Chapter 5 – Numbers
Blake Manor, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023 – 8:30 am
Daphne woke up with the sound of someone frantically knocking on her bedroom´s door. Less than a minute after that, Daisy opened the door abruptly and entered without asking permission.
Daisy: I can´t believe it, Daphne! What the hell! How could you do that?
Daisy's angry screams made Daphne panic. For a moment, she thought her secret identity had been discovered. Fortunately, Daisy continued to scold her loudly, and after some indignant swearing, Daphne understood the cause was the photo she had posted on her Instagram, in which she was with Fred Jones.
Daisy: Your stupid fans told all gossip sites that you are having an affair with Fred Jones… and guess what? Everyone at college is saying that I am the sister of Fred Jones' affair... can you fathom what have you done? I'm Alice´s friend! If you want to ruin your reputation, ok, BUT DON'T RUIN MINE!
Daphne: What? An affair ? What are you talking about, Daisy? I only took a pic with him and…
Daisy: You took a damn pic with a man that has a fiancée, and posted it to the 36 million idiots that follow your life!
Before Daphne could say anything, Daisy practically rubbed the screen of her cell phone in her sister's face, and on it, Daphne saw that gossip sites had published the rumor. Daisy continued to scold her for a few minutes, but instead of responding, Daphne just grabbed her cell phone and deleted the photo.
Daphne: Ok, photo deleted, problem solved! Can you stop telling me off now?
Daisy: What about the gossip sites?
Daphne: I'll ask Tessa to sort this out, ok?
Daisy: Oh, sure, you make a mistake and ask your agent to fix it for you, how mature!
Daphne: Damn, Daisy! I´ve already said it was an accident! I didn't even want to be at that damn dinner! IDK, it was his birthday, I just wanted to be nice with him… I never imagined such a thing would happen...
Daisy: BE NICE TO WHOEVER YOU WANT, JUST DON'T RUIN MY REPUTATION, OK?
Before Daphne could respond, Daisy left and slammed the door. Daphne sighed angrily, then she got up. Before leaving her room, she checked True Crime Forum for updates on Moon pendant mystery. Unfortunately, Mystery Inc. was unable to find good evidence at the crime scene, they just took lots of good pics of the abandoned house and its yard. While analyzing those pics, Daphne noticed the stain inside the pool was very similar to the stain inside the garage of James Arthur 's house. So, she printed all photos of both stains, to research them in her parents´ archive. After, she selected a few cases from the countless requests for help that cherryred had received in her message box. Then, she printed all information about them, and went downstairs to have breakfast.
As Daphne approached the dining room, she heard Daisy complaining about her loudly. However, when she arrived, her sister fell silent and glared at her. Bart was reading something on his cell phone and had a serious look on his face. Influenced by Daisy's words, Nan looked sternly at Daphne and scolded her.
Nan: The Chiles invited us to a dinner. Then, on the next day, a Blake spreads rumors about their son! Shame on you, Daphne!
Daphne: Oh, great, Daisy told you... did she tell you that I´ve already deleted the photo and solved everything? Or she just defamed me…?
Nan: It wasn't Daisy, it was Dawn! And she's in New York! Do you know how she found out? It´s on TMZ and all the damn country saw it!
Daphne: Well, if Dawn is almost 30 and still reads teen gossip sites, it´s not my problem... and if you prefer to believe Dawn´s and Daisy's versions, it´s not my problem either!
Nan: Daphne Ann Blake, watch your language!
Bart: Nan, enough! Calm down, please!
Daphne was startled by her father's harsh interruption, but the expression of hatred on her mother's face made her understand that Nan was angry with something else. Nan stared at him sternly for a few minutes, until Bart finished reading his cell phone screen and said something.
Bart: Well, honey, there's no reason to worry. Daphne has made a mistake and she is aware of it. She will apologize to Alice and the Chiles' son for what she has done…
Daphne: I... what? What do you mean by "I will apologize"? I'm not 6 anymore, dad! You can´t treat me like that! Plus, I´ve already fixed what I´ve done!
Bart: You will! Not because you´re a child and I'm telling you to do it, but because you´re an adult and must repair the damage you´ve caused them, Daphne. You are a famous person now, you have to be way more responsible with your decisions. And you have to be careful with the information you post on the internet…
Nan: The good news, Daphne, is that you're not the only one who has to repair the damage you've caused and be careful with information posted on the internet...
When Nan finished, she looked at her husband angrily. Bart just sighed and ended the discussion. With such tension in the air, the four Blakes ate in silence, until Bart's cell phone rang and he walked towards the living room to answer it. Nan left the table like an angry lioness and followed him. Even with the door closed, Nan's voice could be heard.
