Episode 8507

Extended Summary

Mali is running a class on the beach while Lacey and Theo stand nearby. Mali suggests Lacey get some more sun screen and wonders if Theo works for him now. Theo says he can take another class if Mali wants. John pulls up next to them in the buggy and expresses surprise that Lacey still works there. After Lacey’s gone, Mali says he should have listened to John before since now Lacey can do the boring stuff while he does the fun stuff. He takes his class out in the water.

Up at the surf club, Lacey gets together everything Mali needs and gently chides Theo for bringing up the surf lesson debacle in front of him. Theo says he’s trying to find a buyer for the car, since none of the interest has led to anything, and comments on Lacey having a job while he’s short of cash. Lacey floats the idea of her moving in. Jo comes over and introduces herself to Theo. Lacey asks what she’s doing and, when Jo asks about the new job, says it’s none of her business. Jo tells them about her new job and that she and David are living five minutes away. Theo is receptive but Lacey says they’re done. After Jo has gone, Lacey tells Theo that Jo was driving in the accident that killed her mum and it’s her fault.

David gives Cash a case file to log even though he was just about to head out on patrol. Cash looks at the details on Cohen. Jo turns up with coffee and asks David about Cohen’s grandmother then tells him about meeting Lacey and her working at the surf club. David suggests they meet for lunch at Salt, not bothered about the likelihood of meeting Lacey. Cash quickly answers a call from Eden. David comments on the no personal calls rule not lasting.

At the Diner, Marilyn coos over a sleeping Archie. Irene indicates he wasn’t sleeping last night, then quickly apologises to Harper, saying it’s what babies do. Marilyn suggests Irene finish early and go for dinner and she agrees to invite John. Roo and Cohen come in and Marilyn takes Cohen to the kitchen. Roo shows Harper the letter and they debate whether to tell Cohen about his mother. Cohen comes back and asks if they can post the letter now. Harper suggests they go for a walk instead.

Outside the surf club, Lacey gives Mali what he needs for the next class and has also sent reminder texts for tomorrow’s class. John appears and tells Lacey she has him to thank for the job, before getting Irene’s message. After the others have gone, Theo asks Lacey what she’ll do if she sees Jo again. Lacey says her family are invisible to her.

Cohen is racing ahead as Roo and Harper walk through a park area. Harper says a lie isn’t always a bad thing and suggests Cohen might take the news better if they’ve got family for him to live with. Cohen appears with a nest he’s found. After he and Roo have walked on, Cash approaches Harper and she explains about David trying to track his grandmother and how he could end up in foster care permanently.

Roo chats to Cohen about lunch. Cohen again asks about posting the letter and Roo says she did it while he was exploring. Cash turns up and Cohen hopes he’s got information on his mother. Cash says he just wanted to see how Cohen was settling in. He tells Cohen about how he ended up in foster care himself and wanted to know if there was anything he could do.

Outside the surf club, Jo approaches Theo, who is reluctant to talk to her. Jo guesses that Lacey told him that the accident was her fault and David saved her from the consequences, and insists it’s not true and Lacey is just looking for an easy target. She wants him to help her put the family back together.

Cash tells Cohen about how he lost his mother when he was eight and his dad not long after. Cohen says he hasn’t lost his mum since she’ll get out of jail some time. Cash asks about his grandma and where she lived. He recalls how he ended up growing up on a farm. Cohen says they used to feed the ducks at a big river near where his grandma lived and she said its name translated as “clear water”. Cash and Roo exchange a look. At the Diner, Irene tells Marilyn that John’s booked a table and asks her to close up. She notes it’s the first time she’s been out to a restaurant that serves alcohol since she got out of the clinic but decides she’s fine with that.

Theo meets Lacey at the surf club and tells her about seeing Jo. Lacey isn’t interested but Theo thinks Lacey should talk to her. David and Jo come downstairs and Lacey wonders if it’s a set-up. She tells Jo to stay away from them and mocks David for defending her. David sends Jo outside and tells Lacey they’re not going anywhere. Lacey tells him to leave her alone.

At the police station, Cash is making a phone call. David and Harper come in with Harper saying she’s tracked down Samantha’s last address from four years ago. David wants to follow up on it but Cash says there’s no need: Cohen’s grandmother actually lives in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. David is unhappy that Cash went to see Cohen without being told to, saying Cohen doesn’t need another police officer turning up. Cash hands him a slip of paper, saying there’s the phone number if he’s interested.

Mali says goodbye to John outside the surf club and tells Lacey she can clock off. Theo approaches her saying he was just trying to be supportive of her family. Mali interrupts the argument to say he’s going to meet Abigail. Lacey tells Theo that if he cares about their relationship like she does, he’ll stay away from her family.

Harper takes a tea in to David and asks what that was with Cash before. David just says they’ve had their differences. Harper says Cash is an asset and not everything about him is in his file, explaining how Cash lost his parents at a young age and grew up in foster care, meaning he’s the only one that knows what Cohen’s going through.

Roo goes up to see Cohen and finds he’s moved onto another book. They chat about Cash’s visit. Cohen wonders when his mum will get his letter and Roo suggests in a few days. She goes downstairs where she takes the letter out of her pocket and hides it in a drawer. Meanwhile, David turns up to see Cash. Cash says any grilling can wait until he’s on duty. David says he’s going to follow up on Cash’s breakthrough and thanks him, handing him some beers as a peace offering. Cash gets a text from Eden and asks if he can check it when he’s off duty. It says “Where are you? I’ve made a huge mistake.”

Marilyn is surprised to find Irene still at the Diner, asking if she should be getting ready to leave. Irene says only if Marilyn wants to clear up by herself. She briefly chats to Jo before John turns up asking where Irene has been since he’s been waiting at Salt for half an hour. Irene is bewildered to be reminded they were meant to be having dinner.

Shortly after, Irene tries to pass it off as down to being tired with Archie in the house. Marilyn jumps on the explanation and Irene suggests John got the date wrong. John shows her their conversation on his phone. Irene is shocked that she doesn’t remember.