Previously
- Daniel admits to Paul that he was the one who leaked the files from his hard drive
- Paul suggests that he go into the gazebo business in partnership with Amy and Kyle
- Mark suspects Michelle of putting on an act
- Paige tells Brad she's meeting a friend of whom Mark would disapprove
- Paige turns up to meet Michelle and is promptly kidnapped in the boot of a car
- Following a tip- off from Brad, Mark and Lauren find Paige's necklace at the scene
- Paige realises that her kidnapper thinks she's Michelle, and tries to convince him otherwise
- She knocks him out and escapes, but as she runs towards Mark, she's run down by a speeding car
Anson's Corner
Paige is lying on the ground as Mark calls for an ambulance. Paige is conscious, but seems traumatised by her ordeal.
PAIGE: They kept calling me Michelle. They thought I was Michelle...
Cue titles.
No 22
Paul comes to see Amy, who explains that Kyle - who's Not In This Episode - isn't keen to go into the gazebo business with him. Moreover, Amy isn't sure she wants to go into business with Paul either - saying mixing family with business is risky, and that she doesn't want to compete with Kyle. Paul convinces Amy that they can hire Kyle when they need extra labour, meaning more work for him.
AMY: And this is a legitimate, honest way for you to earn a living...
PAUL: Exactly as you wanted.
AMY: Okay. Okay, I'm in.
Paul's thrilled, and runs through a list of things he needs to do, saying that Amy should build a gazebo that they can showcase to prospective buyers. She says this will be pricey, but Paul says they just need to find an investor. She reminds him it all needs to be legit, and Paul says she can trust him.
Erinsborough Hospital
Mark is instructing a colleague on the phone to ensure a thorough forensic sweep of the property where Paige was being held, promising to get there when he can. Lauren and Brad rush in, and the three of them speak to Karl, who assures them that Paige is okay aside from a few bruises and tears to her medial ligament. She'll need plenty of rest and some physio.
Paige is asleep at present, so Lauren goes to call Amber to update her, and Brad likewise with his kids. Karl again assures a worried Mark that Paige will be alright, then gives him the engagement ring Mark gave her - saying that Paige asked him to look after it, as they had to take it off her in order to do a scan.
As Mark walks away, he has a flashback to his previous fiancée Kate's death in Episode 6857, holding her lifeless hand on the bench at the Lassiter's Complex - followed by a further flashback at the hospital in which paramedic Julie, who tried to save Kate, gives Mark her engagement ring. (Nurse Will Dampier is also seen briefly in the background.)
Back in the present, Karl watches from a distance as Mark looks worried.
No 22
Amy is still unsure about Paul's plan to get investment for the new business, suggesting to him that he might want to apply for jobs instead. But Paul says he's been his own boss for too long for that.
PAUL: This is what I do, I make money from opportunity. I know what to do, and I'm damn good at it. So come on - I will not let you down on this one. You can count on me.
Amy still looks uncertain.
Erinsborough Hospital
Lauren and Brad are fussing over Paige, who's in a hospital bed. She admits how scared she was during the kidnapping, and seems traumatised - so Brad tells her he's going to ask Karl to arrange someone for her to talk to. Paige asks after Mark, and Brad explains he's gone to check out the house where she was being held. Paige wishes he was here. She tells Brad and Lauren that she thinks the kidnappers took her by mistake, thinking she was Michelle.
PAIGE: She's been trying to get out of Dimato's crew and they will do anything to keep her. I think she's in real danger.
Lauren tells Paige just to focus on being alive and well. Paige says she's glad they're both here, and Brad and Lauren share a look.
Erinsborough Police Station
Mark is bossing two non-speaking colleagues around, demanding they fetch him footage from every surveillance camera within 5km of Paige's kidnap site. Aaron turns up and, sensing tension, says Mark ought to be at the hospital with Paige, and should let the other police handle the investigation.
Mark insists he needs to find out who abducted her, saying there have been no clues at the site or in the burned remains of the car. At that moment, Dennis Dimato himself turns up, saying he wants to speak to Mark. Furious, Mark flings Dimato against some lockers, forcing Aaron to intervene and break them apart.
Some time later, we see Mark interviewing a smug Dimato, who says he won't be pressing assault charges against him! He explains why he's here - his lawyer has provided him with a statutory declaration taking personal responsibility for Dimato's failure to comply with his parole conditions.
DIMATO: Turns out he has very poor communication skills.
MARK: And you think your parole officer is gonna buy that excuse, do you?
