• Chapter 3 •

Nightshift!

"So, do we have everything before we head out on this job for my dad?" Freddie questions the gang as they fumble around checking their back packs.

"I think so Freddie. What are we looking for?" Velma asks again.

"There are rumors that my dad's storage unit is haunted. He hires new guards each week. Each week the guards cannot take the heat, they end up quitting. Then in the meantime while we hire someone new the place gets robbed" grumbles Fred. "My father is loosing business. This has to be an inside job. And if it is a ghost haunting this place we need to get them at peace. We would have proof for your book. But I think it is not a ghost. I am sorry Velma"

"No worries. We need to do this job. We can learn about ghosts in the meantime. Anything helps. Let's help your dad get his business back" Velma declares. She hosts her back pack on her back. Her glasses slide to the end of her nose. She pushes them back up.

"Come on gang let's do this!" Freddie says with excitement dripping in his voice.

"Wait is there a chance that there are ghosts here?" demands Shaggy as he pulls Velma back.

"Well, there is a fifty-fifty chance that it is a ghost" laughs Freddie. "But my father does not think ghosts rob storage units"

"But there is a chance there could be a ghost?" Shaggy repeats himself.

"Sure, I guess so" laughs Fred as he shakes his head.

"Come on guys, we have dealt with worse" grumbles Velma. She knew were this was going. Shaggy and Scoob were trying to flake out on them.

"But what if we meet our doom tonight because it was a real ghost?" worries Shaggy.

"That is a chance we have to take" jokes Velma. "Come on I have a Scooby-Snack for you"

"Scooby-Snacks? I thought that place closed down last year?" Freddie asks her. "We had that case a year ago"

"Yes, but I found a similar recipe on Pinterest. Try them out guys! Let me know what you think! But you only get these if you go with us on this job" Velma demands to Shaggy and Scooby as she digs in her back pack for her home-made Scooby Snacks.

"Oh boy!" Scooby says happily as he wags his tail. Only he sounds like he says "Rh-ohy"

"Will you help Freddie catch those nasty ghosts? By accepting these Scooby-Snacks you are agreeing to go on this ghost hunt. Do you understand guys?" warns Velma as she dangles the tempting snacks Shaggy and Scooby were now drooling as they focused on the snacks she was holding.

"Like we totally agree!" Shaggy declares as Scooby-Doo nods in agreement with him at the same time.

Velma laughs as she tosses the snacks in the air for them to catch. Shaggy manages to catch his snack in his mouth before Scooby could eat his treat. Scooby-Doo nabs his treat. Gobbling it up.

"How did they taste guys? Like the real thing?" asks Freddie as they all walk to the Mystery Machine to go on the next case.

"They are wonderful! Just like them!" brags Shaggy happily.

"Uh-huh!" agrees Scooby-Doo.

"Good I am glad guys. I made more" Velma announces as they hop in the van.

The guys sat in the backseat of the van. Velma sat in the front alone with Freddie. It was odd because when Daphne was with them she always sat in the middle of them. Nothing was between them now. It was Fred and Velma. Velma felt a sudden shyness work over her.

She tried to push it aside. "Freddie never liked you that way. He only sees you as a friend. Nothing more. Nothing less" Velma pep talks herself in her mind. She peeks over at Freddie as he starts the van up. The old van sputters angrily as it rumbles up.

"It might need a tune up" worries Fred.

"I think the Mystery Machine missed you" she mentions.

"I sure missed it" Fred says as he smiles over at Velma causing her heart to skip a beat.

He pulls out of the drive way. They head over to the other side of town. Where Fred's father's storage unit was located at. Velma had printed out a blue print lay out of the unit. So, that way they could cover all the biases. They needed to start some place. Velma begins to read over the map as she uses the light from her iPhone to read it in the dark.

"What is that Velma?" wonders Fred.

"Oh, this is the lay out of the unit" she explains to Fred.

"Always thinking ahead! You are so smart Velma. You always have been" he mentions softly. He smiles her way. She shyly smiles back.

"Shaggy, you and Scooby-Doo can go to the other side of the unit, together. Start looking for clues. Looking for signs of something that someone else might have missed out on. Then Fred and I can take the front of the unite covering the grounds faster" Velma says thoughtfully.

"That is a good plan" agrees Fred.

"Like you think we should split up? Like is that really safe?" worries Shaggy.

"Oh, Shaggy come on. You are fine with Scooby Doo there! Plus, I brought walkie talkies! If anything happens you can buzz Fred or I" promises Velma as she gets the walkie talkies out of her back pack.

"Always thinking ahead" laughs Fred as he smiles over at Velma. She grins.

"I try" she laughs.

They pull into the storage unit once the gates open for them to be let inside. Fred drives them to the back of the building. Thunder booms overhead. A storm was brewing up. Just perfect. Velma sighs as she places a hoodie over her hair to keep from getting wet. She grabs her umbrella out in case she would need it later.

"Hey happen to have another one of those?" Fred asks her hoping for an umbrella.

"Sure" says Velma. She hands one to Fred. She had a rain slicker for Scooby-Doo to wear. She helps Shaggy get it on him.

They get out of the van. They look around in the very dark area.

There was little light there. There was one light on at the start of each unit. Then no light from there down. There was a little box for where the guard sat watching over the whole unit. Velma wondered if they happened to have a guard with them that night. Or if they were the only one's watching the unit that night.

"What is it Velma?" asks Fred.

"Is there a guard on duty tonight?" she asks Fred.

"Sure is! We hired someone last week. For now, He stared tonight. His name is Norman Leroy" Fred tells her. They wander over to the box where the guard watched over the place. Velma knocks on the door of the small area. Music blares inside of it. The door opens. A short stubby over weight man steps out.

"May I help you kids?" he grunts.

"Oh, I am Fred Jones. My father sent us. We will be looking for something out of the ordinary here. You know. You are Norman, right?" asks Fred.

"So, I am" he grunts at Fred. Unimpressed that this was the boss's son.

"If you happen to see anything tonight that we miss can you let me know?" Velma asks the man hoping he would work with them. She had a feeling this was not going to be an easy job.

"Whatever!" grunts the man as he steps back in his office shutting the door in their faces.

"Well he is not very friendly huh?" jokes Velma.

"Come on guys. We have ground to cover. Let's go" Fred demands.

Thunder booms louder. Then rain streams down lightly on them. Velma shivers. It was going to be a long night.