Nan: EXHUMATION? ARE YOU CRAZY, BART? YOU WILL LOSE YOUR JOB IF YOU CONTINUE FOLLOWING WHAT THESE INTERNET GEEKS SAY!
Daphne and Daisy got embarrassed and looked at each other, and Daisy quickly looked away, because she was still upset with her sister. Daphne felt her heart race, because she suspected her mother was talking about the exhumation of Jane Doe 's corpse.
Nan: FUCK AUSTRALIA AND THE AUSTRALIAN POLICE! HOW THE HELL COULD YOU PUT THE FBI INTO THIS? YOU CANNOT MOBILIZE AGENTS BECAUSE AN ANONYMOUS PROFILE LEAKED CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION! YOU´RE SPENDING RESOURCES FOLLOWING LAYMAN OPINIONS ABOUT THIS CASE!
When Nan's phrases confirmed her suspicions, Daphne got more nervous. Her parents were fighting and it was all her fault. They could lose their jobs because of her. And, unfortunately, it was too late to erase everything she had posted and pretend that it had never happened. Contrary to expectations, Daisy didn´t care about her parent´s argument. She just rolled her eyes impatiently and abandoned her meal.
Daphne: Wait! I´ll go to the hospital with you... well, you know, dad's right... I just need some minutes to get ready…ok?
Daisy rolled her eyes impatiently again, but agreed. After finishing her cup of tea, Daphne ran towards her room. As she passed the room where her parents were arguing, she heard Bart say: "I have no choice, Nan, I need to intervene. We believe the killer was there last night. Someone dug a hole in the backyard of the house, and something was taken from that hole."
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023.
10:00 am
After only 3 hours of sleep, Fred was exhausted. The alarm beep seemed like a distant siren in his deep sleep, and his eyes could barely open. Even so, he got up, because he had to fulfill his "normal life" duties. While consuming enough coffee to stay awake, he saw the latest news about the moon pendant mystery. Most of them reported the FBI had authorized the exhumation of the corpse and Elandra Mahon´s DNA test. Others reported something more serious: the night before, someone had dug a hole at the crime scene and removed something. Fred felt panic after reading that, and called Shaggy and Velma insistently, but none of them answered. Then, he sent the news link to Velma, along with the message: "Don't you think we should contact the FBI anonymously, tell them we dug the yard and give them the book?".
Later, Fred accessed True Crime Forum to check the reactions to Mystery Inc.´s post. Unfortunately, this time, there weren´t many reactions, and the most recent responses were directed to the messages that Joel Marlow's daughters had posted, claiming their father was not the killer. Again, Fred called his friends several times, when he gave up calling, he left a message on Velma's voicemail: "How about this… we tell Marlow's daughters about the book and the fabric… they might know something about them… call me when you can".
After so many disappointments, Fred decided to access Instagram to forget about those problems. However, he had another disappointment – Daphne Blake deleted the photo she had posted the night before -, and soon he realized he had another problem: deal with the fake news saying he was having an affair with Daphne. Once again, Fred used his cell phone to solve his problems, and he called his fiancée Alice.
Fred: Hi, hun… how are you?
The silence showed that she was not ok at all. Still, Fred insisted.
Fred: Are you mad at me?
Alice: What do you think, Frederick?
Alice hung up without saying goodbye, making it clear she was angry. Fred sighed and decided to get ready for his internship at the hospital. After all, if he were late again, he would have one more problem to deal with.
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023.
11:00 am
After receiving countless message notifications, Velma woke up from a deep sleep. The extreme tiredness made every part of her body hurt. When she looked through the window, the image of Scooby-Doo sleeping peacefully in the back seat of the car irritated her. Instead of returning to bed, she preferred to get up and get ready to go to Riverdale. After drinking enough coffee to keep her alert, she called Fred.
Velma: Hi Fred! Sorry, I didn't hear the phone ring. That damn spoiled dog barked until 9am, just because he wanted to get in the car and sleep in the back seat, can you believe it? Well, when Shaggy and I could finally rest, we sleep profoundly. Anyway... about the book, I don't think we should give it to anyone. Unless we discover a link between the book and Joel Marlow. We will be at San Francisco Community library this afternoon, and I will send you updates as soon as possible.
When the call ended, Velma poked her boyfriend until he reacted.
Velma: Come on, Norville, wake up, we need to go!
In response, she received a sequence of swear words and a pillow thrown in her direction. So, she decided to change her strategy to convince him.
Velma: Come on, Norville, breakfast is ready!
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023.
11:30 am
Daisy parked in front of the hospital and looked at her younger sister with disdain. Daphne was checking her makeup in the mirror when she noticed her sister staring at her.
Daphne: Are you still mad at me? Really? I'm here to fix the things, ok? No need to look at me like that...
Daisy laughed, mocking her sister, and continued to look at her with disdain.
