The Malt shop. The Mystery Machine is parked outside. The camera zooms in to through the window, where the GANG is seated around a table. FRED and DAPHNE are reading newspapers. SHAGGY is sitting in anticipation with SCOOBY. VELMA is working out a problem on the table.
FRED: We need to solve another mystery, gang. We're almost out of money.
VELMA: How about this?
VELMA points out an article. It reads “Valuble Ice statues mysteriously disappear from museum, days before voyage to England.”
SHAGGY: Like, It can wait until I've had something to eat.
SCOOBY pops up from under the table.
SCOOBY: Rheat? Rid rhu rhay rheat?
SHAGGY: I sure am, Scoob. Like, here comes the food.
The WAITER delivers five malts, and a whole load of food.
DAPHNE: Here's a possibility.
She drops her newspaper down. It reads “San Francisco gold vaults hit by mysterious robberies, Police Baffled”
FRED: San Francisco? that’s not too far away. Come on, gang, It looks like we’ve just got ourselves another mystery to solve.
SHAGGY: Come on, Fred. Can't we just go home and watch the Late late late show?
FRED: Sorry, Shaggy. We need the money.
SHAGGY looks up from the article. The food is missing, along with SCOOBY.
SHAGGY: Scooby Doo! Where are you?
CUT to The Bank of San Francisco, The Mystery Machine is parked outside. Mr. JOHNSON, The bank manager, is standing outside the vault. A San Francisco Police OFFICER is seated at the table with Mr BRIAN, the accountant. FRED is talking to them. SHAGGY is sitting in the corner with SCOOBY looking dejected and hungry. VELMA is quietly examining the books on the shelf.
FRED: ...and we thought we could help solve the case.
JOHNSON: Why not? I don’t suppose you could do any more damage.
BRIAN: There’s no way they could have broken in. The only people who knew the combination were Mr. Johnson, Myself, and Officer Rogers, and we were all present in the office at the time of the crime, waiting for the criminal to arrive. But we never heard him come. The vault was opened flawlessly. It’s like the criminal knew exactly where to hit it to make it fall. This place is impenetrable. Whoever broke in must have been a miracle worker, or a ghost or something.
SHAGGY: G-g-g-host! Did you hear that, Scoob?
SCOOBY: Reah! Rhosts!
SCOOBY hides behind SHAGGY and shivers
OFFICER: The guard had obviously been overpowered, and the security systems tampered with. The guard could remember nothing when he woke up.
SHAGGY: Like, I've heard enough! Let's go back and solve that nice, tame, ice statue mystery.
VELMA: Scared already, Shaggy?
SHAGGY: Like, I don't know about you, but I've got a bad feeling about becoming a mindless zombie. It sure chills my spine.
VELMA: What spine?
SCOOBY gulps.
CUT to an hour later... The gang are searching the bank.
SHAGGY: They sure did a good job. This place is, like, emptier than my stomach.
SCOOBY laughs
VElMA suddenly picks up a piece of cloth snagged on the desk.
VELMA: Jinkes! A clue!
DAPHNE: I'd say it's from some kind of rough cloak.
BRIAN: Oh that, it’s been traced that to Tadfield Manor, the nearby hotel. The police checked them out. An old man and his butler are the only ones who run the place. Both of them look too weak to walk out an buy a newspaper, let alone break into the San Francisco Gold Vaults.
DAPHNE: Well, it's a start.
FRED: Come on gang, next stop, Tadfield Manor!
SHAGGY: Like, I've got a feeling it'll be our last!
CUT to the mansion. The gang is standing outside.
SHAGGY: T-t-t-hat’s Tadfield Manor?
SCOOBY puts his paws over his head and whines
DAPHNE: I’m with Shaggy. What a creepy place!
FRED: Aw, come on, Daphne. I’m sure it looks much better in the daytime.
SHAGGY: Yeah, like, I can’t see any way it can get worse.
VELMA: come on, you chickens.
SHAGGY: L-l-l-like into spooksville? No way!
SCOOBY: Ruh ruh, ro-ray.
VELMA: You can't back out now, Shaggy. We promised Mr. Brian that we'd sort out this mess for him.
DAPHNE: Would you rather search a dark, spooky museum for the ice statues instead, or would you rather visit this nice old house and look for the gold?
