Later that day, Wayne and Susan are at an airport. As they emerge
through a set of sliding doors, an announcement comes over the
tannoy: "Air New South Wales welcomes passengers on flight
946 from Sydney to Noosa and the Sunshine Coast".
Sometime later, Wayne is pouring two glasses of champagne in
his and Susan's hotel room. Susan is standing looking through
the window. She smiles that the whole place is lovely.
Wayne tells her warmly, "It's not a scratch on you,
Mrs. Hamilton." Susan giggles. She then takes the glass that
Wayne offers her and proposes, "To married life." They
clink their glasses and drink.
Owen is lying unconscious on the couch in the lounge at Dural.
He groans, but doesn't wake up. Andy walks in and takes off his
jacket. He throws it down on an armchair, not noticing as he does
so that the tape of Maria falls out of the pocket and onto the
floor. Fiona is sitting in another armchair and he comments to
her that it's been a long day. Fiona retorts, "It most certainly
has been a long day, but if you think you've
got off best, I'd think again. As far as Wayne is concerned, the
battle's over; he got what he came after. I wonder where that
leaves you? I'd say on the scrapheap."
Andy, however, replies slyly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you,
Fiona, but I've already worked that out, and that isn't going
to happen, because I've got something." Fiona asks,
"Oh what?" Andy tells her, "Just a bit of insurance,
that's all." He goes to pick up his jacket, but suddenly
notices the tape lying on the floor. Isabella is sniffing and
pawing at it. Andy stares at her and starts to curse, "You
stupid little mutt..." He picks up the tape; several inches'
worth has spooled out of its casing. He starts trying to reel
it back in. Fiona, looking at his agitated expression, points
out, "It's only a tape." Andy snaps, "Only
a tape? It's--" He breaks off before continuing
more calmly, "It's twelve bucks here." Fiona
asks what's on it. Andy says quickly, "Nothing. Just a bit
of music, that's all." At that moment, Owen starts groaning
again. Andy suggests to Fiona that she let him sleep it off. Fiona
remarks, "At least Janice has seen him at his worst. Let's
hope it's given her food for thought..." Andy carries on
trying to wind the tape back in its cover, sighing heavily as
he does so.
Wayne and Susan are sitting in the restaurant at the hotel in
Noosa. The lighting is subdued. Wayne asks Susan, "How are
you enjoying heaven?" Susan smiles, "So far... perfect!"
Wayne suggests, "Let's stay here, then! Who needs to go back
to Dural anyway?!" Susan giggles. Wayne then whispers to
her, "I love to watch you smile." Susan asks in surprise,
"Why?" Wayne replies, "It's pretty. It suits you."
Susan, looking suddenly uncomfortable, looks down at the table.
Wayne asks calmly but sharply, "Why won't you look at me?
Is there something wrong?" Susan looks up at him and assures
him, "No. No. I love you. Honestly I do. I want
to be the best wife I can. I hope I can be, that's all."
Wayne takes her hand and kisses it lovingly.
Glen is sitting on the couch in Fiona's room at the mansion,
looking glum. Fiona comes in through the door and comments that
she thought she might find him there. She adds, "I
heard Gordon's putting a restraining order on you." Glen
nods, "Hmm." He then goes on, "Beryl and Dave were
good. They picked me up from the station." Fiona asks, "Where
were they going back to from there? Albert Park or David's?"
Glen replies, "Albert Park, I think - for tonight. Then Beryl's
going up to stay with her parents for a while." Fiona asks,
"And what about you?" Glen sighs, "The
Gap's only fifteen minutes away..." Fiona sits down with
him and muses, "Oh... I suppose it feels tempting, too."
Glen shrugs, "I don't know... it's just so damn frustrating.
It's like there's someone up there who's saying 'Let's really
kick this guy, OK? I mean, we won't just make him feel lonely
- that would be too easy; let's lead him on a little bit; make
him feel what he's going to miss out on.' They let me get so close,
every time. Even today, they let me kiss her. They gave me one
second of hope, then 'Sorry, that's enough.' I can't take that
forever, Fiona; no one can."
Wayne is standing in the bedroom of the hotel room in Noosa.
