Chapter 7 - The Stranger
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 8, 2023 – 1 am
Velma slept very soundly, and she woke up confused. After putting on her glasses, her brain slowly realized she was home, and the nap she had taken after returning from San Francisco had lasted a many hours. Norville was sleeping beside her. Before getting up to get something to eat, she covered him and kissed his forehead. In the living room, she saw Scooby-Doo lying on the couch and chewing a sock, while watching cartoons. That scene irritated Velma, however, she did not scold the dog – after all, she knew that his owner was responsible for that.
While eating, she read Fred's messages reporting the strange events involving the book and Daphne Blake. "Why on earth would someone like Daphne Blake die suddenly? And in the same way as James Arthur and Allyra Mahon? Certainly, someone tried to kill her, and had the intention to bury the book next to her body!", said Fred's last message. "Elementary, my dear Watson, but today's date does not form a palindrome", was the first response that Velma typed, but, apparently, he was not awake to answer her. "So, I don´t think she is the victim. I think she is the killer, and something went wrong", she continued. Suddenly, she was interrupted by Scooby-Doo´s head on her lap, begging for a slice of whatever she was sighed and threw a cookie way far from her, to make the dog go away. Unfortunately, in less than 5 seconds, Scooby returned and begged for more food, and Velma had to throw many cookies all over the living room to have some peace during her night meal. When she finally got her phone again, Fred had answered "Bullshit", and on the following moment, called her.
Fred: I heard the agents, Vel. She was in Riverdale, just some blocks away from the place James Arthur died. And she mentioned that an old man kidnapped her… it can be the same killer…
Velma: The same killer would attack in the same way. Which means: in a palindrome date. If this happened out of his modus operandi, it was probably an accident. And if it was an accident, I think we should consider that Daphne Blake is not exactly what your filthy dreams think she is.
Fred: What do you mean?
Velma: Have you ever heard of those crazy sects that only very rich and famous people join? I mean… maybe Daphne is part of the cult we're investigating.That´s the only logical explanation for the fact that she had such a rare book. Plus, as you´ve said, she didn´t want the police to see the book…why?
Fred fell silent for a while, and Velma understood that silence was caused because she said Daphne Blake was a villain.
Fred: Bullshit. She´s already rich and famous. She bled to death, Velma, and she was truly scared. Why would she be part of a sect that wanted to kill her?
Velma: Maybe she wasn´t aware that they wanted to kill her. Probably, the sect lured her with fame and fortune promises, but, of course, didn´t tell her their real intentions. Then, when she finally understood she would be killed, she got scared, ran away and told everyone what she had witnessed.
Fred didn´t answer, and Velma continued, to prove she was right.
Velma: Well, it seems like a sacrifice, Fred, you can´t deny. Occultism sects do this kind of shit for their beliefs. And Daphne fits the "damsel in distress" profile, yet I doubt a girl like her is a virgin. Hmm…or, worse, maybe she wasn´t the aim. Maybe she was in an iniciation rite to join the sect and something went terribly wrong. You´ve said she mentioned the exact name of the man who died of mysterious bleeding, how could she know so much if she were a mere victim?
Another long silence started, and it annoyed Velma.
Velma: I hate to disappoint you, Fred, but that´s the most logical hypothesis we have. Whatever has happened there, she knows something about this sect and the killer.
Fred: She was kidnapped, Velma! Then, taken to the same place where the man was murdered…why would she lie about it?
Velma: Why would her tell the truth, Fred? She would lose everything! Plus, she had the book in her purse, that´s the problem! Can´t you understand that, maybe, she was the one who would bury it next to the man´s body? And something went wrong and prevented her from doing it?
Fred sighed and fell silent again, Velma realized he was annoyed. But, she herself was annoyed with his stubbornness, so she fell silent too and bit another cookie. Immediately, Scooby appeared on her side and begged for another cookie – and that annoyed her even more.
Fred: I think some of your reasoning make sense. But some things don´t. For example, Herbert Stevins was killed in a normal date.
Velma: As I´ve said, maybe the intention was not to kill. Maybe some essencial rite went wrong. We don´t know how crazy things are like inside this sect…
Fred: She has mentioned my mother´s name… and said there were kids there too…as a sect member, why would she share such information?
