Chapter Three

* this chapter does contain some brief grisly scenes involving animals.

Giggling, Trixie scrambled up the ladder to Bobby’s old tree house. Bo followed easily, chuckling when he reached the top.

“I thought this would be better than the schoolhouse,” Trixie grinned. “Did I ever tell you about the time we got stuck there? One winter, Jim, Brian and I got caught out in a blizzard, and we holed up here. Burned every piece of wood in the place to stay warm. Jim almost got lost out in the cold.”

“You ain’t gotta worry about cold right now,” Bo murmured in her ear, pulling her close. He wanted her thoughts far, far away from Red.

Trixie giggled, the old familiar headiness of Bo washing over her. Melting against him, she let him kiss her, gently, several times, before she indicated more was good.

His lean frame was solid and she shivered as his hands slipped under her halter top.

“I really missed you, Trixie,” he whispered in between kisses.

“Me too.”

He pulled back from the kiss and gazed into her china blue eyes.

“What?” she whispered.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, drinking in her flushed, glowing cheeks and sparkling blue eyes, “I just want to remember this moment.”

“I hope we have a lot of moments like this,” she giggled and he gave her the old grin.

“As many as you want,” he hugged her tightly.

***

Daisy was up early in the mornings to accompany Dan on his patrols. Dan welcomed her bright smile and laugh, and any opportunity to sneak some kisses with her was good in his book.

With the real patrol over, they strolled on foot down a trail, holding hands as they led their horses.

“Dan, what’s over there?” Daisy asked quietly.

“There? Nothing that I know of, why?” he squinted into the distance where she pointed.

“When we were riding, I thought saw something off to the distance,” she murmured.

He squeezed her hand.

“Let’s find out.”

They had to leave the horses at one point, and continue on foot. Dan pushed the heavy branches aside, Daisy following.

“Well I’ll be,” Dan grinned.

Daisy laughed. “Another mysterious building?”

“Yep. Let’s check it out.”

Peering through the dusty windows, Dan couldn’t see anything, and the door was locked and rusty.

“Looks like it’s been abandoned for a while,” Dan shrugged. “I’ll ask Maypenny about it later. It sure is a ways off any of the main trails or roads.”

“Too far off for private use?” Daisy purred, slipping her arms around his waist.

Dan pulled her close. “Don’t you worry about that,” he murmured, kissing her.

***

Trixie and Bo walked back slowly. It had taken several minutes to get their clothes on straight and for Trixie to smooth her hair down so it was presentable. While they hadn’t made love, they had come very close and it took a while to calm themselves down. Neither had a condom and Bo didn’t want to seem presumptuous or pressuring. It had been Trixie who stopped things.

Bo kept her close to his side. He didn’t want to leave. Specifically he didn’t want to leave her. Part of him felt this was his second chance with her, his last chance, and he should ask her to go back to Hazzard with him. But he knew that wasn’t fair. She was only one year through college, she had big dreams of being a detective, and he wouldn’t stand in the way of that. The NASCAR circuit was calling to him, and he had had an offer to be a driver. And he wanted to take it. But he wanted her there with him.

“Bo-“ Trixie broke their happy silence but as cut off by thrashing in the woods to their left.

Frowning, Bo stepped in front of her.

“It sounds like an animal,” he muttered, reaching for the bow slung over his shoulder.

“I wonder if it’s caught in a trap. But Dan doesn’t use steel traps out here.”

“Let’s find out,” he whispered, knocking an arrow into the bow. They stepped off the path into the woods, and carefully made their way through the brush, watchful of poison ivy and snakes.

The thrashing came louder, then stopped, and there was dull thud of something hitting the ground. Exchanging a worried glance, Bo stepped around a tree and froze.

Trixie came up behind him and inhaled sharply.

A big stag was laying on the ground, blood seeping from the arrow protruding out of his side. His big eyes were still half open, and he looked at Bo and Trixie in alarm.

“Easy big fella,” Bo said softly, kneeling next to him.

“Bo, can you get it out?” Trixie whispered. He shook his head.

“No, not without hurtin’ it more. It looks like of them new hooked arrows I saw in a store. They’re designed not to come out for that reason, to ensure the kill. Looks like this big guy got away before he hit the ground.”

“Bo, look at the blood,” Trixie murmured.

Bo’s mouth dropped open and he scooted back, pushing her behind him.

