02x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

I know it's a lot, Lynne.

My son was a ratbag,
but he wasn't a thief

or a m*rder*r.

[unsettling music]

You proud...

..killin' my boy Liam?

[Sam] I will not let
Nash Mason harm you

or anyone in your family.

Have you heard about the Gilmours?

I run produce for Tom now and then.

[Andie] Elizabeth Whitford was my mum.

But not by birth.

And I loved her.

[Sam] This is your mum Deb.

A few months ago,
she took her own life.

[Stella] Sarge, just letting you know
that Operations called.

They've officially pulled the pin
on the search of the lake for Emily.

[tense music rises]

[haunting ethereal vocalisations]

[birds calling]

[wings flapping]

- [haunting vocalisations continue]
- [frogs croaking, bird whooping]

- [leaves rustling]
- [black c*ck cawing]

[twig snaps]

- [leaves rustling]
- Emily?

Emily!

[branches snapping]

Emily, wait!

- [leaves rustling]
- [voices whispering eerily]

[unsettling music]

[distorted soundscape echoing]

[distant haunting scream]

[faint overlapping voices]

[bell toll echoing]

[overlapping ethereal voices]

- [frantic voices echoing]
- [distorted soundscape intensifies]

[g*nsh*t reverberates]

[gasps sharply]

[exhales]

[quiet birdsong]

[musical alarm plays]

[alarm stops]

[slow mysterious music]

[music builds]

[engine rumbling]

[brakes squealing]

[uneasy music]

[hydraulic brakes hiss]

[engine idling]

[Lynne] Is everything okay?

- Yeah, all good. G'day.
- How you goin'?

[Lynne] What's the trouble, guys?

Just some engine trouble. Help us out?

- Uh...
- [man 2] Great. Thanks, mate.

Get the f*ck out of the truck!

[menacing music]

f*ck' shouldn't be here.
What the f*ck are you doing?

[wails and groans]

[Reza over radio]
Brokenridge 900 to Brokenridge 250.

Brokenridge 250. Go ahead, Rez.

[Reza] Sarge, there's been a report
of a road rage incident

on the Mansfield Woods Point Road
near Howqua.

Been called in by Lynne McKenzie.

Copy that. On my way. Over.

[mysterious music]

[handbrake cranks, engine stops]

Lynne, we'll get someone to help you.

- Who did this?
- Two blokes.

Black Jeep Cherokee, late model.

You okay?

You get a plate number?

Yeah, um, WFN-29Z... I think.

The two blokes?

[Lynne] Yeah. Mid-40s.
Not from 'round here.

[uneasy music]

- Gilmour Fruit & Veg?
- [sighs] Yeah.

Doing my last haul for Tom
before the business is wound down.

[handbrake cranks, engine stops]

[seatbelt clicks]

[Andie] You right?

[Lynne] It's too quiet here.

I keep thinking I'm gonna open
the door and see him standing there

with that goofy grin
and some bullshit story.

Andie...

..I've gotta find out who did this.

[Andie] It's our top priority.
I promise.

[Lynne taps car]

[Reza over radio]
Brokenridge 900 to Brokenridge 250.

[indistinct cricket commentary
playing on TV]

- [Andie over radio] Brokenridge 250.
- [radio static]

- What have you got for me, Rez?
- [TV commentary stops]

[Reza] I checked those plates
you gave me of the Jeep.

They were reported stolen
yesterday in Yarck.

[Andie] Copy that, Rez. I'm on my way.

[knocking] Ben, get up!

[knocks]

You're late for work.

[Ben groaning]

[Ben] Oh...

[inhales sharply]

What's going on?

[Ben sighs] I just overslept.

You hungover?

What's your problem?

You told me not to drink at home
and I didn't. I was out.

Until 2:00 in the morning?

[Ben mutters]
"Until 2:00 in the morning"...

I knocked off late, okay? And then
some of the boys wanted a drink.

