Chapter Two
"I can't believe that over grown marshmallow would ever sink that low!" Jesse yells at the latest news of events, "He has done such evil and wrong doings in the past...but this? What would this county do without a doctor's office within the county?!" he goes silent for a long moment as he glares around the room with angry crystal blue eyes, "Wait til I get my hands on him. . .he will be sorry that he even -"
"Hold up on your little tantrum there Uncle Jesse -"
"Who's callin' this a tantrum?!" Jesse interrupted Kristy, giving her a cold glare, "I can't believe you are sayin' I am holdin' a tantrum...Jamie lying on the floor demanding your attention, kicking and screaming on the top of her lungs...that's a tantrum. I do NOT throw tantrums like your child!" he pauses to regroup himself and to take a deep breath, "In fact, if it wasn't for Chance, what would have happened to Shay, huh Kristian?!" the fact of Jesse calling Kristy by her full name, grabs everyone's attention if they weren't paying attention, "You know you don't have money to support any medical bills...you'd have brought him to the hospital where they'd give him minimal care. . .and you'd still be payin' that damn hospital for the next ten years! But Chance was kind enough to take him in and to work on him. . .to make him healthy! And you're the one accusing me of throwing a tantrum over this? I think you for one would want her to stay in town!"
Kristy glares at Jesse, awaiting for his lecture to end with patience, the same patience she had held with Boss when he was yelling at her. "Uncle Jesse...you for one should know me better that! Of course I don't want to see her thrown out of practice or out of town. . .and I am still thankful for all that she has done for Shay; who knows where I'd be now if it wasn't for her. Second of all, if you have a problem with my children, then why not come tell me instead of using it against me!" Kristy says, her green eyes afire with her own anger, "And call it whatever you want, Jesse, but running off angry at Boss Hogg won't do no good for Chance, but harm her chances. Knowing Boss he has his fat chubby arms thick deep with evil greed that he will throw upon Chance here."
Silence fills the medical room as they all glare at one another before Bo speaks up, "Then what we do now? We can't just sit here and do nothing."
"No...we can do something," Luke says, his blue eyes shine with thought, "if we can for some way get a glance at Chance's bike within Boss reach, within his possession, we can use that against him."
"What you thinkin' Luke?" Jesse says, slowly calming down.
"Well," Luke says glaring at Kristy, "we could always send in some bait."
"You have for sure lost me," Bo chimes in leaning against Kristy's desk, "you know Boss isn't going to roll over and show it to anyone...especially a Duke or Chance."
"No, but," Luke says grinning at Kristy who nervously glances around the room, "Rosco might do so if given enough motivation to do so."
"Who you plannin' on usin' as bait?" Garrett speaks up from the couch where he had sat silent until now before glaring at his sister.
"Well...I was thinkin' of using Kristy as bait due to everyone knowing the crush Rosco holds on her," Luke says before glaring at Jesse, "but seeing how things have unraveled, I doubt she would go for it."
"You don't know that!" Kristy pipes in for herself.
"You can't send my sister in with that. . .that so called sheriff by herself!" Garrett snaps standing up, "Who knows what would happen? She could end up arrested and -"
"Rosco wouldn't even touch her and you know it!" Luke snaps at him, "All she's got to do is go talk to him, give him some excuse to show her the bike and to talk of Hogg's plans. She could tell him what a great plan he had...feed on his ego. You do that he'll take it from there."
The room goes silent for a long moment as Garrett stares challengingly at Luke. "I'll do it," Kristy says full of confidence.
"It'll have to be alone," Luke says and Kristy nods, "OK give him a call, ask him out to lunch or something...better yet, dinner tonight so he can show her without Hogg being in."
"Done!" Kristy smiles picking up the phone and dials up Rosco and she talks to the local sheriff with all eyes on her. Slowly she hangs up. "Worked like a charm, eight o'clock tonight. Garrett, I'll need you to do the baby sitting."
"Give me the dirty work," Garrett gripes to be silenced by Jesse's angered eyes.
***
Chance had stayed silent up until then, listening to the Dukes work out their plan. She didn't much like the idea of using her friend, Kristy, as bait on her behalf but also didn't see any other alternatives at the moment. So she sat in the chair of her reception area, quiet, while petting the calico cat which, upon her arrival, had immediately jumped onto her lap. She found its presence soothing at the time. Which was a good thing, because she was still mighty miffed at Luke for his chauvinistic attitude towards her racing ability. She could understand he was from the country and that was simply the attitude and that she, being a surgeon which is still a male dominated field, was probably being over sensitive to it. Her danged high octane temper didn't help any either. But for the moment, she turned her attention to the situation at hand.
"Boss Hogg wouldn’t dare leave Hazzard without a proper doctor. I'll bet he's gonna try putting one he can buy in my place. He could run fees up sky high then. We can't let him get away this. People have a hard time affording medical care as it is without Hogg using it to line his own pockets."
"Don't worry, Chance, we won't let Hogg get away with this." Luke assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I know you won’t, Luke. And I'm sorry for losing my temper before. It's not one of my best qualities."
"But definitely never makes for a dull moment."
Chance snorted. "Definitely. But you don't make many friends that way."
"You can't scare me off that easy, I used to be Marine, remember?"
Chance was quiet for a moment. "Luke, I don't think I ever told me about the patient that clinched me coming to Hazzard. Did I?" She leaned forward in the chair, dislodging the cat. The rest of the Duke clan was busy with Kristy's plan and not paying attention to their quiet conversation.
"Well, no, but I didn't think it any of my business."
"He was a 13 year old boy. a victim of a drive-by shooting, just at the wrong place at the wrong time. You should have seen him coming into the ER, he was covered in blood, at least 4 wounds. One just below the spinal cord. He..." Chance swallowed before continuing. "he must have crashed twice on the way to the ER. They kept saying that it was no good, that he was finished, that even if he lived he'd be paralyzed from the neck down. But I keep bringing him back to the table. I worked on that kid's spine for 5 hours. He lived, and he'll walk with help." Chance looked at the floor before looking back up at Luke. "I've used my temper all my life as a tool against death, illness or a human body that wants to let go when I won't permit it. As a doctor faced with so many self-inflicted stupidities, helpless cases or unstoppable human suffering, you have to be angry every now and then, it give you an edge against everything you're fighting against. When I came back down after that surgery, that kid was already forgotten in the ER, just another patient in an endless line of patients. Not one other doctor, nurse, resident or patient cared whether that child had lived or died. That's when I knew that volume hospital work wasn't for me. But here in Hazzard, I know each patient by name already, by their face and they know I will do everything will my power to help them. That's real medicine. And someone trying to take that away from me for no other reason than profit is more than enough to set me on edge. But I guess I'm not used to channeling that energy elsewhere yet, so it hits the first thing I'm annoyed with, even if they're just trying to help."
