The principals secretary said “the principal Mr Auchinlek, will see you now. Please go in Mr De Jon”. The secretary, was in her late fifties wearing tortoise shell framed glasses, her greying hair was pulled back in a severe bun. She could be described as the atypical spinster and a real plain Jane. Coincidentally her name was Jane Ford, she had never married and she had been the principals secretary for over ten years.

            “Thank you Ms Ford” Jamie said walking to the principals door.

            Gustav Auchinlek, was in his late fifties, his hair was cut in a longish crew cut, he was of medium height and build with piercing blue eyes. Auchinlek spoke with a slight accent which indicated his German heritage. He smiled and looked Jamie up and down and then indicating a seat near the corner of the desk, he said “take a seat young man and tell me a little about yourself. I have read the reference from the principal of your last school and I am impressed. I rang him and we, he and I had a long talk about you. He and I went through Sydney Uni together, we are old friends”.

            Jamie sat in the offered seat listening to the principal. Jamie was 181 cm tall with blond hair and blue eyes, he was good looking with a trim figure. Jamie was wearing a shirt and tie with dark slacks. Smiling at the principle he said “I lost my adopted parents in a light plane crash a couple of years ago. I loved them dearly. I tried to stay in the flat in Bondi, that was left to me, but it was too painful. I decided that I needed a fresh start. So I rented out the flat to a professional couple and moved to Victoria. I saw the vacancy here at your establishment and I applied for the position. I have a large property near Guildford, which is where I live. I love teaching and I did coach the orienteering team at my last school. My pet subjects, if you like, are history both ancient and modern, social studies and English for years 11 and 12. I seem to get on well with students in those age groups”.

            “The senior campus has 300 students collectively. Years 11 and 12 have been a little disadvantaged by the resignation of a couple of their teachers in the last term of last year. We have had to use various fill in teachers to cope. There are about 50 students in years 11 and 12. I would like you to look after them and act as their home room teacher if you like” Auchinlek said smiling.

            “I appreciate the challenge Mr Auchinlek” Jamie replied.

            “Gustav is fine Jamie, now please tell me of your other interests. I would also like to know if you would be interested in taking the year 11 and 12’s for some sporting activities” Auchinlek said.

            “I enjoy camping, bushwalking, mountain bike riding and photography. I also compete in Orienteering and Rogaining events when I can fit it in to my teaching schedule. I make sure my teaching responsibilities always come first. I will work out at the school gym and in my small gym at home. I would be happy to take the boys for some sporting activities. How many teachers are there at the senior campus” Jamie replied.

            “There are five counting you Jamie and they are the Deputy Principle John Gordon, who looks after year 10. James Austin who looks after years 7 and 8. William Mallet who looks after year 9. The other member of staff is trainee teacher Zachery Flynn, who will join the school on completion of his degree. Zach will assist you with the year 11 and 12 students. All the teachers with the exception of William will be at the senior campus tomorrow. William is interstate but he will join us by phone. If you would like to meet me there at 10 am I will introduce you to them all. Welcome aboard Jamie, I hope you like the job and stay with us for a while. Now give Jane all your details so she can organise for you to be paid. I will see you in the morning” Auchinlek explained smiling.

            “Thank you Gustav, I will meet you in the morning at the senior campus. I believe that I am going to enjoy this post. Thank you again” Jamie said shaking the offered hand and then leaving the office.

            In the outer office he gave Jane Ford his bank account details, his mailing and physical address and his phone numbers, both the landline and his mobile. She filled out the applicable forms and asked Jamie to sign them saying “please sign these Jamie and call me Jane. Now if there is anything that you need just ask me and I will help. Welcome to St Stephens Boys College, I think you will fit in very well. The principle was impressed with your reference from Scots” Jane Ford said smiling.

            “Thank you Jane. I am looking forward to the challenge. Now I better do some shopping whilst I still have the time” Jamie replied smiling at Jane.

