Previously
- Kane and Nicolette get acquainted at the community centre while working for the Foundation
- Aaron advises Nicolette to keep her distance from Kane
- Hendrix admits to Nicolette that he gambled Chloe's house away, but begs her to keep quiet
- Nicolette tells Hendrix that he has 24 hours to fess up; she can't keep lying
- Nicolette spills Hendrix's secret when he fails to tell the truth; Harlow's shocked
- Nic is then forced to go and tell a disappointed David that she's made another mistake
- When Kane learns the police are involved he gets physical with Hendrix, telling him he'll pay
- Harlow tells Hendrix he's deluded if he thinks she'll stand by him on this
- While on a walk, Harlow's pulled into the back of a passing van! Her phone's left in the road
Erinsborough Police Station
Yashvi tells Hendrix and Bea that a full investigation into his involvement with Kane is now underway. She tells Hendrix not to leave the area.
BEA: Is Hendrix being charged?
YASHVI: Not yet.
HENDRIX: But next time you call me in, I should bring a lawyer?
YASHVI: Probably a good idea.
Bea says it must count for something that he came forward, but Yashvi can't say anymore, other than that they're trying to track Kane down now. Hendrix is desperately worried about what Kane might do if he finds out Hendrix has spoken to the police. Bea asks if he should have some kind of police protection. Yashvi just says to call them if Kane gets in touch.
Hendrix checks his phone.
HENDRIX: I was half-expecting a message from Dad.
BEA: Well, maybe Chloe hasn't told him yet.
Hendrix makes a call - not to Pierce, but to Harlow.
A road somewhere
Harlow's phone is still lying in the middle of the road, now ringing as Hendrix tries to call.
No 32
Nicolette comes into the living area to find Aaron and David acting very chilly towards her, after the revelation she knew about Kane and Hendrix's gambling.
NICOLETTE: I'm sure there's a lot you both want to say to me? Whatever it is, lay it on me; I deserve it.
Aaron and David ignore her, so she tries to explain.
NICOLETTE: I handled the situation completely wrong, and I should've come to you guys.
At this point, Toadie comes in. Aaron asks how Shane's doing with his gunshot wound. Toadie confirms he's better, but coldly tells Nicolette that she's no longer welcome at the Sonya Foundation.
NICOLETTE: I'm really sorry that Shane got -
TOADIE: Save it. See you guys later.
Toadie walks out. Upset, Nicolette decides she's going for a walk.
Lassiter's
Paul comes into the office, leaving a message on Harlow's voicemail asking her to call him back. He's a little worried, and asks Terese if Harlow gave her any idea of what time she'd be back. Terese is none the wiser. Paul fumes that Harlow needs to come to her senses over 'that reprobate' Hendrix.
PAUL: After everything he has done to her, surely this is the end of them now. And before you say anything about me staying out of their business, you have to agree, really, that what he's done this time is too much.
TERESE: Yeah, I do (...) I'm furious with Hendrix. I mean, in the past, his recklessness has, at best, stressed Harlow out and at worst, put her in danger. And now Shane's in hospital with a gunshot wound. Yes, he's gone too far (...)
PAUL: Okay, so what are we gonna do about it, then?
TERESE: We're not gonna do anything.
PAUL: Hang on, you just said -
TERESE: No, no, no. We're not gonna interfere. We are just gonna be here for Harlow. And whatever she decides, we'll support that.
Paul reluctantly agrees.
The Waterhole
Bea and Ned are having a coffee together, when Hendrix comes in. He reports that Chloe is on the phone to Pierce now, telling him everything. Ned points out that Hendrix owes Shane an apology for landing him in hospital.
HENDRIX: I am the last person that he would want to see right now. I didn't know [Kane] ran a fight ring, or any of that stuff. I knew that he was dodgy - not violent.
NED: Alright, well, for what it's worth - when I first met Kane, he said all the right things, too. On face value, he seemed like an okay bloke.
Bea says it creeps her out that Kane had the nerve to hold the illegal blackjack games on Ramsay Street, where any of them could've seen him. Yashvi comes in, and tells Hendrix that Kane isn't at home or answering his phone, and that he missed his check-in with the parole officer today.
