18x12 - The Middle Of Somewhere

[bunniefuu]

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why does a love kiss stay in my memory? ♪

THUNDERCLAP

BELL TOLLS

SIGHS

Don't blame me, Joe.

Did you think it was appropriate

to have Carol interfering in a police investigation?

I've never even heard of box jellyfish.

Well, that might be the least of our worries.

There's a stranger asking after Carol.

Rosie was a blonde. Sarah Wagner was a blonde.

I don't have to remind you

the colour of Carol's hair, do I?

Where's she got to?

Hey, Carol, you never did tell me.

What are you doing in Mooriloobah?

MUSIC: 'Foot Tapper' by The Shadows

G'day. This your place?

- Well, er, one of my mam's. - Got a room booked.

Ernie Burdon.

-Ma! - Yes?

This is Mr Burdon.

The celebrated jockey?

Too right.

-I'm Lou. - Pleased to meet you.

I can't help but wondering, Ernie,

what's a fine two-year-old like Banana Bender

doingin the Mooriloobah Picnic Race?

Er, look, Lou, the owner reckons a few wins

in piddling small-town meets like yours

might bolster his form when it comes

to entering the Bender in the Melbourne Cup.

Word to the wise.

Put the deeds to the pub on this nag.

With yours truly in the saddle, I shall say no more.

Janet Murray's on her way. You ready?

Does she know why we want to see her?

The husband might be a friend of mine,

but I'm a cop and as keen as you are

to hear what she tells us and see how she reacts.

You don't need me for this. I'm going to look for Carol.

Lou!

Banana Bender. I've just seen him.

The Phar Lap of our time.

I'm gonna get one over you, no matter how short the odds!

I'm gonna increase my stake.

I'm flabbergasted, Sergeant Flaherty.

You, of all people,

ought to know that off-track betting

is against the law.

If flood, fire, drought, storm, Ross River Fever,

a boil on the fetlock

or any other act of God or man,

shouldprevent that horse from starting,

it won't be me that has to worry

about the State Penal Code.

Another to win!

My lovely Rosie.

Best mechanic I ever had.

She should never have gone off with that Aussie.

I always thought he was a wrong 'un.

I can't say I disagree with you, Mr Scripps.

You keep that Mick MacDonald under close observation

until we're absolutely sure she's safe and sound.

I'm afraid he's out of the picture.

Sergeant Miller's orders.

We also serve... who only stand and wait.

And I for one have done enough

waiting and standing for one night

so go to bed, the pair of you!

I don't have a clue where my brother is now.

I don't even know if he is still alive.

I don't know how I'm supposed to feel or...

what I'm supposed to say if I ever do find him.

All I do know is that Daniel was shipped off to Australia

when he was a little boy, eight years old.

And dumped in some hellhole of a Farm School.

They did that to white folks too?

Carol!

You entering the Picnic Races this year, Janet?

I dunno. Seems Champion The Wonder Horse is running.

So I hear.

You didn't get me here for a tip.

No, that'd be right. This is Detective Sergeant Dawson.

She's from England.

We want to talk to you about Sarah Wagner.

WOMAN: Nev!

Nev!

G'day, constable.

You've come to have a squint at my prime real estate?

-It's just up here a-ways. - I'm afraid not.

- I'm looking for my friend. -The sergeant?

No. Another Englishwoman. A blonde.

There might have been someone

of that description here earlier.

Went away in a ute.

Utility vehicle.

Can't say I saw who was driving.

You'll have to wait here.

You're not gonna leave me in the middle of nowhere.

It's the middle of somewhere to us.

It's safer here than anywhere else on Earth.

I'll get one of my brothers to drop you back.

What's this about, Nev? Tell me.

You have a brother and you don't know where he is.

I have a sister and I'm telling nobody where she is.

She's having a baby.

It seems like it's all gone crook on her.

-I've said too much already. - Has she got a midwife?

What do you know about how things go around here?

- Why should you? -I can help.

- Take me with you. - I can't do that, Carol.

What if something goes wrong?

