Episode 7585

Extended Summary

A police launch heads out towards the fishing boat, while Cash and other police officers cordon off the beach. John, Leah, Marilyn and Roo are among the crowd gathering, with Leah explaining about the body being found. Dean and Ryder arrive, with Dean worrying the body might be Mackenzie and shaking Ryder off. John explains the situation to Cash but he says the body hasn’t been identified and to stay back. At the Parata house, Chloe gets off the phone from Ryder and explains what’s going on to Ari and Mia. Mia encourages Ari to get down there and Chloe says she’ll go with him. Mia looks ill, but tells Ari that she just doesn’t have the stomach for it.

The body is being loaded aboard the police boat, covered and on a stretcher. Ari and Chloe join the group by the wharf. Dean tells Cash that Mackenzie’s been missing for four days and he’s filed a missing person report. Cash says he’ll look into it. Ari leads Dean away. They head up to the flat where Ari tries to calm Dean. Dean says Mackenzie’s been out of control and worries she hooked up with the wrong person. He also notes it started when Ari dumped her, and says if she’s dead it’s Ari’s fault.

Tane is holding a punching bag for a client at the gym. Mia comes in and Tane teases her about being late. Mia asks if he’s heard about the body and explains that there’s worry that it might be Mackenzie. Tane offers to look after things if she wants to be with Ari but she declines. By the beach, Dean and Ari have returned and watch the police boat returned to shore, where a forensic team approaches. Roo encourages Ryder and Chloe to go inside out of the way. Justin approaches and John intercepts him, saying what he did to Stephen was unacceptable. Justin says he just wants to talk to Leah.

Leah and Justin walk a little way away. Leah says she doesn’t think Justin’s crazy but does think he’s addicted. Justin continues to deny it, blaming the doctors for not listening to him and also insisting he saw Leah and Stephen together. He claims that his night in the cell was a wake-up call but Leah isn’t convinced. Justin says he’s not doing drugs to get high, the pills just make him normal. He says he’ll make her trust him again. Leah says he’s got a long way to go. At the Diner, John frets to Marilyn about leaving Leah alone with Justin after what happened to Stephen. Nearby, Ryder worries about Mackenzie, while Chloe wonders if she threw herself off the pier. Ryder snaps at her to think before opening her mouth.

Dean and Ari watch as the stretcher with the covered body is brought into a tent. Cash refuses to let Dean have a look. Leah returns and tells Roo that Justin still refuses to admit to a problem or accept responsibility. Roo says it’s the addiction. Leah notes she fell in love with one person and doesn’t recognise this one. Meanwhile, Chloe tracks Ryder down in a park area. She apologises for before, saying she knows Mackenzie’s his friend. Ryder says she was a good person before things went bad and worries their food truck may have contributed to what’s happened. Chloe asks if they’re friends and Ryder puts his arm around her.

Justin slopes into the gym and tries to talk to Mia about yesterday, blaming it on his pain medication and saying it won’t happen again. Tane takes him aside and warns him not to scare Ziggy or make her feel unsafe again or he’ll come after him. Down by the beach, Ryder and Chloe rejoin the onlookers, as does John. Dean tries to get Cash to look at a photo of Mackenzie, but a moment later Mackenzie appears behind him. Dean hugs her in delight, as does Ryder, while Chloe wonders who’s in the body bag if it’s not her.

Dean and Ari follow Mackenzie up to the flat. Dean asks where she was and Mackenzie says she just went away and forgot her phone. Dean says he was worried. Ari tries to calm things but Mackenzie says it’s none of his business. She is unimpressed by his claim to be there for two friends and goes for a shower. Dean awkwardly brings up what he said before and Ari says it’s already forgotten. Further down the beach, Mia and Tane are finishing off a class. Tane gets a text from Ari saying that Mackenzie’s back. He notices that Mia looks ill and offers to give her a lift home. Mia asks to make a stop on the way.

Dean and Ari return to the flat with takeaway but Mackenzie refuses to play happy families. Ari gets a text and says he has to go. Mackenzie says not to let the door hit him on the way out. Once he’s gone, she sits down and says she knows she’s a train wreck and is pushing people away. She says Dean watching over her is just making things worse and she needs to move out. Meanwhile, Ari returns home and tells Mia that Tane said she wanted to see him. Mia interrupts his rambling about Dean and says she’s pregnant. Ari is delighted.

Ryder is manning the bar at Salt, saying it’s good to be back. Chloe isn’t sure why he’s helping Mackenzie but Ryder says you stick by friends even when they mess up. Chloe kisses him and jokes about getting a photo of the body to put on the socials. Down by the beach, John, Leah, Roo and Marilyn are still looking on. John introduces himself to Cash and tries to get information. Another officer tells Cash they’ve found something. Justin appears and asks Leah if they can go home, but isn’t keen when Roo offers a lift. John is shocked to overhear Cash reading out the dead woman’s license: Susan McAllister.

Shortly after, Cash is on the phone asking about Susie’s last known address. John tells Marilyn and Roo that he messaged Susie only a few days ago. Justin tries to get Leah to go but Leah says he isn’t due another dose for an hour and sarcastically reminds him he isn’t an addict. Cash comes over and says he’s heard Susie had a lot of enemies. Justin chimes in that he won’t shed any tears over her. Cash asks John to accompany him to the station for questioning.