Chapter 05

The flight was delayed over thirty minutes due to a report from one of the baggage handlers of a voice muttering angrily to itself in the cargo hold. Airport Security was called and made a thorough investigation and found nothing other than a Great Dane with a recalcitrant expression on his face.

An equally recalcitrant expression could be seen on Daphne's face as she navigated her way through a new world where she believed every surface she passed was teeming with germs and other disease vectors. She winced every time someone bumped into her or she scraped someone's shoulder while working her way down the narrow aisle. The final blow came when, as landing approached, she wanted to go back to the restroom to freshen her make-up and found that she had to wait in line! O-M-G!

For the second time recently, Velma was pleased in her inability to express emotions through facial expressions. Otherwise, her glee at Daphne's discomfiture would be only too obvious.

The grueling experience ended and they disembarked and headed toward the baggage claim in the crowded Ronald Reagan Airport. Just as they passed out of the secure area, a very attractive red-haired woman stepped up to Daphne.

"Ms. Blake?"

Daphne tilted her head, "Yes?"

"I'm Elsie Richards. I'll be your security detail while you're here."

To Fred, it looked a little like he was looking at Daphne staring into a mirror. He liked it. "Hi Elsie. I'm Fred Jones."

She gave him a half second glance. "Yes. I'm aware." And turned her attention back to Daphne.

Daphne was putting things together. "You look like me."

"Yes ma'am. That's why I was hired. We've never met, but I act as a decoy for you on a pretty regular basis. If my appearance confuses a would-be kidnapper for a few seconds, that might be the seconds that we need."

Daphne was now fascinated. "Is your hair really red?"

"No, it's a wig. It's scratchy and uncomfortable but part of the job."

"And you're my age?"

"No ma'am, I'm twenty-nine."

Fred couldn't help himself, "Wow! You look great for twenty-nine." He didn't realize that there was absolutely nothing right about that statement.

This time, Elsie gave him a two-second glare. It worked. He shut up.

"I've arranged transportation for you and your group. Its waiting out front. Your baggage is being collected and will be brought straight out."

Shaggy's voice raised above the general din of the airport, "Including Scooby Doo?"

"Yes. Including your dog."

Daphne visibly relaxed. Blake Industries was taking charge and she was back in her comfort zone.

Velma's phone dinged. "Guys, I've got a message from Mr. La Gorce. He wants to meet up at our hotel for breakfast at 7:45 in the morning. Everybody good with that?"

Shaggy answered immediately, "Breakfast?! I'm always good with breakfast. I could use a pile of flapjacks right now!"

The rest of the Gang and Elsie Richards made their way to the baggage carousel while Shaggy searched the large, bustling room for signs of Scooby Doo's carrier. He saw a door open at the far end of the room and the carrier slid in.

Shaggy ran over and looked through the small window in the box. "Scoob, are you okay?"

Scooby's voice came back in a grumbled whisper. "Raybe roo should be put in a rox and shipped across the rountry rike an Amazon rackage and see if rou're okay." No one around could hear it above the din.

He let Scooby out of the cage and attached his leash which was another indignity to the dog. They found the others and the bags and were led by this new woman out to the pick-up area where a bus was waiting. The bus turned out to be a nicely decked-out van with plenty of room for everyone and plush seats. As they waited for Scooby and the luggage to arrive, Elsie put a knee in the passenger seat and looked rearward toward The Gang. "I need to go over the security protocols for…"

Velma's hand went up, "Ms. Richards, I don't mean to be rude but I don't believe that you have any authority over me."

"My job is to keep Ms. Blake safe…"

"Define safe." Velma lived her life in obedience to authority figures which meant that she had to be picky over who she gave such authority. Daphne's bodyguard didn't make the cut.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you guaranteeing that, if we do what you say, then we will be completely unharmed while we are under your care?"

"I can't guarantee that."

"Then you are not keeping us 'safe'. Rather, you are following a plan which you have deemed to be the best course of action. I would also imagine that you prioritize following your plan over the successful conclusion of our case here. Is that right?"

"Ms. Blake's safety is my highest priority."

Daphne stepped in. "And I appreciate that but we do have to have some ground rules. You will safeguard me to the best of your ability while I and my team do what we came here to do. We set the schedule and make the plans. You react to them as best you can. Does that work for everybody?"

Velma nodded.

Elsie didn't. "I'll have to check with my superiors."

Daphne smiled, "And I'll check with mine."

Elsie called the head of security and Daphne called Barty Blake. The issue was settled before the engine started.

The hotel was no problem since they had stayed at much worse on previous mysteries. Elsie and Blake Industries Security had gotten her an adjoining room with Daphne's which killed Fred's daydream that he would have that adjoining room-although it did create a new sexual fantasy which kept his mind distracted through the evening. After freshening up in their respective rooms, the gang met for dinner at a restaurant with sidewalk seating that allowed Scooby to eat with them.

"I've spent some time researching Douglas Chandler," Velma started off, as always trying to ignore the noises from Shaggy and Scooby. "He was a piece of work. He was one of those pro-Axis shortwave radio broadcasters like Tokyo Rose or Axis Sally that broadcast to the United States or to the US troops during World War II. He tried to keep America from joining the war and then, when Japan attacked and we joined, he tried to get the American people and military to distrust Franklin Roosevelt. He was arrested at the end of the war and convicted of treason.

"After serving fifteen years in prison, President John Kennedy decided it wasn't worth it for the country to keep paying for his room and board and he was kicked out of the country. The last confirmed account of him was in 1970 but uncorroborated accounts say that he most likely died on the island of Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands around 1976."

Daphne summed it up, "So, he was a nazi."

"As far as I could find on the internet, he was an unrepentant antisemite to the day he died."

While Velma continued to try to ignore Shaggy and Scooby's dining habits, Daphne was trying to ignore Fred's furtive glances toward Elsie Richards. She tried to stay focused on what Velma was saying. "Did he have any children?"

"Two daughters, both born in the 1920's. I couldn't find anything on them after a brief mention in 1947."

"What's the plan?"

The word 'plan' brought Fred out of his revery. "We split up and join different tour groups and see which one the ghost decides to haunt."

Velma and Daphne looked at each other. Velma then looked back at Fred, "Works for me."