Velma: Fred, sorry, but everyone in this city knows your mother´s story, so it´s not a big deal. I think she just wanted to call your attention and fake the facts. Furthermore, don´t you think it´s strange that an it girl would suddenly comment on a Mystery Inc.´s post? You jerk thought she was amazing for doing that, but now you can´t deny it´s scary as fuck. She´s watching us!
Fred: Allyra left her tribe for a better life, and she was killed. Mr. Arthur wanted fame for his stupid ideas, and he was killed. If Daphne wants fame and fortune, she is a victim, not one of the killers!
Fred was so emphatic that he ended the phrase raising his voice. Velma sighed out loud to show her impatience. After another tense silence, she continued.
Velma: Fred, look, fuck the things we disagree. Let´s focus in what we agree: Daphne Blake knows something. The evidence she knows something is the book. And the book is what we need to get the answers we want. Period! Now, you have to make her talk. Call her tomorrow and pretend you care.
Fred: What? Are you crazy? I can´t just call her, I have a fiancée!
Velma: And guess what? She´s mad at you. Always. And for everthing. So, ignore her and do it. When we solve this huge mystery involving this sect, even a stuck-up bitch like her will thank us.
Fred: But everyone thinks we had a date and I´ve attacked her!
Velma: Guess what? The annoying way you defend her make them believe it.
Fred: I´m not defending her, I´m just saying she doesn´t seem to be a bad person.
Velma: Guess what? Ted Bundy didn´t either. That´s why we have to focus on facts, not emotions. Well, whatever, JUST CALL HER TOMORROW!
Fred: Velma, turn off the bitch mode, please. She experienced something weird there. Supernatural, I´d say. Nobody dies of severe bleeding and returns to life as if nothing had happened. I was there, it was scary, all that names and the book stuff. How can I ask her about such a thing?
Velma: IDK, but she mentioned that she saw your mother… that´s a good way to start a talk… you´ve saved her, damn, she owe you an explanation!
Velma was clearly in a bad mood, so Fred just sighed and said goodbye. After finishing her meal, she turned her computer on and searched for the name "Herbert Stevins". She only found military honors and mentions of his name on Vietnam veterans' websites. The latest news said he died in his home, after suffering a stroke that ruptured several blood vessels. The only person who was with him at the time of his death was his wife, Lucy. "Ok, you were right, Daphne Blake didn´t kill Herbert, he died at home", was the best apology Velma could type Fred. "But I still think she was the sect´s sacrifice", she continued. Fred answered with a thumbs up, showing that he was not in the mood of keeping that discussion on. And Velma felt relieved, since she knew that revelation about Herbert Stevins´ death made her theory lose all its sense.
Unable to sleep, Velma searched for the book again on the internet, this time, on social networks and online second-hand book platforms. After several attempts, she found the facebook page of a small garage store in Marin County. There, among other items, a copy of Kabbalistic Numerology was on sale. Immediately, Velma contacted the page and reserved the book. After, she typed each one of the palindrome dates that appeared in the library's collection records. Then, she accessed the pages of several San Francisco newspapers and searched for those dates. To her surprise, she found several reports of deaths and disappearances that occurred in those dates. After copying the links of all news, Velma repeated her search in newspapers in Marin, the place where a copy of the book was being sold. Unfortunately, she got the same shocking result.
Velma: Jinkies!
Hearing Velma say "Jinkies", Scooby-Doo stopped hunting cookies around and looked at her seriously. Velma didn't want to be interrupted, but she couldn't ignore the dog.
Velma: Don't worry, Scoob, it's nothing serious...
"… nothing but the fact that I'm talking to a dog", she thought, and hated herself for behaving like Shaggy. After copying the news links and the names of Marin's victims, Velma did the same in Riverdale, then in her own city, Crystal Cove. As expected, the results were similar to the previous ones, indicating that Riverdale and Crystal Cove once had copies of the cursed book.
Velma: Jinkies! That´s it! There must be a book around James Arthur´s garage!
Worried, Scooby-Doo looked at her again. Velma got so excited with her discovery that she called Fred.
Fred: Look, Velma, I´m glad you´re excited with mysteries again, but I really need some sleep.
