Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Proposition' - Page 57:

Bundy continued his story, he contacted Quincy and they worked together to find the cause of death. Throughout this investigation Bundy always had confidence in Quincy’s ability to solve the death of the farmer. After three days of continued investigation there was no evidence to point to any person who would have caused the death. Bundy thought it would end, an unsolved mystery.
Quincy at the time had microscopically examined a torch the farmer carried at the time of his death. He discovered a light lime or green colour streak mixed with white colour on the handle of the torch. Bundy, with this new evidence visited the nearest farms in the area and discovered a cattle truck of a similar colour.
He interviewed the owner who told him on the night his neighbour was found dead, he’d spoken with him earlier when he was transporting cattle to the local saleyards. They spoke at the top end of the road near the farmer’s home. The farmer told the driver he was waiting for the calf to have its final drink from the cow before he locked the cow in the yard.
The driver asked the farmer if he wanted a lift to the cattle yard to which he told him he didn’t. It was a cool and clear night and he would enjoy the walk of about two hundred metres. The driver left the farmer and drove on to deliver his cattle. On his return he learned of his neighbour’s death.
Bundy went on to explained how Quincy travelled to where the truck was parked and examined the crate and truck. Fastened on the rear of the truck below the crate was a towbar. Along the driver’s side of the crate Quincy discovered paint missing from the boards, which when microscopically examined matched the paint found on the barrel of the torch held by the farmer.

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The Proposition' - Page 58:

In conclusion to the investigation Quincy re-enacted the movements of the farmer after the driver of the truck left him on the corner. Quincy theorised the farmer declined a ride, the driver left him standing. When the truck slowly moved away, the farmer; changed his mind and decided to risk a lift by jumping onto the towbar fastened on the back of the truck below the crate.
His decision to jump off when level or near to the cattle yards, without the driver knowing he’d been on the back of the truck. When he first jumped on the towbar to where he wanted to jump off would have been about two hundred metres. Only trouble was the truck increased speed and at one point the farmer decided to crawl along the side of the crate to alarm the driver to stop.
When he couldn’t get the driver’s attention, he climbed back down onto the towbar and at this stage was level with the place he wanted to get off. Standing on his right foot on the towbar, he placed his left foot down close to the road and jumped. The farmer held the metal torch in his right hand.
At the point when his left foot struck the roadway it fractured. The force of striking the roadway; pushed his body against the rear crate, caused his head to strike the metal torch and indent his forehead. Problem solved; Quincy worked it out with scientific evidence. Kate remained silent.
She drove to Bundy’s property, stopped the vehicle and said, ‘see you in the office tomorrow morning – eight o’clock sharp. Don’t be late.’
‘Okay, Kate – I’ll see you then.’ Bundy alighted from the vehicle; she sped away. She must be angry, she never said goodbye, Bundy thought...

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'The Proposition' - Page 59:

Eight o’clock the following morning Bundy entered their small dingy office to see Kate busily typing on her computer.
‘Good morning Kate – how are you this morning?’ He asked in a positive tone.
She continued typing and said, ‘the Commissioner will see us at eight-thirty sharp in his office.’ It was more of a command than a request.
‘Okay.’ Bundy replied and sat down in front of his computer. He turned it on and the screen came to life. He checked his e-mails while waiting until he and Kate had their meeting with the Commissioner.
Eight-thirty sharp Kate and Bundy sat in front of the Commissioner who looked a smaller man seated in an executive chair behind a huge marble desk.
‘How’s the investigation going?’ He asked in a friendly tone.
‘It’s hit a snag Commissioner. Do you know Quincy Simpson, a friend of Bundy’? Kate asked in an authoritative voice.
‘Yes, as a matter of fact, I know him quite well. He was a forensic scientist and a good friend of Bundy.’ He told Kate, looked her straight in the eye, ‘is there something not right with the investigation, why you needed to speak with me urgently?’ He asked.
‘Quincy has come up with a theory, I’ve never heard of anything so stupid before in my life and he wants to use it to find Peter Clayton. He calls it his ‘secret weapon’.’ Kate told him.
‘What is this theory?’ The Commissioner wanted to know.
‘I’ll let Bundy explain. I don’t believe it will work and I don’t want anything to do with it. I’d rather go back and work in the field rather than carry on with this hocus-pocus stuff.’ Kate concluded...

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'The Proposition' - Page 60:

Bundy explained Quincy’s ‘secret weapon’ and told the Commissioner he wanted to try this new method of investigation theory. What did they have to lose, it’s been eight years since the lad went missing and nothing has been found of him or anyone seen him in the time he’s been gone, Bundy told the Commissioner?
‘I agree Bundy. Kate, this is a test you need to take if you want to gain higher rank in this service. I believe in Bundy and I know throughout the years Quincy played a huge part in helping Bundy solve many crimes. You are to continue with this investigation and follow what Bundy and Quincy have to say. Is that clear?’ His command bit into Kate’s soul.
Kate nodded and both left the office.
When they returned to their dingy office, Kate was fuming, ‘now see what you’ve done. I’ve got to listen to you both and carry on as if nothing has happened,’ steam almost blasted from her ears.
‘Now, don’t carry on like a pork chop.’ He said.
‘That’s right – poke fun at me. I’m not a pork chop and I don’t know why you want to speak to me the way you do.’
‘It’s an expression – I didn’t mean you were a pork chop. It’s only a saying I used to break the tension.’
‘You’ve broken the bloody tension, okay. Now what do we do smarty pants.’
‘How long has it been since you’ve had a holiday or a break from this investigation?’ Bundy asked in a sincere voice.
‘I’ve never had a break. The only night I didn’t think about this case is the night at the trots.’ She calmly admitted.
‘I think it’s time you had a rest to recuperate.’
‘Don’t you want to work with me?’ She blasted...

