The Girl on the Road

Chapter Six: A final Good Bye

"If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself."
Minquass Tribal saying

Shaggy awoke stretched out on the middle seat of the van; throwing the blanket covering him back, he called out, "Scooby!"
A muffled woof answered. Shaggy saw Scooby laying on the floor his mouth full of Scooby Snacks. "Oh Scooby!" Shaggy hugged Scooby so hard Scooby had to twist away just to breath.

The ringing broke up the hug; Shaggy answered the cell phone, "Hello mom!"
"Where have you been…I've been trying to get you for two days?"
"Sorry mom, you wouldn't believe me if I told you...Guess I've been out of range."

"Well, if you're okay…Harold Dinkley has been calling. He says it's not an emergency but he needs to talk to you as soon as you can call him. He wouldn't tell me what it was about. You are okay aren't you?"
"I'm okay; I'll call Mr. Dinkley as soon as I hang up…mom, could you and dad watch Scooby for a few days?"
"Of course son, we'd be glad too but why?"
"Oh nothing…I just have a strange feeling. I'll call back after I talk to Velma's dad."

"Hello, Dinkley residence, Marilyn speaking."
"Hi Mrs. Dinkley, this is Shaggy. I understand Mr. Dinkley wanted to talk to me."
"Oh Shaggy, yes, he's being very secretive, won't even tell me. And knock off the Mr. and Mrs., we've known you way to long to be so formal…here he is."

"Hello Shaggy, good to hear from you, thanks for returning my call. Shaggy, I'll get right to the point; do you still care for Velma?"
"Of course I do. What's up with Vel?"
"I think she's headed for some trouble and I want someone I can trust and who cares for her to watch her back. How soon can you be on the "Spirit of the Seas?"
"Three days max, probably less if I push it. I take it I can't take Scooby?"
"Not advisable…this is just precaution you understand. I'll pay you well just to keep an eye peeled for her sake."

Shaggy didn't tell him that he'd have done it for free, if it meant seeing Velma again.
"I'll call when I'm a bit surer about my arrival. talk to you soon."

A yellow piece of paper in his shirt pocket caught his eye; pulling it out he found a faded ticket for speeding, defective tail light and invalid driver's license. A receipt of $200.00 accompanied the ticket. Both had been dated November 18, 1967.

He was afraid of what he'd find but he made his way to the back of the van; pulling the privacy curtain back he found the back seat had been made into a bed, it was just the way he'd left it.

Except in the middle of the bed, neatly folded lay a black one piece swim suit and his new shirt with the Southwest design; on top of the suit sat a stuffed Jack-a-lope staring back at him, in the antlers lay a hair brush supposedly made from Elk antler bone. Shaggy found his legs wouldn't hold him up and he collapsed on the bed.

"I wonder…" he whispered to himself, pulling his wallet out. Inside he found two $100.00 bills that he'd used to pay the ticket with. They were wrapped in a piece of paper; he unfolded the paper slowly and began to read:

Shaggy, I guess you've found my swimsuit, your shirt (sorry you didn't get to wear it that long), stuffed Jack-a-lope and hair brush. Don't be mad that I had to leave them behind; they would have caused too many questions. Questions I don't want to answer. My Order hasn't noticed our stolen moments and I'm not the kiss and tell type! I promised myself I wouldn't cry when I wrote this, but I do miss your arms around me. I only wish we could have had more time together!

I told you the ticket wouldn't be on your permanent record. All records of your (our) visit has been purged, although the highway patrol officer may wonder why he's missing a page out of his ticket book, but we wont tell will we?

A last warning, don't be picking up any hitchhikers! the next one may not be as nice as me! Forgive me my darling for deceiving you but would you have believed me if I told you the truth?
I'm finding that this last part is hard to write, tears keep getting in the way and I can't see the paper…Thank you again for making me unique! I won't forget! Good bye, my darling, my love…

You were a good detective but have you figured out who the killer was?
Kathie, your angel in disguise.

Shaggy pulled the swimsuit to his face; drinking in her familiar scent. He wept.

-------------Xxxxxx

"Yes Kathie, I may not know the killer's name but I know who paid him. Only one person could have been behind it…the one person who didn't come out of the office when the shouting started…he was after the whole kitty, not just a split…Jonas Black!
Come on Scooby, let's go home. I have a job and it involves Velma!"
"Relma? Ret's roll!"

There was no storm this time, they didn't stop in Budville; the town was abandoned now. Only deserted buildings were left and most of those only had the outside walls still standing. Where 'Pat's café had once stood; only a vacant lot was visible. "Just as well, the food wasn't all that great" Shaggy told Scooby, who was trying to sing along with the radio and doing a pretty decent job of it.
Tumbleweeds had blown up along the sides of the derelict buildings. Someone had spray painted "Bloodville" across the town sign. Shaggy laughed when he saw the sign; it still read Pop. 350!

They caught I-40 East at the next intersection; Route 66 crossed the new freeway, meandering away in a cloud of blowing dust and tumbleweeds. Shaggy picked up speed.

Only then did he realize he'd been watching the side of the road, looking for her,
the girl on the road…