Pat Ritter. Books

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The Proposition' - Page 113:
Over the next couple of days Kate felt time dragged slowly. She wanted to know the results from Doctor Fitzgerald; she couldn’t concentrate on her work. She wanted a match of DNA to substantiate the skeleton found in the forestry was Colleen Andersen.
‘What happens if the DNA is Colleen Andersen?’ Kate asked Bundy.
‘It’s no good counting your chickens before they hatch – how much investigation work, have you done?’ Bundy asked. Many a time he noticed Kate didn’t appear to be on the same page as he was at different stages of the investigation. At times not even on the same chapter. Ways to investigate hadn’t changed much since he retired. You still had to have your wits about you and see things no-one else saw.
‘Not as much as you’ve done. I always wanted to be a detective. It’s all I ever wanted to be. I don’t know if you experienced the difficulties of understanding how to be a detective which is the hardest thing I’d ever done.’ Kate admitted.
‘Yeah – tell me about it. When I started, I was lucky to work with a brilliant detective who pointed out different elements of investigation work. I called him Chief and he was a Chief in my eyes.’ Bundy explained.
‘Well, I didn’t have the good fortune to work with a Chief. I had Larry. We were a couple of rookies. Ever since I left the Academy, I’ve studied policing. First at university – I’ve studied most of my life. I spent time at Manly College in Sydney and completed an FBI course in America. I’m more academic than life experienced.’ She shared...

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The Proposition' - Page 114:

Instantly all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, Bundy realised for the first time Kate shared personal details of her past life. A warm feeling enveloped his mind; he realised his work partner was being honest and sincere.
‘I feel humble when you share these details. If there is anything I can do to help, I’m only too willing. I haven’t had the education side of policing as you have had, but I think I’ve still got it when it comes to investigation work. Most times I hear a ping go off in my head when something is not right; I’ve got to dig deeper to find the reason, why.’ Bundy shared.
‘You’re doing enough – I’m learning more working with you in the past couple of months than I’ve learnt with anyone else in my whole career. I can understand why the Commissioner wanted you to work with me. I’ve been a bitch to you, haven’t I – I’m sorry.’ Her face changed to a ‘sad’ look. Her eyes searched for Bundy’s eyes to recognize he understood what she meant and to forgive her.
‘I can’t blame you for feeling the way you do. I wouldn’t like to have another person rain on my parade – how did it happen the Commissioner chose you for this investigation - the disappearance of Peter Clayton.’ He queried.
‘It happened out of the blue. Larry and I were work partners at the Sunshine Coast when Peter were reported missing. At the time not many police took notice of the missing person report. Something inside of me erupted when no immediate action was taken. I wanted to vomit. The Commissioner was visiting the Sunshine Coast at the time and next I knew I was taken away from Larry and given the investigation into the disappearance of Peter to do by myself.’
‘Did you know the Commissioner beforehand?’ Bundy asked...

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'The Proposition' - Page 115:
‘Yes. I have another confession to make. He’s my Godfather. He and my father were close, awfully close and when I came along my father asked him to be my Godfather which he did. He’s kept an eye on me ever since.’
A little bit of nepotism, Bundy thought. ‘I know it’s taken eight years – what I can’t understand is how has it been so long and nothing has been found?’ Bundy wanted to know.
‘You know yourself; it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. Each time I thought I had something; it turned out to be, using your words, ‘a red herring’.’ Kate hated admitting defeat – by admitting Bundying her thoughts she unloaded frustrations which had built for eight years. It felt good to unload her thoughts because Bundy understood – he’d been there and investigated many crimes and knew how investigations worked. She felt relieved. Her telephone came alive.
‘Detective Superintendent Emerson speaking,’ she muttered into the phone.
‘Doctor Fitzgerald here – we have the results. Would you like to meet me in my office and I can discuss them with you instead of over the telephone.’
‘Yes – yes, certainly doctor. We’ll be there in fifteen minutes.’ She flipped her phone closed. ‘He’s got the results. Let’s go.’ Kate beckoned to Bundy.
Fifteen minutes later they sat in front of Doctor Fitzgerald.
‘Each sample we examined to compare hair from the brush and clothing; to compare the DNA found in the skeleton, was a match. I am satisfied Colleen Andersen is identified through this matching as the skeleton found at the forestry.’
Kate could have jumped up and hugged him, she was delighted beyond any feeling she’d ever experienced....

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‘Thank you, Doctor Fitzgerald. We’ll advise the parents and arrest the offender. Good job.’ She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Her body shook with excitement and relief. Something was going right for once.
They bid the doctor farewell and left his office.
‘Isn’t this the most fantastic day of your life, Bundy?’ She declared when they reached the vehicle.
‘You deserve it Kate – do you want to do the honours of telling her parents of this discovery?’ Bundy offered the question.
‘If you don’t mind - I think, I’ll keep it together this time now we know the outcome. Life couldn’t get better – could it?’ She smiled and looked across to him.
‘Don’t get too excited, after we inform the parents of this finding, I think it will be a relief for them, and closure when we arrest Denis for the crimes.’ Bundy explained.
‘Can you explain how we arrest and charge Denis?’ Her demeanour changed from excited to solemn. She never arrested or charged a person with murder.
‘Because he’s already in-custody, it’s only a matter of explaining to him about the findings and charging him with the offences.’ Bundy said.
‘What offences.’ She replied, ‘I thought there was on one – murder.’
‘What about depravation of liberty.’ Bundy echoed.
‘What – I’ve never heard of the charge.’
‘Denis drugged the girl, placed her in his vehicle against her will and drove her to the spot where he murdered her. He deprived her of her liberty.’ Bundy explained.
‘How do you know about this?’ Kate frowned.
‘Back – a long time ago.’ Bundy began.
‘Here we go again – back in my day.’ She tormented him...

