Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Bush Detective' - Page 15:

‘We can talk while we work.’ Lynne said taking a tee towel from beneath the bar. ‘How long have you been a detective?’ She asked wiping glasses after Allan washed them.
‘Only a couple of weeks. I worked up north chasing cattle duffers before being transferred to Brisbane to do my training.’ His reply. Cleaned each glass before placing on the public bar for Lynne to wipe dry.
‘You ever arrested anyone for murder?’ She asked.
Cahill asked me a similar question. ‘No. Only cattle duffers.’ He continued to wash glasses placed them on the bar for Lynne to wipe.
‘Then pray tell. How are you going to arrest the bastard who murdered my mother?’ Lynne’s voice turned to anger thumping a glass onto the bar after wiping.
‘Steady on Lynne. What did that glass do to you?’ Allan asked trying to soothe her attitude.
‘I’m sorry. That bastard James Brokenborough murdered my mother. Told my father he accidently shot her whilst out pigeon shooting. What a heap of bullshit. High enough I couldn’t climb over.’ Lynne expressed; continued to dry glasses until Allan finished washing them.
‘I’m sorry about your mother. Truly I am. All I’ve been told by Commissioner Cahill: Sergeant Gray recommended me to travel here to investigate the murder of your mother. I’m afraid nothing more than those details.’ Allan completed his duties as washer. ‘Where do I throw the washing water?’ He asked hoping Lynne simmered down enough to tell him.
‘Wipe down the counters: throw the water out the back onto the grass. I’ll blow out the lanterns. Meet you on the back veranda after you’re done. I’m too fired up to sleep.’ Lynne went about her job closing the hotel.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 16:
Allan completed his chores; joined Lynne on a swing at the rear veranda. ‘May I sit here?’ He asked. Bight moonlight shone rays lighting up Lynne’s face. Allan thought he’d died and gone to heaven to be in the company of such a beautiful woman.
‘If you want too. I’m afraid I’m not much company this evening. I miss my mother. I can’t understand why she needed to die. I have my suspicions.’ Lynne ranted.
‘Can we talk about something else please. At this stage I haven’t any idea of what happened. Like I said Commissioner Cahill instructed me to travel here to investigate a murder.’ Allan answered solemnly.
‘What do you want to talk about?’ Lynne spoke in a softer voice. Something about Allan’s demeanour flashed through her mind. ‘I’ve been thinking about you.’ Lynne stated. Looked across to Allan. Allan didn’t realise how to respond to this question. Lynne continued. ‘I think I’ll give you a title “The Bush Detective”. What do you think of me bestowing upon you this distinguished title? I’ll tell you something ‘The Bush Detective’. If you solve this murder of my mother. I promise you here and now I will marry you.’ Lynne finished flashing her eyes toward Allan.
‘I like the title.’ Allan answered. The Bush Detective. Sounds right. ‘Don’t understand about this marriage proposal.’ Allan finished. His mind filled with excitement thinking this beautiful person would want to marry him.
Lynne yawned, closed her eyes, leaned her head against Allan’s shoulder. ‘I’m so sleepy.’ Lynne’s head moved from Allan’s shoulder to his lap. She curled her legs. Allan remained still hearing slight noises from Lynne. He bowed his head also falling asleep.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 17:

Odour of bacon and eggs entered Allan’s nose. Shaking his head, opening his eyes, Lynne remained curled up on the swing. A blanket covered her body. Her head remained on his lap.
Alex called from the kitchen. ‘When you two love birds are finished. Breakfast is ready.’
Allan didn’t want to wake Lynne. She looked at peace with her head on his lap. ‘I don’t want to wake Lynne.’ Allan called softly to Alex.
‘She sleeps on a barbwire fence. Give her a shake. Breakfast will be cold otherwise.’ Alex called.
Allan gentle shook Lynne. Her eyes opened; looked directly into Allan’s face. Spluttering her words, ‘I must’ve fallen asleep. Sorry.’ Lynne raised from her position. ‘Alex must have breakfast ready. Bacon and eggs.’ Lynne rose from the swing.