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'The Proposition' - Page 61:
‘Yes – I want to work with you, but I think a couple of weeks rest and recuperation would help.’
‘It might be alright for you to have a lovely place in the beautiful Mary Valley – what about me, where will I go?’ She voiced.
‘I own a holiday unit at Kings Beach, Caloundra. You’re welcome to stay there if you want. It’s beautiful at Caloundra. I go there when I need time off to recharge my batteries.’ Bundy noticed an immediate change in Kate. Her face smoothed – her eyes brightened; he saw the wheels in her mind moving.
‘I suppose a couple of weeks wouldn’t hurt. What would I do?’ She calmly admitted.
‘Why don’t we go for a drive and see for yourself and you can decide what to do. Have you been to Caloundra before?’ Bundy asked. He didn’t want her out of his hair but he wanted her to work with him willingly. This type of investigation on how to solve this mystery was uppermost in Bundy’s mind and Quincy’s theory might work. He had confidence in Quincy’s ‘secret weapon’.
‘Okay, it wouldn’t hurt to have a look - I don’t suppose.’ She lowered her voice and looked directly into Bundy’s eyes, ‘thank you for the offer. When I think about the years, I’ve worked on this case I do think I need a holiday.’
One hour later Bundy opened the front door to the unit and they both entered.
‘Is that you Bundy?’ An aged female voice called from the front veranda of the unit next door. Bundy opened the sliding front doors and walked to the veranda.
‘Hello Mrs Elliott, this is Kate Emerson, she will be staying in the unit for a couple of weeks.’ Kate leaned across the rail to shake Mrs Elliot’s hand.
‘I’m pleased to meet you. I’m certain we’ll get along fine seeing you’re a friend of Bundy’s. You call on me whenever you want anything.’ She called before returning to her own unit...

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'The Proposition' - Page 62:
‘This is absolutely beautiful Bundy.’ Kate told him. A soft sea breeze brushed against her hair and face; she looked out from the unit to the ocean and saw a large cargo ship turning the point. ‘Look there’s a ship – where would it be going?’ She asked as if a child wanting to know an answer from her father.
‘It’s the shipping channel, I sit here for hours and look out to sea, - it’s soothing and relaxing. They are cargo ships laden with overseas containers destined for the port of Brisbane. See how low they are in the water, the water line, the black line running around the hull of the ship is close to the water, so they must be heavy containers coming from overseas’. He concluded.
‘Yeah, I see what you mean. Alright Bundy - you’re right again, I do need a holiday and this will do me the world of good for a couple of weeks.’ Kate felt tension drain from her body and mind and felt more relaxed than she’d felt for a long time.
‘I’d better show you around. You have the choice of the spare bedroom or the main bedroom. Linen is in the cupboard; take whichever room you want. You’ll need to stock the kitchen. I normally eat out when I’m here or at times Mrs Elliott invites me for a meal. She’s a wonderful neighbour and caretaker.’ Bundy explained, ‘before we return to the office, I want you to consider reading this book while you’re here.’ Bundy handed Kate a book about ‘learning to direct thoughts with one’s mind’.
Kate had a quick look at the cover and flipped through the pages without reading any of the contents. ‘If it’s what you want me to do – I’ll do it. I can’t see how it’s going to find Peter Clayton but at this stage I’m willing to try anything.’ She said...

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'The Proposition' - Page 63:
After a couple of weeks of relaxation, long coffee breaks with Mrs Elliott, Kate felt refreshed and alive. She read the book Bundy left, from cover to cover and couldn’t understand why she needed to read it. She thought of the moment and his words when he handed her the book, asking her in a kind and sincere voice if she would read it. Kate was a detective through and through. She believed in facts – not some rules of thought to direct the mind what to do. What was he playing at?
At a morning coffee break with Mrs Elliott the subject of Bundy was bought up in their conversation, ‘how did you meet Bundy?’ Kate asked.
‘I’ve lived here for many years Kate. Unfortunately, my husband died and I thought about selling the unit until Bundy purchased the unit next door. I was lonely and he’d recently lost the love of his life through cancer and we sort of helped each other through our grief, sadness, and sorrow. It’s good to talk about these things.’ She explained.
Kate didn’t know how to interpret Mrs Elliott’s first meeting with Bundy. Were they lovers, she thought – no – she’s older than he is and would Bundy love another after the death of his wife? She wondered.
‘Over the years you obviously learnt many things about Bundy?’ Kate asked. She didn’t want to say it as a direct question or place her under interrogation.
‘He’s a gentleman and at times takes an old lady like me to the tavern up the road for dinner. I feel young again when we go to the tavern. It gives me a chance to play the poker machines.’ She smiled, ‘while Bundy plays his favourite game of keno.’
‘How often does he stay at the unit?’ Kate asked.
‘Few times a year – when he feels he’s got to get away, it’s a great place to relax. How has your stay been Kate?’ She asked.
‘Wonderful, thank you, my batteries are re-charged and I’ve rearing to get back into it.’ Kate replied...