Chapter 3 – Meddling Kids
Blake Manor, Crystal Cove, January 6, 2023.
5:45 am
Daphne woke up with the sound of a phone ringing. She got up immediately, because she knew that noise meant "FBI urgent news". So, she wrapped a warm robe around herself and went downstairs to check what was going on. A few minutes later, Bart Blake passed her on the living room.
Daphne: Dad, what happened? A new crime? Is there a killer around?
Bart: Don´t worry, sweetheart, nothing serious! Just some good news about a very old case... now, go back to bed, you need to rest!
As always, Bart didn't give her further details. He just kissed the top of his youngest daughter's head and left. Annoyed, Daphne crossed her arms and followed the image of her father leaving the mansion. While getting into the car, she heard him mention "Riverdale" while talking to some agent on his cell phone, and that made her suspect it was all about Molly Becker case. In her room, Daphne accessed True Crime Forum, and she came across the photos and messages from user Mystery Inc. about James Arthur´s house. "Good job, Mystery Inc., another mystery solved! Your clues are amazing, as always. Thank you for your help solving another cold case", were the words that cherryred posted, ending another topic. Then, Daphne returned to bed and slept peacefully, feeling important for helping grieving parents.
7:50 am
Daphne realized she hadn't heard the alarm clock when Cosette knocked on her door, announcing that breakfast was ready. She asked for a minute to get ready, and said she would like to have breakfast with her parents in the dining room. When she tried to leave her room, Jenkins stopped her.
Jenkins: It´s not a good time, Miss. Blake. Your parents are a bit nervous, and they don't want anyone's company. So, they´ve asked you and Miss. Daisy to have breakfast in your own rooms.
Daphne sighed and rolled her eyes, showing frustration, then she sat on her bed and waited Cosette to set the table.
Daphne: Won´t you tell me what's going on? At least, tell me why the hell my father left at 5 am! Or why they are nervous and don´t want us around!
Jenkins: They don't want to scare you, Miss. Blake...
Daphne: And they have miserably failed! I'm not 6 anymore,ok? I deserve to know, don't you think?
The butler sighed and looked at the maid, who responded with a frightened facial expression.
Cosette: If you're going to tell her, wait me finish and let me leave, I don't want to get involved!
Jenkins didn't say a word, he just picked up the remote control and turned the television on. The first channel showed breaking news about Molly Becker case. The next channel showed local police and the FBI inside an abandoned house, and Daphne recognized it was James Arthur´s house. After showing the case was receiving extensive coverage in four or five different channels, Jenkins made her understand the reason of Blake family´s crisis.
Daphne: A case solved after 26 years is a good thing, isn´t it? Why are my parents so worried?
Again, without saying a word, the butler tuned in to a channel that showed a morning talk show. In it, the presenter interviewed Molly Becker's parents and, in tears, they said harsh words about the FBI and the American judicial system. "It's frustrating to pay taxes to keep a judicial system that simply doesn't work. And it's ridiculous that meddling kids from community are more efficient than forensic professionals. I feel humiliated!", were the exact words said by Molly Becker 's mother. To make matters worse, the headline mentioned the names of Nan Blake, agent Diane Staton and some police officers involved. The next channel showed some journalists trying to interview the Beckers when they left the police station. "Mr. Becker, how do you feel knowing that your daughter's case could have been solved in 2021 if the FBI and the courts had used Roy Keener's testimony?", was the only question Daphne heard before Jenkins tuned in to another channel, and it made her feel panic. The next channel showed a debate between experts and ordinary people. The headline question was: " When justice fails, is it acceptable to let peaople search for answers?", and there was huge discussion between law professionals (who thought such a thing is dangerous) and families of victims, who defended it. Daphne got so nervous that she couldn't pay attention to the discussion, and her panic got worse when the participants mentioned True Crime Forum and its most efficient users: cherryred and Mystery Inc.
Cosette: If Nan and Bart find out, I'll tell them it was you!