Chapter 3

‘When I got up this morning, you two love birds cuddled up on the swing. I threw a blanket over you both. Cool weather.’ Alex smiled. Shared with his two companions who busily ate their breakfast.
‘Thank you, Alex. I must’ve been tired last night. Fancy falling asleep on the lap of ‘The Bush Detective’ sleeping until this morning.’ Lynne said in between eating her breakfast showing a slight smile.
‘The title you bestowed upon me last night. Is the title only thing you remember from last night?’ Allan asked wishing Lynne couldn’t remember the final part of their conversation.
‘You mean about marrying you if you solve my mother’s murder?’ She raised her voice in excitement. ‘I meant every word.’ Continued to keep eating.
After each finished their breakfast Lynne asked Allan, ‘Do you attend church on Sundays?’ Her question startled Allan.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 18:

‘As much as I can attend. Why?’ Allan answered.
‘Do you intend to attend church service this morning?’ Lynne asked.
Allan nodded. ‘I’m Church of England.’ Allan finished.
‘Great. We can go together.’ Lynne stated rose from her chair to commence collecting breakfast dishes to wash up.’
Alex excused himself. He needed to tidy the hotel. Being Sunday; the hotel officially closed. He still had plenty of work to catch up with.
‘I’ll wash the dishes if you want to ready yourself for church. I don’t mind.’ Allan said started to gather dishes to place near the wash basin.
‘I need a bathe before I attend church. Okay. You wash the dishes, don’t forget to wipe the stove. I’ll stoke the copper to boil water for our bathes.’ Lynne stated.
‘Wait a minute. What do you mean our bathes?’
‘You’ll need to bathe after I have my bathe. I’ll leave the water in the bathtub. I promise not to pee in the water.’ Lynne giggled.
‘Okay. I need to bathe. I’m a little smelly after a couple of days travelling here on the train. Can’t be your job to boil the water for our bathes. Where’s the copper.’ Allan asked.
‘Standing right in front of me. Oh. Sorry. Wrong copper. Out the back. Are you going to boil water; carry the hot water into the washroom for me to bathe?’ Lynne couldn’t believe Allan would carry out women’s work.
‘Yes. I can’t imagine any problem boiling water to prepare your bath.’ Allan walked from the kitchen to the back yard to stoke the fire under the copper to boil water for their baths.
‘I mightn’t worry about you solving this murder. I might just marry you anyway. Thank you.’ Lynne prepared herself to bathe.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 19:

After each bathed, dressed in their Sunday best, they left the hotel to walk to church. Lynne took Allan’s hand in her hand. ‘I’ll never allow you away from me the way you look after me. I think I will marry you after all.’ Lynne smiled. Allan didn’t release his hand.
Approaching the church on the corner, a small girl dressed in her Sunday best ran toward Lynne shouting, ‘Auntie Lynne; Auntie Lynne.’ She wrapped her arms around Lynne’s legs hugging her.
Lynne released Allan’s hand, kneeled to the height of the child, wrapped her arms around her saying. ‘How’s my little princess?’ Allan stood gobsmacked. An astonished look on his face.
‘Who’s this?’ The small child asked pointed to Allan.
‘Little Hannah Gibson. I want you to meet my friend ‘The Bush Detective’ otherwise Detective Allan Honor.’ Lynne explained to Little Hannah.
She immediately tucked her head into Lynne’s neck shying away from Allan.
‘Hi Lynne.’ A female voice greeted them. ‘Here, I’ll take her. She must be heavy.’
Lynne released Little Hannah handing her to this other person who Allan assumed to be her mother.
‘Hannah. This is my friend ‘The Bush Detective’ otherwise Detective Allan Honor.’ Lynne introduced Allan to Hannah. Allan accepted the title ‘The Bush Detective’ coined by Lynne.
Hannah pushed her other hand out to Allan, ‘Welcome to Cunnamulla. Wait until you met my father, Mayor of Cunnamulla. He’ll have a few things to tell you how you came to be here. Are you both attending the service?’ Allan and Lynne nodded to Hannah who placed Little Hannah on the ground, took her hand. Four walked to the church, entered: sat close to the front with an elderly man and woman; plus; a baby nursed by the elderly woman.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 20:

