Sons and Daughters logo
    Written by: Maureen Ann Moran   Produced by: Posie Jacobs   Directed by: Gaye Arnold

Craig tells Ginny, "I'll go for help." Ginny, however, cries, "No! You're the only one who knows where I am. If anything happens to you..." Craig insists quickly, "Nothing's going to happen to me." Ginny, however, cries, "Bad luck goes in threes: first the argument, then this..." Craig mutters, "Don't be so superstitious, Ginny." He stands up and goes to walk off. Ginny, however, yells, "Don't leave me, Craig - please." Craig bends back down with her and assures her, "Alright. I'll stay." He then asks, "You got any ideas?" Looking around, he suddenly spots a long wooden pole leaning up against one of the walls of the barn. He stands up. Ginny asks him quickly what he's doing." He tells her, "Making a see-saw." He goes and picks up the pole and places it under one end of the fallen beam. He tells Ginny, "This should take the strain long enough for you to get out - but you've got to move fast." With that, he starts exerting pressure on the pole, using it as a lever to raise the beam. He's able to raise it enough for Ginny to crawl out. Craig lets the beam fall back down and he dashes over to Ginny and asks, "You OK?" Ginny replies, "I think so." Craig asks, "Do you want to try standing?" Ginny murmurs, "Yeah." Craig helps her up. She then falls into his arms, sobbing, "I was so scared until I saw you." Craig soothes, "It's alright." He then adds, "Look out Melbourne: here we come!"

Debbie is walking away from a truck full of boxes at Colin Hopkins' depot when a woman walks up to her suddenly and says, "Debbie." Debbie stares at the woman in shock: it's Jean Hopkins. Debbie blusters quickly, "You're the last person I expected to see." Jean points out, "My husband owns this business. What are you doing here?" Andy is still lurking as short distance away, and he spots what's going on. He dashes over to Debbie and says quickly, "Ready to go?" He then looks at Jean and adds, "Sorry to barge in on the interview." Jean queries in surprise, "Interview?" Andy tells her, "The survey that Debbie is doing." Debbie adds, "David sold 'Home in Style', so I had to get a new job. I'm doing market research now." Jean asks, "What are you researching?" Debbie replies quickly, "It's a new type of deodorant." Jean, accepting this, comments, "I daresay it keeps your mind off Craig. You haven't heard from him, have you?" Andy tells her, "No, we have no idea where he is." Jean comments, "If you do hear..." Andy nods, "We'll let you know." With that, Jean walks off. Debbie says immediately to Andy, "My legs were like jelly!" Andy just asks, "You glad I stuck around?" Debbie nods, "I'd be history if you hadn't." Andy smiles, "Great. Let's go." Debbie, however, tells him, "No. I can't leave empty-handed." Andy gasps, "It's too risky to stick around here now that Jean has seen you. The minute she speaks to Colin--" Debbie interrupts and assures him, "I'll be gone before then." Andy asks, "And what if you're not?" Debbie retorts, "I know the risks. In fact, I'm scared to death of being caught." Andy demands, "Then why the hell won't you give up?" Debbie just murmurs, "I can't. I want him back - and nothing's more important."

At Beryl's, David and Alison march into the kitchen. Alison is wearing her night clothes and David comments, "Don't say I got you out of bed..." Alison tells him curtly, "I was up 'til all hours last night and I wasn't having fun." David asks, "You weren't with Colin Hopkins?" Alison, however, assures him, "As far as he's concerned, my cold's turned into pneumonia!" David chuckles and then asks, "What were you up to?" Alison explains, "I was interviewing some of Colin's former employees." David asks, "Get anything out of them?" Alison tells him, "I ran into a domestic on my first call, the second one tried to sell me insurance and the last one was an aspiring stand-up comic. The audience didn't laugh and neither did I when I copped a tomato meant for him!" They sit down and David then tells Alison, "Jean's coming for lunch." Alison raises her eyebrows and remarks, "Well, well, well. What does she want?" David, however, replies, "As a matter of fact, I called her." Looking surprised, Alison asks, "Why?" David retorts, "To try to get something out of her." Alison murmurs, "Lots of luck." David points out, "It worked for you with Colin." Alison tells him, "Only because I'm an expert. You couldn't tell a lie to save your life." David declares, "Exactly. Jean won't think a bloke like me without much up here-- " he points to his head " --will be on to her. She'll have her guard down and she might make a slip." Alison muses, "I wouldn't bargain on it; she's a far tougher proposition than her husband." David tells her, "It's not going to be easy, but I've got to do something." Alison asks, "Even if it means being nice to the woman who framed Craig?" David just murmurs, "I'll get through it somehow." Alison nods, "Of course you will. If it works on a tough cookie like me, Jean will be a pushover!"

