Episode 8603

Extended Summary

A workman puts up a sign saying Back On Track Studios. Round the back of the building, Remi is playing his guitar, obviously delighted. He goes back inside and gets himself a drink of water from the fridge before looking over some sketches. Back at the Diner flat, Leah and Sonny are discussing missing Theo. Sonny gets a text from Remi asking where he is. Sonny puts the phone on silent but Leah chooses to leave anyway despite Sonny trying to get her to stay. She says she’ll send Justin with the ute to pick up Theo’s things.

Justin assures David that he wouldn’t talk to anyone about him and Lacey. David wonders if Leah would and Justin says she wouldn’t go and talk to a stranger about how she’s feeling at the moment. Leah arrives back and David leaves. It’s clear Leah isn’t happy to see him there. At the surf club, Alf admits to Tane that he can’t wait for John to be back since he’s fed up doing the rosters. Jo turns up and tells Tane she has the day free. Tane says he was about to do boot camps but he can get another trainer to take them if he has a better offer. Jo suggests a third date. She says to go home and shower and message her when he’s free.

David is in his office when Lombard comes in with the suspended sentence and probation orders for annual check-in, saying she thought he might want to look at them since it’s his first year. David flicks through the files and pulls one out, saying he’ll do this one himself. Tane is about to head out when David turns up. Tane tries to put him off but David says it can’t wait, putting down the file: It’s Tane’s.

Sonny turns up at the studio and tells Remi about Leah turning up. Remi wants Sonny to help him clear up but Sonny’s not sure if he’s got the energy. Remi says it’s hard to believe Theo won’t be part of it. Meanwhile, Justin brings the last of Theo’s things home and wonders if Leah’s going to give him the silent treatment all day. Leah makes it clear she doesn’t want to find David in the house again. Justin agrees and Leah switches to talking about what to do with Theo’s stuff: She thinks Cassandra will want most of it but doesn’t think she’d take calls from her right now. They wonder about Theo’s guitar; Leah thinks Cassandra would be fine with Justin keeping it, since he gave it to him. Justin gets a text from Sonny inviting him to look at the studio. Leah convinces him to go.

Tane notes last year an officer just rang him up to do the check-in and asks if David is doing them all like this. David says just him, before adding that kidnapping’s a serious offence and wondering if Jo knows. Tane says that he’s not changed address, hasn’t left the area, has got permission to leave the country once in the last twelve months and hasn’t left the state since, bringing the interview to a close. Tane talks to Cash on the phone, confirming a junior officer usually does the check-ins but not saying why he’s asking, before meeting up with Jo. She suggests a picnic at her favourite spot.

Sonny has done a minimal amount of work helping Remi when he calls a break. Justin shows up and Remi does a brief tour, saying the studios will be upstairs and there’s a courtyard outside. Justin finds a bed set up on a couch and realises Remi’s been living there. Sonny tells him what Remi said about wishing Theo could have been a part of it and asks for Justin’s thoughts on how to honour him. Meanwhile, Tane and Jo are sat on a park bench, bantering about the food, but Jo can tell Tane has something on his mind. Tane tells her how David came to see him and says he found out he has a criminal record for kidnapping.

Justin is appreciative of Remi and Sonny’s thought and effort, noting it would be Theo’s dream and he wouldn’t have started managing bands without him, but says he hasn’t got any ideas at the moment. He trusts them to come up with something and doesn’t want to leave Leah alone too long. Sonny admits to Remi that he was hoping it would go better.

Justin arrives home, where Leah has just finished boxing up Theo’s things. He tells her what Sonny said, before picking up Theo’s guitar and starting to strum it. Leah tells him what Sonny said about Theo telling him he was grateful for all they did for him. She thinks Justin will never know how much giving him the guitar meant to Theo.

Tane is explaining to Jo how he wanted to give Poppy a good life and stable home. Jo notes that on paper it’s a red flag. Tane says he can understand if it’s a deal-breaker. Jo says he did it because he cared. Tane takes her hand and thanks her. David pulls up in his police car nearby and watches them cuddle up, looking unhappy.

Remi and Sonny are playing darts before they get a ring on the intercom. Sonny’s hoping it’s the pizza but it’s Leah and Justin. He lets them in as Remi quietly admits he has no food, just drink. Leah and Justin present them with Theo’s guitar, saying they want to offer it to the studio as a tribute to Theo. Remi and Sonny are both touched.

Tane and Jo arrive at the surf club. Jo goes up to get drinks while Tane goes to check on something in the gym. Tane runs into David and tells him he’s told Jo the full story. David says Tane’s complicated: He’s got a kid and a suspended sentence and could end up in jail if there’s any trouble. He says Jo’s had a rough couple of years and suggests she deserves something simpler.