DIMATO: It's not an excuse. It's a fact.
MARK: Who did you order to kidnap Michelle Kim?
DIMATO: Michelle too? Wow! You do have your hands full.
Mark explains about the kidnapper's mistaking Paige for Michelle, but Dimato insists it has nothing to do with him. So Mark asks him about Michelle's allegations that he assaulted her and gave her a black eye. Dimato claims he never touched Michelle, but admits they had a 'misunderstanding', leading to her taking out an intervention order.
Dimato continues to insist he's done nothing wrong, and that Michelle has no need to be afraid of him. Mark says he intends to hold Dimato and ensure his parole is rescinded for breach of conditions.
MARK: You'll be back in prison before you know it!
DIMATO: Give it your best shot, Mark.
Erinsborough Hospital
Paige is still in pain, and as Lauren's about to fetch her some painkillers, Michelle turns up, apparently very concerned about Paige's wellbeing. When Michelle says she knows about the mistaken identity kidnap, Brad asks if Michelle knew Paige was taken and kept quiet. She doesn't deny it, saying she didn't know what to do.
BRAD: Who is after you?
MICHELLE: It had to be Dennis, or someone connected to him.
BRAD: Well either way you have brought this trouble onto Paige.
But Paige asks Lauren and Brad to leave the room, so she can speak to Michelle alone.
No 28
Paul has decided that there's nowhere better to look for gazebo business investors than on Ramsay Street, and is buttering up Susan in order to persuade her to part with $15,000. However, she hasn't totally forgiven him for trying to close down the school, and in any case says that all her and Karl's money is tied up in the Off Air bar.
Nate and Aaron turn up and, on seeing Paul, Aaron makes a swift exit, promising to call Nate later. Seeing another potential investor in Nate, Paul starts the hard sell, pestering him about the money he was going to put up as a deposit for a house in the Freestyle development. Nate looks suspicious.
Erinsborough Hospital
Brad and Lauren watch from outside Paige's room as Paige and Michelle talk.
BRAD: We could've lost her.
LAUREN: Yeah, but we didn't. And now we just have to be strong for her.
Inside the room, Paige is quizzing Michelle about why she summoned her to Gower Drive to meet. Michelle explains she got a call from Dimato, claiming he wanted to meet her to apologise for his behaviour towards her - and she called Paige for backup because she was scared he might convince her to get back together with him. Instead, he led her into a trap.
PAIGE: Where were you?
MICHELLE: I was running late. It sounds so pathetic now. I'm so sorry. Paige, I never meant for this to happen to you. I just came to apologise. And to tell you I'm leaving town.
Paige tries to convince Michelle to stay and tell Mark everything she's just told her - saying they could put Dimato away for ever if they both made statements. Paige says Mark can protect Michelle, but she isn't convinced.
PAIGE: You owe me. I was taken because of you. You're gonna tell Mark everything that you know. Everything.
No 28
Paul is still trying to get Nate to invest in the gazebo business. Nate is stringing him along, asking all sorts of tricky questions to imply that he's interested. Eventually he admits that he's been deliberately wasting Paul's time, as 'karma' for Paul trying to rip him off over the Freestyle development and for how he's treated other people, including Aaron.
NATE: I'm sure someone will want to invest, but it'll be for Amy's sake, not yours.
Paul leaves, grumbling.
Erinsborough Police Station
Michelle has been telling Mark what she knows, but he then says she'll need to make a formal statement in order to get the allegations to stick. She says she can't, as she's scared of what Dimato will do to her.
MARK: If you don't make a statement, I'll make a complaint on your behalf, then subpoena you to testify against him.
MICHELLE: If you do that, I will just deny everything. Tell Paige I'm sorry.
Michelle walks out, and Mark slams the wall in frustration.
Erinsborough Hospital
Karl is checking up on Paige, then leaves her with Lauren and Brad. Lauren gets a text from Amber, who's Not In This Episode, saying she'll be along shortly with Matilda. Paige is still asking after Mark, and Brad updates her about Michelle refusing to give a formal statement. Hoping Mark will come to see her soon, Paige asks her parents to remind Mark to bring her engagement ring back.
Brad starts mouthing off about Michelle and the pain she's caused, but Lauren encourages him to calm down by taking him for a drink at the canteen. Outside, Brad admits he's angry because it's his fault Paige got kidnapped; he explains how he encouraged her to go and meet the friend she said Mark would disapprove of. Lauren points out that Brad didn't know the circumstances, and says she'd probably have done the same. Brad tries to call Mark.