SHAGGY: Nice old house?
SCOOBY: (SCOOBY takes a look around) Rhere?
FRED: Come on, you clowns. It'll be dark soon. We'd better see if we can get some rooms.
SHAGGY: Like, I've got a bad feeling about this...
CUT to inside the mansion. A spooky Hallway with cobwebs and old furniture.
VELMA: Er.. Hello?
DAPHNE: What a dump. It looks like it’s been deserted for a million years.
SHAGGY: (Nervously) Like, If I lived here, I’d desert too.
An elderly MAN emerges behind the counter. SCOOBY yelps and jumps into SHAGGY’s arms.
MAN: On the contrary. How may I help you lovely young people?
SHAGGY: Zoinks! A ghost!
FRED: (Nudges SHAGGY quietly. "Quiet, Shaggy!") We’re looking for a couple of rooms, and you must be....?
MAN: My name is Stephens. You’re in luck, as a matter of fact, you are my only guests tonight. I will call Alfred to collect your luggage.
STEPHEN: Alfred! Show these fine young people to their rooms.
STEPHENS leaves, A bell is heard in the background, summoning ALFRED, a porter with an indiscriminate accent.
ALFRED: Good evening. Follow me.
SHAGGY: (laughs nervously)Like, no thanks. Me and Scooby will just go and wait in the Mystery Machine, if it's alright with you...
FRED: You can't leave now, Shaggy. We've got a mystery to solve!
SHAGGY: Mystery? Like, what mystery?
VELMA: Come on, you cowards.
VELMA pulls a struggling SHAGGY and SCOOBY up the stairs. It begins to rain.
ALFRED: Tis’s dreadful weather t’night. H’If H’I were yers, H’I’d lock the winders and doors ternight. E’s bound ter be abroad on such a night.
DAPHNE: Who is he?
ALFRED: Aven’t yer ‘eard? ‘Tis the Grim Reaper. The angel o’ death hisself. They say ‘E stalks the streets at night, a-search’in fer the lost spirits o’ Tadfield. ‘E’s been ‘angin round ere’ ‘gain. Aye, and ‘tis said ‘e’s abroad on nights like this’n. Course, Sensible folk like me don’t be wantin’ to berlive in that kinda hokey nonsense. An’ he’s just been a local myth, until recently... Folks, sensible folks like me, ‘ave been ‘llegin they saw the Reaper. They says he appears at the darkest hour, cackling and a-laughing all horrible-like, Course, after they’s is half-scared ter death, They’s don’t remember nothin, ‘sif ‘e just disappeared.
SHAGGY: Like, I think I'll disappear too! I’m getting out of this ghost trap!
FRED grabs SHAGGY’s shirt before he can run.
FRED: Hold it, Shag, we’ve got to solve this mystery first. We’ll stay here for the night, and look for the Reaper tomorrow.
SHAGGY: (Laughs nervously) Like, what if finds us first?
ALFRED: Th’s’s where ye a’ll be spendin’ th’ night. Ye lasses k’n spend th’ night in these rooms, and th’ lads k’n ‘ave these rooms down th’ ‘hall. Be sure te call when yer needs somethin’, and don’ forget ter lock yer winders and doors. G’night, ladie’s ‘n gents.
ALFRED leaves down the hallway.
CUT to The storm raging on, and lightning lighting up the sky every few seconds. During one of these flashes, we see the REAPER. The flash lasts long enough for us to see him laughing. When the lightning crackles again, he is gone.
CUT to SCOOBY and SHAGGY are dressed to sleep. FRED is reading a book.
SHAGGY: I’m hungry, Scoob. I didn’t get to have dinner. Go send for ALFRED to get us some food.
SCOOBY: Rokay Raggy.
SCOOBY picks up the phone.
SCOOBY: Rits Read!
SHAGGY: Like, I wish you hadn’t said that!
SCOOBY whines.
FRED: Relax, Shag. The storm must have cut the cables.
SHAGGY: Why does this happen every time we stay in a creepy Hotel?
FRED: If you’re so hungry, Shaggy, why not take Scooby, go downstairs, and get some food for yourself?
SHAGGY: What about the Reaper?
FRED: What are you? Hungry, or scared?
