by Ray Smithies
Pedley convict labour... cannot display.
Pedley typhoid epidemic... cannot display.
Pedley mass burials... cannot display.
Pedley crown land... two web pages.
Both captions offered only government sales to commercial interests.
Pedley Scorpio Syndicate... cannot display.
Pedley Piedpiper... cannot display.
Pedley crimes... three web pages.
The first referred to John Petrie, a twenty-eight year old drug dealer caught and charged for the possession and distribution of cannabis and heroin. Thought to have city Mafia connections, bail was granted and promptly paid to the tune of $25,000.00. Later convicted and jailed for ten years, with a minimum parole period of six to be served.
Many considered the penalty to be too light given his alleged five-year span that affected the youth of the township. I pondered for a moment over the time lapse; this crime was committed around seventeen years ago and therefore this individual today would be in his mid-forties.
Reading about this second criminal, I was surprised to read further reference to a drug-related incident. In this case the person was known as Lou Hanna, aged approximately thirty-five years. The crime in this instance was less severe as a result of the drug being solicited. The so-called soft trade netted him a jail term of five years, with a minimum three-year parole period. Similarly the Pedley youth were the targeted clients, with Lou’s reign lasting over two destructive summers. Again I calculated the time lapse. This would make Hanna a man in his late forties today.
The third web page made reference to a youth who deliberately set light to a bakery in Pitt Street. The Pedley business was burnt down and unfortunately the owners were not insured. Legal pressure mounted to have the accused, Robert Duncan, and his immediate family compensate for the loss. Duncan was subsequently charged and served an eighteen-month sentence in a juvenile detention centre. Today the lad would be in his mid-twenties, according to my calculations.
I contemplated the three incidents. I was particularly interested in the drug-related crimes. These names didn’t mean a thing to me and I wondered if Arthur could throw any light on the subject. I turned to Sherlock, who was still looking rather comical dressed in his tweed-chequered outfit.
‘Do the names John Petrie and Lou Hanna mean anything to you?’
‘Not off-hand. Should they?’ Arthur said.
‘Both were sentenced for crimes relating to drug distribution around fifteen to twenty years ago. Both men today would be in their mid to late forties.’
‘Yes ... now that you mention it, I can vaguely recall these two. It caused a bit of a storm in town, because up to that point in time Pedley was basically a drug free community. Sure there were your isolated cases, but these two, and in particular Petrie, were always credited for planting the seeds that has turned this place into the drug capital of the southern region.’
‘I wonder if Petrie or Hanna still has syndicate connections today.’
‘Who knows? If you’re referring to Scorpio I have my doubts, because these incidents predate the Piedpiper’s reign by a few years. I remember Forbes stating this syndicate commenced their Pedley operations no more than eight years ago.’
‘Fair comment, it was only a thought.’
‘Tom, we’ve got to keep everything in prospective if there’s to be progress in this case,’ insisted Arthur.
‘I wonder if either of these men lives in Pedley today?’ I further tested Arthur’s recollection.
‘Not that I’m aware of. This would be the first time either name has been mentioned in all these years. You must remember I’ve only ever taken a passing interest in these matters. The drug scene hasn’t exactly grabbed my undivided attention until now.’
‘Fair enough. I came across a third person by the name of Robert Duncan, but the case in question bears no relationship to our research. This incident involved a young lad who apparently burnt down a local bakery.’
‘Oh yes, I remember that one well. Poor Hank Petrovsky and his family were devastated over that incident and through the proceeding years they never recouped the financial loss. The law stinks at times,’ said Arthur.
I turned my attention to Hamish, who had been surprisingly quiet for the past twenty minutes. So unlike the Irishman, who enjoyed sharing his research.
‘Anything?’
‘No, I seem to be going around in circles,’ Hamish said. ‘There’s not much about Pedley at all. Maybe it’s me not asking the right questions. A bit like the old GIGO theory - garbage in garbage out.’
‘Keep plugging away,’ I encouraged.
‘I’ve stumbled across something rather interesting,’ declared Arthur unexpectedly.
‘What have you found?’ I leaned towards his monitor to gain a closer look.
‘Under one of these subterranean web pages the article makes reference to geometric formulas, specifically triangles.’
‘You’re the engineer, Arthur. What are they implying?’
‘Not sure yet. They make specific reference to equilateral triangles,’ offered Arthur.
‘What does that mean?’ asked Hamish, obviously a bit lost when it came to mathematics.
‘Let’s keep it basic. There are different types of triangles, all of which serve different purposes dependent on the intended application. These are classified according to the relative lengths of their sides -’
‘But why this lesson in geometry?’ I interrupted.