Craig and Ginny are walking along a deserted street. Craig is saying, "If it's worth the risk, I want to get back to Melbourne today." Ginny mutters, "You won't see Debbie at all if you get picked up by the police." Craig sighs in annoyance, "Why don't you just stop sulking about Debbie?" Ginny snaps, "You said back there you would've missed me. What was that: some sort of joke?" Craig insists, "No. You're great. But with Deb it's just something else. I just want to hold her." A car comes up behind them suddenly and Craig holds out his arm. As he does so, Ginny asks him, "You think Hopkins will be in Melbourne?" Craig points out, "Soon find out." The car that passed then pulls into the road ahead. Craig grabs Ginny's arm and they run towards it.

Jean is standing in the courtyard at the country house. She peers through the kitchen window - just as David comes round the corner behind her. He tells her, "Sorry I'm late - the traffic's getting worse every day. Come in." He opens the door and they head inside. David invites Jean to sit down. She does so. David does likewise. He then says, "Thankyou for coming over - it's very good of you." Jean tells him, "I'm as worried about Craig as you are." She pauses before continuing, "You said you had some new ideas about where Craig might be..." David nods, "Yeah. Yeah. I remember him telling me about an uncle of his... Jim, I think it was." Jean tells him instantly, "He hasn't gone to Jim." David asks, "How can you be so sure?" Jean explains, "I've been in touch with all his relatives - and drawn a blank." David points out, "Whoever's sheltering Craig wouldn't tell either of us. I thought Craig might be still worrying about me and might try to get in touch with me." Jean asks, "Would you still try to talk him into giving himself up?" David nods, "Yeah." Jean declares, "I'll make up a list for you of all Craig's relatives." With that, she takes off her jacket. David sits at the table, looking pleased with himself.

Alison is sitting in an armchair in the lounge room at Beryl's, doing the crossword in the newspaper. She's still wearing her night things. There's suddenly a knock on the front door and she leaps up and grabs a tissue which she puts to her nose as she calls out, "Who is it?" Debbie calls back, "It's just me and Andy." Alison smiles, "The door's open. Let yourself in." Debbie and Andy walk in and Debbie comments to Alison, "Boy, you sound terrible!" Alison, however, explains, "I was just taking precautions - I thought it was the dreaded Colin!" Debbie tells her, "You won't see him today: he's rolling out the red carpet for some Japanese businessman." Alison demands, "How do you know?" Andy explains wearily, "Debbie got herself a job at the depot." Alison groans, "That's all we need." Debbie points out, "Colin doesn't know who I am." Alison, however, tells her, "Jean does - and if she spots you..." There's an embarrassed silence as Debbie and Andy glance at each other, and Alison realises, "She already has." Debbie insists, "Don't worry - I talked my way out of it." Alison retorts, "You mean you think you did." Debbie glares at her and snaps, "I'm not as useless as you and David seem to think, Alison, and I'm sick of being kept in the dark." Andy chips in quickly, "Anyway, Debbie hit the jackpot at the depot." Alison asks,"Why? What did you find out?" Debbie tells her, "I found out Colin's got things to hide." Andy adds, "A lot of the stuff that he imports and exports doesn't appear on the official manifest." Debbie goes on, "And I've made friends with the guy who knows where he keeps all the evidence." She adds quickly, "Well, I don't know exactly where he keeps all those papers, but I'll find that out this afternoon from Graham." Alison queries, "Graham?" Debbie nods, "Graham Hobbs. He works in Dispatch." Andy sighs at her, "Why don't you quit while you're ahead?" Debbie, however, retorts, "I'm not going to, Andy." Andy mutters, "I don't see how it's going to help Craig to prove that Colin's a rip-off merchant." Alison tells him, "You're missing the whole point. What we're trying to prove is how Colin had a motive for killing Ruby." Debbie adds, "That evidence shows he's got something to hide; something he'd pay to keep quiet." Andy points out, "It's still circumstantial evidence." Alison nods, "Yes, but Colin won't see it that way. He's a weak man, and when the police come round asking questions... well, it won't be long before he cracks." Debbie sighs, "Can't be too soon for me." Alison then says, "This Graham Hobbs... he's quite a find. Definitely a man to be cultivated..."