“It’s turning black, Trixie. That arrow was poisoned!”

“Who would use a poison arrow?” Trixie asked. “The meat can’t be eaten if it’s poisoned!”

The stag shuddered, closed his eyes, and went still.

“Somethin’ tells me they ain’t huntin’ for food, whoever did this,” Bo answered, standing up. “C’mon, we better tell the others.”

They arrived at the clubhouse to find a disturbed group and Dan was livid.

“What’s going on?” Trixie asked.

“I found a deer carcass off one of the trails. Looks like it ran after it was shot, and the arrow I pulled out of it was not only hooked,” Dan held it up, “but poisoned!”

Bo and Trixie exchanged a glance.

“What?” Dan demanded.

“We found one too. We watched it die,” Trixie murmured as Bo pulled her against his chest.

“Why would someone being poaching Daddy’s deer?” Honey asked, “Everyone knows this is private property.”

Dan shook his head.

“Actually I can answer that. Your dad brought in some Columbian White Tailed Deer. They’re endangered, and he’s part of a program to reintroduce them and bring their numbers up. Since he has one of the largest preserves in the state, he agreed to host them. Most of them are in Oregon and Washington, but it’s part of an experiment to boost the numbers. Their biggest threats are disease and habitation loss. Somebody must have found out he has them.”

“I’m still not following,” Mart interrupted. “What’s so special about this type of deer?”

“Did you notice its coat?” Dan asked Trixie. She shook her head.

“Real dark brown, kinda red cast,” Bo murmured.

Dan nodded.

“It changes color, of sorts. It’s kind of a cinnamon brown, like most deer, but in the winter it turns kind of a blue gray color. The tail is also pure white on the underneath side. It’s triangular shaped, a bit different than most deer tail. They’re also one of the largest breeds.

“The fur is just about the softest deer fur ever. Highly prized on the black market. They’ve been poached to near extinction. Maypenny and I were told about them so we could recognize them, and make sure we didn’t shoot at them. It’s a special program which is why none of you know about it, even Honey and Jim.”

“It was so beautiful,” Trixie said sadly. “Its rack was huge. Magnificent.”

Jim noted with envy the way Bo held Trixie, running his hand over her wild curls. Come to think of it, he thought, why was her hair so messy? It looked like-oh no. She wouldn’t. They hadn’t.

“Where’d you find it?” he asked.

“Near the old schoolhouse,” Trixie answered absently.

Bo noticed the way Jim’s jaw was suddenly set. Trixie had admitted to him they had all used the schoolhouse and clubhouse for clandestine meetings. He didn’t want to think about Trixie with another guy. Leaning forward slightly, he rested his chin on her curly head.

“It ran after it got shot,” Dan sighed. “It looked like the one we found did too. I bet they’re shooting them, then follow and collect the carcass.”

“But why poison?” Daisy asked.

“So if someone else finds the carcass, they can’t take it and eat it. It’s useless. And another wild animal won’t eat poisoned meat,” Luke answered.

Dan and Jim both nodded.

“Then they just have to collect their prize,” Jim said disgustedly.

“All for a pelt,” Trixie said sadly, leaning into Bo’s comforting embrace.

“We better tell Daddy,” Honey murmured.

As the gang moved towards the door of the clubhouse, thunder rolled overhead.

“Wow, look at those clouds,” Dan muttered. “Better be ready to make a run for it, gang.”

He and Daisy dashed out the door, followed by Mart and Di, Honey and Luke and Bo and Trixie. Jim grabbed an umbrella to offer the curly haired detective.

“Trix, here-” he shut his jaw when he saw Bo had pulled her outside and was spinning her around. Trixie was laughing as Bo’s strong tenor reached Jim’s ears.

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'
So I just did me some talkin' to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleepin' on the job
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

“The guy even sings well,” Jim snarled to himself, opening the umbrella. Well at least he wouldn’t get wet walking home.

***

Matthew Wheeler was not happy when the Bob Whites, Dukes and Mr. Maypenny gave him the news. Celia was not happy when she tracked the muddy footprints to Jim’s muddy shoes.

Jim was mortified. He had been so preoccupied over Bo and Trixie dancing in the rain that he had forgotten to wipe off or remove his shoes before coming inside.