Why are you even
drinking with those blokes?

'Cause I'm trying to bloody fit in.

You should try it sometime.

Not if it means being a f*ck' idiot!

[door opens]

[door thuds shut]

[Andie] Morning.

- Morning, Sarge.
- Morning.

[sombre music]

Hey... thanks. Appreciate it.

I'm just updating
our community socials

with the on-call
roster for this week.

- Oh, tell me I'm not on tonight.
- Tomorrow night.

But we were thinking, why
don't I just take you off this week?

- Have time off. Me
and Rez can split it.

- Mmm.

Oh, my fans might miss me.

Thanks, but I'll do my fair share.

It's your call, boss.

Hey, this thing with
Lynne McKenzie this morning,

I don't reckon it was
just a road rage incident.

The perps destroyed every bit
of Gilmour's last shipment,

like a targeted attack.

Protection racketeering.

I saw a bit of it in Wangaratta,

mostly targeting vape shops,
threatening arson.

Yeah... What if Tom Gilmour
refused to pay?

Could be motive for his m*rder,

and Emily and Sarah
were just collateral damage.

But why trash the load of a dead man?
He can't pay up.

As a warning to others?

Get onto Crime Command.

Ask 'em for their target list -
regional crime,

protection standover guys
in the north-east.

Thanks.

[Mitch] What time's he gonna get here?

That's too late. We knock off at 5:00.

Well, can't he get here any earlier?

[sighs] Alright, alright.

[mutters] sh*t.

- How's it going there, Ben?
- Oh, good.

I found the leak. It was
a cracked overflow coolant bottle.

Look, I'm... I'm gonna have
to pay a few guys overtime

to help out with a late delivery.

You said you were keen?

I would, but I can't tonight.
I'm meeting my girlfriend.

Is it something important?

Nah, just haven't really
hung out with her for a while.

[laughs]

Fair enough. Gotta keep
the missus happy.

Alright, well, someone else
will be happy with the extra cash.

- Hey, Mitch!
- Yeah.

Listen, I'm... I'm
sure she'll be fine.

I can do it.

You sure?

Good man.
Just keep it under your lid, yeah?

Bloody union'll give me grief
if they find out

I'm paying you boys cash
under the table.

[uneasy music]

[sizzling]

Hey. What are you doing here?

Get off there!

Sorry, Joe.

Where's Ben?

Ditched me for some overtime.

[rock music playing]

- You want a mushroom parma?
- [Kirra] Sure.

- It's just annoying, you know?
- [cash register whirring]

Hey, Kirra. How are ya?

Um, did you put that through
as a staff meal?

No, she's not staff.

- Well, just put it through as a comp.
- I've already paid.

Well, refund it!

- If you insist.
- I do.

That's so nice, Rick.

[cash register whirrs]

What are all those?

You dodged a b*llet
last night, actually.

After you left, there was
a busload on a wine tour.

- I'm so sorry.
- Yeah, it's fine. Honestly.

Shows how much I rely on you.

I will actually just grab those

and, um, yep, just
put them in the safe.

- Yep.
- Okay.

- Thanks, Rick.
- [Rick] Yeah, yeah, no worries.

What?

Little young for you, isn't he?

Take that. Bugger off.

[cutlery and crockery
clinking in distance]

[exhales wearily]

[rubbish bag rustling]

[unsettling music]

- [man yells] Think about it!
- [clattering]

We'll be back!

[faint ragged breathing]

- [car engine starts up]
- [man coughing]

[tyres screeching]

[engine revs and fades]

- [Helen] Oh!
- [Rick groans]

- [Helen] Oh, you okay?
- Yep.

[groans softly]

It was a couple of drunks.

What'd they want?

I don't know.
They... they just jumped me.

Had they been drinking here?

[Rick] Wh...

Can you give me a description?

It was dark, yeah?

Um, to be honest,
no, I... I got nothing.