Velma: I´ll be quick: I think there´s a book buried at James Arthur´s house. We need to go there and find it.
Fred: What? No way! The place is isolated since we solved Molly´s case.
Velma: Fred, you have no idea what I´ve found, this mystery is way worse than we´ve thought!
The silence coming from the other side of the call showed that Fred was not so excited to hear the news.
Fred: Sorry, Velma, I really can´t hear it now. Tomorrow I´ll have to fix all the shit I´ve done to Alice, or we´ll divorce before our marriage.
Velma agreed, but instead of shutting up, she kept sending him links, news and messages about what she had discovered. Until one of the links of Crystal Cove Gazette made her stop.
Velma: JINKIES! I CAN´T BELIEVE IT!
Velma got in shock when she read the article about the disappearence of Fred´s mother. She knew some details about the story, but she wasn´t aware that Hannah Renner case was one more palindrome case. On impulse, Velma sent that information to Fred, but on the following moment, she deleted it. After all, she was not sure if it was a good moment to let him know. Determined to find more evidence, Velma programmed an AI to research library databases across the country, looking for that book. Then, she used another AI to search for records of deaths and disappearances that occurred in other states, on palindrome dates. When the programs finished their work, she used an AI to cross-reference both results, and obtained a frightening revelation: all places that had records about the book had unsolved cases in palindrome dates.
Velma: Jinkies, this book left a macabre trail everywhere…
After the fourth "Jinkies", Scooby-doo gave up looking for cookies and ran towards her. Velma was typing frantically on her keyboard, and she didn't even notice his presence. So, he tried to climb into Velma's lap several times to calm her down, but it made her angrier.
Velma: What's wrong, Scooby? Damn, I can't pet you now!
Unfortunately, he lost his balance and his paw hit the keyboard. By accident, he opened a window he shouldn't. Immediately, Velma chased the dog away, but before scolding him, she had a great idea.
Velma: Image generator? Not bad, Scoob!
After hearing his name in a gentle way, the dog gave up running away and sat down next to the girl. He waited for her to reward him, but she didn't. Velma spent several minutes collecting the location of each unsolved case she found, and when she finished, she inserted all the geographic coordinates into the image-generator AI. The result was a spiral-shaped blur, identical to the stains Velma saw at the crime scenes. Seeing the sinister figure again, Scooby-Doo gave up waiting for his reward and ran to his tutor's bed.
Blake Manor, Crystal Cove, January 8, 2023 – 4:34 am
Daphne woke up with a desperate scream. She seated on her bed, and she heard her sister scream again several times while she struggled desperately. Then, Daisy ran to the door and left the room, calling for help. Drowsily, Daphne turned on the lamp, and she realized the same horrible old man was by her bed, staring at her. In a panic, she screamed and left the room too.
Daphne: Dad, he's back! He is here! The old man is here!
Daphne and Daisy's screams woke up everyone in the mansion, and little by little, the lights were turned on. Daphne was in the mansion's hall when she remembered she had left the book under the bed. Fearing the old man - or even the police- would find it, she decided to return and get it. On the way back, she grabbed one of the fireplace shovels to defend herself in case he attacked her. However, when Daphne arrived there, she noticed he was no longer there. Immediately, she looked for the book under her bed, but it had disappeared too. Daphne searched through the bedding, the carpets and the drawers of her furniture, but she found no sign of the book. She could not understand how the old man had escaped, as the windows were locked from the inside. At the same moment, her father appeared with a gun. When he saw her in shock, looking at her bed, he hugged her tightly and took her away.
7 am
Nan: Come on, honey, drink some tea!
Nan's words made Daphne leave her thoughts. She warmed her cold hands on the hot cup, but didn't feel like drinking anything.
Nan: Don't worry, dear. Nobody was here. It was just a nightmare caused by stress, you and Daisy went through a lot last night.
Daphne had many doubts about the things that had happened to her, but she knew, with absolute certainty, that the old man was real. Seeing her daughter in shock, motionless, with the cup in her hands, Nan sighed and called her husband, hoping that he could make her react. Bart was talking to some police officers and FBI agents, and after hearing his wife's request, he decided to intervene.
Bart: Honey, the emergency protocol was followed, and all safety procedures were carried out. Nothing was found. No one broke into the mansion during the night. There is nothing to fear, you are safe. Now, you need to eat and rest.