The scolding made Jenkins turn off the TV immediately. After making a sign meaning "don´t say anything", he left. In a few minutes, all Daphne´s joy for helping the Beckers turned into fear. At her room, she could hear her mother crying and raising her voice, and it added tons of guilt to her shoulders. She felt so bad that she couldn't even eat. Her thoughts tortured her, and made her feel ashamed of the consequences she had caused just for fun. Determined to finally delete her secret identity, she accessed True Crime Forum, while she proceeded, she had a surprise.
There were dozens of messages asking for cherryred 's help in cold cases. Most came from desperate parents and relatives, who begged for some public attention in their private problems. "It´s not your problem, Daphne, it's time to stop before the consequences get worse", she repeated to herself, while she closed her teary eyes and tried to ignore all those requests. But all her determination faded when she saw a profile photo of an elderly woman, along with the message: "Hi, I heard about you on TV. My son disappeared in the early summer of 1967. I'm sick and I don't have many years left, so I would love to have your help to find out what happened to him.". Daphne sighed and tried to control her breathing, so that new tears wouldn't form in her eyes. "You don´t really care, Daphne, after all, it's not your problem! ," she insisted. And she failed, because she cared. "Maybe it´s totally safe if I don´t post so frequently… or if I only help not-so-famous cases…" , she convinced herself, and gave up deleting her secret identity. To escape her complicated feelings, Daphne decided to go to college earlier. When she went downstairs, she heard her parents arguing, and she tried to hear them.
Nan: State of California can sue channel #6 for talking about that Forum, Bart... and that's exactly what we´ll gonna do…
Bart: Absolutely. But it doesn't invalidate the case and its solving…
Nan: I WILL PERSONALLY INVALIDATE IT! The evidence is not official…
Bart: But they're true, Nan, what can we do?
Nan: They were not obtained during the investigation!
Bart: Nan,for God's sake! What´s the problem? They´ve found arsenic inside the house of a teacher who had eugenicist ideas, and 115 of his former students had neurological problems, some of them even died! How could we ignore it? If you dare to invalidate it, public opinion will be against you…
Nan: I'll do whatever I need to keep my career, Bart! They want people to lose their faith in institutions, and I won't let this shit happen!
Bart: It's not "they", honey! These fake profiles are controlled by one or two disgruntled agents who want to defame their superiors...
Nan: Certainly, one of them is Diane Staton... she knew about Roy's testimony, she leaked the information on that damn forum...
Bart: Diane is out, honey! Right now, she must be leaving her credentials and her gun at her captain´s room... now, please stay calm and smile during interviews! And for God's sake, let's be happy for Molly's parents and all the children involved… if it were one of our daughters, we would want them to do the same…
Nan: If it were one of our daughters, I would trust official evidence, Bart, not the shit meddling internet kids post online!
The sound of Nan's heels stomping up the stairs made Daphne leave her hiding place and walk slowly towards the door. When he saw her, Bart approached, kissed her forehead and wished her a good day.
Bart: Honey, we have a dinner tonight. I want you and Daisy home before 6 pm, ok?
Daphne nodded and left. On her way to college, she tried to deal with the guilt of getting Agent Diane Staton fired.
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 6, 2023 - 10:30 am
Fred woke up with the sound of someone furiously knocking on his door. When he looked at the clock, he understood why the person was so furious: he overslept. Immediately, he grabbed the first clothes he found on his room and put them on, then he opened the door.
Alice: Good morning, Sleeping Beauty! Apparently, you´ve forgotten about your classes today…
Fred: Sorry, honey, I overslept…
Alice: And, apparently, you´ve forgotten to buy a suit for your birthday dinner tonight…
Fred: Yeah…uh… I was really tired… and really needed some rest…
Alice: Really, Fred? Don't you want to tell me anything else?
Fred: What should I tell you other than: "sorry, I overslept"?
Alice: Maybe you should start by telling me where the hell you were last night... Brenda said you left home after 10pm...
Fred: Yeah, I needed to buy something to eat…
Alice: Really? And where did you buy it? Because Brenda also said you returned home after 5am!
Fred: Maybe Brenda should mind her own business...
Alice: Do you have another girl? Tell me! Is it a girl, Fred?
Fred: What? No! What are you talking about, Alice? I just…
Alice: I'm talking about the truth, Frederick! Tell me where the hell did you sleep last night!
