Recap
- Daphne snapping at Zoe that she's like a vulture for moving in with Des.
- Colin from Erinsborough High telling Jim about what happened between Scott and the girl he's accused of raping.
- Des looking surprised when Daphne says she just wants them to act politely towards each other.
No. 26
Helen and Jim are watching the news on TV. The main story is about further dramatic developments in the search for a missing child. Looking worried, Helen sighs that it might be a good idea if they stopped watching television and went to the police themselves. She turns the set off. Jim is staring into the distance and Helen asks him wearily if he's heard a single word she's been saying.
JIM (retorts): I don't *want* to go to the police yet. There must be something I haven't thought of.
HELEN (insists): But Jim, we need assistance. Nobody could have done more than you have to find Scott, but the police are so much better equipped.
Paul comes in through the front door at that moment and asks what that was that Helen was saying about Scott.
PAUL: Has there been some news?
HELEN: No, but your father's been out all day trying to find someone who might know where he is.
Paul sits down and asks if there's anything he can do to help. Jim sighs that there's not much *any* of them could do.
HELEN (pointedly): We could report him missing, for a start. Surely the more people who are out there looking for him, the greater the chances of finding him? The longer we put it off, the more difficult it's going to be to explain to the police.
JIM (murmurs): Yeah, you're right. I guess I *have* been putting them off. I'll 'phone them now.
Coffee Shop
Zoe and Mike are in the kitchen. Zoe is having a pasta disaster, having overcooked it! As she throws the wasted food in the bin, Mike tells her that he's glad she sorted out her hassles with Daphne. Zoe replies that things should start getting even better tomorrow because she's got a temporary cook starting.
MIKE (warily): Not one of your, um, 'friends', is it?!
ZOE: No! It's a guy called Les Lannigan from Augathella. Used to cook for 30 shearers. Should be all right. He's a real sweetie; goes under the name of Lamb Chop!
MIKE: How come he gave up being a shearer's cook?
Before Zoe can answer, though, the door opens and Nikki comes in. She sits down at the counter and comments to Mike that she *knew* she'd find him there; he doesn't seem to spend much time at home.
MIKE (shrugs): You go to boarding school, I work in a shop. *Neither* of us gets much time at home.
NIKKI: *I* don't get much *choice* - my home's in Queensland; but I stay with the Robinsons now, so it's practically the same thing.
MIKE: Is that where you're going *now*?
NIKKI: Yep.
MIKE: Could you pass a message on to Mr. Robinson for me?
Nikki nods that she will.
MIKE: Tell him that some of the guys from school said that Scott was going to hitchhike from the city and then catch a bus from there. I tried to ring the Robinsons before, but there was no answer.
NIKKI: OK, I'll tell them. Hey, I hope Daphne knows how terrific you are: you could manage this place standing on your head!
MIKE (looking embarrassed): Do you think?!
No. 26
Jim walks into the house with a suited man who he introduces to Helen as Detective Sergeant Worth. Helen thanks him for coming. The three of them sit down and Jim asks Worth anxiously what they can do to find Scott. Worth, however, says:
WORTH: Before we get onto that, I'd just like to let you know that I've met a lot of people in your situation, so I know how you're both feeling at the moment. You may not be aware of it, but most missing persons turn up safe and sound. Now, as far as Scott's concerned, you're both going to be able to help us a great deal.
Jim asks Worth what he needs.
WORTH: I'll need a few details about Scott, like height-
JIM: Well he's tall... tall, yeah. Not as tall as me, but, er-
WORTH: Just take your time. I'll need weight, build, complexion, distinguishing marks. What sort of clothes would Scott have been wearing?
HELEN: He was on a school excursion; I don't know *what* he would've had on.
Worth suggests they make a list of things Scott might have had with him. He also asks for a recent photograph of Scott. Helen recalls that there'll be one from the wedding, and Jim goes to get it. Worth assures Helen that she's not to worry: the details will come to her.
No. 24
A while later, Max is fiddling around with the cooker when Jim comes in through the back door. Max rants at him that it's a new gas stove and she's blown already. He adds that it's time the two of them had a beer. As he gets them from the 'fridge, he asks Jim if there's any news of Scott. Sitting down at the kitchen table, Jim sighs that they had to call the police in.
