A Hidden Secret

[LittleRedVicki]

*AUTHOR NOTE*

Hi, y'all! I'm back to writing, but on a part-time basis only. Only because I have a new baby, and he takes up most of my time now. Bear with me on that one.

I won't be writing everyday on this one! Take Care!

*DISCLAIMER*

Story originally written - December 1998 to May 1999

Updated & Revised - November & December 2002, and June 2003

This story could have a strong PG+ rating, depending on how you read it. This story will eventually have some violence in it, but for the most part, it is just mild violence. Type of story: Romance/Drama/Adventure 8)

If y'all want to borrow my character Vicki, E-mail me first or send me a private message.

This is the 3rd story that I will feature the serial killer, Jasper Johnson, as he makes his way into the swamplands of Hazzard County for a limited time... If y'all want to more about him, read Assault & Battery first before reading this one!

I have made some more changes on my character Vicki with her working in Chickasaw County full time now, and she had worked some with the FBI now on rare occasions only. Only because one of her instructors at the police academy is a trained FBI agent, and he liked the training that the redhead did at the police academy. That is just some of the changes so far that I have made to her.

I hope that y'all enjoy this long but sweet story!

Take Care! Have a Great Day! Keep Smiling!

Vicki

**Story starts next post**

[LittleRedVicki]

**BALLADEER**

Friends & Neighbors, Welcome Back to Hazzard County. Starting out, this may not look like much, but as y'all read along, some things have changed considerably in the last few months.

Some things are still the same, the Dukes are still being chased by Rosco nearly all the time, or they are getting blamed for something they didn't do. The Boar's Nest is still always smoky & crowded, which is every night of the week except Sunday. Unless Rosco, Enos, or Cletus snags a celebrity, then it is even more crowded than normal.

Some things have changed though. There is one less deputy in Hazzard. Vicki moved to Chickasaw County a couple of months back when Sheriff Little offered her a full time job as a deputy when Boss Hogg couldn't afford keeping the redhead on his payroll anymore.

But Vicki didn't mind of the move, even though most everybody in Hazzard County disapprove of her working for Sheriff Little. Everyone knew how mean the Chickasaw Sheriff could be, and they knew how mean the redhead could be too. But most of the time, Vicki knew how to control her temper better than the Chickasaw Sheriff.

When Vicki made that move to Chickasaw County, she also started taking classes at the police academy on weekends in Atlanta. One of the classes that she was taking was to be trained to be a federal police officer.

I bet I know what Y'all are thinking...the redhead a FBI agent??

Like I said, some things have changed, and the redhead is trying to change hers for the better. So far, everyone has approved of it, especially Bo, who is seeing her in new light with her new lease on life itself...

After all, anything can happen when y'all least expect it, and life can go on...

[LittleRedVicki]

*Chickasaw County Courthouse*

Saturday, May 29, 1982

Vicki sighed loudly as she walked over to the window and looked out at the rain coming down. It was a nice spring day, expect for the rain shower that was passing through.

She was thinking about the change that she made when she started this job a couple of months earlier. Everyone was against her moving to Chickasaw County, but the redhead was going to prove them wrong.

She started her life over 2 months ago when Boss Hogg gave her 2 weeks notice and told her that he could no longer keep her on his payroll, despite the extra money that she was making for the county.

She didn't get upset though. She kept her head held high and as she was going to Atlanta, she stopped inside the Chickasaw County Courthouse and talked to Sheriff "Big Ed" Little.

The Chickasaw Sheriff had a liking for the redhead, due to her working part-time as a deputy for him. Vicki had told him what happened in Hazzard County, and when he heard that, he immediately hired the redhead to be a full-time deputy.

Vicki closed her eyes, thinking about what happened earlier. She sighed loudly as she continued to look out the window.

"A penny for your thoughts," said a voice behind her.

"What do you mean a penny for my thoughts? I was just thinking about why I moved to Chickasaw County, and you too. You know that your uncle was upset when you moved in with me a month ago," said Vicki, sighing loudly, walking away from the window, turning around to face the person that was talking to her.

[LittleRedVicki]

"What? You're not going to talk to me now?" asked Vicki sarcastically as she turned her red head away from the window.

"What's eating you this time, sugar? You still haven't made up your mind about the proposal I asked you a month ago," said Bo as he puts his arms around the redhead, trying to give her a hug.

