At Charlie's, Leigh is sitting watching television when there's a sudden frantic knocking at the front door. Leigh, looking scared, quickly turns the TV off. Outside, Wayne yells through clenched teeth, "Leigh, open up. It's alright, it's me, Wayne. Come on..." Leigh dashes to the door and opens it. Wayne storms in past her and demands, "Alison in?" Leigh retorts, "She's in town getting my watch fixed." Wayne snarls, "Bull." Leigh insists, "It hasn't worked since it got water in it." She then asks what's wrong. Wayne snarls, "I'll tell you what's wrong: until yesterday, James was all set to give dad a share in Woombai. Then him and Alison take off for a day in the country. He turns up this morning and the deal's off. Sound fishy to you?" Leigh shrugs as Wayne goes on furiously, "It does to me. Somehow, Alison's got James's ear, and I'm not leaving until I find out just what the hell she's up to."

In the lounge room at Dural, Gordon is snapping at James, "It might make some sense if you told us why. I thought we had an agreement." James retorts, "I've changed my mind, OK?" Gordon snaps derisively, "Overnight?" He goes on curtly, "Either I've said something or I've done something--" James, though, interrupts him and retorts, "For God's sake, Gordon, stop reading things into it. A man can change his mind without having to stand trial, can't he?" Gordon snaps, "If he's telling the truth as to why--" James interrupts again and snaps, "I'm telling the truth." Barbara, though, suddenly interjects and growls, "Truth? You wouldn't know the truth if it punched you on the nose. It's obvious, isn't it? It's a set-up: build up Gordon's hopes and knock them all down again." James insists, "No." Barbara, though, snaps, "Well it sounds like it to me. You won't let up, will you? You haven't given him a chance." James suddenly yells, "Shut up. Shut up. I'm taking Woombai back and that's all there is to it. You can whinge and bellyache all you like. That's it." With that, he storms out to the hallway.

Beryl pushes Robert - in his wheelchair - through the gate outside her house and onto the footpath. She then bends down to him and coos, "Looking forward to a walk in the park with mummy?!" She suddenly spots a van pulling up. Rod is the driver and he climbs out and explains that he's just come to whack the dimmers in Robert's room. Beryl thanks him. She adds that he'd better go round the back, though, as Heather is ironing in the kitchen. Rod, looking surprised, asks her if she's not coming in. Beryl, though, replies hesitantly, "No, I, er, promised to take Robert for a walk. I need some time alone with him. With Heather always there, I don't get much of a chance." Rod asks her if she's letting Heather get to her. Beryl, though, sighs, "It's hard not to. She won't let go; she's still acting as if she's the mother." Rod comments that it's easy enough to understand. Beryl retorts, "For you, maybe." Rod asks her if she's being a bit too hard on Heather. Beryl tells him tersely, "The O'Briens adopted Robert - illegally, as it turns out - but I let Heather hold onto him because, at the time, it made her life that much more tolerable. Now I've got him back, I need some time with him; we've got to get to know each other - so how you or anyone else for that matter can say I'm being too hard or whatever, I simply don't understand. Robert is the most important person in my life, and no one is coming between us." With that, she wheels Robert off down the road, leaving Rod looking worried.

Inside, in the kitchen, Heather is ironing one of Robert's tops. It has a cute picture on it. As she finishes pressing it, she clutches it to her cheek, sadly. Rod suddenly comes round the back, calling, "You there, Heather?" He heads inside to find Heather on the verge of tears, and he puts his arm around her and sympathises, "Hey... come here." Heather sobs that she's sorry. Rod, giving her a hug, soothes, "Hey... there's nothing to be sorry about. It's just damned rotten for you, that's all. She'll be right."

Charlie is standing in the kitchen at the country house, wearing her blonde wig and glasses. Adam is with her and she's telling him that Beryl called a while ago: they're arranging a memorial service for Leigh. Adam, though, snaps, "Like hell they are." Charlie cries, "I know it's hard for you to accept she's gone, but if they had a minister say a few words..." Adam retorts, "It's going to take more than some bloke singing a couple of psalms to make me accept that--" He breaks off, wearily. There's suddenly a knock at the back door, and Charlie opens it to find a smiling Tom standing there. She invites him in and takes his jacket. As she does so, he says, "I hope you haven't got one of those four-hour lunches planned." Charlie tells him, "We can take as long as you like. Why?" Tom explains, "I have to fly to Sydney this afternoon. A spot of family strife: my sister's husband's walked out on her." Charlie sympathises, "How dreadful..." Tom, though, replies, "Oh, not really. Des - that's the husband - is a bit of a wastrel; she's better off without him. So are the kids." Charlie comments that it sounds as if it could be a blessing, then. She then adds, "You won't be lonely. I have to fly up myself, so we can be travelling companions." Tom smiles, "A lining in every cloud, eh?!" He then suggests that he'd better go and wash-up, and he heads off to the bathroom. When he's gone, Adam teases Charlie, "'I won't have to fly up by myself? Travelling companion?!'" Charlie insists that it's true: she does have to go up. Adam asks, "Since when?" Charlie replies seriously, "I decided this morning. There are one or two things I want to check up on." Adam asks, "Like what?" Charlie tells him, "Just one or two things..."