Luke's blue eyes were full of apathy. "I'm sorry, Chance, I didn't know."
Chance stood, straightening out. "Hogg isn't gonna make me lose my office, I'll fight him every breath along the way. And he crosses me, I'll make sure Lulu has him on such a strict diet, he'll be eating nothing but cold grits and granola until judgment day."
Grinning, Luke nodded. "Dr. Walker, you're starting to sound like a Duke."
***
Kristy sits silently upon an old sofa that rests in the old reception area of Dr. Applebee's old office, now Chance's. For a long moment she listens in on Chance who talks silently to Luke about an old case that had driven her to a small town of peaceful living. On the opposite side of the room Jesse, Bo, and Daisy seem huddled around talking amongst themselves while the clock slowly ticks away hanging on the wall.
"Gettin' nervous yet?" Cooter says as he sits down next to her and she jumps in surprise, "Didn't know I was that scary."
"Oh no...you just surprised me," Kristy smiles nervously at him, "and for your first question, perhaps a little bit, but there is nothing to be nervous about. It's only Rosco."
"It's only Rosco?" Cooter mocks, "That is SOMETHING to be nervous about...you never know what to expect with him. Well OK you do, but that's besides the point, the point is, is that when you have Rosco, you have Hogg and when you have Hogg, you have trouble."
Kristy eases a grin at the local mechanic who is covered in grease from the days' work. "Well none the less, Rosco doesn't hold no danger, even though he wishes everyone would think so," Kristy says dusting off her nice fitting faded denim pants, "once you get to know him...I mean get to really know him, he is a sweet, caring, and understanding person."
"Uh. . .I think we have crossed wires here," Cooter grimaces at Kristy's statement of the local sheriff, "we both must be talking about two different Roscos here. The Rosco I know is not dangerous, but a trouble to anyone with the last name of Duke, which your's is Duke, or any friend of the Dukes, loyal to Hogg who is trouble, and a dipstick of a sheriff that would love to put your brother and cousin behind bars if he could ever get his hands on them. . .No, sweet, caring, and understanding is definitely not in the vocabulary of the Rosco I know."
"Oh c'mon Cooter...that's only the outside of him," Kristy argues, "he wants to be recognized. . .he wants to be accepted by Boss Hogg, that is the Rosco you all have come to know. There is more than just that to him, down deep he is caring and understanding, and sweet; he just holds this wall up to everyone out of his spite and anger of being robbed of his pension."
Cooter shoots Kristy a skeptical glare before responding, "Boy, working with Hogg and Coltrane did ill you! I hate to see how close you and Rosco really got!"
"Cooter!" Kristy yells elbowing him teasingly in the stomach, "You know I wouldn't even think of him in that way. . .or see him in that way!" she calms down, "All I am saying is that the Rosco that y'all see isn't the only part of him; there is more to him that meets the eye."
"If you say so," Cooter grins at her before Luke pulls away from Chance to walk over to Kristy.
"Are you ready?" Luke says sitting down next to her to not be towering over her, "I mean if you don't' want to do this. . .you don't have to. I can think of something else, I just figured -"
"She'll do it," Cooter speaks up for Kristy, "she was just tellin' me just how much she knows ol' Rosco. I think there is more than what meets the eye here!"
"Cooter
"Hey I heard that!" Bo hollers from across the room.
"Y'all know what I mean. I am willing to go through with it, to try," Kristy says quietly, "but I don't know how much I will be able to succeed at it all. But I can try."
"That's all we can ask for," Luke grins patting her knee for a bit of comfort as Jesse, Daisy, and Bo joins them. "We will move on over to Cooter's Garage so we can watch a little better than from here while you go on your visit to Rosco at the cafe. If you run into any trouble...any at all you run out or show some signal."
"Run into trouble? You sound as if I am meeting with a dangerous out law here," Kristy says looking around, "it's only Rosco."
"True...but just in case," Luke says, "We will be here . . .or should I say Cooter's watching." he pauses to look at his pocket watch, "we have exactly five minutes until your meeting...so we need to hit if we are going through with this."
"I'm willing," Kristy answers as she thinks mentally of what to say and everyone else nods.
"OK let's hit it!" Luke says and they exit the office together before Kristy leaves them to slowly walk down the street to the local cafe that they had arranged to meet at.
Kristy slowly walks into the small country cafe that remains a fourth full as the juke box plays a country song softly. A thin framed teenage girl with thin light brown hair pulled up in a pony tail is at the door to greet her. "Well hi Kristy, haven't seen you here in a while," she smiles, "Well I guess since Hogg fired you. He shouldn't have done that...he sure made a mistake."
"That's what people's been sayin'," Kristy gives her a friendly smile.
"Who's watching Jamie and Shay?" she asks holding onto her pad of paper and pen, "I really enjoy watching them, they are sweet hearts...very well mannered. And I don't want to seem rude, but you pay me a whole lot better than any of my other baby sitting jobs...even more than the couple of kids that I look after every Friday night who are wild and crazy."
"Well. . .that is what I am use to payin' up in the city, I am sure other folks around here would pay you more if they got more money," Kristy shrugs, "I am sure it's not you, Jamie loves it when you come over to play."
"Yeah this dang drought has all the cash flow dried up for everyone," she agrees.
"Yeah," Kristy nods, "Well Dee, I am here to visit an old friend of mine. I am sure you would recognize him when he walks in here. Just send him my way."
"Who's that?"
"Sheriff Coltrane," Kristy answers for
"You...callin' Rosco a friend? After what happened?" she asks amazed, "You Dukes do have a large heart...especially after all he's done to you and your family."
"I don't hold grudges...and it was Hogg that fired me," Kristy smiles before walking back to find a booth in the corner.
A minute passes before Rosco slowly makes his appearance
into the dimly lit cafe and
"Thank-you," Kristy smiles as
"So," Rosco starts off as
Kristy can't help but to laugh at Rosco's error before she gives a slow shrug of the shoulders. "Well, it's just that I miss working with you," she smiles at him as their drinks arrive, "so I figured, why not meet somewhere to talk. To see what's going on and all with you, your life?"
"Khee! I knew it," he grins and Kristy's heart races within her in fear that he has figured out her true reason of being here, "I knew it! You do like me!"
"Yes I do, as friends Rosco," Kristy grins flirtatiously at him and he sighs in disappointment, "oh Rosco. . .you know how it is."
"Ghee...I do," he smiles, "So how are them no good kin of yours? I still can't believe something like you could be related to. . .to THEM."