"I don't know, Bo," sighed Vicki loudly as she pulled away from him.

-->Just then, Sheriff Little and a man in an expensive suit walked into the booking office. Sheriff Little gave Bo a dirty look, but smiled at Vicki.

Sheriff Little laughed at the redhead. "I take it that you arrested Mr. Duke here again."

Bo rolled his dark blue eyes at the Chickasaw Sheriff. Vicki giggled back at her boss. "Not exactly, Sheriff. But it isn't a bad idea though."

"Maybe you can arrest me later sugar," said Bo smiling at Vicki as he was heading towards the front door of the Courthouse. He then added as he opened the front door, "How about if you tell me about your decision at home later."

Vicki sighed loudly, but smiled at Bo. "I'll let you know later what I decide sugar. I don't know what to tell you right now."

"Just think about what I asked you a month ago. We can have years of happiness together if we decide right," Bo smiled at Vicki as he left the Courthouse.

"I'll think about it. We'll talk more when I get off soon," said Vicki, waving at Bo as he walked across the street towards the Boarding house.

Watching her best friend leave, Vicki smiled back at her boss. "Is there something that you want to tell me Sheriff?"

"It all depends on what kind of mood that you're in right now, Redhead," said Sheriff Little.

[LittleRedVicki]

Vicki smiled at her boss. "I can be better, Sheriff. Go ahead and tell me what is going on."

"Sure, but I'm going to let your old instructor from the police academy tell you what is wrong. Go ahead Agent Barnes," said Sheriff Little as he handed Vicki a wanted poster that just came in.

"Vicki, I know that you were planning on taking off for a few days, but I have something here that you might need to see. We were hoping that you might want to help us catch this criminal," said Agent Jim Barnes of the Atlanta FBI.

Vicki gasped outloud as she looked at the wanted poster. It was a wanted poster of Jasper Johnson. "Oh...my...gosh!"

"You okay, Red?" asked Sheriff Little as he watched Vicki trembling as she held the wanted poster. He saw a look of fright in her blue-gray eyes.

[LittleRedVicki]

"Vicki? What is it? Are you all right?" asked Agent Barnes.

"No...There is something about that wanted poster that I don't like. I remember what Jasper Johnson did the last time that he was in this area several years ago," said Vicki as she shivered.

"Yeah, I remember too. He nearly killed 2 people when he was passing through Hazzard County," said Sheriff Little as he took the wanted poster away from Vicki.

"Yeah, thanks to me for talking him out of it," said Vicki sarcastically.

"And your fiery temper too," laughed Sheriff Little.

"I know what happened 2 years ago, and that is the reason why I came here to talk to you, Vicki. I want you to go undercover as a crook. I want you to become as mean as Jasper Johnson for a little while," said Agent Barnes, smiling at the redhead.

[LittleRedVicki]

"I don't know..." sighed Vicki loudly then asked, "Are y'all positively sure that you want me to do this?"

"Only if you can handle it, Redhead," said Sheriff Little, taking the wanted poster away from Vicki then added, "He & his gang has already robbed 3 banks in the last few days, and one of those banks was here in Chickasaw. We have to stop them from doing it again."

"I know that you can handle taking care of Jasper Johnson and his gang. I know that you have the experience to being a safe cracker," said Agent Barnes, reassuring the redhead then added "After reading that false newspaper article that I sent him at his hideout, I know that he'll want to talk to you about helping him."

"I don't know if I can do it," sighed Vicki loudly then added, "I think that it could be risky."

"Vicki, I know that you can do it. You're the best at negotiating with a crook. I know how you can sweet talk them," said Sheriff Little with a chuckle. Vicki rolled her eyes at her boss. "I know, Sheriff. I have done it so many times in the past."

"Yeah, you did it a few weeks ago when you were working undercover down in Atlanta for us," said Agent Barnes.

"I know what I did a few weeks ago. I caught some jewel thieves working undercover as a crook. It was a dangerous job for me to handle at the time. Our plan nearly backfire when the jewel thieves showed up at the warehouse with a hostage," said Vicki.

"Vicki, if you can handle catching those jewel thieves, then I know that you can handle catching this killer, especially if you work on the inside as a crook," said Agent Barnes.

"Yeah, I know that you can handle taking care of Jasper Johnson. We'll be there helping you if something happens," said Sheriff Little, grinning at Vicki.