            Leaving the school Jamie drove to the shopping centre and parked behind the supermarket. After locking his car he went inside and shopped for food and drinks to stock his pantry and freezer. Jamie was not worried about the wages from his teaching position as his adopted parents had left him comfortable. When he had sold the import export business he had netted just on a million dollars, this he had invested and received a regular dividend. The rent from the flat in Bondi went into his account monthly so he had no money worries. He taught because he loved the job and the interaction with his students. He loaded the shopping into the CRV and then went to the menswear store to buy some additional shirts and slacks. His shopping finished he drove out to the Amusement Park where the renovated transportable home was located. The park had been closed for ten years following a suspicious accident which had claimed the life of a teenager. The youth Joel Guthrie had been electrocuted on the Clown Train ride. The authorities had shut the park down and the previous owners who had no insurance sold the park as was to Jamie’s adopted parents, who intended to reopen the park after renovations. They had been tragically killed before they could commence the task. Jamie had not done anything about renovations, other than to bring the swimming complex back into service, as he liked swimming. The park covered an area of 25 acres, it was heavily treed and in parts overgrown. The Clown Train ride was located in the far corner of the park closest to the State Forest. Jamie found it to be a freaky place. He arrived at the park and drove to the old managers residence where unloaded his shopping and carried his bags inside and put the groceries away. Checking his watch and seeing that it was four thirty he decided to go for a run around the park utilising the perimeter track. Most of the time he completed the run in a clockwise direction, but on this day he decided to run anti clockwise. Going to his room he changed into his running gear and made sure he had the key to the mobile home and the key to the perimeter gates on a chain around his neck. Closing the door behind himself and locking it he ran to the gate on the perimeter road, where he opened the gate and went through. He locked the gate as he did not want anyone getting in and possibly hurting themselves in the park. The perimeter road was undulating and hilly in parts, the total distance around the park was a little over seven kilometres. As Jamie ran he checked the boundary fences for damage, as he did not want any of the local teenagers getting into the park. He thought ‘now I am here permanently I better organise some public liability insurance, just in case’. He continued to run and went past the southern kiosk and the Dodgem Cars which were all covered in blue close fitting tarps as was the arena roof to protect the wire power grid. “I bet this could be brought back into service easily’ he thought running around the corner where he detoured off the track to check the Go Kart complex. The eight karts were stored on blocks, their motors wrapped in plastic shrink wrap as were the karts bodies. The concrete and asphalt track was in good condition with no sign of weeds growing through it. The building housing the ticket stand, pits and workshop was in need of a paint job, but other than that it was in good condition. Running back to the main track Jamie continued to run towards the corner of the park that abutted the State Forest. Approaching the corner of his fence he saw a hole in the chain link fence with footprints that appeared to be heading in the direction of the Clown Train ride, that was located in that area. Checking the footprints he saw there were three sets coming in to the park but only two sets going back into the forest. I set, smaller than the other two sets was of bare feet. ‘Two adults wearing shoes and a younger person. I better look at the ride’ Jamie thought moving off the track towards the Clown Train rides location. Walking towards the ride he saw the large clown head leering malevolently at him through the long browning grass. The head was rusting, the mouth open in a grimace and its fading red eyes were looking directly at Jamie. ‘God you look to be alive, you look positively evil’. Looking closer Jamie saw a naked body draped over the last seat in the trains carriage. Moving a little closer but not to close so as not to disturb any evidence. He saw that the body was that of a young male lying face down over the seat. Taking his mobile phone from his bum bag he rang the number of the Guildford Police station. The call was answered on the third ring by a voice saying “Guildford Police Senior Sergeant O’Byrne”.

            “Senior Sergeant this is Jamie DeJon. I am at the clown train ride in the old Finnegan’s Fun Park at Guildford, there is the naked body of a young male lying face down in the last seat of the carriage”.

            “Very well Jamie, I will send Constable Brock Hunter out to investigate. Will you meet him at the gate to show him the location of the body. Tell me what are you doing there” O’Byrne asked.

            “I live here Sergeant, the park was left to me by my adopted parents. I live in the old managers residence. I have just moved here, well a couple of weeks ago from Sydney. I will meet your constable at the gate as you asked”.

            “Thank you Jamie, he is on his way” O’Byrne said hanging up.

            After closing his mobile phone Jamie ran back to the main gate to await the constable. He did not have to wait long and he watched a white jackeroo with police makings pull up. The driver wound down the window and asked “ are you Mr DeJon”.

            “Yes constable I am. Please call me Jamie. We need to take the perimeter track, as the ride is in the far corner of the park”.

            “Thanks Jamie I am Brock. Hop in and you can direct me” Brock said smiling.

            Jamie joined Brock in the vehicle and when they got closer to the break in the fence he said “stop here Brock so you can see the footprints, coming in from the forest. They cut a panel loose from the post as you can see to gain access. The tracks go to the clown train ride through the bush. If we go this way we will not step on them”.

            “Do you own this complex Jamie”.