She asks Hendrix he knows any of Kane's associates from the gambling ring who he might be holed up with. Hendrix claims he has no idea.
HENDRIX: But he's hiding out for a reason. He said he'd make me pay. What if this is what he's waiting for?
Boatshed
Harlow wakes up. She's lying on the floor of a boatshed on the river. She can see a bottle of water and a bag of crisps that have been left for her. Terrified, she finds that her arms have been chained together, and also her feet. Sobbing, she hauls herself upwards so she can see out of the window, and begins banging on it, crying for help...
Lassiter's
Terese is telling Paul about their conference call with Lucy tonight, about the new uniforms; Terese wants to talk about their impact on the budget. But Paul's distractedly fiddling with his phone.
TERESE: And perhaps commission a Baccarat crystal chandelier for the foyer. Say about 100 grand or so?
PAUL: Yep, yep - that sounds good.
TERESE: Paul, you haven't heard a word I've said!
He admits he's worried about where Harlow has got to, given she's ignoring his messages which is unusual for her.
TERESE: Maybe she doesn't want us to know where she is.
PAUL: Because she's with Hendrix.
TERESE: Well, she might be trying to sort things out.
PAUL: I really hope she isn't.
Terese agrees, but says Harlow will reach out when she's ready.
Harold's Café
Yashvi and Ned come in; we learn that Harlow's phone has been found and handed in to the police. Ned promises to let her know when she gets home. Yashvi spots Toadie and goes to ask him how Shane was when he visited him in hospital this morning. Toadie says he wasn't bad.
TOADIE: I think Jay's giving him more grief than his leg.
YASHVI: Yeah, well he's not getting off lightly. I grilled him before about Kane, but he didn't give me any more information than Hendrix did.
NED: I think Hendrix has every right to be worried about Kane. He should never have been paroled after the fight club. This gambling and threats is a whole new level.
Toadie asks Yashvi where the gun came from; she explains Hendrix stole it from 'some woman' at the blackjack game, but that they haven't been able to locate her.
YASHVI: Kane, on the other hand - I am not gonna stop until we track him down.
The Waterhole
Bea is with Hendrix at a table, and on the phone to Karl. Once she's finished the call, she tells Hendrix that Karl and Susan's flight home has been cancelled, but that they want him to call them.
HENDRIX: I'm not calling them.
BEA: You can't put it off.
Hendrix then gets a call from Pierce, which he ignores. Bea tells him he can't keep avoiding him, or the Kennedys - they're all worried about him, and Pierce will want to help him. Hendrix scoffs at this idea, still evidently bitter towards his dad.
HENDRIX: I've got to do this on my own.
BEA: Okay. We both know it's well past that stage. There's nothing wrong with asking your family for help.
HENDRIX: Bea, I've completely stuffed up everything. I thought I could handle it. I wanted to show Dad and the Kennedys that I could deal with living on my own. But it just got more and more out of control. And every time I tried to fix things, it got worse. Now I'll probably get kicked out of home, Harlow's gonna dump me, and I'll end up with a criminal record. I have nothing.
Paul and Terese come in and march towards Hendrix.
HENDRIX: Oh, great (!)
They ask him if he's heard from Harlow; he explains he's been trying to call her, but her phone is going to voicemail.
PAUL: Oh, really? (!) And you're surprised with that, are you?
TERESE: Paul! (to Hendrix) You listen to me. I have been in your corner throughout your whole relationship with Harlow, but enough is enough. You have disappointed her one too many times. I just hope she realises that this is the final time.
HENDRIX: Terese, look... if Harlow would just listen to my messages and talk to me, I could explain, alright? But she's not giving me a chance.
Ned has come in and overheard this. He tells everyone that the reason Harlow's not answering her phone is that it was handed in at the police station.
HENDRIX: So she's out there without a phone? And no-one knows where she is?
No 30
Nicolette comes in to try again to talk to David and Aaron, keen to 'have it out'. But they're still frosty towards her, and don't respond.