Kristy shrugs as she takes a drink of her soda. "Well, none can help to who they are related to," she adds, "but I'm not complainin'. . .they're not as bad as you and Hogg make them out to be."
"True," Rosco adds before he quickly adds on, "but they get in the way awful lot and Hogg never means no harm either. I mean. . .he can be caring when he wants to be."
"When he wants to be," Kristy puts emphasis on his last statement, "so what is going on with the motorcycle race? Now that Chance won't be able to enter."
"Yeah it's too bad that she can't," Rosco says staring at Kristy, "due to them no good outlaw Dukes...uh I mean your brother and your cousin."
"Rosco!" Kristy smiles at him, trying to remain calm as she pats his hand, "You know as well as I do, that they never stole no bike, not a lone hers. They would never do that...you know that, don't you?"
It goes silent between them as
Rosco glares at her, his blue eyes gazed over in pure seriousness that Kristy has never seen in them before. "In truth, I know your brother and your cousin would never do that...that they're innocent," he finally acknowledges.
"Well you're the sheriff," she throws back at him, "if you know they're innocent, then why charge them? How do you know they didn't do it? Let me guess...you and Hogg stole her bike for Hogg's greedy intentions of who knows what, and you framed the Dukes so they couldn't enter the race! Is that it Rosco? I want the truth!"
Rosco glares down at his plate before glaring back at Kristy. "The truth?" he gulps, "If I speak the truth, the truth will get me fired and black mailed by Hogg til the good Lord says it's my time!"
"So you're just gonna cower to Hogg's level? You are a nice man Rosco," Kristy says with fire in her eyes, "I hate to see someone like Hogg ruin that for you. I for one can't sit down while my brother and my cousin are being wrongfully accused of a crime they didn't commit! Why won't you tell me, Rosco? The truth...I thought we was friends...friends don't hide stuff from one another like you are. I guess if that's your choice, then I am going to have to leave. . .and when I leave, our friendship leaves with me."
Kristy begins to slide out of her booth seat, carrying her small black purse with her, where her hand lies within. Rosco is quick to reach out and hold her back by her wrist, "Wait a minute Kristy," Kristy slowly sits back down, resting her purse back down on the seat, "You want the truth?"
"That is what I asked for," Kristy says impatiently as Rosco scans the building, "I mean. . .I don’t' think I am asking too much, I mean if my brother and my cousin are being framed of a crime that we both know they didn't do, I should know the reason behind it. Since we are friends and I'd hate to break our friendship over Hogg's scheme that most likely deals with money. . .and a new doctor."
He glares at Kristy, fighting desperately to know what to say. "Ok the truth, but only because I trust you," he says, "Hogg had me take it and do the damage to it, in order for Chance to not be able to enter that race, and then to frame it on Bo and Luke-so they'd be in jail instead of in the race. Hogg knows if Chance doesn't get the money, that she'd be closed down, and when that happens he can buy his own doctor who would answer to Hogg and would be getting Hogg a lot more money. He'd be in control!"
"You're gonna sit by and let him do that?" Kristy asks concern as she takes her last bite, "I mean. . .if you arrest my cousin, my brother, they'd be in jail for some time for something they DIDN'T do. That wouldn't be fair to them, would it?"
"Uh well. . .no, but," Rosco stutters pushing his plate aside, "but he's my brother in law and I have to do as I am told. I know you don't want me to do it, but it is who I am. You don't have to like it. It is the relationship between me and the Dukes...odd I know. But I do enjoy chasing them and attempting to arrest them. I mean they always prove their innocence and they will no doubt do that again. They'll think of something. Hogg may be greedy, but I think he has his own fun in chasing them, it is the way it is here in Hazzard. You ought to know that...you have worked for us. As long as no one gets hurt..."
"Well thank-you for being honest with me," Kristy smiles at him picking up her purse, "I just had to know t hat you knew they were innocent, that you thought they were innocent. If not, I don't know what I'd do. . .I have to be loyal to my family as you do with Hogg."
"Yeah...I hope we can have more meetings like this," he says getting up with Kristy, "Well not exactly like this, I'd rather talk about you and what you are doing, but for now this will do."
"Well you take care of yourself," Kristy smiles giving him a hug before she exits the cafe and slowly walks to the garage.
"Well?" Luke asks in excitement as he jumps off a stack of tires where had been sitting and Kristy is surrounded by everyone.
"I got it," Kristy smiles digging into her purse and pulls out a small recorder and hands it to Luke, "It is all on there tape, he admitted to it all!"
"Yee Haa!" Bo lets out a rebel yell as they hug her in appreciation.
***
Silence captivates the grease stained garage as Cooter closes the doors for privacy before Luke slowly sets up the tape deck. "You ready?" Luke asks to Cooter who nods silently before joining us. "Well here we go."
With that he presses the black play button to force the tape to begin to play, the tape picking up small noises as Kristy slowly makes her seat at the cafe. Everyone remains quiet while they all listen intently to the tape, everyone's faces seem to lighten up as Rosco slowly begins to confess to the truth behind it all.
"Great work, Kris!" Luke grins as the tape slowly comes to an end and he slowly grabs it out of the tape player and shoves it into his pocket.
"What now?" Bo asks as he glares around the room, from person to person.
"Well. . .now," Luke glares around the room as well, giving him time to think it all through, "Now we head over and do some talkin' to one Boss Hogg, give him some black mail that'll have him yellin' for days!"
"How's that?" Kristy pipes in, "You show him that tape...Rosco'd be in a whole heap of trouble. I wouldn't put it past Hogg to fire him over confessing to us about it all."
"Hmmm you're right about that," Luke says as he begins to pace the floor, while his right hand runs it's way through his thick dark brown hair, "but there's no other way than to have Hogg make things fair between Chance and himself. Perhaps black mail him and make a deal on the tape. . .say if Hogg pays for Chance's bike to be fixed and given time for practice, they could have a race for the office. One of Hogg's appointed driver against Chance. . .if Chance wins she gets the office plus newly updated devices that she needs in order to keep the office. If she looses. . .well that won't happen. We all will make sure of that!"
"And what if Hogg declines?" Jesse speaks up.
"Then we takin' the tape to the FBI and they'll have to deal with Hogg," Luke smiles, "somethin' that they'd love, finding Hogg guilty of faulty frame up and messing around with the wrong things...his greed."
"Why not do that now?" Bo spits out, "I mean with him in jail, it'd make life a whole lot easier around here."
"Would it?" Jesse questions, "Sure you have Hogg out of the way and perhaps Rosco, but where do we go from there? Huh? Hogg may be greedy, but there are worse out there that would love to take his spot as Commissioner. Someone who would have worse faults than Hogg. . .I know a couple of them as we speak...who is in favor of the state as politics go, but once they get the power, they'll be out of control, and unstoppable by anyone. Hogg may be a thief due to greed, but under that cold heart he displays about himself, he does care...about his job and the county. He may do some low things. . .but one thing he is not, is evil as the two I am thinkin' of."
