Ransom

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills.


Warnings: Angst, Slash, Established Couple


Rating: FRT


* indicates thoughts


Ransom
Chapter 7


"How is he?" was the first thing Jesse said when he returned to Bo's room.


"Worn out, he fell asleep right after you left," Luke replied. "Did you find Rosco?"


"Yeah I found him."


"Is he okay?"


"He's worried about Bo, I think he just needs some time to think," Jesse answered, not wanting to reveal any confidences.


"Think? What do ya mean Uncle Jesse?"


"He's trying to figure out what the best way is to keep your cousin safe."


"Does he think somebody else is going to try something?"


"He doesn't know, that's part of what he's thinking about. For now I think you and Daisy should go home and get some rest, I'll stay here with Bo."


"It's okay Uncle Jesse, I'll stay."


"Me too," Daisy added.


"No, you kids have had a harder day than I have. Just hold on now, if we're going to make sure Bo isn't left alone, we all need to get rest. So you two go on home, Daisy can come back after supper, then Luke you can take over about midnight."


"Alright, I guess that does make sense," Luke reluctantly agreed. "I'll see ya later cousin," he whispered in Bo's ear. "Uncle Jesse will be here with ya, so you just rest and don't worry about nothing." Standing up, Luke headed towards the door, waiting next to it while Daisy said good-bye.


"You get some rest baby," she softly said, running her fingers through Bo's hair. "I'll be back after supper to sit with you." Reluctantly she walked away from her younger cousin's side, giving Jesse a quick hug, she joined Luke by the door.


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"Yes sir, how may I help you?" Susan Leeds asked.


"My name is Bill Thompson and I represent a man who wishes to remain anonymous. My client would like to arrange payment for the medical bills for a Beauregard Duke."


"Let me just look that up for you," Susan said, moving to a nearby filing cabinet. Quickly locating the file she needed, she returned to the desk. "Mr. Thompson are you aware that Mr. Duke hasn't yet been discharged, so I can't tell you how much the bill will come to. However your client should be aware that the bills for Mr. Duke could easily top twenty-five thousand dollars."


"Yes Miss I'm aware of this, as is my client. I assure you my client is quite prepared to pay Mr. Duke's bills no matter how high they may climb. There is one condition, he does wish to remain completely anonymous. Nobody can know, including Mr. Duke or his family."


"Of course Mr. Thompson," Susan agreed. Though it was rare, this wasn't the first time she had dealt with an anonymous benefactor and she knew how it worked. "I am curious though as to why your client decided to pay Mr. Duke's bills?"


"Is it necessary for you to know that?" Bill coldly asked.


"No sir," she replied, swallowing hard at the coldness in his voice.


"Very well then. Now I will supply you with an address to which you may send Mr. Duke's bills, this will include any therapy he may require after his release from the hospital. This is of course a post office box so that my client's identity will be protected," Bill explained as he wrote the information down.


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Rosco left the chapel an hour later, no closer to an answer than when he entered. Before going to Bo's room, he went back to the nurses' desk, asking to borrow the phone.


"Sheriff Little," the voice on the phone answered after only a couple of rings.


"Sheriff Little, the is Sheriff Coltrane I need to talk to you."


"About?"


"About having somebody guarding Bo Duke's room."


"Well why does he need a guard? I thought you killed the one hitman and the others are in your jail."


"That's right, the problem is we don't know if there might be more of them and until Lewis Turner leaves Hazzard tommorrow Bo could still be in danger."


"Yes I see what you mean. The problem is Coltrane I can only spare one deputy for guard duty and he surely can't be on duty for the next thirty-six hours."


"Could he stand guard from now until midnight?"


"I suppose he could, but then what?"


"Then I'll take over until morning, and Enos Strate can take over from me," Rosco explained.


"Alright, I'll bring Deputy Jones right over, that way you'll know he works for me."


"Thank you," Rosco softly said. Hanging up the phone, he next called Enos and explained the plan to him. Now that he had all the arrangements in place, Rosco finally headed back to Bo's room.


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Jesse looked up when the door began to open. Jumping to his feet, he moved to the end of Bo's bed, fists raised and ready to protect his youngest from any danger. "Everything okay Rosco?" he asked, relieved to see the other man coming through the door.


