AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!
Chapter Five: Clues
Melinda nervously turned around, hoping to God it was one of the children. She, of course, was wrong. In the doorway stood four, very angry looking, adults. Melinda walked inside and immediatly sat down on the bed.
"Melinda, you're in trouble. Grounded, three weeks." Melinda recited from memory.
"What do you think you were doing tonight?" Daphne asked her, hands on her hips.
"I was just gathering more information...."
"On what? Don't pretend we couldn't see that kiss." Velma scorned. Melinda blushed and looked down.
"I swear, I did get information! On the mytsery."
"We don't mind that, what we do mind is that you left when we asked you to stay." Fred said, arms crossed over his chest.
"But I left them with Scooby and Scarlette!" Melinda protested.
"Yea but we wanted you to watch them. While Scooby is like totally awesome, we don't know Scarlette and Scooby like gets scared real easy." Shaggy stated as though he never gets afraid himself despite his many phobias.
"I'm sorry. It was irresponsible. I swear I only went because of the clues. Besides that, he asked me out, not the other way around if you're going to take that approach."
"You were right." Velma said calmly, Melinda knew better than to lift her hopes. "You are grounded for three weeks. Now, the children are with Scooby and Scarlette in another room, you however, will not be alone in here tonight." Melinda looked up confused, then she got it.
"You're sleeping in here with me, aren't you?"
"You got it." Velma told her sternly. "Now, what good has this night out done clue wise?" Melinda explained everything in her notes and handed them to the gang.
"We'll go over to the mansion tomorrow and see if we can get anymore clues, as for you," Velma said once more looking at her daughter. "You will not be seeing him tomorrow at the library, nor will you speak to him at the mansion. He seems to know maybe a little too much on Sir Lawrence." Melinda looked up at her, shock clear on her face.
"You can't be serious, there's no way he's the ghost!"
"That's exactly what I thought about several others. Until he is proven innocent, you will abide by the rules and see him not."
The next morning, everyone was sitting ready in the Mystery Machine. Fred and Daphne still occupied the front, only now, Scooby was up front as well. In the back, Shaggy and Velma sat on one side with two of the children, Anna and Susie. On the other side sat Mary, Chastain, Kylie, James, and Danny. Melinda sat in the far back behind all seats. She had her earbuds in and a sullen look to her face. She sat with her back to everyone else, looking out the window and into the city beyond as they drove by. When they arrived at the mansion, Melinda hopped out of the van and waited for all of the little kids and adults to climb out. Something wet nudged her hand and Melinda looked down. Scooby sat there looking up at her with sad eyes. Melinda gave him a smile, it wasn't Scooby's fault anyway, and gave the loveable kanine a scratch behind the ears, just where he liked it.
Once everyone had gotten inside and the owner had bid them well in their search, Fred announced the annual split of the gang.
"Alright guys, Daphne, me, and our kids will go look for clues upstairs. Velma, you and your kids go look for clues in the basement. Shaggy, you, Scooby, and Melinda go look for clues on this floor. Ok gang, let's split up!" At that everyone went their perspective ways. Shaggy, Scooby, and Melinda had, of course, decided to start looking for clues in the kitchen. On their way there, Scooby felt someone tap his shoulder. When he looked over it, he saw a terrifying sight. There stood a tall ghost, he looked exactly as the owner had described him. Handlebar mustache and all. He shakily turned back around and tapped Shaggy on the shoulder.
"Like, what is it Scoob?" He asked not turning around.
"Rit's a Rhost!" Shaggy swallowed and shook a little.
"Like, a ghost Scooby? Are you s-s-sure?" Shaggy turned around and yelled, "Zoinks!" and immediatly started running in the other direction past Melinda and straight into a suit of armor followed closely by Scooby.
"Hey! What do you guys think you're doing? We're here to solve a mystery, not goof around!" She said looking at the sight of them.
"Well, tell that to him!" Shaggy said pointing shakily behind her, eyes closed. Melinda turned around and saw him.
"What, you mean Harry?"
"Harry? Like, I thought his name was Sir Lawrence?" Shaggy said openening his eyes and standing up. Instead of the ghost, he saw a teenage boy. The one from the airport. He immediatly toughened his image and stood beside Melinda. Scooby, just now seeing this, sighed.
"Roh broy." He muttered. Melinda rolled her eyes.
"Daddy! I found something!" An excited James called out. Fred and Daphne came over to see what the child had. It was a book. Fred took the book from his childs hand and flipped to the first page. On the top of the paper was written the name Sir Lawrence James Abbott the Fourth.
"Good work James." Daphne said giving him a kiss on the top of his head. They took the book and moved onto the next room. There it was Danny's turn. He found a secret passage way to an old, forgotten study. They looked around but all they could find was an old sword and a few scrolls. They decided to take them just in case they were real clues.
Velma turned on the light in the basement. It was evident that no one had been in there for years. Dust was so thick over everything, you needed to use a cloth to wipe away the grime to be able to read or see what was underneath. They began their search. Anna and Susie had found what appeared to be a large chest. They tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Soon, all four children were crowded around trying to open the darn thing. Eventually Velma noticed and came over. She did her best not to laugh as she said this.
"It's locked kids." She began to try and pull the lock off, but as old as it seemed, it remained locked tight onto the chest. "Anna sweetie, hand Mommy her purse." Anna gave velma her maroon bag and Velma opened it searching for something. After a few seconds, she pulled out a lock remover. She closed the clamps around the lock and squeezed. The lock popped off and they opened the chest. Inside was a gruesome sight. Inside, lay a skeleton, pieces of decaying skin or flesh still attached to parts of it.