Chapter 11
Daphne: I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Applegate. We are here to help you, not to defame you. We believe that you may be one of Liberty´s victims…
Steven: Oh, Liberty, sure, if I remember right, one of my VIPs was this company´s director… Michael? Jake? Well, I don't care to remember… after all the things those bastards have done to my business, I just want them to burn in hell... Liberty is always causing me problems…
Velma: What kind of problems, Mr. Applegate? And how often?
Steven: Money laundering. All the time. Thousands and thousands of dollars appear in Liberty's accounts without explanation.
Fred: Do you have an idea about the money´s origin?
Steven: It's certainly not coming from good, honest work, son. I'm afraid to know… maybe from drugs, casinos, crimes…
Velma: Did the feds take any kind of attitude about it?
Steven: They did! They destroyed my business right after receiving millions from the mobsters… then they ignored the money laundering…
Fred: When you say "mobsters"… are they really a mafia?
Steven: I can´t prove, son, but I suspect so.
Daphne: Can you mention the names of the VIPs involved with Liberty?
Daphne prepared a small notepad and positioned the pen to write down the names. However, suddenly, Mr. Applegate got terrified. In a panic, he looked around searching for cameras or recorders in our belongings and started stuttering.
Steven: N…no…no! No, Daphne, look… I'm not accusing anyone of an… any crimes, I …I just…well, sorry, I can't accuse them without proofs, you know?…these… these kids… they… they know where I live, they know my family… and they also know your family, Daphne… I don't want to get in trouble, do you understand me?
Daphne: Mr. Applegate, you have no reasons to fear, all the information you´ll share with us will be kept confidential. Please, I need you to tell me who the VIPs are.
Mr. Applegate started sweating, showing that he was afraid to report the ones involved.
Steven: Well… all right, Daphne, we're done here…
Daphne: But, Mr. Applegate! You´ve said you´d help us!
Steven: I'm helping you, honey, my silence is the best help I can give you...
Daphne: Please, sir...
Steven: I'm sorry, Daphne, we're done here. If you need further information, contact my lawyers…
Fred: Mr. Applegate, our investigation involves not only the financial crimes, it also involves several murders, so your help would be essential to solve…
Steven: You can ask my lawyers anything you want, son. Call the number on this card…
Velma: Mr. Applegate, if you don't want to talk about the VIPs, that's fine. Would you mind, at least, answering some questions with "yes" or "no"?
Steven nodded, but his face showed some concern.
Velma: Do you know Cho Sang-woo?
Mr. Applegate sighed as he realized there would be no alternative other than answer.
Steven: No.
I quickly analyzed his facial expressions and found nothing to prove he was lying.
Velma: Right. Do you know Alan Mayberry?
Mr. Applegate showed some apprehension. Before answering, he looked around again for hidden cameras that could record his anwser. Finally, he sighed and answered the question.
Steven: Yes.
His facial expression confirmed once again that he was telling the truth.
Fred: Is Alan Mayberry one of the VIPs?
Steven nodded quickly, then shook his head.
Steven: No.
The quick nod indicated that Steven was lying. That revealed Alan Mayberry was one of Applegate Bank's VIPs, and certainly he was involved in the crimes cited by Mr. Applegate.
Steven: All right, kids, that's all.
Daphne realized that Steven wanted to get rid of us, so she quickly maneuvered her cell phone and set its alarm clock for the next minute. While Fred thanked him for his time, the alarm clock´s song rang, Daphne pretended she was answering a call and walked away. Meanwhile, Daphne sent me a message that said "Fred will distract Mr. Applegate while we look for more clues around the bank. Let´s pretend we have an emergency. Please, agree with everything I´ll say". Shaggy apparently received the same instruction on his cell phone while he was walking around with Scooby-Doo. After a few minutes, Daphne returned, pretending to be in a hurry.
Daphne: Gang, there's an emergency at the department and we need to be there right now… Freddie, dear, they told me they've sent you some messages and they need your answer…
Shaggy and I agreed and said goodbye to Mr. Applegate. It took Fred a while to understand Daphne's plan, but he started acting as soon as he read the message on his cell phone. Apparently, Mr. Applegate didn't really comprehend technology, since he didn't suspect that we were faking everything.
Fred started talking about sports with Mr. Applegate and, luckily, he took the bait and started talking uncontrollably about his memories. The rest of us took the elevator down, Daphne pressed the tenth floor button and the doors closed, Shaggy then started to shake and held my arm.
Shaggy: Like, Daph, these places have cameras, don´t you know? And alarms! And these shit will warn the VIPs! Didn´t you see how Mr. Applegate was afraid to denouce them? They must be really dangerous!
Daphne: I know, Shaggy, that´s why I'm taking the most computer expert I know with me… he will know how to disable these cameras and alarms…
Shaggy: Oh, Im glad to hear that! Where is he?