Vicki walked over to the window and sighed loudly as she glances outside. "I guess that I will do it. I'm not going to let anyone get hurt by that creep again."

[LittleRedVicki]

Tuesday, June 1, 1982

*Mountain Creek Lake* - near Chickasaw/Hazzard County line

A few days later, thanks to Sheriff Little, Vicki & her friend Katie Williams, another Chickasaw Deputy, were at Vicki's parents' cabin that was secluded in the hills at Mountain Creek Lake.

This was one of Vicki's hiding places that she uses when she wants to get away, and for the last month, she's been needing to get away.

She's been under a lot of pressure at work, making sure that she did a good job taking care of the people of Chickasaw County.

Vicki also needed some time alone to think about the proposal that Bo asked her a month ago. And since her parents were on vacation to Nashville, the redhead figure that it would be all right to use the cabin at the lake. Vicki had used this cabin lots of times just to think about things.

And this time her job is causing her stress, not to mention her working undercover as a crook in the near future. It was something that Vicki really wasn't looking to either.

[LittleRedVicki]

"Vicki, are you sure that you want to go through with this? I really don't like the idea of you going undercover as a crook?" asked Katie as she walked out on the porch of the cabin, walking up to the redhead, who was staring down at the lake.

"So what?" asked Vicki, sarcastically, flipping her long red hair away from her face then added as she was walking through the woods near the water, "Maybe this will work. It worked a few weeks ago when I was working undercover in Atlanta as a fence to a couple of jewel thieves.

"Have you talked to Bo about it? He won't be too happy when he finds out," asked Katie as she followed Vicki back up the trail that led to the cabin.

"He wasn't too happy earlier when I was working with some crooks in Atlanta. At first he thought that I was one of the crooks, but I had to tell him that I wasn't," said Vicki as she sat down on a chair on the porch of the cabin.

"Yeah, I remember that it took him awhile to get over it," said Katie, taking a drink of her bottle water.

"I'm sure that Bo will handle it okay. But I know that he won't like the idea of me working with Jasper Johnson again," said Vicki, trembling slightly then added, "That creep nearly killed him 2 years ago when he stalked him."

"But what about you? You nearly shot off the crook's foot," said Katie, placing a hand on her friend's arm then added, "That was when I remember that your temper started flaring."

Vicki sighed loudly. "I know, Katie. That was the 1st time that I had to shoot at someone in order to save someone's life."

"But what about Jasper Johnson coming to see you here? How are you going to handle it?" asked Katie.

"I'm sure that I can handle it. Probably by now my supervisor had delivered that phony newspaper article over to him, and now he might be thinking twice about me. I hope that I can convince him that I have changed since then," sighed Vicki loudly as she looked out towards the gray clouds above them...

[LittleRedVicki]

"Do you think that Jasper Johnson will come here to talk to you?" asked Katie as she watched Vicki walk over to her red mustang.

"I don't know..." said Vicki sighing loudly then added, "More than likely he'll eventually show up."

"What are you going to do about him?" asked Katie as she walked over her car where Vicki was thinking about using the CB.

"I'm just going to go along as planned. The way that phony newspaper read, I'm sure that Jasper will think that I am indeed a criminal," laughed the redhead as she turned up the volume on the CB receiver.

"I hope so. If he knows what you're temper is like, there is no telling what is going to happen," said Katie, her green eyes going wide as she watched a black trans-am pull up in the driveway...

*That car looks somewhat familiar...* thought Vicki as she eyed the sportscar down...

[LittleRedVicki]

"Vicki, who is that?" asked Katie, as she watched a couple get out of the black trans-am.

Vicki eyed them down. "You don't want to know."

"It's them, isn't it?" asked Katie, whose voice was quivering slightly.

"Yeah, it's Jasper Johnson and his girlfriend Lucy Edwards," said Vicki in a low tone to Katie as she waved at Jasper & Lucy.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Katie as she stared at the couple.

"What don't you wait for me inside the cabin. I think that I can handle them for the time being," said Vicki in a calm, but worried tone to Katie.

"Okay, but be careful. You could still get shot by him," said Katie, as she walked up the stairs onto the porch.

"I'll be careful," said Vicki as she watched her best friend go inside the cabin then added as she smiled at Jasper, "Hi, Jasper. We meet again."

