Number 30
Terese and Brad are round to have a go at Toadie for defending Paul but he pulls the rug out from under their feet by announcing that Paul is going to be pleading guilty.

Cue titles!

Number 32
Brad is literally over the moon at the news about Paul pleading guilty as he tells Lauren but the happiness is cut short when she comments that it means Cecilia now doesn't need to testify! She tries to tell him that if the information gets out, not only is he/Terese in trouble but Paul's sentence could be overturned too. "Is it worth the risk?" she asks then adds that he "can't go through with this." Brad explains that there isn't going to be a trial now, Paul's admission means he's going to jail commenting "that is how it should be."

(Next day)

Its music montage time and as Southern nightshade by Melody Pool plays we see Paul/Terese/Brad, Lauren & Ned get ready before heading to court.

Supreme Court - Court
The trial begins with Toadie announcing to the judge that Paul is pleading guilty, which pleases the prosecution lawyer too! The judge reads out the charges Paul is facing - two counts of manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act and asks how he pleads. Just as Paul is about to enter his plea, Terese walks into the courtroom.

PAUL: Not guilty your honour.

Supreme Court - outside
Everyone is stunned at what Paul has just said and outside the court, Toadie is furious at Paul's late change of plea. He tries to explain that he was going to plead guilty... right up until he saw Terese enter the court room.

PAUL: Now I love that woman and I cannot look at her and say that I killed her son when I didn't.

Toadie points out that the trial starts straight after lunch and he can't defend Paul because of the late change in plea without discussing it! Paul admits that he did hire Cecilia but not to touch the boiler.

PAUL: I didn't cause the explosion.
TOADIE: Well then who did?
PAUL: I don't know.
TOADIE: Exactly!

Paul is adamant that Cecilia is lying and while he can't explain why the drawings turned up in his briefcase, he can the other stuff but Toadie doesn't believe his theories and therefore bluntly tells Paul he will lose.

PAUL: Not if you believe in me I won't. Toadie please, I need you, do not pull out on me now please. Can't you see that I'm innocent?! And you are the only hope that I have in there.

Supreme Court - corridor
In a corridor within the building, Terese is having difficulty accepting the last minute change in plea from Paul and Brad comments that Paul "never owns up to anything!" Terese remarks that they will just go back to the original plan (the witnesses) and goes to call the kids with an update on what his happening.

Lauren walks over to where Brad is standing and tells him the obvious - that Cecilia will now be testifying.

Supreme Court - outside
Steph goes up to Toadie to ask if he now believes Paul. He admits that for the first time he can now see what she has been seeing but isn't quite convinced yet and warns Steph off for thanking him too soon because he'll have to go hard on her during cross-examination as she's a witness for the prosecution.

STEPH: I get it.
TOADIE: For Paul's sake, I can't pull any punches, this could get really ugly.

Steph acknowledges that and adds for him to do whatever it takes to get Paul off.

STEPH: Just do it.

Supreme Court - waiting room
The prosecution lawyer has gathered all her witnesses and reminds them that they can't talk about the case among themselves and that they answer the questions without elaboration truthfully... "the whole truth."

Supreme Court - Court
Take 2 of the trial re-convenes with the prosecution lawyer telling the jury how she plans to find Paul guilty.

The first witness is Karl and he explains about the injuries Josh sustained and that they were as a direct result of the explosion.

Supreme Court - Ladies toilets
Terese looks like she is having some sort of panic attack in the toilet and doesn't hear Lauren enter (she left during Karl's testimony) until she tells Terese that "it's not too late." Lauren confesses as to how she knows and urges Terese to get Cecilia to change her story before she takes the stand. Silently Terese shakes her head.

LAUREN: You're so much better than this Terese.

Terese uses the justification about not talking to excuse herself from the toilet.

Supreme Court - Court
We come back to the court where Karl is now talking about Daniel and whether Paul got upset on knowing he was injured. Karl confirms Paul was upset and that he said [to Karl] he'd give him "everything I have if you lift the column to save my nephew's life" even though he knew that doing so would kill Josh.

The next witness to take the stand is Mark. He explains that Paul became a person of interest due to setting fire to the hotel previously and because he was in the boiler room on the morning of the explosion as well as tampering with the CCTV footage. Toadie objects to his claim that Paul is conscious of his guilt because he jumped bail but Judge Barton backs his specialist knowledge to allow the testimony.

Toadie begins his cross-examination by trying to discredit Mark beginning with getting it into testimony that he was dropped from the case when his brother was eventually questioned two weeks after the explosion. Mark tries to claim that the work Tyler did was highly unlikely to have caused the explosion. "Unlikely but not impossible?" Toadie asks and Mark is forced to admit that what Tyler did could have contributed to the boiler explosion.

Supreme Court - waiting room
The tension is getting to Terese and she objects to Cecilia absentmindedly playing with a packet of mints (moving them from side to side making a noise). Terese again uses the 'no talking rule' when Steph tries to talk to her that Paul is innocent. The pair squabble over who's known Paul the longest and Steph adds that she knows when he's lying, which he isn't now, before Terese asks her to be quiet.