When the service completed everyone gathered at the front of the church. Lynne introduced each person to Allan. Martha asked Allan and Lynne, ‘Do you both want to have Sunday Roast Dinner with us?’ Allan and Lynne agreed by their usual nod of heads.
Family returned to Hannah and Joe’s home. Martha attended to fix lunch whilst Nat asked Allan if he wanted a drink. ‘A cold beer if you have one, thank you, Mr Mayor.’ Allan replied. Turned to Lynne asking if she wanted a cold drink. Her reply a glass of water. Lynne busied herself with helping Martha prepare Sunday Roast Dinner whilst Hannah attended to her children.
Allan and Nat retired to the front veranda. ‘I have something important to tell you Allan.’ Nat said sipping his glass of beer. Allan sat silent. ‘After Sergeant Gray told me about the murder of Lynne’s mother, I personally wrote a letter to The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA, Minister For Police seeking his permission to have you sent here to investigate this murder.’
‘Murder Mr Mayor?’ Allan asked overwhelmed by being in the presence of the Cunnamulla Mayor.
‘Call me Nat. I’d rather speak man to man than all the hullabaloo about our positions.’ Nat expressed swallowing the remainder of his beer. ‘Want another one Allan?’ Allan nodded handing his empty glass to Nat.
‘Have you met our Minister of Police?’ Allan asked somewhat confused.
‘The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA, Minister for Police worked for me as a shearer on our property back in 1890. Quite remarkable journey he’s taken since being a shearer in this neck of the woods.’ Nat answered honestly.
Hannah opened the door to the veranda with two glasses filled with beer. ‘Not much of a dry argument out here.’ Hannah took the empty glasses to return inside.
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'The Bush Detective' - Page 21:

Alan interrupted Hannah, ‘Hannah, excuse me. Before you return inside; your daughter called Lynne – Auntie Lynne. Are you related?’ Allan asked taking his glass of beer from Hannah.
‘Ah. No. Lynne teaches at Cunnamulla State School. I’m Principal. She practically lived here from time to time when I supported her with her teaching degree. Margaret Ryan, who’s married to The Honourable Joseph Ryan, MLA, Minister For Police trains country schoolteachers. Lynne happened to be one of those Margaret trained with my support. Margaret trained me many years ago. Now she trains many others throughout Queensland. You’ll catch on being around Lynne. She’s the prettiest woman in Cunnamulla. Don’t you think so Allan?’ Hannah excused herself for Allan to condense details of what she told him.
Lynne a schoolteacher. Thought she was a barmaid.
Allan continued his conversation with Nat. ‘Around 1890. Wasn’t this the time of ‘The Great Shearers Strike’. I remember my father told me stories of how the striking shearers camped down the riverbank.’ Allan told Nat.
‘Yes, in 1891, the now Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA, Minister For Police, was the leader of ‘The Great Shearer’s Strike of 1891’. After the strike he went onto Barcaldine where the original shearers took up residence under the ‘Tree of Knowledge’. Same time Australian Labour Party formed. Joseph became first member of Parliament for Queensland. He’s actually done well for himself I must say with pride of first employing him back in 1890.’ Nat finished. ‘Joseph was a gun shearer. I almost sacked him on the spot once for cutting the belly wool of an ewe. Wonder what would’ve happened to The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA, Minister for Police if I had sacked him?’ Nat ed.
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