Fred sighed impatiently, and his face showed anger. However, Alice didn´t care about his anger at all, she just crossed her arms and waited for a response.
Fred: Honey, I´m really sorry, I was at bar with Shags and Velma celebrating my birthday, and…
Alice: Oh, Shaggy and Velma... why am I not surprised to hear it's all their fault?
Fred: Because it wasn't their fault, it was mine. I didn´t tell you about it, I went to bed after 5am, I overslept…
Alice: …and you didn´t invite me.
Fred: Sorry, I just thought... well, you don't like them, so I imagined that you wouldn't want to go with us…
Alice: So, it was ok to lie to me and hang out with people I don't like? How would you feel if I did the same? Look, Fred, I'm trying to think about us, but seems like you don't care!
Alice looked at him with an arrogant expression, waiting for him to apologize. But she was right: he didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he was right or wrong, or what she thought about it. He just wanted this kind of argument to stop, and he wanted to stop apologizing for problems he didn't cause.
Fred: Honey, it's not what you´re thinking, ok? I understand that you are upset and I´ve made stupid choices, but I never wanted to hurt you...
Alice continued the argument, even after Fred hugged her and apologized (again). But, as before, he felt no will to defend his point of view. He no longer wanted to fight for that uninteresting relationship, nor for anything that made his life more and more uninteresting. All his thoughts and energies were focused on a cheap, secret escapism called True Crime Forum. When Alice's emotions calmed down, they left together, and he left her at the hospital. Then, he finally checked his cell phone, and smiled when he saw the loads of news about Molly Becker case. There was also a message from Velma, inviting him for a picnic on the campus, and another one from his mother, saying: "I bought a suit for you, don't forget your dinner tonight! Love, mom".
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 6, 2023 - 12:00 pm
Fred saw Velma sitting on an orange picnic blanket. She was reading a thick book and drinking a few sips of juice. Meanwhile, Shaggy was having fun throwing cookies to Scooby-Doo, until the dog got too excited, stepped on the orange blanket and Velma scolded her boyfriend. When Fred approached, the dog was so happy to see him that he spilled juice all over Velma´s book.
Velma: I´ve already told you to keep this dog on leash, Norville! Damn!
Shaggy: Oh, come on, Vel! Like, Alice took off Fred's leash and let him walk around the campus, why do you want to keep Scoob tied to a tree?
Shaggy's joke made Velma turn around and greet her friend, and Fred responded Shaggy by showing his middle finger.
Fred: Hey, gang, excited to go to San Francisco tonight? I bet tomorrow we'll be in the headlines again...
Shaggy: Like, Velma is scared to death and said she's not going, but I´ll go with Scoob…
Velma: I'm not scared! I'm just… being rational. You've seen the headlines, the entire country is watching the forum right now, including the FBI... we can be caught!
Fred: Oh, come on, Vel, they took 2 years to investigate Roy´s testimony, they will take a decade to find out the real identities of all users… plus, people support us… and cherryred too, she´s from FBI and…
Velma: Sorry to disappoint you, Fred, but your enchanted princess was fired after Molly Becker case... and she was not a stunning redhead who investigates UFO cases...
Velma showed her cell phone screen, and Fred saw the news saying agent Diane Staton had been fired for leaking confidential information.
Velma: In other words, if cherryred was found, we're next. I don't want to be convicted of a federal crime, so… no way!
Shaggy was behind Velma, so he murmured and made gestures to arrange the time they would leave. Before he could finish, Velma looked at him and scolded him.
Velma: And you won´t go either, Norville! I won't let you ruin your career and your reputation, it's definitely not worth it!
Fred: Seems like someone else is wearing a leash, Scooby…
Velma and Fred laughed while Shaggy gave Fred the middle finger.
Fred: C´mon, gang, we need to solve this case! Police won´t help Elandra Mahon without public pressure. Maybe the clues she needs are inside that house…
Velma: People have already been there, Fred, and nothing was found!
Fred: But we are professionals… we know exactly what to do…
Velma rolled her eyes and sighed, but Fred's wasn´t convinced by her attitude.
Fred: Vel, I promise it'll be the last time. Our last urban exploration, and we´ll never do this again, ok? Plus, after this case, I promise we will delete all the photos and all Mystery Inc. ´s evidence…but please, let's do it ! We´re close to a happy ending. Fuck the FBI, the community wants it!