Daisy: I'm not mad at you. I'm just judging you. Like… I think you´ve dressed up too much to "only" apologize. Who do you want to impress?
Daphne glared at her sister, and Daisy laughed again. Then, she handed the keys to Daphne and got out of the car.
Daphne: Hey, where do you think you're going? You can´t leave me! I can´t do it alone!
Daisy: Sorry, I'd love to see Daphne Blake going through humiliation, but I think pretending that I don't know you will be funnier!
Daphne rolled her eyes while her sister left her. Then, she got out of the car and walked towards the hospital alone. On her way, she felt disapproving looks around her, and people were talking about her. Daphne followed all Daisy's instructions, when she arrived at the place her sister indicated, she saw Fred sitting in a chair, in front of a table full of papers. She knocked on the door gently the first time, and she wasn´t heard. She knocked harder – and wasn't heard again. Then, she carefully opened the door and entered.
Daphne: Fred? Fred Jones?
Daphne´s voice startled Fred and made him quickly gather up all papers and hide them inside folders. When he turned around, he was surprised to see Daphne at his room´s door.
Daphne: May I come in? Am I interrupting something?
Fred: Of course! I mean… of course not!… I mean… you can come in and you're not interrupting! I'm just… analyzing... some... deaths that... happened... last month…
Daphne smiled shyly and entered his room, while Fred smiled tensely, trying to hide the label on the folder that said "Death certificates 2016" - and trying to deal with the feelings of seeing Daphne again.
Daphne: Well, I won't be long. I just want to apologize for everything I´ve done, and all the damage I´ve caused to you and Alice. I´ve posted the photo without asking your permission, and I couldn´t imagine all these things would happen... anyway, my agent is already repairing everything. I'm really sorry.
Fred: Don't worry, Daphne, we… uh… understood it was just a mistake.
Both stared at each other for a while, and when they realized they had nothing else to say, they looked away and tried to break that uncomfortable silence.
Daphne: Great. I'm glad I didn't hurt you. So… bye, Fred!
Fred waved and smiled disconcertingly while he watched Daphne leave his room. As she closed the door, Daphne noticed that a crowd of medical students had gathered at the end of the hallway, and they were looking at her in silence. Then, she decided to take the opposite path to avoid passing them. At the elevator, she saw Alice walk angrily towards the door of her fiancé's room, and slam it hard after entering.
Darrow University Campus, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023.
12:30 pm
Shaggy honked for the second time to hurry his girlfriend up, and that irritated Velma.
Velma: Damn, can´t you wait? I can't find my purse! And if I don´t find it, there's no reason to go to San Francisco!
Instead of some empathy, Velma got a third honk sound as a response. She saw her boyfriend laughing for annoying her, so she decided not to show how angry she was. After searching every corner of her house, Velma remembered that Scooby-Doo was in the backseat of the car, probably sitting on her purse. Velma's suspicions were confirmed when she approached Shaggy's car and saw the straps of her purse under the dog. However, when she tried to pull it, the dog showed his teeth.
Velma: You were annoying me with that damn horn and my purse was under your stupid dog! And now he won't let me take it!
Shaggy tried to pull the strap, but Scooby-Doo growled and bit him. After some swear words, Shaggy tried again. At each attempt, Scooby got angrier and angrier. Shaggy looked at his girlfriend disconcertedly, not knowing what to do. Velma just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
Velma: It's all your fault! The dog wants a hamburger, you give it. He wants to sleep on our bed, you let him. He barks for two hours because he wants to sleep in the seat of your car, you obey him. Truth is: you're his dog, Norville! He doesn't respect you as an authority!
Shaggy: Like, we won't need this purse now, right? So, let Scooby feel comfortable and seat on it during the trip... when we arrive, he'll let you take it, right, Scoob?
The dog snuggled down into the purse, laid his head on his front paws and looked at them with an unfriendly face. Velma looked contemptuously at her boyfriend, who just started the car and smiled at her.
Shaggy: Come on, Scoob! Like, near the cemetery there's a store that sells popcorn of different flavors!
Scooby-Doo didn't even move. He grumbled loudly for a moment, and ended up vocalizing a short howl. Shaggy was embarrassed and looked at Velma, not knowing what to do.
Velma: I don't speak his language, but I'm sure he swore at you.
Shaggy: Like, I don't understand it, Scooby's never done this before!
Velma: Oh, I do understand! He does it all the time, and you obey all his wills. That's why he doesn't respect anyone.
Shaggy decided to respect the dog's decision to stay inside the car, and left the windows open. The walk through Riverdale Cemetery lasted almost an hour until they finally found James Arthur's grave. There, Velma confirmed her suspicions.
Velma: Jinkies, he really died on October 6, 2016! Remember the number 6102016 we´ve found on his garage floor?
