Chapter 1

New Orleans Police Department

New Orleans, Louisiana

Detective Beau Neville stood in front of the whiteboard in his office, studying photographs pinned to a whiteboard, "Fifteen disapperances in one year, and I'm still no closer to finding a suspect since the first case." He said to himself, sighing, he grabbed the file of the latest victim from the table; Victim is Joshua Pickett, last seen Friday 18thth January at the docks in New Orleans waiting to take a ferry to Moonscar Island, to search for rare plant species for his collection. After failing to return home at the agreed time, and answer his phone, his mother, Elenore Pickett called the police."

"Hmmm…" He mumbled, "I wonder."

He grabbed his phone and flipped through his contacts, then pressed the call button on the selected contact.

"Hello, it's Beau Neville, I need help."

Buffalo, New York

The Gang's Office

"What do you think?" Shaggy asked. "He asked for our help." Fred said. "Then we help him." Daphne said. "I'm sure Detective Neville can handle it without us." Velma bluntly. "Huh?" The rest of the gang asked confused.

"Velma, the detective asked for our help with a year-old missing persons case, fifteen victims." Shaggy reminded her. "You're just excited to go for the chillies and hot sauce." Velma said. "True, but like solving this case might do us good." Shaggy said.

Since the Clifford Murder case, the gang had had a difficult year getting back to normal, and trying to focus on big cases.

"We'll be fine." Fred said, reassuringly.

"Ok, fine. We'll go." Velma said. "Like, we were gonna go, with or without you, Velm." Shaggy said, Daphne seemed to be the only one who noticed Velma looking anxious.

"Ok, if we're going to New Orleans we should leave tonight. There's some stuff that I need to do. I'm going to get some fuel in the Mystery Machine and then I'll go and see my mom." Fred said, "I'll see you at home." He said, kissing Daphne, she blushed when he pulled away, then he left the office.

"Scoob an' I are gonna get some food, then we're gonna head home and start packin'." Shaggy said, as he and Scooby left the office.

"What are you so nervous about?" Daphne asked, she and Velma were alone in the office. "I'm not nervous about anything." Velma said, sharply. "Uh-huh." Daphne smiled, suspiciously, "We've been friends for years, I know when you're lying, just like I can tell when Freddie is hiding something from me." Daphne said.

"Are you nervous about going back to New Orleans, since what happened the last time we were there?" Daphne asked. "No." Velma said. "Then what are you so anxious about?" Daphne asked. Velma takes a deep breath, knowing Daphne wasn't going to give up. "The last time we were in New Orleans, we met Beau. When we left Moonscar Island and we got back to the city, Beau and I had a…thing." Velma said.

It took Daphne a few seconds to realise what Velma was trying to say, and when she finally got it, she gasped. "You and Beau had sex!" She exclaimed. "Keep your voice down!" Velma exclaimed. "What, nobody's here!" Daphne exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?" She asked. "I didn't want to talk about it." Velma said. "When we left New Orleans, he and I both agreed that it didn't happen." Velma said.

"Why?" Daphne asked. "Long distance relationships don't work, we hardly knew each-other and I thought you liked him." Velma said. "Fred and I have been together for nine years, we were just in a bad place back then. But he's all I want, and I can tell, you're still not over this fling you and Beau had." Daphne said.

"I am over it, Daphne. Please don't tell anyone about this." Velma said. "I won't tell anyone, I promise." Daphne said.

New Orleans – 6 years ago

It was late, Shaggy and Scooby had found a chilli restaurant in the city and Daphne and Fred had decided to go back to their hotel room, probably to talk about what had happened on Moonscar Island, "Or having sex." Velma mumbled to herself, sitting on her bed.

She thought about the terrifying events that had occurred on Moonscar Island. Throughout their journey through Louisiana they had encountered many men and women dressed as monsters and committed crimes, but on Moonscar Island, they had encountered real zombies and real monsters. "Fuck it." She said, she grabbed her coat and her purse and decided to go to the bar downstairs.

The bar was nearly empty, two young girls sat in the corner drunkenly giggling away, a couple in the other corner and two men sat at the back of the bar. Velma sat at the bar and ordered herself a whisky, she didn't know if she'd like it or not, but she was going to drink it anyway, she needed something strong. She took a sip of the alcoholic beverage and regretted it instantly, "Ugh, how does Daphne do this?" She said in disgust.