MAX: Try not to worry mate: he's got his head screwed on; he'll turn up.
JIM: Wish I could believe that...
MAX: Oh come on, now. I mean it's *Scott* we're talking about here, not Danny, you know. Look at the trouble *he's* caused us over the years.
JIM: Yeah, well, working with Des at the new bank should sort him out!
MAX (laughs): You should have seen him: off to work at the Pacific, done up like a sore toe this morning! Mind you, I reckon wearing a pink tie was a bit much for his first day, but!
JIM (murmurs): Yeah, but at least you *remember* what your son was wearing...
Max then tells Jim that *Madge* has gone missing as well.
JIM: Seriously?
MAX: Well, shot through; some posh hotel. More money than sense, I reckon. You know, sometimes, I tell you, she's more of a worry than Danny. At least she could have given me some notice; I would've got some decent tucker in.
Jim smiles that, seeing as Max's stove's on the blink, he should come over and eat with the Robinsons tonight.
No. 26
Paul and Helen are trying to put together a list of the clothes of Scott's that are missing from his wardrobe when the front door opens and Nikki comes in. She immediately comments sarcastically:
NIKKI: Having a night at home tonight, are we, Paul? I thought you'd be out raging.
PAUL (mutters): I don't *go* raging.
NIKKI: What *do* you do, then? Stay at home and grow old?
PAUL: What are you doing there, anyway? You been expelled, have you?
NIKKI: No, *I* don't drop out of my studies.
PAUL: Oh, you mean you study things *other* than boys, do you?
Helen interjects and tells the two of them to stop the nonsense. Paul stands up and heads to his bedroom. The front door opens and Max and Jim come in. Jim tells Helen that he's invited Max for a meal. Nikki recalls suddenly:
NIKKI: Oh, Mike Young said he had some news about Scott. He said that some kids from school told him: when Scott left the tour, he was going to hitchhike into the city and try and get a bus home.
Helen suggests eagerly to Jim that maybe Scott is still trying to get home; maybe he couldn't get a lift? Max, however, exclaims:
MAX: Oh, he'd get a lift all right. That's the trouble: how do you get it through to kids these days? I mean, hitchhiking... cripes. You either get sideswiped by a car or some *maniac* picks you up.
Coffee Shop
Zoe is working on the accounts at one of the tables in the Coffee Shop when Paul walks in and sits down opposite her, commenting that the place is a hive of industry. He then adds that he thought she'd be a bit sick of being cooped up in the Coffee Shop, so why doesn't she come and have some dinner with him?
ZOE: Business or pleasure?
PAUL: Oh, a little bit of both! Maybe not as much *business* as last time...
ZOE (admits): It would be nice to get away...
Paul smiles that he'll see her in half an hour!
No. 26
Max, Jim, Helen and Nikki are sitting at the dining table and Nikki is talking about the fact that she gets to play tennis every day. She adds that the court surface is terrible on her feet, and she has to look after her legs because she's thinking of going into modelling. Jim and Helen glance at each other. Nikki then asks Max what *he* does for a living.
MAX: I'm a plumber.
NIKKI: Oh, plumbers make good money, don't they? I've got a friend, William Hughes: his father owns a steelworks. They probably make the pipes you use. Have you heard of them? Hughes Steel Fabrications.
MAX (mutters): They can't be very big. Never heard of 'em.
Changing the subject, Max asks what everyone reckons about the goings-on over at Des's place. Jim remarks that he didn't know there *were* any. Max tells him about Zoe moving in, just as Paul comes in through the back door. He stands in the doorway and muses:
PAUL: Anybody ever noticed how Nikki always manages to turn up right on mealtime? Still, it's like school, I suppose, isn't it: it *is free*...
Jim warns Paul not to make wisecracks. Paul just shrugs that he's going to have a shower and then he's going out to dinner. Nikki retorts:
NIKKI: Good. All the more for *us*. When *I'm* a model, I'll be wined and dined in the best of restaurants by the most handsome of men.
Jim snaps suddenly:
JIM: Nikki. That's enough.
Looking taken aback, Nikki stares down at the table, sullenly.