Daphne took a sip of her tea, but burst into tears soon after. Moved, her father hugged her and tried to calm her down, but fear made her sob. At the same moment, Sheriff Bronson Stone arrived and greeted the Blakes.
Bronson: Nan and Bart, I'm so sorry. I could only come here now. Last night, I had to intervene in an invasion at James Arthur's house. And the person responsible was none other than Dr. Emmanuel Raffalo! I think he was completely drunk...
Daphne stopped crying immediately, and paid attention to every detail of the conversation.
Bronson: …anyway, I had to arrest him. He completely destroyed the garage with an axe, and put local residents at risk. Now, he is giving Darrow´s doctors a lot of trouble.
Unfortunately, Daphne couldn't hear more details. At the same moment, she heard Daisy arguing loudly in the living room.
Daisy: ARE YOU SAYING THAT I´M CRAZY? I'M NOT CRAZY! I SAW THAT MAN!
The argument made the Blakes interrupt their conversation. Before Bart could check what was going on, Daisy appeared, furious, to explain.
Daisy: THOSE PSYCHOLOGISTS OF YOURS ARE SAYING THAT I'M CRAZY! I'M NOT CRAZY, I SAW AN OLD MAN IN DAPHNE'S ROOM!
Like a spoiled child, Daisy crossed her arms and frowned, waiting from her father´s intervention. Then, a couple of FBI forensic psychologists came to explain what they had told the girl. Seeing that Nan and Bart were more interested in the psychologists' version than in hers, Daisy got annoyed and sat down next to her sister. Daphne stared at her for a moment and offered her tea, but she refused. For the next few minutes, Daisy interrupted the psychologists to tell them they were wrong. When she finally realized that her parents believed their daughters were delusional, she talked to the only person who believed her.
Daisy: You believe me, right? That old man was there!
Daphne finished her tea and nodded.
Daphne: Yes, he was real, I saw it too.
Daisy: He wasn't real! I mean... he can't be a real person, there's no trace of a stranger being here last night... but he really was there, wasn't he?
Daphne shuddered as Daisy confirmed her suspicions that the old man was a ghost.
Daphne: Of course it was a person! What else could it be?
Daisy: I don't know... a ghost... or even death itself! And he's after you, because you've seen him twice!
Daphne's heart raced, because she knew Daisy was right. However, she knew there was nothing to fear: the old man had already taken what he wanted.
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 8, 2023 – 8 am
Velma was happily woken up by her boyfriend. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Shaggy was smilling.
Shaggy: Come on, honey, like, we gotta go! We´ll have a great day!
Velma slowly stood up, and she was surprised to see Shaggy so excited to investigate about a book. Ten minutes later, when she saw him place two tickets on the kitchen table, she understood why he was so happy.
Velma: "Auntie Francilee's Sunday Roast", Norville? What the fuck? We are in the middle of a serious mystery!
Shaggy was disconcerted and tried to justify himself.
Shaggy: Like, I know, but… uh… the Sunday Roast is a family tradition and part of our culture…
Velma: Tradition? You're not Brittish!
Shaggy: I but was, like, 300 years ago, when the first Rogers put his foot in this nation!
Velma: Norville, this is unbelievable! Why the hell you´ve bought tickets for this gastronomic event? We both agreed that we would search for information about this damn book today! Is not fair!
Shaggy: Yeah… uh... well... but... like, remember you wanted to visit Cambridge? This is a great opportunity to enjoy the Brittish culture and…
Velma: A bunch of Californian geeks dressing like Harry Potter is not "brittish culture"!
Shaggy: Like, besides, the event is pet friendly! The library don't let Scoob in... so, I think we'd better go to San Francisco tomorrow.
Scooby-Doo barked to confirm what his tutor had said, and Velma got angrier.
Velma: We have to go today! If we dont, we might lose the book forever, and we'll never know what this damn book has to do with all these unsolved cases!
Shaggy: But Aunt Francilee's Sunday Roast is only today! Like, we´ll never have the opportunity to go to an event like this again! As for the mystery, don't worry, in two months there will be another palimeter, and we will discover more about the sect!
