Beryl insists that she doesn't want a fight. Heather, though, snaps, "Well, you've got one." Beryl retorts, "Please, don't make me go to the authorities." Heather points out sharply, "We adopted him - legally. That makes him ours. I'm not going to let you walk away with him." Tim suddenly walks into the room and Heather demands, "What are you doing here?" Tim murmurs that he thought it would be a good idea if he hung around for a while. Heather, though, snaps at him that he shouldn't be taking time off work. She picks up her bag and Beryl asks her suspiciously where she's going. Heather snaps, "To see Mike, of course." Beryl suggests to her that she leave Robert with her, but Heather growls, "He's our baby and I'm taking him with me. And when I get back, I don't want to see you here." With that, she storms out. Beryl goes to follow her, but Tim steps in her way and pleads, "Please - let her go; at least for the moment." He adds, "Remember what you were like?" Beryl nods, "Yes - but I knew Robert was my son." Tim points out, "As far as Heather's concerned, he's hers." Beryl looks worried.

At Woombai, Barbara and Mary are clearing the living room table while Gordon sits on the couch, reading the newspaper. Barbara suggests to Mary that they could go into town and buy those new clothes today. Mary looks pleased, but Gordon chips in that he doesn't know if that's such a good idea with the murderer running loose and knowing Mary's in the area. Barbara points out that they'd have to be very unlucky, but Gordon just asks her if she can't go by herself; no one will know who the clothes are for. Barbara sighs that she supposes she could, and she asks Mary what she needs. Mary, though, says she's not really sure. Barbara suggests to her that she go and find a piece of paper and make a list, but Mary tells her that she doesn't know what she could think of. Gordon assures her that Barbara's taste usually passes muster; he's sure she'll find something she likes. Mary thanks him and then dashes off, saying she's got to get something from her bedroom. When she's gone, Gordon comments to Barbara that she's not being very fair on the girl. Barbara retorts that she all she asked her to do was make a list. Gordon, though, tells her, "There are ways and there are ways, Barbara. I'll see how she is." He heads out of the room, leaving Barbara to sigh heavily.

Mary is sitting on the bed in her room, a glum expression on her face, when Gordon comes in and comments that it's a nice day outside; she should go for a walk later. He then adds that he's sure Barbara will get her some nice clothes. He goes on that he knows Barbara doesn't seem too friendly, but she's a bit on-edge at the moment: they've had some upsetting news about their sister-in-law. Mary murmurs, "She's not happy about me being here. I'm making her nervous; I can see that. Maybe I should go?" Gordon, though, tells her that she most certainly will not. He adds that the police told him that they've put a story in the Brolga Times stating quite clearly that she didn't see the murderer, so she's quite safe - and besides, they've got to put her to work around the place! Mary suddenly asks, "Why are you so nice to me?" Gordon replies, "Because I think that you deserve a break - and you're a charming young lady." Mary smiles at him.

Leigh and Tim are sitting in the lounge room at the O'Brien house when Beryl joins them and asks Tim where Heather keeps the tea. Tim goes to get it. Alone with Leigh, Beryl says she doesn't know what she's going to do if Heather doesn't see sense; she might have to go to the police. Leigh asks if there isn't another way... She adds that she knows she said she'd tell the whole story, but... it's Shane: she couldn't possibly leave him. Beryl mutters sourly, "Sudden change of heart, is it?" Leigh stands up as Tim comes back in, and says, "He's my son. Surely you can understand that?" Beryl, though, retorts, "It's a bit late in the piece, Leigh." Leigh turns to Tim, but he growls, "Don't look at me. You brought it on yourself." Leigh cries, "I can't go to jail. You can't let them do that to Shane." Tim points out, "I can remember when you couldn't have cared less about Shane." Leigh cries that that's been different for a long time, but Tim tells her, "I've got a long memory, Leigh." Beryl adds, "So have I." Leigh warns her brother, "Don't forget one thing, Tim: if I go, you go, too. You helped me put the birthmark on to fool her, and with your record you can bet your life they're not going to give you a pat on the head." Tim stares at her and then storms off. Beryl immediately growls, "I see. Even turning on your brother now. You really let your true colours come through, don't you?"

