Rosco Coltrane parked his patrol car in front of the Duke’s farmhouse, he sat for a moment debating whether or not he should go through with what he was intending to do. He took a deep breath and slowly released it gathering courage from the depths of his soul. He slowly climbed out of his car and walked up to the house, knocking on the door. A moment later Jesse answered the door.
     “What do you want, Rosco?” Jesse asked gruffly.
     “Jesse, I need to talk to you.”
     “About what?” Jesse asked, his voice edged with suspicion.
     “About Luke.”
Jesse narrowed his eyes at the sheriff. “He ain’t done nothing, and neither has Bo, so if you are coming here to try to find them to arrest them you can just forget it.”
     “That ain’t what this about.” Rosco said, taking off his hat and nervously fidgeting with it in his hands. “I know before it was decided it was for the best . . . but, well Jesse . . . I know it’s so many years later, I have always had second thoughts and . . .” Rosco’s voice trailed off.
Jesse’s stern expression softened slightly. “Come inside.” Jesse said stepping to one side allowing Rosco to enter the house.
     Rosco went inside and sat down at the kitchen table as Jesse poured both of them a cup of coffee.
     “Why are you deciding now to bring the past up?” Jesse asked as he sat down across from Rosco.
     “Because I can’t keep quiet about it.”
     “It has been almost twenty two years.” Jesse said.
     “I know . . . it has been too long already.” Rosco said, sadly.
     “I think it is best if things continue the way they always have.” Jesse said.
     “Luke deserves to know.” Rosco said.
     “He’s better off not knowing. After all these years and the way things have been it is best he don’t know.” Jesse said. “Back then I would’ve said different but not now, you have changed and not for the better.”
     “I know that, Jesse, I just . . . can’t keep this a secret any longer. I have to talk to Luke about it before it is too late.” Rosco said.
     “I don’t know, I just think it is best if Luke don’t know, after all these years . . .” Jesse started to say but Rosco cut his sentence off.
     “He has the right to know. He needs to hear the truth, he deserves to know.”
Jesse sighed. “You’re right, Rosco, but I have no idea how to tell him. But, he does to deserve to know the truth.”
     No sooner had Jesse said that, Bo and Luke came through the door.
     “What’s Rosco doing here?” Bo asked.
     “He’s here on some . . . important business.” Jesse said.
     “Yeah, well we ain’t done nothin’ so he better not be here to arrest us.” Luke said.
     “It ain’t that, this is about . . . something else entirely.”
     “Yeah, right there ain’t never anything else when it comes to you having “important” business with us.” Bo said.
Jesse gave Bo and stern look. “Bo, maybe you should wait outside, while Rosco and I have a talk with Luke.”
     “No way.” Bo said, if Rosco was going to try to accuse Luke, his cousin, his best friend, of something he wanted to be right there to defend Luke.
     “Bo.” Jesse said firmly.
Rosco sat quietly, noticing, as always, how strong the friendship between Bo and Luke was, how their having grown up together had made them so close, making Rosco have second thoughts for a moment, but feeling it was for the best that Luke learned the truth.
     “It’s fine by me if Bo stays.” Luke said, he didn’t know what they wanted to talk to him about, and he didn’t think it mattered, after all he and Bo always told each other everything so whether he was here now or stepped outside, Bo would still end up hearing all about it.
Jesse nodded understandingly. “I think you should sit down.”
Luke sat down at the table, wondering just what was going on and what it all had to do with Rosco. Bo sat down next to Luke, seemingly just as anxious to find out what was going on.
     “What is all this about?” Luke asked.
     “It’s kind of a long story.” Jesse said, not exactly sure how to break this to Luke.
     “So what is Rosco doing here?” Luke questioned.
     “It’s a very long story.” Rosco said in a quiet voice.
Luke looked puzzled but didn’t question Rosco presence any further.
     “This has to do with your parents.” Jesse said.
     “What about them?” Luke asked. “Rosco can’t be here to try to make any claims that they broke some kind of law, they been dead since the time I was born.”
     “It ain’t that all, Luke.” Rosco said.
     “That is not why Rosco is here.” Jesse assured Luke.
Luke looked at Bo, to see if he had any clue what their uncle and the sheriff were carrying on about, though Bo only shrugged.