NEV: Our women take care of each other.

I'm a district nurse. I'm trained.

Come on, Nev. Who am I gonna tell?

I trust her.

Come on. Let's go.

SIGHS

Sarah Wagner was not what you'd call a friend exactly.

We worked a summer job at a resort off the reef.

Travelled down together.

She came to stay for a day or so.

I think she took a bus out West.

Wanted to see the Red Centre.

Just like Rosie.

She never got back to Perth, did she, Janet?

Look... Sarah was a free spirit.

That's what they said about Rosie.

Why did your mum make this report to the police?

A few weeks later, I'd already gone back to college,

Mum said she got a call from Sarah's dad.

From what Sarah said,

she didn't get on too well with her parents.

I thought, you know,

maybe she'd just followed her dreams.

Sometimes I wish I'd done the same. Don't we all?

I can't say I lost too much sleep over it at the time.

Should I have?

♪ Better listen to anybody

♪ Cos I'm going... ♪

Home, sweet home.The Reserve.

♪ That my life is unimportant

♪ What I've done I did for you

♪ There's a river running through me ♪

CAROL: Nev, why hasn't your sister

got any medical assistance?

It goes like this, Carol.

Lily worked as a domestic on a property out West.

When she found out she was expecting

she came back to her own mob.

It's a white fella that's the father, you see.

What's that got to do with it?

If she would have stayed, they'd have taken the baby.

That's government policy.

Bad secrets in this beautiful land.

WOMAN SCREAMS

SCREAMING CONTINUES

Are you gonna see the sergeant?

Tell him there's a weirdo

hanging around asking questions.

- Did he have a pony tail? - You know the fella.

Which way did he go, Mrs Pike?

WOMAN SCREAMS

CAROL: 'We can get this baby out together, OK, Lily?

All I need to do is turn you.'

Come on, little one.

It's OK. Don't panic.

This happens sometimes. I'm here with you.

LILY SCREAMS

What's going on?

CAROL:Nothing. It's OK.

The baby just needs a little help, that's all.

LILY WAILS

BABY CRIES

Mother and baby are doing well.

Go and say hello to your nephew, Nev.

Yes, I appreciate that, Mr Wagner.

Yeah, of course. I'll let you know.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

Not an easy call?

Seems Sarah Wagner

never did make it back to Freemantle

and her old man blames the police.

Gave me an earful.

He reckons we never took it seriously enough.

Maybe it's time to reopen the investigation.

Where's your off-sider?

-Joe? - Yeah.

That's what I'd like to know.

♪ Wars or hands of time

♪ Will not destroy our dreams

♪ Of days that are to come

♪ Our tears were shed with understanding

♪ Don't be sad

♪ I'll catch the wind on home to you

SIGHS

♪ Wai-ai-ait for the clouds

♪ To pass your way

♪ Wai-ai-ait for me

♪ I'll be back some day ♪

Mongrel!

When are these people gonna learn

how to treat our land with respect?

There don't seem to be any witnesses

who saw Sarah get on the bus.

Maybe she was hitchhiking.

Whatever old Mr Wagner thinks,

I'd say my predecessors did a pretty thorough job.

State police, main roads police

made enquiries at all the stops along the route

she was supposed to have taken between here and the border.

- Nobody saw her? - That's the point.

These missing females could be anywhere

between here and the Indian Ocean!

It's not as if any bodies were ever found around here.

Come to think of it,

no one seems to have asked our indigenous population

if they know anything.

Oi! I want a word with you, young fella.

-Carol! - He hasn't done anything.

- He was showing me-- -I can take care of it.

Are you arresting me, sergeant?

I just wanted to know if you noticed anything strange

at the res, mate.

What am I? Your mate now, am I?

No, sergeant.

It's the same flaming beauty spot as ever.

Where the hell have you been? Joe's been worried sick.

Is he really?

There's me with the impression

you two are keen to get rid of me.

Do me a favour, Carol,

and go back to the hotel and stay put.

Carol!

Carol Cassidy? I saw your notice in the Courier.

