Episode 481

Extended Summary

Fisher is sitting alone at home when Bobby and Matt come in, with Matt telling Bobby he saw Sophie in her van. He tells Fisher that he now knows he’s innocent and apologises. Fisher tells him he doesn’t need to. Matt is confident the truth will come out in court but Fisher points out there’s no evidence to prove his case and heads off to bed. Bobby takes a moment to guilt trip Matt for doubting Fisher before asking about Sophie. Matt confirms Al hits her and wonders why she stays with him. Bobby says that even when they were being beaten by him, he convinced her and her mother they couldn’t survive without him and is now doing the same to Sophie, keeping her away from everyone else and brainwashing her. They decide to look over Shane’s things again. Checking them over at the Fisher house, at first they think they’ve found nothing but Bobby notices Shane wrote “Shane” next to a picture of Superman and “Simpson” next to the bad guy on one of the covers. She thinks this proves that Shane saw himself as protecting Bobby and was going to confront Al. Matt isn’t convinced but Bobby thinks it might be enough to confront Al with.

At the Diner, Ailsa quizzes Alf about flyers for the surf carnival. Alf says it’s going well and he’s even managed to use the proceeds to buy some surf skis. Carly doesn’t seem impressed by the carnival. Alf says there’s going to be entertainment, including a beauty pageant, which he’s got Celia and the Ladies’ Auxiliary to judge. Carly is outraged at the idea, denouncing it as sexist. Alf asks Emma if she’ll take part and, on hearing the prize is $100 worth of beauty products, she agrees. While Carly continues to complain, Emma encourages Adam to talk to Alf. He reminds Alf that he’s putting up the money for the Ironman prize and wonders if the surf club will cover half of it, but Alf refuses to let him back out.

Next morning, Al escorts a still bruised Sophie to the shower block and tells her not to be too long. Meanwhile, Bobby is telling Matt they need to cut a deal with Al and convince him they’ve got evidence. They head out, leaving the comic behind, and drive to the caravan park. They confront Al and Matt tells him they know he killed Shane. Bobby tells him Shane wrote the notes on the comic two days before he died. She says they’ll show it to the police unless Al leaves town and fails to show up at the court hearing. Al says the police will go ahead with charges but Bobby thinks they won’t have a case without him. Sophie emerges and Bobby adds another condition is Sophie stays with them. Al takes them all back to the caravan. Sophie is confused but Al agrees to the deal. Bobby says she and Matt will wait for Sophie outside. Al tells Sophie he didn’t kill Shane but with his record the police won’t believe him. He says he’ll pretend to leave town then come back for her.

Emma is rubbing suntan lotion onto Adam down at the beach. Grant comes over and wonders why Adam isn’t training. Adam says he’s relaxing but once Grant is out of earshot he admits to Emma that however hard he trains, if Grant’s in the competition he hasn’t got a hope of winning. Emma suggests Grant might sprain an ankle. Adam suddenly has an idea and they retire to the Diner. He explains that Grant has to go to the surf club to register for the competition. He wants Emma to take Alf’s car out and fake a breakdown. Grant will stop and help her, so Adam can sabotage his car and stop him getting to the registration. Emma refuses, saying Grant hasn’t done anything to deserve it. Adam says if she does it he’ll buy her a new bikini for the competition as well as the holiday to Bali. Emma agrees.

Matt is making up a bed for Sophie at his place. Sophie isn’t happy about being there; she thinks Al is innocent and accuses Bobby of just trying to get Fisher off the hook as she’s worried she won’t have anywhere to live. Matt steps in and points out he’s no reason to lie and wouldn’t want his brother’s killer to get away. Bobby says the comic proves Shane was going to confront Al, yet Al claims he hardly knew him. Sophie continues to maintain his innocence but seems less certain. Bobby tells her Al’s not coming back. At that moment though, Al is breaking into Fisher’s house. After searching the place, he finds the comic on a chair, grabs it and leaves.

Adam and Emma go to see Alf at the store and ask to borrow the car, saying Emma needs to use it to pace Adam for his training. Alf agrees on condition Emma stacks shelves for him later and reminds Adam he has to be at the surf club to register by two o’clock. They drive out to a country road where Adam deliberately floods the engine, telling Emma it will take Grant about fifteen minutes to fix it. Emma seems very unhappy about what they’re doing.

Bobby and Matt head out, telling Sophie not to answer the door or the phone. A short while later, Al turns up and bangs on the door. Sophie lets him in but refuses to go with him unless he tells her the truth about Shane. Losing his temper and his patience, Al forces her to pick up her bag and drags her out.