Pat Ritter. Books

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‘Have you a computer at home?’ She asked.
‘Yes – why?’
‘I can download the file onto a USB and you can read it at your leisure at home. You don’t have to work here everyday. I can call you when I need you.’ Her voice softened.
‘Yes, you’re probably right. I can do that. It’ll take me awhile to read through all of this and make notes. Is there any evidence of his whereabouts or if he’s alive?’ Bundy wanted to know.
‘Not yet. I’ve interviewed many people and a couple have come up as persons of interest, but apart from that I’m afraid there’s not much. It’s been my life for eight years. I’ve lived, drank and eaten it.’ She answered.
‘A new set of eyes could make a difference.’ Bundy finished. His mind immediately flashed to 1975 when an elderly woman was murdered. His boss at the time after reading the running sheet identified a name on the running sheet which turned out to be the killer. Bundy received a Commendation to help solve this murder.
She downloaded the file and handed the USB to Bundy.
‘Have you my home phone number? I haven’t a mobile phone and don’t want one.’ Bundy asked.

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‘Yes, here is my mobile number. You can phone me anytime and if you can’t get me leave a message and I’ll get back to you.’ She answered.
‘Well I suppose that’s it for today. I’ll have a look at your work and get back to you when I’m ready.’
‘Take your time. It’s been eight years; another couple are not going to hurt. I hope you can help. I dream of either finding the kid alive, or his remains, he would’ve been twenty years old now. Which ever it turns out would be great way to close the file?’ Detective Superintendent Emerson was now calm and agreeable.
Bundy placed the USB in his pocket and left the office. On his journey home his thoughts were of Detective Superintendent Kathleen Emerson and how she’d spent the past eight years of her life investigating a missing child. In his day he would’ve done exactly a similar thing. One investigation he hated was investigating children especially ones who ran away from home. This wasn’t one of those investigations.

In his dreams Bundy dreamed of this child. He’d appear standing at the end of his bed at night with a look of pleading on his face in the hope Bundy would help to find him. This was not strange, for Bundy often solved mysteries by dreaming about them. He hoped the vision of the child would re-appear.

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Each day moved into the next and each moment of the day Bundy scanned the files to paint a picture of Detective Superintendent Emerson’s past eight years of her life. In the beginning, as with any missing person, the report wasn’t taken seriously. Many teenagers run away from home. Bundy’s previous experience of these acts he saw many times. Often the child returned home after one night away. However, this was different.
Reading from the files, Peter Clayton was a good lad, quiet individual, liked by many friends and especially loved by his parents. His schooling was above average. On the day he went missing he walked from his home, a short distance to the railway station. The railway station had no station master or staff like in the olden days. Machines took over where in the past station masters and lad porters did the job of issuing tickets for passengers.
There was no evidence he purchased a ticket from the machine at the station. This was confirmed in a note by Detective Superintendent Emerson she’d carried out an investigation with the railway department to determine how many tickets were sold on the day of the disappearance. Often passengers jumped the rattler if they were going to the next station.

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Police and SES searched the surrounding area within a kilometre of the railway station and found nothing. This search was carried out about a month after the child was reported missing. A witness claimed to have sighted the child around four-fifteen in the afternoon on the day in question walking toward the overhead railway bridge. To cross from one side of the town to the other side of the track an overhead railway bridge for pedestrians crossed the railway tracks. A statement was taken of the sighting; however, this was the only sighting of the child on the particular day. When the report was made official, newspapers published the story, with little feedback from the public. It seemed this child had vanished into thin air.

After days of reading, writing notes, scanning files, Bundy needed a rest, to stop; look at the investigation from a different angle and look for any loop holes. Questions erupted in his mind. Evidence pointed to the child leaving his home at four-ten in the afternoon to board the four-thirty train to travel two stops up the line and walk to his grandmother’s home a short distance from the railway station. He never arrived. Did he board the four-thirty train?
‘Is that you Detective Superintendent Emerson?’ Bundy asked politely speaking into the receiver.
‘Yes – is that you Bundy? I’ve been waiting to hear from you. I’ve thought about phoning a couple of times but didn’t want to disturb you. Have you found anything yet?’

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‘No – not yet, I’m brain dead to tell you the truth. I’ve been thinking have you ever been to harness racing on a Saturday night?’
‘No – why should you ask?’
‘Would you like to go this Saturday night? That’s if you’re not doing anything.’
‘I’m not doing anything – yeah, I suppose – I’ve never been to a racetrack in my life.’
‘Do you know where Albion Park Paceway is?’
‘Yeah – I think so, anyway I’ve got a GPS; I’ll find it.’
‘What about I meet you at the front gate around seven? Would that be okay?’
‘Alright, I’ll see you then.’
They said their goodbyes. Detective Superintendent Emerson couldn’t understand why he wanted to meet her at the Albion Park Paceway. Did he have information about the missing child?
Saturday night arrived and as prearranged Bundy waited at the front gate of Albion Park Paceway to greet his guest. Suddenly he saw her walk toward him. She was dressed to the nines. Actually totally different to when he first saw her at work on the first day. Her hair fell down the nape of her neck, shiny and floated as she walked toward him. She was dressed in a summer dress which suited the climate at the time.
‘Thank you for coming,’ he extended his hand to shake her hand, ‘I need a rest to recharge my batteries.’ He said calmly.

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‘Wow – look at this place, I’ve never been to anything like this before. How do you know about this?’ She asked.
‘My wife was an owner – trainer – driver of horses and raced here most Saturday nights. I needed to get away and refresh my thoughts and this is as good a place as any to do it.’
‘Let’s go and enjoy it then.’
They entered the turnstiles and walked to the escalator, and rode it to the top floor.
‘I’ve reserved a table for two at the restaurant.’ Bundy expressed to his partner.
‘I never expected this?’ She echoed as Bundy walked toward a man waiting to seat the customers at their tables.
‘Have you a reservation for two in the name of Quicksilver?’ Bundy asked.
The attendant looked at a book on the table and said, ‘yes, this way sir and madam.’ He showed them to a table in front of a huge window looking across the track. Flood lights brightened the track it could have been mistaken for daytime.
‘This is wonderful – I’ve never been to a place like this before. It’s so huge. You actually came here each Saturday night.’ She replied with glee. Her demeanour reminded him of his daughter Nicole when they dined together at the same venue.
‘It’s not a bad life. I needed to wait until I retired to enjoy it all. When I was in the police we weren’t allowed to own or be involved in horseracing nor racing of any kind. It wasn’t until I retired, my wife decided to take up the sport.’

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‘Was she successful?’
‘Yeah – she raced here and this is the pinnacle of harness racing.’
‘Bundy – it’s lovely and thank you for inviting me. I feel alive and relaxed. I’ve never done this before.’ She smiled and her eyes glittered in the light.
‘I thought you’d enjoy it. Now, do you want to bet on the next race or have an entrée?’
‘Oh..I’ve never bet before. Can you show me?’
‘Here is a racebook. Open it to race two. Each horse’s name is on the left hand side with the driver’s name on the right hand side. These figures show the places the horse finished in their previous start.’ He pointed to the book.
‘Here’s a good name – High Class Investigator, I’ll have ten dollars on it for a win. It’s an omen.’
Bundy looked across to the monitor, ‘it’s one hundred to one. If it wins you win a thousand dollars.’
‘How do I place the bet?’ She asked taking a ten dollar note from her purse.
‘Are you sure – what about having five dollars each way.’
‘No – I want the whole ten dollars on the nose, is that the right terminology?’
‘Okay I’ll put it on for you. Hope you have luck?’