Jasper glared wide-eyed at the redhead, thinking about how much she had changed...

[LittleRedVicki]

**AT THE SAME TIME AT THE DUKE FARM**

While Vicki was talking to Jasper & Lucy, Bo & Luke were talking as they were mending a fence right at the property line where it connects to Vicki's parents house.

"Cousin, you seem a little tired. Is something on your mind?" asked Luke as he picked up a hammer.

"Yeah, I miss Vicki. I know that it has only been a few days, but I miss her," said Bo as he hammer a nail inside a piece of wood.

"At least you're leaving her alone for a few days. Do you think that she made a decision to your marriage proposal?" asked Luke as he grinned at his somewhat silent cousin.

He was happy that Bo had finally found his soul mate, even if she was Rosco's god-daughter.

"Yeah, Luke. I hope that she made the right decision about it. I'm tempting right now to go to the lake and ask her what she decided," said Bo, as he picked up another nail & a piece of wood.

"If ya want to, Bo. Just don't get carried away. I don't want to see you two eloping before telling Uncle Jesse. He'll have your hide for sure," laughed Luke.

Bo rolled his eyes at his cousin. "Don't I know it, Luke."

[LittleRedVicki]

"I'll tell you what, Bo. The sooner we mend the fence, the sooner you can go to Chickasaw to see Vicki," Luke smiled at his cousin as they continue to mend the fence.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see her. I've been gone away from her long enough," Bo said as he started whistling to one of his favorite tunes.

-->Just then, a Hazzard County patrol car pulls into the driveway.

"Rosco! What are you doing here?" asked Luke as Rosco & Enos walked into the back yard towards where Bo & Luke were.

Rosco looked around. He noticed a black mustang parked behind the General Lee. "I'm just here on official police business, Luke. Did Vicki come with you, Bo? Her car is parked behind the General."

"No. She's on vacation this week, Rosco. And she let me drive her car while she's gone," said Bo as he & Luke followed the Sheriff back up to the farmhouse.

"What was this about you being on official police business, Rosco? Is there something wrong?" Luke asked.

"Well, there could be something wrong. I got this wanted poster yesterday in the mail," said Rosco as he handed Bo & Luke the wanted poster then added, "I was wondering if Vicki had a chance to see it yet."

Bo glanced wide-eyed at the wanted poster of Jasper Johnson. "Luke! Is this the same guy that nearly tried to kill us a couple of years ago?"

"I'm afraid so, Bo. It looks like that we're in for it again," said Luke as he took the wanted poster away from Bo.

Bo rushed over to the General Lee and picked up the CB mike. "I've got to tell Vicki the news. She won't like what I have to tell her."

[LittleRedVicki]

*NOTE* For the next few posts, my character Vicki will be talking like a true criminal, even though she isn't!

********

*BALLADEER*: While Rosco was talking to Bo & Luke about Jasper Johnson escaping from prison, Let's see if Vicki is shuck-n-jiving that crook...

Vicki glared at the crook, thinking about what to say without blowing her cover...

Jasper glared at Vicki as he approached the redhead. "Hello, Red. We meet again," he said laughing meanly.

"Yeah, what are you doing here at my secret hiding place? I hope no cops followed you here," asked Vicki, as she smiled meanly back at Jasper.

"You're secret hiding place? Red, we've used this place one other time before when we working together car stripping cars several years ago!" exclaimed Lucy.

"That was back when I was a wild teenager," giggled Vicki as she smiled back at Lucy, then at Jasper.

"So that newspaper article was true! You were behind that robbery in Capital City!" said Jasper in shock then added, "You're hiding out here so you can be away from the local cops!"

[LittleRedVicki]

Vicki laughed hysterically at Jasper as she was looking at the newspaper that Jasper gave her about her committing a crime at the Capital City Bank. "I'm not the same lady that I once was, Jasper. I have changed, and not for the good either."

"Yeah, after what Lucy was telling me about how you changed, I think that you can be as crooked as me," laughed Jasper.

"Yeah, especially if the price is right, I can do anything to make us happy," said Vicki as she sat down on the hood of Katie's red sportscar.

"So that phony money that was found inside the vault at the Capital City Bank was you're doing?" asked Jasper after Vicki handed him back the newspaper.