A few minutes later, Tim is walking outside, and Leigh is chasing after him, crying that she wants to talk to him. Tim turns to her and snaps that he said he has a long memory, and he meant it: she's forgotten that he took the blame to save her and now she drags up his record; his record for something that she did. He adds, "Wait 'til I tell them about that." Leigh murmurs that she's sorry, but everyone's out to get her, including him. Tim insists, "I'm not out to get you - but why shouldn't you pay for what you've done to Beryl and the others?" Leigh cries, "I've got no one on my side. David's not here. I could lose Shane. I don't know what I'd do if you turned against me. I need you, Tim." Tim stares at her.

A few moments later, Leigh and Tim head inside. Beryl is sitting on the couch and Leigh says she'd better go and check on Shane. She goes. Left alone with Beryl, Tim asks, "What are you going to do about her?" Beryl asks him, "Have her threats been getting to you?" Tim, though, explains that he's just worried about her; she really is scared about what's going to happen to Shane. Beryl mutters that she's angling for sympathy; Shane was quite alright with his grandparents before. Tim points out, "You're the one who's been going on about how a kid should be with his real parents. If it's alright for you and Robert, why not for Leigh and Shane? Whatever you think, David's her father, and you've got to at least think about that before you dob her in." Beryl pauses and then sighs, "If that's what has to happen to get Robert back, I'm sorry: she's going to have to face it."

Alison is sitting at the kitchen table at the country house as Charlie trims a bonsai tree in front of her. Alison muses that she knew Leigh was pretty tough, but she didn't think she had it in her to kidnap Beryl's baby. Looking surprised, Charlie asks, "How do you know how tough Leigh is?" Alison quickly explains, "Patricia mentioned it." Charlie comments that Patricia seems to have told her an awful lot - although she's not surprised: she was behind everything Leigh did. Alison suggests, "Not kidnapping Beryl's baby, though, surely?" Charlie admits, "No, but she did encourage Leigh to chase after money. The reason she did it was so she could sell Beryl her own baby." A look of surprise crosses Alison's face and she exclaims, "Really?!" Charlie goes on, "Nothing would surprise me when it came to Leigh - although Patricia was a good teacher..." A thoughtful look suddenly crosses Alison's face. Charlie goes on, "Anyway, darling, fill me in: what are you doing to clear Patricia's name?" Standing up, Alison replies that she spent a bit of yesterday looking over the hospital, trying to figure a way to get to the files. Charlie asks why, and Alison explains that if she could find out who was in the ward with Jeff O'Brien, she might have a lead. She adds that she even thought about pretending to be a nurse or something! Charlie comments that that's a bit risky - and she doesn't see what good it would do: how could she ever prove Jeff did it? Alison insists that she has to start somewhere - and maybe talked in his sleep or something! Charlie muses that she's taking it all rather seriously, but Alison retorts that she wants to see justice done, that's all. Charlie murmurs, "Of course." Suddenly changing the subject, she then smiles, "Oh, I meant to ask you: how's Isabella?" Alison stares at her and asks, "Who?" Charlie tells her, "Isabella. My dog. Oh, I hope she hasn't torn the house to shreds." Alison says she doesn't remember seeing a dog anywhere, and Charlie immediately exclaims in indignation that she might have known: she bets Wayne hasn't even got her out of the kennels. Alison just says she's not sure. She then goes on that she might go back to the hospital, and she asks if she can borrow Charlie's car again. Charlie points out the keys on the table, Alison picks them up and goes. Meanwhile, Charlie heads to the 'phone and dials a number. The 'phone at the other end rings, STD pips sound and Wayne then answers. Charlie says brightly, "Wayne, darling, it's Charlie. I was wondering how Isabella is." At Charlie's, Wayne hesitates momentarily before lying, "She's fine." Charlie smiles, "Little pet. Bring her to the 'phone." Wayne asks nervously, "Pardon?" Charlie repeats, "Put her on the telephone. I want to speak to her." Wayne murmurs, "Er... well..." Charlie asks suspiciously, "Is something wrong, Wayne?" Wayne sighs that he guesses he'll have to come clean. Charlie growls, "She's still in the kennel, isn't she?" and Wayne admits, "Yeah." Charlie admonishes, "Wayne, I am disgusted. The reason I let you stay in the house is so you could look after my little darling." Wayne insists that he just hasn't had time, but Charlie snaps that excuses won't do. She adds that it's just lucky she heard she wasn't home. Looking surprised, Wayne asks, "How did you find out?" Charlie, though, ignores this and snaps, "Now you just listen: I want you to send her down to me immediately. She must be fretting like crazy by now." Wayne assures her that he'll do it straight away. Charlie snaps, "Make sure you do - and just consider yourself lucky I'm not throwing you out." With that, she hangs up."