Susan calls out from the bathroom, "Here I come!" Wayne
calls back quickly, "Hang on." He then goes and dims
the lights before jumping on the bed and calling, "OK!"
Susan emerges from the bedroom, wearing a long, slinky nightdress,
and she asks, "Do you like it?" Wayne smiles, "You
look sensational!" She climbs onto the bed with Wayne and
they start kissing passionately. They then turn over so that Susan
is lying back on the bed, still kissing...
In Fiona's room at the mansion, Glen muses, "I wonder what
they're doing now?" Fiona, who's clearing away a cup of tea,
just suggests to him that he could drag a mattress into the room
if he likes. Glen thanks her. He then curses, "Why couldn't
something have gone right? Just one break; that's all I needed.
Gordon and his damned restraining order. If only he could have
heard Maria's confession. I had it on tape, you know - the lot.
She admitted everything." Fiona, looking suddenly
brighter, asks quickly, "What happened to it?" Glen
retorts, "What do you think? Wayne's gorillas took
it along with everything else. I don't know what they
did with it. Gave it away, I guess." Fiona suggests, "Or
Andy?" Glen shrugs, "Maybe." Fiona tells him, "No
'maybe' about it; I'd stake my life on it. I
saw him guarding a tape like it was pure gold - and boasting
that he had a little insurance on the side in case Wayne was going
to fire him. It all adds up, don't you think?" Glen mutters,
"Probably." Fiona insists, "If we know where it
is, we can think up ways of getting it back. Then it's a whole
new ballgame." Glen, however, sighs, "What's the point?
If we can get it... and if we can get it to Susan without Wayne
intercepting it... and if she listens to it... and if she believes
it... That's four 'ifs' already. But given all that: what will
happen?" Fiona suggests, "She'll leave Wayne?"
Glen replies glumly, "Will she?" Fiona insists, "Of
course she will. Wouldn't you?" Glen nods, "Yeah
- but I'm not Susan. But I do know her well
enough to know if she does leave him she'll never ever
divorce him. It's just not her; it's not the way she
does things; it's especially not the way she looks at
marriage." He goes on sadly, "I'd rather see
her happy than miserable, Fiona, Wayne or no Wayne."
Fiona listens but then just muses, "I'd rather get my hands
on that tape. There is more than one way of
using evidence like that..."
There are nightclothes scattered on the hotel room floor in Noosa.
Wayne and Susan are lying in bed, their arms round each other.
They're half-asleep. Susan is stroking Wayne's chest, and Wayne
murmurs to her, "It's alright, darling... I'm still here."
Susan murmurs back in her half-sleep, "Oh... Glen..."
Wayne opens his eyes, looking suddenly worried.
It's the next morning, and Andy walks into the lounge room at
Dural to find Owen still lying asleep on the couch. He then heads
back out into the hallway, picks up the 'phone and dials a number.
The 'phone rings in Wayne and Susan's hotel room. It wakes them
up. Wayne picks up the 'phone next to the bed and answers it sleepily.
Andy, who's holding the tape, says brightly, "Hi, it's me!"
Wayne groans, "Do you know what time it is?" Andy asks,
"I didn't wake you, did I?" Wayne mutters, "Yes,
you did." Andy just tells him, "Sorry. I think we'd
better have a bit of a chat. Sort of important." Wayne mutters,
"Alright. Ring me back in about an hour." With that,
he hangs up. At Dural, Andy, looking surprised, hangs up as well
and murmurs, "Alright." He goes to head back into the
lounge room, but there's suddenly a knock on the front door. He
puts the tape down on the telephone table and goes to answer the
door. He finds a young girl standing there. It's Cassie. She asks,
"Is Mr. Hamilton here?" Andy tells her, "Not at
the moment. He's gone to see his lawyer and a couple of friends."
Cassie insists, "I've got to see Mr. Hamilton." Andy
replies, "I'm sorry, little girl, but he's not--" Cassie
interrupts and pleads, "Please, I have
to. It's not for long; I've just got to talk to him." Andy
sighs, "OK, I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll give you the
address of his friends and enough money to catch a bus, OK?"
