Episode 7160

Extended Summary

Dean is standing near the beach when Ziggy joins him, noting he left early. Dean tells her about running into Rick and says he didn’t have a chance to have a go at him, since Rick was trying to get him onside. He says he doesn’t trust Rick but can’t stop him. Ziggy doesn’t understand and asks him to talk to her. Dean asks for some space.

Outside the bait shop, Alf is listening to a radio report of Rick’s interview insisting Mackenzie misconstrued things and he has been supporting all his family. Roo joins him and they comment on feeling sorry for Dean and not trusting Rick. Raffy comes past, looking unhappy. Roo asks what’s going on and she says “Nothing as usual.”

At the Diner, John notes Marilyn’s rushed off her feet. Marilyn doesn’t want to call Irene in because of how she was yesterday. Raffy turns up and complains about Ryder working instead of hanging out with her, saying he was supposed to work less than at the juice bar and she can’t spend time with him when he’s working anymore. She says she’s up to date on homework. John notes he has no time to do paperwork since he’s covering Ryder’s shifts. Raffy offers to take over the shifts. Meanwhile, Ziggy chats to Maggie when she pops home. She says Dean barely slept last night and Mackenzie and Rick are using him as a pawn in their games.

At the surf club, John gives Raffy a rundown on the juice bar duties. She seems distracted but gives him an accurate account of what he’s just told her, reminding him she used to work at the Diner. John tells her to make him a smoothie, and whether or not her pay is the same as Ryder’s depends on her skills. Ben comes over and says he’s just popping out.

Outside, Dean is ambushed by journalists, who bombard him with questions about Karen and about what he did with the money. Ziggy appears and the journalists ask if he spent the money on her. Ben appears and tells them to back off, as does John, who locks the gate to the surf club. One of the journalists, Ted, protests that it’s council property. John replies that it’s a members only surf lifesaving club.

Inside, Dean tells Ziggy it wasn’t meant to be like this. Ben checks on them and Dean tells him about Rick wanting him to back up his story and how he told him he’d regret refusing. Upstairs, Ryder is trying to convince a journalist on the phone that Mackenzie isn’t there. Dean also turns up looking for her and calls Mackenzie saying she started this. Later, Ryder is telling Dean about his creative freedom and how Mackenzie trusts him. Dean thinks Mackenzie doesn’t care and Ryder admits he’s hung up on seven journalists and a delivery guy who caught him in a bad mood. Dean answers a call from Mackenzie, then realises Ryder’s listening in and sends him away.

Ryder comes downstairs and is greeted by Raffy, who cheerily tells him she took the job so they could be close to each other and they can take their breaks together. Ryder reacts unenthusiastically and Raffy walks away, ignoring him calling after her. Dean comes back down and tells Ben and Ziggy that Rick criticised Mackenzie’s mother’s parenting in an interview so she’s being besieged as well now. He goes over to what he thinks is a board shop customer but it’s actually Ted who shoots a picture of him.

At the Diner, Marilyn and Maggie chat about the situation with Dean and the journalists besieging the surf club. Raffy comes in and tells Marilyn that Ryder doesn’t want her there. Marilyn notes Raffy’s usually independent. Raffy says it feels like everyone’s leaving, with Tori and Brody gone and Mason going, and she thought Ryder would always be there. Marilyn promises that she will be.

On the wharf, Ryder tells Alf he’s loving the situation at Salt but he feels bad about Raffy, admitting he wanted to spend his breaks getting to know the other workers at Salt. Alf says in any relationship you have to find a balance between finding time for yourself and supporting the other person. Back in the Diner, Ziggy comes to collect a lunch order from Marilyn, saying it saves Dean having to go out. Maggie and Roo chat to her about the journalists and Maggie decides to go back with her. Marilyn checks on Raffy, who says Ryder has texted her to meet at the surf club.

Maggie and Ziggy leave the Diner and see Rick on the phone nearby but don’t approach him. Rick points a journalist towards his campaign manager and claims Dean blackmailed him for the money, saying he’d lie about Rick not supporting his family. At the surf club, Raffy meets up with Ryder who apologises for before and offers to show her how to make a Berry Delight. Ziggy and Maggie turn up with lunch for Ben and Dean. Ben gets a text from the courier saying the boards have been delivered to Sydney airport and says they can book the trip as soon as they get the money.

Raffy and Ryder take a walk together and he amiably critiques her smoothie making, saying she’ll surpass him eventually. Raffy tells him her feelings about everyone leaving and Ryder promises he’ll be there. At the surf club, Ziggy notes Dean hasn’t eaten his lunch. Ben convinces them to go to the farm to hide out, saying he’ll be closing up soon.

Outside, Rick approaches Dean and Ziggy and demands a DNA test, saying Karen was the town bike. Dean punches him. After they’ve walked on, Ted emerges from the bushes with his camera. John watches from a distance as he shows Rick the shot. At the farm, Maggie is just finishing a call with Ben as Dean and Ziggy arrive; John told him about the photo. Dean isn’t bothered, saying Rick got what he deserved, but Ziggy and Maggie remind him he’s on probation and this is proof of assault.

At the surf club, John is telling Alf and Roo what happened. Ben says Dean was provoked but Alf points out he could be in trouble. Murray turns up looking for Ben. Ben says that whatever Rick’s told them is lies. Murray doesn’t know what he’s talking about: He’s there to arrest Ben for exporting illegal drugs.