“They poachers have gotten in through the fence somewhere. First thing come morning, Dan and I’ll check it out,” Maypenny said. Dan glanced at the gamekeeper. Maypenny was going on seventy two, he was getting too old to be out riding all the time. He worried nonstop about the old man when he was away at school.

“We can check out the preserve too,” Trixie offered. “We all know it well enough, we can scout the trails.”

“No, too dangerous,” Matthew said immediately.

Trixie rolled her eyes.

“Mr. Wheeler, if Dan can go out there, we all can. After all these years, we know how to get along in the wood and we’ll stay in pairs.”

“I don’t like any of you girls putting yourselves in danger,” he sighed, “but I know you’ll try to find them anyway.”

Trixie hid her grin as Jim grimaced and Bo chuckled.

***

“Looks like you got pulled into another of my mysteries,” Trixie giggled.

Bo grinned as they sat on her front porch swing. Bobby had drawn a hopscotch board in the gravel of the driveway. He and both sets of the Lynch twins had been playing all morning.

“The last one was mine,” he corrected, “this one is yours.”

Trixie snuggled against his chest, thinking it was the most wonderful place to be. His muscled arm wrapped around her as his long, denim clad legs rested on the railing.

“I happen to think we make a pretty good pair,” he murmured into her hair.

She nodded as his lips moved towards hers.

“Me too.”

“Hey Bo!” Bobby yelled, interrupting the kiss that had just begun, “Come play with us!”

“I’m a little busy big guy!” he called back.

“Aw come on! Come tell these girls this is a dumb game!”

Bo rolled his eyes but stood with a smile.

Trixie had to laugh as she noted the Lynch girls stunned into silence as the tall, handsome man joined them. Pulling Bobby aside, she watched as he spoke softly to Bobby, kneeling down to be on eye level with the boy. Bobby nodded in earnest as Bo talked, a few minutes later, they joined the game, Bobby acquiescing that it wasn’t such a dumb game after all.

Trixie found it was impossible not to appreciate the long, lean form, especially the way his jeans hugged his backside. And his shirt clung to his chest, showing off a well toned and maintained chest. Trixie felt herself growing hot as she watched him easily jump through the drawn squares.

“He’s quite a young man,” Helen joined her daughter on the porch.

Trixie turned red. “Yes, he is,” she admitted, embarrassed her mother had caught her checking him out.

“Very charismatic,” she noted, sipping her glass of lemonade.

“He’s the best, Moms,” Trixie turned towards Helen, eyes shining. “He’s fun, and sweet, and caring, and adventurous-he’s just super!”

Helen smiled. She knew of another young man that used to make Trixie glow like that. But Helen suspected those days were pretty much over, which made her sad. She adored Jim Frayne, and she and Peter had for a while wondered if they’d end up with the redhead for a son-in-law. Something told Helen Bo Duke wasn’t about to settle down any time soon – if ever.

Bo joined them a few moments later, grinning.

“Were you teaching my baby brother how to flirt?” Trixie teased.

“Just teachin’ him how to make a girl feel good. A little game like hopscotch goes a long way when you’re that age,” he smiled down at her and Trixie felt her heart warm.

Helen nodded approvingly.

***

"All right, we'll split up and search the preserve. Everyone to their usual sections and paired. Dan and Daisy, Honey and Luke, Mart and Di, Brian and Jim, southwest corner. Bo and I will take the Northeast," Trixie said. "That way everything will be covered."

"Why'd you pair me and Brian?" Jim demanded.

Trixie looked surprised.

"There needs to be at least one Bob White to every pair, because we know the preserve. Plus someone who can use a gun, because the Dukes can't," she answered.

"You can't use a gun?" Jim asked suspiciously. The emerald eyes narrowed as his mind raced over the possibilities as to why the Dukes wouldn’t be allowed near a firearm.

Luke eyed him coolly.

"It would violate our probation. We’re only allowed to use bows."

"You two sure seem to be in a heap of trouble with this probation," Jim snapped, not meaning to sound as harsh as he had.

Trixie and Bo both glared at him. Dan stepped up to Jim.

"Knock it off," he said softly. "One Bob-White used to be on probation, and for worse crimes than what they did," he reminded his friend.

Jim swallowed hard.

"Sorry," Jim murmured.

Dan nodded. "Let's move out."

Jim caught Trixie by the arm. "You and I always were a team. Why'd you want me with Brian?"