Velma: IT'S PALINDROME, NORVILLE! DAMN! And no, we can't wait for the next crimes! Didn't you read the messages I sent you? There's something horrible happening all over the country! So, we're going to San Francisco and Marin right now!
Shaggy looked at Scooby-Doo and the tickets for a moment. Then, he looked at his girlfriend. After gaining courage, he made his decision.
Shaggy: Like, I'm sorry, Vel, but I´ve promised Scoob that...
Velma was so angry that she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. Norville fell silent and looked to his dog for emotional support, but he just smiled and licked his face. After getting ready, she left the bathroom in a hurry and took his car keys without asking permission.
Velma: YOU´VE CONVINCED ME TO RESURRECT MYSTERY INC.! YOU´VE PUT ME INTO ALL THIS SHIT, AND NOW YOU LET ME DO IT ALONE!
Before Shaggy could say anything, Velma slammed the front door angrily and left. Shaggy sighed and looked at the dog again, expecting more emotional support. Scooby just walked towards the table and happily brought the tickets.
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 8, 2023 – 9 am
Many hours of sleep made Fred wake up feeling better. After making a cup of coffee, he sat down in front of the computer to check the latest news. There weren´t new messages from cherryred on True Crime Forum. All new posts were just new users commenting on old posts, or commenting on the endless argument between Joel Marlow's daughters and the members who considered him a murderer. On his cell phone, there were some messages from Velma – most of them complaining about Shaggy –, and a few messages from Shaggy – saying how hard it is to deal with Velma. Alice didn´t even get in touch, and Fred realized how much trouble he was in. On social networks, he saw a small note on a celebrity website, mentioning that Daphne Blake had been hospitalized. However, none of the macabre details were disclosed. The mere mention of the name "Daphne Blake" prompted Fred to access her profile, to check if she was ok. However, there was no update anywhere. Then, an impulse made him look for the number that had called him the night before. For a while, Velma´s voice appeared in his head and encouraged him to talk to Daphne again. "Do it for the mystery", the mental Velma ordered. Fortunately, before his feelings pressed the "call" button, reason prevented him. "Why the hell do you care? I don't know why you care, you shouldn't care!", Fred repeated to himself, out loud, remembering the phrase that Daphne herself had said before hanging up. Immediately, like a divine sign, Fred received a message from his father, saying: "I really hope you do the right thing today, son", and it was enough to bring back all the lucidity he needed to give up getting in touch with her.
After the first message, Brad sent a short video, and he asked: "Wasn´t he your science teacher at High School? This morning, he was arrested for destroying James Arthur's garage. Then, they brought him to the emergency room, he was completely out of himself!". Fred opened the video, and he recognized Professor Emmanuel Raffalo. In the images, the teacher was completely disturbed. He was screaming for help, while a team of nurses tried to restrain him.
Emmanuel Raffalo: Let me go! You can't leave me here, I don't have time! I need to go back, I need to take what's mine, I have the right to take what's mine! Let me go, I'm running out of time!
At the same time, Fred looked for local news about what had happened. A Riverdale newspaper headline said: "Renowned science teacher arrested for vandalizing Molly Becker's killer's home." Accessing the news, Fred saw a photo of James Arthur's garage floor completely destroyed, and the next photo showed Professor Raffalo being arrested. That was enough to make him call Velma.
Velma: Hi Fred, I'm driving, be quick…
Fred: Did you hear the news about Professor Raffalo?
Velma: Hmm... nothing but people discussing the Nobel he won last year... and, to be honest, I agree with them, his work on quantum dots is ridiculous!
Fred: I mean, normal people 's news, Velma... Emmanuel Raffalo was arrested last night after vandalizing James Arthur's garage. My dad said he was completely nuts when he was taken to the emergency room. He looked quite scared, as if he was searching for something…
Velma: You mean, searching for…?
Fred: The book, maybe? Didn´t you say you believe there is was a book near the place Mr. Arthur´s body was found? Or worse, he is seraching for something related to James Arthur's death. After all, he destroyed the stain and the place where his body was found…
Velma took a while to respond.
Velma: Hmmm… yeah… maybe… can be… but Mr. Raffalo and Mr. Arthur were friends, weren´t they? I don´t think Raffalo would do such a thing to his own friend…
Fred noticed some irritation in her voice, for being forced to give a complex answer while driving. He knew Velma hated being interrupted while she was focused on a task, but he insisted anyway.