SHAGGY: Like, feel the force of my cowardice!
SCOOBY: Roth!
SHAGGY: You wouldn't be if you saw the Reaper.
SCOOBY look apprehensive.
FRED: Go on, you two. Bring a sandwich back for me.
SHAGGY: All right, Fred. C’mon Scoob.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY tiptoe down the corridor, which is filled with scarey junk like suits of armour, and spooky portraits. One of the portraits takes a look at SCOOBY. SCOOBY yelps and jumps on SHAGGY.
SCOOBY: Re rhyes! Re rhyes!
SHAGGY: The eyes? Not the corny moving eyes gag again, Scoob. Either you've been in one too many haunted houses, or you're so hungry you're imagining things.
SCOOBY: Rhyme rorry, Raggy.
SHAGGY: Well, like, don't do it again, huh?
The suit of armour begins to move behind SCOOBY. SCOOBY slowly turns around and taps SHAGGY.
SHAGGY: What is it now, Scoob? Wait, like, don't tell me. The armour is chasing you?
SCOOBY: Rhummm... Reah! Reah!
SHAGGY: (laughs) Like, Nice try, Scoob. Now cut it out, huh?
Suddenly, the REAPER appears behind SHAGGY. SCOOBY is frozen with fright.
SHAGGY: Come on, Scoob. Like, you can't frighten me.
SCOOBY: Rh-rh-rh-r (SCOOBY slaps himself) Rheaper!
SHAGGY turns around.
SHAGGY: Zoinks! But I'll bet he can! Every coward for himself!
SHAGGY and SCOOBY bolt down the corridor, in the opposite direction. The REAPER laughs and vanishes, only to rematerialize at the other end of the corridor. FRED opens his door, DAPHNE and VELMA peek out from their room.
DAPHNE: Jeepers! There really IS a reaper!
FRED: Yeah, but he’s not going to get away.
FRED tries to tackle the reaper, only to pass right through him and crash into SHAGGY and SCOOBY.
VELMA: Did you see that? That was impossible, as well as higly illogical!
The REAPER laughs
REAPER: Go Now, And Never Return! If You Return, I Will Claim Your Very Souls! This Is Your First And Last Warning!
The REAPER vanishes.
SHAGGY: Like, that’s it for me! Nothing like a last warning from your friendly neighbourhood ghost. Let’s not make him mad and split!
FRED: No, Shaggy. I think I'm beginning to understand his game.
SHAGGY: Game? Like, what game? I'm not playing games.
VELMA: I think I know what he means. And now that we know the rules, I think we'll play as well.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY: (R)Huh?
FRED: I'll explain later. Right now, we should split up to cover more ground. Shaggy, you take Scooby and investigate the ground floor. Me and the girls will check out the rest of the bedrooms.
SHAGGY: Like, I've got that bad feeling again.
SCOOBY: Rhe rhoo.
There is a loud thunderclap, with a flash of lightning. CUT to VELMA, DAPHNE, and FRED searching the corridor.
VELMA: There's nothing here. Only Mr. Alfred and Mr. Stephen's rooms left.
DAPHNE: Do you think we should...?
FRED: I’m sure he won’t mind (Pushes ALFRED’s door) It’s open!
VELMA: But he told us to lock the doors and windows at night! Surely he would have locked them himself... ?
DAPHNE: Unless the reaper got him first... oops!
DAPHNE trips over a pile of junk on the floor, revealing a black cloak similar to the reapers.
VELMA: Danger-prone Daphne did it again. Look!
VELMA holds up the cloak.
VELMA: The reaper’s cloak! ...very interesting.
FRED: Let’s not jump to conclusions yet. (pushes STEPHEN's door)
The door to STEPHENS' room swings open slowly and noisily.
VELMA: Jinkies! Looks like there’s been a struggle here!
FRED: Look!
On the table are some pieces of paper.
VELMA: Looks like someone wanted to hide this.
FRED rearranges the pieces. The few pieces they have spell GRAV (five other letters)
DAPHNE: Jeepers! He must mean the graveyard!
VELMA: I’ve got a hunch that’s where we’ll find our next clue. Come on!
CUT to SHAGGY and SCOOBY in the kitchen.
SHAGGY: All this searching is making me hungry, Scoob. Let’s take a break.
