Days went by slowly. Cooter brought the General Lee back to the farm. The car looked like it'd come straight off the assembly line. He had a brand new shiny coat of paint that sparkled in the sun. Windows that looked sleek and smooth and rims that glistened. Racing tires blacker than night hugged the rims. General Lee had never looked so good.
Naturally, Bo and Luke wanted to test him out. They decided to drive Daisy to work that day. It took a long while to convince her, but they finally managed to get her in the car. Jesse had no idea this was going on and instantly became worried when he found that all three of them were missing.
As General Lee and the Dukes tore up dirt, Jesse had placed a call out to Rosco to find them. Rosco decided to stake out one of his speed traps in hopes of spotting them, and sure enough, he did. The General Lee came roaring through, showering Rosco's patrol car with dirt as it drifted around a corner. Rosco immediately turned his lights on and gave chase.
"Oh, I knew this was a bad idea," Daisy said.
"Don't worry Daisy, I'll lose him, just watch," Bo said reassuringly.
"Just pull the car over before you get us into more trouble."
Bo looked at Luke.
"Pull it over Bo, she's got a point," Luke said.
"Oh, alright."
Bo slowed the car down and pulled it over as Rosco flew past them and slid sideways to a stop in front of them. Daisy climbed over Luke and out the window of the General Lee. She went to confront Rosco as Bo and Luke climbed out of the windows and sat on the doors. Rosco got out of his car and started walking towards them.
"Jesse ain't too happy 'bout this," Rosco said.
The Dukes all exchanged glances.
Rosco pulled out his handcuffs and waved them in the air. "I got half a mind to take you boys to jail right now."
He immediately regretted saying this as Bo and Luke glanced at their scarred wrists and pulled their hands away.
"Listen, all we was doin' was takin' Daisy to work, that's all," Luke argued.
"That ain't your business, you two were supposed to be under property arrest till further notice."
"It's so unfair though, we ain't done nothin' wrong!" Bo exclaimed.
Rosco glared at him. "Get in the car Daisy."
Daisy backed away and got into the front seat of the patrol car.
"Go home Duke boys."
Rosco's facial expression stayed the same. His lips were pulled into a tight, thin line. His eyes stayed fixed in a cold, icy glare. Bo and Luke slowly slid down into the front seats and drove away. They didn't like the new Rosco.
Once they got home, Bo and Luke were afraid to get out of the car. Jesse was nowhere to be seen. They climbed out cautiously.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to come home," a voice said from behind them.
They turned around to see Jesse standing behind the General Lee with his arms crossed in front of him. Bo and Luke stared at the ground, shifting uncomfortably.
"When I tell you two to stay here, I expect you to stay here."
They looked up; by now, anxious was an understatement. Here comes the lecture.
"Now, I've told you boys time and time again, all us Dukes got left in this world is family. It's one thing for you to risk your probation, but another thing to risk your lives. If you think I'm gonna sit around and wait for y'all to kill yourselves, you're dead wrong. You know good and well what'd happen if you were dead."
Bo and Luke were still silent. They didn't know what to say to change his mind. Not that there was any changing it.
"I know it was unfair to force you two to stay here for that long, but y'all are too young to understand. I mean well boys, I really do. I hate to do this to ya, but I can't keep doin' this same silly charade, especially when I'm gettin' this sick. I've got reservations for a doctor in Nashville, you boys are gonna have to live somewheres else for a little bit."
"Please don't send us away, Uncle Jesse, we-we'll stay here and look after the place!" Bo argued.
"I'm sorry. Daisy and I, we're leavin' for Nashville in two days, we won't be home 'til June. Cooter's gonna look after the place while we're gone." Jesse turned away from them and began walking towards the house. Bo and Luke turned around and watched him go.
"Where?" Luke asked.
"Eh, with the Hoggs," Jesse said quietly, inaudible to his nephews' ears.
"Uh, come again Uncle Jesse?" Bo asked.
"I'm, ah, sendin' you to live with J.D. and Lulu Hogg."
Bo and Luke bust out laughing. Jesse stood there, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Once they had finally calmed down and stopped laughing, Luke asked Jesse:
"That's good Uncle Jesse but where're we really goin'?"
"I was bein' serious Luke," Jesse said quietly.
Bo and Luke's smiles faded.
"I'm gonna send you to live with the Hoggs for a little bit, just till we get back."
"Dukes and Hoggs livin' under the same roof? Uncle Jesse wake up, things like that just don't happen," Luke said.
"No, no no no no no-no-no. Miss Lulu cares way too much!" Bo complained.
"Why them? Why not somebody else? Anybody but the Hoggs!"
"Because one, J.D. owes me more than a few favors. Two, Lulu cares about you boys a lot. And three, they got a big house, you won't be bored," Jesse explained, numbering the reasons off on his fingers.
"I'm twenty-five years old, Uncle Jesse, I can look after myself. Let me stay and send Bo away," Luke argued, his rhyme intentional.
"Luke, now who d'you s'pose is gonna look after Bo?"
"I can take care of myself just fine, I'm eighteen!" Bo argued.
Luke messed up his hair. "Very impressive Bo," he said sarcastically.
Jesse just shook his head. He felt so ashamed of himself, but he knew that Bo and Luke were just being strong so he wouldn't worry. Jesse couldn't stand seeing his nephews this way. Bo's eyes had once been so bright and full of life, now they were dull and empty. Luke's once handsome face had been plagued with numerous scars and bruises, not to mention lines, as a result of the years Hollow Hill had taken from him. There was no way they could run the farm by themselves.
He had tried to convince Daisy that Bo and Luke were still the same deep down, but he was really just trying to convince himself, and he failed. Jesse wanted to help, even if he was getting worse by the minute, he just didn't know how. Bo and Luke refused to tell him what was wrong with them. They just kept smiling through the pain and telling him that everything was going to be okay. He didn't want to be told everything was going to be okay, he wanted to see to it himself. They'd never been so closed off before, and Jesse didn't like not knowing what was going on.
It was only for a little bit, Jesse promised himself he wouldn't be away for long. Bo and Luke would come around sometime or another, Jesse just needed to take his own advice and be patient. They were safe now that Clayton and Russell were gone. There was nothing else to worry about, so it would be fine for them to be in town.
"Now, you boys take care of yourselves and mind your manners. I know it's J.D., but just try to be as respectful as possible," Jesse instructed.