Original subtitles

I want you to get to know your sister. Look out for her.

Let her go!

I've never taken a life.

And I can't show Val.

His name is Marco Peters.

On his phone, we found this app that tracks people's movements.

- Anyone we know? - There's Valerie.

And Alex Parsons.

So you haven't talked to Ruby.

You're just gonna keep your blackmailer close?

I know - I know - that there is a blackmailer in this group. Or is it all of you?

So that's all you've got? A theory? You've got no evidence to back this up.

Stop it!

These are my friends.

AJ?

AJ.

Where's AJ?

Ruby... Just...

don't.

Don't.

Ruby, they know about Alex.

That he abused you and that I killed him.

Whoever's doing this is blackmailing me too.

Please.

Can we just have a think about this? Please?

One of your friends has gone rogue. I don't know who.

Sarah?

Felix?

Hazel? No.

None of my friends would do this.

Sometimes it is the people who you are closest to who let you down the most.

Really

I have been thinking about Nia's cancer treatment.

How much that costs. Oh my God.

People do things for money. Ruby...

sometimes it's the last people that you would expect.

No.

No. There's no way.

Well, then it has to be Hazel.

She could've been feeding info... She wouldn't.

- Through to her father. He needed money. - She wouldn't.

- He was tracking Valerie. - Mm-mm.

My friends don't do these things.

♪ Between you and me is a body of water. ♪

We called it 'the soap opera'.

My mum would say, 'Tell me another story about your friends.

'What-What skeletons does that family have?'

It was how we got through the hard nights.

And the chemo. Just-Just talking about anything to keep my mind off it.

And I kept asking where'd she get the money from,

but she'd just get angry, and then she'd be sorry, and...

and I knew she was hiding something.

- I just never thought that... - that she'd blackmail.

Hm.

But she did, though. She took those secrets, and she got money for them.

S-So why did she give me money just last month?

- Valerie gave you money? - Yeah. Two grand.

She said it was left over from the fundraiser

we had her for Nan.

She said-She said she wanted us to have it for the baby.

No, Ruby.

She didn't give you money for the baby. That was my money. What?

She took from me and gave to you...

so that I would suspect you.

Sorry.

Is this what I think it is?

If you want it to be.

'Omnia...

'Vincent...' Vincit.

'Omnia vincit amor.'

Love conquers all.

See? So...

you wanna?

I do.

I do.

Mm.

OK.

So you think Marco found out that Valerie blackmailed his father and that's why he attacked her?

Something like that.

Right.

Bingo. Great.

Come on.

Ah, that's sick.

Valerie was blackmailing Marco too. 'Course she was.

This was sent three days ago. So that's why he went after her.

To scare her, like we were gonna do.

No, Marco wanted more than that.

He wanted his father's money back too.

- Damn. - What?

Password.

- Well, you can get around that. - Nah, needs authentication.

Just figure it out, Harding.

That's Trig Road.

That's Trig Road;

that's the cop shop; that's my house.

This is Joseph's.

Do you think that this could have anything to do with that tracking app

that we found on Marco's phone? Yeah, it could.

Which...

Which would mean that- This is Valerie's movements here.

Yeah.

You need to get into that laptop. It has everything that we need.

I-I-Honestly, I can't. We need to take it to e-crime.

Figure it out, Harding. We don't have time.

Hey.

What's the hurry? Valerie doesn't know that we're on to her.

No, but Nia does, and she's been away all night, so she's gonna have to contact her mother soon.

We have to act now. OK.

Look, we don't have to do this by the book, OK? I could bring her in for blackmailing the others

and just leave you out of it. No.

I've got to do this.

You know she would use whatever it is she has against you, right?

Yeah, but these teenagers, they've formed a family. OK? Did you know that?

So take that laptop to the station, see what you can get off it, and I'm gonna bring her in.

Jess? It's not even 7.

Yeah. I've come to talk to Valerie.

- Oh, come on. - Just go out for a bike ride.

Go for an hour. I'm not going out for a bike ride.

Oh. Ruby, hey.