It goes silent for a long moment. "Besides Hogg and Coltrane are an enemy we all know and can handle," Luke speaks up, "Once he hears this tape he will be compelled make the deal. . .perhaps the only way to save the office. We would have time to help Chance out...Bo and Garrett could work with her and within hours she'll be an expert of the area that will be raced amongst the best of tricks. Now it all depends on Chance? Will you go along with it?" Luke looks at Chance.
***
"Do I really have a choice?" Chance asked, and then sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I hope this works, that office is all I have."
Luke looks at her questioningly before looking around the room, his mind runs through his gears, fighting for every tiny description of his plan. "I'll take that as a yes," he glares over at Chance, "Now we need to go and give it to him straight out. There is no need for us all to go, that'll just spook him even more. Y'all go do your thing, and I will go in with Chance to keep Hogg in order."
Chance nodded, agreeing with the plan. "Kristy." she turned to her assistant and friend. "I just want you to know I appreciate all you've done for me and my office. Even if this doesn’t work out, I hope we can be friends, even if I'm not your boss anymore."
Kristy gives Chance a friendly smile before replying, "I would hope we could be friends no matter what," she pauses, "but if I were you, I'd trust my brothers and my cousin...Garrett knows as much about motorcycles as he does cars, as does Bo. You lean on them, and they'll pull you through."
"Alright, I have faith in you Dukes. " Chance grinned. "Well's if we're gonna do this, let's do this. I gotta race to run."
"That's the spirit," Luke grins at her as he heads to the door, leaving everyone behind and stops at the door to wait for the young doctor.
Chance accompanied the oldest Duke cousin to the county court house. Ignoring the protests of Enos and Cletus, the two marched past the sheriff's office and pushed open the door to Hogg's office.
"What in the devil's name are YOU doing in my office?!" Hogg yells as Luke escorts Chance into the smoky small office, "Rosco! Enos!"
"Jus' relax Hogg," Luke says stepping forward, lending a forceful hand to sit him down upon his expensive swivel chair, "We're here to talk to you...not your dipsticks!"
"Me?" Hogg asks, acting his innocence as he lights up his thick cigar.
"You are Hogg aren't you?" Luke gives him a cold glare from his knowledgeable blue eyes, "Chance and I have a deal to make with you."
"A deal?" Hogg puffs on his thick cigar, "What type of deal? I don't want to make no deal with no Duke!"
"Well. . .I'm sure by the time we are through, you will change that greedy mind of yours Hogg," Luke sneers before looking at Chance, turning back to Hogg, Luke drags out the damaging cassette tape of Rosco's confession, "I got here a cassette tape. . .a confession of sorts that I am sure you would be interested in hearing. . .seeing how it holds very damaging confessions towards you!"
"Me?" he still mocks innocence.
"Like how you wrecked Chance's bike here so you could own her garage yourself," Luke snaps back, "Ain't that right, Chance?"
"We know you stole my bike and we know why." Chance added. "I could put you behind jail bars but good. But instead, I'm willing to make a deal with you. You want my office so bad, Hogg? You willing to gamble for it?"
"Gamble?" he puts an offended face upon his chubby face, blowing out smoke in the direction of the handsome Duke, "I don't know what you are talking about."
"Well then, we'll show you," Luke says placing the tape into a tape player and pushes play. He watches as Hogg's face goes from surprise to hear his sheriff still talking to Kristy to horror when Rosco's confession is finished, "is that enough evidence for you Hogg? We show this to the feds and you'll be away for a long while. . .Lulu just may find herself another man! Now you can go along with Chance here. . .or this tape will find it's way into a large muscular greedy hand of an FBI officer."
"Deal is this, Boss." Chance's blue eyes narrows. "You let me run the race and you also run. I win, I keep my office and YOU upgrade my equipment to boot. You win, the office is yours and I'm outta of your hair...such as it is...for good." Chance inwardly winced at the last line. The unexpected bonus to here leaving Hazzard would hopefully seal the bargain.
Hogg's brown eyes shoots up from glaring at Luke to Chance as she says her deal. "That's the deal? That easy?" he asks, his posture relaxes, "Perhaps I don't have to fire that numbskull of a sheriff."
"Nothin's that easy, Hogg," Luke cuts in, "you find yourself a driver and we'll have ourselves a nice CLEAN race for that there office."
"Deal," he looks at Chance, ignoring Luke, "when's the race?"
"Where’s my bike?" the doctor countered.
"I'll have it sent over to Cooter this afternoon," he grunts as Luke grabs the tape, "Hey, I want that!"
"Too bad Hogg," he smiles, "I'll hold on to it until it all is over. The race will be in two days...that will be Friday at five o' clock pm. Be there or pay the penalties."
"Any tricks from you and Lulu's going get a very appalling health report from me. I'm sure dutiful wife she is, shed followed any advice a doctor would give after receiving that." Chance grinned wickedly. "Take care, Hogg." With that, Luke and Chance turned and left the courthouse. Only when they got to Cooter's and out of sight, Chance left out the laugh she was holding since Luke played the tape. "Lord, just the look on his face was worth it."
"Well how'd it go?" Kristy asks while they come into view.
"We have two days to get her prepared to race," Luke says behind Chance, "then we race for the office. Bo, Garrett. . .Hogg is having one of his goons out there run over her bike to the garage, once we get it, it is up to you to teach her everything she needs to know about bike racing."
***
Forty hours later, race day morning. Daisy stood up from the
kitchen table. She had double checked each registration paper and placed them
back in the legal size manila envelope. The boys were out with Chance going
over the course. Kristy had taken Jamie and Shay to play with the Rhuebottom’s
grandkids.
She walked over to the sink and made a fresh pot of coffee. A low engine rumble
came through the open window. A light breeze blew the curtains. She saw the
General Lee pull up to the barn just before the curtains fell back in place.
***
Anger raged through Garrett's trembling body as he stood
silently, glaring out the small rectangular shaped window. Garrett stares
tiredly out into the bright hazy day as his mind continues to race within him.
Silently, he takes a deep breath in his attempt to control his temper that
climbs steadily within him.
"Well Duke," comes a thick husky southern voice from behind him, thick
smoke begins to climb within the stale air, "we ain't got all day you
know. The choice is yours."
"The choice is mine?!" he snaps as he quickly turns around to face
the small round man dressed in white who sits behind his old chestnut desk,
while his lengthy sheriff sits upon the edge of the desk, only a foot away from
Garrett. "The way I see is, is I don't have a damn choice to make! Either
way, I am gonna loose and you win! If I had a choice, I'd knock some sense into
that fat greedy body of yours as well as into your dimwitted sheriff
there!"