CAROL: Yeah? Another one?

Hey!

-Wait! - Hey!

Argh! Hang on, mate!

I'm Danny. Danny Cassidy.

Daniel? Joe, what are you doing? This is my brother.

Sorry, I thought...

I thought wrong.

How did you find me?

Mate of mine saw your advert.

I've been working as a crop sprayer

on the fruit farms down south.

The motel told me to get in touch

with Mooriloobah Police.

I borrowed the boss's plane and flew up.

I can't believe it.

I've got work to do.

I'll leave you to get acquainted.

Yeah, you do that.

I suppose we'll have to run another check

on every one of these names.

Fair dinkum, mate!

I could. I don't mind.

Be my guest. I'll clear it for you.

Records Office.

Yeah. The Records Office.

Sergeant Flaherty, Mooriloobah.

Yeah, we could do with some rain up here.

You should see the state of my lawn.

Dry as a Pommie's towel.

Yeah, it's pretty parched if you ask me.

Look,I need authorisation

for an English colleague of mine to have access.

A Detective Sergeant Dawson.

Yeah. Right-oh.

It's just a turn of phrase, you know.

Any reflection on your personal hygiene

or that of your countrymen is...

CHUCKLES

...purely coincidental.

No. No offence.

And none taken, Sergeant Flaherty.

-It's Bert. - Right, then.

Bert. I'm Rachel.

Rachel.

You were saying, Bert.

Back with us, then, Constable Mason?

I took my eye off the ball. I'm sorry.

Would you like to tell me what's been going on, please?

Come on, Mr Scripps!

BERTIE: I've nowt to say to you, lad.

You know what I want to talk to you about! Come on!

Clear off or I shan't be responsible for my actions!

Is this man bothering you, Mr Scripps?

For crying out loud, Blue!

- Is this your vehicle, sir? - You know very well it's not.

It belongs to the bloke I'm working for.

I suppose you do have his permission

to take it off his property?

Hmm. You got me there, PC Younger.

Perhaps we might take a trip down to the police station.

- So I can ascert-- - Yeah, why don't we?

Lock me up. You'd be doing me a favour.

I'm good for nothing else these days!

You're not the only ones worried, right?

SCOFFS

CAROL: I tried so hard to find out about my mother.

I can't remember anything about her.

I can. A lovely mum.

-What did she look like? - A bit like you.

Same colour hair.

That's how come I recognised you straight off.

I haven't even seen a picture of her.

When I was sent out here, the only thing I had

to remind me of who I was was a picture of us and Mum.

She was a beauty, right enough.

You haven't still got it, have you?

Used to hide it in my shoe.

Until the so-called Brothers took it off me.

I'm sorry, Danny.

My whole life

I've had this terrible resentment towards you.

Why did you abandon me?

You must have been two when last I saw you.

My last memory of you was seeing you dragged by a nun

bawling your eyes out.

Next thing, I'm puking my guts up on this rusty tub

with hundreds of other scared kids

being shipped off to the land of opportunity.

Child migrants they called us.

Like we had some choice in the matter.

Oh, I never left you, Carol. I was kidnapped.

We've got to stop that horse somehow, son.

We, Lone Ranger?

You don't seem to appreciate

the gravity of the situation, Col.

If Banana Bender romps past the post,

then, bang, goes your life of luxury!

Face it, Ma. You win some, you lose some.

Not me. I've always been a believer in the kind

of turf accountancy where everybody loses.

Oh. Except the bloomin' bookies.

Well, seems to me you've only got one choice.

Hm?

Knobble the nag.

With Burdon's minder

and Flaherty watching the stable? Ha!

But if Ernie couldn't ride Banana Bender?

You beauty!

Oh-oh. Maybe you're not such a halfwit as you look.

I think you did inherit some of my brains after all.

Cos you certainly did inherit your father's looks.

Hmm-hmm.Bless him.

Hm. Yes!

SIGHS

Danny, one of the monks

was saying about the Farm School.

sl*ve labour camp, more like it.