Wayne is sitting on the couch at Charlie's. Leigh brings him in a plate of sandwiches. Wayne just asks, "You sure she didn't say when she'd be back?" Leigh insists, "Positive." Wayne stands up and heads out to the front door. He pauses, though, and then says, "When she does show her face, you can tell her I know she's behind it. You can also tell her she's going to be more sorry than she ever thought possible." Leigh cries, "You won't say anything about me to the police, will you? To get Alison?" Wayne, a nasty look on his face, retorts, "I'll get her any way I can." With that, he storms out, leaving Leigh looking worried.

Beryl and Robert arrive back from their walk. Rod is just putting his equipment back in his van, and Beryl comments to him that it didn't take long. Rod explains that it was just a matter of changing over a couple of switches. Beryl then tells him that she was a bit sharp before; she's sorry: she didn't mean to sound off. She invites him to stay for lunch, adding that perhaps they can talk. Rod retorts, "I was hoping we could talk while I was putting the dimmers in. But I'm expected home, anyway: I've got a ton of work on this arvo." Beryl murmurs, "Alright." Rod goes to walk round to the driver's door of his van. He then stops, though, and turns back, going on, "Beryl, look, I've got to say this: I feel really sorry for Heather in there - she's been through a hell of a lot. I mean, losing her husband and having to give the kid back..." Beryl glares at him and retorts, "'Robert'. His name is 'Robert'." Rod sighs, "Alright, alright." He then continues, "I was wondering if now really is the best time--" Beryl interrupts and completes, "Is the best time to hand him back to his mother?" Rod points out that Heather has been through a hell of a lot. Beryl, though, retorts, "He was taken away from me when he was two days old. What do you think I've been through: nothing?" Rod sighs, "Of course not." Beryl goes on, "So when is the best time to ask for my son back? Next week? Next year?" With that, she turns back to the pushchair and pushes Robert towards the gate. Rod stands there, looking annoyed.

Beryl heads inside to find Heather in the lounge room, holding the ironing. She asks how the walk was and Beryl replies that it was fine. She then indicates the clothes that Heather is holding and asks if they're Robert's. Heather explains that she was just going to put them away. Beryl insists that she would have done them. Heather, though, replies that she had the board up; it wasn't any problem. She then quickly adds, "I'm not trying to hold on, Beryl - honestly." Beryl comments, "Rod said you were upset." Heather retorts, "Yes - for a while. But I'm OK now. And if you think it was a play for sympathy, you're wrong." With that, she heads off to the bedroom. The 'phone suddenly starts ringing and Beryl goes to answer it. STD pips sound and Fiona then comes on, saying cheerily, "Hi, it's Fiona! How's the world treating you?" Beryl muses, "I'm not too sure at the moment. How about you?" Fiona admits, "It could be better. Looks like we might have lost our money on Woombai. James has gone back on the deal to take Gordon in as a partner." Looking surprised, Beryl asks, "Why?" Fiona, though, replies, "You tell me! No one here can fathom how that man's mind works." Beryl points out, "Well, we thought we'd lost it when he first turned up. I suppose we're no worse off than we were then." Fiona admit that that's one way of looking at it. Changing the subject, she asks how Robert is. Beryl smiles that he's fine; she's trying to settle him in. Fiona suggests, "You must be so happy to have him back." Beryl agrees, "Yes, I am - although his homecoming hasn't exactly been a bed--" Heather comes back into the room and Beryl looks at her warily as she completes hesitantly, "of roses..." Heather heads into the kitchen, looking upset.

