Chapter 8: All is revealed

March 1, 1889

Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne stood in front of the unmasked Alice Masters. They were all standing in front of Fred and Velma's tombstones, with Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne keeping their masks on.

"Just as we suspected!" Shaggy said, as Scooby growled angrily at the woman that almost succeeded in getting Daphne hanged.

"Yeah, Miss Masters!" Daphne replied. "You better explain yourself on why you killed all of those innocent people, right now!"

"Okay, okay. You all got me." Alice said with a tone of fear in her voice. "It all started a long while ago, back when I was young."

ALICE MASTERS NARRATION AND FLASHBACK

Alice had known the gang for years, since their early teens when the gang begin their sleuthing. She, in fact, knew Fred for a while.

"I've know Mystery Inc, since I was, like, 14. We were very close, and I've always wanted to get close to Freddie even before he joined the gang."

Fred's parents helped young Alice gets on the path of her becoming a doctor and later a lawyer.

"Fred's parents had helped me get to medical school, and when I nearly flunked out of medical school, they sent me to law school to become a lawyer."

Alice was always grateful for what Fred's parents did to her, and she attempted to woo Fred over. However, Fred seemed to pay not much attention to her, instead focusing on his relationship with Daphne.

"I was very grateful for what Fred and his parents had done to me, and I have tried to win him over. But he seemed like that he never cared for me, instead being close to that girl Daphne."

However, Alice then found a new interest in Shaggy. In spite of his goofy character or constant eating, she didn't seem to mind it at all. In fact, she thought it was rather cute. However, while Shaggy remained friends with her, it became clear that he was in love with Velma.

"However, I then fell for Shaggy. In spite of his goofy nature and constant eating, I came to like him. In fact, I actually developed feelings for him, but it seemed like that he never took notice of my feelings. In fact, while we remained good friends, I became aware that he's in love with Velma."

Velma had soon become aware of Alice's feelings for Shaggy, and out of pride for having Shaggy's heart, Velma laughed at her for Shaggy's rejection of her.

"Then, when Velma laughed at me with the belief that Shaggy rejected me, it was over for me."

"I never got over her laughing at me for Shaggy's rejection. In fact, everytime I think of Mystery Inc., I always hear Velma, and even Fred and Scooby's laughing at me over Shaggy's rejection of me. The laughter continued, even after I sent a gentleman to feed them lead and silence them in a dark alley a few years ago."

Upon hearing this, Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne's eyes narrowed. Their former friend had just confessed to not only the murder of eleven young women that looked like Velma, but also to hiring an assassin to shoot Fred, Velma and Scooby in the dark alley six years ago. Shaggy can feel his blood boiling at this point.

Not noticing the fact that the three masked figures were her former friends, Alice continued, "Well, it was laugh for me when I planted that knife in Daphne's bedroom during a visit to frame her for what I had done."

As Alice stared at the trio, Shaggy spoke, "Well Alice, like, we're not laughing right now!" There was an unmistakable tone of anger in his voice as he took off his mask, revealing his identity! Daphne and Scooby then followed suit.

Alice's expression was full of shock. "Shaggy? Scooby? Daphne? Oh lord."

"Yeah. Oh lord is right!" Daphne said. "So it was you all along! I thought you were a good friend!"

"And to think that a person like you will fall in love with me!" Shaggy added as he wrapped his arm around Daphne. "Like, I probably should have been suspicious of you after you 'offered' your services to represent Daphne during the trial, which turned out to be nothing other than helping your plan in getting her hanged for crimes she didn't commit."

Alice didn't respond. She hang her head in shame, but before she could say anything, a voice shouted out, saying "Who's there?"

The voice had came from Sheriff Hill, who had received a tip from Alice's would-be victim. He and several deputies arrived at the cemetery with their guns drawn. When they saw Shaggy, Scooby, Daphne and Alice, Hill said, "You again? By the way, Miss Blake, you're under arrest for -"

"Daphne isn't the Ripper, sheriff!" Shaggy quickly said. "It was Miss Alice Masters who did it."

"Yes. I'm the killer you're looking for." Alice said in a low, flat voice with no emotion. "Before you take me in, the Ripper will like to say that it's always around and will always be prepared to strike!"

She then drew a knife from her coat and suddenly turned in an effort to stab Daphne. However, Shaggy's quick thinking led him to get slashed in the arm instead.

As Shaggy's arm begins to bleed, the sheriff suddenly opened fire, hitting Alice and causing her to slump over Velma's tombstone. She was dead before she even hit the tombstone.

Upon seeing Alice's lifeless body, Sheriff Hill turned to one of his deputies, saying, "Deputy Irving, get the coroner."

"Yes sir." Irving replied and left.

Turning to Daphne, who is working to bandage Shaggy's wound with a clean cloth, Hill then said, "Miss Blake, in light of the latest development to the Ripper case, charges against you will be dropped, as it is clear that you had no involvement in the murders, whatsoever."

Daphne nodded, not making a reply.

Hill then turned to Shaggy and Scooby, saying, "Mr. Rogers and Mr. Doo, for the first time I felt I was mistaken in thinking you as meddlers. You guys have actually been quite helpful in solving the murder case."

Shaggy's expression lightened. "Like, thank you, Sheriff." He was saying this as he shook hands with the sheriff.

The sheriff nodded. Turning to another deputy, he said, "Deputy Johnston, see to it that Mr. Rogers gets medical attention immediately."

The deputy nodded before signalling the trio to follow him.

Just one more chapter to go before this story ends. Next and last chapter will have something that Shaggy & Daphne (Shaphane) fans will enjoy. Stay tuned!

Please read and review! Any guess for that something can go into the reviews for this story! The more reviews the merrier!