No. 26
The next morning, Nikki emerges from the bedrooms and joins Helen in the lounge room. Helen asks Nikki if she's wearing Paul's pyjamas. Nikki explains that she forgot hers; she'll wash them and bring them back with her next time. Changing the subject, she asks if she can invite Jane and William Hughes to dinner. Helen, however, says she doesn't think it's the right time at the moment; perhaps next week.
NIKKI: OK, I'll tell them. You'll like William: he's fantastic! He's already a Director on the Board of his father's company. He goes to meetings and everything!
HELEN (raising her eyebrows): That's all very interesting, but is he a nice person?
NIKKI: Oh yes - everyone likes him; except the kids at his school, of course. It's not *his* fault if he's senior prefect. They just have to learn that if he puts them on detention it's for their own good.
Paul emerges from the bedroom area and tells Nikki that the bathroom is all hers. Nikki runs in there. Paul stares at her and calls:
PAUL: Hang on - aren't they my 'jamas?!
Jim also emerges from the bedroom area and Helen tells him that she's got the paper and there's nothing in it. Jim then turns to Paul and tells him to leave his telephone number at work so that they can contact him. Paul mutters that he was *going* to. He heads to the kitchen, leaving Helen to sigh at Jim:
HELEN: I wish you weren't so hard on him. It's almost as if you favour *Scott*. I know you don't intend to, but that's the way it appears.
JIM (sharply): I have never favoured *any* of my children. If Paul feels that way, it's *his* fault.
Helen then asks Jim what he's going to do today. Jim retorts that he doesn't know. Helen suggests that he try to relax, but he replies that he can't - not 'til he's found Scott.
No. 28
Zoe is in the kitchen when there's a knock on the back door and Max comes in, carrying his toolbox. He explains that he's just come over to check Des's tap - as a favour to Daphne - 'cos you never know what sort of job the other bloke did. Zoe smiles that it's been excellent. Max then snaps at her:
MAX: You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you know?
Zoe looks at him blankly.
MAX: You're supposed to be Daphne's mate, aren't you?
ZOE: I *am*.
MAX: Well how come you're living *here*, then? I mean, her bed's hardly cold and you're trying to crack on to Des, aren't you!
ZOE (smiles): You know, the trouble with you, Max? You don't treat yourself to the *good* things in life!
With that, Zoe pours Max a glass of champagne from a bottle open on the counter. Max sniffs it and pulls a face!
No. 26
Paul is standing with Helen in the kitchen. He asks where Jim is and Helen replies that she managed to get him out into the garden: he's still dreadfully upset. Paul sighs that he keeps trying to get through to him, but Jim just knocks back every suggestion he makes. Helen tells him to be patient a little longer: he and Jim will have plenty of time to sort things out when Scott comes home. Nikki joins them, now dressed in her school uniform, and says to Paul snidely:
NIKKI: You know, when Scott *does* come home, you're going to be pretty miserable. There'll be a little bit more competition, then, won't there; you won't be able to throw your weight around quite so much.
HELEN (to Nikki): That reminds me: have you written to your mother lately?
NIKKI: No, I've had too much homework.
HELEN: I don't think *that's* much of an excuse.
NIKKI: Don't worry - she knows what I'm doing.
PAUL (teases): Ah, but does she know about Sweet William?!
NIKKI (retorts): At least *he's* a *gentleman*.
A river
A teenage boy is fishing in a dirty-looking river. He casts his rod and starts looking at a comic while he waits. There's suddenly a tug on the rod and he starts reeling it in. To his horror, a body floats up to the surface of the water...
Coffee Shop
Mike walks into the Coffee Shop and joins Zoe at the counter. There's a banging of saucepans coming from the kitchen and Mike asks what the noise is. Zoe explains that it's the new cook. She then asks Mike what's he's doing there. Mike tells her that it's his lunch break; he just came to see if he left his sports bag there. Zoe looks down behind the counter and tells him he did. She hands over the bag and asks:
ZOE: Why didn't you take it home with you last night?
MIKE: I forgot.
ZOE (coolly): You didn't *go* home, *did* you?
Mike doesn't respond.
