumbling and decided to stay in bed at least until she heard the shower cut on, then she too grabbed her robe before heading down to make breakfast. When she turn toward the window and seen no since on the car that had basically became their daughter's once she got her drivers license, Mrs. Hibbs now understood the reason for her husbands foul grumbling this early in the morning. She shook her head and headed down to fix breakfast. Maybe, just maybe a good breakfast would put her husband in a bit better mood before he left for work. She could hope anyway.
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For Cooter the alarm clock went off far too early this morning after working so late last night, then having to make it up to Beverly for scaring her so by being so late. Cooter tried to ease out of the bed and not wake his wife. He made it all the way to the coffee pot and turned it on before Beverly asked, "Is it really time for you to get up already?"
"I'm afraid so, Darlin'." Cooter said as he headed to the bathroom.
Beverly managed to pout as Cooter came back into the room to get his work clothes on.
"Were you wanting the car today, Honey?" Cooter asked. He really hoped that she'd turn him down on the offer. His Camero was his pride and joy that he'd built from the ground up for nothing other than to race. He'd never even let the Dukes drive it, yet he'd offered it not once now, but twice, to his wife.
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay right here in bed, if I take you to work I can go out later and look for us something cheaper or at least bigger for when you get paid." Beverly said making perfect sense.
Cooter replied, "Alright, just get a move on, huh? The coffee is almost done." Cooter said as he finished dressing and pulled out stuff to make his lunch as Beverly pulled herself together to take him to work.
"It won't take me but a minute." Beverly said as she hurried to get dressed and freshen up a bit.
Soon the newlyweds were in the car and heading to the garage. As planned Cooter beat Wayne there again this morning. "Darlin' you can sit here and talk to me until Wayne gets here. I have tools in the trunk I may need today so I need to get a place here at the garage to store them."
Beverly gladly cuddled Cooter from her place in the passenger seat as they talked until Wayne pulled up.
Cooter got out of the driver's seat and addressed Wayne as he got out of his pickup truck, "Wayne my wife is using the car today. Do you have somewhere I can store my tools here so I won't have to load and unload them every day?"
"We'll find you somewhere safe to store them. Ya'll come on in and we'll get the coffee going then we'll get to all that." Wayne said.
Cooter stuck his head back in the car, "You heard that, come on in and meet the boss."
Beverly hadn't bothered to dress for going to town let alone meeting her husband's boss. She looked in the back seat and found a jacket of Cooter's and put it on over her night shirt. "Alright, but I'm warning you, I'm not dressed for the occasion."
Cooter grinned at his wife, "You look fine. Come on in."
After everyone met everyone else and Wayne realized that his new employee was a newlywed, they talked a few minutes over coffee, then Cooter and Wayne found an empty locker that Cooter could use to lock up his tools. Cooter got them all unloaded and placed in the locker which he locked up until he needed them. He then went to tell Beverly good bye after asking Wayne when she should be there to pick him up. Wayne had the good graces to appear embarrassed for keeping Cooter out so late last night and told them that he could go at five today. Five o'clock today sounded much better to Cooter than eight o'clock last night had.
Beverly had the station phone number tucked safely in her purse as she drove Cooter's Camero back to the motel for a bit more sleep before going out looking around the town.
Cooter couldn't help hold his breath just a bit as he watched Beverly drive off in his Camero. He was just beginning to learn what being married was all about. He knew that he wouldn't fully let out the breath he was holding until Beverly pulled back in this evening to pick him up.
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Rosco walked into the Police Station and seen his notes from last night. After fixing a pot of coffee, he dialed the Hibb's residence fully expecting to be able to toss the notes in the trash can.
"Hibb's residence." Mrs. Hibbs answered.
"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, Ma'am. I spoke with your husband last night. Is he in?" Rosco asked.
"No, he's already left for work. You should be able to reach him out at the mill in a little while. Sheriff, is this about Beverly?" Mrs. Hibbs asked.
Rosco replied, "Yes Ma'am as a matter of fact it is. I was just calling to see if she returned home or if you all have heard anything from her yet?"
"No, Sheriff we haven't. I was hoping that you had heard something." Mrs. Hibbs said disappointed.
"I'll be sure to let you both know when I do hear anything." Rosco said.
Mrs. Hibbs replied, "Thank you Sheriff. You'll be the first to know if she calls or comes home."
Rosco replied, "I appreciate that, Ma'am." After hanging up the phone with Mrs. Hibbs he called Beverly's friend Jenny's house and spoke to both her mother and the teen. By the end of the call Rosco had found out that Beverly had not stayed with Jenny at all. The only useful information that Jenny was able to confirm for him was that Beverly was with Cooter Davenport, but had no idea where.