It's probably a good thing that a court officer then comes in to collect Steph to give her evidence and when they leave, Cecilia tells Terese that she won't let her down. Terese doesn't know where to look after that remark, so she rumbles around in her bag before finding a hip flask and taking a couple of swigs from it.

Supreme Court - Court
Steph confirms where she found the blueprints and receives the wrath of the prosecutor for adding that Paul was framed. Toadie begins his cross-examination by asking if she saw Paul with the plans/putting them into his briefcase (no) and then if anyone had access to the briefcase. She replies that anyone could have walked in as the storeroom was unlocked.

Toadie wants confirmation that she's a reliable witness given she's appearing on behalf of the prosecution (she confirms she is) before bringing up her own incarceration and why (that she was mentally and emotionally unstable).

Supreme Court - waiting room
Just as Terese plucks up the courage (after her Dutch courage!) to talk to Cecilia, the court officer comes to collect her.

Supreme Court - Court
The prosecution lawyer wants to know from Terese, Paul's vesting with Julie Quill. She's a bit unsure what the word means so the prosecutor elaborates to say the rivalry between Lassiters and Robinsons. Terese confirms there was a rivalry and that previously Paul sabotaged the air con at Lassiters during the heat wave to win business for his motel. The prosecutor wants to know how Paul reacted to losing the COTY awards (furious) and seeks confirmation that Paul asked her/Daniel to leave the hotel prior to the explosion. Toadie isn't happy at Terese's reply (that he supposedly cared about them to get them out before the explosion happened), which earns her the wrath of Judge Barton for offering her opinion.

Terese then confirms Paul deleted a CCTV file from her computer which he had access to which is interpreted as Paul having motive and opportunity to delete the file.

Toadie begins his cross-examination by wanting to know where the air con unit was situated (the boiler room) and if she covered it up. Terese confirms she did because she knew Julie would deal with Paul harshly. She also admits to telling Paul that Julie was questioning whether the sabotage to the air con resulted in damage to the boiler, so Toadie puts it to Terese that this is why a remorseful Paul went to visit the boiler room on the day of the explosion. "Maybe?" is her response but adds that "there were so many other things."

Toadie then gets her to admit she is a member of AA before asking if she's been drinking today. Hesitantly, and after being reminded she's under oath, Terese replies that she's been drinking.

(Later)

Next up to the witness box is Cecilia Saint and the prosecutor wants to know what Paul asked her to do and she replies to make sure the COTY awards were a disaster. She then adds that she couldn't go through with it but found out from Paul later that he did it himself and that he caused the explosion. On hearing this, Paul jumps out of his seat in the dock to accuse Cecilia of lying but all that does is cause him to earn the wrath of Judge Barton.

Toadie begins his cross-examination by commenting that the deal Cecilia has with the prosecution which means she can say anything she wants on the stand without fear of retribution and therefore the court shouldn't pay attention to anything she says. "Was that a question Mr Rebecchi?!" the prosecutor demands to know, so he rephrases what he surmised into an actual question and is met with absolute silence from the stand.

(Later)

Its Paul's turn to give evidence and he responds to Toadie's question that he didn't tamper with the boiler/cause the explosion, adding in to his reply that he's been framed.

At that point, Toadie sits down and the prosecutor begins her cross-examination. She wants clarification that he went to the boiler room (yes to check if there was further damage after sabotaging the air con), that he paid Cecilia to derail the COTY event (yes, derail) and asks after all that he wants them to believe he didn't sabotage the boiler.

PAUL: I don't care what you expect, I'm innocent.

The prosecutor asks if he deleted the CCTV from Terese's computer (yes), did he lie to the police about that (yes) and finally if he's lying now? "No, I'm being honest about everything unlike Cecilia," he responds to the question.

PAUL: I'm also being honest when I say that I love Terese and that I would never, ever do anything to hurt her, or anyone she loves. See what I love about her is her integrity. She's here today seeking justice for Josh and Doug but putting a liar like Cecilia on the stand, that's an insult to the memory of those two men.

Judge Barton asks if the prosecutor has any more questions (no) and then Toadie (also a no) so announces a break before counsel give their closing remarks.

Supreme Court - outside
Terese rushes after Cecilia to get her to stay at the court and take back what she said in her evidence. "Are you insane, I'll be done for perjury!" she replies. Terese gets that and tries to explain that she's changed her mind, while she doesn't think Paul is innocent, she doesn't want to compromise the trial and instead wants the decision to be made by the judge/jury, it's what Doug/Josh would have wanted. Cecilia refuses to change her testimony, fearful of a custodial sentence but warns Terese that if she goes down, she'll drag Terese with her too.

CECILIA: You need to decide what's more important, justice for your boy or keeping yourself out of jail.

Promo
- The judge asking Terese if she's something to say?
- Terese saying that Cecilia's evidence wasn't entirely true.
- Terese now fearful that Paul will walk free.
- Brad pointing out that Paul killed Doug/Josh.
- Terese being arrested.
- The verdict is in!