"As much as they can be," came the quiet reply. Glancing towards his lover, he grew concerned when Bo continued to sleep, not even stirring at their conversation. "Is he okay?" moving further into the room, Rosco stopped several feet short of the bed.


"He's just worn out is all, remember the doctor said he'd be weak for a while yet," Jesse reminded.


"Oh yeah, guess I forgot."


"Rosco you should go home and get some rest, you look pretty worn out yourself."


"I will soon Jesse," he whispered, taking a few steps closer to the bed. "I wanted to tell you what's gonna be happening first."


"What do ya mean?"


"Sheriff Little is bringing one of his deputies over to stand guard until midnight. I'll take over then, and Enos will take over at eight in the morning. Then I'll head back to Hazzard to wait for the U.S. Marshall. Once the Marshall has his dinner he'll take over watching his prisoner himself and I'll be able to head back over here."


"Maybe you should get some rest after Enos takes over instead of heading straight for the jail."


"Can't, I have to make arrangements for the Blevins brothers to be taken to Atlanta until their trial."


"Who?"


"Oh that's right," Rosco muttered to himself having forgotten to tell the others. "Them other two hitmen, the ones that kidnapped Bo in the first place."


"That's their name?"


"Yeah, Ricky and Roy Blevins, brothers out of Bosier City, Louisanna. Can't have them in the jail while Lewis Turner is there," Rosco explained.


"No, I guess that wouldn't be a good idea," Jesse agreed, understanding the problem immediately. "So you going home now?"


"Actually I was hoping I could sit with Bo for a while first, maybe while you go get some air or something."


"Sure ya can Rosco," Jesse smiled, gently nudging the younger man towards the chair next to Bo's bed. "You just sit here and watch out for Bo, I'll be back in a couple of hours, okay?"


"Thanks Jesse."


"You're welcome Rosco."


Jesse had barely left the room when the door started to be pushed open, bringing Rosco to his feet, hand on his gun.


"Whoa Coltrane, it's just me," Sheriff Little cautioned, holding his hands up and standing still.


"Sorry about that," Rosco apologized.


"No need for that," Little assured. Turning back towards the door, he motioned somebody inside. "Sheriff Rosco Coltrane, this is Deputy Morris Jones, he's going to stand guard until midnight."


"Deputy," Rosco acknowledged. "Has Sheriff Little explained the situation to you?"


"Yes sir," the deputy replied. "He said I wasn't to let anybody into the room except for you, the doctor, nurse or Mr. Duke's family. You're coming back to take over at midnight, right?"


"Yeah I am. I'll be staying until Jesse Duke, that's Bo's uncle comes back and then I'll be leaving, but I'll be back at midnight."


"Yes sir, I'll just be outside the door then."


"He's young, but he's a good man," Little observed after the deputy left the room. "The Duke boy'll be safe with him on guard, you can count on that."


"Thanks, and Little, um, Ed, I appreciate ya bringing him over here yourself."


"Just doing my job Coltr...er...Rosco," Little replied awkwardly. "Well I best be going, got patrols to make."


Returning to the chair, Rosco sat back down, absently picking up Bo's hand and gently caressing it, unaware of the passage of time. A small moan had him jerking his head up, "Bo? Are you in pain sweetheart? Do you need something?"


"Rosco? That you?" Bo asked groggily.


"Yeah it's me," came the quiet reply.


"Is everything okay?"


"What do you mean Bo?" Rosco asked, hoping that Jesse hadn't told Bo what they'd talked about.


"Didn't you call the Marshall's?"


"Oh yeah, and it's too late for them to change the route. Don't you worry none though, ain't nobody gonna be hurting you again."


"What about you?"


"I'll be fine too Bo. Truth is, I don't think anybody else is gonna be trying anything, but I'm still gonna make sure you're protected just to be safe."


"So what's the plan?"


"Sheriff Little assigned a deputy to guard your room until midnight, then I'll take over until morning when Enos takes over for me. You ain't gonna be alone either, your uncle will be back soon and I'm sure that if he's not here then one of your cousins will be."


"Ain't you staying?"


"Until Jesse gets back, but then I've got to get some rest if I'm gonna be worth a damn tonight," Rosco explained.


