Previously on Neighbours
- Mackenzie, Byron and Haz are upset to see that Leo has put No 32 up for sale
- Cara tells Haz and Mackenzie that Aaron may be considering putting in an offer for the house
- But Aaron tells Mack he'd only consider buying the house as a family home for himself, Nicolette and Isla
- Holly tells Leo she won't give up until she finds out who the poisoner is
- Byron tells Nicolette that Jane and Mike love each other and will work it out; Vic is listening in
- Nicolette asks Jane, 'why don't you care about your wedding?'
- Vic questions Jane over her relationship with Mike, comparing it unfavourably to their marriage
- But Jane tells Vic that her personal life is none of his concern
- Later, Jane notices her engagement ring is missing, and accuses Vic of taking it
No 32
Jane continues to confront Vic over her missing engagement ring, while Byron and Nicolette look on uncomfortably.
JANE: Do not lie to me, Vic. Not about this.
VIC: I never took your engagement ring, okay? I promise.
JANE: It was on the bench when you came over to stick your nose in about Mike. I leave you alone in the kitchen, and now it's gone!
VIC: How could you think that I would ever do that?!
JANE: Because you always do. Nan's vase, the time you sublet our flat without telling me, my missing bracelet...
BYRON: Wait, what bracelet?
Jane explains that it was a gold bracelet for their first anniversary; she was racked with guilt thinking she'd lost something so special.
JANE: And then I see it in a pawn shop!
BYRON: Oh, Dad.
JANE: You sold it and let me blame myself!
VIC: Yeah - I am so, so sorry for all of those times, you know. For the man that I was.
NICOLETTE: Yeah, but you're not like that anymore. Mum, are you sure that it's missing?
JANE: What? Now I'm being gaslit, all over again.
BYRON: Have you checked absolutely everywhere, Mum?
JANE: Well, yes, I was doing that, and then...
NICOLETTE: And then you leapt straight to theft.
VIC: Jane, I swear, I wouldn't put you through anything like this. Not again.
Awkwardly, Jane backs off and leaves, now looking far less sure of her convictions.
Lassiter's Complex
In the courtyard, Liv Bellen of the Crimesborough podcast is trying to get an unwilling Leo to appear on the show. She asks him who he believes is responsible for the poisoning now Shannon Rutherford is in the clear.
LEO: I dunno. I'm not a cop.
LIV: No, you're just the man who kept a key piece of evidence connected to a serious crime.
LEO: Stop trying to pin it on me.
LIV: I don't deal in guilt, I deal in facts... that sometimes indicate guilt. Maybe you'd look less guilty if you told your side.
Holly appears, and Liv sarcastically greets her as 'Illegally_Blonde_07'.
LIV: Help your friend here see why coming on the podcast is a smart move. I hear business at Yorokobi isn't exactly booming.
LEO: Because of the theories you're spreading!
LIV: It's worth keeping me on side. News outlets are following my lead ever since I broke the story on the second poisoning.
HOLLY: How did you even know that?
LIV: I have my sources.
Liv leaves, telling Leo to reach out 'when' he changes his mind.
LEO: What a parasite.
But Holly is looking very suspicious of Liv...
Lassiter's Hotel
Holly is stalking Liv's social media, which seems to include lots of pictures of food, while ostensibly working at reception. Krista appears and Holly quickly closes the window. Krista wants to know why some VIP gift baskets haven't been delivered to guest rooms, as it was Holly's job. Holly claims there's been a really big check- in rush. The camera pans around the empty lobby.
KRISTA (sceptical): Really? (...) Holly, you've already had two warnings. Come on, get your head in the game.
HOLLY: I will.
But once Krista's gone, Holly goes straight back to stalking Liv online.
The Waterhole
Aaron meets up with Leo, wanting to know if he's had any offers on No 32 yet. Leo says he's had a single offer, well below the valuation price of €1.2 million. Aaron passes Leo a written offer on a piece of paper.
LEO: Are you sure you'd want to live somewhere so connected to David?
AARON: Yeah. I mean, I'm seeing that as a positive. It's better than some stranger moving in. The real question is, is my offer high enough?
Leo looks at the offer on the paper, and looks uncertain.
No 24
Nicolette comes in to find the house in a state, and Jane still frantically searching for her engagement ring. She can't find it anywhere, even within the hard rubbish that she's put out on the street. Even so, Nicolette says Jane's accusation to Vic was 'an epic rush to judgement, even by your standards'.
JANE: Well, he... he keeps prodding me about Mike. Plus he keeps saying how much he cares for me. And then late last night, he came over suggesting a nightcap.
NICOLETTE: He's not here to date, Mum. He's here to die.
JANE: He just seems overinvested. Being all charming...
