Episode 6371

Extended Summary

While Leah, VJ, Hunter and Alf wait anxiously at the Police Station, Zac is grilled by Dylan and Kat about his whereabouts on the night of Charlotte’s murder. Zac insists he was on the beach, but when Dylan shows him CCTV footage of Zac following Charlotte to Stewart’s Point, Zac asks for a lawyer and clams up. Leah, Alf and the boys are shocked to see Zac being led away to the holding cells but Dylan orders them home, relaying that Zac will be held until his lawyer arrives. As Kat locks a shaken Zac in for the night, it seems there’s a real question hanging over his innocence. A stunned Leah, Alf, Hunter and VJ arrive home. When Leah sends the boys to bed, she asks Alf if he knows what evidence the police could have on Zac. Alf has no idea, but suggests that Zac needs a lawyer – and he knows exactly who to call…

Ricky is preparing to go out for a night on the town with Nate. But when he arrives home, she’s disappointed to learn he’s offered to do a double shift and has to go back to work. Desperate for company, Ricky heads over to see Ash and Andy, who are also in a funk as the garage they wanted to buy has been sold. But as the trio drown their sorrows together, Ash and Andy’s teasing about the loneliness that comes with being a doctor’s ‘wife’ hits home with Ricky, leaving her a little shaken.

The next morning, Dylan chastises Kat for suggesting they release Zac, convinced more evidence will soon come to light. As Dylan heads into his office, an imposing figure arrives and makes her way to Kat. It’s Morag – Zac’s new lawyer – looking as fierce as ever. As Kat and Morag cross paths with Dylan, it’s immediately clear Morag and Dylan have a history and mutual dislike. But when Morag hints of Dylan’s ‘fall from grace’, Dylan cuts her short, ordering a curious Kat to take Morag to see her client.

Zac’s relieved and grateful when Morag arrives, and she urges him to tell her the truth. Zac admits that after the wedding, he was furious with Charlotte and went for a walk. When he saw her, he followed her to Stewart’s Point where they had a confrontation – but she was alive when he left. Morag wonders why Zac didn’t tell this to the police and Zac confesses that with his record, he didn’t think the police would believe him. As Morag struggles to get her head around Zac’s tale, Phoebe is talking to a gloomy Andy and Ash while she works. She suggests they forget about their setback and start their own business from scratch. Andy soon jumps on board and his and Phoebe’s enthusiasm wins Ash over too.

Meanwhile, when an exhausted Nate arrives home, all Ricky’s attempts to have some couple time fall flat. As he heads off to grab some sleep alone, she’s once again left frustrated.

Back at the Station, Morag is demanding her client be released but Dylan has other ideas… As Leah is trying to comfort a guilt stricken Hunter, who thinks Zac wouldn’t be in this mess if he hadn’t come to the Bay, Kat arrives with a search warrant for Summer Bay House. Meanwhile, Ricky’s at Angelo’s despairing to Phoebe about her lack of time with Nate. Phoebe suggests she talk to him about it before it snowballs and becomes a serious problem.

Andy is describing to Ash the large patch of grass he’s seen at the caravan park – it’d be perfect to build a workshop on. Ash is unsure that’s the easiest solution to a garage until Andy points out all the business with tourists and nomads that pass through that place. Ash concedes they should go talk to Alf about it then but Andy, who’s heard about Zac’s arrest, points out now might not be the best time…

Meanwhile Leah, Alf and the boys have been watching helplessly as Dylan and the police remove bagged evidence from the house. Fed-up with being continually kept in the dark, Leah and Alf head back to the Police Station for answers. When they arrive, Morag explains that they can’t see Zac yet but he’s doing okay. The police don’t have enough evidence to charge him and she’s doing everything she can to get him home. As Dylan walks past, Leah gives him a piece of her mind but is quickly interrupted by Kat, who has the results of DNA tests carried out after the search. Kat privately reveals it turned up nothing. Dylan pulls Zac and Morag back into the interview room. He explains that he’s made a call to the OPP (Office of Public Prosecutions) – Not only are they convinced of Mr. Maguire’s guilt, but they are confident they can achieve a conviction at trial. Morag’s shocked. As a flabbergasted Zac struggles to process the news, Dylan reads him his rights, formally charging Zac with the murder of Charlotte King.