Episode 8278

Mali and Kirby are holding a short debrief after a class on the beach. Iluka is training nearby. Rose comes along with some coffees for Mali and Kirby. She comments on Iluka putting on a show but Kirby isn’t complaining and seems happy to watch. Mali goes over to chat to Iluka, who asks the others if the good looks ran out before they got to Mali. Kirby quietly tells Rose things haven’t gone beyond flirting.

Round the back of the Newman house, Cash is retrieving his cleaning net. Remi apologises for what he said to him about Stevie. Cash tries to cut the conversation short. Remi asks if the report has changed anything for him. Cash says Remi is right and he shouldn’t have left Stevie’s side. Remi says not to listen to him and offers to buy Cash a drink.

Mali and Rose arrive back at the surf club and Mali offers to cook tonight. He admits Iluka’s going to be there which Rose is fine with. She asks if Iluka normally trains that hard. Mali says he used to when he was playing league. He says he doesn’t know how long Iluka’s staying. Rose is surprised, since she knows everything Xander does. Rose asks if Iluka know she’s a cop, since she’s on duty tomorrow. Mali tries to say it’ll be fine.

Marilyn is in isolation at the hospital. Leah appears at the window and calls her on the mobile, saying she came back early when she heard what was going on. She’s heard from Irene about the biohazard team. Marilyn feels bad about not noticing anything. Leah heads to the Diner where Justin and Theo are clearing up: All the food has to be bagged and sent to the biohazard people, as well as them having to mask up when handling it. Irene is isolating in a motel because of Bronte.

That evening, Rose compliments Mali’s cooking and Iluka says he’d have been fine with pizza. Rose asks Iluka about his plans. Iluka says he played in the last Koori Knockout. Mali explains that “blackfellas” from around the state play for their communities in it. Iluka says he played against a couple of pros from the Sharks who told him about open trials in Queensland: He’s hoping to play in the NRL. After he’s gone, Mali worries about how competitive it is.

At Salt, Cash asks Remi if Eden put him up to this and says he’s not going to the funeral. Remi asks what was going on when he arrived. Cash says he told Stevie over and over again that she was safe. Remi apologises for making things worse and wonders if Cash has spoken to anyone. Cash says he shouldn’t have said anything. Next morning, at the Diner, Leah and Justin look over a Coastal News front page story about the Diner closure. Justin points out they can’t exactly hide it. Leah gets an official phone call giving her the results.

At the surf club, Iluka tries offering to help Kirby with a lesson before saying it was just an excuse to spend time with her. Theo appears and Kirby introduces him and Iluka to each other, saying Theo’s a bandmate and a newly-qualified mechanic. They start talking cars and Kirby takes the opportunity to duck out. Mali appears and look on with discomfort as Iluka quizzes Theo about the garage.

At the Diner, Leah explains to Justin that the water supply is contaminated with benzine: It was in the insulation of a pipe that was leaking. She says they need an emergency plumber to flush the system and change every tap and seal. Despairingly, she notes they wiped and washed everywhere with the contaminated water and filled the coffee machine with it, wondering how the business will survive. Justin offers to help out but Leah sends him to see where Theo is with the coffees.

Cash is sat out the back when Remi comes round and notes today’s the day: He won’t ask again but he leaves in an hour and a half. Cash still doesn’t want to go. Remi won’t know anyone there and doesn’t know where he fits in but notes it’s about giving Stevie a decent send-off. He says Stevie trusted Cash and felt safe with him and this is a chance to prove she was right to. Outside the surf club, Justin is filling Theo in on the contamination when someone drives his car past. Justin futilely shouts after it. Mali joins them as Justin says someone’s stolen his car.

Iluka joins Kirby on the beach and she comments on him and Theo discuss cars. Iluka says cars and league were his life growing up and tells her about the trial. Kirby appreciates him wanting to follow his dream, admitting she misses performing music. Iluka suggests they go see a band together. Kirby calls him deluded and overconfident before admitting there’s one playing tonight.

At the surf club, Justin tells Theo he loved the car and Theo tries to suggest he might get it back. Rose turns up and Justin tells her he gave Leah a lift to the Diner and then walked to the surf club. He left the car for an hour and locked it. Mali texts Iluka asking where he is. Theo chats to Mali about him.

Remi is dressed for the funeral when Cash arrives, similarly dressed. He says this is about celebrating Stevie’s life. Near the beach, Iluka shows Kirby he’s bought two tickets. Mali approaches and asks to talk to Iluka. Moving away from Kirby, he asks Iluka if he stole a ute this morning, saying the owner is a friend and he needs to return it. Iluka says it wasn’t him. Mali accuses him of wanting Theo’s garage to strip cars. Iluka tells him to go to hell and walks away.

Justin asks Rose what the chances are of him getting the car back. Rose suggests it might be joyriders. Leah appears and says she borrowed the car to take back the food. Rose announces case closed and leaves, telling Mali it was just a mix-up. Mali heads to the farm house and admits to Iluka that he got it wrong but thinks Iluka was involved in the Allens’ stolen car parts. Iluka says he doesn’t need to steal for money because he has more than Mali. He goes and gets a bag containing $8,000 in cash. Shocked, Mali asks where he got it from.