The gang were sleeping in the back of the Mystery Machine when Fred finally pulled up to the house. Fred had declined one of Shaggy's special brownies at lunchtime – he had to drive, and besides, "It doesn't make me feel any different" was what he always said. It was still light, but this time of year the light would soon turn as rosy as the autumn leaves that lined the street.
If it weren't for the large stone wall that encircled the property, it would have been identical to all the other large weatherboard houses in neighbourhood. The wall was imposing, but this was undercut by the cheerfully carved jack-o'-lanterns that stood either side of the gate.
Fred laid his hand on the wrought iron bars and pushed, then pulled. Locked. There was a complicated-looking security pad and screen next to the gate. Velma probably had the instructions for how to open it, but rather than wake her, Fred pushed the little bell symbol. The screen flickered to life and Fred saw a large pair of hazel eyes.
"Hello?" said a disembodied voice
"Hi there, ma'am. Does a J. Honey live here?"
"Oh yes that's me, are you the… um…"
"We're here about the trouble you've been having with the local cemetery."
"Yes I'll let you in, just a sec… try opening the gate now?"
Fred tried. It remained locked. "Sorry, Miss Honey, it's –"
"Damn – I mean darn, try now?"
Fred pushed again. Locked.
It took them a couple more tries before the gate buzzed and swung open. Fred walked into the yard that was similarly decorated with pumpkins and autumn blooming flowers that he could not name, and in the middle of the garden was a statue of a woman. Not a woman; some kind of satyr or demon or… mythology wasn't Fred's wheelhouse. Her face was human, except for two spiralled horns that grew straight up either side of her forehead. She also had batlike wings that were folded against her back. She was positioned cleverly as if she were looking right at the front door of the house, her slightly gaunt and fearsome face softened with something… affection? That seemed like the right word.
"I didn't catch your name," said a voice from the house. Fred turned to see a woman in a cable-knit sweater standing at the door.
"Fred Jones," he said.
The woman walked down to join him. "Impressive isn't she?"
"Uh yeah," Fred said, looking back at the statue. To tell the truth, it didn't quite fit in the cheerful garden. But then again, neither did the high wall around the house. He felt like the woman was waiting for him to say something else. "Uh, who's it by?"
"I'm not sure," the woman walked out to stand beside him and admire the statue. "I'm Jennifer Honey. Jennifer is fine."
"Pleased to meet you," he said.
She nodded and glanced back at the statue. Fred noticed that her expression matched it. Warm and affectionate but without the sharp angles of the stone face. She tilted her head to the side, and the sun was reflected in the sheen of her brown hair. Fred almost didn't want to break her from her reverie.
"Miss Honey?" This time it was a child's voice from the door. A girl of about six years old with dark eyes and a rather adult expression. Miss Honey? Not Mom? Wondered Fred.
"What is it, dear?" said the woman.
"Is he going to help us with… you know…"
Jennifer turned back to Fred. "Why don't you come inside, and Matilda can tell you what she saw."
Fred fleetingly thought of the gang snoozing in the Mystery Machine, but something about his new client prevented him from going back and fetching them.
"Sounds good to me," he said and followed them inside the house.
Fred sat with them around the kitchen table.
"Why don't you tell Fred what you saw?" said Jennifer.
"A zombie," said Matilda evenly.
"Really?" asked Fred. The little girl nodded. "Why don't you tell me the story of how you saw it?"
"Well I couldn't sleep so I went out for a walk," said Matilda. Alone? Fred wondered. He glanced at Miss Honey, who looked embarrassed. Matilda didn't seem to notice as she continued her tale, "I walked down the hill to the cemetery. I like to read the epitaphs."
Read? Epitaphs? Fred didn't know too much about children, but he was sure most kids Matilda's age didn't know what an epitaph was, let alone how to read one.
"And that's when I saw him."
"The zombie?" Fred asked.
"Yes."
"Can you describe him?"
"His skin was greenish white. He had long black hair and… oh!" It was the first time Matilda had seemed excited. She jumped down from her chair and ran out of the room. Fred heard her stomping up a flight of stairs somewhere. He caught Jennifer's eye.