Doris is taking down the washing in the back garden at the Campbell house. Rod and Jess - wearing her school uniform - join her and Rod asks if lunch is going to be wrong. Doris replies that it's all ready to serve. She then asks him if he got his work done at Beryl's, and he mutters, "Yeah, yeah." Jess asks how the baby is. Rod just mutters that it's fine. Looking at the expression on his face, Doris asks, "There's nothing the matter, is there? With Beryl, I mean." Rod muses, "No, no." He then sighs, "I don't know whether it's her or me. Things would be a lot simpler if Heather had stayed in Queensland and left the kid there." With that, he heads off inside to wash up. When he's gone, Jess comments to Doris, "Tonight's looking better and better." She adds, "Don't forget your hairdressers appointment this afternoon." Doris laughs, "There's a challenge..."

James, Gordon, Barbara and Mary are sitting having lunch at Dural. James asks for the salt. Gordon and Barbara ignore him. Mary looks at them and then passes the condiment over. Gordon suddenly says to Barbara, "I may be late home for dinner tonight. I'm going to town. I want to see the solicitor: talk to him about briefing a lawyer." Turning to James, he snaps, "I'm going to contest that will. I am not giving up Woombai and everything I've worked for for all these years for nothing." James warns him curtly, "You won't have a leg to stand on." Gordon, though, retorts, "Chances are we'll find a loophole." With that, he stands up and walks out. Wayne passes him, coming in the other direction, and joins the others at the table. Barbara growls, "Where have you been? You should have been here for your father." Wayne mutters that he's sorry: there was something he wanted to sort out. Mary goes to get his lunch from the oven. Barbara stands up as well and growls, "If you'll excuse me, I seem to have lost my appetite. I suspect it's got something to do with the company." She goes, leaving Wayne and James alone. Wayne immediately snarls at James, "You must have a hide as thick as an elephant, hanging around here when everyone loves you so much. If I were dad, I'd boot you out of the house." James, still eating, just replies calmly, "Won't be his to boot me out of much longer. He'll have to sell to pay me what he owes." Wayne snarls, "He's not beaten yet, so don't count your chickens." James, though, retorts, "I already have." Wayne glares at him and growls, "My father slaved his guts out for what he's got." James asks if that's supposed to make him special. Wayne retorts angrily, "It makes him a better man than you'll ever be. Anyone who can sit back and enjoy doing what you're doing--" James interrupts and snaps, "I'm not enjoying it." Wayne, though, snarls, "Bull." James admits, "I'm being squeezed." Looking surprised, Wayne demands, "Who by? What happened at Woombai?" James, though, snaps, "Nothing." With that, he throws down his knife and fork and storms out, leaving Wayne looking annoyed.

Andy and Samantha are sitting with Fiona in her flat, and Andy asks, "Was it a big funeral?" Fiona murmurs, "Oh, a couple of dozen people. A few of his army friends... I felt quite out of it." Andy asks how Chris was. Samantha tells him, "He seemed OK. His mum was there - she'd flown over from Perth. I asked him to come back, but he said he wanted to be alone - or with his mother, at least." Fiona sighs, "Right now, I would just like to be by myself." Andy and Samantha both stand up and Samantha tells her, "You know where we are if you want us." With that, they head out, leaving Fiona staring into space, sadly. The two of them find Irene standing in the corridor, and she asks them what's with the long faces. Andy explains that they've just been trying to cheer-up Fiona. Irene comments, "Unsuccessfully, by the looks of things." Andy sighs, "Yeah, I don't know what to do. I've tried everything I know." Irene smiles, "Well, maybe I've got something that'll snap her out of it - or someone."

A few minutes later, Irene is sitting with Fiona in Fiona's flat, telling her, "Mrs. Burns: I've been seeing her for a few months now and she has to go into hospital for an op - open-heart surgery - and of course, poor old Eve's terribly concerned about what's going to happen to her daughter." Fiona asks how old she is. Irene replies, "Kelly? Oh, 22." Fiona, looking surprised, comments that she's old enough to look after herself. Irene explains, "Kelly's blind - and she's never been on her own before." Fiona mouths, "Oh." Irene goes on, "Course, the whole thing mum needs is a whole pile of extra worry, so big-hearted Irene--" Fiona interrupts and smiles, "Oh, come on, how are you going to find enough time to--" Irene interrupts her and exclaims, "Exactly! You want a job?!" Fiona, looking surprised, replies, "Who, me? Oh no. Quite frankly, no I don't." Irene insists, "You'll be helping me out of a spot, and you'd be doing a decent thing for Kelly. I've met the girl: she wouldn't be any bother." Fiona just says, "I'm sure she wouldn't..." Irene tells her, "There you are, then." Fiona, though, insists, "I really don't feel I want to have the company right now." Irene points out, "Kelly needs it - and she doesn't have very many options..." Fiona groans, "Oh, Irene... look, I--" Irene interrupts and pleads, "Come on, be a sport. It won't be forever, and I'll be around to lend a hand whenever you want it." Fiona looks at her and then sighs, "Oh, alright." Irene smiles happily, "That's my girl!"

