---Epilogue---

Boss listened while the phone rung, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Autie?" He said when the call was answered. "It's JD here. It's about them overheads… I got me an idea how ta cut the budget fer the sheriff's department without puttin' them poor, poor folks outta their employment."

He nodded through the reply.

"Well, I been lookin' through them books…I been awful concerned about the possibility of cuts, ya know my first concern is the welfare an' the safety of the citizens o' Hazzard…"

"An' if ya'll believe that, I got me some Spaghetti trees ya might be interested in purchasin'…"

"… ya know, them pension payments made by the department, well, they's mighty steep an' it ain't like it's a necessity fer runnin' the law."

"Uh-huh. Ya'll gettin' it now? See Boss got to kinda like having ol' Rosco under his thumb an' he figured he'd give him the push he needed. An' we all know he went plum over the cliff, now don't we?"

"Ya can shave a whole bundle off the top an' ya won't have ta loose a single deputy."

"That man is lower than a snake's belly."

"Uh-huh, yeah, I thought ya might…" He nodded. "No, pleasure's all mine, Autie. Be seein' ya now."

---

It was a clear day when the Traveller rolled up outside of the Tri-County hospital. Bo refused to be wheeled out in a chair, wanting to enjoy the walk in the sunshine after being cooped up in both the jail and the hospital.

He walked stiffly, with his left arm in a sling to immobilise his bandaged shoulder, towards the Traveller, heading for the driver's side.

"Hey, even if ya didn't have stitches," Luke said, "my car, I drive."

Bo laughed at the force of habit. "Just aimin' ta get some practice in, cousin." Bo told him airily. "I been stuck in there so long, I might have plum forgot how ta drive a car."

"On that day," Luke laughed, "Hell woulda frozen over."

"You boys watch your language." Jesse scolded, but there was only a smile in his voice. This wasn't the day for bad feelings.

Luke slid behind the wheel. "Besides, time ya go your own set of wheels, cous."

Bo flashed him a grin as he settled in the passenger seat. "Read this book in the prison."

"Well there's a first."

Bo ignored the jibe. "About NASCAR design, I mean." He explained as the car pulled away. "How'd ya feel about building our own?"

"An' we all know how that turns out, huh?

An' as fer everyone else, well, Sammy an' Andy got married an' after a few years, they moved ta Vermount where they was hearin' the pitter-patter of tiny revenuer feet. An' as fer Ricky, he got paroled not long after the Dukes an' went back ta school, where he graduated with honours an' now he writes books in upstate New York - about moonshiners an' revenuers. He an' Bo still keep in touch."

---Coda---

Jesse Duke woke before the cockerel crowed and wandered the old house. Every corner of the old farmhouse, every creaky floorboard held memories for him. The worn spot on the easy chair was where Lavinia would sew, her nimble fingers creating pretty dresses for Daisy and turning up Luke's old jeans to fit Bo. The hearth rug was where Luke had taken his first steps, falling into his fathers arms with huge grin on his face. The table still bore the dent from Bo's head.

Jesse remembered all these as he walked the darkened rooms. The house was so quiet, so bereft of life.

With a heavy heart, Jesse went to the sink and opened the cupboard underneath. He took out a bottle of clear liquid and held it up.

Jesse unscrewed the shine and tipped the bottle upside-down over the sink. The drink glugged and sloshed down the drain.

Jesse put down the empty bottle and sat down at the kitchen table. He sighed.

It was over.

There was a commotion behind him, a clatter of feet and laughter as the bedroom doors opened and in a noisy group, Bo, Luke and Daisy came out, still dressed in their pyjamas.

"Whatcha doing, Uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked and slapped Bo's hands away when she saw him fiddling with his sling.

"Just gettin' rid o' the last o' the shine."

"Seems an awful shame to just pour it away like that." Bo said.

"I keep ma word."

"We should have a party." Luke decided. "Welcome home sorta party."

"That'd get rid of the shine, Uncle Jesse." Bo added.

Jesse bustled to his feet and began swiping at his kids. "That's vice. I ain't encouragin' vice. Now ya'll just git!"

Bo and Luke dodged back, laughing and the moment seemed to crystallise.

"So that's the legend of how the Duke family quit the moonshine business. Ya'll come back now, ya here?"

- - - The End - - -

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Thanks for all the reviews and comments. They really kept me going when the Muse was being a pain and dragging me off to do other things.

PS I haven't forgotten Hogg and Son!