     “Then what is it about, and what does it have to do with Rosco?” Luke asked.
     “I don’t really know how to tell you this . . .” Jesse said, his voice trailing off, as he tried to think of the easiest way to tell Luke.
Rosco noticed the wary look on Luke’s face, showing clearly in Luke’s soft blue eyes, the look reminding him of himself when he was younger. He was beginning to reconsider once again, perhaps this wasn’t the time to try to bring up the past, perhaps the past should just be laid to rest and forgot about, perhaps it was already far too late to be telling this long kept secret to Luke. Yet, another part of him felt it was for the best, not only for his own peace of mind, but for Luke’s sake as well, that Luke deserved to know the truth about his parents.
     “It is rather a long story . . . I guess you should know the circumstances that surround this . . . your father is not really dead, I told you that because at the time I felt it was for the best.” Jesse said.
     “Why didn’t you tell me once I got older?” Luke asked, a slight tone of accusation in his voice.
     “I just thought it was best if you continued to think your father was dead. Things being the way they were.” Jesse said.
     “What do you mean?” Luke asked, not really understanding what this had to do with Rosco, had his father been a criminal and Rosco had arrested him.
     “Things were just better if you thought your father was dead.” Jesse said.
     “Why? If he is alive I would’ve at least liked to have known, so I could’ve possible found him and met him.” Luke said.
     “You have.” Rosco whispered.
Luke looked at Rosco. “What do you mean? If I have met him why didn’t he say anything?”
     “Maybe he thought it was for the best.” Rosco said.
     “It was for the best.” Jesse said.
     “Why won’t the two of you just tell me?” Luke said, growing angry.
Bo just sat quietly, curious to know just who Luke’s father was, feeling sympathy with his older cousin, for having been lied to about something so important, thinking of how he’d feel if suddenly he was told his parents, or at least one of his parent’s were still alive.
     “It’s very complicated.” Rosco said.
Luke looked at Rosco accusingly. “Why is complicated, did you arrest my father on some false charge and send him away to prison?”
     “No, Luke, it ain’t like that.” Rosco said.
     “Yeah, right.” Luke accused.
     “Rosco didn’t arrest your father.” Jesse said.
     “Just tell me. I have the right to know.” Luke said pointedly.
Jesse sighed deeply. “Your mother was my youngest sister, she was only seventeen when she fell in love with an older man. Veronica still lived here at the farm . . . everyone involved thought it was best if the whole town didn’t know about their relationship.”
     “Why just because he was older? Just how much older was he?” Luke asked.
     “He was about five years older then your mother.”  Rosco said.
Luke wondered how Rosco knew so much about this, perhaps he had found out and stopped the relationship. “He wasn’t that much older, it didn’t matter she’d been an adult in like one year.”
     “It wasn’t just the age . . . it was his potion in society.” Jesse said.
     “Who is my father?” Luke asked, hoping to get a straight answer and no more “run around.”
Jesse seemed to ignore Luke’s question. “They were going to be together once she turned eighteen . . . but then she became pregnant.”
     “And he left her?” Luke asked.
     “No, he was going to marry her once she turned eighteen.” Jesse said.
     “So, why ain’t he around now?” Luke asked.
     “Veronica died during delivery, and your father thought it would be best if you were to raised here at the farm, and that it all remained at secret, at least until you were older. But by then things had changed and it was all left a secret until now.” Jesse said.
     “You have told me everything except who my father is.” Luke said.
     “I am.” Rosco said in a barely audible whisper.
     “What, you have to be kidding there is no way that, that is even possible.” Luke said, his voice edged with anger. “My mother could never be in love with someone like you. You can’t be my father.”
     “It is the truth, Luke, Rosco is your father.” Jesse said.
     “If it was true that means you have lied to me my whole life.” Luke snapped at Jesse, refusing to accept what he was hearing as the truth. “BOTH of you have.”
     “Luke, I can explain . . .” Rosco started to say.
Luke turned to glare at the sheriff. “SHUT UP! I don’t want to hear any of your lies. This is by far the worst lie that you have ever told. Did Boss put you up to this?” Luke questioned then turned to glare at his uncle. “And you . . . you went along with it all.”