What-What is it? Is it Mum?

Yeah. Um, she needs your help.

All right.

Jess. You must work night and day.

Can we get you a coffee? Breakfast? Nah.

So, shoot.

When Marco Peters was trailing you in his car,

did he shout out anything to you? No.

When you left the road, and he pulled up and opened his car door... Mm, and followed me. Yeah?

He didn't say anything to you then?

No.

And when he caught you on the pier?

Yeah? What did he say to you?

Uh... Oh, I can't recall exactly. Just 'got you' type stuff.

He grabbed me. We were fighting more than anything.

- And that's when Denise arrived? - Hm.

So why did you describe it as a sexual attack?

The way it was holding me, I guess. He... groped me.

Where did he grope you?

The groin;

um, he squeezed my breast when he said, 'I've been waiting for this.'

- But Denise was already there by that stage. - Yeah.

Think she was just arriving.

Did you witness the offender grope Valerie's breast or groin?

Uh, no, I didn't notice that s-specifically,

but he had his arm around her,

and I'm sure he-Did you hear him say,

'I've been waiting for this?' I couldn't hear anything,

but he was yelling a lot.

How do you know Nick Peters?

I don't believe I do know Nick Peters.

Well, then where were you March the 25th 2018?

Oh, God.

- August the 3rd 2018. - I don't keep a diary... - November the 4th.

And I hardly remember where I was last week, Jess. January the 9th.

You were at Granddaughter Estate. You were there up until a week before Nick Peters died in February.

Why were you there?

I was there to meet with Nick.

- Why? - Because he gave me money.

Nick had heard about Nia's cancer and knew that the chemo had failed

and that we couldn't afford the experimental drug therapy from the US,

so he offered to help pay for it.

Why did you lie to me about knowing Nick?

He made me promise to keep it confidential.

He had issues with his son, who he thought was trying to get hold of his money.

I had no idea,

no idea that the son was Marco.

Nick was incredibly good to us.

I suppose it's possible that the son thought that I'd been taking money from him

that was rightfully his.

Oh, do you think that might've been his motive?

It's a security question.

Your father's first pet.

- How would I know? - Well, you two were close, right?

You know. Probably both loved animals, right?

You guys shot my dad.

And now you want my help?

Look, I know how this feels. No. You don't.

OK.

OK.

OK, I...

I was 12 years old

when my mother was killed.

And cops turned up at my door just like I did at yours.

I can't change what happened to your dad.

Neither can you.

But maybe understanding why...

he did what he did...

Maybe it'll help.

OK.

What is it now, Jess? More victim blaming?

Hey. Jess is just doing her job.

Why don't you go get dressed?

- You sure? - Yeah, we're good.

Do you remember...

that message you sent me...

'It's time to pay'? I don't know what you mean.

On your cell phone,

there's a little app that works in the background. It's been tracking your movements. Marco put it there.

- That sounds like something a stalker would do. - Mm-hm,

except it shows you at my house. I've been to your house, Jess. To pick up Nia.

No. You were there to steal a SIM card and see me blackmail messages from Alex.

- Really? - Mm.

Is there something about Alex that you could be blackmailed over?

I'm not scared of it coming out.

Well, that's just as well,

because you might lose everything.

- Nia's at the station with Harding. - Nia doesn't have anything to say.

She has everything that she's told you.

Sammy's relationship with Spencer.

Felix's grandad covering up a murder at the commune.

Sarah's dad bringing in illegal migrants. You know, all the stuff

that you talked about. Since when is talking to your daughter a crime?

All of those people are being blackmailed.

Cos I looked into that experimental treatment that you're paying for from the States - 20 grand a pop.

It's 20 grand every six weeks. How does a freelance photographer afford that?

- I told you. Nick Peters helped us. - Oh, tens of thousands of dollars?

Good things happen to good people.

Bad people? What happens to bad people?

Why don't you tell us, Jess? What does happen to bad people?

You don't believe any of this, do you?

OK.

I would like to go in to the station. I wanna make a statement.

Fine.

Oh, I would like Denise to drive.