NICOLETTE: Sounds like Dad being Dad.
JANE: How was he after I left?
NICOLETTE: Hurt.
Jane looks conflicted.
The Waterhole
Aaron has summoned Haz, Mackenzie and Byron. He tells them that Leo has accepted his offer on the house. But it seems the trio have been devising a plan to convince Aaron to let them stay, and they begin talking up his current living arrangements and how settled he is, with Jane as a live- in babysitter for Isla. They even suggest he could give them a rent hike if they could stay.
HAZ: Within reason.
BYRON: And you like swimming. You can come by the pool day or night.
HAZ: And I'll drop off coffee to your doorstep every morning that you let us stay on as tenants.
AARON: Guys, this is really sweet - but I'm sorry. This is the home that David and I had always planned to return to. It's not just an investment. Like I said, there's not gonna be an urgent eviction. But it is time for you guys to find a new place to live.
They all look gutted.
Lassiter's Complex
Haz, Mackenzie and Byron are sitting in the courtyard looking forlorn, having just told Holly their news. But Holly is more concerned with begging Byron to cover the rest of her shift.
HAZ: We've just told you we're losing our house, and that's how you respond?
HOLLY: Okay, yeah, obviously your news sucks - I mean, boo- hoo, RIP sharehouse. But this is an emergency!
Holly seems keen to head to the Chinese restaurant where the second poisoning took place to scope it out, but Byron is unwilling to work her shift, given all he has on his plate. Mackenzie reminds Holly she should be laying low given Krista has given her official warnings at work. Holly's response to this is simply to ring Krista and cough down the phone at her, claiming a sudden illness has come on in her break which she doesn't want to pass to the guests!
HOLLY: She totally bought it. Now, I've got a case to crack!
The sharehouse trio look bemused.
No 32
Back at home, Byron tells Vic that he has to find a new place to live - but on the plus side, he's heard from Nicolette that Jane has calmed down.
VIC: I shouldn't have pushed her about her relationship. I clearly went too far.
BYRON: Yeah, why *did* you do that?
VIC: Because I worry. You know, everything I hear and see just makes me think this Mike's taking Jane for granted.
BYRON: No, no - look, you don't even know him, okay? He's a good guy. And first off, he makes Mum happy.
VIC: Not lately, he doesn't. And why isn't he spending every minute he can with her?
BYRON: Because he's got work, Dad.
VIC: No. No, the man's clearly a complete fool. If I had my time again...
BYRON: Yeah? What would you do?
VIC: I'd never let her go.
BYRON: ... What, you want Mum back?
VIC: ... I'd only bring her grief now.
BYRON: What if you weren't dying?
VIC: I mean, that... that would change everything.
No 24
Aaron tells Nicolette and Jane that he's made an offer on No 24 - despite having only told them he was considering it last night. They reaction isn't exactly jubilant, so Aaron puts aside the bottle of champagne he's bought to celebrate.
JANE: Oh, Aaron, I'm sorry, but... what if you move in, and then - well, then, David's everywhere, and it's all too much?
AARON: Yeah, I know. It's going to be weird. It'll probably even be sad at first. But you know what's worse? Watching someone else raise a family there.
JANE (to Nicolette): And you agree with this?
NICOLETTE: I... I was prepared to consider it. I didn't know that you'd move so fast. I thought I'd have slightly more of a chance to weigh in.
AARON: Nic, this is going to be amazing. Trust me.
JANE: And don't anyone listen to me. Cos I am just feeling sorry for myself over how quiet the house will be without you all.
NICOLETTE: Mike will be here soon - right?
JANE: Yes. Well, of course.
But Jane doesn't look like she wholly believes it, and fiddles with her finger where the missing ring was.
Erin's Bao
Holly is at the Chinese restaurant and is dressed up smartly. She has requested to see the manager Erin, who greets her.
HOLLY: Hi! I'm Mackenzie Hargreaves, I work with the Erinsborough Council. I need to review a few things following the poisoning.
ERIN: Nobody told me you were coming.
HOLLY: Oh, really? My assistant was meant to call ahead. Don't worry - I'll be gone well before rush hour.
ERIN: Rush hour?! Thanks to the headlines, we've hardly seen a customer all day.
HOLLY: Ooh. Sucks to be you.
ERIN: ...
HOLLY: Umm, I mean... I'm sorry for your loss. I need to review the CCTV, from the night of the incident.
ERIN: Cops did that. They found nothing.
HOLLY: I'll still need to see it, personally. It's council policy.
Erin goes off to retrieve the footage.
Harold's Café
Leo has transferred Krista the money for the tour refunds, and apologises to her for losing his temper about it before.
LEO: I know it came from a good place, I just... I don't want charity.