Stuck out in the middle of the desert.

May as well have been on planet Mars.

Working us like beasts of the field. All hours.

Kept wondering what I had done so wrong

to be treated so cruel.

What went on there?

They stole my childhood.

I can't talk about this, Carol.

I'm not ready. Maybe some day.

-Haven't you told anybody? - I wasn't the only one.

But who'd believe us?

They tell you the truth will set you free but...

What if nobody wants to hear?

This land holds some very dark secrets.

Somebody else said that to me.

But it's all sweet now.

Cos we're together again, sister.

♪ They didn't come for the river

♪ They didn't come for the b*at

♪ The people of the town came just to stand around

♪ And see the singer looking sweet ♪

Did you pick up those bugs?

Good boy.

Now, you keep our little friend over there company.

Anything he wants is on the house.

How you goin'?

Ha! You wouldn't get this in Yorkshire, eh?

Just one of the delights of this tropical paradise.

A piece of which could be yours

for less than you think possible.

SIGHS

Spoil yourself, Ernie. Have a chilled one on me.

Not tonight, Carl.

Plenty of time to celebrate once Banana Bender

passes the winning post.

Folk expecting me to make 'em a bob or two.

At least let me get you a juicy T-bone.

No meat tonight, Carl.

Lays heavy on the stomach the night before a race.

- I think I might turn in. - Not yet, Ernie.

Tell us how you won the Nambour Sweep.

Well, you should have been there.

No, I'm gonna get an early night.

Look what I've got.

Just for my two favourite fellas.

Look at the size of them Morton Bay Bugs, eh?

Can I tempt you, Ernie?

Well, I won't say I'm not partial to a bug, Lou.

Now don't tell everybody.

They'll all be wanting in on the act.

Let's leave the hoi polloi to their snags, huh?

What's the game, Lou?

Keeping a chap from his crustaceans?

Wack-o, the diddle-o!

Hm.

Well, that's me done.

Better set some kind of example.

Or I'll have to pull myself in

for driving under the influence.

I'll see yous all at sparrow fart.

-Enjoy, boys. - Ta, Lou.

KNOCKING ON DOOR

FLAHERTY: Rachel! Joe!

Who is it?

Oh, well, what do you know?

-What's the matter, Bert? - Oh, Rachel.

I've just had a call from my colleagues.

They found a car abandoned

off the road about an hour west of here.

It's licensed to a young woman from Charleville

who was driving down to the races today.

She's completely disappeared.

Maybe there is a k*ller on the road. On my patch.

-Where was this? - By Jindalong Creek.

-I'll take a drive out there. - I'll come with you.

Why not? I'll blitz the Records Office.

Jindalong Creek.

Rachel and I went to the Roadhouse

to have a word about Rosie.

Mr... What was it? Meredith.

Not the most welcoming of hosts.

Have you ever eaten a cold meat pie, Bert?

Good morning, brother.

You don't know what it means to hear you say that.

Are you all right sleeping out here?

That was the best night I'd spent in years.

Under the Southern Cross.

I gotta keep an eye on the boss's plane.

Pretty decent of him to give us a lend.

Don't want to return his crop duster

in anything but good working order.

You know what, kiddo?

I know this has been said many times before but...

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.

It doesn't mean it's not true.

Will you let me buy you breakfast, Danny Cassidy?

I'd be honoured, Carol Cassidy.

-Mr Meredith. - What's this about?

The thing is there's been a complaint against you.

Oh, yeah?

One of the local Aboriginal population, I suppose?

From this gentleman, as it happens.

Visitor from England.

Scotland.

I never clapped eyes on him in my natural.

- Not what you told me. - I was here. That's the man.

Perhaps you'd prefer if we dealt with this

somewhere more private?

All right.

Now it seems when a burger was politely requested

you told him there was none available.

And yet, your sign was on, was it not?

Promising then, as now, burgers.

And your point is?

Some would say that constitutes false advertising.

Oh, for crying out loud!

Haven't you wallopers got nothing better to do?

Just doing my job, mate. Mr Meredith, just calm down.