‘For goodness sake, a bit of patience please! Just wait while I fathom this out. I’ve got to work out the relevance it has with the subterranean passageways.’ Arthur was obviously a little annoyed with our impetuousness.
‘Sorry, my friend. The floor is yours.’
‘An equilateral triangle means that all three sides have equal length. There are other variations, such as scalene triangles where all sides have different lengths, or the isosceles variety having two sides of equal length. Then you have the right angles or the acute and obtuse types,’ Arthur explained.
‘There are a lot of these little buggers,’ Hamish said. ‘I’ve only ever heard of a right angle!’
Dismissing the ignorant remark, Arthur continued with his hypothesis.
‘My great-grandfather referred to the submerged three-pointed star as the key to the subterranean passageways. An equilateral triangle is a three-pointed star and therefore a logical deduction, wouldn’t you say? A three-pointed star is likely to have all sides of equal length.’
‘That all makes sense, but what in hell is the three-pointed star?’ I asked.
Hamish surprised both of us with his response. ‘Could it be a device of some description? Or does it refer to something in the sky. Or maybe it’s the key to a location. And it’s bloody submerged, what’s more.’
Arthur responded to Hamish’s hypotheses. ‘My understanding is the three-pointed star has to be a guide of some sort. Alfred mentioned in his letter that it be used in conjunction with a street map.’
‘That may be so, but Hamish’s comment may carry some weight, meaning the pointed star could be a device of some kind,’ I replied to give the Irishman some credit.
‘Let’s get back to basics. What have we got here?’ Arthur reached for a pen and paper to write down some pointers. When he completed his list, three sets of eyes perused the contents.
Key to the subterranean passageways is a submerged, three-pointed
star.
A mathematical formula will assist.
The three-pointed star is likely to take the shape of an equilateral
triangle.
More information sought regarding the triangle.
What message does it convey?
What is the three-pointed star?
What direct purpose does it serve?
Will the Lands Department provide further clues?
Too many gaps in the puzzle - something missing!
‘Complete this list, gentleman, and we have found our
underground network!’ declared Arthur enthusiastically.
‘I think we’ve spent enough time in this place. Let’s check out the Lands Department in case our research there takes longer than anticipated,’ I suggested.
~ * ~
In contrast to the modern facilities of Perkins Press, the building occupied by the Lands Department was a solid old establishment, where high ceilings, wide corridors and small rooms dominated its interior. We looked up at a directory mounted on the wall in the foyer. The choice of departments seemed endless as we scanned down these multiple listings: Lands Surveyors Licensing Board, Registrar of Titles, Valuer General, Treasury, Deeds Branch, Archives Branch 3rd Floor, bingo.
A middle-aged woman of petite build and wearing an unflattering light grey suit welcomed us with a broad smile. I wondered if the visual greeting was genuine or was she just simply amused at the sight of Hamish and Arthur’s outlandish attire.
‘Hello, may I be of help?’
‘Yes, we wish to look at your archive section covering the township of Pedley in the Shire of Ripley,’ I responded.
‘That can be arranged. We no longer segregate our shires or municipalities into various locations. Our one-room accommodates all enquiries with the assistance of computers. You will find this acquisition far less strenuous and considerably faster than flicking through countless volumes as was done in the past. Is there a specific subject you wish to investigate?
‘Early history primarily.’
‘Certainly. Pedley has made its mark of late. All that publicity and those terrible murders.’ She continued with her small talk while leading us through to the appropriate room. ‘There, I’m sure you’ll find everything at your disposal. Please call me at reception should you need assistance. My name is Beth.’
‘Thank you, Beth,’ I said.
The facilities offered in this room were surprisingly spacious, with considerably more workstations than its counterpart back at the publishing house. I noticed three other people working independently, each taking notes from their respective monitors. We chose three computers in a far corner primarily for some open discussion and privacy. It was Arthur who made his thoughts known.
‘I suggest two of us concentrate on the three-pointed star and equilateral triangle. This is where we need to make inroads if we are to progress further in this case. The third terminal should be used to locate an early township map, prominent buildings of their time with street locations and so on. The bottom line is the three-pointed star, to be used in conjunction with a township map, based on a mathematical formula which has something to do with an equilateral triangle. All very straightforward stuff, don’t you think?’
‘Yeah, sure!’ I groaned at the mere thought of this complication.
‘And don’t forget, the three-pointed star is submerged,’ added Hamish, who agreed to be delegated maps and buildings.
