Episode 7168

Extended Summary

Irene is filling out forms as Colby and Bella arrive at the police station. Colby asks if she’s spoken to anyone and Irene says they told her to wait. Colby says he’ll take her statement. Bella tells Irene she couldn’t let her do it alone. At the Diner flat, Robbo suggests to Jasmine that they watch something but Jasmine says they’ve already watched everything and she’s now reduced to rereading a magazine. Robbo points out that technically they’re still on their honeymoon and Jasmine retorts that this isn’t a five star resort. She decides to go and have a nap. Robbo points out there’s other ways to pass the time and carries her to their room.

Colby is interviewing Irene with another officer in the room. She says she didn’t know Bella was talking to Tommy and is sorry she didn’t keep an eye on her. Colby gets her on track and she recalls coming home and finding Tommy on top of a terrified Bella and hitting him. She says he was still conscious. Colby asks if he tried to attack or threaten them. Irene admits he didn’t, recalling him trying to talk his way out of it and calling it their little secret. Colby asks why that made her hit him and she says she’d heard someone else say it and didn’t want him to get away with doing it to another girl. Colby halts things and asks if she wants them to call someone for her. At the Diner, Justin is filling Leah in on his weekend with Ava; she still misses Brian but is coping better, as is Nina. Leah apologises for not staying longer but says she needed to get back with Irene the way she is. Justin is still worried about Tori but trusting she’s being looked after. Leah gets a phone call.

Colby shows Leah into the room where Irene is waiting. He says that Irene has to stay there for now; he has to take Bella’s statement, forensics are checking out her house and then it’ll be up to the DPP whether or not to press charges. He goes back to Bella and tells her he needs to take her statement; he understands she doesn’t want to but Bella knows it will help Irene. Soon after, Colby and Bella head back to the Diner flat where they meet Robbo and Jasmine. Colby asks them to look after Bella, saying he needs to get changed and head into work.

Willow is at the beach house, having come home to find the police searching it. Colby arrives and tells her that Bella was attacked, adding that it was the man in the papers and Irene put him in hospital. He is angry that he wasn’t there. He goes back to the police station and tells Irene and Leah that the DPP have yet to make a decision so Irene’s free to go for now. Irene tells him Bella deleted Tommy’s messages but he says forensics have taken hers and Willow’s laptops anyway. Leah offers to take Irene home but Irene says she needs to do something first. They go to the hospital and watch Tommy through the window. Irene has flashbacks to him asking her to keep quiet and her hitting him. Leah gestures for them to go.

Robbo and Jasmine discuss Bella, who is in her room not eating. Colby turns up and says it’s not his story to tell. He knocks on Bella’s door and goes in. Bella asks about Irene and Colby says they don’t know if she’ll be charged. He offers to talk to her or get a counsellor but Bella says she’s fine. Colby leaves her to get some sleep, saying she can stay there tonight. At the beach house, Willow is on the phone to Jasmine filling her in. Irene and Leah arrive and Irene says she’s managing. Willow says she could have helped if she’d known but Irene wanted to keep her out of it and feels bad that protecting Bella landed someone in ICU: She’s glad she stopped him but is worried he might die. At the hospital, Tommy’s alarms go off and the staff rush to resuscitate him.

Next morning, Colby joins Murray and other officers outside Tommy’s house. Murray says it’s locked but Colby says they have a warrant and kicks the door down. He finds the computer on stand by and turns it on. There are several folders with girls’ names on. Colby clicks on the one marked “Bella” and finds the photos from her self-portrait shoot and one of her as a child from the Missing posters. Murray gets a radio message saying Tommy has regained consciousness. Colby heads to the hospital where there is a policeman on the door. He asks a nurse about Tommy; she says he’s okay but warns he has only just come off life support. Colby tells Tommy he’s under arrest for the attempted sexual assault of a minor, two counts of possessing child pornography and one of grooming. Tommy protests he’s the victim but Colby says he will have to appear in court as soon as he’s fit. He tells Constable Nader to handcuff him to the bed.

Irene, Leah, Willow and Bella are all at the beach house when Colby turns up. He tells them Tommy has recovered and they have enough evidence to charge him but the DPP could still charge Irene as well. Irene takes Colby aside and tells him he needs to get Bella to open up, since otherwise it will build up inside her and fester. Colby tells Bella they’re going for a walk. They walk near the beach. Bella insists she’s fine. Colby asks why she didn’t come to him. Bella says she was scared of what he’d do, pointing out how angry he got when he first found out. Colby says he wouldn’t do anything to take him away from her again and just wants to make sure Tommy rots in jail. He wants Bella to move back in with him but Bella says she needs to be there for Irene.

Willow has gone to see Robbo and Jasmine to update them and says Irene still isn’t in the clear. After she’s gone, Jasmine wants to go and see Irene but Robbo says it’s not safe for her to leave the flat. Jasmine says he’s a federal police officer so he can protect her but Robbo refuses to let her leave, locking the door. At the Diner, Alf and Justin are discussing the latest rumours, that the police have caught the woman who attacked the man in the papers. Alf says she should be locked up if she’s that dangerous. Leah overhears and angrily says the man isn’t the victim and she’s going to make sure the world knows that.

Robbo tells Jasmine that he’s going in the shower but she ignores him. After he’s left the room, she tries to leave but Robbo reappears and slams the door shut. Jasmine says she’s never seen, and doesn’t know anything about, the “guys” he keeps talking about. Robbo says ignorance won’t stop a bullet.