Fred: There´s no other reason to destroy the floor, Velma… I think Raffalo knows something about Mr. Arthur´s death and the mysterious stain…
Velma: Fred, I'm sorry, but I can't follow your reasoning now. If you tell me that 2+2 is 5 while I'm driving, I will agree with you. Can we talk later?
Fred agreed and ended the call. For a moment, he thought about going to Darrow Hospital to talk to Emmanuel Raffalo, but, again, his father's phrase stopped him. "Enough with this shit", he concluded, while he got ready to meet Alice. Before leaving home, however, the universe prompted him to continue with his errors. Alice sent him a message saying: "I'm going to the hospital, see you there".
San Francisco Community Library
January 8, 2023 – 11:30 am
Arriving at the library, Velma went straight to the computer room, to consult the records generated after returning the book. To her surprise, the book was not included in the records of arrivals, donations or returns. There were no records of the book in the current collection either, nor any kind of information about it in the library's databases. So, Velma decided to ask for help.
Velma: Hello, my name is Velma, and I need a book called "Kabbalistic Numerology". The author is Frank Melker… I can't find it in the collection…
The librarian smiled and typed the information into the computer search box, but nothing was found. Then, she smiled and informed the library did not have the book she was looking for. In disbelief, Velma sighed in anger and continued.
Velma: Look, I'm sorry, but that's impossible! I´ve returned this book yesterday, after finding it inside my grandfather's basement! So, it´s definitely somewhere in this library!
Velma raised her voice, and that made two other librarians approach her, trying to solve the problem. New searches occurred on other computers, and, once again, nothing was found. Velma realized that her anger wouldn't help, so, she changed her strategy to make those women help her: she pretended she was important.
Velma: I'm really sorry about this, ladies, but... I wish you could understand my desperation to get this book! Can you see that bank over there, across the street? Well, my grandfather founded it right after 1929... and, right now, what prevents me from being a billionaire banker is the information contained in that book! So, I would be really, really grateful if you helped me find it…and I would love to reward each one of you for your help!
Velma acted like the rich and spoiled influencers she hated, like Daphne Blake, and she felt thankful that Fred and Shaggy weren't there to witness that shameful scene. But she was desperate, and she knew that only the promise of a cash prize would mobilize the librarians. To her surprise, many people around her heard her words and helped too. However, after an hour of intense searching, nothing was found. Security cameras confirmed the book was placed inside the return box the day before, but it was no longer in the box when a librarian registered each book. And he wasn't lost in any part of the library either. Not even Lisa Genau, the young librarian who was there the day before, could explain what had happened.
Lisa: I´m sorry, but seems like it evaporated. At the moment you returned it, I put a magnetic tag on it myself. The library door would beep if anyone tried to steal it, and no beep was heard in the last 24 hours.
Disappointed, Velma thanked her and left. The promise of a large cash reward made the librarians write down Velma's phone number and promise to call if the book appeared. After saying goodbye, she sped off towards Marin County. She needed to get that book before it disappeared too.
Darrow Hospital, Crystal Cove, January 8, 2023.
12:30 pm
After talking and explaining himself for hours, Fred convinced Alice to forgive him. Finally, things were ok between them, and they were once again the exemplary couple that their parents – and hers – wanted so much. A few minutes later, Fred hated himself for that. And not even the evident pride on his father's face made him feel better. After all, the exemplary couple was not a happy couple. There was constant weariness on her face, and guilt in all his actions; there were frustrated expectations in her heart and, in his, just disinterest. The incompatibility of the exemplary couple became evident when, at the end of the internship, Alice went with her friends to the golf club, and Fred remained in the psychiatric ward to investigate Emmanuel Raffalo. Alice smiled disconcertingly and said: "I'll wait for you there, darling". But there was an implicit "don't disappoint me again" in her eyes.
At the room where Prof. Raffalo was hospitalized, Fred saw him sitting on the bed, dejected and staring at the wall. His medical records said "psychotic break," but he seemed calm and conscious. His lucidity was proved when he recognized Fred and greeted him.