I couldn't see a
thing. It was... Yeah.

I saw the car.
It was a black Jeep Cherokee.

Licence plate was WEN...

[sighs] Sorry. I
didn't catch the rest.

Could it have been an F?

WFN?

[Helen] Yeah, I guess.
Why? Do you know it?

- [insects chirping]
- [uneasy music]

[rustling]

[faint knocking overhead]

[knocking and thudding
continues overhead]

[knocking continues]

[loud knock at door]

It's just me.

Come in.

[Helen] He said those men
were random drunks,

but it sounded like
they were threatening him.

With what?

I... I couldn't really hear.

So why's he covering for them, then?

I think he's scared.

[Andie] Huh. Maybe with good reason.

Those were the same blokes who
attacked Lynne McKenzie this morning.

It's possible that both incidents
are connected to the Gilmour murders.

You don't think Rick's involved?

Maybe it's a... protection racket.

You know, maybe they wanted money.

Oh, no wonder he's scared.

You should see if you can
get him to talk.

Well, he obviously trusts you.

Poke around?
You mean go behind his back?

You're uncomfortable with that?

[huffs]

Why have we never discussed it?

How are we gonna get through this
if you refuse to talk about it?

There's nothing to get through.

Really, it's a non-issue.

Yet you still feel the need
to have a dig at me.

I wasn't.

Okay, maybe I was, a bit. I'm sorry.

I don't want to talk about it now.

No, you never do.

Helen, I've had a long day...

- Yep. Okay.
- I just want to eat and go to bed.

Yep, fine.

[door shuts]

[uneasy music]

[cricket commentary playing on radio]

[commentator on radio] Out to cover.

[commentary continues indistinctly]



[uneasy music swells]

[camera clicks]

[door closes]

And the problem is...?

I just got off the phone
with the Meridian Ridge Mine.

It seems there's been
some sort of altercation.

[men chattering indistinctly]

[Mitch] It's alright. I'll handle it.

[handbrake cranks, engine stops]

[Mitch sighs]

Where's Owen Cooper?

Gone now.

Turned up here
and started bangin' on.

Someone called the cops. It wasn't me.

What was he carrying on about?

Doesn't want his son working here.

And he was banging on about...
stolen land again.

[men laughing in distance]

It's a shame 'cause his kid's
a bloody good worker.

I'd hate to have to let him go
'cause of his old man.

Okay. I'll have a word with Owen.

Appreciate it.

I know you've got bigger things
on your plate.

[sighs]

[car door closes, engine starts]

Yeah, that'd be right.

Dickhead called the cops on me, eh?

Did you threaten Mitch Hamilton?

- I might have.
- Wanna tell me why?

Bloke's a dickhead.

You mentioned that.

He accused me of trespassing
on private property.

You know as well as I do
the mine is private property.

It's Taungurung country!

Owen, you wanna tell me
what this is really about?

That foreman's filling Ben's head
full of a lot of crap.

It's all drinkin' and muckin' around.

So you'd prefer that he work
somewhere else? Is that it?

I don't like the culture of the place.

[Andie] He doesn't like yours either.

Ours!

Owen, put the axe down and calm down.

[axe thuds]

You know, the longer
he stays there,

the more he gets
sucked into that world.

Promise me you'll stay away
from the mine?

And if there's another problem,
come to me first.

Andie, don't forget about
tomorrow, the meeting.

I'll introduce you to the mob.

Uh, I can't make it. I'm chockers.

- [distant chattering]
- [door closes]

[lock beeping]

[soft clanging]

[Rick] Ah! Helen.

- Glad you're here.
- Hey.

- How did you pull up after the...
- Fine, fine. Honestly, fine.

I was just wondering, would you mind
holding the fort for a little bit?

- I just need to head out for a while.
- Sure.

Yeah? Sweet. Thank you.

Did you change the empty keg?

sh*t. No, I didn't.
Um, I'll do that now. Give me a sec.

