Chapter 04

We were back at Shaggy's house within the hour to find Fred and Daphne waiting in Daphne's car in the street out front. Mr. Roger's truck being parked in the driveway probably accounted for their reticence in approaching the house. I would do the same. There was something about Shaggy's father that set me on edge.

While Shaggy checked in with his parents, the rest of us bypassed the house and went straight back to the deck. My mother would have scolded me for being rude but I just didn't want to go in there. I was sweating as we got settled in. It was unseasonably warm for March and we were already in temperatures which made me regret my ever-present wool turtleneck.

The backyard lights all blasted on to make sure that we weren't up to any hanky-panky or shenanigans or mischief or whatever Shaggy's parents thought we might be up to. The back door opened, and Shaggy and Scooby walked back from the house. The door shut behind them. Against the bright yard lights, I could see nothing within but a silhouette. As always after speaking with his father, Shaggy's gait was slightly different. His normally slumped shoulders were more slumped than usual, and his hands were in his pockets rather than swinging at his side. What this meant, I couldn't decipher, but I noted the difference.

Fred was pumped. "We went down to the 10th District Coast Guard Base and the guys there were super helpful."

Daphne smiled. "Especially to me."

Fred shrugged. "We use the tools we have. But they gave us lots of information. Get a load of this. Captain Cutler's yacht was towed to the Coast Guard base overnight and then it was moved to a private holding yard. After a year, Captain Cutler was officially declared dead and Mrs. Cutler paid to have the yacht restored and then sold it. It was bought and recommissioned."

Fred paused looking very pleased with himself.

Me, being me, couldn't help but fall into his trap. "So?"

He had me. "So, the yacht that disappeared was the same one. It was Captain Cutler's old yacht!" That finger went up in the air again. I hated that.

"Who bought it?"

Daphne answered this one. "It was a company. Spiritus, Inc."

I am big enough to admit when I'm beaten. "It looks like you were right. Captain Cutler is the key to all of this."

You could carry Fred's smugness in a bucket.

"Wait! There's more!" Fred was going to milk this for everything it was worth. "The Coast Guard guys told us…"

"Told me." Corrected Daphne.

"…told Daphne that there have been weird sightings of a glowing person or thing in the area around Rocky Point near where Captains Cutler was last seen."

I had stroked his ego enough. It was my turn. "There's a missing piece. There are just too many coincidences unless…"

I loved this part. I waited until someone gave me my cue.

Fred was always ready to volunteer. "Unless what?"

"Unless there are no coincidences at all." Fred had the finger-pointing thing, but I owned cryptic.

Of course, now I had to put up or shut up which sent me to the internet. I focused on my work while Fred and Daphne flirted and Shaggy chatted quietly with Scooby. I had never really thought of the two of them just sitting and having a conversation before but I supposed it happened all the time.

The fact that the Coast Guard had not mentioned the owner of the other yacht in the accident report had bothered me and I began picking at that thread. I know that's a terrible metaphor for someone wearing a knitted wool sweater but, like I said, I was not at my improvisational best.

The wonderful thing about the internet is that everything that's been put on a computer is on there somewhere. I found the name in a small article in a local boating newsletter from the yacht club. The owner of Boat 2 was Ambrose Pearson.

I know.

It meant nothing to me, either. Pretty lousy big reveal.

But now I had two names: Ambrose Pearson and Spiritus, Inc. If they tied together, then all coincidences were gone and everything tied together.

"Ah-hah!" My finger went up. I can see why Fred enjoys that.

Four sets of eyes turned in my direction.

I was too excited to wait for a cue line. "The owner of the yacht that rammed Captain Cutler's boat is named Ambrose Pearson. He owns two blocks of shares in a company named Spiritus, Inc. One of these blocks is in his name and the other is in his wife's name. Each by itself is a minority share but, together, they make up 51% of the stock in that company. Spiritus, Inc specializes in maintaining sea-going vessels and their primary client is…"

Fred beat me to the punch. "PiscineCo! Captain Cutler's company!"

I guess it was pretty obvious at that point. Me and my dramatic pauses.

I continued. "So, we need to set up a meeting with Mr. Pearson on Monday after school."

"But why would he agree to talk to a bunch of teen-agers?" When Shaggy wasn't high, he was pretty good at seeing through to the heart of a problem.

Daphne smiled. "Because I'm a Blake. Don't worry. I'll get us that interview."