Emmanuel: Frederick! What a pleasure, man! Who would imagine that someone who couldn´t differentiate an alcohol from an aldehyde would graduate in Medicine…
Fred: I was lucky enough to never see alcohols and aldehydes again in my life, sir. That´s why I´m here.
They laughed and shook hands. Fred noticed that Raffalo's hands were bruised.
Fred: Don't worry, sir. I´m not here as a doctor. I came as a student. I´ve heard you won a Nobel Prize, congratulations! I have no idea what quantum dots are, but seems like something brilliant…
Raffalo thanked him and smiled for a moment, but soon his lucidity disappeared. He turned pale and his facial expression turned dark and frightened. At the same moment, he held Fred´s arms tightly and begged for help.
Emmanuel: Now, take me out of here, Frederick! I'm running out of time! You need to help me! I need to get what's mine, before police take it, or… or… or he finds me!
Fred held the old man's arms tightly too, and that made him let go Fred´s arms. Then, Emmanuel got very agitated and nervous, and he started walking in circles around the room.
Fred: Before the police take what, sir? And who´s coming after you? If you don't tell me, I can't help you.
Immediately, the teacher stopped walking, but before saying anything, he hesitated and sighed.
Emmanuel: I… I can't say! Just help me get out of here, Frederick! I have no time! If they find it before I do, I… I… I'm dead!
The teacher's despair increased and he started crying. His hands were shaking, and Fred realized the fear he felt was real.
Fred: Sir, please, calm down. Whatever it is, and whatever you have done, no one will harm you for this. You will only be judged according to the Law, and will…
Emmanuel: TWO DAYS HAVE ALREADY PASSED, FREDERICK! I NEED TO RECOVER IT!
Fred: Sir, are you talking about a book? Or something related to James Arthur´s death? You can trust me… and I can help you…
Instead of calming down, Raffalo widened his eyes and lost control. Into a fit of rage, he grabbed Fred by the collar and threatened him. As Fred was bigger and stronger, he managed to free himself from Raffalo´s hands. Even so, the old man continued attacking him angrily, as if he were responsible for preventing him from getting back what he wanted. The Professor´s screams caught the attention of a team of nurses, and Fred left the room in the moment they appeared to sedate Emmanuel. While leaving, Fred saw the professor lie down on the bed mechanically, as if he were a zombie, and stare at the ceiling. After receiving the medicine, his eyes and mouths were slightly open, forming an expression of horror.
Marin County, January 8, 2023.
3:00 p.m.
When her cell phone indicated she had reached her final destination, Velma compared the beautiful, cheerful house on Google street View with the dilapidated house next to her car – and she regretted being there. She felt a little safer when she saw a sign saying "Hassler – Antiques and Second-Hand Articles", so, she decided to get out of the car and continue with her purpose. The doorbell was answered by a young, tattooed, gothic-looking girl, and that made Velma doubt again whether she should continue.
Velma: Hi! I'm Velma, I´ve reserved a book in your online store last night, and I´m here to get it.
Meg: Oh, of course! Hi Velma, I'm glad you came! I'm Meg!
The girl smiled and invited Velma in – and she followed her, even though she was aware she might never leave that place again. While passing by a living room where a young man with long hair was watching a football game, the girl mentioned that Velma was the buyer of "that book", and he greeted her. Velma followed the girl to a filthy garage, where there was a lot of cats and, among other items, the book. Velma was so happy to have a copy of that book in her hands that she immediately paid the promised amount and picked it up. But in the moment she did that, the group of cats came in her direction and formed a circle around her.
Meg: Oh... this came with the book! You can take it!
Using her fingertips, the girl picked up a very dirty piece of olive green fabric, with metal buttons, and handed it to Velma. Velma shuddered as she remembered the book she herself had unearthed.
Velma: What do you mean by "this came with the book"?
Meg: Oh!... uh... it's a long story... my boyfriend and I like to go around exploring abandoned places with metal detectors. Last week, we were at that abandoned military fort on Angel Island, and the metal detector beeped near a tree. When we dug the place up, we found this buried book, and it was wrapped in this fabric. To be honest, I'm glad we sold it quickly, because it gives me the creeps...
The story gave Velma the creeps too, but she pretended nothing happened.
Velma: Gives the creeps? Why?