"Oh," Bo was clearly disappointed. Chewing on his lip, he tried to figure out what was wrong. "Rosco, did I do something wrong?"


"What? Why would you ask that?"


"You sound...off," Bo replied, not sure how to explain what he was hearing in his lover's voice.


"Just got a lot on my mind," was the offered excuse, and Rosco knew the moment the words left his mouth it was the wrong thing to say.


"A lot on your mind? Thought you said that you were just being cautious? Is there something you ain't telling me?"


"No, of course not," Rosco quickly denied, too quickly.


"Are you...?" Bo broke off when he heard the door opening.


"Jesse, you're back already," Rosco observed.


"It's been a little over two hours Rosco," Jesse told him.


"Guess it has," Rosco agreed, glancing at his watch. Turning back to the bed, he leaned forward, brushing a light kiss across Bo's lips. "I got to go now sweetheart, I'll see ya tommorrow. Love you," he whispered. Pulling back and cupping Bo's cheek in his hand, he lightly caressed the skin with his thumb.


"I love you too cowboy," Bo whispered in return. Turning his head slightly, he planted a small kiss in the palm of Rosco's hand, "Please be careful Rosco."


"I will, you just rest and I'll be back before ya know it," with one more light kiss, Rosco stood up and moved towards the door. Grabbing Jesse's arm, he pulled the older man towards the door. "Jesse, please don't say anything about what we discussed," he quietly asked.


"That mean you made a decision?" Jesse asked just as quietly.


"No, but I don't want to worry him if it ain't needed."


"Alright Rosco, I'll keep quiet for now," Jesse reluctantly agreed.


"Thank you Jesse." Letting go of Jesse's arm, Rosco walked out the door and headed for home.


"How you feeling sprout?" Jesse asked, moving to sit in the chair next to Bo's bed.


"Tired, sore..."


"Sore? You in pain? Should I call the nurse?" Jesse interrupted.


"Nah, it ain't that bad, just aches is all," Bo replied. Turning away from his uncle, Bo closed his eyes, trying to decide whether or not to ask. He knew that his uncle and lover didn't realize he could hear their conversation; the overheard talk only adding to his fear and confusion. As he lay there considering what he'd heard, he slowly drifted to sleep.


Jesse watched Bo, worried by the way he'd turned from him. It wasn't long before he realized the boy's breathing had evened out and that he was asleep. He had only been asleep for thirty minutes when he began to toss and turn, obviously caught in a nightmare. Reaching over, Jesse gently shook his nephew's shoulder, hoping to wake him from the dream. "Bo, wake up Bo, you're having a bad dream son," he called.


"No!" Bo cried out, jerking awake, his right arm stretched out in front of him.


"Shhh, it's okay now Bo, just a bad dream," Jesse soothed.


"Rosco? Where's Rosco?" Bo asked, ignoring his uncle as he kept his arm stretched out, searching for his lover.


"Bo! Wake up!" Jesse snapped, grabbing his nephew by the shoulders and lightly shaking him.


"Uncle Jesse?" Bo called, finally coming fully awake.


"You okay now?"


"It was a dream?"


"Yeah, you want to talk about it?"


"No, I...Uncle Jesse what were you and Rosco talking about?"


"Huh? When?"


"When he was leaving, I heard y'all talking. What is it he doesn't want you to tell me?"


"I can't tell ya that Bo, I promised," Jesse sadly answered.


"He ain't planning to do anything that could get him hurt is he?"


"No son, it ain't nothing like that," Jesse quickly assured his nephew.


"What decision does he have to make?" Bo pressed his uncle for answers.


"Please son don't ask me no more, I can't tell ya, I promised," Jesse miserably plead.


"Alright Uncle Jesse, I won't ask again," Bo agreed. "I'm pretty tired, think I'll go back to sleep," he mumbled. He hated this, without his sight he couldn't tell what it was he wasn't being told. He knew there were secrets being kept, and he feared what those secrets were. Yet, no longer able to read the truth in the eyes of those he loved, he could do nothing to chase the fears away, or to discover the secrets they were keeping. Lying there in his hospital bed, surrounded by darkness, Bo had never felt so alone in his life.


TBC

Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, please review and let me know what ya think.