I don't feel safe in a car with you.

Remember this road, Jess?

Be careful, Nisey. This is where she did it.

Forced the car cut off the road, then left Alex to die in the water.

Isn't that right, Jess?

What did you do underwater? Did you finish him off?

Or just make sure he couldn't get out?

Is that true?

You won't deny it?

She isn't the person you think, Nise.

It's true, I knew all those stories from Nia and her friends,

but I'm not the one doing the blackmailing.

It's Ruby.

That's why she's doing this. She's already covered up one crime.

Now she and Harding, they've concocted this whole case against me

just to cover up Ruby's blackmail.

She's blackmailing me!

Believe me, Nisey.

You know I'm not that person.

Marco Peters.

He said you were blackmailing him.

That isn't true.

I killed a man to protect you.

Maybe I remember it differently.

Maybe I got free

and you chose to shoot a defenceless man.

Nice. All the statements?

- Last chance. - What? Hey?

You know what?

You're wrong.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Both of our daughters know that.

OK, Harding, she wants to make a statement.

OK.

It is 10am on the 17th of March.

This is a formal interview between myself, D.S. Harding

and Valerie Wells.

Also present in the room is Detective Senior Sergeant Savage.

You're not obliged to say anything. Anything you say will be recorded and may be given in evidence.

Do you understand? Yes.

OK.

So, I want to talk to you about the incident where Marco Peters was shot.

Uh, and I want to speak about Detective Savage.

I should tell you we've received some statements this morning,

including one from Rawinia, and also one from...

Ruby Savage.

I wanna share that one with you just in case it's relevant to the same matter.

'Over the last 18 months, my friends...'

have been sharing stories with each other about our families.

Um, they started out true, like Sammy's relationship with Spencer Marris

and Felix's stories about a murder at his grandfather's commune years ago.

But then... we started...

to make things up.

Just to keep the stories coming.

I made up...

stories about Alex's death.

Just crazy stuff about...

my mum committing crimes.

None of mine was true. It was just...

a sick game we played to cheer up Nia.

I have other statements backing that up, from Rawinia and others...

that many of these stories were fabrications.

Do you want to continue with your statement about Detective Savage, Valerie?

OK. Well, in that case, I'd like to share some information that we found amongst Marco Peters' files.

I'm just showing Valerie an audit report of bank transactions in her name.

See, we've highlighted a number of cash deposits made into your account

which correspond exactly with withdrawals made by Spencer Marris,

Philip Scully and others whose cases we've been investigating for blackmail.

You are the blackmailer in question.

Aren't you, Valerie?

You killed him! Fuck you!

I'll give you a confession. I just need to talk to my daughter first.

Nia, you don't have to.

Nia...

Nia.

Please. You must understand. You stole stories from my friends.

To save you.

It was for you. No.

It's how you're alive today. We could never have afforded that.

Those-Those people could. People died.

They had done bad things, Nia.

I hadn't done them. You didn't- What you did was bad!

No!

They didn't deserve to get away with what they did.

I just made people pay for the things they did, that's all.

I'm-I'm a good person.

You're a good per-I'm not-I'm not you.

I'm not you.

- I'll take it from here. I'm going to the city. - OK, sure.

♪ All the circles float

♪ around

♪ in a tale of tapestry,

♪ Indian.

♪ Ooh,

♪ born in a storm.

♪ Watch the skin bared

♪ as she carries on

♪ with her cool hands

♪ and her hot blood,

♪ her Atlantic swim,

♪ as she departs.

♪ Baby...

Hey.

Uh, just seeing if you're still OK for tonight.

Yeah.

Yeah, I-I did hear, yeah.

I'll-I'll see you tonight.

♪ To the west,

♪ south,

♪ east,

♪ the wide river mouth.

Do you want a lift?

Beer? Just...

go.

♪ When the sun gave her to me,

♪ made a pact with God

♪ I would always be...

♪ Gave her to me,

♪ made a pact with God

♪ I would always be

♪ to the west,

♪ to the south,

♪ to that east,

♪ wide river mouth.

