Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Proposition' - Page 85:

‘Sorry Kate for phoning you this late – Bundy here.’ He said into the mouthpiece.
‘Ah – Bundy, what’d you doing ringing me at this time of night. I was fast asleep. What’d you want?’ Wiping the sleep from her eyes and trying to wake.
‘I’ve got to talk with you.’
‘Alright, I’m awake – talk.’
‘A fellow I used to work with in the force years ago rang me about information which could help find the killer of the skeleton.’ Bundy explained.
‘What! You’ve woken me at this time of night to tell me about information. Wait a minute; I’ve got to go for a pee before I wet myself. Hang on?’
‘Yeah – go and do your lady thing. I’ll wait.’ Bundy imagined Kate putting the telephone down, rushing off to the toilet. He heard background noise of the toilet flush and knew she finished what she was doing.
‘I’m back – ah, that feels better. Now what’s this you want to tell me?’ She asked in a much kinder voice.
‘I received a telephone call from a fellow I used to work with in the force. His name is Colin Hunt. He’s a parole officer with Corrective Services and has been told by an in-mate they know the identity of the person who could be the killer of the skeleton found at the forestry.’ Bundy explained hoping Kate understood.
‘Is that so, one of your ole mates, hey, what do you think?’ She was now wide awake and pleased to listen to his story.
‘I know it’s late and you are tied but unless I’d spoken with you about it tonight, I wouldn’t have slept.’
‘That makes two of us. Why couldn’t this wait until the morning?’
‘Because Colin told me this fellow is being released from prison in the next couple of days and if we don’t move on it straight away, he’d be gone as soon as he’s released.’...

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'The Proposition' - Page 86:
‘Alright then, what have we got – the word of an inmate? Is there any other evidence to tie this fellow to the skeleton?’
‘Not at this stage – he’s a convicted child molester. Is all we have?’
‘So, the reason you woke me from my beauty sleep was to tell me virtually nothing.’ She sounded arrogant and upset. Bundy at that moment realised why the Commissioner wanted him to work on this investigation. He was right; the detective of today couldn’t give a damn about follow-up information whether it was in the middle of the night or another time. If they didn’t have DNA evidence or the investigation handed to them on a silver plate, they tossed the information aside. It’s no wonder crime wasn’t being cleared up. His memory returned when he’d get out of his warm bed anytime to follow up on information.
‘Sorry Kate, I’ll see you in the morning.’ He clicked the off button and the telephone went dead.
Bundy couldn’t sleep the remainder of the night. He saw in his mind’s eye the track which should be taken to follow-up this information. First, he would contact Colin in the morning as soon as he arrived at the office. He would take over the investigation. He felt frustrated at Kate’s attitude and non-interest of searching for evidence to support this investigation. No wonder she’d taken eight bloody years to investigate the disappearance of Peter Clayton.
Never had he arrived at the office so early and to his surprise found Kate sitting behind her computer rattling the keys, ‘you’re early, didn’t you sleep either?’ Kate proclaimed when Bundy entered the office...

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'The Proposition' - Page 87:
‘I’m surprised to see you. I thought you were getting your beauty sleep.’ He replied sarcastically.
‘Unfortunately, I don’t need it. I’m beautiful as it is, and what you see is what you get. Now let’s get to work. I’ve searched our database about your parole officer and yes, he was quite a detective in his day. Not much to go on. How come he telephoned you?’
‘I asked the same question. He’d been flogged off by the detectives he spoke with and happened to see my ugly dial on the television and recognized me.’ Bundy explained.
‘We’d better contact Larry and get him up-to-speed with this information.’ Kate telephoned Larry.
‘Larry, Kate Emerson here, we have information which could help your investigation. Where are you now?’ She asked in an earnest voice.
‘Here in my office on the tenth floor. Come on up, I’ll put the coffee on.’ Larry remarked.
‘We’re on our way.’ Kate said and shut off the call. ‘Come on Bundy, you can explain everything to Larry. He’s waiting.’
They arrived at Larry’s office, he shook hands with both, ‘have a seat, what will you have?’ He asked.
‘Bundy will have hot chocolate and I’ll have a flat white coffee.’ Kate told Larry.
‘Hot chocolate ah – haven’t you been weaned Bundy.’ Larry commenced making the drinks, ‘will that be with milk.’ His words sounded almost genuine.
‘Milk and no sugar – thanks Larry,’ Bundy explained.
‘Now what is it you want to tell me?’ Larry resumed his seat behind his desk and waited for their reply.
‘You tell him Bundy. It’s better coming from you.’ Kate explained...