Fire erupts in Hogg's dark brown eyes as thick angered silence fills the smoky
room. "Ghee khee!" Rosco stutters in frustration as he stands up to
stand only an inch shorter than Garrett, "No one. . .NO ONE talks to my
lil' fat buddy, Boss Hogg, there, like THAT! Especially some damn Duke as
yourself!"
Staring angrily at Rosco, Garrett clenches his fist as he fights to remind
himself who he is dealing with; the law. "Oh?" Garrett finally says
to force a small sarcastic smile upon his leathered face, his cold smoky
gray-blue eyes harden a notch, "Since when can't the fat marshmallow talk
for himself?" Garrett pauses dramatically to stare over the sheriff's
uniformed sheriff toward Boss Hogg who glares over his cigar angrily at
Garrett, "Oh that's right, you can dish out the threats, but then you send
your dimwit here to cover you! "
"That is not. . .-"
"I have had just about enough of you Duke!" Hogg abruptly stands up
to interrupt Rosco, anger burns thickly in his eyes now, "I gave you a
choice and if you don't chose now, I'll chose for you!"
"Khee...if you ask me, he don't deserve to chose no more," Rosco puts
in, "I think I should just cuff and stuff him right now."
"No one asked you!" Hogg throws back to his sheriff.
Once again silence floats into the air as Garrett faces the window once again.
Down below, he watches Cooter work quickly upon a dirt bike that had been
handed to him to fix at the last moment, before the race. "Perhaps you
being a Duke and all...your memory may be faulty, so allow me to remind
you," Hogg finally breaks the silence, his hot breath tickling the back of
Garrett's neck, " You were arrested last night at The Boar's Next for
fighting with Kyle Reddon last night...or should I say violently beating him.
-"
"Violently beating him?" Garrett interrupts in disbelief, "I
think you have truly lost it, Hogg! I will agree with fighting with him... he
deserved everything he got! He antagonized the whole damn thing...but I surely
didn't beat him! Hell...I wouldn't be surprised if all this was a part of some
kind of scheme of yours...in order for me to do what you want me to do!"
"You're the one that threw the first punch and you were the one that
wouldn't stop beating him after Rosco here tried stopping the fight. You kept
attacking him while Kyle tried to back away from you! So don't you dare start
blaming me for this!" Hogg spits out at Garrett as he steps in between
Garrett and the window and Garrett takes a defensive step back, "And to
include all the damage you had done to him in your so-called fight!"
"Hey Boss," Rosco finally speaks up, making himself noticeable in the
room, "don't forget to mention that he had shoved me away in order to get
back at Kyle after they were separated. He could be charged with assaulting a
police officer."
Hogg glares angrily over at Rosco before staring at Garrett once again who
stares from Rosco to Hogg. "Back to your choices," Hogg finally
speaks up as he walks around Garrett to get back to his desk where he picks up
a thick cigar and slowly lights it before speaking again, "as I had told
you before, I truly hate the thought of having to hire some Duke, not alone
YOU, as being my driver. But I truly need to win this race and the only hope I
stand of truly winning this race fair and square is hiring a Duke to drive for
me and not some numbskull as Rosco or Enos who don't know how to drive. I need
someone who knows how to race, knows how to race to win - which leaves me to
either you, Bo, or Luke. I refuse to hire Bo or Luke, so that leaves you -
despite the fact that it still shames me at the thought of hiring you to win MY
race.
"If you decline my offer to race for me," he continues as he blows
out his smoke into Garrett's face, "we'll have your car impounded while
Rosco will finish the arresting job he did last night when he brought your
sorry self in. You'll be locked up in
Anger continues to grow within Garrett's wary body as he tiredly recalls the
horrible fight he had started last night at the Boar's Nest to the rough night
he had spent in the county jail. Concern courses his body at the thought of
Kristy and all that she will think when she hears all that he has done, if she
hadn't heard already. Silently he wonders what everyone's reactions would be
when they learned that he is to be Hogg's driver against Chance - to fight for
her office. He sighs in resignation as he thinks of the irony it will be to
have to drive against Chance, after the hours Bo and he had spent teaching
Chance how to race to win. Now he was forced as being Hogg's driver. Emotions
fight within him as he predicts everyone's reactions, everyone's anger, shame,
and disappointment in him for falling into Hogg's trap.
"Damn you Hogg," Garrett finally snaps at Hogg, "You can't
really expect me to race in today's race without any practice, and win? Or
expect me to race against Chance? We all know what this is all about!"
Hogg holds Garrett with beady angry eyes for a long moment before he says,
"I expect you to race to win. . .you loose, Rosco arrests you at the
finish line. You hear me? I don't care if Chance is a family friend to you
Dukes or what! You don't win this race for me, you will be arrested." Hogg
pauses to suck on his cigar for a long moment, "Don't look at me like that
Garrett Duke...I am forced into hiring some top gun driver as yourself by your
own damn cousin! That's right...you can thank Luke Duke for this...blame him,
not me. He's the one blackmailing me! So...you treat me with respect or you
won't have no choice, but be arrested and charged!"
"Khee...what's it gonna be, Duke?" Rosco cuts in.
For a long moment Garrett stares at Hogg and Coltrane with hardened smoky
gray-blue eyes, expressing his great anger that he fights to withhold. Shoving
his hands down into his pockets he says, "I'll race."
"That's the answer I was hopin' for," Hogg finally says, his beady
brown eyes slowly relaxes from the anger that they had held moments before,
"you will race to win...no lacking off to make Chance or anyone else win!
You don't win...you will be back behind bars and charged with assaulting an
officer and for fighting last night. You understand? You win or else..."
"Yes sir," Garrett slowly answers as he glares down at the floor.
"Good. Now Rosco, bring our driver down to our bike that we got,"
Hogg grins under his large white hat, "and take him out to practice, to
make sure it runs perfectly before the race starts."
"Sure thing Boss. Khee khee," Rosco giggles before taking Garrett by
the arm to take him outside where their expensive dirt bike is parked.
Meanwhile back in town, Chance was finishing her morning paperwork and was planning to meet her friends at the Boar‘s Nest just before the race. She and Nurse Caine had just gone through inventory for orders for the month when the fax machine sitting in Chance's office began to chirp and whirl, indicating an incoming fax. Still dusty, tired and sore from the early morning’s racing lesson, Chance was sorely tempted just to leave it until tomorrow. She and Luke had clashed time and time again during the day about Chance’s strategy to win the race. And frankly, she was getting really tired of his “I’m the man and I raced longer, so I know better you " attitude.