Shaggy: Like, but how did he write this number if he was dead? Or rather, how could he know that he was going to die exactly that day? Wasn't the cause of his death a sudden heart attack?
Velma got impressed and looked at her boyfriend with admiration. By her expression, he understood that he had said something intelligent, and he smiled.
Velma: I think the mystery is not only about the mysterious number and his death date... if he had no heirs and no family, who held his funeral? Who paid for this gravestone?
Shaggy tried to say something clever again to impress his girlfriend, but found nothing to say. Then, he said the first thing that came to his mind.
Shaggy: Like, a guy named Matthew, look!
Shaggy pointed to the base of the tombstone, where it was written in tiny letters: "Matthew 25:46". Velma laughed when she saw that, and Shaggy understood he hadn't been very brilliant that time.
Velma: Well, even an atheist like me knows that's a verse from the Bible, Norville!
Shaggy was embarrassed, and Velma tried to make him feel better.
Velma: …but I think it´s a clue. Usually, when the community pays for the grave, they write something like "tribute from your Riverdale friends". A biblical verse seems quite intimate, don't you think?
Shaggy: Yeah, like, people usually put bible verses about something that happened to the person, or about the person´s life…
Velma: …or about the person´s death. And to write something about a person´s life and death, you have to know this person.
Shaggy nodded, while Velma photographed the gravestone from various angles, then sent the photos to Fred. On the way back to the car, Shaggy tried to say something clever to convince his girlfriend to investigate the popcorn store, but she didn't believe him.
At San Francisco Community Library, Shaggy parked strategically in front of a donut shop, and that finally made Scooby-Doo leave the car. With the book and her purse in her hands, Velma walked towards the young librarian and introduced herself.
Velma: Hello, my name is Velma, and I would like to return a book that I´ve found in the basement of my grandfather's house.
Lisa: Hello, Velma. How kind of you, thank you very much!
The young woman wearing an ID badge with the name Lisa Genau took the book and looked for the barcode to register it. She couldn't find it, so she looked for the envelope on the last page of the book, but couldn't find it either. Velma was embarrassed and smiled.
Velma: Well... I think this book has been in my grandfather's basement for many years... and when I say "many years", I mean: "three or four decades".
Lisa: Well, I see that! But, no problem. I'll put it on the registration list, to incorporate it into the library collection... thank you very much for your beautiful, honest attitude, it's great to see people helping us to keep our library alive!
Velma: Well... uh... actually, Lisa.. uh…. I'd like to know when exactly my grandfather borrowed this book. I need the exact date. Can you find this out? Do you have a copy of the book borrowing form?
The librarian made na expression of embarrassment and looked at her computer screen. After trying to look for the book two or three times in the library´s online system, she looked back at Velma.
Lisa: Well… unfortunately, no. There is nothing about this book here. No other copies, nor other titles by the same author, nor records of previous borrowings... and, to be honest, I have never heard of this book, this author and this publisher before... and I grew up in this library!
Velma: Lisa, I know it sounds weird, but I really need to know when my grandfather borrowed this book... in fact, I need to know if it he borrowed it, or if it was my great-uncle, or someone else... I'm sorry for asking you such information, but it is a very complex family issue, involving an inheritance and suspicious deaths of heirs, anyway... I need to know the exact date to inform my lawyer, can you help me?
The young librarian got surprised, but she tried to do something for Velma. She wrote down the sequence of numbers and letters that was on the book's label, then, she walked to the shelf where the book should be. However, when she got there, she looked astonished with her discover.
Lisa: Well, I'd love to help you, Velma, but… wow… inexplicably, the shelf where this book should be on doesn't even exist! Look! According to the label, it should be on shelf Z, but the shelves go up to the letter X...
Velma was astonished to see the identification on the book's label did not exist.
Lisa: Well, you can use the computers in the computer room to access the library's collection history. We have everything digitized since the year this library was founded. If this book once belonged here, you can find out when it entered the collection and when it was considered lost. Maybe you can find something. Other than that, unfortunately, I don't know how to help you. Like I´ve said, I grew up here and I've never heard of this book before. My grandmother was the former librarian, she worked here for more than 60 years, so, if this title was in the collection, I would know.
Velma thanked her for the help and walked towards the computer room to research the book in the collection records. After some time, she discovered that copy of "Kabbalistic Numerology" remained in the library until September 1981. In October 1981, the book was considered "lost". Velma also discovered that since the year of its foundation, in 1879, the library had had many other copies of the same book, and all them were lost. Velma photographed all the evidence she found and sent it to Fred. Then, she looked for records of when exactly the copies of "Kabbalistic Numerology" were added to the collection, but she couldn´t find them. Plus, she didn´t find copies of the same book on book stores, nor did she find reviews and information about the title, the author and the publisher. After sending so many mysterious discoveries to Fred, he called her, and Velma left the library to answer the call.