As he walks back to the telephone table to write them down, Cassie
murmurs, "Thankyou."
Susan and Wayne are still lying in their bed at the hotel. Susan
is smiling as she strokes Wayne's chest. He asks her, "Did
you dream about me?" Susan nods, "Of course!"
She then kisses him and tells him, "It was beautiful, Wayne."
Wayne sits up suddenly and climbs out of bed. He heads to the
bathroom. When the door has shut, Susan's face drops and she murmurs
to herself, "Who are you kidding, Susan? "
In Fiona's room at the mansion, Glen thanks Fiona for the bed.
Noticing that she has a jacket on, he then asks her where she's
off to. Fiona smiles, "I thought I might go and do a little
snooping for that tape." Glen asks her, "You're just
going to invite yourself over there, are you?" Fiona explains,
"No - I want to pick up Owen, anyway." Glen comments,
"While you're there, you might as well have a quick look
round?!" Fiona laughs, "I don't think too much of my
chances, but you never know your luck in a big house!" Glen
warns her, "If you do find it, be careful, huh?"
Fiona assures him, "It'll be used just to keep Wayne in place
- that's all, I promise." She then asks Glen where he's
going. Glen shrugs, "I don't know; wherever my feet take
me, I suppose. I'll find some work here or there; repay Alison
for the air fare to Bali." He then asks, "Could you
say thanks to everyone who helped me? Beryl and Charlie and Dave?"
Fiona nods, "Of course." He adds, "I'll see you
when I see you." Fiona tells him, "You keep in touch,
you hear?" Glen replies, "I will." With that, he
heads out, leaving Fiona looking worried.
Cassie is standing on a footpath, crying and looking lost. Glen
approaches her, slowly, and, bending down to her level, asks in
concern, "Hey, what's wrong?" Cassie just stares at
him. He assures her, "I'm not going to hurt you." He
then adds, "I'm Glen. What's your name?" Cassie
tells him and he smiles, "It's a pretty name." He then
asks her what she was crying for. She shrugs, "Nothing."
Glen suggests, "Maybe if you've lost something I can help
you find it." Cassie takes out a piece of paper and reads,
"40 Burke Street." Glen queries, "40? That's easy
- it's just down the road. Come on - I'll show you." He starts
walking back in the direction he came from. Cassie runs to catch
him up and then announces with a smile, "I've run away from
home!"
Owen is snoring on the couch in the lounge room at Dural. Andy
checks on him and then heads out into the hallway. He picks up
the tape from the telephone table and looks at it happily. He
then starts to dial a number on the 'phone. He suddenly hears
a clattering from the lounge room and he puts down the 'phone
and tape and dashes in there. Owen has fallen off the couch, onto
the floor. He groans, "I'm never going to drink again...
ever!" Andy helps him sit up straight and then heads
back out to the hallway. He starts dialling a number on the 'phone
again, but there's then a knock at the door, and he hangs up again
in frustration. He opens the door to find Fiona there. She smiles,
"Good morning! I have come to pick up my niece's alcoholic
fiancé!" Andy points to the lounge room and says,
"He's right there." They head in there. Owen is sprawled
under the coffee table, groaning, "I can't find my glasses..."
Fiona tells him to move over and let those who can see
take a look! She starts hunting round as Owen asks pitifully,
"How's Janice this morning?" Fiona replies, "I
wouldn't know - she left around seven to go and teach
somewhere." Owen groans, "I suppose she's pretty disgusted..."
Fiona retorts, "I would suspect she was, just a
little." Owen goes on, "I know I've got to apologise.
Maybe I should take her something; a present. Wedding cake. Any
left?" Andy nods, "There's some out in the hall, on
the table." Owen manages to stand up and Andy guides him
in the direction of the lounge room doors. He staggers out there.
Fiona starts tidying up and Andy offers her a hand. Fiona replies
quickly, "Unless you've got something else you want
to do. Don't let me stop you." Andy insists, "It's cool."
They start looking around. Andy looks under the couch and suddenly
spots Owen's glasses there. Out in the hallway, Owen is feeling
around for the cake. There are some slices laid out on the telephone
table, and the tape is next to them. Unable to see clearly without
his glasses, Owen picks up a napkin, wraps it round what he thinks
is a piece of cake, but is actually the tape, and picks it up!