     “He doesn’t even know. Nobody else knew, except . . .well now the four of us know.” Rosco said. “It ain’t a lie it is the truth . . . I am your father.”
     “Luke, things were different back then. I know it is shocking but you have to accept the truth, Rosco is your father.”
     “I don’t have to accept anything.” Luke said, jumping to his feet and storming out of the house, slamming the screen door as he left.
Bo stood up and followed Luke outside, thinking at this point that Luke needed someone to talk to or at least someone to be there.
     Luke angrily slapped his hand on the hood of the General, not even noticing that Bo had followed him out. Bo walked over and placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder. Luke spun around quickly to face Bo.
     “What do you want?” Luke asked, angrily.
     “What are you are angry at me for, I didn’t do anything.”
Luke’s expression softened slightly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. It’s just . . . just that this is the worst lie Rosco has ever came up with and Uncle Jesse is taking his side and saying it is the truth.”
     “It could be the truth . . .” Bo started to say, but Luke cut him off.
     “There is no way that it could be true. There is no way that Rosco could possibly be my father.” Luke said.
     “After what they said, about . . . your parents, you know it really could be true, you just don’t want to accept that it could be true so you ain’t listening.” Bo said.
     “Why are you taking his side too?” Luke asked accusingly.
     “It ain’t taking nobody’s side. All I mean is that . . . Luke, you deserve to know the truth, you should hear him out before you make your final decision. I think it is true, and I think deep down you know that to, but it scares you that Rosco could be your father, doesn’t it?”
Luke glared at Bo. “I figured at you would be on my side, guess I was wrong.”
     “Luke, this ain’t about taking sides.”
Luke didn’t reply, he turned around and climbed in through the window of the General Lee.
     “Luke, just wait a minute.”
Luke acted as though he didn’t hear Bo, he started the engine and pulled away from Bo, then sped away from the farm in a cloud of dust.
     Jesse and Rosco came outside when the heard the General take off.
     “He’s in no shape to be tearing around in that car.” Jesse said, concernedly.
     “I tried to stop him but he wouldn’t listen to me.” Bo said, and turned to face the two older men. “Is it really true?”
Jesse nodded. “It is true. Rosco is Luke’s father.”
     “Hard to believe . . .” Bo said, his voice trailing off as he couldn’t really think of what to say.
     “Well, it is the truth.” Rosco said, almost defensively.
     “I know . . . I believe that it the truth. I just mean after all these years and . . . everything that happened . . . all the time you arrest us . . .” Bo said.
     “I know . . .” Rosco said sadly. “Things got so complicated so quickly.”
     “I think we should try to find Luke, he shouldn’t be racing around in the General right now.” Jesse said.
     “You’re right, Uncle Jesse.” Bo agreed.
     “Bo, you take the truck, I’ll go with Rosco.”
     “Yes, sir.”  Bo said, and headed over towards the beat up old white truck, trying to think of where Luke could’ve possibly gone, as he thought about the fact that Rosco was Luke’s father . . . which meant Luke was not only a Duke, but was also a Coltrane.
     Luke sped along the back roads, taking corners at break neck speeds, not really paying any attention to where he was driving, having no idea of where he intended to go. He was filled with anger at the fact such an important secret had always been kept from him. He didn’t want to accept it to be the truth, he didn’t feel there was any possible way that Rosco could be his father, there sure didn’t seem to be any resemblance, just the thought of it was a laugh – to think he was part Coltrane. After a few minutes of aimlessly driving Luke headed towards the Boar’s Nest. As he pulled in, he narrowly missed hitting several cars, he slammed on the brakes bringing the powerful orange car to a screeching halt mere inches from striking the side of the building.
      Luke climbed out through the window of the car and headed inside. Daisy was surprised to see her older cousin coming in alone and went over, to the table that Luke had sat down at. She immediately noticed the angry look on Luke’s face, she could she the cold angry look that shone in his crystal blue eyes.
     “Hey, Luke. What’s wrong?” Daisy asked with genuine concern in her voice.
     “Nothing.” Luke replied shortly.
     “Where’s Bo?” Daisy asked, after all seeing one without the other was a very unusual thing.
     “Don’t know. Don’t care.”
     “Luke, is everything okay? Did you and Bo have a fight of some kind?”
