Pat Ritter. Books

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‘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.

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.

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‘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.
‘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

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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 mouth piece of the phone.
‘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.

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‘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 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.
‘Okay, get back to us when you know when his father will be there. We don’t know the name of the deceased. It’s like putting the cart before the horse.’
‘Hopefully Denis can tell you. He will only talk with you. You must have treated his old man fair to have this trust. It’s never seen today.’ Colin admitted.

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‘Yeah, from what I remember, I arrested his old man for child molestation a couple of years before the murder. At the time of the murder investigation he was bought to the police station when fifty cents pieces were found under a mattress where he lived. I remember he identified me amongst other police and only wanted me to interview him.’ Bundy explained.
‘Okay, I’ll arrange everything and get back to you.’ Colin hung up.
‘This is incredible Bundy.’ Kate said with a slight excitement in her voice.
‘What’d mean.’
‘We’re supposed to be investigating the disappearance of Peter Clayton and now this has come up. What’d you think happened?’ Kate smiled.
‘Honestly Kate, I don’t know. We don’t even know the name of the deceased. All we know is - it is a female child between eight and ten years old. Not much to go on. Hope this fellow tells us more or else we’re up that proverbial creek without a paddle. Anyway, we’re to wait for Colin to contact Denis’s father. He wants to be present for the interview.’ Bundy told Kate.
‘What’d we do in the meantime?’ She queried.
‘We should have a chat with Larry, to see if there is anything else, like a missing person report on the skeleton or something likewise - anything.’ Bundy wondered.
‘I’ll ring him.’ Kate replied. She opened her phone and punched in some numbers, ‘Kate here Larry. Do you have anything on the identity of this skeleton? Bundy thought you might have a missing person report. I know it’s not much to go on, but at this stage we haven’t got much.’
‘I’ve checked the missing person reports and there are about ten missing persons similar to the identity of the skeleton described by Doctor Fitzgerald reported missing over five and eight year period. We’re trying to narrow the

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numbers down by age and place of where they went missing. Is that any help? We haven’t got DNA yet but as soon as we do we’ll check the missing person database to compare any comparisons.’ Larry answered.
‘Anything will do. Let us know if you find something. We’re off to the prison after Colin contacts us.’ Kate closed her phone.
No sooner she closed her phone it buzzed again, thinking Larry was still on the line, Kate said, ‘yeah – Larry.’
‘It’s not Larry – Colin here. I’ve arranged for the interview to be at three o’clock this afternoon. Will that be okay?’ Colin asked.
‘Yeah – we’ll be there. How do we get in?’ Kate wanted to know.
‘When you stop at the front gate tell the guard you’re here in see me. I’ll arrange you both be escorted to my office before we go to the interview room.’
‘Okay – see you then. Thanks Colin.’
Kate explained to Bundy the details given to her by Colin. ‘What about we have an early afternoon tea and have a chat about what you’re going to say.’ Kate asked.
‘Yeah – that’s a great idea. I’ve got a question. Obviously his father has forced him into this interview. Who will do the questioning – you or I.’ Bundy asked.
‘Obviously you will. He will only talk with you.’
‘I have another question: what if he admits committing the crime, I don’t have the power to officially caution him. Do you give him the caution?’
‘I suppose I do. Anyway, let’s think about that when the time comes.’ Kate finished, ‘we’ll have afternoon tea at the canteen.’
While they were having their coffee and hot chocolate drink Bundy said, ‘I wish Quincy could be here with us.’

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‘Why.’ Kate asked in amazement. Bloody Quincy again – what is he - GOD!
‘I don’t know what it is about him; he sees things not many others see. When I arrested Denis’s father; Quincy found cat hair on a pair of socks which matched cat hair from the woman’s home. It was brilliant. This evidence put him at the scene of the crime.’
‘He can’t see much at the moment. We don’t know who the skeleton is? Hopefully this fellow Denis will tell you.’
Kate and Bundy finished their drinks, collected what they needed from their office, walked to the basement to retrieve their motor vehicle. She drove to the prison. Near the prison Bundy saw a bakery shop, ‘Kate can you pull over to the bakery. I need to buy something.’ Bundy asked. Kate parked in front of the bakery shop. Bundy got out of the vehicle and entered the store, shortly after he returned to the vehicle.
‘What’d you got there?’ She inquired.
‘If I remember, Mark was always a little partial to lamingtons. Last time he scoffed them down as if he’d never tasted one before.’ Bundy explained.
They arrived at 2.45pm.
Before they approached the front gate, Kate parked the vehicle in the police only marked section then escorted to Colin Hunt’s office.
‘How ya going, you ole bugger, I haven’t seen you in years. You’re looking good.’ Colin smiled and shook Bundy’s hand, ‘and who do you have here?’ He looked across at Kate.
‘Colin Hunt – this is Detective Superintendent Kathleen Emerson.’ They shook hands not as vigorous as did Bundy and Colin.