We can sort this out without further legal proceedings.

Way I see it, mate, it's his word against yours.

Was there anyone else working here that day

who might have witnessed this altercation?

A young man at the pumps.

Ah, well. That'd be Des.My son.

Can I have a word?

He's not here at the moment. He's gone down south.

When would that be exactly?

The same day this bum came in here.

Oh you do remember this dissatisfied customer?

Oh, I guess so.

Any forwarding address for this, er...

-Des, is it? - No, mate.

Well, sir, personally,

I don't think you've got a legal leg to stand on.

Yeah. Too right. Is that it?

Thank you.

DOOR CLOSES

You blokes know anything about this combi van

that was found by the creek?

Well, it looks as if another young woman

has gone missing round these parts.

Have you finished here, sergeant?

Yeah. Oh.

Look, while I'm out here,

I thought I might sample one of your burgers.

I haven't got any blessed burgers!

Then I suggest you turn your blessed sign off.

LOU:Carl!

Double act or what?

CHUCKLES

Do you think he knows anything?

Somebody knows. Somebody always knows.

A wife. A mother.A sister.

Somebody got to Rosie.

Somewhere near here.

Well, whoever it is, we'll get him, Joe.

DAWSON ON RADIO: 'Sergeant Flaherty, come in.'

Yeah. Flaherty.

- 'Where are you, Bert?' - Just heading back to town.

You might want to go back

and pay a visit to Jindalong Roadhouse.

We just left there. I knew it!

Have you got something on Meredith? Jack Meredith?

No, not Jack. Someone from the same address.

- 'Desmond Meredith.' -His son?

'He's got a record for breaking and entering'

with aggravated as*ault.

FLAHERTY: Good on yer, Rachel!

KNOCKING ON DOOR

There was a tow truck there.

Think they're in it together? Father and son?

- What's out there? - Nothing much.

Except the Reserve.

I can't take this piece of tin off the road, mate.

Back to the station. Get the Land Rover.

Wacko.

Our Desmond spent the last five years in Boggo Road Jail.

Broke into a flat of a young woman in Brissie.

- Caught in the act. - And the dates match.

Sarah Wagner's disappearance was before he was imprisoned.

Rosie went missing shortly after he was released.

Desmond Meredith. Petrol attendant.

Do you remember, Joe?

He was fixing a Nissan with blacked-out windows?

All points.All stations.

Mooriloobah District.

And all points on Desmond Meredith.

Seeing as you're so concerned about my every move,

I'm going for a flight with my brother.

Not now. We're on to something.

Believed to be driving a Nissan

with blacked-out windows.

-Licence plate unknown. - Joe.

Carol, please! This is important. Leave us.

Rachel, hear me out.

That sounds like the Nissan that ran us off the track

when Nev was driving me back from his home.

The Reserve? What are you doing out there?

What does it matter? I'm telling you.

I've seen the vehicle you're looking for.

Where was this exactly?

I don't know but Nev will.

♪ My Eloise

♪ I'd love to please her

♪ I'd love to care

♪ But she's not there ♪

I'm gonna drive out to the Res

and have a word with young Neville.

-Who's Nev? - A friend.

Danny, you could pick him up in your plane.

- Yeah, sure could. -Fine.

Tell him we'll meet you at the Blue Gum Billabong

where the road turns off for the Reserve.

-Thank you. Good on ya. - Yeah. Thanks, Carol.

Sarge, you gotta do something.

I reckon I've been doped.

Not now, mate. Not now.

That's where the galah ran me off the track.

Then he turned up there. North northwest.

Anything out there?

NEV: 'No, not much.'

Just an old shack or two from the old squatter days.

You know when your people stole my people's land?

Spare me the history lesson. Over and out.

Better turn off this way.

Up ahead! That's the Nissan!

FLAHERTY: 'Got him. Got him! We'll take it from here.'

We'll take the shed.

Right-oh, but Meredith's mine, mate.

GRUNTS

Dad! Dad!

- Give us the g*n, mate. - You try and take it.