"What I do, and whom I do it with, is no concern of yours!" she hissed, pulling her arm away.

Bo had picked up his compound bow and looked over, concerned.

"Trix-"

"You're not my boyfriend any more Jim!" She glared at her ex-boyfriend. "And you're not my brother, or keeper, so stop acting like it!"

Bo stepped over. "Trix, you all right?"

"Stay out of this!" Jim said menacingly.

Bo's temper flared and he stepped up to Jim. While he had a couple inches of height on Jim, Jim was stockier. Trixie knew both were hot tempered and fiercely protective of her. While Jim could hold his own in a fight, as Trixie had witnessed over the years, Bo had a done a whole lot more fighting. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if they did come to blows. Luke and Brian were moving to separate the pair before they could cause physical damage.

"Ooo, I'm sick of this!" she clenched her fists. The Bob Whites all looked at her. "You know what? To hell with you both! Take your pissing contest somewhere else! Brian you're with me. Jim, Bo -you two get the northeast sector. And I hope you both get lost!"

Trixie stormed out of the clubhouse. Bo forgot Jim and went after her before anyone could stop him. The other Bob Whites started to pair off and leave but Luke blocked Jim from leaving.

"Look here fella," Luke said calmly, ignoring the fury blasting from Jim's eyes. "We all know how you feel about Trixie. But Bo cares about her too. We're only here for a couple weeks, so back off and let them have fun. When me and Bo are gone, you can try to reclaim her. But what you're doin' now is just hackin' her off, and gonna cost you in the end."

"Why are you helping me?" Jim demanded.

Luke rolled his eyes.

"You're not a bad guy. And my cousin ain't either. You're both hotheads and not bright enough to realize that all your fightin' and fussin' is pushing away the one thing you both want. It's gonna hurt both them when we leave. I'll take care of Bo, but I care about Trixie too. She's gonna need you. So stop actin’ like a spoiled brat and she'll thank you for it later."

Jim swallowed hard, forcing his temper down. He nodded.

"You're right," he acquiesced. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now please, try not to kill my cousin out there."

Jim smiled sheepishly.

Bo had darted after Trixie, his long legs catching up to her easily.

"I'm sorry," were the first words out of his mouth.

She looked at him warily.

"I don't want to get stuck in this crowing contest you two seem to have."

Bo looked down at her, his blue eyes remorseful. "I was just gonna defend you."

"You don't need to defend me Bo," she sighed, "not to Jim or anyone else. I appreciate the sentiment but the two of you are driving me nuts!"

Bo wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently. Trixie snuggled into his lean frame, wondering how it was she fit so perfectly against such a tall man.

"I'm sorry. You mean a lot to me Trix, and I didn't know when we came up here I was gonna have to fight with Red over there."

"His name is Jim, Bo," she snapped, pulling back with flashing eyes, "and he doesn't know half of what you are to me, so he's being a jerk. Under normal circumstances, you two would like each other."

"If he's special to you then I’ll keep a lid on my temper," Bo promised. "But I can't stand the thought of you bein' mad at me."

"He is special to me Bo, and so are you. I just don't want to play referee anymore," she said warily, wondering why it was impossible to stay mad at him.

"I'll be good." His eyes twinkled at her and when he smiled, she found herself smiling too. Why was it so hard to resist him?

"Prove it by both of you coming back in one piece, without black eyes and busted ribs," she said sternly.

Bo nodded, bent down and kissed her lips quickly before setting off back towards the clubhouse. Brian walked up to her, not looking happy.

"Don't start," she warned him.

His answer was to start walking at fast clip, leaving her to catch up with her shorter legs.

***

Daisy followed Dan when the trails became too narrow to walk together. They had been talking softly, and Dan finally reached over and took her hand. Dan preferred her high heels to the sneakers she wore now, but heels were far from practical for traipsing through the underbrush.

"Is it always this quiet back here?" Daisy asked.

Dan nodded.

"This is one of the two thickest parts of the preserve. The very outside is fenced, to keep poachers out, but someone is having a field day in here killing those deer. Out of season is bad enough but they're taking out all the young ones," he whispered back. "There are hefty fines for hunting off season. Not to mention an endangered species."

Daisy inched closer to him as the hair on the back of her neck rose. She had grown up shooting and playing rough with the boys but the woods in Georgia weren't like this.