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'The Proposition' - Page 117:

‘Okay – back in my day, another detective, I worked with in those days; we investigated two girls picked up on the side of the road by a truck driver. They wanted to be dropped off in the centre of town.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with getting a lift, hitch-hiking - it’s not a crime.’
‘Unfortunately for the girls the driver didn’t stop where they wanted to be dropped off. Instead he continued until he drove across a bridge and slowed. One of the girls opened the door and jumped from the truck, the other followed.’
‘How could this incident be compared to your incident?’ Kate wanted to know.
‘Denis deprived Colleen of freely driving in his car, the same as the truck driver did with the two girls. Can you see the comparison?’ He asked.
‘A little – anyway, I suppose you’ll never let up until we charged Denis on both offences – will you?’ Kate asked.
‘No – he did the crime; he should do the time.’ Bundy finished.
Before they arrived at the Andersen’s home, Bundy asked Kate if she felt up to breaking the news of the identity of their daughter, ‘yes – I’m right. I’ll need to keep my emotions in check. If not, I’ll hand it over to you.’
Kate and Bundy sat on the lounge in the Andersen home. Carol and Jim sat opposite, ‘Carol and Jim, the tests have been finalised to compare the samples of hair from the brush to the skeleton found at the forestry. These tests proved positive.’ Before Kate could explain the examination, Carol openly sobbed, placed her face into her hands. Jim cuddled his wife.
Kate said, ‘we’re sorry for your loss.’ Her voice trembled and tears sprung into her eyes...

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'The Proposition' - Page 118:

Carol continued sobbing with Jim hugging his wife. Jim’s eyes filled with tears, his throat thickened; he looked at Kate and Bundy, ‘thank you. Can you give us a moment?’
‘Of course, we’ll leave.’ Kate and Bundy left.
When they returned to their vehicle Kate said, ‘why do we do this job?’
‘Kate, you did well. I know you’re upset and angry. It’s not the end. We’ve still got to charge Denis with murder.’ Bundy explained.
‘Charge the bastard – I’d like to see him hang by his neck until dead – what he did to Colleen would justify hanging’, she said angrily.
‘Are you okay to drive?’ Bundy asked.
‘Yeah – I’m okay. This is emotional Bundy – don’t you feel anything?’ She questioned.
‘Yes – however, if we’re going to finish the job, let’s finish it.’ He explained.
They drove in silence until they reached their office.
‘When do you want to charge Denis?’ Bundy asked.
‘Bloody immediately, if not sooner.’ Kate exploded.
‘Okay, I’ll contact Colin to see when we can see Denis and charge him.’ Bundy went ahead and contacted Colin who arranged the appropriate time for Denis to be charged.
Over the next couple of weeks Denis was charged with murder of Colleen Andersen as well as a second charge of depravation of liberty.
‘The Commissioner wants to see us.’ Kate informed Bundy when he arrived at work after they’d charged Denis with the offences.
‘Your Godfather – we better not keep him waiting - shall we.’ Bundy said sarcastically...

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'The Proposition' - Page 119:
‘Bundy – no other police know he’s my Godfather. Can we keep this between ourselves, please?’ She pleaded.
‘We’ll keep it our little secret.’ Bundy agreed. They went to his office.
‘Come in you two – congratulations Kate and Bundy on a good job well done.’ The Commissioner expressed when they entered his office shaking their hands vigorously.
‘Bundy did more than was expected. Everything fell into place. Thank you.’ Kate expressed in a solemn tone.
‘It doesn’t matter – the murder is solved and you two did it. I’m going to recommend you each receive a Favourable Commendation. You each deserve the accolade.’ A smile spread across his face.
‘Thank you, Commissioner. Is there anything else before we get back to the real job at hand?’ Bundy asked.
‘No – that will be all for now. Keep up the great work.’ He replied before they left his office.
Kate and Bundy returned to their dingy small office on the third floor, ‘okay Bundy – what do we do next with this Quincy theory?’ Kate asked with determination in her voice.
‘I think we should get back to the family tree. Can you bring it up on the computer screen?’ Bundy asked.
Kate switched the computer on and displayed the family tree, ‘here it is – what’d we do now?’
‘Okay – all we’ve got at this stage is a photograph of Peter, enhanced to show what he would look like at eighteen years old. Has your friend in graphics designed the photograph to show a computer enhanced photograph of his present age?’ Bundy asked.
‘I’ll check.’ Kate checked her e-mail icon to discover an attachment of a photograph from her friend in graphics. She copied the photograph, replaced it with the one she’s had on the screen. ‘Do you want this printed out?’ She asked Bundy...