Rosco made his way over the Hazzard Garage just as Luther Davenport was opening up for the day. "Morning Luther."
"Rosco." Luther replied. He hoped this was just a routine visit by the Sheriff about his car. "What can I do for you today Sheriff?"
Rosco put his hands on his gun belt and tried to figure out a different way to explain what he needed. Not finding a more tactful way, he said, "Luther I need to know where Cooter is and I need to know now."
"I've already told you Rosco that I have no idea where that boy could be." Luther said as frustrated as the Sheriff himself.
Rosco explained, "Luther, I know the Hibb's girl is with him. You was there when her Daddy told me she is under eighteen. This could end up really bad for Cooter if I don't find them soon."
Luther rubbed the back of his neck. He thought for sure that Cooter had more sense than to be with an underage female - somewhere, but especially over night.
Just then the CB on the counter came to life, "Hazzard Four to Sheriff Coltrane."
As Rosco looked toward Luther for unasked permission to use the radio, Luther couldn't help the bad feeling he got as he motioned for the Sheriff to answer his Deputy.
"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, go ahead Hazzard Four." Rosco said in his most official voice.
Deputy Petticord replied, "Sheriff, I'm out here by the Placid County line near the lake and I just spotted a car parked off the road, locked up with the keys in it and no one around it."
Rosco gave Luther a look as he asked, "Do you know the car?"
This being Hazzard County where everyone knew everyone else and their business it wasn't surprised that Deputy Petticord replied, "Sheriff, ... it looks like the Dodge that the Hibbs girl drives."
Rosco replied, "Get a tag number and get on back here to the office as soon as Luther gets there with the wrecker. I'm with him now so he'll be on his way shortly."
Luther had nodded that he would indeed be heading out to the Deputy's location.
"10-4, Sheriff. I'm parked on the main road he can't miss me." Deputy Petticord advised.
"Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, over and out." Rosco said as he layed the CB mic down and turned to Luther, "So that only leaves me with one question, ... What is Cooter driving?"
Luther sighed, looked around the station at both wreckers and knew that the pickup was at the farm, "He's got to be in his Camero."
Rosco knew the car and nodded his head once. "When you get the car out by the lake go ahead and put it in the impound yard. I'll run the tag and let the owner know where to pick it up."
"I'll go get it just as soon as LB shows up to watch the pumps. He should be here anytime now." Luther sighed as he watched Rosco heading back to his office. Luther shook his head as he realized just how much trouble his son could very well be in if and when Rosco found him.
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John woke up on the hard thin mattress of the steel bunk he'd slept on for nearly a week now. It was nothing like his own at home and even if Pauline had her ways about her she was still much softer and warmer than anything he found here. The only comforting thought John had at the moment was that at least Karen was released yesterday. This was no place for his daughter. On the down side of that thought was that the boy that caused Karen to be here was also out free as a bird while here he, her father, sat locked up in a cage for better than three weeks. John hoped that Pauline treaded easy on Karen at least until he got home to settle things. Otherwise he feared that Karen would rebel out of spite. John really hoped that he was wrong. He was brought away from those thoughts as he heard the coffee cart coming and the lights in the cell came on thus starting yet another day here.
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Bo had been at the pharmacy waiting for the door to open to get Luke and Jeb's medication filled just as Jesse told him to be. He then had headed back to his Uncle's farm as quickly as he could without rubbing the Placid County law the wrong.
Though it was a bit early to be drinking Luke was sure a couple healthy drinks of his Uncle John's shine would have fixed him right up, but Jesse wouldn't have heard of it, mainly because he wouldn't want to ruffle Pauline's feathers.
Jesse had planned to find Jeb some liquid pain relief before they all headed back to Hazzard, just like he'd make sure Luke had a little something later tonight once they got home. He just hadn't bothered to tell the boys that yet. Jesse wanted them to take the medication that Doctor Greenwood had given them since both had been given a prescription for an antibiotic in addition to the pain medications. Jesse knew it wouldn't be smart to mix alcohol with the medications.
Jesse was making himself useful stringing a bushel of beans on the front porch since Pauline had insisted they stay for lunch. Much to Pauline's displeasure Luke and Jeb were allowed out of bed and were now on the porch with Jesse. After getting a round of medication in both boys earlier Jesse was now seeing that they both had seemed to have improved as the day went along. He studied his youngest nephew who was setting on the porch swing along with Luke who was gently rocking the swing back and forth with one booted foot. Jesse figured it was time to finish a conversation that he'd let drop awhile back which he had every intention of picking back up before Jeb could get hurt. "Jeb, ... son, ..." Jesse began.
