It's evening-time. Doug has turned up at Charlie's and Susan is showing him into the lounge room, commenting as she does so, "I didn't expect to see you tonight." They sit down and Susan adds, "Charlie passed-on Caroline's message." Doug murmurs, "Yeah, well, just ignore it, will you?" Susan says in surprise, "I'm back in the T-shirt business." Doug explains, "You were never out of it - not as far as we were concerned. It was Wayne's idea." Susan asks coldly, "What did he say?" Doug stands up and starts pacing the floor as he sighs, "The usual threats. Nothing to worry about, of course. I've been over chatting with him; pointing out it wasn't very nice... that sort of thing. I gave him 24 hours to let the cops know your mum was innocent, too." Susan looks at him, wide-eyed. Doug adds, "Don't ask what's going to happen if he doesn't; we haven't decided yet." Susan queries, "We?" Doug explains, "A couple of blokes I know." Susan muses, "Really gentle types?!" Doug, however, admits, "Actually, they don't exist - but don't tell Wayne that, though." Susan, looking suddenly concerned, gasps, "You're trying to bluff him? It won't work." Doug just says, "Yes it will. He's scared out of his pants right now."

There's a knock on the front door at Dural. Wayne leaps up from where he was sitting on the couch in the lounge room, a look of fear on his face. He creeps slowly out into the hallway and calls warily, "Who is it?" Michael calls back, "Wayne?" Wayne sighs in relief. He stands there for several seconds before opening the door, pulling Michael inside quickly, closing the door again and setting the lock. Michael looks at him and asks in surprise, "Why all the secrecy?" Wayne tells him, "I just heard some noises outside; someone was creeping--" He breaks off suddenly and asks, "What was that?" Michael asks in surprise, "What?" Wayne replies, "The noise - upstairs." Michael asks, "What noise?" Wayne asks, "Didn't you hear it?" Michael tells him, "No. I think you're suffering from a case of Imaginitis, mate." Wayne murmurs nervously, "Yeah. I guess I must be..."

Susan is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Charlie's as Doug talks on the 'phone, saying, "It'll do the trick - I'm certain of it... It was time to do something, don't you think?" In the kitchen at Caroline's, Caroline asks, "What if he finds out you were bluffing? We'll be back to square one." Doug insists, "He's not going to find out - so you've got nothing to worry about." He then changes the subject and asks, "Are Craig and Debbie coming over tonight?... Well you've got even less to worry about. They don't know about Wayne's threat, do they?" Caroline murmurs, "No. They just think I don't like staying here on my own." With that, she smiles, "I will... you too... bye." She hangs up.

A while later, Craig is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Caroline's as Debbie paces the floor and exclaims, "We can't just let him get away with it." Craig says, "I don't know what we can do. He hired us, he can fire us." Caroline appears in the doorway suddenly and announces, "I think I'll be off." Debbie asks, "You tired?" Caroline nods at her. She then adds, "If you're peckish, there's plenty in the 'fridge. Just help yourselves." With that, she heads off to bed. Craig looks at Debbie and sighs, "We could go to the Equal Opportunities Board, I suppose, if you really think it's worth it." Debbie murmurs, "We could. What I'd really like to do, though, is figure out a way for us to get even; that would be a lot more satisfying..."