[rustling]

[unsettling music builds]

- Helen! What the f*ck are you doing?
- [gasps] Oh, sorry.

- It was in your coat.
- Yeah.

What is all this money?

Tom, yeah, gave me the money
to put in our safe.

We got busy
and... and I forgot about it.

You should hand that money
in to the police, Rick.

That's pretty much
what I was about to do.

[rustling]

- [elastic band snapping]
- [phones ringing in distance]

There's 50 grand here, Rick.

[smacks lips] Yeah, well,
like I said, I... I didn't count.

So you knew Tom
had cash on the houseboat?

[exhales] Yeah, but not...

Yeah, well, what were you
doing with this?

He asked me to put it in the safe.

He was having some big party
and he didn't want any cash on board.

And you didn't think to come forward
after he was m*rder*d?

Well, I'm handing it
back now, aren't I?

Your friends were k*lled
and it never occurred to you

that this might be material evidence
in the investigation?

No... No!

It's just everything was going on,
I forgot about it, yeah?

I was attacked.
It reminded me that I did have it.

That's why I'm handing it back.

Voluntarily, might I add.

- Was it protection money?
- What?

Was Tom Gilmour
being stood over by someone?

And was your failure to hand it over
what got Tom and his family k*lled?

Oh, Christ, Sarge.
Jeez, I... [stammers]

I don't know anything about that.

Who were the blokes
that assaulted you last night?

I told you, I don't know them.

- I don't...
- Were they threatening you?

Demanding money? This money?

To the best of my knowledge,
this money...

..is simply cash takings
from Tom's business, yeah?

And he always took it home with him.

Mmm.

Well... okay.

Rest assured,
the matter will be investigated.

Senior Constable Cross
will get your formal statement.

[door opens]

Nice of you to loop me in, Whitford.



Is that an unusually
large amount for Tom to have?

[Glenn] It's the height
of the berry season.

Christmas trade. Not unusual.

I'll have a word
to Rick Saunders if you like.

No, you won't. You leave it with me.

[pointedly] Glenn?

Yeah, yeah, okay.

[dispatcher]
VKC to any unit in the vicinity

of Woods Point Road
near Gaffney's Bridge.

Gotta go.

Check ya.

VKC, Brokenridge 250.
I'm one up on call.

What's the details? Over.

[dispatcher] Brokenridge 250, we've
got a report of a red Ford Focus,

plate number SDA-G25.

The vehicle was stolen yesterday

and appears to be abandoned
at Gaffney's Creek Road.

[radio static crackles]

[Andie] Roger that, VKC.
I'll check it out.

[Sam] sh*t.

[phone buzzing]

[sighs]

[buzzing continues]

[handbrake cranks, engine stops]

[frogs croaking]

[man breathing heavily]

[low tense music builds]

[breathes shakily]

[shaky breathing continues]

[whispering] Do it.
Pull the g*dd*mn trigger.

Come on, come on.

[music builds]

[siren wailing]

[siren continues wailing]

[hydraulic brakes hiss]

[truck engine idling]

G'day, fellas. Where's the fire?

- Isn't it here?
- [Andie] Who called it in?

We just got it as a car fire
spreading into the bush.

No worries.

- [Andie] Brokenridge 250 to VKC.
- [relieved sigh]

[dispatcher] VKC, go ahead.

[Andie] Found that abandoned vehicle.

Apparently someone
reported it on fire, incorrectly.

The local CFAs turned up.

They're gonna drive the vehicle back
to the Brokenridge station for me.

[birds chirping and cawing]

[uneasy music]

[line ringing]

[Diane] Hi. This is Diane Holt.
Leave me a message.

[tone beeps]

Di, it's Gilmour here.
Question without notice.

How would a woman
the size of Rose De Vigny

shove a dead body
six feet up the trunk of a tree?

Ponder that and call me back.

[vehicle approaching]

[low pensive music]

[exhales]

[Nash] I wanted to do it.