SCOOBY: Rokay, Raggy.
SHAGGY pours himself a glass of water and sips it.
SHAGGY: Spppppppppppppppppth! This water tastes funny! Nothing in this spooky joint is right! I’d better not have any more. Scoob, found anything to eat yet?
SCOOBY: Rit’s Rempty, Raggy!
SHAGGY: You mean there’s no food? What kind of ghost drinks poisoned water and doesn't eat?
In the window, we see the REAPER. He moans.
SHAGGY: Yeah, Scoob. I feel that way too.
SCOOBY: Rhit rasn’t re, Raggy, rit ras rim!
SCOOBY points to the window.
SHAGGY: Zoinks! The Reaper!
REAPER: So! You Have Chosen To Disobey My Warning! Prepare to Die!
The REAPER materialises inside the kitchen.
SHAGGY: Run for it, Scoob!
SCOOBY: Ri am, Ri am!
The REAPER chases them upstairs and downstairs, and finally into STEPHENS' office.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY have their backs to the wall.
SHAGGY: I think we lost him, Scoob.
They hear footsteps.
SHAGGY: Uh-oh. That must be old frightface now! Hide, Scoob!
They hide in the closet. Mr STEPHENS enters the room. They are just about to come out when the REAPER appears.
REAPER: It Is Futile To Resist!
STEPHEN: No!
The REAPER swings his scythe, and in a explosion of smoke STEPHENS vanishes. When the smoke clears, SHAGGY and SCOOBY step out from the closet.
SHAGGY: I th-th-think we’d better find Freddy and the girls.
Suddenly, the REAPER materialises again.
Reaper: You Thought You Escaped Me? The Reaper Sees All!
SHAGGY and SCOOBY duck his Scythe, which gets buried in the wardrobe door.
SHAGGY: Zoiks! Like, I don't think he's here to congratulate us! Let’s go Scoob! (He looks around, Scooby is already way in front) Hey! Wait for me!
The REAPER charges at them, but they duck into a side door.
REAPER: Now I Have You! There Is No Way Out!
The REAPER steps in, to be confronted by SHAGGY and SCOOBY dressed as firemen.
SHAGGY: Hold it, Mr. Where's the fire?
SCOOBY: Reah. Rhere's rhe rire?
REAPER: Fools! You Will Be Destroyed!
SCOOBY sets fire to the REAPER's cloak.
SHAGGY: Oh, like, there it is.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY blow the REAPER away with the hose.
REAPER: Raaaaaaaaargh!
SHAGGY: Uh oh. Like, I don't think he wants to play anymore.
The REAPER chases them into the graveyard, where they lose him.
SHAGGY: Like, I think we really got rid of him this time.
SCOOBY: Ri rhope ro.
SHAGGY: What a creepy place. I wonder where Fred and the girls are.
SHAGGY turns the corner, and is smashed over the head with the handle of the scythe. We see the REAPER drag him away.
SCOOBY: Raggy? Raggy? Rhere rare rou?
Just then, FRED and the girls arrive on the scene
DAPHNE: Scooby! Where’s Shaggy?
SCOOBY goes through a complicated series of mimes, depicting the REAPER smashing SHAGGY over the head.
VELMA: Jinkes! He’s been captured by the reaper!
SCOOBY: Ruh-huh, ruh-huh. Reah, reah.
FRED: We’ve got to find him.
Suddenly, a dark figure approaches.
DAPHNE: It’s the Reaper!
The man emerges into the light. He is the ALDERMAN
ALDERMAN: I’m not the Reaper. Although If you don’t wanna meet him, I’d suggest you clear out from here.
FRED: Uh... Thank you sir. Have you seen the reaper too?
ALDERMAN: Seen him? Hah! He haunts this place and the manor up on the hill every stormy night. (Yawns) Now, I’d be getting along back to sleep, kids. I’d steer clear o’ this place if I were you. Personally, I wouldnt’t be here myself, But It’s my job. Remember, I can’t take any responsibility for what happens to you. G’night.
VELMA: We’ll be careful sir. But... he’s gone... This mystery is getting curiouser and curiouser. Can you sniff Shaggy out, Scooby?
SCOOBY begins sniffing out SHAGGY's scent. The gang follows him towards the house.
