[Currently, I have three of my paintings displayed at the Blackwood Rotary Art show which is on for the next couple of weeks. If you are in Adelaide, check it out. A number of us Marion Art Group artists have our work in there. Hence, one of these paintings, my painting, the feature painting of Mt. Zonder which has nothing to do with the ongoing saga of my Friday serial, “The Culvert”.

I post this work-in-progress for your entertainment and also, feedback, if you are so inclined to give some feedback.

Cheers, Lee-Anne]

Collaboration

Thursday, May 19

10am

Police HQ

El

El stood beside the multimedia touch screen and created a Venn Diagram. She felt awkward, like an imposter—she shouldn’t be here. But here she was. She glanced at the patent label down the bottom of the screen, in teeny weeny script, “All rights reserved, Sven von Erikson” and again, was not sure they should be using this programme.

Dan assured her it would be fine and that he’d been using the so-called collaborative/crowd-sourcing material for months. ‘If it helps catch the culprits, what harm can it do?’

El pointed at the middle of the intersecting circle where the name of Sven von Erikson was written in bold Arial script. ‘But he’s a suspect, Dan. Who says he won’t fiddle with the programming and make sure he disappears?’

‘I’m sure he won’t do that,’ Dan replied. ‘After all, he wouldn’t have given me the programme to test, if he didn’t want crimes solved too.’

‘Keep your enemies closer,’ El muttered.

‘He’s a friend,’ Dan said. ‘Besides, if it’s a success the department will be rolling it out Australia wide.’

‘I prefer the old-fashioned whiteboard and Blue Tak,’ Dee plopped her comment in, ‘all this technology is begging for stuff to go wrong. I hate technology.’

‘Why don’t you go down to the basement and dig out an old whiteboard and Blue Tak then,’ Dan said.

‘Rather not, all that dust gives me hay fever.’ Dee shook her head. ‘Anyway, I’ve got my investigation mapped out on a wall at home.’

The three studied the diagram with the intersection of suspects who out-numbered the witnesses on either side. Dan tapped the name of Lille’s and Sven’s father, Jan von Erikson. ‘Where’s he?’

‘If he’s still alive, he’d be ninety-two,’ Dee said. ‘But I do remember from my research that he walked out on the family back in 1977.’

‘Right, Dee,’ Dan said, ‘I want you to find out where Mr. von E went and what he’s been doing all this time. No one ever reported him missing?’

‘Appears not, seems they just accepted he walked out and wanted nothing more to do with the family,’ Dee said.

‘Now, El, let’s not assume, but confirm if he’s dead or alive, and when and where he might’ve died or where he’s living now. I want you to go where the von Erikson’s lived at the time, I have the address here,’ Dan handed El a slip of paper, ‘and ask around. You never know, there maybe someone who remembers something.’

‘What about the Edwardes’s?’ Dee asked.

‘They’re a no go at the moment; Lillie has put in a complaint of harassment. So, we have to tread carefully until we have more solid evidence,’ Dan said. ‘I’ll be continuing to gather information concerning Percy Edwards and his murder.’

Dee raised her hand. ‘What about the trafficking of the baby Lillie had back in 1981?’

‘That will need to be put to one side until after we sort out the murders,’ Dan said. ‘Now, we have our work cut out for us, so let’s get onto it.’

© Tessa Trudinger 2025

Feature Photo: Memories of Mt. Zonder © L.M. Kling

***

Sometimes characters spring from real life,

Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.

Sometimes real life is just real life.

Check out my travel memoirs,

And escape in time and space

To Central Australia.

Click on the links:

The T-Team with Mr. B: Central Australian Safari 1977

Trekking with the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981

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And click on the link:

The Lost World of the Wends