NICOLETTE: As angry as you guys are with me, it's nothing compared to how I feel. The situation with Ricardo got way out of hand, and it threw me for six.
DAVID: But you still kept it from us.
NICOLETTE: Please, I need you to try and see this from my point of view. The first time I go to meet Ricardo, I honestly just wanted to do the right thing, and repay him. It was gonna be hard, but it was doable. And then... he offered me an easy way out, which was... disgusting.
AARON: Look, Nic, we both agree that what he offered was completely off.
NICOLETTE: Almost as bad as stealing money from a dead man? ... The first time I genuinely try to do the right thing, and I'm up against someone worse than me.
DAVID: What we don't understand is why you didn't tell us? I know I hadn't exactly been supportive, but I thought we'd moved past that.
AARON: Nic, you know when we found out about the money, all David could think was, like, what else you were hiding.
DAVID: Or what you were prepared to hide.
AARON: And I stood here and I defended you. You really should've said something.
NICOLETTE: I should've. And chalk that up to another problem I've created. I was embarrassed. I didn't want to lay this on you, when we'd just come back from the money thing, and... I thought I could just sort it out myself. I'm sorry.
David and Aaron exchange a worried glance.
No 22
Hendrix, Bea and Yashvi rush in through the back door, looking for Harlow - but Paul and Terese have already searched the house and come downstairs to join them. Hendrix is now panicking, wondering if Kane might've done something to her. Yashvi gets a phone call from Levi, and then reports what he's said to the others.
YASHVI: Levi checked the CCTV footage of where Harlow's phone was found (...) A van pulled up and dragged Harlow inside.
TERESE: What? She's been kidnapped?!
HENDRIX: Was it Kane?
YASHVI: I dunno. But I'm going to the station now to find out, okay?
Hendrix starts despairing, and Paul compounds his woes by saying...
PAUL: This is your fault. If anything happens to Harlow, it's on you.
No 32
Nicolette comes in from a swim in the yard, and tells David and Aaron she was thinking of cooking dinner tonight. They seem to be starting to thaw a little, so she tells them she wants to book obstetrician appointments with them, at a time when they're free. They both agree, but without much enthusiasm.
At this point, an upset Paul storms in, shouting Nicolette's name.
PAUL (to Nicolette): Harlow's been kidnapped (...) because of Hendrix and that lowlife that he brought into the street. Something that you knew about, and you didn't do anything!
Paul slams the kitchen counter, and the boys try to get him to calm down.
PAUL (yelling): Don't tell me to calm down, alright?! My granddaughter has just been abducted!
AARON: We are just as worried, but losing it is not gonna help find her.
Nicolette doesn't have any information that could help, but remembers she has Kane's phone number from when he messaged her about the gambling at No 24, and says she'll text it to Yashvi, in the hope the police can trace it.
NICOLETTE: Poor girl. She must be terrified.
PAUL (furious): If you had come clean the second you got that message, Harlow would be safe now - so you can just save your pity! (... to David and Aaron) This is an example of why I said you cannot trust this woman! Now, you both need to think long and hard about what you're gonna do with this arrangement. Because next time, it won't just be your niece that's in danger. Oh, no, no - it'll be your own child.
Boatshed
Harlow is wriggling on the floor trying to free herself from her shackles, but to no avail.
No 28
Hendrix is staring at his phone, anxiously waiting for news of Harlow.
Boatshed
Harlow is crying and screaming, 'Let me out!'
No 28
Hendrix frantically paces around the house.
Boatshed
Harlow sits quietly, makes another escape attempt, then gives up and sobs in despair.
No 28
Hendrix angsting.
Boatshed
Harlow crying, and trying to free her wrists.
No 28
Hendrix sitting on the carpet, sobbing.
Boatshed
Harlow screaming, 'Help!' at the top of her lungs.
A car park
Yashvi and Constable Andrew Rodwell (Levi's not in it today) have traced the location of Kane's burner phone. They spot Kane coming out of a building, and the moment he sees them, he starts to run. Yashvi and Rodwell give chase, and Yashvi knocks the fleeing Kane to the floor. Despite his protestations, she handcuffs him.