At the kitchen table at the country house, Jean is telling David, "I'd ring Jim first: he and Craig always got on." David comments, "He's your husband's brother, isn't he?" Jean nods, "Yes. Actually, I was going out with him when I met Colin. Almost married him, too." David chuckles, "Why didn't you?" Jean muses, "I could see he'd never get on and Colin would." David remarks, "Money's not everything." Jean, however, mutters, "Makes up for a lot." David asks, "How do you mean?" Jean tells him, "We've had a fair few knocks. Still, it's been worthwhile: we're very happy now." She then asks, "How's your business going?" David tells her, "I've sold up." Jean remarks, "Then Debbie's looking for another job?" David, however, replies, "No, she's got one: waitressing." Jean, looking suddenly thoughtful, mouths, "Waitressing. I see..." She then picks up her handbag and says, "I really must be going." David asks, "Don't you want to stay around here while I make the calls?" Jean just says quickly, "I haven't got time. Thanks for the lunch. Let me know how you get on." With that, she heads out.

A short time later, Jean is dialling a number on a public 'phone in the lobby of a hotel. When it's answered, she says, "Yes, it's Mrs. Hopkins here. Could I speak to my husband, please?" She listens and then asks, "When will he be back?" She looks at her watch and mutters, "No message. Thankyou." She hangs up.

Debbie and Andy are walking slowly along the road back to the depot. Debbie says hesitantly, "You know, you can't stay with me all the time, Andy. I mean, Graham might think three's a bit of a crowd!" Andy looks over to where a man is chatting to a tarty-looking woman who has her back to them. Andy muses, "Yeah? Four even more so, eh? Looks like you've missed your ship." At that moment, the woman turns round - and Debbie and Andy realise it's Alison, dressed up in a wig and cheap-looking clothes. They stare at her and she turns back to the guy. Debbie gasps, "I don't believe it." Andy murmurs, "She did say Graham was a man worth cultivating..." A short distance away, Alison is saying to Graham Hobbs - putting on a tarty voice as she does so - "I shouldn't've got up this morning. First I cop a parking ticket, then you tell me the job's gone. Think I'll go to the pub and drown me sorrows." Graham suggests, "How about we make it my shout?" Alison smiles, "Things are looking up." With that, they walk off past Debbie and Andy. When they've gone, Andy says to Debbie, "You know, I almost feel sorry for the guy. It's like taking candy from a baby, isn't it?!"

A while later, Alison walks in through the back door at Beryl's, still wearing her tarty clothes. She calls, "David?" David calls back, "In here," from the lounge room. Alison joins him and he raises his eyebrows when he sees what she's wearing! Alison just asks him, "How was your lunch?" David replies, "Alright, yeah." Alison asks, "Did you find anything out?" David admits, "I'm afraid not." Alison smiles, "Don't worry: I've got a surprise for you." David indicates her clothes and chuckles, "I think I've just got it!" Alison smiles, "Do you like my new look?" David muses, "It's a bit, um..." Alison completes, "Tarty. Yes, it's protective covering. I didn't want to look out of place at the depot." David asks, "What were you doing down there?" Alison tells him, "I've just found out where Colin keeps his private papers." David asks in surprise, "How'd you do that?" Alison explains, "By chatting up Colin's right-hand man." David sighs, "Your efforts make mine look a bit sick." With that, Alison heads off to change, leaving David with a smile on his face.