Daphne: It's you, silly.
Shaggy got even more nervous when he realized that the safety of our plan depended on him. Before I could comfort him, the elevator doors opened and revealed a floor full of modern computers and screens.
Daphne: And here is the place where my specialist is going to show us all his talent. Come on, Shags, I need you to disable the alarms and cameras of 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th floors ASAP. We have little time.
Shaggy was still shaking and holding my arm when Daphne finished asking. He looked at me for some kind of emotional support.
Velma: Come on Norville, it's like one of your action games, you can do it!
I took Scooby-Doo's leash and Shaggy started his work. As I´ve said before, Norville is an unknown tech-genius, in a few minutes in front of one of the computers, he disabled all the security systems of the floors we were going to visit. Meanwhile, Daphne texted Fred asking if he could still hold a conversation with Mr. Applegate for a few more minutes, and he replied: "we are discussing 1972 season NFL´s playoffs, you have enough time until we get to 2021 season". With the security down and Mr. Applegate entertained, we headed to the floors Daphne had mentioned. When the elevator doors opened, I was startled to see four long rows of safes stretching from floor to the ceiling.
Velma: What exactly are we looking for, Daph?
Daphne: We won't look for anything, Velma, Scooby will… come on, Scoob!
Daphne released Scooby from the leash and gave him a cookie. While he chewed it, she opened her bag and took out two plastic bags with scraps of cloth inside, then handed them to Shaggy.
Daphne: When Scooby attacked Alan at the restaurant, I took off a little piece of cloth from his suit. I need you to make Scooby sniff Alan out in these vaults, Shaggy. I also brought one of Velma´s samples…
Velma: Hey, stealing evidence is a crime!
Daphne: …I know, but it was for a good reason, Vel! Shaggy, I also need you to make Scooby search for blood or dead bodies around here…
I got a little mad by the theft, but I recognize that Daphne's reasoning was quick and brilliant. Shaggy nodded and started the training procedures that made Scooby understand he should search for Alan at that location. Scooby ran down the first aisle and we followed him, but he was calm and didn't signal any discovery. We went up to the next floor, also full of safes, and the same thing happened: no trace of Alan or blood. The fifth and sixth floors were bigger than the others and had more aisles, but Scooby didn't find any clues either. When we got to the seventh floor, Scooby started yelping, scratching the elevator doors before they opened. Shaggy hid himself behind us, fearing what he would find in that place. Fortunately, there was nothing but extremely luxurious office rooms with high technology equipment inside. Scooby ran carefully sniffed out each one of the doors.
Shaggy: Girls, like, I think we´ve found the VIPs!
Daphne and I agreed and followed the K9. Each one of the offices had a door with a brass nameplate, and I photographed them all with my cell phone camera, assuming those were the names of the VIPs. Scooby stopped in front of one of the doors and stared, signaling there was a clue at that location. Shaggy approached and pushed the door to make the K9 enter enter the office. The sign at the door said "Brayman Leary, PhD" and I photographed it as soon as we walked in. Daphne carefully opened drawers and cupboards while looking for clues, and Shaggy showed Scooby the scrap of Alan's suit again. After sniffing, Scooby walked around a big, leather office chair, then sit down and looked at his tutor.
Shaggy: Yeah, girls, Scooby sniffs Alan in this room.
Daphne: Great! Now we need to find something that proves this is his office. Otherwise, we're just proving he was here for some reason.
Fred's message saying: "Old Applegate wants to go, hurry up" added extra pounds of anxiety to my already overburdened heart. We started moving quickly through the room, yet still being careful to not spoil the scene or take things from its original places. We looked behind pictures and under tables, we checked the cabinets and drawers for false bottoms and we even tried to open the old safe… and we found nothing but piles of papers with endless statistical data.
Daphne: We will have to take this computer with us, we have no choice.
Velma: Daphne, are you crazy? That's a crime!
Daphne: It's just for a few hours, we'll return it before the bank opens tomorrow morning!
Velma: Oh, sure, first we commit a bank robbery, then a break-in, are you crazy? We don't even have a search warrant!
Daphne: Velma, can you think of anything better right now?
Ten more pounds of anxiety hit my convalescent heart, and the pressure made my hands tremble. "We can steal the hard drive", "we can copy the data to a pen drive", "we can remotely access the computer", were some quick ideas that popped into my mind, but panic and fear didn´t let me act. Finally, the best idea came to me: "we can use Scooby-Doo".
Velma: Jinkies! When Scooby attacked Alan that day, you´ve mentioned that maybe Alan had something inside his suit, like drugs, for example… and probably you were right! Scooby must have sniffed something out inside Alan's suit… perhaps, that object is here!
Daphne: Excellent idea, Vel! Shaggy, make Scooby sniff the piece of suit again, please.
Scooby did what Shaggy told him to do, then he walked calmly across the office and barked once, indicating he was feeling that scent exactly in that place.