Velma sighed again and looked at her boyfriend, expecting him to change Fred´s mind. But he didn´t.
Shaggy: Like, the media is with us, honey… and lots of famous people too!
Fred showed dozens of messages on Mystery Inc. 's profile, asking them to keep up the good work. Without good arguments, Velma looked for something she could criticize. She couldn´t find anything, so she ridiculed the first thing she found in those messages.
Velma: Are you really putting your lives at risk for the irrational opinion of verified Instagram profiles, like… Daphne Blake? Were you really convinced by the words of a valley girl who spends most part of her day modelling for a camera?
Shaggy and Fred got embarrassed and looked at each other.
Fred: Uh… yes?
The answer annoyed Velma and she waited for an explanation, but both remained silent. Then, she looked at Daphne's profile and noticed that both them followed her and liked her photos, so she understood the reason behind that embarrassing silence.
Velma: Oh, look! How cute, I didn't know both you ladies liked makeup and expensive clothes...
Fred: Yeah! Uh… she has… some… uh… beautiful… lipsticks …
Shaggy: Like, really beautiful!
Velma: Ok, thanks for making me regret asking…
Fred: No, it´s not what you´re thinking! She´s just… uh... pretty talented...
Velma looked at Daphne's photos with contempt for a few moments, and then looked at them with more disdain.
Velma: Oh, great! So, tonight you´ll stay home watching her mascara tips, because my answer is NO!
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove
January 6, 2023 – 4:00 pm
Velma was returning home when she heard someone calling her name. As she turned around, she realized it was Dr. Judy Reeves, Fred's adoptive mother.
Judy: Velma! What a surprise! How are you? You look great!
Velma: Judy! Good to see you! I´m fine, and you?
Judy: Me too! But in a hurry! See you tonight at dinner?
Velma: Uh… dinner? Sorry, but…what dinner?
Judy: Fred's birthday dinner! I told Alice to invite you…didn´t she tell you?
The questioning expression on Velma's face made Judy feel very uncomfortable.
Judy: Oh, surely she has forgotten... anyway, I'm inviting you now! Brad and I will celebrate Fred´s birthday at the club today, dinner starts at 7pm. We'd love to have you and Shaggy there!
Velma smiled disconcertedly and thanked Judy. Minutes later, when she arrived home, she found her boyfriend playing video games in the living room with some friends, and Scooby-Doo was sleeping next to him.
Velma: Guess what, honey, we´re leaving in a few hours…
Shaggy: Like, have you changed your mind?
Velma: No, forget it! I'm talking about a birthday dinner for Fred at the club at 7pm... Judy has just invited us…guess why we didn't have a clue about it…
Shaggy: Like, whoever is responsible for not letting us know, I'm mad at him… the motherfucker almost made me miss a dinner...
Velma: It's not him, it's her! Alice didn't invite us... but, luckily, I met Dr. Judy on my way home, and she let me know...
Red: Oh, wait, a 22nd birthday party made by mom and dad? Cool! Will the decoration be Spider-Man or the Avengers? Can´t wait for piñata time!
One of Shaggy´s friends, Red Herring, mocked what Velma said and the other boys laughed. Velma looked at Red with contempt while he laughed at his own joke. Shaggy just remained silent and serious, since he knew the overprotective adoptive parents was a touchy subject for his best friend, Fred – and he knew Velma would use this subject against his other friend, Red.
Velma: Yeah, it'll be at the club, Herring. Does a bumpkin like you know what a club is?
Red: Sure, it's the place where daddy´s boys make birthday dinners...
Velma: Oh! Seems like someone is just angry for having been adopted by the wrong family, uh? Maybe if you were a prettier, less troubled baby, Dr. Judy and Dr. Brad would have chosen you, Red... and you wouldn´t have been the only option for those hillbillies that you call parents!
After such a comment, Red got angry and stood up. Then, he realized his opponent was a woman way smaller than him, so he gave up fighting. Velma angrily looked at him, and expected her boyfriend to defend her, but he didn´t. So, she just sighed and went to her room.