Velma: Hi Fred. Bad news: this book is like a memory that has never happened. There is no information about it anywhere, nor about the author and the publisher. There is no information about the book´s edition either, but, strangely, there are records of copies in the library's collection since 1879. The librarian has never heard of it before, she said that her grandmother worked here her whole life and never mentioned it. To make matters worse and more bizarre, all records I´ve found report the loss of the books. There is no information on how these books arrived at the library, but there are records saying that they were all lost. Usually, they disappear in August or September...
Fred: Are your bizarre discoveries over? Because I need to tell you about mine…
Velma: Actually, there's more. The shelf where this book should be doesn't exist, but it has an identification tag. The other missing books should be on that nonexistent shelf too. Anyway, I returned it to the librarian, and I believe that tomorrow it will receive a new label and be part of the collection records. With that, maybe I can track its past records and find out who rented it on September 1981.
Fred: Great. Now, you won´t believe what I´ve discovered. James Arthur did not die of a heart attack. I mean, not only from a heart attack.
Velma: What was the cause of his death, then?
Fred: I analyzed his autopsy records and he had burst eardrums, burned retinas, second-degree burns all over the body, several ruptured blood vessels, vocal cord hemorrhage, myocardial infarction and, amazingly, hypovolemic shock, but there was no blood around the body. I've never seen anything similar. So many bizarre injuries together... seems like he bled to death and screamed until his vocal chords collapsed, but his blood disappeared…
Velma: Jinkies! I don't know about the other injuries, but the burns match the burned-wood stains we´ve found inside his garage...
Fred: Do you know who also had these injuries? The moon pendant Jane Doe. In her case, the burns and the bleeding were more severe. I know I may sound stupid saying this, but I think these injuries weren´t caused by a simple murderer. I mean, I've never seen a killer causing severe hemorrhaging without traces of blood...
Velma: Bullshit. Just because we don't understand how the killer did it, it doesn't mean it's something supernatural. Maybe there are several killers? Like a religious sect, or a kabbalistic cult? They could have drained the blood, or burned the victims, who knows? Anyway… Shaggy and I´ve found Mr. Arthur's grave, and it had "Matthew 25:46" written on it. I searched the biblical verse and it says: "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life". Sounds a bit prophetic, doesn't it?I think that´s something a sect would do, send good ones to heaven and punish the bad guys.
Fred: Absolutely. Sending an eugenicist who killed a little girl right to hell and an innocent young girl to heaven is something that a religious sect would do… well, I'm sorry, but I need to go now. Bye!
Velma said goodbye, then she went to the donut shop to meet Shaggy and Scooby. While they finished eating, she analyzed the photos of the library records, trying to figure something out.
Shaggy: Like, did you find who borrowed the book?
Velma: Unfortunately, no. In fact, I´ve found more questions than answers. There is nothing about this book on the internet, the librarian has never heard of it, the shelf where it should be does not exist... but, even so, there are records about it in the library's collection since 1879. But only loss records, there is no information on how and when they arrived at the library. Oh, and for some reason, the books disappear only in August or September, and it makes things more mysterious.
While eating, Shaggy looked at the photos carefully and thought about everything he heard. After swallowing the last bite of a cream donut, he dared to give his opinion.
Shaggy: Like, look! In these records from 1879 to 1899, the books disappear in August. Maybe, because the month of August is month 8, and the years between 1879 and 1899 also have an 8 on them. Didn't you say that this creepy book is about crazy reverse numbers? Like, palimeter, palitoner, palindeton…
Velma: It´s palindrome ! Jinkies, Shags, you are brilliant!
Velma was so happy with her boyfriend's intelligence that she kissed his lips. Shaggy got embarrassed and blushed, and Scooby-Doo snorted contemptuously to see that.
Velma: You must be right, because from 1901 onwards, all books disappear in September, the 9th month! That's it, Shaggy, the books disappear on a palindrome date! Amazing!
Shaggy: Amazing? Like, this is fucking scary! How many books do you know that disappear by their own will? This is something related to the devil, for sure
Velma: The devil doesn't exist, Norville... but sects exist, and they can steal books and kill people to keep their beliefs. We already know that they did it to Mr. Arthur and Jane Doe, but I bet there are other victims related to all these dates and the missing copies of this book.
Shaggy: Like, please, tell me there won't be any damn palindromes this year... because, if so, I want to be way far from here and from this book!
Once again, Velma was impressed by her boyfriend's intelligence, and her mouth fell open. Immediately, she got her cellphone and searched for the next palindrome date. When she found it, she hugged Shaggy and kissed his cheek with joy.
Velma: Good job, Darling! Now, we know exactly when the sect will do it again!