It's all my fault. It's bad blood.

No, it's a bad accident, mate, the way I saw it.

He was driving like a maniac.

It's me who's gotta pay.

Oh, come on. Don't be a bloody fool, Jack.

What am I gonna charge you with?

Malicious damage of a tyre?

Look, mate! That's it. That's it.

It's all over, Jack. It's all over, mate.

Get in the car. Get in there.

JOE COUGHS

SOBS

It's all right.

It's over.

He's dead.

SOBS

Come on. That's it.

SOBS

EXHALES

It's Flaherty at Mooriloobah.

Yeah. I need backup. Full support.

All you got, mate.

Did Carol know Rosie Cartwright well?

Pretty well.

Everybody loved Rosie.

Let me be the one to tell her.

No, I don't think so.

This is the sort of thing that I'm trained to do.

Nah, this is a brother's job.

You only met her yesterday.

I met her the day she was born, mate.

OK, Danny.

Just break it to her gently, OK?

Yeah.

- Run her in, sergeant! - The little fella's right.

She must have doctored the bugs!

FLAHERTY: What have you got to say for yourself, Lou?

Would I make one of my best customers and my boy crook?

What kind of mother do you think I am?

I shan't answer that, Lou, but I'll tell you something,

you're as cunning as a dunny rat!

I'll never be able to mount the Bender in this condition.

The favourite will have to be scratched

if there's no one to ride him.

Then you'll have to give back everybody's stakes.

Oh, come off it, sarge. A bet's a bet.

Nev! You're a stockman.

You can ride the Bender.

You think you can fit into Ernie Burdon's silks?

You beaut-y!

It will take more than iffy bugs

to stop the races at Mooriloobah!

TAPPING, TANNOY SQUEAKS

ANNOUNCER: 'Good day, ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to the Mooriloobah Picnic Races.'

Let the Bender do all the work.

Save yourself for the final furlong.

ANNOUNCER: 'The horses are lining up

for the first race. so get your bets on.'

I owe you an apology.

I thought you were up to no good.

You're not the first.

But listen, can you do me a big favour?

Get rid of that barbed-wire display. The Devil's rope.

Would it be possible

to borrow the keys to the post office, Mrs Pike?

I need to make an urgent international phone call.

It's the middle of the night back home.

ANNOUNCER: 'Horses are now ready and they're off!'

CROWD CHEERING

Sergeant Miller, it's Mason.

Look, I'm sorry to call you at home.

Yes, I know it's four in the morning.

CROWD CHEERING

Come on, Joe. Shout you a cold one.

I'd better go and break the bad news.

No... sergeant.

Will you let me, please?

Very well, lad.

Rosie?

I've been waiting some time for this moment.

My winnings, Louise.

Mr MacDonald.

I've news from Australia.

I trust we've got to know each other a bit?

You're not gonna dob me

into the State Gaming Commission, are you?

Don't worry, Bert.

I had a little flutter myself.

You were right, Younger.

It's all my fault.

If she hadn't met me, is she hadn't left here...

If I'd taken care of her.

What can I do?

SNIFFLES

There's nothing I can do.

You can come with me to tell her family.

Must get the crop duster back to the boss.

I don't know how I'm supposed to feel what with Rosie.

But I know more about who I am now.

And I like that feeling.

I'll be over to see you before you know it.

We'll never lose touch again, Carol.

LOU: I'm sorry about your friend.

-Have a safe trip. - Take care of my sister, Joe.

Thanks, Nev.

Miss Cassidy? You know this man?

Doctor Cunningham.

That's what he's calling himself nowadays?

Brisbane Police know him better as Crafty Campbell.

You might make a detour to Red Hill Watch House

and pick up your travellers' cheques.

Thanks, sergeant.

See you, Joe. Next time, bring your fishing gear.

You should pop over to Yorkshire sometime.

Assist us with our clear-up rate.

I'll see you, Rachel.

I hope so, Bert.

Not too late to have a look at my block.

You'll kick yourselves if you don't!

Goodbye!