Prologue

We came out of the Wahasapee mystery depressed and questioning whether we were really helping anyone. I look back and the logical side of my mind knows that the fault lies squarely at the feet of Big Ben, Barty Blake, and the American political system. But, even after all these years, I can't shake the guilt. Our next mystery was not the hardest to solve. But it had impacts on us and changed our perspectives forever. To understand who we are and who we became, you have to know what we lived through.

We were driving back from Gold City in Daphne's car when the car spoke to us. Incoming Call from Sharon Weatherby.

Daphne spoke into the air. "Answer."

There was a soft click and Daphne spoke again. "Hello Sharon! How are you, darling?"

The female voice came back from the speaker. "Daphne Blake. I am just marvelous. And yourself?"

"Couldn't be better. We have to get together sometime."

The tone of Sharon Weatherby's voice changed. "That's what I wanted to speak with you about. I was wondering what you were doing this weekend? Actually, I was wondering what you and your friends were doing this weekend?"

"My friends?"

"Yes. Your crime-solving friends. I might be in need of an eensy-weensy bit of help in that regard."

Four sets of ears perked up. In Scooby's case, literally.

Daphne's voice retained the light-hearted banter of the rich. "What help might we be able to provide?" I had more than half expected her to challenge the use of the word 'friends'.

"It's my uncle. He seems to have disappeared. He's been staying with us recently and we woke up this morning and he wasn't here."

"Are you sure he didn't just leave, sweetie?"

"His car is still here. I'm not sure it was in running order. It's kind of a wreck."

"Have you called the police?"

There was a hesitation. "It's probably nothing and we really don't want to involve the police. What would people think?"

I couldn't help but feel that people might think she cared more about her uncle than her family reputation. But I kept that to myself.

"Let me check with my… friends." Daphne looked questioningly at Fred who looked back at us in the back seat. My parents weren't expecting us back until Sunday and it was only Thursday. I was in. I nodded. Without waiting for Shaggy or Scooby to respond, Fred nodded to Daphne.

The Blake heiress spoke. "We're all available to head that way right now, darling. Are you at the Estate?"

"The Weatherby Estate. Yes. Do you know where it is?"

"Of course, dear. We'll be there in about three hours.

"You're an absolute love! See you then. Toodles."

"Toodles." Daphne responded and then broke the connection.

I spoke first. "Well, we can't complain about having enough content for the YouTube channel. Two mysteries back-to-back will keep me editing for a week."

Fred turned to Daphne. "And it will give you some time to catch up with your friend."

Daphne looked at him funny. "Oh, she's not my friend."

"You don't like her?"

"I don't know. We've never met."

Fred, like the rest of us, was confused. "It sure sounded like you knew her pretty well."

"I know of her. Just like she knows of me. But the Weatherby's are old money and my father is self-made. We don't really mingle. But between you and me, the scuttlebutt is that the Weatherby's originally made their money from smuggling. That's why they've always lived in that mansion on the water."

As always, I said the first thing that popped into my head. "Rich people are weird."

Daphne beamed her famous smile into the rear-view mirror. "Oh, you don't know the half of it!"