KRISTA: Yeah, that's understandable. Sorry, I just didn't want to add to the pile of bad news.
LEO: It's alright.
Krista gets a notification - the latest episode of Crimesborough has dropped, and Leo decides to listen to it to find out what Liv is saying now. He starts it playing on his phone. A silly theme tune plays.
LIV (voice): Welcome back to Crimesborough - the podcast that dives deep into the seedy underbelly of suburbia.
KRISTA: (rolls eyes)
LIV (voice): Today, the latest chapter in my special investigation...
KRISTA: You're adding to her listener stats.
LIV (voice): ... two poisonings, one lead suspect cleared, and zero explanation for why Leo Tanaka withheld evidence. The failing local business owner turned down my interview request. What's he hiding?
LEO (turning it off): Oh, god. She's relentless.
KRISTA: More like shameless.
LEO: When will this be over? I've got no bookings, no events. No one's ordering my stock. I'm drowning.
He gets a message from the real estate agent for No 32, and looks very surprised by it. He shows Krista who is surprised too, but we don't see the message.
LEO: What am I gonna do about this?
Erin's Bao
Holly is examining the CCTV footage on a laptop at one of the restaurant tables, with Erin hovering intermittently nearby, when Mackenzie rings Holly.
MACKENZIE (phone): Holly, why did the council get a call from the manager of Erin's Bao to ask about a suspicious employee of theirs?
HOLLY: She called?
MACKENZIE: Yeah, my boss just rang to check if I was at the restaurant asking weird questions!
HOLLY: Oh, umm... that's awkward.
MACKENZIE: Yeah, I had to fake that my battery was dying to get out of it. What is going on?!
HOLLY: Okay, well let's just take a minute to appreciate how thorough this manager is.
MACKENZIE: Get out. Immediately. You could get us both in serious trouble.
HOLLY: Mack, I just need a few more minutes!
MACKENZIE: If you don't leave, I'm going to come and drag you out of there!
HOLLY: Good idea. Get down here now - you're not gonna believe what I've just found.
Holly checks to make sure Erin isn't lurking, then puts a USB stick into the laptop and begins copying the CCTV footage onto it.
Ramsay Street
Jane is still searching for the missing engagement ring, this time in the pile of hard rubbish on the side of the road. Vic comes over and asks if she's had any luck. She hasn't, but it gives Jane the opportunity to apologise for accusing him.
JANE: I panicked, and I lashed out, and it wasn't fair on you.
VIC: Yes, it was. I spent years betraying your trust. Of course you think the worst of me. And probably always will.
They sit down on the grass verge together.
JANE: You know, the thing is that... I think you probably hit a bit of a raw nerve. About Mike, I mean. Cos I miss him, and he keeps extending his stay overseas. And I worry that if I ask why, I might not like the answer.
VIC: Everyone says Mike is a smart guy, so he's not gonna be stupid enough to give you up. That being said, you have always struggled to ask for what you need. You shouldn't be afraid to do that.
JANE: So when did you get to be so smart?
VIC: When time's running out, it's easy to see what's important.
JANE: And what is that?
VIC: Happiness. That's all I want for you and the kids. Be happy.
He smiles at her, and she nods bashfully.
Erin's Bao
Mackenzie arrives and rushes over to where Holly is still sitting with the laptop - but Erin the manager intervenes, asking Mackenzie who she is. She says she's from the council.
ERIN: Another one?
MACKENZIE: I'm Mackenzie.
ERIN (to Holly): I thought that was you.
HOLLY: It *is* me. You'll have to excuse my assistant. She can be a little loose with things like names, but you'll get used to it.
MACKENZIE: ... Yeah. I was joking before, obviously! My name is actually... Holly. I don't always think things through. Whenever anyone does something stupid or impulsive, my friends call it 'doing a Holly'!
Mackenzie looks pointedly at Holly!
HOLLY: No, they don't! ... *We* don't, do we?
ERIN: Okay. You're both full of it. Get out, before I report you to anyone who will listen.
HOLLY: Yeah - we'll, uh, do that right away. Come on Mack... uhh, Holly! My Holly! It's an affectionate nickname.
ERIN (unimpressed): Leave!
HOLLY: Leaving.
Holly has retrieved the USB stick from the laptop; and as they head for the exit, Mackenzie demands to know what Holly is playing at. Holly explains that podcaster Liv's best friend is a foodie influencer called Tatiana Tang - and Holly has just spotted Tatiana in the restaurant's CCTV footage.
HOLLY: Liv's best friend just happened to be on the spot for the second poisoning? I smell a rat.
No 32
Holly, Mackenzie, Haz, Byron and Vic are all in the living area, as the housemates admonish Holly for her undercover pursuits - with Mack complaining that she could have lost her job.