Blake Manor, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023 – 5:00 pm
After searching through Nan and Bart Blake's files all afternoon, Daphne had found little information about the cases that True Crime Forum people had asked her help. Even so, she believed those confidential information could change those people's lives forever, or they could be essential to unravel those mysteries, just as happened to Molly Becker case. However, when she was about to post her findings, she heard footsteps walking towards the library door. Immediately, Daphne unlocked the door, hid her notes, and sat down in front of her Macbook, pretending she was studying.
Bart: Hi, princess! Dad needs to talk with these agents. Do you mind going to your room and leaving us alone?
Daphne nodded, gathered her belongings and left them. When the two agents sat down and her father closed the door, she approached to listen. She couldn't hear the conversation perfectly, but the little she heard was about the results of the investigation at James Arthur's house. According to agents, no bodies were found there, nor were there other clues about supremacist groups. After several incomprehensible words, Daphne heard the house was no longer being watched, and the demolition had been authorized, to avoid visits from curious people who read about the case on the internet. The last thing she heard was her father saying: "remove the fractal from the garage floor, and send it to forensics. It can be the answer to all the other stains". Then, Daphne ran to her room and stayed there until she saw her father and both agents leave Blake Manor.
Alone again, Daphne locked herself in the library to research the mysterious stains found at James Arthur's house and at Jane Doe's crime scene . She spent an hour combing through her parents' files about crime scenes, but nothing was found. Then, she remembered the way her father referred to the stain — fractal. Searching for the word online, she discovered the stains were similar to the geometric structures of fractals. Searching for "fractals at crime scenes," she shuddered. She found dozens of photos of different floors, and they all had stains similar to those found in James Arthur's house. " Scene from the place where the boy Otto Reinier disappeared, 1962", "place where Rachel Clay's body was found, September 1970", "last place where Natan Cidic was seen in 1941", were some of the descriptions that Daphne found along with the mysterious stains, and they were enough to make her understand there was something way more complex involving the deaths of James Arthur and the moon pendant girl.
After writing down all the names of the victims she had found, Daphne searched for them in her parents' files. To her astonishment, all the victims had the same injuries on their bodies. All the cases she found were still open, unsolved and without a clue about who had committed the crime. Due to the long period of time between one case and another, FBI believed the crimes were committed by more than a person. Daphne collected the information she needed for a post on True Crime Forum. As she closed one of the folders, a loose newspaper article fell to the floor. Picking up the yellowed piece of paper, she saw it was an article from the front page of the local newspaper, Crystal Cove Gazette. Dated February 20, 2002, it was about the mysterious disappearance of Hannah Renner, the wife of Frederick Jones Sr., Crystal Cove´s current mayor. According to the newspaper, the woman disappeared inside her own house, leaving behind pots boiling on the stove, a television on and her one-year-old baby in his crib. Neither the neighbors, nor the police found anything suspicious that could indicate Hannah left by her own will, or she was taken by someone. At the end of the text, there was a photo of the floor of Hannah's house, and on it, there was a mysterious stain, identical to the one in James Arthur's house. Next to the fractal photo, there was a photo of Hannah's baby, and Daphne immediately recognized him.
Daphne: Freddie!
Darrow Hospital, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023.
06:30 pm
After leaving his last patient room's, Fred quickly returned to his own room to enjoy a few minutes without anyone's company. After locking the door, he forwarded a series of photos to Velma, and the flood of information made her call him.
Velma: Fred? Are you at home? Can you talk?
Fred: Unfortunately not, I only leave at 8:30. But I'm alone now and I can talk about the case. Take a look at the first photo I sent... on Jane Doe's grave, there is a small inscription with the same Bible verse that you´ve found on Mr. Arthur's grave...
Velma: Jinkies! The same person made both graves!
Fred: Not exactly the same person, since there are 35 years between the two deaths... but I think you are right and it was the same sect… both victims had the same cause of death, the same death scene, the same grave inscription, it can´t be just a coincidence.
Velma: Whoever did it, that person knows Jane Doe 's real identity, because nobody would put a peculiar Bible verse on the grave of an unknown corpse.
Fred: Great hypothesis. But speaking of Jane Doe, I think we have enough clues to prove that she is Allyra Mahon. Take a look at the other photos I sent, the fabric we´ve found wrapping the book is very similar to the fabric of the dresses that Allyra and Elandra are wearing in these old photos.
Velma was silent while she analyzed the photos carefully.
Velma: I wouldn't say similar, I´d say identical. These drawings are quite eccentric.
Fred: Then, we can send it anonymously to the FBI tomorrow. Elandra Mahon is in our country, she can certainly tell us if the fabric belonged to Allyra or not.
Velma: Fred, we can't do this, we dug a crime scene, damn it! They will arrest us for that!
Velma sighed impatiently and fell silent. Fred understood she was upset, so he tried to convince her.
