No. 24
Darren is telling Mal that he bought into the business by using the money from the loan shark - but everything will be fine if they do the work and get paid. Mal retorts that he hopes Darren knows what he's doing.

No. 26
Debbie finishes typing on the typewriter. Philip joins her, wrapped in a duvet because he doesn't feel well, and Debbie hands him a beret that she bought for him as an apology for making him feel guilty for breaking the computer! She then hands him a bottle of correction fluid and a pair of scissors so that he can use the typewriter to write his book! Philip doesn't look impressed!

No. 28
Mal walks into No. 28, where Libby is working on the computer. He asks her if she knew Darren borrowed money off a loan shark to buy into Handy Sam's and that he's behind in his payments. Libby replies that she didn't, and she asks how much he owes. Mal tells her:

MAL: $13,000. It was twelve, but as I said, he's behind with his payments.

Looking worried, Libby asks if they could sell off the business to pay off the loan, but Mal asks angrily why *he* should lose out too. He adds that, as it is, he thinks Darren is dipping into the Handy Sam's account to try and keep the loan shark happy for a while: he's come home to check the books. Libby asks her brother in concern if he'd go to the police, as Darren is still on parole. Mal just says he doesn't know *what* he'll do.

Surgery
Libby walks into the still- blackened reception area at the surgery, where Darren is working. She asks him if what she heard about his loan is true; she adds that she could have helped with some money she's got saved up from her job at the newspaper. Darren murmurs gratefully:

DARREN: You're the only one who cares about me, you know?

Libby then tells him that Mal's looking for the books. Darren asks if he knows that *he* has them. Libby replies that he doesn't even know they're gone. Darren thanks her - and gives her a kiss. He then tries to persuade her to get out of the study weekend she's going on, but Libby retorts that if it helps her get just one more mark, she's going. Darren smiles:

DARREN: I love it when you get all serious and focused!

No. 26
Philip, still looking under the weather, is sitting at the kitchen table, thinking, when suddenly a thought occurs to him - heard in voiceover:

PHILIP: "This particular riverbank was the home of Mr. Snippets, the platypus..."

He begins to work on the typewriter, and a montage shows his hands whirring across the keys, and sheets of paper falling into the bin regularly and food and drink being consumed!

Surgery
Mal walks into the reception area at the surgery to find Darren and Libby kissing. He looks around and mutters that Darren hasn't really done much. He then goes on that the books from the business have gone missing. Libby tells him that she gave them to Darren: he's a partner in the business and he wanted to see the books; there's nothing wrong with that. Mal asks curtly if he can have a look at them. Darren snaps:

DARREN: Look, do you really think that I'd steal money from my own business?
MAL: I don't *know* anymore. For all *I* know, you might be draining our bank account for your dodgy loan.
DARREN (tersely): Oh, well, it's nice to know where I stand.
MAL (pointedly): All we have to do is look at the books and we'll *both* know...

Chez Chez
It's evening- time, and Darren is at Chez Chez pleading with Cheryl to loan him $500. Cheryl retorts that it's not that easy. Darren tells her that they need to buy materials for the job. Cheryl just says she's sorry, but her cashflow is not what it used to be. Darren storms off in annoyance.

Cheryl joins Debbie at the bar and asks her if she's coping. Debbie replies:

DEBBIE: Sure. Are *you*?

Cheryl sighs that she just worries about Darren. Debbie mutters that she knows what he's like when he needs money. Cheryl insists that he's not like that anymore - he's changed: look how well he's doing in the business. Debbie doesn't look convinced.

No. 26
A cockerel crows to mark the next morning. Philip is still typing at the kitchen table when Debbie and Hannah emerge from the bedroom area. Debbie asks Philip to tell Hannah to go back to bed, as she's too sick to go to school. She then feels Philip's forehead and tells him that *he* should be in bed too. Philip says he'll just finish what he's doing.

No. 28
Susan is in the kitchen when Karl arrives home and tells her that the police have charged Pete Collins' dad with blowing up his surgery. He adds that at least it means the boy will be safe now - although it can't be easy for a kid that age to have his dad arrested. Susan comments that with Collins locked up, she won't be so nervous about being away from the house for the whole weekend, as nothing's likely to happen to it. Karl remarks that he doesn't understand why she has to be there the whole weekend: it's a study/lecture weekend for the *students*, not for her! Susan tells him that she's being supportive! She adds that *he* could be supportive too - but Karl tells her that there's no way; besides which, he thinks he's coming down with the shocking 'flu that's going around. Susan comments:

SUSAN: Nothing I can say to change your mind?
KARL: Nothing.
SUSAN: Not even that I've already signed you up without asking you and everyone's expecting you to speak?!

Karl gives her a look! He mutters that he'll give a lecture on studying medicine, then he'll come home for an uninterrupted weekend.

No. 26
Hannah is lying on the couch. Philip is still typing when Debbie arrives home from uni. She groans at them both that they need to go to bed. Philip pulls a sheet of paper out of the typewriter and declares that he's finished. He and Hannah head off to their respective rooms and Debbie tells them to keep warm. She then picks up the pile of paper that Philip has churned out and starts reading.

No. 24
Darren is on the 'phone, placing a bet - but Cheryl, carrying Lolly, comes in and he quickly changes the subject. He hangs up, but it transpires that Cheryl overheard him and she asks what the 'sure thing' was that he referred to. She adds that he's in too much trouble money- wise to start throwing it away. Darren snaps that it's a bet: $5 or $10 max. He goes to storm out, but Cheryl calls him back and warns him not to let her down.