Erinsborough Police Station
Mark brings in Dimato for another interview. Annoyed, Mark explains that Dimato's lawyer has convinced Dimato's 'idiot' parole officer that his breaking conditions was just a misunderstanding - and that, though the investigation's ongoing, he isn't being charged with anything at present.
MARK: You'll have slipped up somewhere.
DIMATO: But I'm innocent, Constable Brennan.
MARK: You can go.
DIMATO: No, I think the correct expression here is I'm free to go, Mark.
MARK: Get out!
Mark reminds Dimato to present himself to his parole officer first thing tomorrow.
DIMATO: I'll be sure to give him your regards. Oh - and I do hope you find your kidnapper.
Mark looks at his phone and sees a text from Brad, saying Paige needs him at the hospital. He looks worried.
The Waterhole
Having run out of RSRs to pitch his latest investment opportunity to, Paul has summoned his late father's cousin, Hilary, in the hope that she will take pity on him and invest. Susan and Nate watch incredulously from the bar as Paul offers Hilary a better deal than he did to either of them! However, Hilary has just forked out for a Tasmanian cruise, and is only prepared to invest $50!
HILARY: No-one trusts the name Paul Robinson.
PAUL: So what do you expect me to do, Hilary? Change it by deed poll?
HILARY: It's too late for you. But not for Amy. If this goes wrong, you'll drag her name down as well.
She hands him the $50, telling him to use it wisely, before leaving!
Meanwhile, Michelle is having a drink, when Dimato comes in and accosts her, in full view of Susan and Nate.
DIMATO: Hello, sweetheart.
MICHELLE: Leave me alone!
DIMATO: I just want to say hello, see how you're travelling!
MICHELLE: Please, just go away!
DIMATO: I'll buy you a drink.
Noticing how scared Michelle looks, Nate intervenes, and sternly tells Dimato to leave the premises. Paul watches with interest, and Dimato grins threateningly at Michelle as he leaves. Susan goes over and asks if Michelle's okay - she replies that she is now.
Erinsborough Hospital
Mark finally turns up to see Paige.
PAIGE: Where have you been?
MARK: Work.
PAIGE: I needed you. Here.
MARK: Yeah, I know. I'm sorry.
PAIGE: You've been avoiding me.
MARK: Watching that car collect you, I just felt... If anything happened to you... I just don't want to lose someone again.
PAIGE: I thought you were mad at me.
MARK: What?
PAIGE: After our horrible fight before, I just felt awful. I was being stupid.
MARK: No. You were just being you.
PAIGE: What, stubborn and obnoxious?
MARK: Caring and generous. And maybe a little bit stubborn. But you need to listen to me this time. You have to stay away from Michelle.
He explains how he's just taken a call from Nate, telling him about Dimato hassling Michelle at The Waterhole.
PAIGE: Is she alright?
MARK: Yeah. But I'm worried that something isn't. Dimato got let off way too quickly for breaching his parole.
Paige wonders if Michelle is right about Dimato having a cop on his pay roll, but Mark just asks her to promise not to get involved. Paige agrees not to contact Michelle.
MARK: Actually, there's one more thing I need you to do.
PAIGE: Ah, more orders!
MARK: Marry me. As soon as possible. I don't want us to waste any more time.
PAIGE: Deal.
He slips the ring back onto her finger.
MARK: Happy?
PAIGE: Very.
They kiss.
Lassiter's Lake
Paul is sitting at DeadKate's Gazebo™, frustrated with his lack of success in getting an investor for his new business. Dimato shows up and sits next to him, then looks over the business plan Paul's just thrown on the floor.
DIMATO: Well, this business looks like a goer.
PAUL: I don't care what you think.
DIMATO: Yes, you do.
PAUL: Get lost, will you?
DIMATO: Really? Is that how you talk to your investor?
PAUL: ...
DIMATO: Look, you need money - I need a legitimate business to invest in. I want in.
We're treated to a moving TreeCam™ shot of the gazebo from afar, which may or may not suggest that someone is watching Paul and Dimato...
Unmissable Drama
- Paul tells Daniel he can handle betrayal from a crook, but not from his own family
- Kyle is surprised at a $15,000 investment in Paul and Amy's business
- Paul tells Kyle and Amy he won't risk losing her over this
- Toadie gets more feeling in his legs
- Steph tells Belinda she loves her, but can't be with her
- Belinda tells Sonya that Steph's in love with Toadie, and that's why she's back in town
