Paradise Lake: A Love Story
Chapter Twelve: Partners in Crime
Velma
In two months, Paradise Lake will come alive with an outburst of color as flowers bloom, trees leaf out and the birds and bees announce the arrival of spring. Young men will turn their attention to matters of love, fishing and hunting and in Shaggy's case, food. Not necessarily in that order. But this evening the breeze is brisk and the first robin has yet to be seen. The only green are the evergreen trees surrounding the center and up into the neighboring forest.
Velma took Shaggy's offered arm and made their way into the building. Two bartenders man a bar that occupies half of one wall where non-alcoholic drinks are being dispensed on one end. Another corner has been set with a stage for the live band which is in full swing when Shaggy and Velma entered. Chairs had been set up along the remaining walls, leaving the center of the floor for the dancing couples who had already arrived.
Shaggy excused himself, winding his way to the end of the bar, returning with a cup. Velma reached out to take the cup when a little gasp rose from the crowd. Velma turned, drink in hand, to see that Fred and Daphne had arrived. They were close enough to hear Fred speak.
"Want something to drink, Daph?" And then Daphne's response.
"Perhaps later, Fred." Then lowering her voice so only the four of them could hear added, "it's trapping time." Daphne waved at another girl in a black dress and moved away to speak to the sales girl that had helped both girls earlier in the day.
"Stay close, but be discreet," Fred admonished. The reason for Scooby's absence was obvious, Scooby could never be discreet. Police officers, in uniform, making their presence known, could never be discreet either but that wasn't their intention.
"If any thing is going to happen it won't be this early," Shaggy held out his hand, "care to dance?"
The dance went well with both couples mingling with the crowd. The party banished the cold winter to the outside but Velma found she was torn between finally being active in solving a mystery and trying to deal with the attention Shaggy was showing her. She liked the warm safe feeling when she was within the confines of his arms but what he was whispering, tickling the hair around her ears, sent shivers of excitement down her back yet she felt a fearful dread in the ramification of what he was suggesting.
The lights had been turned down low, Shaggy's touch on her back was a gentle hug. He moved his head, "Will you...?" It would be so easy to reply "yes", to surrender to his proposal. His lips were curled in a questioning smile, so close to her mouth. She felt her body relax, melt into his world where no monsters could threaten her. The kiss was there, so near! She was ready to claim that kiss, to say "yes" when the lights went out; the room plunged into complete darkness.
Women cried out in surprise and fear. Velma screamed in frustration.
-Xxxxxx
Daphne
"My pearls! My Pearls are gone!" Daphne shrieked when the lights had been restored. Immediately the doors were closed with police officers guarding each exit. Velma and Shaggy rushed the short distance to stand beside Daphne.
"Please be calm. We have everything under control!" The officer in uniform stated in a commanding voice that brought some semblance of order to the chaos.
"What's going on, Sheriff Fisher?" A voice came rolling over the crowd, "are we under arrest?"
Sheriff Fisher was an imposing man at well over six feet had commandeered the mic from the band who now stood around as if looking for a hole to crawl into and hide. "No, Sam. You aren't under arrest...yet.
"Ladies and gents, just stay calm and we'll get you back to the music as quickly as possible. This is Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones, come on up here and explain to these nice folks what is about to happen."
After giving Daphne's waist a quick squeeze, Fred threaded his way through the crowd, taking the mic from the Sheriff.
"Thank you Sheriff Fisher. For those who don't know me, my name is Fred Jones, one member of Mystery Inc.. We thought the thieves that have been working in the area couldn't resist an attempt at the Blake pearls so we dusted the pearls with a UV dust that can be seen under a special flashlight. Please remain where you are, we'll begin with those closest to Miss Blake."
Using the flashlight, Fred, along with the Sheriff adding his official presence, began the tiresome chore of examining and eliminating the crowd, one couple at a time.
Ten minutes later, Fred was beginning to worry. It had sounded like a good trap when they thought of it; now, it didn't sound so good. No one had been eliminated and the couples were getting restless. And then he saw it! The hand closed in a fist attempting to hide the tell-tale reflection.
"Well, Well! Open your hands...Officer Thorne!" Fred grabbed the officer's arm.
"What is this!" Sheriff Fisher stammered, "he's one of my best men!"
"He's real good at giving warnings. Now, we know why!" Fred shined on the officers hand, exposing the man's palm.
"Your equipment belt and badge if you please," the Sheriff demanded.
"I'll bet he's good with a baseball bat, too. The insurance company will want to talk to him." Daphne added. Two deputies stepped forward, one placing a brace of handcuffs on the ex-officer's wrists.
Sheriff Fisher took no pleasure in informing Clay Thorne he was under arrest for theft and reading the man his rights. He was lead away in disgrace, everyone breathing a sigh of relief.
"Sheriff Fisher! That man may have been one of your best men, but he wasn't the head of the thieves!" All eyes turned to look at the speaker. It was Shaggy who spoke, stepping forward.
"Fred and I were suspicious that first day, when ex-officer Thorne and his friends gave us that warning. We didn't know his name then, of course and we also thought he was taking orders from someone else; someone who knew who we were and the only person who had time to give the orders. That person is still in this room. When Daphne's vehicle was vandalized, we knew who that person was but we had no proof. We have that evidence now."
TBC