No. 26
Philip has got up from bed and he goes and sits down at the typewriter. Debbie smiles at him that his manuscript is really good. Philip looks at it and comments in surprise that he didn't realise he'd written so much; he was supposed to be working on his next romance novel. Debbie grins that the story must have been trapped inside him, waiting to get out! Philip looks through the manuscript, looking astonished that he wrote it. Debbie tells him:

DEBBIE: I couldn't put it down. It's the best short story I've ever read!

No. 24
Mal has turned up at No. 24, snapping at Darren that they're meant to be partners and he wants to know he can trust him. Darren retorts:

DARREN: So you're saying you *don't* trust me?
MAL: I'm saying I want to see the books - and you've been stalling on them ever since yesterday, when I first found out you had them.
DARREN: Because it's not important to me. Everything is right. Why can't you just relax about it?

Mal asks Darren why he got Libby to get the books for him. Darren retorts that he hadn't seen them before - and being a partner, he thought he should be interested. Mal just asks where the books are. Darren replies that they're in his bedroom. With that, he goes to get them. He returns, hands them over and mutters that everything adds up. Mal retorts:

MAL: I'll need to get bank balances to check that.
DARREN (angrily): Look, hang on, mate, that's just going a bit too far. I think I've been pretty good up 'til now. You may as well say you think I'm a *thief*.
MAL (snaps): I am trying to run a business, that's all. You can't do that if you don't keep the books straight.
DARREN: So why can't *I* keep the books straight and you just not worry about things for a while?
MAL: You *can* from now on - as long as everything adds up...

No. 24
Sometime later, Mal is back at No. 24, asking Cheryl if Darren's there. Cheryl replies that he isn't. Mal tells her that he needs to find him straight away: he thinks their business is about to fold - Darren's been stealing money from the company and trying to hide it in the accounts. Cheryl's face drops. She murmurs that Darren was on the 'phone this morning, talking to some mate of his about a 'sure thing'...

Lassiter's Complex
A while later, Mal is standing outside the surgery as Darren approaches. He asks him curtly where he's been. Darren just mutters that he's a little late; there's no reason to chuck a wobbly. Mal snaps:

MAL: What if you robbed me blind and threw it all away on a horse? Could I throw a wobbly *then*?
DARREN (retorts): I haven't robbed *anyone*.
MAL: You give me back the $500 that's missing from our account.
DARREN (coldly): I own over half the business, don't I?
MAL: We're *partners*.
DARREN: Yes, but I put in $12,000 to your $6,000.
MAL: What's your point?
DARREN: I borrowed $500 from the business; $500 I intend to put straight back
MAL: If your horse wins.

He adds that he spoke to Cheryl earlier. He goes on angrily that this isn't the way he wanted to run his business. Darren just retorts:

DARREN: Yeah, well, sometimes you just won't have a choice.

With that, he heads into the surgery, leaving Mal looking frustrated.

No. 26
Hannah and Philip both have a thermometer in their mouth. Karl is with them and Debbie, but he checks Hannah's thermometer and tells her that it's nothing to worry about. *He* then blows his nose and murmurs that the 'flu virus doesn't show any more respect for doctors than for anyone else; he thinks he'll go home and read a book. Debbie tells him that he should read her dad's new short story: it's amazing! She adds that it's not really like his other stuff - it's more like science fiction, set in the future. As Karl removes the thermometer from Phil's mouth, Phil and Hannah both warn him about how he's going to suffer as a result of the 'flu!

Chez Chez
Debbie and Helen are looking around the bar when Cheryl joins them. Debbie explains that they're planning for the painting exhibition. Helen adds that it was Jo's idea: an exhibition of paintings by Erinsborough women. Cheryl frowns:

CHERYL: An exhibition...?
DEBBIE: Yeah - including the portrait she's commissioned from gran.
CHERYL: A portrait? Of who?
HELEN (hesitantly): Of Marlene, Jo and you.

Cheryl muses that Jo has more grand plans for her place that *she's* the last to hear about. She adds that roping her staff and friends into putting her schemes into place is a new trick. Debbie says she thinks Jo's had some really *good* ideas: Stonie's band went off like a rocket! Cheryl, however, retorts:

CHERYL: Well, *I* still run the place, not Joanna - and when I find my silent partner, I'll be reminding her just what the word 'silent' means...

No. 28
Libby is demanding to know from Mal why he's mad at Darren. Mal retorts that there's nothing to tell - or maybe she should ask Darren. Libby snaps that no one gives the guy a chance in this family. She storms off to her room as Susan comes in. She asks Mal if he's thought about what he's going to say at the study camp about owning your own business. Mal replies coolly that he's thought about it quite a lot. There's suddenly a knock on the front door and Susan opens it to Darren before heading off to check on Libby. Darren walks over to Mal and, holding out a wad of cash, beams:

DARREN: Enough profit to pay back the loan and pay back the business.

Mal mutters at him that he can put it back in the bank. Darren says he thought Mal might like to celebrate. Mal, however retorts that he has no *reason* to celebrate: Darren lied to him and risked everything he'd worked for without telling him. He goes on angrily:

MAL: You've got to sort yourself out, Darren, because I can't work with a partner I don't trust. If you can't lift your game, Darren, the deal's off. *You* decide what it's going to be.

Darren glares at him.