BYRON: Stealing Mackenzie's identity is officially maximum 'doing a Holly'.
HOLLY: Okay, I'm not loving that branding.
But she's uncovered more evidence about Tatiana Tang - she's found a photo of her at a restaurant down the road from Yorokobi that was posted on the day Leo's wine was tampered with.
HOLLY: She was in striking range! Liv's in talks to sell her podcast for a mega payday. What more motive could she need to keep this thing rolling?
Vic is struggling to follow, so Holly demonstrates with props from the fruit bowl!
HOLLY: This is Liv - a wildly ambitious apple who will stop at nothing to grow her podcast. Lucky her, there's a salacious story that her listeners love about a poisoning at a vineyard.
Holly holds up an orange to represent the poisoning!
HOLLY: But what's better than one poisoning?
VIC: Two.
HOLLY (picking up another orange): Exactly. And somehow, Liv is ahead of the pack at every turn.
HAZ: Wait, so you're saying that this foodie did the poisonings?
HOLLY: On Liv's orders. Tatiana...
Holly picks up a banana!
HOLLY: ... does the dirty work, giving Liv total deniability, and a head start in breaking the story.
BYRON: Hey - all of this for a podcast?
HOLLY: There's a spike in listeners with every attack, meaning her payday gets bigger. She's literally a bad apple! Hey, maybe I should do a podcast.
Mackenzie takes the apple off Holly and points out there are a few logical leaps in her theory. But Holly insists it makes sense.
HOLLY: Now, all I have to do is take her down.
She takes a bite from the apple!
The Waterhole
Aaron is looking at photos of David on his phone during a quiet moment in the pub. Wendy is working too, and asks him if he's thought about furniture for No 32. Aaron admits he and David more or less sold everything when they moved out the last time. Wendy says he ought to get cracking organising some.
Leo and Krista come in for a drink. Leo dodges bringing up with Aaron the message from the real estate agent, but Krista is unwilling to keep quiet - announcing that Leo's had another offer on the house. Leo plays it down, saying it's not important. Aaron suggests that he might be able to match the other offer if it isn't too much more, but Leo tells him it's $50,000 higher.
Aaron admits he's pretty much exhausted David's life insurance and superannuation with the offer he already made. Leo tells him not to worry: they've already agreed their deal based on Aaron's original offer, and Leo isn't reneging on it. But Aaron doesn't look comfortable with this.
Lassiter's Lake
Holly has arranged to meet Liv. Holly begins to record on her phone, saying she wants to give Liv a chance to come clean.
HOLLY: I know you're the poisoner.
LIV (incredulous): What?!
HOLLY: What better way to kick off a viral true crime podcast than by planning the crime yourself?
LIV: Wow! Thank you for the window into amateur hour (!) Do yourself a favour. Stay away from the microphone.
HOLLY: Oh, this isn't for a podcast. This is for the cops. It's to go along with all the other evidence I've got on you.
LIV: What evidence?
Liv starts to look worried as Holly shows her the USB stick.
HOLLY: You're welcome to see it - right after my police sergeant neighbour.
The Waterhole
Mackenzie is telling Leo and Krista about Holly's theory about Liv; Krista joins the dots and realises that's why Holly called in sick earlier. Mackenzie says Holly's motivations were good, and that maybe she has solved the case. But Leo has looked at the photo of Tatiana at the restaurant near Yorokobi, and points out that it was taken a year ago - so it doesn't prove anything.
MACKENZIE: Well, maybe Liv did the first poisoning, and then Tatiana did the second?
LEO: Mm, but when Liv started showing up around the case, the police checked her alibi. And she was at a promo shoot that entire day.
KRISTA: Which means that Liv and her bestie are both in the clear.
Mackenzie looks worried, and rushes off to stop Holly making a terrible mistake...
Lassiter's Lake
... but it's already too late, as Holly has squirted Liv in the face with an aerosol can!
HOLLY: And that is why I always carry hairspray with me wherever I go! It's very versatile.
LIV: Oh! My eyes!
HOLLY: Why don't I just cut to the part where I call the cops and they cart you away?
Mackenzie turns up, sees Liv's eyes and the hairspray, and is horrified when she realises what's happened. Holly explains Liv grabbed her arm and she sprayed her in retaliation.
MACKENZIE: It wasn't Liv! There's proof that she's innocent.
HOLLY: Are you sure?
MACKENZIE: Yes!
Holly is horrified by what she's done.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Aaron asks Krista if Leo is more in need of the extra $50,000 than he's letting on
- Vera Punt is sceptical when Wendy insists she's been serving Yorokobi drinks without any issues
- At the police station, Liv tells Andrew she expects him to press every possible charge against Holly