Luke didn’t reply to either of the questions that Daisy asked.
      “Luke . . .” Daisy started to say, but her sentence was cut short by Luke.
      “I don’t want to talk about it. Why don’t you do your job and get me something to drink.” Luke said, nastily, he was so angry at the whole situation that he was lashing out at anyone without a single thought.
     “Yeah . . . sure thing, cousin, what do you want?”
     “Whiskey.”
     “You sure?” Daisy asked, knowing Luke was never one to be a heavy drinker and so rarely drank anything heavier then the watered down beer that Boss served.
      “It is what I said ain’t it?”
      “Yes, but . . .”
      “It is really simple, it is what I asked for so I guess it is what I want, now ain’t it?”
     “Okay, Luke.” Daisy said quietly walking away from the table, towards the bar, wondering what was so wrong to cause Luke to be this upset – considering he was usually so calm, it took a lot to get him upset.
Daisy filled the glass, almost spilling most of the whiskey onto the counter as she glanced at her older cousin in concern. She figured that Luke and Bo most have had a really bad fight if it was any other problem Bo would be there with Luke and they would be figuring out a solution together. Daisy walked back over to the table and set the glass down. “Here you go, Luke.”
Luke didn’t thank her or say a single word, he just picked up the glass drinking half of the glass with one gulp.
Daisy put a hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “What’s wrong, sugar?” she asked concernedly.
     “Ain’t nothin wrong.” Luke said slamming the glass down against the table.
     “So you are just acting like a jackass over nothing.”
Luke didn’t comment, he instead just finished off the glass of whiskey.
     “Luke, I’m just concerned about ya, what’s wrong? Did you and Bo get into a fight or something?”
     “Nothing is wrong so just mind your own damn business.” Luke said, he pulled out his wallet and through money on the table to pay for the whiskey and stood up.
     “Luke …” Daisy started to say, but found herself unsure of what exactly to say to her cousin.
     “Just get out of my way.” Luke said, shoving past her so hard he almost knocked her over.
Daisy just stood stunned as she watched Luke walk out the door, after a moment she followed after him glancing out the door just in time to see the General speeding away, recklessly. Luke’s irrational behavior upset her and she went to find the CB hoping to reach Bo or Jesse or somebody who knew what was wrong. Luke was on a different channel and didn’t hear Daisy call on the CB, however Bo did.
     “What’s wrong, Daisy?” Bo asked, he could clearly hear the upset tone in her voice.
     “Why don’t you tell me.” Daisy replied.
     “What do you mean?” Bo asked feeling confused.
     “Luke was here acting stranger then a hound dog under a full moon.”
     “Is he still there?” Bo asked hopefully.
     “No, he took off outta here after having a whiskey. What’s going on?”
     “It’s a long story and not on to discuss over the CB. Did you happen to see which way he went when he left?”
     “He took off heading east. Do you want me to help look for him?” Daisy asked. “I doubt it’d do much good ... even when we find him.”
     “Did the two of you have a fight?”
     “No, I’m afraid it’s much more serious then that.”
     “Oh.” Daisy said, wanting to know what was going on but knowing it must be quite serious to not be able to discuss it on the CB. “Just take care and find him.”
     “I plan on it.” Bo said, hanging up the CB, ending the conversation.
     Bo pushed the old truck to its limit searching for any sign of his older cousin, a seemingly hopeless task. “Damn it, Luke, where are you?” Bo asked quietly into the silence of the car.
     Luke pushed the General hard, not really caring if he got into an accident. He couldn’t believe the lie that his uncle had gone along with and that Bo had even tried to side with him, he figured if Daisy had been told she’d buy into the lie as well. Luke was driving blindly, when he released where he had been driving to Heavenly Acres, Hazzard’s cemetery. Luke pulled the orange car to a stop and climbed out through the window. He headed along a small path that led to the Duke family plot.
     ‘It can’t be true … Rosco can’t be my father … I can’t be part Coltrane … I am nothing like him … he can’t be my father.’ Luke thought to himself. He stopped before his mother’s grave, and looked down at the worn old stone, it was only about the second time in his life he had been up here. “Tell me it ain’t true…” Luke whispered.