ZOE: Is there some reason you don't want to go home? Has it got something to do with those bruises you had the other day?
Mike still remains silent.
ZOE (presses): Does your father hit you?
At that moment, Paul comes in and says:
PAUL: How about some service for a starving person?!
Zoe just looks at Mike and tells him that they'll talk about this when he finishes school. Max comes in and asks where Daphne is. Zoe retorts that she's on holidays. Max asks what the chef's special is. Zoe tells him that it's home-made steak and kidney pie. Paul says he'll have some. Max, sitting down at Paul's table, says he will too. The two of them look round as a huge, burly bloke with tattoos emerges from the kitchen. Max says quietly to Paul:
MAX: He looks like he's had his brain removed!
PAUL (shrugs): Zoe reckons he's a good cook.
MAX: Oh yeah?
Max then comments that he saw a police car outside the Robinsons' place this morning. Paul explains that they were just getting some more details about Scott. Max insists that he'll be all right. Paul murmurs that he hopes so.
River
A team of police divers has recovered the body from the river. One of them finds a wallet in the dead person's pocket. He takes it out, opens it up and removes a slip of paper on which is written 'Scott Robinson, 26 Ramsay St.'
No. 26
Jim opens the front door to Sergeant Worth. Helen joins them at the door as Worth holds up the wallet that was found on the body and asks them if they recognise it. Jim takes it and remarks that it looks like Scott's. He then opens it and nods that, yes, it's Scott's.
HELEN: Where did you find it?
WORTH: It was in the river on the body of a young man.
Helen looks at Jim in concern.
JIM (to Worth): Was it Scott?
WORTH: I'm afraid *you're* going to have to tell us that. As you probably know, we need someone who knew Scott quite well to make a formal identification.
JIM (murmurs): Yes. Of course.
As Jim goes to head out, Helen stands there looking worried.
Coffee Shop
Zoe joins Paul and Max and asks them what they think of the pie.
MAX: Is *that* what it is? I thought it was the ashtray! Strewth, I mean, it's all crust - look at it! Call this food? I could do better myself!
PAUL: Sorry, Zoe, but I've got to agree with Max.
Max then asks Zoe where she *got* this bloke.
ZOE: Augathella. He's an ex-shearer's cook.
MAX: Ah, well, that explains it. I mean, if he was any good, he'd still be cooking for *them* blokes.
PAUL (to Zoe): You know, your cooking's in cordon bleu class compared to this! [Turning to Max] Now do you see why Des got her to move in?!
Zoe takes the plates and asks what she should tell Lamb Chop.
MAX: Tell him it's pig's swill.
ZOE (pleads): Would *you* tell him?
MAX: No way. I mean, I wouldn't want to interfere with Daph's business. You hired him, you fire him.
At that moment, though, Lamb Chop emerges from the kitchen, walks through the shop and heads out through the door.
MAX (looking surprised): Where does he think *he's* going?
ZOE (glumly): I think he just quit.
The 'phone starts ringing suddenly and Zoe goes to answer it. Helen comes on and asks for Paul. Zoe calls to him.
No. 26
Helen is sitting on the couch, staring into space, sadly. Nikki is with her and she asks Helen if she's sure she can't get her a cup of tea. Helen insists that it's fine. The front door opens and Paul comes in and asks what's going on.
HELEN (sadly): They've found a body - in the river.
PAUL: Oh come on - it might not be Scott.
HELEN: Scott's wallet was on the body.
PAUL (mouths): Oh. Where's dad?
HELEN: He's gone with the police to make an identification.
PAUL (looking worried): I was so sure he was going to turn up.
HELEN: We were *all* hoping for that...
PAUL: I couldn't understand why dad was so concerned. I really thought I'd come home and Scott would be sitting here. Are you sure the wallet's his?
HELEN (nods): We identified it.
Tears well-up in Helen's eyes and she sobs:
HELEN: I seem to have been waiting for hours. I started with the dinner... I thought if I got busy, the time would pass, but all I can think of is Jim having to do...
She breaks down in Paul's arms.
River
Jim is bending down next to the body. He lifts up the sheet covering it and peers at the person lying there, lifeless. As he does so, he closes his eyes, sadly.