"If I told you that I was the one who put the phony money in the bank, and then took some real money out, what would you do?" asked Vicki as she laughed.

"How much money did you exchange while you were making your "withdrawal"?" Jasper asked as he smiled back at the redhead.

Vicki laughed. "I took just enough to keep me happy for a while. Why were you asking?"

"Wow! You have changed. By the way you're talking, I know that you turned crooked. Would you be interested in doing the same job again at the Bank in Hazzard?" asked Jasper as he watched Vicki smoking a cigerette.

[LittleRedVicki]

For several more minutes, the conversation continued on.

Vicki sighed loudly after taking a puff from her cigerette. "I don't know, Jasper, about going into Hazzard County to do a bank heist. It doesn't feel right." *especially robbing from Boss Hogg* she thought to herself.

"But I know that you can do it, sugar. I bet that you can even con them into giving you all the money," said Jasper.

"Just like we conned Hughie Hogg into the car stripping money a couple of years ago when we were both car strippers," said Lucy as she laughed but then frowned, "That was before our gang got caught by the Dukes. Except for you & Hughie Hogg for escaping into Chickasaw County."

"That is just it, Jasper," sighed Vicki loudly then added, "I don't want to get caught again."

"You don't have to worry about that, sugar. I will take care of that before you do the job," Jasper said.

*IF Jasper really thinks that I'm a crook, then in the end I may have a good chance into putting him back behind bars...* thought Vicki as she was eyeing Jasper down.

Walking back over to Jasper & Lucy, who were walking back towards their black trans-am, Vicki smiled at Jasper.

"IF I don't get caught, I want to do this for y'all," said Vicki as she brushed her long red hair away from her face.

[LittleRedVicki]

"I knew that I could count on you to help us," said Jasper, laughing excitedly.

"Of course, I'll help y'all make some money, providing that you give me a fair cut of it," said Vicki as she glanced back towards the cabin.

"Now you're thinking just like a criminal," said Lucy as she slipped her arm around Jasper's waist.

"That's exactly what I was thinking too," said Jasper.

"I take it that y'all are happy that I'm going to help y'all make some money," said Vicki with a smile.

Lucy giggled. "Yeah, it'll be fun having your fiery temper come out too."

"Sure am, sugar. I think that it'll be a lot of fun having you working with us," said Jasper with a smile then added, "Can you come to my old fishing cabin in Hazzard Swamp in a couple of days? I want to go over everything with you."

"Sure, I will CB y'all when I am coming out there," said Vicki nervously then added, "If I remember correctly, it is just northeast of here, just across the Hazzard County line."

"That's right," said Jasper with a laugh.

"Wow! You have a good memory! We used that hideout a couple of years ago when we were in this area," said Lucy shocked.

Looking at his wristwatch, Jasper smiled at the redhead. "Sugar, we need to be heading back to the hideout. Dave & Harry should be arriving with some supplies. I'll be in touch, Red, See ya later," said Jasper as he started the trans-am.

"Bye," said Vicki with a smile as she waved at Jasper & Lucy.

Watching the crooks leave, Vicki rushed inside the cabin.

"Katie! Did you get everything on tape?" asked the redhead, excitedly.

"Yep. Our plan worked like a charm," said Katie as she rewinding the tape.

"Good. Now I hope that I can continue without blowing my cover," said Vicki smiling at Katie. Vicki knew that the crook was starting to think that she was indeed a criminal...

[LittleRedVicki]

SOMETIME LATER...INSIDE HAZZARD SWAMP...

*BALLADEER: *While Vicki & Katie were listening to the cassette tape that Vicki made about her conversation with Jasper, at a hideout inside Hazzard Swamp, Jasper & his girlfriend Lucy were talking about the fiery redhead.*

"So what did you think of Vicki, Jasper?" asked Lucy as she & Jasper were walking inside their hideout that was seculded inside Hazzard Swamp.

"I think that little redhead will work out just fine," laughed Jasper, putting his arm around Lucy then added, "She has really changed!"

"Yeah, Imagine to think that at one time she was a cop too. I can't believe that she is as crooked as you," said Lucy as she noticed that 2 of Jasper's henchmen came pulling up in a late-model red ford sedan. "What are they doing here?"

"Honey, I called them a couple of hours ago. They're going to make sure that Vicki does her job right when she steals the money out of Hogg's safe," said Jasper.