It's not that easy.

[Nash trembling]

[Jax] Shh.

[breathes shakily]

[Jax grunts softly]

[mysterious music rises]

[people chattering and laughing]

Here you go.

[woman] Thanks.

Where's Aunty Gladys?
I thought she'd be here.

[Owen] Europe.

- Am I in the right place?
- Course you are. [chuckles]

There's somebody
I want you to meet, you mob.

This is Sergeant Andie Whitford.

- It wasn't me!
- [laughter]

[Owen] This cheeky one's Aunty Kerry.

- This is Aunty Kerry's
daughter Melanie.

- Hey.

She's our researcher
for the Cultural Centre Subcommittee.

And this is the Subcommittee.
Say hello, you mob.

[all say greetings]

Owen said you've just found out
your mob's from up here too, eh?

Um, yeah. The connection's
with my birth mother.

- What's her name?
- Uh, Deb, Deb Walker.

Sadly, she passed away
before I could reconnect with her,

so I was hoping someone
might remember her.

Well, the one good thing
we gotta give to these whitefellas,

they love to journal.

They documented just about
every move a blackfella made.

The removals and the massacres.

It's their records acknowledging
us in our "natural habitat"

that help us achieve our Native Title.

Never heard it explained that way.

If you have Deb's age at least,
this is the best place to start.

Oh, I don't want to inconvenience you.

Oh, another name to the long list
of the removed, missing and m*rder*d.

Go and have a look.

[quiet chatter]

I can take a look for Deb over the
next couple of days and let you know.

Yeah. I'd appreciate that. Thanks.

[uneasy music]

What's this place?

That's the old dormitory in
Brokenridge. A holding place.

A lot of local kids
taken from their families

were held there before being moved on.

They called 'em "Police Pens".

Where is it?

Down Old Running Creek Road.

But you won't find it.

They drowned it
when they dammed the river.

It was right near the wall
near that big bloody Intake Tower.

Some mob reckon
you listen hard enough,

you can still hear
the dormitory bell ringin'.

[ethereal ambient music]

[birds calling]

[ethereal ambient music continues]

[music fades]

[wind blustering]

[water trickling]

[trickling slows and fades]

[distant overlapping voices]

- [bell tolling distantly]
- [woman wailing echoes]

[wailing and tolling continues]

[Andie breathing heavily]

[wailing and tolling intensify]

[voice whispering] Andie!

[soundscape fades]

- [poignant music]
- [breathes shakily]

[engine rumbles]

[poignant music continues]

[tone beeps]

Sam, it's Andie.

I'm coming over.

[Sam] These are her ashes.

I keep thinking that...

..maybe I could've stopped her.

Maybe if I'd... said the right things.

Maybe if I'd loved her better.

I feel like I failed her.

Twice over.

I've carried that thought with me...

..every day since.

[gentle music]

The last photo I took of her.

You would have loved her.

- [insects chirping]
- [gentle music continues]

[folder slides]

[Stella] Recognise
any of these individuals?

You're absolutely sure?
You can take a closer look.

I said no, didn't I?

What about these charmers?
Any of them trash your truck?

Nup, nup, nup.

[sighs]

You right, Ms McKenzie?
I... I can get you a glass of water.

- We can take a break if you...
- This is a waste of time.

I'd rather you cops
find out who k*lled my son.

That's exactly what we're
trying to do. It could all be related.

Thank you for coming in.

We'll let you know
if there's any developments.

Mr Saunders, this way, please.

[uneasy music]

[lock beeping]

[uneasy music continues]

[Andie] You know I'm sh*t with
figures. What am I looking at?

Rick's been cooking more than parmas.

[sighs] It's pretty basic, really.

Ringing up receipts
for non-existent sales

and entering large sums
in the account book

that were never actually earned.

How do you know?

Have we met? I am a bookkeeper.