     Luke lost track of how long he had been standing there and found he really wasn’t any closer to knowing if it was true or not. It was hard to believe and after so many years and all that had happened it seemed impossible – at least that is what he told himself. He had never really questioned his uncle as to who his parents had been, he always figured there was no since in doing so, they were dead. If Rosco really was his father – that meant is father was alive and he had always in a way known his father – though not really everything about him. Luke was lost so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t hear Bo approaching until he felt Bo’s hand on his shoulder.
     “What do you want?” Luke questioned, sounding slightly annoyed, as he turned to look at his younger cousin.
     “We’ve been looking for you for the past several hours … was starting to worry.” Bo said.
     “I want to be alone.” Luke said.
     “You ‘always’ say that, and I know you well enough to know it ain’t always true … and this is one time it ain’t.” Bo said.     “Do you want to talk about it?”
     “What is there to talk about?”
     “The fact that Rosco is your father.” Bo said, simply as though there was no debating the issue.
     “It ain’t true.” Luke said.
     “Why ain’t it?”
     “Because … it can’t be true, he can’t be my father. I refuse to accept it.”
     “Luke, I know it’s a real shocker and it is hard to accept … I believe it is the truth and if you’d stop denying it for one second you’d know it was true too.”
     “I don’t want to hear it. How could you take his side?” Luke said accusingly.
     “This ain’t about ‘taking’ sides it’s about the truth … and the truth is he your father, Uncle Jesse wouldn’t lie.” Bo said.
     “He can’t be my father, my father is dead.” Luke stubbornly.
     “Why can’t he .. I mean there is a slight resemblance you both have dark hair, blue eyes …” Bo started to say but his sentence was cut short by Luke.
     “My father is dead.”
     “You should be happy to find out your father ain’t dead and it someone you’ve known … it’s better then having lost both your parents. I should know.”
Luke’s expression softened slightly, all three of the cousin all had to deal with the death of their parents Luke was the only one to now be finding out his father was alive and right there in Hazzard. “It’s just … if he is then why? Why not tell me sooner? Why …everything that has ever happened between all of us and him?”
     “I don’t know, Luke, those are questions that you have to ask him. Only he can give you those answers.” Bo said.
Luke sighed deeply, finding his younger cousin was starting to make sense there was a chance that Rosco could be his father and the least he could would be find out the answers he was searching for.
     “Does this mean you’re gonna come back to the farm and talk with Rosco?” Bo asked, reading his older cousin’s expression.
Luke nodded. “I guess it’s the only way I can really know for sure and to find the answers…”
     “Yeah, cousin, it is.” Bo said.
Bo called the rest of the ‘search party’ and told them he found Luke and for them all to meet back at the farm, deciding best to not really say anything about what was going on over the CB, as anyone could overhear.
     Everyone arrived back within seconds of each other, three vehicles pulled to a stop in front of the old farmhouse. Rosco and Luke looked equally nervous as they climbed out of the cars. Everyone stood around for a moment of silence. Normally Jesse would’ve scolded Luke for having taken off the way he did, but this time he didn’t scold his nephew, understanding Luke’s reaction to the news. Before any conversation had even begun Daisy, who had just finished her shift, pulled up, to a stop in her jeep. Daisy walked over to the four men, wondering if this had anything to do with Luke’s behavior earlier at the Boar’s Nest.
     “What’s going on?” Daisy asked, thinking more then likely Rosco was there trying to arrest Bo and Luke and some falsified charge.
     “Why don’t Bo and I tell you inside.” Jesse said, figuring that Luke and Rosco needed some privacy.
     “But what about …” Daisy started to asked, feeling confused.
     “We’ll explain it to you inside.” Bo told her.
     “Oh … okay.” Daisy said, though still not really understanding.
Luke watched as the only family he had ever really known walked into the farmhouse, leaving him alone with Rosco, who he found out now was ‘supposedly’ family too, who was ‘supposedly’ his father.
     There was a moment on tense silence before either of them spoke.
Rosco cleared his throat. “Um, Luke ... I … ah …” Rosco stammered not really sure of what to say.
Luke looked at Rosco. “Why?”
     “Why what?” Rosco asked.
     “Why … everything? If you really are my father why lie all these years and suddenly decided to tell me?”
