CHAPTER 5

DINKLEY, ILLINOIS

Dave Dikes, the young FBI agent, drove into the sleepy hamlet of Dinkley in his government car, a Ford Taurus sedan. Accompanying him were Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo. The hamlet was anything but sleepy this Saturday morning. The entire place was crawling with railroad repair crews, law enforcement officers, and officials from the Nation Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The tank car that held the chlorine had been rerailed without incident and hauled away, so residents of the town were being allowed to return to their homes. Dikes parked his FBI sedan near the railroad crossing and got out. Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby followed suit. They began to walk along the tracks towards the wreck site.

"You know, when I was first assigned this case, I thought, 'Aha, terrorism,'" Dikes told his group. "But then I realized that the MO was all wrong. "If foreign terrorists had done this, they would have wanted to cause the most causalities and collateral damage, meaning they would have carried out such an attack in a more densely populated area, not some out-of-the-way place like this. Then after you told me that story about the problems that Latin club has had with the railroad, I then thought of white supremacists. Taking advantage of that story, they would have caused this wreck and made it look like the Puerto Ricans at that club did it."

"With all due respect, I find two flaws in your theory, Dave," Velma said. "First, Rico is forty miles from here. If white supremacists or Puerto Ricans did this, wouldn't they have done it closer to Rico? Second, the involvement of a 'ghost' leads me to believe that our culprit and motive is more 'home grown.'"

"How so?" Dave asked.

Velma continued, "In my experience with ghost and monster mysteries, the supernatural being either scares someone away from something, or into doing something he or she wouldn't normally do. And almost always, they're after money, land, or some other precious commodity. That's why I think our culprit is local."

"I see your point," Dave said, "but I'm not going to totally rule out my other theory." He reached for his cell phone and called his "official co-investigator," Kathy Millens, an agent assigned to the FBI's Springfield field office. Millens told Dave that she had finished interviewing John and Wendell, and was heading over to Rico to interview the management of the Casa de Salsa club. When the conversation was finished, Velma asked to borrow Dave's cell phone to call Daphne. Though against protocol, Dave was agreeable to the request. Daphne informed Velma about Ricky Barretto's supposed "alibi." Daphne then asked Velma if there was any possibility that Cosmo was involved in causing the wreck. Velma said Cosmo couldn't have possibly done this; he had taken a group of his students to Costa Rica two weeks prior on an archeological dig, and that they would be spending most of the summer there. Cross off one suspect. Dave then called Kathy again and told her that upon interviewing Barretto, if she felt it was necessary to, have him taken into custody and held as a "material witness." Finally after some walking, the group reached the wreck scene. It was a tangled mess of metal, twisted rails, splintered ties, and other debris. The area reeked of diesel fuel. While most of the spilled soybeans from the grain cars had been cleaned up, enough of them remained to make the ground slippery. Velma slipped on the round kernels twice, Dave catching her both times. They then came to the crumbled remains of engine #8929. It was lying on its side, its nose was bashed in, and the windshield was shattered. It was through this opening that emergency workers pulled John and Wendell from the smashed remains of their cab. "I'm surprised anyone survived in there," Dave commented. Velma looked at the carnage and uttered, "Jinkies!" Shaggy had a similar reaction as he looked at the twisted mess and exclaimed, "Zoinks!"

Right then, one of the NTSB investigators came up to Dave and said, "We've recovered the 'black box' from the lead locomotive. We'll have it sent off to Washington for analysis immediately."

"Good job," Dave said. "Do that." He then turned to his group and said, "I hope you all feel up for walking, because we need to take a half-mile hike. Let's head over to the switch and see what we can find there." The four then began walking back the way they came to the switch about a half-mile away. Once there, they found a group of men, many of them wearing hard hats, standing around the switch and its mechanism. They were examining a metal box half buried in the ballast next to the switch throw lever. This box was connected to the switch lever mechanism by a metal conduit. Another NTSB investigator motioned Dave over to the mechanism, and began explaining his findings and conclusions.

"This is a manual hand throw switch," the NTSB official began. "To keep unauthorized persons from throwing the switch lever, it is secured with a padlock. Train crews have switch keys to open such padlocks in the course of their duties. Well, our 'perp' apparently used a pair of heavy-duty bolt cutters to cut off the padlock." He showed the cut padlock to Dave and his group. "Well the perp was pretty good, because he then fooled the signal system into thinking the switch was set for the main. Here's how." The official then opened the box and began pointing out its contents, and what they did.