Leigh and Tim are sitting with Beryl in the lounge room at the O'Briens'. Tim tells Beryl that it's not as if it only affects a few people. Beryl, though, insists that she's made up her mind. Leigh snaps, "And to hell with anyone else?" Beryl, though, retorts, "Not with anyone, Leigh. Just you." Looking angry and upset, Leigh gets up and storms out. When she's gone, Tim asks Beryl, "What about Mike? Have you considered him? Heather's really worried, you know? If you saw what he was like with Rob... I'm not saying what's right or wrong, but they need him: they lost their only son, and... it would just be a rotten thing to do to them, that's all." Beryl glares at him and asks, "Don't you think I know what it's like to be hurt?" Tim tells her, "What I'm saying is that things are bad enough." Beryl, suddenly standing up, says she has to go out. Tim asks where, but Beryl tells him, "Don't worry. What you've been saying has started me thinking." Tim still looks worried, though.

Heather is outside, pushing 'Jamie' in his pushchair up the path towards the house, when Beryl suddenly emerges through the front door. The two women stare at each other and Heather says quietly, "Hello. I see you haven't gone." Beryl explains that she didn't want to leave when things were so bad between them. She adds that they should try and sort something out, and Heather murmurs that she agrees. She goes on that she's had a good think and she realises that, if it came to it, there'd be no question that Beryl would get Jamie back - and she'd like to discuss it with her. Beryl assures her gently, "So would I." She smiles weakly and looks down at her son. She then adds, "I shouldn't be too long." She goes to walk off, but Heather calls after her to ask her where she's going; not to see a solicitor? Beryl just says they'll talk about it when she gets back.

Wayne opens the front door at Charlie's, holding Isabella under his right arm. Caroline is standing there and she laughs, "Oh my, it suits you!" She then walks in and the two of them head into the lounge room. Wayne explains that he has to send Isabella down to Charlie or she'll be up there after blood; someone told her he hadn't brought the dog home. Caroline asks who, and Wayne replies that it was the lady from the kennel, probably. Looking thoughtful, Caroline points out that she wouldn't ring Charlie in Melbourne, but Wayne asks who else knows. Caroline suggests sharply, "Alison?" Wayne murmurs that it could have been her, but Caroline insists, "It had to be her." Looking puzzled, Wayne asks how come Charlie is talking to her, and Caroline agrees that that's exactly what she'd like to know. She then takes Isabella from Wayne and tells the animal, "We're going to go on a nice little trip." Wayne stares at her and asks, "Eh?" Caroline explains, "I'm going to take her down with me. I want to know precisely what's going on with Miss. Alison Carr..."

Alison approaches the reception desk at the hospital where Jeff was treated. She suddenly turns away, though, and looks round at a couple of cleaners who have just finished mopping the floor nearby. As they go to walk off, a broad smile crosses her face...

Gordon is sitting at the living room table at the Woombai homestead, some files in front of him. Barbara suddenly comes in, carrying some bags of shopping and Gordon calls to Mary. Mary joins them and Barbara tells her to see what she thinks. Gordon smiles that they'll have to have a fashion parade! Mary, taking clothes out of the bags and looking surprised at the number of outfits, asks Barbara how many she got. Barbara replies that there are four. Mary insists that one or two would have been enough. With that, she takes them to go and try them on. When she's gone, Gordon thanks Barbara, adding that it wasn't too much of a trial, was it? Barbara mutters, "No, I suppose not." The 'phone suddenly starts ringing, and as he goes to get it, Gordon adds, "She is grateful."