Something in the bushes to the left made a crackling noise, and Daisy froze, lifting her bow.

"Hold on, I think it's a rabbit," Dan whispered, standing still.

Daisy waited. Sure enough, a minute later, a fat gray rabbit popped out, stared at them, twitched his nose, and hopped away.

"How'd you know?" she whispered. He half smiled.

"Found a den of them last week. Right over there."

Squeezing her hand a little tighter, they set off again. Dan warned her they were going to go off the trail.

The deeper they went, the uneasier she felt. Something was watching them, she was sure of it.

Her foot came down and something heavy slid over it. She smothered her scream, but Dan whipped around.

"What?"

"Snake," she whispered.

"What color?"

"What?"

"What color was it?"

"I don't know!" Her eyes were wide and Dan smiled tenderly, stepping over to her and wrapping his arms around her.

"If he didn't bite you for disturbing him, it was probably just a garter snake. Don't worry, I'll protect you," he murmured in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"You sure about that?" she whispered, looking up at him, her big green eyes innocent.

"Oh yeah," he murmured, lowering his head as their lips touched.

Dan set his rifle down on the ground and pulled her up against him as she entwined her arms around him. His hand caressed her lower back and she pressed her body against his.

"Dan," she murmured. "We're supposed to be hunting a poacher."

"There about a hundred other things I'd rather do with and to you," he murmured, his lips grazing the side of her face. She giggled.

"Me too."

"I don't think I've ever wanted a woman the way I want you, Daisy Duke," his black eyes stared deep into her big green eyes.

"I've never felt this way," she sighed, leaning up against him.

"What about that guy back home? Enos?"

Daisy shook her head.

"Enos is the oldest virgin in the county," she smiled, "and sweet as can be. I care about him but he's never made me feel the way you do."

"I've never felt like this about a woman," Dan admitted, running his hand through her long dark hair.

"What are you gonna do about it?" she teased.

"Leave it to me, baby," he murmured, brushing his lips against hers, "This preserve is full of abandoned old buildings remember? I know where they all are."

Daisy smiled up at him and Dan wondered what the hell life had been like before she blew into his life just a few days ago.

***

Jim and Bo went on their way, neither speaking. Jim's rifle was slung over his shoulder, and Bo carried his bow and arrows in his hands.

The two men were silent until they reached the heart of their sector.

"What really brought you up here?" Jim demanded.

"Like we said, we got a temporary pass from our probation. We helped out the FBI."

"What would the FBI want with the likes of you?" Jim retorted.

Bo's dark blue eyes narrowed.

"We helped bust a mob ring. I did some NASCAR racing and got to know the circuit. We got the agents in for the bust."

Jim 'hmpphed'. "How did you say you got put on probation?"

Bo sighed and stopped walking, putting his hand son his hips. Jim stood to square off against him. "Look, I ain't gonna play this game with you, Red. You don't like me, I don't like you. Fine. If you wanna hit me, go ahead and do it. I ain't gonna hit you back 'cause I promised Trixie I wouldn't. So if you wanna lose her for good, take your best shot."

Jim glared at Bo and remembered Luke's warning. With a heavy sigh, he started walking again. Bo followed silently.

Jim hated to admit but Bo was every bit as good in the woods as he was. He moved stealthily, knew his plants, and even some uses Jim didn't. As much as it galled him to think so, he'd bet Bo was pretty damn handy with the bow-and the rifle. And Bo was handy with a car, which really vexed Jim, because Jim was lacking mechanical skills.

A twig snapping behind them made both turn, ready to fire, but they lowered their weapons as they saw the doe staring at them. Neither man moved as the doe gracefully dipped her head and pulled some leaves on a branch. Her dark reddish brown coat almost shimmered in the darkness of the forest, and her big, liquid eyes watched the two men staring at her. She took a few more steps and bit off more leaves.

After several moments, the large doe disappeared into the thick foliage.

“Wow,” Jim murmured. Bo nodded.

“Ain’t never seen one like that before. Back home we just got the regulars.”

“If we follow her we might find more,” Jim said thoughtfully. “But I don’t see as how that would protect them from the poachers. They’d likely just run when they see us.”

A squeal interrupted them from the direction the doe had gone and they sprinted after her, heedless of the noise they were making.

“That way!” Bo pointed as they saw a streak of gray running.