"There's electrical contacts on the switch lever. When the switch lever is thrown, the contacts activate these relays. The relays would then set the signals controlling this block to red." He motioned to the trackside signals visible a half-mile to the east.

The NTSB official continued, "To trick the signal system into thinking this switch was lined for the main, the perp soldered 'jumper' wires between the relays. The lugs the wires are attached to are pretty heavy, so the perp had to use a propane blowtorch, the kind found in any hardware store. We found small pieces of rosin core solder near the switch lever and a small droplet of solder on the inside of the box. We're having the solder examined right now. And I want to show you one other thing." He pointed their attention to a metal mast that stood vertically from the switch lever mechanism, which rotated with the lever. Atop this mast was a lantern with red and green lenses set ninety degrees from each other. "When the switch is set for the main line, the green lens would be facing the train, and vice-versa. When we removed this lantern from the top of the switch stand, we found that the perp had also removed the light bulb. Since it was night, the train crew had no way of knowing that this switch was set for the siding."

"Interesting," Dave said, to which Velma added, "Jinkies." She turned, only to find Shaggy and Scooby had gone missing!

"I thought you had a 'hippy boy' and his dog with you," Dave said.

Velma said, "I'll bet I know where they went. Let's head over to the church." The two then made their way to the Dinkley United Methodist Church where the churchwomen had set up a "soup kitchen" to feed all the investigators and track workers swarming the place. Dave and Velma entered the basement of the church, and sure enough, there they were, with a huge stack of cold cuts, enough to give an elephant indigestion! "Shaggy! Scooby! What do think you're doing?" Velma called.

"Like, having lunch," Shaggy said. "All that walking made me hungry," to which Scooby added, "Reah!"

"Everything makes you hungry, Shaggy," Velma said. "Come on, we've got work to do." Then turning to one of the churchwomen, Velma said, "I'm sorry these two practically ate all your food. We'll gladly buy you some more."

"That's all right," the churchwoman replied. "We've got plenty more. Think nothing of it. And remember, God loves you."

Dave then thought it would be a good idea to interview at least one of the town's residents. Perhaps he or she could provide some clues as to what happened. The group left the church and headed for a white frame house near the tracks, where Dave parked the FBI car. Sure enough, a middle aged woman was there, just having returned from the evacuation center. Dave went up to her and introduced himself.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but I'm Dave Dikes, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and these are my assistants. I'd like to ask you some questions about what happened here last night."

"Well, howwdeee! The woman said. "Name's Mrs. Pearl Mintz, and yes, I was here when that train wrecked last night." A regular Minnie Pearl, Velma thought.

"And who have here?" Pearl asked. Velma then introduced the rest of her gang. After greetings were exchanged, she then said to Velma, "I didn't know John had a daughter."

Velma laughed. "Actually, I'm his niece. You know John?"

Pearl said, "Know him? Why, we were practically neighbors. Lived in that house across the tracks, just behind the elevator, the Byron and Zelda Dinkley homestead. After his wife Edna died, John just upped and moved to Decatur."

Dave then asked Pearl, "Please tell us what you saw or heard last night."

"Well I didn't see what happened, but I sure heard it," Pearl began. "I heard this train, but it was making the weirdest noise, this squealing sound. It just didn't sound like any normal train. Next thing I know, there was this loud KA-BOOM! Shook the whole house! I knew right then and there that the train had wrecked. A few minutes later, the law comes and says we had to get out of here right now, that there was a tank car full of poison gas in the wreck."

"Chlorine," Velma said.

"The law told us to grab what we could and get out," Pearl continued. "Spent the night over in Buffalo at the shelter. They're just now letting us come home."

"There's been reports that a ghost haunts the area," Velma said. "What can you tell us about it?"

"You mean the ghost of Byron Dinkley?" Pearl replied.

Velma was taken aback by this response. "You mean this is the ghost of one of my ancestors? YOU'RE KIDDING!"