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'The Proposition' - Page 88:
‘A former detective named Colin Hunt, who is now a parole officer with Corrective Services.’ Bundy started, ‘he was in the job with me when I was a detective. He also was a detective.’
Bundy explained feeling a little nervous.
‘Yes – so he contacted you, did he?’ Larry questioned.
‘Yeah, last night he telephoned me at home to say he had information from an in-mate who knew the identity of the person about the skeleton.’ Bundy muttered.
‘What type of information?’ Larry wanted to know.
‘Apparently an inmate, a prisoner, approached him on the condition for an early release in exchange for information about another inmate who murdered and buried a body in the forestry.’
‘It’s not much to go on.’ Larry explained.
‘That’s what I told him.’ Kate intervened.
‘Yeah, I know it’s not much – but you obviously have to check it out to see if it’s true.’ Bundy explained trying to keep his blood pressure and temper under control. What’s wrong with these people, don’t they understand.
‘Alright, give me the particulars of this fellow and I’ll follow it up.’ Larry concluded showing little interest in the information.
Bundy gave Larry Colin Hunt’s details.
‘Okay, I’ll send one of my lads to see him and let you know what comes of it.’ Larry finished the conversation and wanted to get back to real police work.
Kate and Bundy returned to their office...

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The Proposition' - Page 89: Chapter 11

After lunch Kate’s telephone buzzed, ‘is Bundy there?’ A male voice inquired when she opened it to speak.
‘Yeah – who’s this?’ Kate asked not recognising the voice.
‘Colin Hunt – I want to speak with Bundy Quicksilver.’ The voice echoed loudly through the phone.
Kate handed the telephone to Bundy, ‘for you.’
Bundy placed the receiver to his ear, he still hadn’t got used to listening to the telephone because the receiver was too small, ‘hello – Bundy Quicksilver here.’ Bundy was used to listening from a larger telephone and didn’t know how anyone could speak into a pea size microphone.
‘What the bloody hell is going on Bundy. I’ve just had a young copper here from Homicide wanting to talk with this fellow I told you about. Bundy, he’s wet behind the ears and still wearing diapers. Anyway, this fellow wants to talk with you – personally, not some kid who’s just left the Academy. He said something about you arrested his old man for murder years ago. He won’t talk with anyone else.’
‘Who is he?’ Bundy asked. His mind flashing back in time to record the name of a person he arrested years ago for murder.
‘Denis O’Connell – you remember his old man, Mark O’Connell. He got life for murder back in the seventies.’ Colin advised Bundy.
‘Yeah – the name’s coming back slowly. I remember he murdered an old lady and pleaded guilty. Is this his son?’ Bundy said in astonishment remembering the person, time, and murder.
‘Yeah – he telephoned his old man once he heard about the police coming to the prison to question him. His old man mentioned your name and told his son not to talk with anyone except you. He must trust you.’ Colin informed Bundy...

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The Proposition' - Page 90:
‘This is a mess – isn’t it? I’m not even a copper and I can’t question him. Let me get back to you. I’ll ask Detective Superintendent Emerson what to do.’ Bundy felt inadequate to feel once he had the power to question a suspect and now this power was taken away.
‘Alright, he’s not going anywhere. I stopped his release this morning. Let me know what you’re going to do?’ Colin hung up.
‘What’s the problem?’ Kate asked in a concerned voice.
‘The in-mate Colin told me about is a fellow named Denis O’Connell. His father is Mark O’Connell; I arrested him years ago for murder. He will only talk with me. His old man told him not to talk with anyone else.’ Bundy explained to Kate.
Kate’s telephone came alive with the usual buzzing to indicate a call was waiting to be answered. She opened her phone and said, ‘Detective Superintendent Emerson.’
Before she could get any words out Bundy heard the conversation loud from where he was seated, ‘what’s going on Kate. My lad just returned from the prison and this arsehole will only talk with Bundy Quicksilver – who is this fellow, bloody hell!’ It was Detective Superintendent Larry Smiles.
‘Okay Larry keep your knickers on, we got a call from Colin Hunt and he’s told us a similar story. What’ll we do?’ Kate answered.
‘I suppose Bundy will have to talk with him.’ His voice quietened.
‘I’ll put him on.’ Kate handed the telephone to Bundy, ‘its Larry, he wants to talk with you.’ She said with her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone...

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Proposition' - Page 91:
‘Yes Larry.’ Bundy spoke into the mouthpiece, using a positive tone.
‘Obviously, you can’t interview this fellow because you’re not a sworn-in police officer. Who do you want with you?’ He asked in an authoritative voice. Bundy felt intimidated by the sound of Larry’s voice.
‘Kate and I can handle it.’ He replied in a stern answer at the same time gave a wink to Kate who was eager to listen in on the conversation.
‘Alright – put Kate back on.’ He said.
Kate spoke with Larry for a time and closed her phone.
‘Okay, how’re we going to do this? You got any ideas.’ She asked.
‘Yeah – a few, has Larry got any idea of the identity of the skeleton?’ Bundy wanted to know.
‘Not yet, only it’s female between ages of eight to ten years old. I hope you remember how to interview.’ She said with tongue in cheek.
‘So do I.’ Bundy swallowed hard and hoped he remembered the course of questioning. How, when, where, why, intent. These were the basic questions a detective asked at any investigation. It’s like learning how to ride a bike. Just get back on and peddle like crazy without falling off.
Bundy telephoned Colin to explain what they were doing. Kate would accompany him to the prison to interview Denis O’Connell, ‘what time would be suitable?’ Bundy asked.
‘Anytime you’re ready. Ah, hang on a minute, Denis wants his old man to present for the interview. I’ll need to arrange a time. We have an interview room with video recording equipment and everything is taped. Not like the ole days Bundy. Everything is recorded today.’ Colin giggled...