"Her parents were… not particularly attentive," she said in a low voice. "She's promised me that she won't ever go out alone at night again."
Fred only had time to nod before he heard Matilda running back down the stairs. She was holding a large picture book to her chest, with the colourful title "ELECTRICITY" on the cover.
"I just remembered where I'd seen it before," Matilda said, slamming the book down on the table and then rifling through it. She stopped at an illustration of Benjamin Franklin flying a kite in a lightning storm. "He was wearing one of those," she said, putting her finger on Franklin's frock coat.
"You just remembered this now?" Fred asked.
"Yes. I knew I'd seen something like it before." She smiled, and for an instant looked like a normal kid.
"Did you see where he came from or where he was going?"
"Well… I think he came from the old part of the graveyard. Where the pilgrims are buried. He walked towards the gates. I hid until he disappeared and then came home and told MIss Honey, and… and she believed me."
"Of course I did." Jennifer and Matilda smiled at each other a moment.
"And have you seen him again?" Fred asked.
"I haven't but…" Matilda trailed off.
"But there have been stories about a zombie in this graveyard for… since I was a teen," Jennifer said. "I always thought it was an urban legend, but… I've seen a few strange things myself since then. And Matilda is a very truthful girl."
Miss Honey put her hand on Matilda's shoulder a little tentatively, like she wasn't used to the gesture.
"Thanks Matilda," said Fred, "The gang and I will do a little investigating and we'll let you know what we find out."
Matilda nodded.
"Why don't you get started on your algebra homework, dear? I'll be up to help you once I've seen Fred out."
"Thank you, Fred," said Matilda.
"It was nice to meet you," he said as the little girl walked back out of the room.
Jennifer stood and motioned for Fred to follow him outside.
The light was apricot when they went back out to the garden, tinting Jennifer's skin and hair.
"I adopted her just a few weeks ago, and I think we're still getting used to living together. I was her teacher, you see. I teach first grade."
"They teach algebra in first grade?"
"No. She's with the highschoolers now. Her parents got into some legal trouble and so now she's my…" she trailed off. The ghost of the word "daughter" hung unsaid in the air. Fred wondered if he ought to say nothing, but something spurred him on.
"You know, I don't have a relationship with my parents either," he said.
She locked eyes with him. "Really?"
"It's okay. It really is. I found my people." He looked over at the Mystery Machine, parked just outside the gate. "We all met in college, and then we started working together, we saved each other's lives a couple of times and now… now we're family. I can see it with the two of you as well. You're going to be a great guardian. You're going to be a great mom." Was that too personal? He smiled apologetically at Miss Honey and she held his gaze. Gosh she was pretty.
There was a rumble from somewhere in the garden near the statue. Jennifer's head snapped towards the sound, and then she strode towards the iron gates and Fred had no choice but to follow.
"It was nice meeting you," she said a little forcefully as she jabbed a code into the keypad to release the gate.
"Uh, I'll let you know how the investigation goes," he said as she steered him out the gate and onto the sidewalk.
"Thank you," she said, swinging the gate closed behind him with a CLANG.
"I hope I didn't…" he said to her retreating figure. She paused and half turned back.
"Call me if you find out anything interesting," she said.
"I'll be sure to!" Fred called as she closed herself into the big house. "Shoot," he said under his breath.
He let himself back into the Mystery Machine.
"Did we miss the client interview?" came Velma's sleepy voice from the back of the van. Fred glanced in the rearview mirror. Shag was still sleeping, using Scoob as a pillow. Velma was awake, but barely. Her back was curled against Daphne's stomach.
"A zombie in a frock coat spotted in the old Salem Cemetery; there have been sightings of him for at least the last ten years," said Fred. He started up the van. "Do you and Daph wanna hit the library while Shag, Scoob and I check out the cemetery?"
"Good plan, wake me up when we get there?"
"Sure thing."
Velma snuggled back down against Daphne's shoulder. It's nice how the girls are such good friends, Fred thought.