Shaggy: Like, I don´t think so, Vel… wait, let me open the app and see what Scooby is trying to tell us…
Daphne: That´s it! That day, the app showed Scooby was telling us to be careful with a killer!
Velma: Oh, that fucking app again? We don´t have time for bullshit!
Shaggy showed us his cellphone screen and we read "I found it, Shaggy" at the stupid app. I rolled my eyes and sighed out loud, but Daphne didn´t seem to care about my impatience. Instead, she handed Shaggy my stolen sample and caressed Scooby´s head.
Daphne: You did it, Scoob, well done! Now, please, would you tell us where the bad guys are?
Daphne motioned Shaggy to make Scooby sniff the sample out, and when he did, the dog became so agitated that he knocked over one of the chairs and started scratching it.
Velma: Jinkies! So, that day, he sniffed blood in Alan´s body?
Shaggy: Uh… like, there's something here, girls!
Scooby got so angry that Shaggy had trouble to keep him on the leash. The app revealed that his barks meant "Killer", "Get away" and "My nose hurts". Seconds after the "translation", Fred texted us saying "make the dog stop, for hell´s sake!". Suddenly, Scooby stopped barking and started to sneeze and put his paws on his nose. Daphne and I approached to help him, but he escaped from our arms and started scratching the chair again. Daphne and I groped the overturned chair for clues, while Shaggy pushed the agitated Scooby-Doo away to make him stop barking and growling. "Applegate and I are on our way down, get out immediately!", was the message that appeared on Daphne's cell phone screen. I had no idea about what to do, so I started photographing the chair from all angles, maybe I could calmly analyze the photos later and discover something that haste, fear and anxiety didn't allow me to see at that moment. When Daphne she ran her fingers along the underside of the seat upholstery, she broke one of her nails and groaned. I touched the spot where her nail broke and realized there was something under it, so I immediately grabbed a letter opener to reach the object. "We´ve found something, please keep Applegate in the building for some minutes", were the words Daphne typed with an impressive speed while I carefully ripped the fabric. When I slit the fabric, Scooby scratched the floor and pulled Shaggy, trying to get closer to sniff the chair.
Daphne: Shaggy, please go down with Scooby and wait for us in the van. If you guys stay here, Scooby will bark again Applegate will discover our plan!
Shaggy nodded and used all the strength he had to pull the dog back to the elevator. I tried to put my hand into the slit, but my short, plump fingers couldn't reach the object. Daphne (who has thinner, longer fingers than mine, and also long nails) did the same, but using the same fine motor skills she used to pull the mysterious business card out of the coin dispenser. Then she pulled out… another mysterious business card! Daphne and I looked at each other, immediately, we placed the clue inside a sample plastic bag and we quickly concealed the fabric slit with paper clips. After, we left the room and hurriedly went down to meet Shaggy and Scooby-Doo in the van. After a few minutes, Fred joined us.
Fred: So, gang, did you find anything important?
Velma: Actually, we´ve found something amazing, Fred, you won't believe it! Daphne brought one of the blood samples and Scooby sniffed out a trail to an office. He signaled there was a clue inside a chair, then we found a business card just like the one we´ve found at Liberty!
Daphne: The day Scooby attacked Alan, I took a piece of his suit as a sample. I used this piece to make Scooby sniff out Alan in the same room where we´ve found the card, which proves Alan was there.
Velma: Or proves that, on the day of the incident, Scooby sniffed out the same card inside Alan's suit pockets.
Shaggy: Like, we looked for other clues in the office, but we couldn´t find anything… only names on the doors.
Velma: And I photographed all them. We believe they are the real names of the VIPs.
Shaggy: Like, Scooby-Doo was calm during all the time, his mood has only changed when we asked him to sniff the blood sample.
Velma: He behaved in the same strange way he did at the restaurant and at Liberty building. That´s why I think there is a visible connection between Alan, Liberty´s secret room where we´ve found blood and Applegate Bank´s office where we´ve found this card. We just don't know what is the link…
Daphne: Or do we know? The link is clearly the card. Probably Alan had the card inside his pockets…
Shaggy: Like, but Liberty´s card was found by mistake! Scooby didn´t find it… he has found the secret creepy fridge…
Daphne: But isn´t it such a coincidence that two identical, unusual cards were found in two different places? Places that Alan has once attended: Mr. Applegate said he knows him, and Alan is Liberty´s client. Am I thinking right? Or it´s just my immagination making me see some kind of connection?
Velma: I mocked about the card when you´ve found it, Daph, but now I don´t think you´re making up things in your mind… I see a clear connection between the card and the other suspicious clues… but we don't know the meaning of this card yet.
Daphne: And you, Freddie, did you discover something during your long conversation with Mr. Applegate?
Fred: The only thing I´ve found out is that there is someone in the world who likes football more than I do.