"I was thinking that when I saw her and Fred heading back to their room with a bottle of whisky." A familiar voice said. "Beau?" Velma asked as he sat next to her, "What are you doing here?" She asked. "Same as you; drinking my problems away." He said. "I'm not doing that." Velma said. "Sure, you are." Beau replied.

"You don't seem like a drinker, unlike your friends." He said. Velma looked at the glass of whisky. "You should try something else." Beau said. "Can I get an amaretto for the lady, please?" He asked the bartender, "Sure thing, detective." He said, and began to pour Velma a drink. Beau took her whisky and drank it in one go.

The bartender gave Velma the glass of amaretto, copying Beau, she drank it in one, "That wasn't as bad as I thought." She said, Beau chuckled, at her cringing face.

Then a few more drinks later, Velma and Beau realised how late it was and decided to head back to their hotel rooms. Beau walked Velma to her room, but for a reason she can't explain; Velma kissed Beau, and he kissed her back.

Their lips didn't part, he was in her room, and then in her bed with her, doing something Velma never thought she would do with a stranger.

The next day, Velma and Beau agreed that their night together didn't happen, and they wouldn't tell anyone. The drive back to New York, Velma tried to forget the night, but it didn't help that Daphne and Fred were being 'couply', as Shaggy put it. 'They definitely had sex last night.' Velma thought to herself, but she couldn't forget the way Beau made her feel, it was nothing like she'd felt before.

Velma pulled her suitcase down from the top shelf of her closet, she opened it onto her bed and began to carelessly throw her clothes into the case. "It's January." She muttered, as she opened the bottom draw of the chest of drawers and pulled out her scarf and gloves before she threw them into her case, and then a few pens and notepads, then finally she collapsed on to the bed. "What is wrong with me?" She groaned, holding a pillow onto her face.

"Take a deep breath Velma! I told him it was nothing and he's probably moved on. He probably thought it was nothing." She told herself. It had been six years since she last saw Beau, and though she tried to convince herself that he'd moved on and was probably married now, deep down she hoped he still hadn't forgotten her.

She sighed, "Focus Velma!" She threw the pillow to one side, climbed off the bed. She emptied her case and began to repack it properly.

Then she heard her phone buzzing on her desk, "Oh great." She mumbled, she answered the phone, "Hello Detective Neville."

Daphne and Fred laid on their bed kissing, Fred on his back and Daphne on top of him, they kissed passionately for a few minutes before he rolled them over and was now on top of Daphne, without breaking the kiss.

His tongue brushed against her lips and she moaned as it slid into her mouth and wrestled with hers. While he was kissing her, Fred unbuttoned the two top buttons of her shirt, Daphne moaned as he did so.

He moved his lips from hers and down to her neck. Both moaning as he sucked on her skin, she ran her fingers through his hair. "Freddie." She moaned, he smiled.

Then Daphne's phone rang on the bedside table, Fred growled hearing the sound that disturbed them, Daphne looked over at it, "I need to get that." She said. "No." He groaned, grabbing her hand. "Yes Freddie, it's Velma. It's could be about the case." Daphne said. Fred groaned as let Daphne grab her phone.

"Hey Velma," Daphne said, laying back down underneath Fred, who he lowered his lips back down to her neck, kissing gently. Daphne stroked his hair as he did so.

"Ok, did he say anything else?" Daphne asked "Ok, we'll pick you up in a bit, bye." She said, quickly hanging up. She let Fred kiss her a bit longer before she decided they should get ready.

"Looks like everythin', Scoob." Shaggy said, zipping up a duffle bag, a suitcase laid packed by the bedroom door, but the duffle bag was filled with snacks. "Like, it's a long way t'New Orleans, an' y'know how Fredster likes to drive everywhere, so we have 'in-between mean snacks', travel snacks, Scooby Snacks, an' like a list of every fast-food restaurant between here an' Louisiana." Shaggy said, as Scooby tucked a scruffy piece of paper into the pocket of the duffle bag.

Shaggy checked the time on his phone, he wore a watch but only because his mother said it made him look smart. "Like, we'd better get a move on Scoob, the gang'll be here in a minute." He said.

After picking everyone up, the gang headed to their office to grab a few things; Velma was organised for an investigation, she made up a small box of the essentials; flashlights, magnifying glasses and binoculars, gloves, notepads and pens, even though she'd packed some in her suitcase, she would never leave without back up pens and notepads. Once she was ready, they headed to New Orleans, stopping for food along the way, of course.