Doug is pouring himself a drink in the lounge room at Charlie's. Susan walks in with Nick and she introduces Nick and Doug to each other. Nick then says, "I'm sorry to call around so late." Susan says, "That's OK. What's it about?" Nick replies, "It's about your mum: I've been working to establish her innocence." Doug murmurs, "Join the club. How are you going about it?" Nick explains, "Hypnosis - on Wayne first, which is when I realised that something was rather odd." Doug muses, "His whole brain's rather odd!" Nick murmurs, "I wouldn't argue with that!" He then goes on, "I put Beryl under as well, today. As you would know, hypnosis generally makes people remember things with much greater accuracy, and I was hoping to uncover some clue as to who the real culprit might be." Susan asks, "And?" Nick unfolds his sketch of the ring and replies, "The best I could do was this. It appeared on a hand she saw disappearing around the side of the house. Do you recognise it?" Doug looks at the sketch and remarks, "It could be anyone's." Nick prompts, "Susan?" Susan shakes her head and says, "If I have seen it, I can't remember." Nick tells her, "Think hard - please. It goes without saying that whoever shot Wayne was one of his enemies. Now, you and your mum would know them all. A man who hates Wayne was wearing this ring - or was wearing it that day. Now, are you positive you've not seen it before?" Susan sighs, "No, I haven't seen it." Nick says in disappointment, "If you can think of anything, would you give me a call?" He hands over a business card and goes to walk out. As he does so, Susan asks, "What makes you think it was a man? I mean, it could just as easily have been a woman, couldn't it?" Nick looks at her and murmurs, "I suppose you're right."

Fiona is busy stuffing Andy's clothes back into his suitcase when Andy walks into her room, saying, "I suppose you're wondering where I got to, huh?!" Fiona quickly puts the lid down on the case - but Andy notices and asks suspiciously, "What's going on with my case?" Fiona tells him quickly, "It fell off. I knocked it, actually - quite accidentally - and the clothes fell everywhere. I was just trying to re-pack them for you." Andy looks at the case and demands, "How did the lock get broken?" Fiona asks 'innocently', "Is it broken?" Andy replies sarcastically, "Yes." Fiona comments, "It must have been like that when you brought it in." Andy, however, retorts, "There's nothing wrong with it, Fiona; it's almost a brand new case. What have you been doing: trying yourself at a bit of breaking-and-entering, huh?" Fiona sighs heavily before admitting, "I was looking for something. I know it's wrong and there's just no excuse, but there is a reason, Andy; a very good reason." Andy mutters, "I'd like to hear it." Fiona, however, tells him, "I can't say." Andy asks sharply, "What were you hoping to find?" Fiona murmurs, "I can't tell you that, either." Andy glares at her before snapping, "People like you make me sick. You're so high-and-mighty when someone else puts a foot wrong, but you're no better. You're nothing more than a plain old sticky-beak, Fiona." Fiona cries, "That's not true." Andy demands, "Then why were you going through my things? Something to pass the time?" Fiona just stands there, guiltily. Andy growls at her coldly, "Never let me catch you going through my things again - and stay out of my room, is that clear?" Fiona assures him quickly, "It'll never happen again, Andy - and there's no need for you to assume that it will." Andy just picks up his cases and walks out, muttering, "I hope not." Fiona leans back against the wall, looking upset with herself.

Michael and Wayne are sitting in the lounge room at Dural. Wayne asks, "Do you ever have second thoughts, Mike?" Michael asks, "Second thoughts about what?" Wayne replies, "Anything. What you've done... what you should do." Michael murmurs, "You can't help it sometimes, can you?" He then asks, "What's worrying you?" Wayne stands up and goes to the bar as he says, "Nothing. Well, nothing in particular. It's just this attempted murder business with Beryl: I'm wondering if I should just have kept quiet about it." Michael looks round at him and asks, "Why?" Wayne replies, "It's causing so much trouble for everyone." Michael stands up and joins him at the bar, pointing out as he does so, "If someone tries to kill you, you don't just forget about it." Wayne sighs, "I know... When you come down to it, Beryl's hardly the person to murder someone, is she?" Michael reminds him, "You saw her, didn't you? She's the one who tried to kill you." Wayne nods, "Of course." Michael tells him, "Then you have to go with it." Wayne murmurs, "I guess so. I'm just getting spooked by it, I guess. It gets to you after a while - knowing someone wanted to kill you. It makes you wonder if there's anyone else out there feels the same way." Michael remarks, "That's why you were so jumpy when I turned up." Wayne nods, "Uh huh. I should have someone stay with me in the house - not that I expect a couple of crazies to come around and threaten me or anything - but it would make me feel a bit safer, I guess." Michael comments, "Want me to stay over, do you?" Wayne says quickly, "No, no, not if you don't want to - but the spare room is free, and it is a long drive back to the city..." Michael, going and sitting back down, remarks, "It might be an idea if I do stay. I am a bit tired, and it'll save me worrying about falling asleep at the wheel." Wayne stands behind the bar, looking relieved.