He then heads back into the lounge room. Fiona walks over to him
and hands him his glasses. He puts them on gratefully. Fiona then
asks Andy if there's any chance of some morning tea. Andy, however,
tells her, "I don't mean to seem pushy, but I have got a
lot to do." With that, he starts guiding her and Owen out
into the hallway. The 'phone begins to ring as he does so. He
closes the lounge room doors behind them and then answers the
call at the bar. Wayne comes on and Andy tells him gleefully,
"Just the man I wanted to speak to." Wayne warns, "I
haven't got much time - Susan's in the shower, so shut up and
listen: get someone to work over Glen - and make sure they do
it properly. And make sure he leaves Sydney for good."
He listens to Andy's response and then snaps, "What?"
At Dural, Andy repeats, "I said I won't do it. I'm sick of
you carrying on like a poor man's Al Capone." Wayne threatens,
"You do it or you're fired." Andy
just laughs, "Fire me - if you want your marriage
wrecked. I've got the tape of Maria's confession, Wayne - which
means I will pick and choose exactly what I will and won't do.
Understand?" With that, he hangs up.
A short time later, Andy heads out into the hallway to pick up
the tape. He suddenly discovers that it's gone, though, and he
starts looking frantically around by the telephone table. He then
cries bitterly, "I don't believe it..."
In his hotel room, Wayne dials a number on the 'phone. The 'phone
rings at Dural and Andy picks it up. Wayne comes on and says,
"Me again." Andy smiles, "I forgot: what's it like
up in Noosa?" Wayne, however, retorts, "You can cut
the 'good mates' line. We're finished. I'll send you ten grand
now so you can have a good time while we're up here, and I'll
deposit a further twenty in your account when I get back. In return,
you give me the cassette. Sound fair to you?" Andy nods quickly,
"Yeah, sure." Wayne replies, "That's what we'll
do then." He then adds menacingly, "And Andy: it's a
business deal; it's not the start of a blackmail racket. If I
give you the money and you don't give me the cassette, you'd better
know the Lord's Prayer..."
Cassie is sitting in Fiona's room at the mansion, telling Glen,
"He's a really nice man. Why should mummy say we can't see
him anymore, then?" Glen suggests, "I'm sure your mum
had a reason." Cassie, though, retorts, "No she doesn't.
I hate her." Glen warns, "Cassie..." Cassie
cries, "She hates being happy. She never likes me
being happy. I hate her." Glen tells her, "You're
angry with her. She's hurt you and you don't understand why. But
I'm sure you still love her." Cassie insists, "No
I don't. She doesn't love me." Glen points out,
"She's your mum, isn't she?" Cassie snaps, "She's
not as nice as Mr. Hamilton." Glen points out, "Mr.
Hamilton hasn't had to look after you. He hasn't had to work
himself into the ground to make sure you've got some pretty clothes
to wear and you get a good meal to eat every night. You said that
your mum works all day and half the night sometimes." Cassie
shrugs. Glen goes on, "Why do you think she does that? You
can bet she doesn't enjoy it. No one enjoys that
much work. She does it because she loves you, Cassie,
and she wants to give you the best she possibly can." Cassie
asks, "Then why can't I--" Glen interrupts, "Why
can't you see Gordon? I know. All I can say is for some
reason your mum thinks you're better off not to. I'm sure she
isn't doing it to punish you or because she doesn't like you being
happy. She does it because she loves you, Cassie. People
do all sorts of crazy things when they love someone,
but they never stop loving them. Believe me, Cassie,
you never stop loving them..." There's suddenly a knock on
the door and Glen calls, "Come in." Maggie walks in
and snaps at Cassie, "There you are. I've been halfway
round Sydney looking for you, young girl. Now come here - I'm
nearly out of my mind." Glen tells Maggie soothingly, "It's
alright." Cassie says, "Sorry mum." Maggie picks
her up and gives her a loving kiss.
Sometime later, Glen is standing at the side of a road. Cars
drive past him, ignoring him as he tries to thumb a lift out of
Sydney...
|