Meg: Well… it seems to me that it´s related to a crime... or to occultism... or, perhaps, to both... I felt sick when I first opened it in the fort...
Velma: Bad like what? Dizziness?
Meg: No, my nose bled when I opened it, and stopped when I closed it! It was crazy! But I'm a natural born witch, that´s why I can feel a very bad energy coming from it... plus, look at my cats! This book makes them insane.
The cats were still walking in a big circle around Velma, and that made her feel fear. Still, she grabbed the item and analyzed it carefully. Next to the buttons, there was a small plate made of fabric, where had embroidered the name Mailand. That made Velma conclude that piece was part of a military shirt.
Greg: Honey, I don't think it's a good idea...
After hearing the male voice, Velma turned around and the couple looked at her in a frightened way. Then, the girl laughed awkwardly and tried to hide her boyfriend's interruption.
Meg: Sorry… uh…my boyfriend is just a little nervous about this sale…
Greg: You're not a cop, are you?
The sudden interruption made the girl be embarrassed, and Velma shook her head to deny it.
Greg: And you won´t take it to the cops, will you?
Meg: Sorry, Velma, Greg is just worried and...
Velma: May I know the reason for his concern?
Then, the woman looked angrily at her boyfriend, because he had said things that, perhaps, would make Velma give up paying an abusive amount for a moldy book. Even after being scolded, Greg continued.
Greg: Well... it says Mailand... and... you know... Toby Mailand case... the soldier who was a Vietnam hero, then died mysteriously at the fort... I don't know, I think that might be a clue to his case...
Meg: Velma, I'm really sorry about that. My boyfriend spends all day reading True Crime Forum and those internet crime blogs, so...
Greg: No, it´s not internet bullshit, this guy's case is still unsolved! And, you know, it's a crime to enter military areas without authorization, so… what I want to make clear is: that I don't want to get in trouble with police because of a shitty book, ok?
Velma: Don't worry, Greg, you're selling to a simple geek who collects rare books. No one will ever know that you were illegally in that fort.
The man seemed calmer, and he didn't interrupt anymore. Then, Velma thanked them and said goodbye – to her despair, all cats followed her, keeping the circle. When she got into her car, Greg approached her again.
Greg: Hey... I don't want to be nosy, but I think you should send this fabric to the authorities... it might be a clue...
Velma: So, you don't want to get in trouble yourself, but you want me to get in trouble?
Greg: You can report anonymously, just like those explorers have done in Molly Becker case. This case has been unsolved for 50 years, this fabric might help solve everything. IDK, just think about this guy and his family…he served his country, but his country never solved his case…
Velma: That´s very patriotic, Greg, but it won´t happen. By the way, I think you should stop reading True Crime Forum, it's melting your sanity. If neither the military forces, nor the FBI solved the crime, how could we do it?
Velma sped up before getting a response. In fact, she did that because she herself was curious to know about the Toby Mailand case. When she finally left the town, she stopped at a gas station and researched about it. To her astonishment, Toby Mailand was one of those cases that occurred on palindrome dates in Marin. Plus, in the place where his body was found, there was also a creepy stain. Then, Velma decided to analyze the book and look for some information about Toby in it. After flipping through a few pages, a piece of paper fell at her feet. When she picked it up, Velma was shocked: the paper was, actually, a very old telephone bill in the name of Herbert Stevins. Immediately, she photographed her discovery, then she had the brilliant idea of photographing every page of the book, so she would never lose it again.
While she was doing that, she heard a car honk right behind her. When she looked in the rearview mirror, she saw an angry man asking her to leave the place, because she was obstructing the way. Velma put down the book for a moment, started the car and parked it a few yards away. The moment she started photographing the book again, the same man honked again and swore at her. Annoyed, Velma threw her cell phone and the open book into the backseat and decided to leave the place. On the highway, she tried to overtake a car to get into the lane that would take her to another gas station. However, at the moment she looked in the rearview mirror, she noticed there was an old, pale man, dressed in very old black clothes, in the back seat of the car. The old man had a strange luminous effect in his eyes – like animal eyes illuminated by a light source. The scene startled Velma, she screamed and turned the direction of the car abruptly, hitting the car she was trying to overtake at high speed.