CUT to SHAGGY. He wakes up in the basement.
SHAGGY: Like, what happened? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
SHAGGY gets up and looks around. There are bags of concrete lying about, a machine in one corner, And a few completed moulds lying in the other.
SHAGGY: What a creepy pad. Hey, like, what’s this?
SHAGGY opens a door into the freezer. Row upon row of the missing ice statues are stored inside.
SHAGGY: Zoinks! Like, I’ve struck the jackpot!
The gang arrives.
VELMA: Shaggy, are you ok?
SHAGGY: Like, I’m fine, but check this out! It must be worth a cool million. Get it, Scoob?
SCOOBY: Reah! (laughs)
FRED: Shaggy, You and Scooby try and get into contact with the sheriff. Me and the girls will look around for clues.
SHAGGY: Groovy, Fred. Like, anything’s better than this house of horrors.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY leave the basement. FRED studies the machine.
FRED: We had one of these in school. It’s a pulveriser. It grinds things into powder.
VELMA: And look at this! (She wipes a finger on the ‘out’ slot) Gold dust!
VELMA looks at the Ice statues and the mold.
VELMA:Hmmm.. Very interesting.
FRED: I'd say we've got this mystery all bu wrapped up.
CUT to an hour later. SHAGGY, SCOOBY, and the OFFICER has arrived.
OFFICER. Thanks kids, The statues set sail for England tommorow.
SHAGGY: Like no problem.
OFFICER: But who was the Reaper?
SHAGGY:Like, It must have been that creepy Mr. Stephens. He owns this creepy joint.
OFFICER: Then I think this case is closed, kids. Mr Stephens was found dead this morning.
GANG: What!?!
OFFICER: That’s right. He was assassinated. He had made some effort to contact police at about 3 am. Last night. Said he had important information about the statues and the gold, but they got him before we could find out what. If you have any more questions, call me at my office.
The OFFICER leaves.
VELMA: That just ripped a big hole in my theory.
DAPHNE: Come on, Velma. The mystery is over. The statues are returned to the owners.
VELMA: No, several things don’t make sense. One: I don't think the reaper is Stephens. Two: the gold pulveriser dosen’t tie in with the solution. Three: Why was Stephen killed? Four: How did the theives get in the bank without the codes? Five: Why don’t the guards remember anything? Six: Why are the statues at the same place where the gold is supposedly hidden? Seven: Those statues weren't the originals.
SHAGGY: Like, I can give more than seven reasons why we SHOULD leave.
FRED: How do you know the statues are fake, Velma?
VELMA: I’ve got it! We need one more piece of the puzzle. I’m not sure what it is, but I’ll know when we find it. And I know we’ll find it in Mr. Stephen’s room.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY look at each other, and shrug.
CUT to STEPHENS' room. The gang is rummaging about. VELMA opens a drawer. We see her look inside but we don’t actually see what is inside.
VELMA: Jinkes! I’ve got it!
FRED looks into the drawer.
FRED: I see what’s been going on. All we have to do now is capture the ghost. Shaggy...
SHAGGY: Like, Don’t even think about it, Fred. We aren’t going to be the bait again.
SCOOBY: Ruh-uh.
DAPHNE: Oh, come on, Scooby. Would you do it for a Scooby snack?
SCOOBY: Uh-uh
FRED: Two?
SCOOBY: Uh-uh
VELMA: A box?
SHAGGY: Like, I'll do it for a Box!
SCOOBY: Rhey!
SHAGGY: Sorry Scoob, but I haven't had a bite to eat since the beginning to this kooky mystery.
SCOOBY: Ruh!
CUT to the Basement. A trap has been set up.
FRED: It’s very simple, Guys. All you’ve got to do is (whisper whisper whisper). Ok, are we ready?
SHAGGY: (gulp) ready.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY creep along the hallways.
SCOOBY: Rhime rared, Raggy!
SHAGGY: Like, don't think about the reaper, Scoob. Think about the Scooby Snacks.
SCOOBY: Rhumm... Rhooby racks... Rhooby racks... Rhooby racks... Rhipes!
The REAPER is just around the corner
SHAGGY: (pointing to a barrel around the corner) Zoinks! There he is! Get ready, Scooby.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY position themselves behind a door.