Jim turned and looked behind them, there was no one to be seen. They gave chase to the deer, who they found collapsed and breathing heavy, eyes rolled backwards.

“Just like the one Trix and I found,” Bo said grimly. This time the arrow was in the doe’s flank, and it died quickly. Bo studied the arrow as the doe’s blood began to turn black. “Same type.”

“This is sick,” Jim muttered.

“Let’s head back to where we saw it, see if we can find any trace of the poacher,” Bo said.

Jim nodded grudgingly. Bo had beat him to voicing the idea.

They searched the area they suspected the poacher had been in, and found only a few disturbed leaves and branches.

“Nothing,” Jim said in disgust.

“Hang on,” Bo knelt down and picked up a scrap of cloth. “Bet they left this behind. Probably saw us go runnin’ after the deer, panicked and scrambled to get outta here.”

Jim was reluctant to agree, though he knew Bo was probably right. They studied the brown plaid.

“Who’s fool enough to wear a color like this when hunting?” Bo wondered out loud.

“They must really not want to get caught,” Jim answered, “to take the risk of being mistaken for game.”

“Let’s get the corpse back to Dan,” Bo suggested. “That way the poachers can’t have it.”

***

Even between the two strong men, the doe weighed them down and they were breathing heavily by the time they got back. Jim had whistled their signal several times, hoping the others would hear it.

Di and Mart had, and met them back at the clubhouse, where Di turned green at the site of the deer and looked away.

“We didn’t catch the poacher but he was there,” Jim said grimly. “So we know he’s seen us.”

Searching in the storage closet for a tarp, Mart tripped over a loose bicycle helmet. With a sigh he bent down and picked up the offending item. Placing it on the proper shelf, he located and grabbed a big tarp to cover the carcass.

The others wandered back within the hour, Luke’s arm around Honey, Dan and Daisy holding hands.

Dan was not happy to see another dead deer.

“I’ll report it to Maypenny and Mr. Wheeler,” he sighed heavily. “There’s only about 60 of these beauties here. This is the third we know of and I don’t know how long it’s been going on.”

“Can’t be too long,” Trixie said, “if we’re just now finding corpses.”

“We’ve got to stop them.”

“We did find this. We think the poacher left in a hurry when he saw us,” Bo held out the scrap of fabric. Trixie’s eyes shone at him and Jim frowned.

“We know they’re not using the schoolhouse,” she murmured. “There’s got to be some other sort of shelter we haven’t found yet.”

“I advocate a partaking of nutritional sustenance and buttressing prior to we recommence our exploration,” Mart interrupted.

“Mart, you just ate practically two dozen pancakes!” Di exclaimed. Mart rubbed his stomach.

“Ah but my fair Diana, we have an elongated afternoon of probing the woodland and ought to be appropriately nourished for endurance and accomplishment,” he smiled at her charmingly.

Di rolled her eyes.

They stopped at Crabapple Farm where Bobby was enjoying a Crabapple Farm Special and a glass of chocolate milk, in which he was blowing noisy bubble through his straw. His markers lay on the table next to him, along with a notebook he had been coloring in. It was open to a page where he had drawn the General Lee.

“Bo!” he shouted happily. “Look at how big I can blow these bubbles!”

Bo laughed as Bobby blew harder, spraying chocolate milk over the edge of the glass. Helen frowned at her youngest son. Jim frowned at Bo. Does everyone in this family adore the guy? he wondered.

“Now Bobby, you’re gonna make your mama mad if you keep that up,” Bo ruffled the blond curls but Bobby beamed at his new idol.

“She don’t mind,” Bobby answered, taking a deep breath to blow some more. Helen snatched the glass away from him.

“I most certainly do,” she said firmly. Bobby’s face fell. “Did you all find anything in the woods?”

“Unfortunately,” Dan answered, swiping a cookie from Mart that he had just snuck out of the cookie jar.

Helen just nodded, not wanting to discuss the grisly details with Bobby present.

“Hey that’s a good likeness to the General, ain’t it Bo?” Luke nudged his cousin as they looked at Bobby’s drawing. He didn’t want Bobby asking what was unfortunate.

“It sure is. But my hair ain’t that curly!” Bo mused, studying the face behind the wheel.

“Nope, it’s me!’ Bobby beamed. “Someday I wanna drive the General!”