Fred: Vel, I'm saying this because I'm sure it was Joel. There's one more thing, I´ve found an old newspaper talking about him. The newspaper describes the sudden success of Joel's company, and in this article, there is a photo. The last photo I sent you, take a look. It was taken at Joel's mansion in 1982. Look at the aboriginal crafts that decorate his house. Doesn't this Moon drawing look familiar to you?
Again, Velma fell silent to analyze the photo, and this time, she interrupted the silence herself.
Velma: Jinkies, it's identical to the moon pendant!
Fred: Now, look at the paintings that Joel has on his walls... aren't they identical to the landscapes of these old photos that Elandra posted? See the shape of the lake, the trees around it, the aboriginal huts…
Velma: Jinkies, Fred, brilliant! I think it suggests that Joel was once on Allyra's tribe!
Fred: And it proves that Joel must be investigated thoroughly, so we will give the fabric to the FBI.
Velma sighed once more, but nodded.
Velma: Ok, but we'll do that tomorrow, after I return from the library and have the book´s records. I still want to know who borrowed that book, and why. This can be the answer to Mr. Arthur's death too. After all, his death was considered a simple heart attack, and now we both suspect that he was probably murdered. Besides, if the book was wrapped in Allyra's dress, it must be an important clue to her death.
Fred: Ok, we'll send it tomorrow afternoon, then. Hopefully, we'll find Joel Marlow 's signature on its records.
Fred was interrupted by the sound of Alice knocking on the door. Immediately, he said goodbye and ended the call.
Blake Manor, Crystal Cove, January 7, 2023 – 6:45 pm
Everyone was silent when Daphne entered the dining room. Daisy looked at her and rolled her eyes, indicating that their parents were still arguing with each other. Seeing his youngest daughter, Bart smiled and greeted her briefly, while Nan just said "you're late" in a grumpy way, without looking at her. Not a word was spoken for the next fifteen minutes, and the Blakes only reacted when Daphne finished her meal quickly and stood up.
Bart: Wait, sweetie, Cosette hasn't served all the dinner yet…
Daphne: Oh, sorry, Dad, I have an appointment tonight and…
Bart: I don't remember you mentioning an appointment.
Daphne: Oh, sorry! I didn't have time, Tessa just told me about it, and I´ve forgotten to tell you…
Bart: Apparently, you´ve also forgotten to tell your driver, because I saw Walt leaving...
Daphne: Oh no! But... no problem... I'll use my car this time… you know, by myself…
Bart: Don't worry, sweetie, I'll ask Jenkins to take you there.
Daphne: No! No need to do it! I'm going alone... this time, Miss. Blake will go to the mall herself , as that famous book says...
Bart laughed when he heard his daughter, but insisted.
Bart: Honey, Clarissa Dalloway was married, had more than 50 years and she was certainly less beautiful and innocent than you... that's why I insist that Jenkins takes you to the mall.
Daphne: But Miss. Blake is already 21, so she can go wherever she wants by her own!
Bart: Miss. Blake is the daughter of the head of the FBI, so, she is in constant danger. She is also the daughter of a famous prosecutor, and she can't even imagine how many people would love to kill her just to take revenge on her mother. So, this discussion ends here. You won´t leave home alone after 7pm. Tell us where you want to go and Jenkins will take you.
Daphne sighed and lost her temper.
Daphne: Miss. Blake has no idea what's going on with the famous prosecutor and the head of the FBI! She knows nothing about what happens in this damn house! She only hears angry screams, she witnesses secret meetings with FBI agents and she sees her parents ignoring each other during dinner! Even though she knows absolutely nothing about their secret lives, she has to tell them every detail of her life, as if she was a teenager. And she has to go to the mall escorted by an army of security guards. That's not fair!
Daphne raised her voice, but Bart didn't care about his daughter's protest and remained serious, keeping his decision. After her daughter's sudden outburst of anger, Nan made a surprised expression and smiled mischievously at her.
Nan: Ok, I think I understood... seems like Miss. Blake has a date and she doesn't want anyone around to watch her.
Nan's revelation worsened Bart's mood, and he continued to look seriously at his daughter. Daisy was outraged and protested.
Daisy: Oh no, I don't believe it! Did Fred Jones ask you out?
Daphne: What? No! Of course not! Are you crazy? It's not a date!
Daisy: So, who is he? Tell me! Do I know him? Just tell, I want to know!
Daphne: IT'S NOT A DATE! I'm just going… to the mall! For God's sake, I'm 21, can't I just go to the mall alone?
Daphne blushed and stuttered as she explained herself, and that did not convince Nan and Daisy. They looked at each other, laughed at her, and they were convinced that Daphne had a date. Bart showed his disapproval by crossing his arms and keeping his serious face. To provoke her husband, Nan encouraged her daughter.