"I'm not kidding, " Pearl said. "It's a local legend around here. "In 1853, when they built the railroad through here, Byron and his young bride Zelda, took advance of the free land the railroad was offering to entice settlers to move here. He built that house where John lived. He also started a flourmill, which eventually became the grain elevator. He also farmed here. Well, in 1884, on Halloween's Day, Byron was using a steam powered thrashing machine to harvest his crop. Suddenly, the machine blew up, killing him instantly. It blew his body nearly fifty yards, and get this, they never found his head. Not long after, according to legend, his ghost appeared, looking for a head to replace the one that was blown off."

"Wow!" Velma exclaimed.

"Like, zoinks!" Shaggy said. "It the legend of Sleepy Hallow all over again." To which Scooby added, "Rhost? Ro no!"

Velma remembered a mystery similar to this one some years back. One of Icabod Crane's descendants, Elwood had set up a headless horseman hoax based on the Sleepy Hallow legend to cover up the theft of his wife's jewels after his shoe company went broke. She remembered the role Scooby-Dum, Scooby's cousin had played in solving it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Well, I don't believe in ghosts," Dave Dikes said. Then he asked Pearl, "Has there been any other things going on around here of significance lately?"

Pearl responded, "Well, Mr. Ivorson who runs the feed store across the street announced plans to expand his business." She pointed to a metal shed like building across the street, which was emblazoned with the words, "Ivorson Stores." She then continued, "He said the wanted to move across the highway to where those two houses are. Come to think of it, the ghost appeared not long after that." She then pointed across the highway to where a pair of two-story homes stood; one was a brick suburban, the other a frame ranch style house. "Who lives in those houses?" Dave asked her.

"Charles Singer and Bob Nickels," Pearl replied. Then she glanced back towards the farm store and spied a man entering the business. "Oh, there's Mr. Ivorson now," she said "You can ask him about what's been going on around here."

"I think we will, " Dave told her. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Mintz. You've been a big help."

"Anytime," Pearl said.

Dave and his little group hiked across the street to the farm store. Mr. Ivorson was there, inspecting his establishment. Dave went up to the man and introduced himself.

"Excuse me, but I'm Dave Dikes and these are my assistants. I'm with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and I'd like to ask a few questions."

"Certainly," Mr. Ivorson said. "I'm Jerry Ivorson, and I own this business. I also have stores in Mechanicsburg and Taylorville. If you're asking about that train wreck, I can't help you there. I was in Mechanicsburg last night, watching my daughter's Pony League game."

"Well actually, Jerry, I wanted to ask you about your business, and your expansion plans," Dave said. "May we go into your office?"

"Sure." The group went into Jerry's office. "Now, what can I help you with?" he asked.

"Tell us about your expansion plans," Dave said.

"Well," Jerry began, "I have a thriving business here selling corn and soybean seeds, animal feeds and farm chemicals. Business has gotten to the point that I've outgrown this little building here. I also want to expand my product line to include blue jeans, Western wear, and horseman's supplies such as saddles. And I can't do that with this little building I've got here."

"I understand you want to move across the road to where those two houses are," Dave said. He pointed out the window to the homes. Then he asked, "Have the owners agreed to sell?"

"Actually, they've been a little reluctant," Jerry said. "I've upped my price, but they still don't want to sell out. Actually, I don't handle the land dealings here. That'd be my real estate agent."

"And who'd that be?" Dave asked.

"That be Charles O'Donnell of City & Country Real Estate over in Buffalo," Jerry said. "He handles all my land dealings."

"May we look around this place?" Dave now asked Jerry, to which he answered, "Sure." The group was just leaving the room when Velma noticed something under Jerry's desk. She peered under it, and there it was; a pair of heavy-duty bolt cutters, the same kind used to cut the switch padlock. "Jinkies, very interesting," she said to herself. She left the room and caught up to the rest of the group, which was now in the warehouse. She reported her finding to Dave, who then "excused" himself on the pretense of having to use the bathroom; actually he went into Jerry's office and examined the bolt cutters for himself. After a moment, he returned.

The warehouse was filled with rack shelving. On one side were crop seeds and farm chemicals such as herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. On the other were feeds for animals such as cattle, horses, hogs, and poultry. There were even Scooby Snacks, which made Scooby very happy! As they were looking around this warehouse, Velma found a bottle of a substance that seemed very out of place in a farm supply store. "Acme 'Glow-In-The-Dark' Costume Dye, distributed by Capital City Costume & Party Supply, Springfield, Illinois," the label read. "Jinkies, why would this be in a farm supply store?" she wondered. That wasn't the only thing out of place they found in there. On a shelf, they found four more incriminating items, practically next to each other; a propane blowtorch, a roll of heavy-duty rosin core solder, a spool of wire, the same kind used for the "jumper wires" found in the switch box, and a light bulb. Dave asked Jerry about these things.

