Project Iron Maiden
Chapter Four
"What happened?" Shaggy asked, walking into the living room, pulling off his gloves.
"I checked on him to make sure he was covered, we aren't accustomed to this cold, I…
I found his bed empty and the window open" a distraught Mari informed him.
"This was at the door when we went out to do a preliminary search" Long John placed a package on the table. "It's addressed to you."
"Fred, Mari, take Scooby into Tommy bedroom, let him get Tommy's scent. I'm curious about this package." Shaggy asked as he ripped the wet paper off the package. "Any idea how long Tommy has been missing?" The package turned out to be a 'Jack in the Box'.
"I checked on him at ten, just before we went to bed" Mari answered upon returning to the room.
Shaggy turned the small crank on the side, listening to 'Pop Goes the Weasel' until the lid sprang open, the clown head popping up. A note had been taped to the clowns head; the hand written note read "60 years in prison! How long will you wait?"
"Daphne, Mari, wait here, have some hot chocolate ready. Don't worry, we will find him…find Tommy Scooby."
The going was slow; the wind had picked up, blowing snow back into the men's faces, stinging their cheeks. Scooby ran ahead, following the faint scent, returning to be sure the men were following then running ahead again, the snow building up on his eyebrows and muzzle. The scent grew stronger gradually. Scooby loped ahead knowing he had to find the boy despite the cold.
He stopped at one snow drift digging furiously. He licked the small face that appeared, and then continued to dig the snow away from the little body. A small hand reached out, grabbing Scooby's collar. Scooby backed away, pulling the boy out of the drift.
Long John began running when he saw his son. He was the first to arrive, picking his son up in his arms, tears freezing on his cheeks. "You are in real big trouble son."
"I know…I know…" the boy said before falling asleep in his dad's arms.
After some hot chocolate, bath, and dry pajamas, Tommy drifted off to sleep after good night kisses from Aunt Daphne and Mari.
"Shaggy, he asked for you before falling asleep" Daphne said.
"Thank you all" a teary eyed Mari added.
"Daphne, that snow check still good?" Shaggy asked.
"Of course it is—you haven't been sleeping have you?"
"Cat naps and then not well" Shaggy replied.
"Go get some sleep—you can't do him or Velma any good if you're worn out! Now go!"
"That's twice you all have saved Tommy's life, how do we ever repay that debt?" Long John anguished, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Having him home safe and sound is thanks enough; you don't owe any one anything" Shaggy answered, yawning and heading down the hall to the den.
Long John made a call to Bermuda at five AM; fifteen minutes later twenty five thousand dollars had been deposited into Shaggy and Velma's bank account.
Tuesday, 9:30 AM
"Hello" Daphne answered the phone; she had just poured her first cup of coffee.
"Hi, this is Linda. Is Shaggy there?"
"He's here but asleep. I haven't seen you guys in a while."
"I have some of the information he asked for. Should I call back latter? Let's get together for lunch and you can tell us single girls how you corralled Fred."
"He asked that if you called to fax it here. Do you have the names of the girls going to Houston?"
"Yes, I'll fax that along with every thing else."
"Good, tell them we will be faxing expense money; if they need more just call us."
Daphne had just hung up the phone, sitting at the table when a bleary eyed little boy walked into the dinning room. "Good morning Aunt Daphne" he muttered as he climbed into her lap.
"You're up early, ready for breakfast?"
"Is uncle Shaggy here, I'd like to talk to him first. Could I have bacon and eggs?"
"Bacon and eggs coming up. Shaggy and Scooby are in the den. Why don't you go have your talk; you can help fix breakfast when you get back?"
One half an hour later, a fully dressed Shaggy and Tommy wandered into the kitchen, followed by Scooby. Daphne placed a cover over the bacon, placing her arms around Shaggy's neck, "She'll be okay" she held him for a long moment. "Linda called; she'll be faxing the information soon. Tommy, you can make the toast for you and Shaggy."
"Can we serve mom and dad in bed? I think that would be neat."
"I think that is a great idea. I may go back to bed so you can serve me breakfast in bed."
Later, after every one had finished breakfast and had settled back over their coffee, Fred said, "Shaggy the fax came in from Linda while we were eating."
"Fred, you are the leader of Mystery Inc., Any problem with me taking over?"
"Not at all. We all want Velma home safe and sound…sounds like you have a plan."
"I'd like Tommy to tell what he told me this morning; then I'll tell what I've been up to."
"It was snowing when I woke up; I got up to watch the snow. Aunt Velma said no two snow flakes are exactly alike. I was sitting by the window when I saw the clown; he placed something by the door…"
"That would have been the Jack in the Box…go on Tommy…"
"…I put my clothes on over my pajamas and crawled out the window to follow the clown. I saw him go in this big house. I started back home to tell someone but the wind had started blowing harder and harder and it was really cold. I got tired and sat down to rest…I guess I fell asleep."
"Tommy that was very brave but very foolish. You know you should have told someone don't you?" Shaggy asked.
"I know uncle Shaggy but I didn't have time. If I had waked someone, I couldn't have followed the clown."
"All too true—the snow and wind would have covered his tracks. Thanks Tommy, this gives us the first clue and I'm afraid I'd have done the same thing. I just couldn't sit still while Velma is in jail. Velma said that the police saw a clown in one of the surveillance tapes. We found some greasy paint on one of the cameras, which could be clown face paint.
I called Linda of the 'court of the Iron Maiden' fame; she works for the police department. I asked her to fax a list of clowns on the Coolsville register, which is the fax just received.
I also asked for two volunteers to fly to Houston. Why Houston...we have to start somewhere and we can always extend our search. The girls, Gwyn and Brit, will be flying to Houston with several tasks. First is to get a copy of the Houston clown registry and fax it here. Fred and Daphne, when it arrives I'd like you to compare names, I want to know if any clowns moved from Houston to Coolsville.
Second, they will be discreetly asking about Dr. Jake Shelton and his associates.
Lastly, they are to get a list of any suspicious fires over the past three months. I can't think of a better way to disguise a scar on your cheek…therefore we start in Houston."
"But why a clown? Every one knows about Velma's clown phobia and all this started before all that stuff showed up on the Internet" Fred said.
"Timing I think, whoever is behind all this wanted the information on the internet first…the police ruined that by arresting Velma first.
Tommy, could you show me and your dad what building the clown went into?"
Tuesday, 2 PM, Coolsville jail visitors center
"You're beautiful" Shaggy spoke into the phone.
"Hi sweetheart and I'm not beautiful…cute maybe."
"You're beautiful to me…I promised you'd be out by Christmas, if my plan works, you will be unwrapping presents on Christmas morning!"
"Just being home will be present enough…what's your plan?"
Shaggy told her everything that he had done, sending the girls to Houston and why, about Tommy finding the clowns safe house and Scooby finding him in the snow.
Lastly he told her of his plan to trap the clown and prove her innocent.
"That Scooby! He's amazing sometimes. That plan sounds dangerous; you'll probably need a net for this one to work." Velma observed.
"I explained that it could be dangerous but the 'court' wanted to help…know where I can pick up a net?"
"I just might at that…"