“Lord, that man loves to give orders. But I’ll put my years in medical schools against his Marine training any day of the week.”
Sighing and ripping the paper from the tray, Chance scanned the fax. Frowning, she reread it again. It read as follows.
Dr. Chance Walker:
We are pleased to inform you that your application for the
position of chief attending surgeon at the Boston Memorial Hospital Emergency
Room has been accepted. Your recommendation from Dr. Becker in
Dr. Becker? Chance thought. Dr. LEO Becker?! The same doctor
Becker who, as she was leaving
The cause of the contention between the two doctors was well known in Tricounty. They had matched each other through medical and their internships. Competition was fierce for highly valued position in the hospital and both had fought their way through the rank of medical students to earn their respected positions.
Then the day came when Chance unexpectedly dropped out of
contention for chief residency. It had been a typical hectic, grueling day in
the ER. Chance was going over the heart of a cardiac patient, following up care
for an man who had been brought in from a local physician’s office in one of
the rural towns around
Over five hours later, Chance had left the OR, tired and frustrated, having just put a 14 year old boy's spinal cord back together after a drive-by shooting. Another tragic case of a kid simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A situation Chance saw too damned often in her line of work. She encountered Appleby back in the OR, and found herself accepting his previous offer to take over his family practice. The next day, she send him the money order, most of her savings, to buy out the office building and everything within outright and gave the hospital her change of status.
So within the space of 48 hours, Dr. Chance Walker went from
being one of the most promising surgeons in Tricounty to the small town of
Chance smiled rather grimly, remembering her and the chief resident's last major battle. A girl had come into the ER, bruised and bleeding and showing signs of abuse. Chance attempted to stall for time, distracting the boyfriend while a social worker tried to talk to the frightened girl, with no luck. The boyfriend had too tight a hold on the girl. Finally Becker signed the girl's release, overriding Chance's medical advise and letting the girl leave passively with her probable abuser. Chance really let Becker have it that day, verbally taking Becker's family tree down a few notches on the evolutionary scale...at full volume...in the middle of the ER. Becker had coolly dismissed Chance for the remainder of her shift and advising her to "tell it to a priest."
But now, on the same day Chance’s career in Hazzard was on the line, Becker actually recommended her for a high profile position in a top hospital. Chance would have to be a fool not to take the offer. But even in the short time Chance had been in Hazzard, this had become her home, her new friends had become dear to her. Was she selfish to choose a more peaceful type of medicine than the high paced world she was trained, to choose to heal more people wholly then the assembly line work where her skills more benefit more people by volume?
It took only a few seconds to decide. Crumpling the fax in her hands, she tossed it in the rubbish. If being a fool meant helping the people you came to care about without any reward rather than being paid to be some heartless medical automaton, then a fool she would be. With that thought in mind, Doc grabbed her helmet and headed out the door.
***
Anger and frustration coursed through Kristy's well trimmed
body as slowly steps out of her black truck. For a short moment she glares
silently over her parked truck as her thoughts quickly rush through her,
thoughts of her shady past to the busy day that lies ahead of her. Slowly she
forces herself forward to the small town house that lies only a couple of feet
away, a old house that Applebee had made into his doctor's office so many years
ago. A small smile warms her soft face as memories of growing up in Hazzard
replaces her anger, memories of visiting her dad in Hazzard on her weekly
visits. That is until he disappeared after her sixth birthday. She lets out a
wary sigh as her painful past begins to cloud her vision of how Hazzard had
been before she was forced to stay in
"Good mornin' Kris," comes a gruff male's voice from behind her to
awaken her senses of what is going on. Startled and embarrassed she turns
around to face Rosco who slowly takes his black hat to tuck under his left arm,
his dark gray-brown hair lies neatly combed. "Are you lost? Anything I
could do to help?"
"No, I'm not lost!" Kristy snaps at him before she steps back in embarrassment,
"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that, Sheriff. And as for help,
if you really want to help you can talk that fat marshmallow, uh your buddy
over there, to drop the charges on Garrett. You know this is as unfair to him
as it is to Chance."
For a short moment he takes her in silently before he replaces his hat back on
his head, guilt and sadness cloud his bright blue eyes. "I know it
is," he sighs looking up the street, "and you know how impossible it
would to be to have Boss change his mind about his charges. He isn't about to do
any of that...no matter what I do or say."
Kristy sighs in resignation, knowing Rosco is right and that Rosco wasn't
enjoying it himself. "I know...it was worth a try," she tries to
place a smile for the sheriff, "I really need to go warn Chance of what
she faces...if she don't already know. I will talk to you later."
Slowly, Rosco nods at her before saying, "Yeah...see you at the
race."
With that Kristy watches as Rosco slowly makes his way back across the street
where he slowly walks up the cement stairs up to the court house. Watching him
slowly disappear, Kristy turns and slowly walks up the front porch of the doctor’s
office as her mind rushes from thought to thought. Reaching the front door,
Kristy slowly moves to open the heavy wooden door just as it is thrown open.
"Ow damn it!" Kristy curses in pain, anger, and frustration as the
door quickly and harshly hits her in the face and stomach.
Kristy glances up as the door is quickly swung away to slam shut to find Chance
standing a foot of her, an surprised look upon her face. Silence breaks in
between them as she feels something tickling down her chin and she slowly wipes
at it to find thick blood flooding from her nose, already running down her
expensive light blue business suit and the white shirt that lies underneath. Pain
shoots through her stomach from where the hard door knob had harshly knocked
into her and she quickly grabs at it before running past Chance, to run into
the office to grab some Kleenexes for her nose.
**
"Lemme git this straight..." Maryanne said,
sitting across from Rosco in the Sheriff's office. "Boss wants Chance
outta Hazzard so he can control the doctor and run up everybody's medical bills
to his pleasing. As such, he had Chance's bike stolen and then Kristy Duke
sweet talked a confession outta you about that whole bit."
Rosco blushed and nodded. "Right."
"Said confession was recorded for posterity on tape, which the Dukes came
back and basically blackmailed Boss, and you, with to get Chance's bike
back."
Rosco nodded again.
"Okay...now, Boss, in order to find another way to win that race and get
Chance outta Hazzard, holds a fist fightin' charge against Garrett Duke,
tellin' him to run the race and win or else be looking at about 10 years for
assault n' battery and assaultin' an officer."
Rosco nodded yet again. "Yeah."
Maryanne paused for a moment and then cleared her throat. "Ya know,
cousin, if all this were horse manure, you'd be up to your eyeballs in
it."
"Jit...I know. But what can I do?!"
"Where's that tape now?"
"The Dukes still got it."
