Alternations – Stand and Deliver
"Daphne!" Fred screamed as the Dandy Highwayman sped away on his motorbike, with Daphne.
The roaring of the motorbike's engine slowly disappeared, leaving the gang in silence. Shaggy pulled off his blonde wig and Scooby shook out of his clothes.
Fred dropped to his knees, "I just got her back." He mumbled.
Velma gently put her hand on his shoulder, "Fred, don't worry, we'll get her back."
"Velma's right Fred, we'll find her." Shaggy said.
"Come on, let's go." Velma said, Shaggy helped Fred up and the four climbed into the Mystery Machine. Velma took the keys from Fred, she knew he was not in the right state of mind to drive right now.
Fred climbed into the passenger seat, and Shaggy and Scooby climbed into the back.
On the drive back into Crystal Cove, Fred gazed out of the window, hoping to find some sign of Daphne or the Dandy Highwayman.
But the question that played on his mind was, what if he never saw her again? Leslie Griffin, Marsha Davies, Mrs Blake and Mayor Nettles, they were all prominent citizens of Crystal Cove. So, what did the Dandy Highwayman want with Daphne? It isn't like she's not special, but Fred thought it was an odd pattern; a bank manager, jewellery store owner, the wealthiest woman in Crystal Cove and the town Mayor, and then a teenager?
The more and more he thought about it, the less it made sense.
'Why couldn't he have taken someone else?' Fred thought, it was a selfish thought, but he didn't care. There was a long list of women the Dandy Highwayman could have taken, so why Daphne?
He felt tears filling in his eyes as a familiar sweet scent overpowered him; he could smell Daphne's shampoo. Lavender and elderflower.
"This upholstery still has my Daphne's sweet scent on it!" Fred cried. Shaggy and Scooby exchanged looks of confusion, Scooby sniffed the air.
"Ravender." He said, Fred suddenly began crying into his hands.
"Oh brother." Velma muttered. "Velma." Shaggy whispered.
Scooby laid his head on Fred's shoulder.
"Like, don't worry Freddie, we'll find her." Shaggy reassured Fred as he put his hand on his other shoulder.
"What we need is to find something that links all the women together." Velma said. "We'll you're drivin' slow enough, I'm sure we'll have enough time to think of something." Shaggy commented, Scooby chuckled.
"I'm driving carefully." Velma said, sternly.
"Hmm." Fred muttered, he'd stopped crying but he eyes were still red. He rubbed his chin as he thought.
"What is it?" Velma asked. "Remember when we were at the library, and I found that list of names of the book club members?" Fred asked.
"Yes, Mrs Blake was in it." Velma said. "And so was Marsha Davies and Leslie Griffin." Fred said. "Like, those were the other two women who were abducted." Shaggy said.
"Exactly. So, the book club links the women together." Fred said. "But what about Mayor Nettles, and Daphne?" Velma asked.
"Like, maybe he'll use the Mayor for a ransom." Shaggy suggested. "Why? He made Mrs Blake empty out the safe before he took her." Fred said. "And Mr Davies said Leslie gave the Dandy Highwayman her wedding ring." Velma said.
"What links all the women together?" Shaggy asked. "Who is the Dandy Highwayman?"
"I think I might have an idea." Velma said, she made a left turn on her street.
"Like, what's that noise?" Shaggy asked, they all heard a familiar sound, it was a ringtone of a phone.
"It sounds like one of Daphne's sweet mulling coos!" Fred cried, Velma rolled her eyes. "Or it was a beep, coming from your pocket." Shaggy said.
Fred reached into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and his eyes lit up, "Daphne just texted me!" He exclaimed. "She said she's safe and she's with all the other abducted women."
"I think I have an idea of who this Dandy Highwayman really is." Velma said. The Mystery Machine stopped outside the Dinkley's house and the gang ran to the garden.
Lying on a sun lounger, in the dark, was a man, who Velma explained was Mrs Dinkley's new 'pool boy'.
"He must the Dandy Highwayman." She said, "He has a British accent, like the Dandy Highwayman, he had nothing to do and no where to be, it's obviously him!" She exclaimed; Pool Boy was obviously asleep on the sun lounger.
"It can't be." Fred said. "Why not?" Velma asked. "Daphne said she has an idea how to catch the Dandy Highwayman, but wherever he has her, he's still there." Fred said.
Velma groaned, "Who else could it be?" She asked, then she snapped her fingers. "Maybe Pool Boy has a twin brother!" She exclaimed, Shaggy rolled his eyes, "Goodbye Rational Velma, hello Crazy Velma."
"Do you have a better idea?" Velma asked, Fred's phone beeped,
"Daphne does."
"Jeepers, it's the librarian?" Daphne asked as the deputy dragged the Librarian away.
"I told you he was harmless." Mayor Nettles said.
"Daphne!" Fred exclaimed, "Are you ok?" He asked, checking her for any injuries.
"I'm fine, Freddie." Daphne replied. "We all are."
"Where are the other women?" Velma asked. "They all went home." Daphne replied.
"I'd better go and find the Sherriff." Mayor Nettles said. "I think that's a good idea." Shaggy said, remembering the state Sherriff Stone was in when the Dandy Highwayman kidnapped the Mayor.
"Like, I don't know about you guys, but like I could go for some food!" Shaggy exclaimed. "I'm starving!" Daphne exclaimed.
"The Malt Shop it is!" Velma exclaimed.