Roy Hadley knew all about people getting lost in the system. Fin Hamilton was a perfect example. She had slipped through the cracks more than once. Roy was sure she wouldn't be on any electoral roll or have a tax file number. He shook his head and sighed at the thought.

"What's up, boss?"

"I'm just thinking about Fin Hamilton." Roy brought his gaze from where he had been watching the scrub roll by to look at Benjamin Stone. "She's an example of a person getting lost in the system. I wonder if Findlay realises that."

"How so?"

"I was relieving here eleven years ago, as a constable, when Fin's mother died. A real sad case it was. Sarah was helping Findlay dig posts with a posthole digger and her sleeve caught. It ripped her arm off and she bled to death. Fin was at school, thank God."

Roy sighed and shook his head. "Findlay was a mess. He'd tried to stop the bleeding and had carried her across the paddock to get to the phone but she was dead before anyone got out here to help. She was a beautiful woman. A real shame, it was."

Ben looked over at Roy and brought him back to the question. "So how does that make the daughter lost in the system?"

"Findlay lost it. He wasn't able to get himself together after it happened. He never told Fin her mother was dead. I had to do it. Fuck. I've never forgotten the look on that little girl's face."

Roy rubbed his eyes, and then looked out of the window again. "Findlay blamed himself for Sarah's death and never managed to get Fin to school. I'd left by then but was told he transferred her to the correspondence system so the state school would get off his back."

He flapped his hands. "Whether she did the work or not I don't know but when I came back six years later, I didn't have any complaints of her not attending school. She'd just been forgotten about until an incident with the Gallos."

Again, he sighed and focused on the passing scrub. "No proof, but the story is, they raped her. Fifteen she was. I questioned her but not a word came out of her mouth."

Roy Hadley looked over at his constable as he said, "Then Jonno Gallo got shot in the leg. He claimed Rees did it. Rees backed him up. He said he was cleaning the rifle and it went off by accident. Findlay was never mentioned but things get around. Small town. I was told Findlay shot him because of what they did to Fin."

He sighed and continued, "Children's Services couldn't do anything about it because no complaint was made. We couldn't do anything about it."

Roy paused and looked Stone in the eye. "So, you tell me, Ben. Is that not a person getting lost in the system? She's just there living and breathing and no one gives a rat's arse what happens to her. Her father's too big of a drunk to take any notice of the damage that's been done to her, until now. Maybe her disappearance is the best thing that could have happened. I haven't seen Findlay this sober since I took over as sergeant six years ago."

Gasping he said, "I just hope she's okay. Hope she's with this Compton and he's taking good care of her because the poor kid's whole story is one big sorry state of affairs as far as I'm concerned."

When the officers left Findlay had to sit down. His hands shook and his body trembled. He'd been dry for three weeks. Some days were good, others were shit. Today had been a mixture.

The mornings always had him at a crossroads but he found more resolve once he'd showered, shaved and eaten something. Findlay wrote a list of jobs he'd aim to get through each day. Then the battle to lift his arse off the chair and move outside began.

On the days he achieved this, he'd pat himself on the back and think about having a drink to celebrate and then have to talk himself out of the idea. It helped not to have the car in drivable condition.

Findlay lay on the grass and covered his eyes with his forearm. He was getting better, fitter, and achieved more each day. Tears seeped from the corners of his eyes and pooled in his ears. He was doing it for Fin. There was so much he had to make up for. Findlay sat and wiped his face. She would come back to him and he was going to be ready.

Once he'd finished servicing the pump, Findlay went to the house and showered. He studied his face in the mirror. It was starting to fill out. The dark circles under his eyes had disappeared. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went to the sunshine room to get dressed.

It was good to sleep in his bed again. The first night had been the hardest, but Sarah had come to him. She lay beside him and ran her hand through his hair while he stared into her vivid blue eyes. He cried. Though he hadn't heard her speak Findlay knew she encouraged him to continue his battle.

He sat on the bed, took a breath of resolve and lifted a box from the floor. He put it on the bed beside him and took another deep breath. It was time to bring Sarah back to him. Findlay opened the box and lifted the crystal duchess set.

His hands trembled as he placed the set where it belonged. He pulled more photos from the box. Sarah with Fin as a newborn baby and her sitting on the tractor smiling at him. The two of them together on a Ferris wheel, laughing. Another in a loving embrace dressed in their wedding outfits.

Findlay's tears grew heavier and heavier with each photo he pulled from the box. He placed them around the room on the bedside cupboards and duchess.

"I'm doing it, baby," he whispered. "I'm bringing you back to me." 

In Australia, children who live in remote areas are put on what we call 'School Of The Air' and 'Distance Education'.  

School of the Air is schooling done by 'Air' meaning internet, phone, Skype, etc. 

In the 1980's, before the internet, it was done on what was called 'Outpost Radio.' Hand held CB Radio - Citizen Band Radio. The students talked to their teacher who was hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away. Children from all over the place tuned into that teacher to listen to a lesson and answer questions etc. Students met their teacher and classmates rarely, which is still how it is today. 

The lessons lasted for an hour and happened once a week.  The rest of the student's education came from the Correspondence School. Lessons are/were sent out via the post and set out in question/answer form. Students read the papers and sent their answers back to the school on the papers provided. Station families often employ governesses to act as school teachers to guide the students through their lessons.

Correspondence schooling/Distance Education is available to any family who want to home school their children.