The next morning, Craig is having breakfast in the kitchen at Caroline's. Debbie sits down at the table with him and says, "It'll work; you'll see." Craig sighs, "I just wish we didn't have to go there grovelling." Debbie insists, "It'll be worth it." Caroline walks in at that moment and asks, "What will?" Debbie explains, "We're going to strike a blow for equal employment in the carwash industry." She goes on, "The first thing we do is put our tails between our legs and go and see Mr. Bennett..."

A while later, one of the employees at the carwash says to Debbie and Craig, "You want to see Jack?" Debbie nods, "Yeah. Is he in his office?" The man retorts, "Why? What's the problem?" Debbie tells him, "We'd just like to apologise, that's all." Craig adds, "And we'd like to ask for our jobs back." Debbie explains, "We got the sack yesterday 'cos we were arguing over money - although it was just all a bit stupid. We'd like to get back on the line - at the same rates as before, of course." The man listens and then says, "I'll have a word to him. Don't reckon there'll be any hassle, though. You two were hard workers; scarce as flaming hen's teeth, these days. In fact, might as well start now." Debbie exclaims in surprise, "Really?!" The man nods, "Yeah. Go on. I'll square it with Jack when he gets in." Debbie beams at Craig in relief.

Doug is standing with Wayne at the bar at Dural. Wayne offers him a drink. Doug, however, declines, saying curtly, "No thanks. I like to have a clear head when I'm talking to you, Wayne. Now, what did you want to see me about?" Wayne pours himself a drink before saying, "I've been thinking things over - very carefully - and I want you to hear me out - because I don't think I can go to the cops and say I was wrong about Beryl: firstly on purely moral grounds... and I don't think I am." Doug snaps, "Rubbish." Wayne points out, "It was her name I called out when I was delirious; it was her face I saw under hypnosis... I honestly think she's guilty." Michael walks in suddenly from the hallway and announces, "I'm off, Wayne." Wayne introduces Michael and Doug to each other and Michael then heads out. Doug asks Wayne, "Did he stay here last night?" Wayne mutters, "Yes." Doug growls, "Needed a bit of support, did you?" Wayne retorts, "He asked to stay, alright? He was too tired to drive." He then goes on, "The other thing is, even if I do go to the police and say something, they're not going to believe me. I've named Beryl on two or three separate occasions. Any change in my story is simply going to look like I'm protecting my mother-in-law." Doug mutters, "Who everyone knows you think so highly of." Wayne growls, "They could also consider the remote possibility that I'm changing my evidence because someone is forcing me to..." He continues, "The bottom line is this: after three weeks of saying, 'It's Beryl,' I can't suddenly turn around and say, 'Sorry, only kidding!' They're not going to let her go with no questions asked. It's out of my control, Doug: Beryl's going to be stuck in jail no matter what I do, so there's no point in pressuring me, is there?" Doug pauses before saying, "No one's asking you to make them believe you. If you tell them she didn't do it and stick to that, then sooner or later they're going to have to let her out, whether they believe you or not. Susan's told me you already had a broken leg; when was it: three... four years ago?" Wayne replies blankly, "Four." Doug retorts, "Then you know what it feels like. My, er, 'promise' still stands. The ball's still in your court, Wayne." With that, he walks off, leaving Wayne looking worried.

Nick is walking along the corridor at the mansion with Fiona, who's snapping, "Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you start something you should finish it?" Nick concedes, "Yes, well, it wasn't very noble of me." Fiona retorts, "You can say that again." Nick asks, "Would you rather we had done nothing and lost a possible chance to help Beryl?" Fiona snaps, "I would rather he who takes the risk takes the rap." Nick assures her, "I consider myself told." He then says, "Incidentally: have you thought it could be a woman we're after? We've been assuming it's a man, but there's no reason to, is there?" Fiona stares at him. At that moment, Michael walks in through the front door. Nick turns to him and comments, "Just the man I'm looking for." Michael retorts, "Likewise."