I mean, how do you know
the sales were non-existent?

'Cause I worked a lot of those shifts.

There certainly weren't over 200 meals
on any of those occasions.

Look at November.

Apart from the Cup weekend,

even on the busiest night,
we might do 50 meals.

He's got 300 meals... on a Monday.

We would've had ten people
in the pub that night.

Okay, I get it. My eyes are starting
to glaze over, but I get it.

- Rick was laundering money.
- [Helen] Exactly.

Hm. Rick admitted
Tom gave him the money.

They were in it together,
whatever "it" is.

Stella, how long ago
did Rick Saunders leave?

[Stella over speakerphone] About
half an hour ago. He didn't ID anyone.

Call The Lodge
and get him to come back in. Now.

[Stella] Copy.

You should go home. Don't go back
to The Lodge until I call you.

He's not there, Sarge.
No-one knows where he is.

What if the attack on Lynne McKenzie's
truck wasn't a shakedown?

- They were looking for something.
- And I reckon Lynne knows what it is.

Let's go pay her a visit.

[knocks]

Might be asleep.
She looked pretty ragged earlier.

[groans] What now?

Sorry for the intrusion.
Can we come in for a chat?

No, no, it's not a good time.

We understand that.
It's not gonna take long.

Do you have a warrant?

It's okay, Lynne.

We'll come back another time.
You take it easy.

- You see the hand?
- Yep. And she's jacked on something.

[Andie] Hiding something for sure.

I've got an idea. Come on.

Let's go.

[tense music builds]

- [Lynne shouts angrily]
- [metal clatters]

[Lynne muttering indistinctly]

[man shouting in distance]

[man] Please!

- [Lynne shouts]
- [man grunts]

- [Lynne] Who k*lled Finn?!
- [heavy thud]

[man grunting]

[Rick] I promise you,
I have no idea who k*lled your son.

[Lynne] They k*lled Finn
because of Tom's dirty business

and you were in on it with him!

- I was laundering money for Tom.
- Then why'd they come beat you up?

'Cause they asked me to launder
for them and I said, "No, I want out!"

- You're lying!
- I'm not lying...! [groans]

Who k*lled Finn?!

- Oh, Jesus!
- Lynne!

Step away from him. Step away.

Andie, he knows who k*lled Finn!

If he does, he's gonna tell us.

I don't know anything.
This b*tch is crazy.

Shut up.
It's okay, Lynne. It's okay.

Let us handle Rick.
Just drop it on the ground.

- [metal clangs]
- Stella, go.

We've got it from here. Are you okay?

[Rick] She abducted me by knifepoint.
She nearly broke my f*ck' arm!

- Don't, don't, don't, don't...
- [Andie] Your arm's fine.

I'm arresting you both,

you for money laundering
and her for as*ault.

- Sarge!
- [Lynne] What have you...

Put it down, Lynne.

Lynne, it won't bring Finn back.

Put the weapon down on the ground.

Lynne. Put it down.

Stella, tase her.

[intense music rises]

[Andie, muffled] Stella?

Stella, tase her now!

- Stella!
- [intense music crescendos]

[Andie] Jesus!

Hey! Hey!

[groans]

[Lynne groans]

[curtly] Go untie Rick.

Arm. Alright, bend your legs.
I'm gonna lift you up.

- [Stella mutters]
- [Lynne grunts]

Just the shoulder...

[Andie] Take her back to Brokenridge.

You, go with Rick and get a statement.

He's pretty banged up so I doubt
he'll give you much trouble.

If he does, I'll twist his other arm.

[Reza] Sarge! I found something!

Over here.

Open her up.

[Reza] Never heard of this brand.

That's ill*gal tobacco.

Chop-chop. This stuff
would be worth a b*mb.

[Andie] Definitely worth killin' for.

Well done.

[uneasy music]

[keypad clicks]

[lock clangs]

[menacing music swells]

[music fades]

[slow mysterious music]