Maryanne nodded and thought for a moment.... "Well...I suppose you could
always turn honest."
Rosco looked stricken. "What?!"
Maryanne leaned closer to the desk and explained her plan. When she finished,
Rosco looked white as sheet.
"Maryanne....that's puttin' a lot on the line."
"Yeah, it is...but I think that's what it's gonna take to bring everybody
back in to line." She glanced up at the clock. "Ya better hurry,
cousin, we don't have much time."
****
Any thoughts of the race fled from Chance's head at the sight of her assistant in pain. She followed Kristy back into the office, turning her to face so she could inspect the damage.
"Good God, Kristy! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean...."
For a long moment Kristy allowed Chance's sentence fade into silence as she ran around in search of a Kleenex. Finally finding a box of Kleenexes on her own desk, she grabs a few to hold on her nose before slouching back into her old swivel chair. Tiredly she looks up at Chance and says, "It's not your fault...I just happened to be there."
"You Dukes have a habit of doing that, even when its against your best interests." Chance smiled sadly and sat down on the arm of the waiting room couch. She was actually glad Kristy happened along, she needed to tell her some things before the race. "Kristy, you're the best assistant I could have asked for, and for what its worth, if things go badly today, I'll help you find a position at another medical office."
Through her wad of Kleenexes, Kristy sends Chance a questioning look. "Don't be silly...you'll win," she goes silent as she instantly remember all that Garrett had told her this morning. He loses he is back behind bars. "I mean after all, Bo and Garrett had been showing you the terrain and the best moves. You can't lose."
"Kristy....even if I win, I may not be long in Hazzard.
I've been accepted for another surgical position...in
Abruptly, Kristy sits up straight before leaning back into her chair as her mind races with the news, and what it would hold for her. "Well either way, I am happy for you," Kristy smiles as she continues to press the Kleenexes to her nose, "I really am."
"I haven't decided yet." Frustrated, Chance ran a hair through her long, blonde hair. "Part of me wants to stay in Hazzard, but another part of me is calling me selfish for not using my talents where it can help more people."
Checking momentarily on her nose she reapplies fresh Kleenex
to stop more bleeding. "Well you do have great talent Chance and people
here seem to really love having you as their doctor," Kristy gives Chance
an understanding smile, "but at the same token, you have to follow your
heart, on what it wants to do. I mean, if you were to stay here due to it being
Hazzard, but your heart really wants to go to
"I know, I know. " Sighing deeply, Chance nodded. Just then the church bells down the street started call the hour. Chance looked at the window into the street. "The race is in an hour. If there were a time to back out, this would be it. "
Kristy looks up as a wave of nervousness rushes through her as her mind thinks of Garrett, his only option is to win. But if he were to win, then the loss of her practice would leave Chance without the freedom of a choice at all. Looking at Chance, she fights on what the right thing is, to tell her about Garrett, or just let it hang. "It's your choice," Kristy finally speaks up, deciding on letting the topic of Garrett pass for the moment.
"My choice." Chance repeated solemnly. "My choice....is to race. I've never backed down from a challenge. The rest...I guess I leave up to chance. small C." The young doctor's mouth quirked into a small smile.
Seeing that her bleeding has slowly came to an end she tosses the rest of the Kleenexes in the garbage can while gently touching her tender nose to find the bottom of her right eye a little puffy. "Well then, race it is," she returns Chance's smile.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Holding her helmet in one hand, Chance made a sweeping motion towards the front entrance with the other. "Ladies first? Is that age before beauty?"
Kristy gives her a small smirk before walking out back to her truck, filled with guilt for not having the nerves to tell Chance what she is up against. There is no way Garrett would let her win out of courtesy, not even if there hadn't been a charge for his arrest if he lost. The only way he races, is to win, no matter who his opponent is against. Though Garrett had shown and taught Chance all the right moves and tricks that he had learned, he had one over Chance and that was his experience he had in racing and in motorcycle driving. Sighing she looks back over to Chance before saying, "With age, comes wisdom."
"..and grey hairs" Chance teased as she shut the down behind them.
***
Kristy sighs as she spots how bad her hands are shaking in nerves, not only for her job, but for Garrett and for Chance. No matter what the out come is to be, there will be a huge negative side to it. Walking through the crowd, she finally spots Garrett sitting upon his bright red dirt bike that Hogg had picked out for him, an old scratched red helmet is rested upon his head. "There you are," Kristy gives her younger brother a teasingly pat on his shoulder, before giving him a hug. He glares at her with his hardened smoky gray-blue eyes, as if embarrassed by her hug in public. "Don't give me that look...I figured you'd need something for luck. After all you are the one that taught Chance the moves."
Staring coldly at Kristy for a long moment of silence he finally says, "I don't race to loose, Kris, and there is no way I am gonna spend the next ten years of my life behind bars due to Hogg's damn set up!"
****
"No," a voice drawled softly from behind Kristy and Garrett. "You're not." There was no mistaking the voice that belonged to Sheriff Rosco Coltrane, although his tone was such that was rarely heard. He stood there with hat in hand, his expression both apologetic and sorrowful. "I won't let Boss do it..."
****
The conversation was interrupted the sudden announcement for
the riders to approach line. Chance was already there, having pulled up while
Garrett and Kristy were talking. She looked down the line of riders, there were
bikes of every kind and make; muddy dirt bikes, a couple of Harley's, even one
or two more supped racing cycles like her own. As Chance's eyes traveled down
the line of competitors, her eyebrow raised in silent question when she saw
Garrett at the other end of the racing line, Kristy close by. She didn't recall
Garrett saying anything about being in the race, but he would be the most
difficult competition . After all, He taught Chance about cycle racing. The
smaller red bike he was riding wasn't as powerful of the doctor's Honda, but it
would be more mobile and easier to handle on the rough dirt roads.
With a final look down the row of bikes at the starting line, Chance slipped
her helmet over her head and snapped down the visor. Seconds later, the
announcer called for riders to start their engines. As one, the row of riders
kickstarted their motorcycles and the air was filled with the almost deafening
growl of over a dozen engines.
Underneath the reflective visor, she narrowed her blue eyes, leaned forward
slightly and tightened her grip on the handlebars. She could feel the
adrenaline hitting her system as she waited for the signal to start the race.
****
Startled by Rosco's thick serious tone, both Kristy and
Garrett quickly whirl around to find Rosco standing a foot behind them.
Silently they both seem to take in the county's well known sheriff as he stands
ahead of them, with hat in hands. "What was that, sheriff?" Garrett
finally asks in disbelief, "I don't believe I heard you right."
"You heard me right, Duke," Rosco finally says looking at the young
rugged Duke boy, his usually bright blue eyes seem dim with the sheriff's apologetic
stare. For a short moment Rosco is drowned by his silence as he takes a long
look around the track before returning to Kristy and Garrett, "I can't
allow Hogg to do this to you. . .to Chance."