A short time later, Nick is standing in Michael's room, looking at a handwritten letter. As he reaches the end, Michael asks, "What do you reckon?" Nick retorts, "Mum exaggerates; you know that." Michael, however, growls, "Mum never exaggerates." Nick shrugs, "OK. Dad'll get compo." Michael exclaims, "For arthritis?" Nick retorts, "He's a carpenter, Michael. If sickness prevents you from doing your job, you get compo." Michael mutters, "Alright. Eventually he might - but he's been off work for four weeks now; it wouldn't hurt too much to write them a cheque, would it?" Nick demands, "What are you sending?" Michael admits, "Nothing. I'm just making ends meet myself." Nick smiles disbelievingly, "Come on..." Michael snaps at him, "I'm an intern, for heaven's sake, not a damn specialist." Nick shrugs, "So? You don't see too many interns starving in the gutters." Michael growls, "You're earning five times more than me, and our parents just need a bit of support. It's not dad's fault he's got arthritis." Nick, however, snaps, "It's dad's fault he didn't plan for it. Dad's hands have been getting worse for years, but oh no, on they sail; why worry? 'Mikey will help them out if anything happens.' Well, it was you they wrote to; you bail them out, sonny-Jim." Michael glares at him and snarls, "You really hate them, don't you? Don't you feel you owe them anything? They paid our way through school... university--" Nick interrupts and retorts, "They paid your way. I got a job to pay for mine. Six years I pulled beers to get where I am; mum and dad didn't pull a finger." Michael growls, "Oh no. They just gave you a roof... meals... washed your clothes." Nick snaps, "They didn't care, though. They wouldn't have thrown me out, but they were pretty damn pleased when I left - and we both know the reason don't we?" Michael gasps in disbelief, "I knew it would get round to this." Nick growls, "Yeah, if only you and mum and dad could ever stop thinking I shot Jason on purpose - and I know you do: I can see it in your eyes; it's as plain as day. How do you think it's been knowing your own family are the only ones who'll never believe you? How do think it's been, Michael?" He adds furiously, "You can spare a few hundred," and storms out.

Wayne is talking on the 'phone on the bar in the lounge room at Dural, saying, "Look, Doug, it's hopeless. I'm telling you: they'll never believe me, so call the dogs off, will you?" Doug, however, retorts from Charlie's lounge room, "Not so fast. I've been thinking too: the one thing that'll convince the cops is if they actually catch the real bloke, isn't it?" He listens before sighing, "Wayne, we're both intelligent men; you know it wasn't Beryl. Now, whoever it was is still out there - and judging by the way you hate spending the nights alone, you think he's still after you, don't you?" Wayne doesn't respond. Doug smiles, "I take it that means 'yes'. Now, I reckon the quickest way of flushing this bloke out, and freeing Beryl in the meantime, is to set a trap." Wayne asks suspiciously, "What sort of trap?" Doug tells him, "We set you up as bait. Alone. Tonight." Before Wayne can protest, Doug says, "Let me finish. I'll pop over this afternoon and we'll figure out some sort of warning system so my boys know when to move in. You'll be perfectly safe - more or less..." Wayne growls, "You must be out of your head if you think I'm going to hang around like a sitting duck." Doug, however, just retorts, "Frankly, sport, you don't have much say in the matter..."

A short time later, Wayne is stuffing clothes into a suitcase in the lounge room at Dural. He zips up the case and heads out to the hallway. He then dials a number on the 'phone and starts writing a note on the pad on the table as he waits for the call to be answered. When it is, he says, "Hi, Jack, it's Wayne Hamilton. I've got to go away for a while; I was wondering whether you could look after the regular bills for the company... Interest on loans... tax instalments... all that sort of stuff." He listens before retorting, "Yeah, I know she could handle it, but you're the accountant; seems easier for you to... Thanks. That's great, mate." He listens again before saying, "It could be a week, it could be a month, it could even be longer. I'll be in touch, OK?" With that, he hangs up. He then finishes writing the note, signs it, folds up the sheet of paper and rips it off the pad. He takes a drawing pin out of a wooden box next to the 'phone, walks over to the front door, opens it carefully, looks outside and then pins the note to the outside of the door. He picks up his case and heads off.

