Chapter 10

Jimmy left the conference room after his interview and bee-lined for Elsie who was waiting in the small sitting area just outside. Fred stepped out to go to the restroom and noted that she, too, was brushing her hair from her face as she spoke with the model/guard. When Fred got back, an African-American man of about thirty wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt covered by a sports jacket was seated at the table in the same chair where Sheila and Jimmy had sat.

Fred closed the door as he entered. "Sorry, I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"No problem." The man seemed relaxed and stood to shake Fred's hand. Fred noted that he was about six feet tall. He seemed to be pleasant-looking and checked to see if Daphne was touching her hair. He guessed that was going to be his barometer for male attractiveness going forward. She wasn't.

No one else was talking so Fred continued, "Thank you for coming in on your day off. We really appreciate it."

The man repeated, "No problem."

Daphne gestured between Fred and the guard, "Fred, this is Brad Smith. Brad, this is Fred Jones." Her Cotillion training was not wasted.

They all sat down and Fred looked to Velma. It was her show.

Velma nodded. "Mr. Smith, you work first shift, Thursday through Saturday, right?"

"That's right. I always have."

"And you've worked here for twelve years?"

"That is correct."

"Are you happy with your job?"

"I suppose. As job's go, it could be worse. I mean, four-day weekends are hard to argue with."

"What do you do on your days off?"

"I don't know. I just live my life, I guess. I've got some girls with whom I'm kind of friendly. I read a lot and watch television some. Stuff like that."

"Do you read much history? Like… World War II?"

"Are you trying to ask me what I know about Douglas Chandler?"

"Pretty much."

"I know he was a nazi and that he worked for the Society and that they wish that everybody would forget that."

"Did he work for the Society or simply freelance?"

"There are articles from the old magazine with his name on them. One was about Nazi Germany and it was all gushy about what a great place it was."

"Why do you think someone would dress up as Chandler?"

"I don't know… because they're a racist?"

"Are there any people who work here who seem like they might be racist?"

"Beyond the normal level of racism? Not really. Most of the people around here are some-of-my-best-friends-are-black types of racists. I can't think of anyone who might be the dress-up-as-a-nazi-ghost type of racist. That's some weird stuff that." He thought for a moment. "Except…"

"Except?"

"Well, there's the new security guard. I mean… he hasn't done or said anything but…"

He was dragging it out so Velma played her part. "But?"

"He's German."

xXx

That led to the last guard to be interviewed: Conrad Schmidt. He was the youngest of the guards at twenty-one. He stood around five-ten with blonde hair and blue eyes—the very model of Aryan purity. He wore a pair of small-lensed wire-rim glasses which kept sliding down his nose. Each time, he pushed them back with his forefinger.

"Joo vanted to zee me?" His German accent was thick.

Fred again started the talking, "Yes, Conrad, please sit down. Thank you for coming in on your day off. I can't help but notice your accent. Are you German?"

"Jes, I am from Nuremburg, in Bavaria."

"When did you move to the United States?"

"My parents moved here vith me and my sister seven years ago. He teaches mathematics at Georgetown."

"He's a college professor? Why didn't you follow in his footsteps?"

"I vas not cut out to be an academic. I tried college for two years and zat didn't vork out. So, I lived vith my parents for a couple of months and zat REALLY didn't vork out. Then I got this job."

Daphne cut in. "Still finding yourself, huh?"

"I suppose."

"How long have you worked here?"

"I chust finished probation so I've been here about four months."

"Are you liking the job?"

"It pays zee bills."

"What are you finding hardest about it?"

"Randomness. I am supposed to make my rounds at random times with random routes. I lapse into patterns very quickly. I vas chastised for it once."

"By Mr. Beaman?"

"It came from him, but I actually spoke viss Jimmy."

Velma's turn. "So, you were educated in Germany until you were fourteen?"

"Jes."

"And then you continued your education in the United States."

"Zat is correct. I graduated from Jackson-Reed High School."

"Are you familiar with Douglas Chandler?"

"Zee ghost? I never heard of him until zis ghost business. He vas an American who vorked for zee Nazis in Vorld Var Two."

"Who around here might want to pretend to be the ghost of Douglas Chandler?"

"I don't know. I am new here and vork second shift. So, I don't know many people."

"What about the other guards?"

"I never really talk to zem much. During shift transitions, I see Brad most of zee time and zen I see whoever is taking zee Sunday shift."

"What about Mr. Beamen?"

"I've met him, but he doesn't come in during zee second shift very often. I don't know him vell."

The interview ended and Fred closed the door behind Conrad Schmidt, leaving them alone. He waited a moment and checked through the door sidelight to make sure that no one was coming.

"Okay Gang, what's our next step?"

Velma already had her answer in her mind. "I need to access the scheduling software for the guards and look for a pattern."

"Good." Fred replied. "And I think we should do a walk-along with each of the guards to see their routine—look for repetitive patterns which someone could exploit."

Daphne jumped in, "I'll do Jimmy!"

Fred ground his teeth, "How about I do Jimmy tonight. Velma, you do Sheila this afternoon. Their transition is tomorrow, so Shaggy and Scooby Doo will handle Brad tomorrow. And Daphne will go along with Conrad tomorrow night."

"Conrad! Why do I get the creepy German?"

Velma pondered this. "What was creepy about him?"

"I don't know. He just seemed so… German. Aren't they always the bad guys?"

Velma shook her head.

Fred responded to the question, "Right now, Conrad and Sheila are our most likely suspects, and he is the stronger of the two of them. Therefore, he is also the most potentially dangerous assignment. And you will have Elsie with you which makes you the best equipped to handle a situation."

Scooby looked to the door to make sure they were alone and reared up on his hind legs and placed his forepaws on the table to join the conversation. "Rwhy are Ronrad and Reila the most rikely ruspects?"

"Because Brad is African-American and it would seem unlikely that he would want to dress up as a nazi. And we need to verify my assumption on this one, but Epstein is traditionally a Jewish name which would make him also unlikely to dress up as a nazi. That leaves Conrad and Sheila."

Velma looked at him. "Superficial reasoning."

Fred agreed. "Granted. But we have to start somewhere."

They had a plan.

But no one noticed that, while the television screen was blank, the teleconference equipment was on and there were small green lights glowing on the microphone on the table and the camera on the wall.