Nan: Ok, no more questions, dear. Have a good date. Take a coat, the night will be cold. Don't drink anything. And don't do anything I wouldn't do.
Nan stood up and kissed her daughter's cheek, while Bart looked in disbelief at his wife, who ignored his decision.
Daphne: Definitely, I won't do anything you would do, Mom!
Nan laughed and Bart remained annoyed, with his arms crossed, while his daughter said "bye, daddy" and kissed his cheek.
Daisy: Please, don't post any photo this time. You will scare him.
Nan and Daisy laughed, while Daphne rolled her eyes and left. Bart sighed, picked up his cell phone and started a call. Immediately, Nan snatched the cell phone from her husband's hand, ended the call and scolded him.
Nan: Bartholomew Blake, don't you dare to watch her! Leave your daughter alone!
Riverdale, 7:30pm
Daphne's hands shook as she parked a few feet from James Arthur's abandoned house. Even though she knew the house was no longer being watched, she was nervous about being there – because she knew she shouldn´t. After leaving the car, she followed a path away from the cameras, and quickly entered the house's garage, through a side door. Daphne regretted her decision immediately. The dirty and decaying scenery of that place made her feel despair, and the possibility of encountering spiders, rats and cockroaches sent a shiver down her spine. Still, she gathered some courage and moved forward, using her cell phone's flashlight as a guide. A few steps ahead, she found the famous stain on the floor, shaped like a snail shell and full of small, curious geometric shapes. Daphne bent down to take a closer look and touched the burnt wood. She noticed the wood where the stain was had not been consumed, despite having a burnt appearance. She painstakingly analyzed every part of the stain, and took some photos of everything she saw.
While she was taking pics of one part of the stain, she noticed a white object in the gap between two wood boards. She got closer, and she noticed there was something under the boards, wrapped in dirty fabric. Daphne looked around for some tool that could help her remove the wooden floor. She tried to use some tools she found, but she never had enough strength to remove the boards. After several attempts, she found a crowbar hanging on the garage wall. Using it with great force, she removed the nails that where stuck in rotten wood. Then, she slowly moved the board full of nails until she removed it. In disgust, she quickly put her hand into the gap and removed the object using her fingertips. After unwrapping the object from a beige fabric, Daphne found that it was an old, yellowed book, called "Kabbalistic Numerology", by the author Frank Melker.
Curious with her discover, Daphne put her coat on the stain and sat on it, then, she leafed through the book. The first pages she saw had only words, but in the middle of the book, there were pages full of numbers. Inexplicably, Daphne felt sick when she looked at so many numbers, and they seemed to move. After leafing through several pages, she found drawings of structures very similar to the stains she saw in the photos. Suddenly, she had an intense headache, and at the same moment, she saw a red drop fall on the book. When she touched her nose, she realized it was bleeding. Scared, Daphne dropped the book and tried to stop the bleeding with her hands. However, when she looked in front of her, she saw an old man, with a completely white hair, staring at her. He was very thin, had a frightening, pale appearance, he was wearing very old clothes and, strangely, he had glowing eyes, like animals´ eyes when illuminated by a light source.
Daphne felt panic and screamed. While trying to get up quickly, she leaned one of her arms on the wood full of nails and cut herself deeply. The immense pain made her scream again. At the same moment, she stood up and used the fabric of her blouse to stop the bleeding, pressing her arm against her chest. As she looked around, she no longer saw the old man, but she felt so scared that she wanted to leave that place immediately. In panic, she kicked the wooden board back to its original place and closed the floor gap. Then, she wrapped the book and the fabric in her coat and ran back to her car.
When her arm and her nose finally stopped bleeding, Daphne started the car. A few blocks later, she felt the blood running down her arm and her face again, and she had to stop the car once more to stop the bleedings. After three attempts to return home, she realized there was something wrong with her, and she gave up. In addition to the bleeding, the headache increased violently, and she started crying, for not knowing what to do. She couldn't go home bleeding, her parents would ask so many questions that she wouldn't know how to answer. She couldn't go to the mall to buy clean clothes either, people would certainly recognize her and invent rumors about what they have seen. After thinking about all the consequences, Daphne decided she should go to the hospital first, and take care of her injuries. After doing it, she would buy new clothes at the mall, then, she would return home. Luckily, her parents wouldn't even notice that she was wearing different clothes.
With a huge effort, she drove to Darrow Hospital in Crystal Cove. As she parked her car, she noticed she was covered in her own blood. In shock, she quickly put her coat and the book inside her purse and got out of the car. While she walked to the emergency room, she felt her strength decrease, her breathing fail, and the bleedings increase. Short before the moment she completely lost consciousness and passed out, she heard a familiar voice call her name.
Fred: Daphne!