Episode 2: Hoax Hunters | Part 3

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The case was definitely a tough one. Dipper took Soos and Wendy to the library for a bit of research while Mabel stayed behind at the Mystery Shack to do her own research.

Wendy was trailing behind Dipper while carrying an armload of books that he passed to her. The stack was beginning to reach her nose and her aching arms were threatening to let the books spill to the floor. Dipper skimmed over the cover of a History of Strange Crimes Issue #2 before muttering, "I've read this, it's no good," and returning it to the shelf.

Soos silently flipped through the pages of an old book before lazily sticking it back on a random shelf with a bored yawn.

"Do we really need all these books?" Soos complained. Wendy shot him an annoyed look since she was the one carrying the mass while Soos had been whining the entire time.

"Of course," Dipper said without looking up from another book. "We have to research our clues." He was referring to the square photos Mabel had taken with her old polaroid and were currently tacked to the wall of the attic, along with various other pieces of evidence.

"But what evidence is there?" Soos asked again.

"Soos kinda has a point," Wendy agreed shyly.

Dipper took the stack of books from Wendy and hauled them to a near sunlit table then spread them out in a semi-circle.

"Well I called that reporter, Sandra, and she said that the person who reported the missing wax figures was never clarified, so I asked how they knew about the opening of the wax museum. Sandra said that an unknown caller had reported when and where the wax figures would be shown to the public for the first time since they had been missing yesterday, right before the reopening."

"But who could've reported Stan?" Wendy asked.

"That's what we're here to figure out," Dipper replied while pulling out a notebook and pen from his backpack. He titled the page "Suspects(?)" then paused before he could write down a name.

"Any ideas of who would want Stan in prison?" he suggested.

"Isn't there a lot of people who'd want Stan to be in prison?" Wendy muttered sarcastically.

"It would've had to be someone at the opening," Dipper thought out loud.

"There wasn't a lot of people there, just about fifteen. . . I remember seeing Toby, of course, Old Man McGucket, that guy with the tattoos..."

Wendy slowly zoned out as she fell into deep thought, trying to recall the faces of the people in the audience. Her heart sank when a thought came to mind. . . Had she seen her dad in the audience?

That would make her own dad a suspect, which normally wouldn't be big of a deal, but Dan Corduroy wasn't like most parents. If he discovered what missions Wendy had ventured on with Dipper and Mabel, she would surely never be allowed to set foot in the Mystery Shack again.

"Did you see anyone there, Wendy?"

Wendy gulped and pretended to be fascinated in a piece of loose thread in her flannel shirt.

"I think my dad might've been there. . ." she muttered quietly.

Dipper nodded and jotted down the name along with a few more that Soos offered. Dipper scooped his notes back into his bag and stood up.

"That should be all we need. Let's head back to the Shack and begin the investigation."

"Was that it?" Soos asked. "Why did we even bother coming here at all?"

Dipper shrugged and smiled. "What can I say? I like books."

.  .  .  .   .   .   .  .

A/N
Sorry for the short update!
I've been sick lately and haven't had a whole lot of time but I'm on a break for the rest of the week so hopefully I can finally finish the entirety of this chapter and move on to the next one!

Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

~Cath

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