Helen closed her eyes as Mart shuddered.

“The fearsome perception of the youngest Belden behind the navigational control of a noble apparatus such as the General Lee doth send palpitation through my aortal valves and render my coiled strands of protein to an alabaster shade,” Mart groaned.

“What’d he say?” Bo whispered to Trixie.

“Bobby driving would give him a heart attack and white hair,” Dan answered with a roll of his eyes. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t take lessons from you.”

Mart took a mock swing at his best friend, who grabbed his remaining cookie and held it over his head. Dan had a couple inches over Mart on height but Mart fought valiantly for his cookie. In the fray as the other dodged each other, the cookie fell. A streak of red grabbed the cookie as it barreled its way outside.

“Go Reddy!” Bobby cheered.

“I think we better clear out of here,” Brian said hastily.

***

That evening, at Manor House, they had gathered in the den for snacks and movies. While Dan and Mart argued over movies, the Duke boys were dancing with their girls. Bo spun Trixie around and pulled her back against him smoothly, as Luke dipped Honey. Brian tried to ignore it by dancing with Di but it was obvious his mind was elsewhere.

“Honey,” Jim appeared in the doorway looking pale. “Have you been in my room?”

“Of course not Jim,” she replied. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find my homework,” he croaked. “The huge report I finished yesterday.”

“You put it in your red notebook,” Brian answered.

“It’s not there,” Jim looked pale.

“Have you asked Celia?” Honey asked.

Jim dashed out of the room.

“I’ll go help him,” Brian said to no one in particular. Realizing he wouldn’t be missed, the oldest Belden hurried after his friend.

“All right, we’re decided,” Dan announced. Mart was already at the table, scarfing chocolate cupcakes with thick icing. Bo popped open a beer. Miss Trask trusted the Bob Whites to know that no one under twenty one would drink them.

“If you make us watch A Force of One one more time Daniel-” Di started.

“I wouldn’t suffer you girls through it,” he rolled his eyes.

“He wouldn’t suffer Daisy through it, he means,” Trixie muttered, making Bo laugh.

“We decided on Beastmaster ,” Mart announced cheerfully as the girl groaned and began to protest.

“Mart, knock it off,” Dan laughed. “We chose Star Wars. Action, drama, romance, who doesn’t love it?”

After a few more minutes of clowning, they quickly paired off to watch the movie. Bo handed Dan a beer as Mart got sidetracked and brought up the some of the girl’s adventures. The Duke boys were always in the mood to hear about their girls’ adventures. Mart recapped the Sasquatch adventure and the time Trixie thought she had seen a shark in the Hudson River, and Luke proudly told them about the time Daisy herself almost ended up as a NASCAR driver. With the movie forgotten temporarily, they began swapping more tales.

“Dan ever mention last St. Patrick’s Day?” Mart asked casually.

Dan shot him a warning look as he took a swig of beer.

“No, what happened?” Daisy asked, curiously, fluttering her big green eyes at Dan.

“Yeah, Danny, what happened?” Trixie asked, china blue eyes curious.

“Danny here had a little too much to drink,” Mart began.

Daisy raised one eyebrow. Trixie and Honey leaned forward. The boys hadn’t told them this story!

“So he picks up this chick, right-“

“Mart-”

“And they go wandering outside, right. The pub we’re hanging at is near a park-”

“Martin Andrew-”

“So we go to find them-”

“Have you been drinking yourself? Shut up!” Dan tried to get up to tackle Mart but Daisy was curled in his arms. Mart effectively dodged the pillow Dan threw at him.

“And we see this naked dark haired guy on the ground, totally scrogging this chick-“

“Martin Belden, you’re a dead man!” Dan hollered.

Mart was laughing so hard he had to wipe his eyes. “So we like, totally leave, laughing and thinking Dan’s the Man, right, sex in a park. A very public park.”

Dan’s handsome face had tuned beet red and he was shaking his head and fist at Mart.

“Dan you didn’t!” Honey gasped.

“So we start walking back and in front of the pub is our man Dan, puking up his guts!” Mart fell off the loveseat, howling in laughter as Dan buried his face in Daisy’s long hair. The Duke boys were laughing hysterically and even Trixie and Honey had to join in. “It was someone else getting lucky!”

Jim paused out the door as he heard the wild laughter. With a heavy sigh he turned, and trudged back upstairs.