Jeb took as deep a breath as he could in the confines of the heavy cast. He knew this conversation was coming but he just hadn't knew when. He also knew that he could look forward to at least two more of these talks, none of which he looked forward to. "Yes, Sir."
"First of all, I feel like I've let you down." Jesse said.
Jeb frowned not following his Uncle's thoughts.
"Awhiles back we were talking out on my porch in Hazzard. Something was bothering you, but as we talked you told me about liking motorcycles and that you had been racing dirt bikes. Son, at the time what was bothering you was more important. I had meant to bring up this subject with you before the end of the summer and with everything that has been going on, well, ... I just hadn't gotten around to it." Jesse couldn't help feel he was inadvertently responsible for his nephews action and injuries.
Luke saw it was a good time to go see if there was any iced tea made as he silently got up from the swing to leave his Uncle and cousin to talk. Luke had been in or involved in more than his share of these talks since he turned eighteen and if he could get out of this one he was sure he'd feel much better by lunch.
Jeb was quick to reply, "Uncle Jesse don't blame yourself for any of this. I've been riding for about a year now and racing pretty much the last six months. I knew the risks. This isn't the first time I've layed a bike down or been hurt."
Jesse eyed his youngest nephew closer.
Jeb added, "It's just that before I've came in with a ripped pair of jeans, a scraped knee, a little road rash which was a bit easier to hid than 'this'." He said motioning to his casted upper body.
Jesse nodded slowly trying to figure out where to start, "You told me earlier in the summer that you had the money with what I'd pay you to buy your own bike, ... "
Jeb promptly interrupted, "Well, with what I won this weekend and what I already had given Blake the bike is mine. Free and clear."
Jesse raised his eyebrows.
"I've already signed over my winnings and gotten the change." Jeb finished.
Jesse frowned before continuing, "So, where's the bike?"
Jeb sighed before answering, "Blake took it back to his house with him for me. At least until I square this with Mom and Dad and can go get it."
Jesse eyed his nephew carefully before continuing, "You mean to tell me, that even after the crash and all this, you still want to buy that bike?"
"Ummm, ... No, Sir." Jeb paused, "I mean I've already bought it. Blake brought my winnings to the hospital. I signed the checks over to him and he gave me my change. So the bike is mine, I just need to go get it."
"WHAT?!" Jesse exclaimed, "After all this. After what you've put your Momma and Poppa through? Not to mention the rest of us!"
Jeb lowered his eyes before replying, "For all that, I'm sorry. Really I am, but this is something that I love to do. It's part of me. Just like running shine is for you and my Daddy. Just like racing cars are for Luke and Bo. This, racing bikes, is part of me. I'm sorry that none of you all see it like I do, I'm sorry that I worried ya'll, but this crash wasn't because I don't know how to ride. I do. Ask anyone on the circuit, except maybe Kinnison who has been suspended the rest of the season because of this, I know how to ride and I ride da-ed good!" Jeb said with more feeling than may have been necessary and promptly ducked at the glare his Uncle sent his way.
Jesse took in his own deep breath, held it a full minute before letting it out, then said, "Alright, son. If this is something you want to do. Have to do. I'm can live with it, but you are still underage. There is only one thing you have to do for me to be alright with it. You have to square it with your parents. They are still responsible for you at least until you are eighteen. They have to know what you are doing before I can support you in it."
Jeb dropped his eyes to the porch floor for a complete minute before he looked back at his uncle and said, "Yes, Sir. I know. At least 'this' gives me time to talk to them before I can run the next race. I'll work on it once Dad gets home."
Jesse shook his head 'yes', and replied, "I understand, Son."
Pauline Duke stepped out on the porch seconds after Jesse's statement died, "Lunch is ready. Jeb Stewart Duke go get something on other than your jeans so that you are presentable at the table."
Jeb rolled his eyes at his mother and looked to his Uncle for rescue.
Jesse tried to run interference, "Pauline it's July. This heat is murder. With all that plaster on Jeb has bound to be hotter than any of us, besides I'd be willing to bet that there isn't anything he owns that will fit over that cast. Let him be, this isn't a formal affair."
Pauline looked from Jeb to Jesse and considered her brother-in-laws words before promptly turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen as she mumbled something about shopping for him some larger shirts tomorrow if not later today.
Jeb smiled at his mother's retreating back, "Thanks Uncle Jesse."
"You just remember, to square all this with your folks, now let's go have some lunch." Jesse replied.
Jeb managed to get to his feet and replied, "Yes, Sir, Uncle Jesse."
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Life and work got in the way of this post. Sorry it took so long. Thanks for stilcking around for it. I hope you enjoyed it.