"Do you sell party costumes, Jerry?"

"No I don't."

"They why do you have a bottle of costume dye?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never seen that before."

"What about electrical and plumbing supplies, namely propane blowtorches, solder, and electrical wire?"

"Again, I don't know what you're talking about. I've never seen them before, either."

"Do you practice plumbing or wiring on the side, Jerry?'

"No I don't. I'm somewhat mechanically inept."

"And what about nuts and bolts. Do you sell those?'

"No, I don't. I refer customers wanting those things to the hardware store."

"Then, what are you doing with a pair of heavy-duty bolt cutters, Jerry?"

"I don't know. Look, I don't know what you're getting at with these questions."

"One last thing, Jerry. Where'd that light bulb come from?'

Jerry looked somewhat confused by all this. "I had to change the bulb in the bathroom yesterday," he said.

"I see," Dave said. With that they all headed for the bathroom. Once there, Dave pointed to a light fixture in the ceiling. Dave got up, stood on the toilet stool, and unscrewed the bulb that was in the fixture. He then tried replacing it with the one found in the warehouse. It wouldn't fit.

"Come with us, Jerry," Dave said. The group made their way out of the store and returned to the switch. Once there, he asked one of the NTSB investigators if he could see the switch lantern. He took the light bulb and tried screwing it into the lantern's socket. It fit perfectly.

"That's good enough for me," Dave said. "I think we've found our perp." Then to Jerry: "Turn around, put your hands on top your head, and spread your legs apart." Jerry's jaw dropped, and he hesitated. Dave then pulled a pistol out of his holster and pointed it at Jerry's head. "Do it now!" he demanded. "I won't hesitate to use this on you." After Jerry complied, Dave told him, "You're under arrest for tampering with railroad property, and interfering with interstate commerce…" Dave then proceeded to read Jerry Ivorson his rights. When he was finished, and he had the cuffs on, he asked Jerry if he wished to waive his right to remain silent.

"I'm not saying a word, except to say I'm innocent," Jerry said. Asked if he wanted an attorney, he said, "You bet I want my lawyer! I'm innocent!" Dave then motioned a Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy over. "Take him over to the county jail and book 'em," he told the officer. "Hold him there until we can get him transferred to the Federal lockup." As Jerry was being stuffed into the sheriff's car, he screamed at everyone within earshot: "I'll have all your badges for this! I'm innocent I tell you! INNOCENT!" The deputy yelled at Jerry, "SHUT UP!" as he got into the car and drove off with his prisoner. Dave then called Kathy Millens and told her that they now had a perp in custody. Kathy then told Dave that she felt it unnecessary to have Ricky Barretto picked up as a material witness; she had him placed under surveillance instead. Good, Dave told her, even though a suspect had now been arrested, he wanted Ricky kept under surveillance.

"You know, somehow I believe him," Velma told Dave after the suspect had been hauled off.

"Why do say that?" Dave asked her.

"Those clues were easy to find," Velma said. "Too easy if you ask me. In fact, I'd say those clues were planted. They were all practically in plain sight. And nobody leaves clues in plain sight…"

"Unless you want to frame someone!" Dave said, picking up Velma's line of reasoning. "But who'd want to frame Ivorson? The only other suspect we have is Ricky Barretto. And you said it yourself, he's forty miles away from here."

"I think we need to interview this Mr. O'Donnell," Velma said. "Since he handles the real estate transactions for Mr. Ivorson, he just might provide the missing pieces to the puzzle."

"I think you're right, " Dave said. Then he added, "Velma, you're a genius!"

Velma blushed. "You're just saying that for one reason," she replied, then after a beat added, "because it's true!"

Just as Dave, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby piled into Dave's FBI car, Fred and Daphne arrived from Rico in the Mystery Machine. Velma informed the two of what had just gone down. It was then decided that Fred and Daphne would remain in Dinkley to look around, the others would go with Dave over to Buffalo and interview Mr. O'Donnell. Just as the FBI car was leaving, the same eastbound train that passed through Rico a while earlier now crept through Dinkley, the main line having been reopened.