Episode 7573

Extended Summary

Justin is working at the garage when Leah turns up with a takeaway lunch. She asks how he’s getting on without Ziggy and he says it’s fine, but shrugs off her attempt to ask what happened, just saying it’s done. He says his rehab has helped him manage his pain and his GP has advised him to go cold turkey with the meds. Leah is pleased and leaves. Meanwhile, Nikau and Tane are coming up from the beach. Nikau explains that he needs to look a certain way to get jobs. Tane is slightly confused, since Nikau was hired for what he looks like. He says you can start to look different after weeks but it takes months to develop proper muscles. Nikau asks about short cuts and Tane says there aren’t any. Ziggy comes along as Nikau leaves and asks Tane if Nikau’s okay. Tane says he hopes so.

Alf is sitting outside the Diner as Roo exits the bait shop. She claims she’s on top of things but wonders if it’s always this busy. Alf says it is this time of year and checks she’s remembered to change the bait order, which has her looking nonplussed. Leah arrives as Alf leaves for the surf club. Roo thinks Alf is waiting for her to fail. They discuss Justin; Leah still isn’t sure what happened with Ziggy but says his pain is under control. Leah joins John and Stephen inside. The PI advised them to hold off on the test while he tried to trace the call. Stephen says he spoke to the PI and it must be a burner phone. Leah sends a text back saying “I’m ready if you are.”

Justin is working on a car when his hand starts shaking. He goes to a locked cupboard and takes out a bottle of pill capsules, taking two of them. Back at the Diner, Leah chats to Stephen about how Justin is improving but she hasn’t told him what’s going on. John gets a text from Jett. Stephen notes Susie will keep him waiting and offers to walk him back to work. At a nearby table, Tane pays for lunch and tells Ziggy he’s going to check in on Nikau. Leah offers Ziggy another coffee.

Tane arrives home and finds Nikau in his room, unpacking some gym gear that he’s got. Nikau is surprised to see Tane home but assures him that he’s getting fit for himself, before trying to get Tane to leave. Tane insists on giving him advice, offering to put together a weights programme for him. He asks when Nikau last did a workout and Nikau says yesterday. Tane says in that case this should be a rest day to let his muscles recover.

Leah sits with Ziggy and says she hasn’t had a chance to apologise to her. Ziggy doesn’t understand what happened, saying Justin got angry for no reason. Leah says he was in a lot of pain last week but is more like his old self by now and suggests Ziggy talk to him about getting her job back. Leah is interrupted by a text from John. She heads to the surf club where she bumps into Alf. He wonders how Roo’s going, saying he doesn’t want to upset her by offering help that’s not wanted. Leah meets up with John and Stephen, who show her a text from Susie asking for a time and place. John is keen to meet up with her, saying Leah and Stephen can wait out of her sight and he knows the perfect place.

Alf joins Roo outside the bait shop, helping her fix up a kayak. He says he’s enjoying not having to worry about the place but notes it’s a shame she doesn’t have Nikau to help. Thinking he already knows, Roo tells him about asking Nikau for help. Alf suggests she gets some part-time assistance in and offers to shout her dinner. Leah passes Roo, saying the investigation is paying off. They head into the Diner, where Alf gives Roo advice about a new supplier. Roo suddenly remembers that she has a Year 8 English report to do: It’s going to take a lot of time but she insists she can still open up the bait shop in the morning, although they do resort to takeaway.

Justin is trying to order more pills online. Ziggy arrives and asks about getting her job back. Justin bluntly says it’s not going to happen and he doesn’t need her. After he’s finished a phone call, Ziggy asks why he fired her, since it seems to be just because he was in a bad mood. Justin initially tries to claim business was down, then says he was getting complaints about her work and it was costing him business. He says he’ll give her a good reference and thanks her for her work. Ziggy asks why he’s thanking her if she caused more work for him. She leaves and Justin completes the order.

Ziggy joins Tane at the gym as he packs up, asking how his first day went. Ziggy admits she went to see Justin and just got her spirit crushed again. She says she walked up to the lighthouse and it gave her perspective, then asks how he went with Nikau. Tane thinks Nikau listened. However, Nikau is ignoring his advice and pumping weights, only pausing to examine his reflection before starting again.

At the Diner, John tells Leah he’s heard nothing from Susie. Justin arrives and Leah ushers John away. Justin tells Leah that he told Ziggy he’s handling the garage without her and Leah tells him about the messages from Susie. Justin offers to walk her home. He flexes his hands, which are currently tremor free. Next morning, Justin is at the garage, on the phone to Leah as he accepts a delivery from a courier. He tells her it’s engine parts but in fact it’s more bottles of pills.

John talks to Leah about the lack of a response from Susie. Moments later, he gets a text from Susie saying she’s on her way. Stephen walks in a moment later and he and Leah try to get John to be cautious but John is determined to get the answers he needs.