"When are they going to do that?" asked Lucy as she smiled at Jasper's henchmen, Harry & Dave.

"Within the next few days. Vicki said that she would be by here tomorrow to work out the details," said Jasper, grinning at Lucy then added, "Just think, in the next few days, that little redhead will be making money for us."

Lucy giggled as she held Jasper. "Yeah, I can't wait either. I knew that it was a good idea to hire her."

[LittleRedVicki]

MEANWHILE...

"I can't believe that I just did that," Vicki said after listening to the conversation between her & Jasper Johnson.

"Yeah, it sounds like that you made that crook happy by agreeing to help him," said Katie as she pushed the stop button on the cassette recorder.

"Yeah, everything worked like a charm. He believes that I am trully a crook just like him," laughed Vicki.

-->Just then a red chevy surburban and a Chickasaw County patrol car pulls up outside behind Katie's red mustang.

Katie took a peek out of the window as she noticed Sheriff Little & Agent Jim Barnes walking towards the cabin. "We have company again."

Vicki's blue-gray eyes widen. "I don't like the way you said it, Katie. Who is here?"

"Just your supervisor from the FBI department, and our boss Sheriff Little," said Katie. *The only thing missing out of this picture is Hughie Hogg* thought Vicki with a smile as she walked out the cabin to greet her 2 bosses.

[LittleRedVicki]

"Hi ya Sheriff. What brings you all the way up here while I'm on vacation?" giggled Vicki as she greeted her boss.

"Nothing much, little lady. I'm here with Agent Barnes. He was telling me that you made a conversation tape with Jasper Johnson," said Sheriff Little.

"We would like to listen to it before I take it to Hazzard County," said Agent Barnes.

Vicki made a face. "If they listen to it, they'll think that I turned crooked."

"I wouldn't worry about it, redhead. You're doing fine," said Sheriff Little, grinning at his deputy then added, "I'll make sure that we tell them that you're not really crooked."

"Don't worry about it, Vicki. I'll tell them that it is a set-up to put Jasper Johnson behind bars," said Agent Barnes.

"I hope so," sighed Vicki loudly as she started the tape recorder then added, "I don't want Rosco to think that I'm crooked."

[LittleRedVicki]

Agent Barnes smiled at the redhead after Vicki played the tape for them. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Vicki. We'll handle that part of it. I'm going to go listen to that tape again."

Vicki sighed loudly. "Okay, I won't worry about it. But just make sure that you tell Boss Hogg and Sheriff Coletrane what is going on so they will know what will happen."

Sheriff Little gave Vicki a stern look. "I'll tell them, don't worry about it. You're too much of a worry wort, Vicki. So what exactly did that criminal say to you?"

"You like to change the subject, Ed," laughed Vicki as Sheriff Little rolled his eyes at the redhead.

"So I do. Rachel (Sheriff Little's wife) has told me the same thing from time to time," said Sheriff Little, taking a drink of his coffee then added, "So everything that was said on the tape was true?"

"More or less, Sheriff. Jasper told me that he thinks that I can handle the job. He also told me that his friends were going to make sure that I will not be followed by someone to his Secret hideout-I think that it is somewhere in Hazzard Swamp-after I steal the phony money that I will plant in Hazzard Bank tomorrow," said Vicki worriedly.

"And I'll make sure that I have someone following you to the hideout. It'll be risky not having backup when you arrive at the hideout," said Agent Barnes as he walked back over to where Vicki & Sheriff Little were talking.

[LittleRedVicki]

Brushing her strawberry blonde hair back away from her eyes, Katie was in shock as she stood by the door, watching her best friend.

She couldn't believe how calm Vicki was as she was talking to Agent Barnes & Sheriff Little about Jasper Johnson.

Katie was also surprised that Vicki would be involved with a crook again so soon after she had worked undercover for the first time in her life only a couple of weeks ago. It was one time that a plan almost backfired when Vicki was working as a fence to some jewel thieves. Katie remembered that Vicki had nearly lost something that was cherished to her.

Wanting to know if the redhead was really all right, she walked over to Vicki, who was looking out the window.

"Are you okay? You look like you're a million miles away," asked Katie as she approached Vicki.

"Nah, just thinking about what is going to happen within the next few days. I'm not sure if I want to go through with it. What will happen if something goes wrong again?" asked Vicki as she looked out the window...