Charlie waltzes into the kitchen at the country house to find Alison standing there with several bags sitting on the table in front of her. She exclaims that Alison's been on a shopping spree; she should have told her and she'd have come too! Alison, though, assures her that she wouldn't have been in the least bit interested, and she takes a drab-looking outfit out of one of the bags. Charlie stares at it distastefully and murmurs, "Oh, are you going all trendy like those funny people who hang around health food shops?!" Alison, though, laughs that she's using them to get into the hospital - as a cleaner; she picked up the clothes at the Op Shop. Charlie smiles, "What fun: it's like one of those old detective films - going in undercover!" Alison, though, assures her that there's a lot more at stake here. Charlie tells Alison that she wouldn't catch her dressing up in that stuff, even if it was for a good cause!

At Woombai, Gordon hangs up the 'phone and tells Barbara that the Brolga police have found the rifle. Barbara asks where, and Gordon replies that it was in the bush, a couple of miles away from the house; it looks as though it was thrown there. He adds, "It belonged to the grandfather." Barbara asks what that's got to do with Mary. Gordon explains, "The detective said they have to put her back on the suspect list. A couple of them are coming out here later today to talk to her." Barbara asks if they're going to let her stay there, and Gordon replies that he told them he thought she should-- He breaks off as Mary suddenly comes in, wearing one of her new outfits - a purple dress - and cries to Barbara that it's beautiful; it's one of the nicest frocks she's ever had. Barbara smiles, "I'm glad you like them!" Mary goes on that she'll have to work for months to pay Barbara back. Gordon, though, assures her that there's no need - he and Barbara would like her to take them as a gift. Mary tells Barbara that one's a bit long, and she asks her to help her with it. Barbara goes to walk off with her, saying, "Yes, of course. I'd be pleased to..." She glances at Gordon, though, warily.

A short time later, Mary is standing in her room, wearing a charcoal-coloured dress as Barbara pins up the hem. Mary is saying animatedly that she still can't believe it: she's never had so many new clothes in her life. She continues that her nan used to make hers; she hardly ever had anything from the shop. Barbara comments that she must have been tempted a few times, but Mary explains that she didn't go into town much. Barbara then suggests to her that she must miss her friends, but Mary explains that she doesn't really have any; her nan used to like her to stay home with her, so she did. Barbara asks, "What about school?" Mary replies quickly, "Nan used to teach me things. She was real good to me, you know? Gave me everything." Barbara asks, "What about your grandfather? You never mention him much." Mary, though retorts sourly, "I don't want to. He was bad." Barbara stares at her and asks her what she means. Mary growls, "He did bad things to nan and me. I hated him. I'm glad he's dead." Barbara stares at her in shock.

A while later, back in the lounge room with Gordon, Barbara growls, "You didn't see the look on her face. She hated her grandfather and I think she should be a suspect." Gordon suggests that, if Mary loved her grandmother, why on earth would she want to kill her, too? Barbara retorts, "Perhaps she shot the grandfather and the old lady walked in and she panicked. I don't know." Gordon snaps, "Exactly. You don't know. You're just looking for reasons to dislike the girl." Barbara retorts that she is suspicious - and having seen her just now, she thinks she has the right to be. There's suddenly a knock on the front door. Gordon comments that it'll be the police, and he pleads with Barbara to please leave it to them. Barbara, though, retorts that she thinks she should tell them what Mary said and the way she looked; if she's innocent, it won't do her any harm. With that, she goes to open the door.