Holding tightly onto his scratched helmet Garrett shoots a disbelieving glance
over to Kristy who only steps closer to Rosco to place a caring hand upon his
tense right shoulder. "I am really glad that you came around to us,
Rosco," Kristy finally says as she fights with the right words, "but
what about Boss? He ain't gonna be exactly thrilled to hear you bein' on our
side for once...or should I say, against him. And him being your boss..."
Kristy allows that to drag as she looks over her shoulder at Daisy who holds
Shay and Jesse who plays with Jamie.
Garrett quickly looks away from his older sister who is talking to the local
sheriff at the commotion that begins to swarm the track. "Damn," he
mutters as he watches the assortment of bikes begin to line up and start their
engines. Placing his helmet upon his short sandy blond hair he looks up at
Kristy and Rosco before turning on his own engine.
Rosco slowly offers Kristy a small comforting smile from his grim angry
expression that had crossed over his dark piercing blue eyes. "I know he's
my boss and I have allowed him to walk all over me to get what he wants,"
Rosco finally says, his eyes show a full force of determination, "but him
firing you and now this?! This time he has gone too far. Garrett you go out and
race, do your best to win. I will try my best to think of something."
Garrett slowly nods before he joins the rest of the bikers at the starting
line, taking in his competition while he awaits for the gun to go off to start
the race.
****
The was a moment where, to Chance at least, everything seemed to stop and the only thing she could hear was her own tense breath, just before the sharp crack of the starting gun filled the air. Over a dozen motorcycles shot ahead at the sound. Chance slammed her accelerator down, too hard in fact and the Honda's front tire left the ground as the bike reared suddenly, like a startled horse, threatening to spill its rider from the start. But the young doctor kept her balance and threw her weight forward and brought the motorcycle back to the ground with a crash and snarl. The Honda spat dirt back as it found its traction and rocketed ahead, half a pace behind the other riders.
It quickly became apparent that the race was between the powerful red Honda and Garrett's more nimble dirt bike. The Honda powered over the straight stretches but had to slow downs slightly for the various winding Hazzard roads or risk going down, the dirt bike, although not as powerful as the Honda, had no problem. The Harleys quickly dropped from sight in Chance's mirrors, having neither to brunt power of the racing cycle or the necessary traction of the dirt bikes. The two other racing cycles similar to Chance rode wheel to wheel, not letting the Honda pass. But one didn't take slow on the curves and as a result, lost its balance and went down, but not before crashing into the other, taking both bikes down and their riders with it. Garrett passed on one side of the mess as the unharmed riders were brushing themselves off, and second later, Chance passed on the other.
****
Boss stood watching the race, cigar firmly clamped between
his teeth as he cheered on Garret and cheered for Chance's defeat.
Rosco walked over. He tapped Boss on the shoulder.
"AHH!" Boss turned. "Rosco! What are you doing here?'
Rosco took his Sheriff badge off. "I'm givin' ya this." He shoved the
badge into Boss's pudgy hand. "I'm not backing those charges against
Garrett."
"WHAT?! Rosco, what's gotten into you?"
"I've been played as a sucker. By BOTH sides. I'm taking myself out of the
game."
Boss caught a glance of Maryanne out of the corner of his eye. He looked over
at her and came to the conclusion. "Her. That cousin of yours, she talked
you into this!! ARGH! I wish she never came to Hazzard, messin' up my
plans!!" Boss pointed a finger at Rosco. "This is treason to the
highest degree! Mark my words, Rosco, this doesn't end here. Those charges
against Garrett are gonna stick!"
"I don't think so. Because when I squawk and tell a federal judge in
"You wouldn't?!"
"Got nothing to stop me! I might even go beyond just this lil' and tell
'em a few other things. Heck I'm already lookin' at about 20 years
anyway...."
Boss practically choked. "ROSCO!"
"Course you'll wanna do better than me so....wanna go for 30?"
"AAHHH!!" Boss was about red in the face at this point. "Rosco!"
he grabbed Rosco by the arm and led him away from the rest of the spectators.
"This is nonsense! Don't be a fool---"
"I have been a fool, for a lot longer than I care to admit!"
"You'd blow the whistle on every little deal I've ever done, all those
deals that I generously cut you in on---"
Rosco snorted.
"Well I did cut you in, didn't I?"
"Fer chump change!"
"Awright, awright, never mind that. Point is, you'd squeal on me to save
the hide of a Duke??"
"Yep."
"Rosco, are you nuts?!"
"No. This whole thing is out of control, Boss! You can't have it all and
maybe the only way you're gonna figure that out is when the US Marshals come
knocking on your door with a warrant in hand."
Boss was panic stricken by this point. "Rosco... this is insane! You don't
realize what you're throwing away."
"I already threw it away."
That made Boss stop. He looked at Rosco, not seeing a hint of doubt as to what
the Sheriff was doing in Rosco's blue eyes. Boss was nearly devastated, but he
couldn't risk Rosco turning on him.
"If I drop the charges against Garrett....would you reconsider?"
"It'd be a start...."
****
Back at the race, the finish line was quickly approaching. Chance's Honda was slowly gaining on the smaller bike . The curves that gave the dirt bike the upper hand were long since past, leaving only the clear road to the finish line. Chance leaned forward on the handlebars, as if that small movement could give the bike that crucial boost in speed, not knowing what may happen if Garrett lost. She glanced over at Garrett, who also turned his head. They both had everything to lose by this race.
But that one moment Chance swung her head, the Honda's tire skidded on some bit of debris on the road. Caught off guard, Chance suddenly swung her head back, a movement which also caused the Honda to lean dangerously and then veer. The two bikes banged together with a sharp clang on metal on metal. Chance tried to compensate before she took them both down. The two motorcycles bumped together again, but this time the young doctor couldn’t stabilize the heavier bike. Chance slammed the brakes so the crash wouldn't be fatal. Garrett's dirt bike sped ahead to win, with its rider glancing back only once.
With the grinding sound of gear and a muffled thud, the Honda lost the battle and hit the road in a cloud of dust and Chance with it. She felt the bike go down and braced herself for the fall. The contact with the dirt road knocked the wind out of the young doctor and the force of the impact caused her to tumble before coming to a stop. She heard her bike slide a few feet and its engine sputter and die. Fortunately, slowing down had given her time to prepare herself for the spill, so she was only bruised and would probably be sore the next morning. Chance didn't get up, she tried to catch her breath.
But that was the least of the young doctor's concerns. Brushing herself off and standing, she watched Garrett pass the finish line. She had lost the office.