SHAGGY: (ventriloquisming his voice to the barrel) He'll never find us in here, Scoob.
Grunting, the REAPER effortlessly takes the barrel to pieces with his scythe.
SHAGGY:(Projecting voice to under table) Zoinks! It's that ugly Reaper!
AD LIB: SCOOBY sniggers quietly. The Reaper smashes the table to bits.
SHAGGY:(Projecting the voice to the metal chest) Run, Scoob!
The REAPER attacks the chest, but breaks his scythe. SHAGGY and SCOOBY laugh uncontrollably. The reaper realises he's been tricked.
REAPER: I Have You Now!
SCOOBY: Ruh-roh
SHAGGY: Like, you said it, Scoob. Let's make like a banana and split! I hope Fred's ready!
They race off towards the basement, leap into the closet, and lock themselves in.
The REAPER bangs on the closet.
Suddenly, the ghosts of Stephens appears.
STEPHENS: Beware. I have returned!
REAPER: No! It Cannot Be!
The REAPER tries to strike STEPHENS down with the remainder of his scythe. It passes neatly through the ghost.
REAPER: A real ghost!
STEPHENS laughs, the REAPER runs down into the basement.
Suddenly, FRED jumps out from behind the pulveriser, throwing a cloth over the REAPER’s head. He blindly trips over a tripwire held by DAPHNE and VELMA, right into the freezer. The girls slam the door, locking the REAPER inside. SHAGGY and SCOOBY peek out from the closet.
SHAGGY: Is it over?
FRED: (laughs) I'd say the reaper's been stopped cold.
VELMA and DAPHNE groan.
CUT to the OFFICER talking to the gang outside, with a tied up REAPER.
FRED: And now, to see who the Reaper really is.
FRED removes the hood and the mask, revealing BRIAN, the accountant.
VELMA: Just as I suspected.
OFFICER: But how did you figure it out?
VELMA: The first clue was how the reaper could appear and disappear at will. This was done with projectors and mirrors. To capture the villain, we rewired the projectors to the basement and used them to project Stephen’s image, who was really Freddy in disguise. Our second clue was the cement in the basement. It was used to make moulds for the stolen ice statues before they melted them down, so they could be reconstructed afterwards.
OFFICER: Why? And how was the gold stolen?
FRED: Mr Brian would tell his accomplice, Mr Stephens, the code and the locations of the security cameras. Mr Stephens, being an expert on cameras as we just revealed, quickly disabled them. To disable the guards, he hypnotised them with the hypnotism book we found in his drawer. He would then open the vault and steal the gold.
OFFICER: Why was Stephens killed? I thought you said he was Brian’s accomplice.
DAPHNE: The reaper was played and invented by Stephens (until he died) to keep people away from Tadfield Manor. He saw how much of the plot we knew, and after we had found the Ice statues, He wanted to give himself up. But Brian wouldn't hear of it, and to prevent his scheme from being ruined, he killed Stephens.
OFFICER: Which leaves only one Question: Why?
SHAGGY: Like, he knew the police would be on the alert for the stolen gold, so after hearing that the Ice statues were going there a month before they were leaving, he quickly stole them. He melted them down, pulverised the gold and put the gold dust in the water. Then he would refreeze them in the moulds and wanted to send them back to the museum so that they would be sent to England. When they got there, his accomplices in England would steal them and vapourise the water, get the gold dust out, and melt it back into bars. The water tasted funny because that was the gold water. The message on the mirror was NOT graveyard, where we thought the reaper had taken stephens. It was Gravesend, telling Brian where the statues would be taken.
OFFICER: But how did the reaper make Stephens disappear? And what about Alfred?
DAPHNE: He would use a smokescreen and a trap door. The kind he used to make his appearence when we captured him. Alfred was just a disguised Brian, as was the alderman. He planted the cloak in Alfred’s Room to throw evidence off himself, because it didn't have the corner torn off. The disappearing act with the reaper (who was Brian that time) was to convince everyone that he was NOT the reaper. Right, Mr. Brian?
BRIAN:And I would have gotten away with it, too. If it wasn’t for you meddling kids and your dumb dog.
SHAGGY: Like, I knew it all along.
SCOOBY: (laughs) Scooby Dooby Doo!