Michael is sitting at the table in his room at the mansion when there's a knock on the door and Fiona calls, "Michael?" Michael calls back, "Come in." Fiona steps inside warily and says, "I wondered if you were OK. I just saw Nick leaving and he practically pulled the front door off its hinges." Michael, however, just tells her mutedly, "It's a family problem. We'll sort it out." Changing the subject, Fiona says brightly, "Would you like to come out to lunch today? Get your mind off things?" Michael just shakes his head and says, "Some other time." Fiona comments, "If you change your mind, just come a-knocking at the door." She then says, "You know, the more I learn about Nick, the more I realise he wouldn't be much help in a family crisis." Michael murmurs, "No." With that, Fiona heads out again. Michael mouths to himself, "Much help? He's no help at all." He then looks down at a pad on the table in front of him and a letter he's been writing. He reads to himself:

"Dear Mum and Dad. Got your letter yesterday. Quit worrying, folks - I owe you something for all those meat pies, eh?! See enclosed cheque, and if you need more, don't think twice. Just let me know. Got that, mum?!"

Susan is sitting on the couch in the lounge room at Charlie's as Doug talks on the 'phone, saying, "Don't panic, honey - everything's under control." Caroline, however, retorts, "How can you say that? If he hasn't done anything by now, then he's calling your bluff." Doug smiles, "It's a war of nerves, that's all - and I'll back my nerve against his any day!" He listens before saying, "I promise I'll be careful. I'll see you soon. Hey - I love you! Bye!" He hangs up. Susan asks immediately, "Why didn't you tell her what we're doing?" Doug looks at her and replies, "What's the point? She's on-edge enough as it is, and I think it's better if we keep it simple. If she knew we'd set Wayne up, she'd think that we were just going to end up with his blood on our hands; she wouldn't sleep a minute." Susan murmurs, "You're probably right." Doug then says, "I should go over and see him, I suppose; have to figure out a way of him getting in touch with us tonight in a hurry, if he has to." Susan muses, "I don't see why. If someone wants to finish the job, let 'em." Doug points out, "Then we really would have his blood on our hands, wouldn't we?" Susan just sits there, looking thoughtful...

A red car pulls up at the carwash in Melbourne. Debbie walks over and asks the female driver, "Car wash?" The woman replies "Thanks. How much is it here?" Debbie tells her, "It's normally $6 for a wash, $8 for a vacuum and $10 for a wax - but today's your lucky day." The woman says in surprise, "It is?" Debbie nods, "Yep! Everything's half-price for our female customers." The woman exclaims, "Everything?" Debbie smiles, "The lot! So what would you like?" The woman tells her, "The lot!" She holds out her car keys and climbs out of the car. Debbie takes them and walks over to Craig, who asks quietly, "Did you do it?" Debbie smiles, "Of course! It's only fair, don't you think? A boss who pays women less should charge women less." Craig assures her, "I think it's fair, but I doubt if the boss will." Debbie just shrugs, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Craig points out, "It's going to hurt his profit margin." Debbie retorts sarcastically, "What a shame! Maybe he'll have to start paying equal money for equal work, then." Craig warns, "Maybe he'll kick us out again." Debbie muses, "We'll just have to wait and see."

Doug is walking up the driveway to Dural. He reaches the front door and finds the note pinned to it. He rips it down and starts reading:

"Dear Dougie. Someone once said discretion is the better part of valour - and I agree with them! The idea of waiting here for someone to take a potshot at me doesn't appeal, so I'm taking no chances and disappearing. See you in two months for Beryl's trial. Yours sincerely, Wayne Hamilton Esquire."

Doug screws up the note and throws it down on the ground, looking annoyed.