In the lounge room at Dural, there are samples of exercise clothing draped all over the bar and one of the couches. Gordon is sitting on the other couch, doing the crossword in the newspaper, when Beryl emerges from the kitchen and hands him a cup of tea. He smiles, "Thankyou." Beryl then indicates all the clothes and comments, "Charlie's determined to promote the gym, isn't she!" She peers out through the window as Gordon replies, "I must have been mad to let her do the shoot here!" At that moment, the lounge room doors are flung open and Charlie appears. She's wearing a one-piece swimsuit and is calling across to the study in annoyance, "You could at least take an interest - it's your gym too." Beryl asks, "Problems?" Charlie snaps, "Wayne's refusing point blank to be in the shots. I've never seen him in such a foul mood." Beryl tells her, "One of his pet projects didn't come off, and you know what he's like when someone gets the better of him." A horn sounds suddenly from the garden and Beryl tells adds, "I think they might be waiting for you outside." Charlie walks back out, with a little wave to Gordon! When she's gone, Beryl remarks to Gordon, "You and Charlie have been getting on very well over the last few months, haven't you?" Gordon nods, "Yes. I went through a bad time when Barbara left me and Charlie was the only one who didn't treat me like one of the walking wounded. She got me laughing again. I'll never be able to thank her enough for that." Beryl tells him, "You're very lucky." Gordon murmurs, "It's not easy, is it, learning to live alone." Beryl replies, "No. I thought I'd adjust, but I think we all need someone." Gordon asks, "Any chance of you and David getting together again?" Beryl shrugs, "Who knows?" Gordon tells her, "If there is a chance, don't let pride stand in your way. Robert needs a father and a mother. As you said: we all need somebody."

Craig and Ginny are back in Melbourne, but as they walk over to a public 'phonebox, Ginny sighs, "Pity our lift wasn't near David's." Craig tells her, "We're lucky he picked us up at all. We look like a couple of deadbeats!" Ginny heads into the 'phone box and checks the coin-return tray. She finds a coin in it and, taking it out, smiles at Craig, "Call me a super-scrounger: we now have a grand total of eight dollars and twenty cents!" Craig comments, "Just enough for a cab to David's." Ginny, however, tells him, "My cab. You're staying here." Craig gasps, "No way!" Ginny demands, "What if the police are watching the house? Don't blow it, Craig - please." Craig sighs and asks, "Will you get Debbie to meet me?" Ginny replies reluctantly, "Course I will. Where will you be?" Craig tells her, "I'll be here." Ginny, however, takes out some money and, handing it to him, says, "Ride the trams for an hour and then come back. If she's not there, don't loiter; go round the block and come back." Craig walks off, leaving Ginny looking despondent.

A while later, as she heads into the courtyard outside the kitchen at the country house, Ginny can hear Andy and Debbie inside, talking. Debbie is sighing, "I wonder where Craig would go." Ginny appears suddenly in the doorway and says tersely, "Don't worry: everything's OK." Debbie stares at her in delight and gasps, "Ginny! What are you doing here?! I've been worried out of my mind. Where's Craig?" Ginny mutters, "He's riding round a tram at the moment." Debbie asks eagerly, "When can I see him?" Ginny retorts, "In half an hour. He'll be waiting for you at the shops just down from Beryl's place." Debbie goes to dash out. Ginny, however, calls out, "Hang on. He's broke and he'll need money for a place to stay... food..." Debbie looks at Andy and asks, "Do you have any?" Andy admits, "No, I'm broke until payday." Debbie sighs, "Me too." Ginny comments, "Looks like it's David's shout." She reaches up to a shelf and takes down a jar with some cash in it. Andy warns her, "He's going to be upset when he finds out it's gone." Ginny retorts, "I'll give it back as soon as I can get to the bank." She hands the money to Debbie who smiles, "You're terrific." Andy asks Ginny suddenly, "How come you tagged along? I thought you'd be glad to see the back of him?" Ginny mutters, "I promised Deb I'd be his minder, didn't I?" Andy then turns to Debbie and says, "Why don't you let me go? You'll be history if the cops catch you." Debbie, however, tells him, "I don't care. I can't wait another minute to see him." With that, she dashes out. Ginny stares at Andy, thoughtfully.

Craig is pacing up and down by a wall in Albert Park. After a few seconds, he puts down his bags and peers into a rubbish bin at the side of the road. He doesn't notice a police car pull up nearby and an officer climb out. Craig pulls a newspaper out of the bin and sits down on a nearby bench with it. The policeman starts approaching him as Debbie walks up the road and spots what's going on. The policeman reaches Craig and asks, "Picked any winners, sport?" Craig, turning his head as he replies, says, "No, I--" He breaks off as he realises it's a policeman talking to him and he goes to leap up. The policeman grabs his arm, however, and growls, "We've been looking everywhere for you, Mr. Maxwell." With that, he slaps a pair of handcuffs on Craig's wrist and starts leading him off back to his car, passing Debbie as they do so. Debbie stands there, looking agonised. The police officer bundles Craig into the back of the car.