Beryl is tucking Robert up in his pushchair in the lounge room at her house. Heather joins her and asks if she's taking him out again. Beryl nods, "Yes." Heather smiles, "I'll just get my bag and come with you. A walk will do me good." Beryl, though, tells her, "If you don't mind, I'd rather you didn't. There's something private I have to see to." With that, she wheels Robert outside, leaving Heather looking upset.

A while later, Beryl is at the Campbell house. Doris lets her in and she asks Jess to tell her father that Beryl's there to see him. Jess heads off. Doris then says to Beryl, "I hope I didn't seem too thrown when I opened the door." Looking surprised, Beryl replies, "No. Why should you?" Doris tells her, "It's just that I didn't expect to see you, that's all - especially after what Rod said." Beryl queries, "After what Rod said?" Doris quickly insists, "It's none of my business. It's between you and him." Beryl, though, tells her, "Please, Doris, I would like to know." Doris sighs, "He just said that everything would be a lot easier for everyone else if Heather O'Brien kept young Robert in Queensland." Looking shocked, Beryl frowns, "Oh - is that what he said?" Doris nods, "This morning - to me and Jess, after he got back from your place." Beryl stares at her.

A short time later, Beryl is wheeling Robert back down the front path at the Campbell house. Rod comes out of the house and comes after her, asking her where she's going. Beryl turns to face him and snaps, "Why haven't you had the guts to say how you really feel about Robert?" Rod retorts, "I have, more-or-less." Beryl, though, tells him curtly, "Don't give me that. He only complicates life as far as you're concerned. You wish he wasn't around." Rod blusters, "Well... well, at the start it was a bit of a shock, yeah." Beryl snaps, "I came here to apologise. Whenever we talk lately, we end up snapping at each other. I thought it was because of me, but it isn't, is it? It's because of Robert." She then goes on, "There is no way I'm giving him up, Rod, so I don't see any point in us seeing each other. Goodbye." With that, she pushes Robert down to the footpath, leaving Rod to call, "Beryl..." helplessly as she goes.

James runs downstairs at Dural. Wayne joins him in the hallway and, putting his hands against James's chest, to stop him moving, growls, "You still haven't told me what happened at Woombai." James retorts, "Because nothing did." Wayne snaps, "Oh come on, I'm not stupid." James goes to pull away, but Wayne grabs him again and goes on, "You don't want to hurt the old man; it sticks out a mile. It's crazy to go back on that deal." James mutters, "Is that so?" Wayne retorts, "Yeah. And as much as I hate to admit it, you're probably the world's worst liar." James sighs and whispers, "I've got no choice. I take your old man as partner, I'm finished." With that, he heads into the lounge room, bumping against an emerging Barbara on the way. She snaps, "Well excuse me." Wayne immediately growls at her, "Alison's blackmailing him." Barbara retorts in surprise, "What?" Wayne explains, "She's behind his about-face on Woombai." Barbara asks him how he knows, and he retorts that James more-or-less just admitted it. Barbara demands, "Why on earth would Alison want to--" Wayne interrupts and snaps, "I don't know." He then snarls, "But I'll fix her. By the time I'm finished--" Barbara interrupts him and warns, "Wayne, no." Wayne cries, "She's making dad's life hell." Barbara, though, tells him curtly, "At this moment, he is trying to arrange a legal challenge to his father's will, and the last thing he needs is you doing anything to put that at risk. Do you understand?" Wayne turns away and growls, "Yes." Barbara mutters, "Good," and walks off. Left alone in the hallway, Wayne picks up the 'phone and dials a number. The call is answered by a man saying, "Dural police. Constable Slater speaking." Wayne says, "G'day. I want to report a girl who jumped bail. I know where she's hiding and I know who the woman is who's helping her."

