Episode 7446

Extended Summary

Willow and Ziggy pull up back in Summer Bay. Despite enjoying the road trip, Ziggy’s glad it’s over. She is rather unnerved at how willing the River Boys were to take the van and realises Dean must have done that sort of thing in the past. Willow heads off to work while Ziggy answers a call from Tane, who is just getting out of a taxi outside his house. He tells her he needs to talk to her in person. Nikau wonders why Tane isn’t in hospital and Tane says he discharged himself, brushing aside Nikau’s concerns.

Bella runs into Willow at the surf club and explains Colby didn’t come home last night: He wasn’t at work and wasn’t answering her calls. Willow realises he was with Taylor. Bella explains that Angelo knows. While Willow’s dropping her things at the gym, Bella runs into Ryder and asks him if he’s seen Colby. Ryder says he’ll keep an eye out for him and also suggests she talk to Nikau. At that moment, Colby and Taylor are near his flat. They playfully wonder about going back to the motel. Colby sees a call from Willow on his phone, having already ignored plenty from Bella, but isn’t keen to answer. Moments after Colby has headed up to the flat, Taylor runs into Angelo, who says he dropped round the house for a shower and breakfast and she wasn’t there. Taylor says she had an early client at the gym. Angelo says he has to get back to work and the investigation’s nearly over.

Tane asks Nikau what happened to him going to New Zealand. Nikau says he asked Bella and she wouldn’t come, so Tane tells him to go on his own. Nikau lets Ziggy in as he leaves. Ziggy’s anger dissipates somewhat on seeing the state Tane’s in. Tane asks where she moved the van to but she says it’s gone. At the Diner, Ryder is asking Marilyn if she’s seen Nikau when Roo comes in. Both are surprised to see her since she never told them she was coming back. Ryder asks if Owen’s at the house and Roo gives an evasive no before ordering a muffin. Ryder offers to stay and chat and Marilyn also wants to talk to her but Roo says she was just there to get some food and tell them she’s back, quickly leaving.

At the Diner flat, both Bella and Willow berate Colby for lying to them again. Bella tells him that Angelo knows about him and Taylor. Colby initially refuses to believe it, thinking Angelo would have said something. He pressures Bella for more information and she recalls Angelo told her to stop protecting him. Colby thinks he’s bluffing. Willow doubts it and Colby doesn’t exactly get them back onside by saying he needs to find out what’s going on to stay ahead of the game. Meanwhile, Tane assures Ziggy that no-one knows about her: He told them he moved the van from the garage. He says he doesn’t need the stuff in the van, just the van itself and admits there are drugs in the panels. He insists he hasn’t touched drugs, but if he doesn’t get it back, he’s dead.

Ryder and Nikau are walking towards the Diner, discussing how Bella’s feeling. They pass Willow, who is on the phone to Ziggy. Nikau asks her about Bella and Willow suggests she’d like to see him. Nikau goes up to the flat, where Bella tells him that Angelo knows about Colby and Taylor; she thinks he’s going to find out everything and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Nikau comforts her.

Colby has met up with Taylor in a park area and told her what Bella said. He thinks Angelo’s just messing with her, otherwise he’d confront one of them, and says they need to find out what’s going on with the investigation. He asks her to get the key to Angelo’s office drawer where he keeps the important files. Taylor is reluctant but Colby says it’s the only way it’ll be safe for them to keep seeing each other. (Neither of them, of course, know the significance of the necklace she’s wearing.) Meanwhile, Willow is bewildered at Ziggy and Tane asking for the van back and insists it’s impossible. Ziggy apologises and shows her out. Tane gets a call from the dealers and reminds them he’s been in hospital. After ringing off, he tells Ziggy he has two days to find $25,000.

Back at the caravan park house, Marilyn tries to chat to Roo about her time away. Roo claims she needed to be back for Ryder with Alf gone, and asks how Nikau’s going at the boat shed. She eventually says she doesn’t know where Owen is before quickly leaving, saying she has to catch up with Ryder. Later, Marilyn finds Ryder at the Diner and he notes Roo couldn’t have been trying hard if she was looking for him because he’s been there ages. They both know Roo’s avoiding talking about Owen. Marilyn suggests Ryder call him but Ryder thinks they should stay out of it.

Ziggy asks Tane how he’s going to get his hands on that kind of money. Tane says he has ways, not necessarily legal, and asks her to stay out of it. At the Diner flat, Nikau and Bella are chatting about Tane when Colby and Willow come back and Colby tells Nikau to give them some space. He tells the girls Taylor agrees with him that Angelo can’t really know anything. Bella and Willow are unimpressed but Colby says everything’s worked out because now he can see the investigation files. He goes to get ready for work. Willow wonders why Bella didn’t press harder. Bella says Colby would never change his mind.

Willow and Bella exit the flat and Bella goes to join Nikau and Ryder on the beach. She tells Nikau she’s going to New Zealand with him after all. Nikau is delighted and gives her a hug. Ryder gives rather muted congratulations and Nikau tells him he can visit. They head off to Salt to celebrate. Meanwhile, Colby arrives at the police station. Taylor is already there and joins Angelo in his office. They arrange to meet for lunch; Angelo says he’ll see her at the Diner after dropping something at the court house. He leaves his keys on the desk and Taylor slips them to Colby as she leaves.

Willow is at the Diner when Taylor turns up. Willow approaches her and points out she’s sleeping with the man her husband’s investigating for murder, saying she needs to end it with Colby. Taylor says she won’t and can’t. Willow realises she loves him and says she feels sorry for her: Colby doesn’t really know what love is anymore. Meanwhile, Colby pretends to be busy until the other officers have left the reception area, then goes into Angelo’s office and unlocks the drawer. He finds CCTV footage of himself and Taylor at the motel, photos of them near the beach and the motel booking records. As he is about to look at Ross’ file, Angelo appears in the doorway and pointedly asks if he can help.