Ginny is using a hairdryer to dry her hair in the kitchen at the country house. Andy is pacing the floor and snaps angrily, "Can't you use that thing in the bathroom?" Ginny just turns the machine up to the next setting. Andy walks over and rips out the plug. Ginny smiles at him and taunts, "Deb should be there by now. It must be driving you crazy, thinking of them together." Andy shrugs quickly, "Why? Deb and I are just good friends." Ginny points out curtly, "There's no way you'd stick your neck out for Craig if you weren't rapt in her. You're not the self-sacrificing type." At that moment, the back door opens and Debbie walks in, looking glum. There are tears in her eyes and Andy asks in concern, "What happened?" Ginny adds, "Wasn't he there?" Debbie sits down and sobs, "Yes, he was there." Ginny demands, "What happened?" Debbie starts to murmur, "He's..." Ginny yells, "Tell me." Andy snaps furiously, "Leave her alone." Debbie cries, "Stop it!" She then says softly, "He's been arrested." Andy asks, "Did the police see you?" Debbie tells him, "No - I got there just...; Craig saw me, though; didn't even say anything; just walked past." Ginny snaps, "You let it happen." Debbie cries, "What else could I do?" Ginny yells, "You could've helped him get away. I would've, no matter what they did to me. I knew I shouldn't've left him. Oh God, why did this have to happen? It's not fair. After all we've been through. I have to see him." She goes to head out. Debbie is sitting there, staring at her in shock. Ginny says quickly, "Deb, listen, I didn't mean all that. I was just blowing off steam." Debbie stares at her for several seconds more before saying calmly, "I'll ring David's solicitor." Andy, however, tells her, "I'll do it." Ginny heads off to her room to change as Debbie cries to Andy, "She's right: I should've done something." Andy asks, "Like what?" Debbie shrugs, "I don't know. Anything." Andy insists, "It would not have made any difference." He dials a number on the 'phone but finds it engaged and hangs up again. He then tells Debbie, "Alison and David will have enough evidence to put Colin behind bars soon. Once that happens, Craig will be a free man - so cheer up, OK?" Debbie nods weakly, "OK."

Alison and David are hiding behind a van, which is parked outside Colin Hopkins' depot. They're watching Graham Hobbs leaning against the depot wall, smoking a cigarette. Alison sighs, "I wish he'd move." David asks, "Why don't you go and distract him?" Alison, though, retorts, "I can't: he'd recognise me from yesterday." David asks, "Do you want those papers or don't you?" At that moment, Hobbs walks off and David says to Alison, "Let's go." They start jogging over to the open depot door. A short distance away, Hobbs approaches another man who's pushing a trolley and tells him, "You may as well knock-off, mate. Remind me on Monday to tell Debbie she better pull her socks up, OK?" The man with the trolley walks off just as Jean approaches Hobbs. She comments, "That's the new girl, isn't it? Debbie..." Hobbs nods, "Yeah. Debbie Halliday. I thought she was going to be good, but she was here one minute and gone the next." Jean comments, "Staff problems never stop, do they?" Hobbs goes on, "Sure don't. We had one front-up the other day." Jean nods, "So Colin was saying. What was he like?" Hobbs shrugs, "Just your average worker. Sandy hair... tall..." Jean mutters, "Really...?" She then asks, "Is my husband back yet?" Hobbs replies, "I haven't seen him. He could be, though." With that, he heads off. Jean starts walking towards the depot. Inside, David and Alison are walking around. They reach a large door with an iron bar on the outside and Alison tells David, "We need evidence that Colin's shipments don't tally with what's on the manifest." She puts her hand on the iron bar and starts sliding the door back. David helps her. When the door is opened, they step into a large, chilled room. Alison shivers, "It's freezing." David looks around at several shelves' worth of boxes and Alison comments, "I wonder what's in them." They step further into the room. A few seconds later, Jean walks into the depot, approaches the freezer door and peers inside. Watching David and Alison investigating the contents of the boxes, she then starts sliding the door back into place. David and Alison look round at the noise. David tells Alison, "It's alright - these doors open from the inside." Outside, however, Jean is placing a padlock on the door. She then places a small piece of paper behind a lock case nearby. In the vault, David starts trying to pull the door open. After a few seconds, he declares in horror, "It's jammed." Alison, however, tells him, "It's not jammed. Someone's locked us in..."

 

    Links:  Episode 847    Episode Index    Main Index    Episode 849