Chris is sitting with Fiona in her flat. Fiona asks him gently, "When are you leaving?" Chris replies, "This afternoon. I'm catching the night flight." Fiona tells him, "I can't really say I blame you - living in the same boarding house as...; it would always remind you of your father, wouldn't it?" Chris stands up and says he'd better start packing. He goes to head out. Fiona stops him and says, "Look, if there is anything you want to leave behind, I'd be only too happy to look after it for you." Chris thanks her and heads out. Fiona follows him out to the corridor. Irene is just coming round the corner with two other women, one finding her way with the aid of a white stick. Irene smiles, "Fiona, visitors." She then introduces Mrs. Burns, and her daughter, Kelly. Fiona invites them in and they all head inside. Mrs. Burns guides Kelly to the couch and then tells Fiona that it's very kind of her to look after the girl. Fiona tells her not to worry about it. She then tells Kelly that she'll show her where everything is later on. Mrs. Burns says, "You'll only have to tell her once - she's very good at remembering things." Fiona smiles, "We're going to get on like a house on fire, because I'm very good at forgetting things!" Irene stands there, a happy grin on her face, as Fiona adds, "We'll make a great pair!"

James is standing in the grounds at Dural. Wayne joins him and tells him triumphantly, "You're off the hook with Alison." James stares at him in surprise and asks him what he's talking about. Wayne replies, "She's got you over a barrel, right? Now it's OK - I've got something on her. So have the police, now - I just called them!" James stares at him and demands, "Now wait a minute - what have you got on Alison?" Wayne explains, "She's hiding a girl called Leigh Palmer: bail jumper. She faked her own death last week. Pretty soon, Alison's going to be in so much trouble, she'll wish she'd never crossed that--" James suddenly interrupts and snaps, "Alison hasn't got me over a barrel." Wayne stares at him and says, "She's blackmailing you." James demands, "Says who?" Wayne points out, "You did. That's why you had to change your mind about Woombai." James, though, retorts, "It's got nothing to do with Alison. It was somebody else." Wayne asks in surprise, "Who?" James yells, "It's none of your business, you bungling idiot." With that, he storms off.

A few minutes later, at Charlie's, Leigh is crying to Wayne, "What am I supposed to do? Where can I go?" Wayne insists, "I just wanted to warn you the police are on their way." Leigh snaps, "That's crazy. First you tell them I'm here, then you warn me they're about to arrest me." Wayne tells her, "It wasn't anything against you. I was after Alison." Leigh snaps, "And you were wrong." Wayne mutters, "Yeah, apparently." Leigh tells him, "You'd have to be the greatest idiot of all time, Wayne." Wayne mutters, "I said I was sorry. I don't know what else I can do." He then takes his wallet out of his jacket and hands Leigh some notes. Leigh asks, "What's that for?" Wayne retorts, "To help you get away." Leigh cries, "I don't know where to go." Wayne snaps, "That's your problem - you shouldn't have jumped bail in the first place. Now I have to get out of here before the police show up." Leigh asks, "Why? They don't know who you are." Wayne sighs, "That's another mistake I made: I was stupid enough to tell them." Leigh cries, "Then you can help. They're bound to want to talk to you; you can throw them off the scent." Wayne asks incredulously, "What am I supposed to say? 'Sorry, it was all a big joke? Sorry if I gave you the runaround?'" Leigh retorts, "Say it was an honest mistake." Wayne tells her curtly, "I came over to warn you they're on their way. You'd better pack some clothes and get going." With that, he heads out, leaving Leigh looking panicky.

Tom and Charlie are driving along in a cab, heading up the driveway to Charlie's house. They suddenly spot Wayne walking towards them, and Tom comments to Charlie that it looks like she's had a visitor. Charlie, turning her head to face Tom and putting her hand in front of it so that Wayne won't see her, murmurs, "Yes." Tom asks her if it's anyone she knows. Charlie, though, replies, "I'm afraid not. Must be one of those door-to-door persons." She then asks the driver to stop, and he does so. She and Tom climb out and Tom goes to the boot, to take out their cases. He looks around, commenting as he does so, "I didn't realise you lived in such splendour, Charlotte!" Charlie, staring at the house, just murmurs, "Yes..." She then asks him, "Would you mind if I went in first? I just want to see if Alison's about. She's a fussy thing: she likes to look her best for visitors." Tom smiles, "I don't mind at all." Charlie then says she might as well take one of the cases in. She bends down to pick one up. As she does so, her wig hides her face. Leigh suddenly runs out of the house and tells Tom breathlessly, "There's no one home - but if you're going back to the city, I wouldn't mind sharing the taxi, if it's no trouble." Charlie suddenly stands upright again and, staring at the girl in shock, exclaims, "Leigh?!" Leigh stares back at her and mouths in equal shock, "Charlie?!"