Scoutcraft Piratess, I grant that you may start a Finney fan club and will be president! Hope you like this chapter!

Clara 

New character in this Chappie!

Once Upon a Mystery

Chapter 4: Clueless

"Well, it might not be a clue or anything but this warlock had asked for dragon's blood. It was an exchange for something but I didn't know what. He had unicorn hair shoes...nothing close to leather." She whispered. They were walking down the alley, in complete silence. Melinda heard something following them. The hair on the back of her neck began to prickle. She turned around to find nothing. Finney looked at her in a funny way.

"I hear…footsteps." She said barely audible. Finney listening now heard tiny footsteps. Melinda couldn't stand it anymore, she turned around and blasted a visible spell. What was following them was a dwarf. Minns.

"You scared the living daylights out of me!" She said relieved that it was only Minns. "Why are you out here?" The dwarf looked unpleasant.

"I got frightened at the house so I followed you out here using a invisible trinket. But your spell has seemed to broke it clean in half." He looked like he was about to cry. Melinda rolled her eyes. Finney glared at her.

"Here, give it to me." Finney said. The dwarf dropped it into his hands and Finney used his powers to mend it back together. It was magically restored. Minns smiled for joy. He gladly took it from Finney's hand and suddenly turned invisible again.

"Stay in front of us, so we can at least kept a close eye on you." Melinda said. Melinda started to walk at a pace, Finney following her. They soon arrive at the Dwarf Household. Minns reappears and waves good-bye. Melinda and Finney happily waving after.

"Now, we need to get back to the lab, maybe Data can help us." Melinda whispered. "I have the dragon's blood conversation all on a memo-chip. How about you?" Finney looked at her, and smirked.

"I have a sample of the leather used, the man gave it to me. More information…"He said but then a carriage on the dirt path in front of them. It appeared out of thin air. The carriage door was kicked opened and there was Data sitting in his high honorable way and smiled at them both.

"Why, I happened to locate ya' on me computer and I just wanted' to stop by!" He said in Irish accent. He was an lf, born on Irish lands and grew into the language.

"My, my Data what would we be able to do without you?" Melinda said stepping in the carriage, Finney behind her. Melinda analyzed him with her fairy vision to see if it was really Data. It was. She gave a nod to Finney.

III

But, as they stepped into the carriage, they had no idea they were being watched.

III

"I have a piece of leather used in the shoe, of the thief. The man who but the shoe was a warlock, and the man says his name was Griedock Nishe. But he could be a shape shifter. Like Melinda and I. We have the clues, and the tea that the elf served us showed us the footprint marks." Finney said looking at his clues.

"Data you can go to the site of the break-in tomorrow, and figure out if there are more clues. I for one have a recording of a warlock exchanging dragon's blood for something. He could be the culprit exchanging the documents or some crook." Melinda read off of her notes. She played around with her hand held computer and showed data her notes. He nodded and listened to the recording.

"Well, this is a big problem. Dragon's blood is illegal through out Flyaria." Data explained. Melinda clicked on an attachment and showed him a picture of the warlock.

Finney browsed through his hand held computer and found something he had not before. It was a text message.

FINNEY'S MESSAGES (1 new message!)

From: Anonymous

I'll find you and your partner. I know where you are. I know what you can do, I'll find you Finney.

Finney's eyes blinked and looked over at Melinda discussing her findings with Data. He tapped them on the shoulders.

"Someone's on to us, and it isn't going to be pretty." Finney said. After both Melinda's and Data's eyes gazed over the text message, they looked Finney in horror. Finney scared, closed his hand held put it in his pocket and just sat there shocked.

"How in the world do they know who we are?" She asked her eyes becoming glazed with tears. Finney gave her a pat of relief.

"It's probably just spam. Don't worry. Just take it easy" Finney said reassuring himself for that matter.

"Well ya' better get a good nigh' rest Mel' here's ya stop." Data said trying to cheer her up from the shock. "Jus' make sure ya' turn on tha' security system I set up for ya Melinda" Data said.

Melinda stepped out off the carriage and waved good-bye. She was at her home sweet home. She stood there until the carriage disappeared and slowly walked up the steps to her home.