Episode 7167

Extended Summary

Colby is getting dressed, although Mackenzie has simply put on a dressing gown. Mackenzie doesn’t understand Dean’s reaction but Colby is worried about how angry he is. To Mackenzie’s annoyance, he insists on going straight out to look for him. At the farm house, Maggie finished a phone call to Ben’s lawyer, arranging a meeting to go over his defence. Ben is subdued, feeling like there’s no way out. Dean arrives to see Ziggy, and Ben and Maggie give them space. He tells her he found Colby in Mackenzie’s bed.

Outside the Diner, Alf tells Roo about Raffy and Ryder’s break-up. Ryder appears with Bella and Willow; he ran into them and they went to a movie together. Raffy emerges and accuses Ryder of having moved on already. Bella and Willow make themselves scarce and Ryder tells Raffy to grow up, prompting her to leave, upset. Roo tells Ryder they need to talk. Willow and Bella are met by Irene at the beach house; she wonders where they’ve been but Willow points out movies are three hours long these days, plus they had to drop Ryder back. Irene sends Willow to get some pizzas from Salt and some milk. She then tells Bella about Tommy being identified. Bella thinks nothing has changed: There’s nothing to link him to them and he won’t say anything if he wakes up. Irene worries the police will go to his house and find something on his computer but Bella says monsters like him always cover their tracks. Irene comforts her.

Colby runs into Willow near the beach, asking if she’s seen Dean and admitting he isn’t answering his calls. Colby explains about Dean finding him with Mackenzie. Willow is somewhat exasperated. Colby asks her to let him know if she sees Dean. Willow goes up to Salt to get the pizzas. She sees Mackenzie setting tables and goes up to her to accuse her of causing trouble between Dean and Colby. Mackenzie says Willow doesn’t get to come in there and have a go at her but Willow says she and Colby are Dean’s family and Mackenzie needs to start caring about that.

Ziggy is expressing surprise to Dean that Colby and Mackenzie even know each other. Colby arrives; Ben and Maggie think he has news about the case but he explains he’s there to see Dean. Ziggy sends Colby and Dean out onto the veranda for privacy. Colby tells Dean he’s sorry he found out like that. Dean says it’s nothing to do with him and realises Mackenzie was the date that Colby didn’t want him to see and the reason he stopped wearing his wedding ring. Colby tries to encourage Dean to get to know Mackenzie but Dean tells him to go. Ziggy joins Dean afterwards. Colby heads back to his flat and finds Willow waiting for him with a beer; Robbo and Jasmine have gone to bed. He admits Dean isn’t pleased. Willow asks why he decided to break his drought with Dean’s sister but Colby says it isn’t like that: Mackenzie’s strong and smart, and he was expecting to always be single after Chelsea. Realising he’s into her, Willow is pleased for him.

Mackenzie leaves Dean a message suggesting they clear the air over a beer. Nearby, Ryder tells Alf and Roo that he and Raffy never talk anymore and when they do they argue; he feels they’re moving in different directions and, although he regrets hurting her, he thinks it was right to break up. Alf tells him he shouldn’t have done it and then just left her alone. Roo agrees and says he needs to talk to her for the sake of their friendship. At the Diner, Marilyn is trying to cheer up Raffy as Roo and Ryder arrive. Ryder and Raffy head onto the veranda to talk. Ryder is sorry for how he handled things and Raffy says sorry for having a go in front of Bella. Ryder says that she’s doing well at school and probably going to uni while he’s happy doing bar work. He says he’d do anything to change things; Raffy thinks he wants to forget the break-up but he hastily puts her straight. Raffy tells Marilyn she wants to go home. Roo asks Ryder if everything’s all right.

Next morning, Irene looks at the paper. The headline refers to Tommy being identified and the police being confident of an arrest soon. Meanwhile, Dean and Ziggy encounter Willow near the surf club. Willow tells him Colby’s serious about Mackenzie. Dean says in that case there’s no point getting to know her: Colby is bound to stuff things up, at which point he’ll have to choose between him and Mackenzie. Willow and Ziggy encourage him to be less pessimistic, suggesting things might not turn out so bad.

Ryder is sitting on his own at the Diner, working on his laptop. Alf and Roo watch him; Roo hopes he and Raffy can be friends. Alf says she never was with her old flames and Roo says that’s because Alf ran them out of town. Raffy arrives with Marilyn. Ryder offers to leave and Raffy jokes about tripping and impaling himself on the way. Ryder asks if they can be friends; Raffy agrees but doesn’t seem convinced. Meanwhile, Dean goes to see Colby at the flat upstairs. He says he’s going to take a step back from the situation because he can’t get caught between him and Mackenzie.

Ben and Maggie are heading off for the meeting with the lawyer with Ziggy giving words of encouragement. Dean arrives as they leave and tells Ziggy his decision about Colby and Mackenzie, saying he’s going to concentrate on people that matter like her and Ben. Ziggy tells him he can change his mind but kisses him appreciatively. At the beach house, Irene shows Bella the paper and tells her she’s going to hand herself in. Bella again insists the police won’t find them but Irene says she can’t keep looking over her shoulder. Bella worries she’ll go to jail and it will be her fault. Irene says Willow will look after her and she’ll call from the police station.

Bella races to find Colby, saying Irene’s about to make a huge mistake and they need to get to the station. Mackenzie comes along but Bella says they can’t stop to chat. Colby only manages to tell her that he saw Dean and family has to come first as Bella hustles him away. Mackenzie doesn’t look happy. As Colby drives, Bella fills him in on the whole story: Meeting Tommy online, learning he was older, arranging to go to the exhibition, him turning nasty and attacking and kissing her, Irene turning up before anything else could happen, them getting away and then Irene repeatedly hitting him. Colby has pulled over during the last part and Bella tells him to drive. Meanwhile, Irene arrives at the police station. She hovers in the doorway, as if uncertain what to do.