- ONE WEEK EARLIER -

"Thanks again, Barny!" Shaggy said as he patted his stomach.

"Reah! Ranks!" Scooby cried, leaning back in his chair.

Scooby and Shaggy had piles of empty plates stacked on their table with not a single crumb left.

"No problem, guys!" Barny replied. "I hope you're full!"

"Oh, we are!" Shaggy said, laughing.

"I think you cleared me out of all the food!" Barny chuckled. "Good thing I'm getting a shipment tomorrow."

Shaggy's smile faded. "Like, I just hope you were imagining things when you said there were weird things going on." He glanced at Barny, who grimaced.

"Yeah. Me too."

"Like, did you see anything?"

"Nothin'"

"Nothing?"

"Nothin'"

Shaggy frowned. "Huh. Usually, people see something spooky, and they call us up for help."

"Reah! Then we rolve it!" Scooby said proudly. "Rysteries are our rhing, you know."

Barny sighed. "Nope. I mean, other than what I've already told ya. But I'm sure you and your friends will get to the bottom of things."

Shaggy ran a hand through his hair. "Like, are you sure, Barny? There's gotta be something else you've noticed . . ."

Barny's eyes narrowed. "I guess Mr. Dinkley's been acting kind of strange. But I don't blame him, what with everything going on. Whatever he's been working on, he's been rattled. Spending long nights in his office."

A ceiling light flickered above them.

Barny collected some of the plates from the table, ignoring Shaggy's nervous glance upward. "You guys sure you don't want some dessert?"

"For once, I have to decline," Shaggy said, still looking up at the ceiling.

"Alright. Well, you guys enjoy your evening!" Barny gave them a quick smile as he headed back to the kitchen.

As soon as Barny was out of earshot, Scooby sat up straighter in his chair. "Rhat guy's suspicious."

"Huh? What do you mean? He's a nice guy, Scoob," Shaggy said, raising his eyebrows.

"Just . . . romething," Scooby said. His eyes were focused on the kitchen door.

"Well, I'm sure it was just from your first impression of him, buddy," Shaggy said as he stood up and stretched. "He's just stressed. That's all."

Shaggy looked down at his watch. It had already been an hour. "Like, we'd better get back to the museum. Freddy and the girls are probably waiting on us."

Scooby remained seated, still watching the kitchen door.

"Come on, Scoob," Shaggy said, grabbing his collar gently. "Let's go."

"He didn't see ranything," Scooby said softly, looking up at Shaggy. "Don't you rhink rhat's weird?"

"Like, I guess," Shaggy scratched his head. "It was weird he didn't mention a forest-alligator-monster creature terrorizing guests. It usually goes that way."

"No," Scooby said, looking back at the door. "He smelled."

"Smelled?" Shaggy said, confused. "It's probably just from all the food he's been cooking. Let's go."

Scooby didn't budge.

"No. Not food."

The lights flickered again. Shaggy grabbed Scooby's collar, harder this time. "Let's go, Scoob."

With a final tug, Scooby was pulled towards the exit door, his eyes still fixed on the kitchen door.