♪ Baby,

♪ blue eyes.

Well, look the fuck at you.

♪ I don't have to own you.

♪ You're already mine.

♪ Baby, blue eyes.

♪ I don't have to own you.

♪ You're already mine.

♪ To the west,

♪ south,

♪ that east,

♪ wide river mouth.

♪ That's me.

♪ That's me.

♪ That's me.

♪ That's me.

♪ That's me. ♪

Hey.

Good hiding, Zoe.

Good hiding.

Hey?

This is Zoe. Hey, Zoe.

I'm Justin.

Hi.

Hi.

All set up now, hey? Mmhm.

- So cute. - Hm.

Um...

Thanks.

I wanted to say I'm sorry.

For today.

That you had to say those things.

About the abuse.

And Alex.

And me.

This is yours.

No, you keep it.

Keep it. Mmmm.

I don't think so.

She used it to try and set me up, didn't she?

And you believed her?

A-A little bit, yes.

- It's just so fucked up, you and me. - No.

No, Ruby. No. We're just like every other family.

We are.

Well, I don't want my child to have this sort of family.

I want me and AJ to do better.

- Hey, Ms Savage. - Hello, AJ.

- Is that everything? - Uh, yeah. Just this.

You're moving out? Yep.

Where to?

Hazel's place. Nia's coming too.

We're gonna live together, look after each other like we always have.

Sounds like a good idea.

Thanks, Ms Savage.

For letting me stay.

And, like, you're welcome any time in our place. We'll invite you.

Ruby will.

Bye, Mum.

Uh-oh.

- You're good with kids. - She's a cutie.

Aren't you, Zoe? Eh?

- Di-ga-di-ga-di-ga-doo. - Whee-oo, whee-oo, whee-oo!

It's not like anyone taught us how to do it.

No.

Yeah.

How're you-How're you paying for all this?

- None of your business. - I just meant more, you know, I'm...

Are you OK for money?

Are you offering?

If I can help you guys or if you guys need anything, sure.

You know how I said I had something for you, Zoe?

Do you know what...

this is?

It's a unicorn.

Yeah, I know. Cool, eh?

It's a magical unicorn. It's got superpowers. Where'd you get that?

Um, it's from Dad.

What?

Look, he just wanted to give her something.

Sweetie.

Get out. Hey, I'm-I'm sorry.

I'm- You're working for him. Get out!

You're working for him, you fucking arsehole. Nadia, I'm not working for him.

I'm a cop, Nadia. I'm not- Get out!

Look, OK, I-I know that you don't like him, but if you... I don't like him?!

Do you seriously think I'm living like this because I don't like him?

Get the fuck out.

You're so fucking naive.

- Hey. - How'd it go?

Yeah, all good. All good.

Valerie's locked up for the night.

Good.

You OK?

Yeah, of course.

So...

thank you for today.

- What, for saving your arse? - Yeah, that.

- Probably your whole career. - Oh, don't flatter yourself.

I never did find out what dirt she had on you.

- No, you didn't. - Huh.

Hey, um, can you hold a sec?

Comms, AK-X3.

Uh, seems like there's an incident in the Rosebank area.

Central to AK-X3,

1210 Peacedale Rd. Can you attend?

AK-X3, responding.

Harding?

CIB.

Three of them. Came out of nowhere.

And she was screaming at them, but they just bundled her into a van, and then boom - gone.

Hey, have you guys seen a little kid? A girl, little girl.

Not yet.

Hey. A kid, a little girl. Have you seen a little girl?

- No, sorry. - Oh, shit.

Hey. Hey.

Come here.

Hey.

Hey.

You OK?

Hey.

OK?

OK. OK.

All right.

Hey.

There you go. There you go. Hey.

Fuck you!

Fuck you!

Fuck you!

- Hey. - Hello.

Hi.

Hello. Who's this?

Zoe, hey.

Get off the phone, please, Zoe?

Thank you. Thank you. Harding.

Harding!

Harding!

Harding.

♪ Between you and me is a body of water. ♪