     “It’s all so complicated ….” Rosco said, wishing he knew how to talk to Luke, but it had known it was going to be hard when he made the decision to tell Luke.
     “Why should I believe you?”
     “Because it’s the truth.” Rosco said.
     “That doen’t really give me reason to believe you not after everything that has ever happened.” Luke said.
     “I didn’t choose for things to be the way they are now … I promise I won’t let it happen no more. So much happened back then … it wasn’t just losing my pension that drove me to being the way I am now ... it was losing everything.”
     “Then why didn’t you tell me sooner? Everything wouldn’t have been lost then.”
     “Jesse thought it was for the best that you didn’t know … and I agreed that he could provide a better home life for you then I could ... I didn’t have anything or know how to raise a child … I thought you’d be happier raised here on the farm.”
     “I am happy here and I was happy being raised here … but as too if I would’ve been happier here then with ... you.” Luke said, his voice almost a whisper as he finished the sentence, realizing he had accepted it to be true that Rosco was his father.     “We’ll never know.”
     “I am sorry, Luke, maybe I shouldn’t have came here and demanded that you know the truth ... just let you live the life you have always known.” Rosco said.
     “And continued to live a lie …” Luke said. “I know I haven’t acted it but I am happier knowing the truth … that my father is alive.”
     “Even if it is me?”
Luke nodded. “It is better to be able to know my father … but I still want to know why …”
     “I’ll answer any of your questions that I can.” Rosco said.
     “I don’t know what to ask.” Luke said, moving to sit on the hood of the General.
Rosco stood in front of Luke, not saying anything. Luke looked at the older man, as though truly looking at him for the first time. There was another moment of silence, but it was not a tense silence this time.
     “I don’t really understand why you had Jesse raise me.” Luke said. “I mean you wouldn’t have made such a terrible father.”
     “I let him convince me that it was for the best that you were raised here, and that you didn’t know the truth … that you’d be happier that way. I don’t think he ever really liked Veronica and I being together, I guess after she died he wanted to deny that she did, to keep it a secret … and that wouldn’t gave been possible if I raised you … everyone would’ve known. I am not blaming him for keeping you from me … I know in the end the choice was mine … but I thought it truly was for the best. It has always seemed that way, you’ve always been obviously happy here and you are close to your cousins … especially Bo … I know if you hadn’t been here that friendship might not have been so strong, so I decided to keep it a secret. It really seemed to be the best choice.”
Luke didn’t say anything, in a way in understood why the secret had been kept, even though he wished he had known sooner, but couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere other then on the farm.
     “I know I should’ve told you sooner, and I am sorry.” Rosco said quietly.
     “You don’t have to be sorry. For the most part I do understand, I know the past can’t be changed but ….” Luke started to say, his sentence trailing off as he slide off the hood of the car and stood in front of Rosco.
     “But what?” Rosco asked, worriedly.
     “But there is still time to make up for a lost past … time to find out answers to more questions.” Luke said.
A smile slowly spread across Rosco’s face as he realized Luke’s acceptance of the situation, acceptance that he was his father.  “Yeah there is still a lot of time … and I promise things will be different from now on …. I won’t let Boss try to frame none of you no more.”
Luke smiled. “Thanks … dad.” He said quietly, he felt more complete now that he knew the truth and had accepted it.
Rosco’s blue eyes shone with happiness to hear Luke call him that, to be able to actually have his son in his life. Even though it was hard to believe, Luke believed that Rosco was his father with all his heart. Luke felt like he had a thousand questions he wanted to asked, not only about Rosco but also his mother and the love they had shared, but at the moment he couldn’t manage to ask a single one, he couldn’t manage to say anything. Luke’s pale blue eyes shimmered with tears from mixed emotions as he looked at Rosco, a man who had once been an enemy of sorts, even though there’d never really been ‘hard’ feelings, … and now he found to be his father. Rosco’s blue eyes held those same tears, he didn’t know what to say, so he did the only thing he could think of, he hugged Luke.
     “I love you, son.” Rosco whispered.
     “I love you too, dad.” Luke whispered, returning the hug.
A father and son reunited, though never had been ‘long lost’, stood outside the old farmhouse, talking and answering questions about the past, until the last light of the day started to slip away.