Heather is sitting on the couch at the O'Briens', cuddling Jamie and smiling at him, happily. The front door suddenly clicks shut and Beryl comes in. Heather comments to her warily that she seems to have been gone for ages. Beryl tells her quietly, "I went to see Mike." Heather asks, "Did you tell him about Jamie?" Beryl, though, says, "No." She goes on, "We talked a lot. It's obvious he's... it's obvious he loves the baby; thought of him helps him fight." Heather asks, "Are you going to tell him?" Beryl, though, shakes her head and replies, "I honestly don't know, Heather. I just knew you had some rights: you've looked after him all these months and learned to love him like your own..." Heather asks, "Did you think we wouldn't?" Beryl insists, "Heather, I never wanted it to get nasty. I just wanted my baby back. You must understand that. We were such good friends; we can't let it ruin that." Heather murmurs, "No, we can't." She then sighs, "It would probably be best if you and Robert left now. I don't think Mike could bear it if he came home and had to face losing him." Beryl, though, says softly, "I think we should talk a bit more before we come to any final decision." Heather stares at her in surprise.

In the kitchen at the country house, Charlie is helping Alison put the final touches to her cleaner's outfit and she laughs, "Oh, what fun! You're like that character in the movie - you know: Modesty Blaise!" Alison laughs that she thinks Charlie's getting quite a kick out of this! There's suddenly a knock at the back door and a look of concern crosses Alison's face. Charlie muses that she's not expecting anyone, and she goes to answer it. She finds Caroline standing there, holding Isabella, and she takes the dog happily, saying, "Come to mummy!" Alison stares at Caroline nervously. Caroline stares back at her. Charlie thanks Caroline for bringing Isabella down, adding that she shouldn't have gone to all that trouble. Caroline, though, insists that it was fine - she felt like a small trip. She then turns to Alison and says curtly, "Hello, Alison. Stockbroker to charlady. Woman of a thousand faces, aren't we?" Turning to Charlie, she explains tautly, "One of the reasons I came down was to ask you why you kept in cahoots with a fake." Alison and Charlie both stare at her.

At Woombai, Mary is saying, "Yeah, I know my grandfather had a gun." A detective who's sitting opposite her at the living room table asks her why she didn't mention if before, then. Mary replies that she forgot. The detective suggests that it's a pretty important thing to forget, but Mary insists that she just didn't think about it. There's silence, which Mary breaks by saying, "You think I did it, don't you? I would never do a thing like that. I loved my nan." The detective goes on that she said there was some printing on the boots the man was wearing - like a brand name - but she said she couldn't read the word. Mary nods that that's right. The detective continues that that strikes him as a bit odd: they checked the room and it's very small; even if the printing wasn't very large, it wouldn't be difficult to read something at that distance. Mary cries, "I could see the word, but I was so scared, I didn't really read it..." The detective looks at his colleague - who's standing next to Gordon, nearby - before telling Mary that they have to check every detail. Barbara comes in as Gordon says to Mary, "It wasn't hard, was it?" The detective, standing up, tells Mary that they'll probably have some more questions later on. Barbara suddenly says to him, "Before you go, there's something you don't know." Gordon tells Mary sharply to leave them, but the detective retorts that, if it concerns her, he thinks she should say. Barbara tells him, "Earlier on today, Mary told me that she hated her grandfather - and in fact, she was rather pleased that he was dead." The detective turns back to Mary and asks, "Is that true, Miss. Reynolds? Did you hate him enough to kill him?"

At the O'Briens', Beryl says softly to Heather, "I really don't know why I went to see Mike. I just... well, I thought speaking to him might help me make up my mind. We started talking about Jim... it brought back to me how it felt when he... I'd have done anything to make it easier for him." Heather - holding Robert - cries, "It's all I want to do for Mike. Sometimes, I wonder if we couldn't all put on a front for him - at least make him think that everything's OK. It would make him so happy. He deserves that, doesn't he?" Beryl nods sympathetically, "Yes, he does." She then stands up and says, "Heather, I've decided I'd like to leave Robert with you until..." She breaks off and pauses before continuing, "I know how much it would mean to Mike. I'll take Shane and Leigh back with me and you two can at least pretend to lead a normal life." Heather stares at her in surprise and murmurs, "Thankyou." Beryl looks down sadly at the son she's about to give away...