[LittleRedVicki]

"Vicki, does this have anything to do with Bo?" Katie asked as she sat down on the sofa next to Vicki.

"What, Katie?" asked Vicki worriedly.

"About you going after Jasper Johnson. You know that Bo will be worried about you," said Katie.

Vicki sighed loudly as she looked across the cabin watching her supervisor & Sheriff Little listening to the conversation tape that she made earlier. "I have to go after him, Katie. I know that Bo will be worried about me. I'm going to be worried more about him if something happens again."

"Yeah, I know how much Jasper dislikes Bo. Bo had cost Jasper more money in the past," remarked Katie.

"I know, Katie," sighed Vicki loudly then added, "I know. I'm going to make sure that Jasper stays away from Bo or from anyone in Hazzard."

"I know that you're going to do it, Vicki. You're the best at handling that creep," said Katie as she & Vicki walked over to where Agent Barnes & Sheriff Little were standing...

[LittleRedVicki]

A few minutes later, Vicki walked back inside the cabin. As she walked inside,

Jim had switched off the mini tape recorder.

"How did I do, Jim?" Vicki asked as she walked over to her supervisor.

"You did fine, Vicki. According to the tape and the way he was talking, he thinks

that you are really a cop turned crook," said Agent Barnes as he smiled at the redhead.

"Maybe that course that I took about negotiating with a crook at the Academy will come in handy now," said Vicki as she sat down at the table then added, "Maybe I'll do good enough to outfox Jasper & his gang."

"Probably well enough to put them back behind bars where they belong, Vicki," said Agent Barnes as he smiled at the redhead then added, "You keep acting like a crook, and you shouldn't have any problems with them."

"I hope so, I'm worried enough that something will go wrong," said Vicki worriedly as she sat down at the kitchen table.

"No need to worry about it. You did fine with Phase 1 of our plan. Are you ready to do Phase 2 of our plan when you get back into town in a couple of days?" asked Jim.

"Well...I have 2 days left of my vacation, so when I return to town, I'll be ready," replied the redhead then added, "What is Phase 2?"

Jim laughed. "Only the easiest plan. Have you ever really robbed a bank before?"

[LittleRedVicki]

"You want me to rob a bank?" asked Vicki in shock.

"According to the tape, you have to rob the Hazzard bank. But I'll make sure that it will be easy for you to do it," said Jim.

"It'll be hard for her to do it, especially if Bo & Luke Duke are there to stop her from doing it," added Katie into the conversation.

"Yeah, I hate to say it, but she's right," sighed Vicki loudly then added, "If they are there when I'm robbing the bank, Jasper & his men might try to attack them."

"Don't worry about it, Vicki. That will be worked out at the meeting tonight at the Boar's Nest," said Jim.

"Yeah, then I'll call you tomorrow to have you set up another appointment with Jasper Johnson, so you can tell us when he wants you to rob the bank," said Sheriff Little as he smiled at his deputy then added, "Maybe I should call you *Crook Lady* instead of *Chickasaw Redhead* when I call you over the CB."

"Okay. You can call me *Crook Lady* here in Chickasaw County, but if you call me and I'm in Hazzard County, I don't know what they'll think of what I turned into to," Vicki said as she laughed.

Sheriff Little laughed. "I don't care what they'll think of your career change. It's only temporary anyway."

"Yeah, they might throw me out of Hazzard County like they did Hughie not too long ago," said Vicki.

"Yeah, but isn't Hughie happier now?" Katie asked.

"Probably. He's County Commissioner of Chickasaw County now after Jason Browning retired," said Vicki, brushing her auburn red hair away from her eyes then added, "Hughie told me that running Chickasaw was a breeze compared to traveling through Hazzard to go to Atlanta."

**BALLADEER** Quite a Change for Hughie, isn't it??

"Vicki, even though they are your god-fathers, Boss Hogg and Rosco won't throw you out of Hazzard. They'll probably dislike what you're going to do at the bank though," said Katie.

"So will Bo. He doesn't like it when I go undercover. He'll probably start worrying about me as soon as I tell him," said Vicki, sighing loudly as she looks out the window...

"Vicki, don't worry about the plan for Phase 2. Everything will work out just fine," said Jim, reassuring the redhead.

Vicki looked out the window. "I hope so."