YASHVI: Kane Jones, you are under arrest for running an illegal gambling ring, and threatening a person's life.
No 32
Aaron, David, Paul and Terese are sitting around waiting for news on Harlow. Paul is just about to go and pester the police at the station, when he seemingly gets a call from Yashvi, saying they've tracked down and arrested Kane. Both Paul and Terese head off to the station to wait for further news there.
DAVID: This is crazy. Harlow shouldn't be caught up in this.
AARON: She has nothing to do with any of this. You know, for once, I think I actually agree with your dad. I'm sure Nic might not be directly to blame for this, but if she had've just said something from the beginning -
DAVID: She never does, though. And then things get out of control. She keeps making these stupid decisions, even when she knows she is.
At this point Nicolette appears unseen at the back door, and begins to overhear the conversation.
AARON: So where does this leave us? With the baby?
DAVID: All I wanted was an open and honest relationship. Somewhere secure for us to raise our child. I don't think we're gonna get there with Nicolette.
AARON: Yeah. Me either.
At the door, Nicolette looks deeply upset.
Erinsborough Police Station
Yashvi and Rodwell are interviewing Kane. Yashvi tells Kane that what he's been up to lately 'makes the fight ring look like a playground'.
KANE: Yeah, well, we've both come a long way since the last time we met.
They explain the charges he faces, including the running of the gambling ring for which they have numerous witness statements, and threatening Hendrix, including by mailing him a bullet.
YASHVI: You're looking at some serious time. But what can make a difference is if you tell us where Harlow Robinson is.
KANE: Who?
YASHVI: Don't play dumb. Hendrix's girlfriend.
RODWELL: She was kidnapped this morning, by someone driving a white van.
KANE: I've got no idea what you're talking about.
YASHVI: Kane, did you arrange for Harlow's kidnapping as retribution against Hendrix?
KANE: No!
YASHVI: The longer that you deny it, the worse it'll be for you.
KANE: Look, I'll cop to the whole bullet thing, but that was to scare the kid into giving me the money he owed me. I didn't take any girl.
YASHVI: I find that hard to believe.
KANE: I didn't do it.
YASHVI: I think you did. And if you don't tell us where she is, when we do find Harlow, you can forget about getting off lightly.
Kane looks worried.
The Waterhole
As Paul and Terese sit chatting in the background, Bea finds Hendrix at another table, looking anxiously at his phone. He explains he had to get out of the house; he was going crazy from thinking about Harlow.
Boatshed
Harlow is lying on the floor, apparently asleep.
The Waterhole
Yashvi comes in, and Bea, Hendrix, Paul and Terese all rush over for an update.
YASHVI: Kane has nothing to do with Harlow's kidnapping.
HENDRIX: He's lying.
YASHVI: He has an alibi, and CCTV footage to back it up.
Boatshed
Harlow is still in the floor, when a door that was open behind her slams closed.
HARLOW: Wait!
She shuffles along the floor.
The Waterhole
Yashvi is still updating the residents on Harlow.
PAUL: You're saying you still have no idea where she is?
Yashvi shakes her head.
Boatshed
Harlow struggling to retrieve a blanket from the floor.
The Waterhole
Paul points out that, just because Kane has an alibi, it doesn't mean he didn't commission the kidnapping. Hendrix agrees.
YASHVI: He admitted to threatening you, but he doesn't know where Harlow is.
HENDRIX: Well, he's making it up, okay?
YASHVI: I pushed him, Hendrix. I checked the phone he had on him, and there's nothing on it that suggests he's involved in Harlow's disappearance.
PAUL: Well, if Kane's not responsible, who is?
Boatshed
Harlow is now huddled in the blanket, looking despairing. We zoom out from the exterior of the boatshed and along the river, accompanied by a dramatic underscore.
Coming up on Neighbours
- Dipi tells Amy to leave her family alone
- Mackenzie tells Shane and Dipi that Jay has something he wants to tell them
- We hear Paul saying that with luck, Harlow and Hendrix's relationship is on its last legs
- Harlow comes to see Hendrix in the No 28 garden
- An emotional Hendrix begging Harlow for forgiveness