For fifteen solid minutes my fingers danced around the keyboard, exploring the website with its countless options of departments and web pages. The database was massive, providing enormous scope to delve into Pedley’s past and present land structure, sales and registrar. I had to stay focused on the matter in hand, for it was tempting to become sidetracked on other aspects of Pedley’s alluring history.
I decided on a different approach, since the equilateral triangle was proving to be evasive. Hitting the search key for Pedley’s submerged three-pointed star, three web pages were surprisingly highlighted.
Astrology class, 3 stars emerged above Pedley, study & project submission...
Pedley’s submerged Roxley Gardens, three-star accommodation ...
Huesmann Historian Group, Pedley’s submerged star, decipher
the truth ...
The first title referred to a school committee arranging some astrology class for year ten students, while the second related to some coming tourist attraction offering a submerged aquarium with onsite accommodation. I was astonished at the range of subjects that could be retrieved.
Hamish broke the silence with an outburst of elated emotion. Arthur literally jumped.
‘Bloody hell, I’m good! I’ve located an early map of Pedley,’ declared the Irishman triumphantly.
Arthur and I leant forward to examine Hamish’s jubilant discovery. Although not drawn to scale, it did at least provide some valuable detail with regard to street names and prominent buildings. It appeared to be professionally drawn and was clearly legible with respect to numerous landmarks. I cast an eye to the bottom right-hand corner and could see the insignia: Drawn by J. Andrews 05/09/1938 - not to scale.
‘Um ... could be useful, but the date worries me. It’s simply not early enough,’ stated Arthur.
‘Well, it’s a helluva a lot better than that bloody kindergarten drawing we found in Pedley.’ Hamish remonstrated at Arthur’s apparent lack of enthusiasm.
‘On the contrary, it may yet prove useful. Run a copy for future reference,’ I said again, coming to Hamish’s support.
I resumed my duties to explore this third web page. The download, which took around half a minute, finally displayed an image that had some relevance. The content was brief, with no scrolling required. An association that called itself the Huesmann Historian Group claimed the submerged three-pointed star was authentic.
Evidence accumulated throughout the years supports the theory that whoever unravels its secret will enter the subterranean passageways. Genuine interested parties to contact + 6542 8376.
‘Better take a look at this, Arthur. I think we’ve found our treasure map.’
‘Interesting scenario, but I’ve never heard of this historian group. Huesmann sounds German to me. Perhaps his ancestors resided in Pedley when there was a large intake of immigrants to the region many years ago. Just goes to show, the star theory was not known only to the Simpson clan,’ said Arthur.
‘If this group is so adamant about the star’s existence, then I believe a phone call is warranted,’ I reasoned.
‘Absolutely, but let me speak to them. I’ll soon find out if these historians are no more than a collection of time wasters,’ said Arthur, reaching for his mobile phone. ‘We’ll go to that corner away from the computers and I’ll put it on speakerphone.’
He punched in the number and three people anxiously waited for verification.
‘Hello,’ said a quietly spoken voice.
‘I wish to speak with the Huesmann Historian Group please,’ commenced Arthur.
‘Yes, I can help you. What is it that you wish to discuss?’
‘Your claim regarding the authenticity of the submerged three-pointed star.’
‘Are you from the media by any chance?’ he queried.
‘No, we’re a group of three people in search of the subterranean passageways,’ said Arthur, deciding the direct approach was the only way to deal with this lot.
‘What are your credentials, if I may ask?’
‘What do you mean? We’re not some organisation or university faculty, if that’s what you’re implying. My great-grandfather happened to see this underground network and I have his letter which was written while he walked the passageways.’
A pause followed. Silence for what appeared to be at least ten or fifteen seconds was tormenting. Finally the long-awaited response.
‘Do you have the letter with you?’ he questioned.
‘Yes.’
‘What else can you tell me about the subterranean site?’
‘We are aware that a mathematical formula together with an equilateral triangle has something to do with the three-pointed star,’ Arthur said.
‘How so?’ the voice persisted.
‘If used in conjunction with a street map,’ replied Arthur in a stern tone, now becoming agitated with this questionnaire.
‘I apologise for my interrogation but it was necessary. We have had a number of crank callers who are no more than time-wasters. It is therefore necessary for us to wean out the hoaxers from the genuine callers. Your knowledge certainly has
merit and coincides with our own records. I would be particularly interested in seeing your letter and as a gesture of goodwill we can offer further information in return.’
‘Certainly!’
‘My name is Gordon Findlay. Would it possible for you and your colleagues to visit us this afternoon?’
‘Yes, depending on where you’re situated. We’re currently at the Lands Department in the city.’