            “Yes Brock it was left to me by my adopted parents. They were killed in a light plane crash. I live in the old managers residence at the front gate, which I have progressively refurbished. I have just transferred to St Stephens Boys’ College in Castlemaine from Scots College in Sydney. I am looking after the year 11 and 12’s” Jamie explained.

            “I went to St Stephens it is a good school. In fact mate my younger brother Justin is in year 11 there” Brock replied smiling.

            The two walked out of the bush into the ride area and saw the naked body lying over the rear of the trains carriage. It looked as though the body had been thrown away. A closer inspection revealed that the young male had been strangled. The ligature a black nylon stocking was still in place around the boys neck. There were no other wounds visible from where the two stood. Brock had not gone too close as not to disturb the crime scene. Brock took out his mobile phone and rang the station reporting what he had found and he also told the Snr sergeant about the tracks leading into the complex from the forest and going to the location of the body.

            The Snr Sergeant said he would organise the Doctor and the Crime Scene Techs to attend. He also said he would ask a friend, the local ranger to look at the tracks. He added “ask Mr DeJon to meet them all at the gates and point them in the right direction. I will call the Ds from Castlemaine”.

            Brock replied in the affirmative and hanging up he turned to Jamie and asked “Jamie can you meet the doctor and the techs at the gate and point them this way. The Sarge is calling in the D’s from Castlemaine. This is more in their line. The DI is Henry Richardson and the DS is Tyler Young. Tyler is a nice guy, he and I went through the academy together”.

            “What is the DI like, you did not elaborate on him” Jamie asked.

            “He is an old fashioned methodical man, he misses nothing. He has never failed to solve a case. He is not married and lives in the family home, his parents are deceased. He has a teenage boy living with him. We think the boy is his foster son or his ward. He is a well behaved lad who goes to St Stephens College, he is in year 11. His name is Joshua Logan. We are all expecting Richardson to pick up the vacant DCI’s job” Brock said.

            “I will probably meet Joshua when school resumes on Monday as I am the home room teacher for the years 11 and 12” Jamie replied.

            “Let’s take a closer look at the body Jamie. Come around this way so as not to contaminate the scene” Brock said pointing.

            The two walked out of the bush and careful walked around the ride to the body. Closer inspection revealed that the body had been slashed with a three pronged device, there were gouges from the shoulder to the buttocks. Brock looked under the body and saw there were similar wounds on the torso. “My god Jamie he has been slashed with something with three sharp prongs. I don’t see any clothes so he must have been brought here naked. Jamie I will wait at the bottom of this track will you go and meet the others please and point them this way. I need a bloody smoke. Can you imagine what that poor kids last few minutes were like, he must have been terrified. Sorry mate, but these things get to us cops too. That bloody clown back there, looks so evil its freaky. I will talk to you later” Brock said lighting a smoke.

            Later Jamie had returned to his mobile home and was sitting sipping coffee when the door bell rang. Opening the door he saw two men in suits standing there, the younger man showed his badge and said “Mr DeJon, I am DS Tyler Young and this is DI Richardson, we need to ask you some questions”.

            “Come in Gentlemen, may I offer you coffee or tea. Please have a seat” Jamie said.

            “Coffee would be appreciated, may we call you Jamie. I am Henry and this is Tyler” Richardson said.

            “Jamie is fine. Coffee will be a couple of minutes” Jamie said putting the kettle on.

            “How long have you lived here Jamie” Tyler asked.

            “I inherited the property two or so years ago. I used to come here during the school holidays and I renovated this house. I moved here permanently a couple of weeks ago. I have a teaching position at St Stephens. I used to teach at Scots College in Sydney. I was living at Bondi in my adopted parents flat. They were killed in a plane crash. I had to move as the memories were too painful living in the flat. I loved them both dearly, so I moved to Victoria” Jamie explained making the coffee.

            “How did you find the body Jamie. The location is a fair way from this house” Richardson asked bluntly.

            “I was out for a run, I usually run the perimeter track twice. The total distance is about 13 klm. I check the perimeter fence for damage whilst I run around it. I don’t want any local kids getting in and hurting themselves. Anyway I saw the break in the fence and the tracks, so I followed them to the ride and saw the body lying over the carriage. I then rang the police” Jamie replied.

            “Did you know the boy at all Jamie” Tyler asked.

            “No Tyler I have never seen him before today” Jamie said.

            The two detectives asked a few more questions and then told Jamie they may need to talk to him again. After thanking him for the coffee the left. Jamie washed up the cups and went outside for a smoke. He allowed himself that one indulgence. Sitting on his step he thought ‘why dump the body at the clown train ride. What is the secret of that freaky place’.