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Magic Moments
> 2024
> Death In The Outback: Part Three
Episode 9098
Written
by Jason Herbison, Directed
by Kate Kendall, Produced
by Andrew Thompson
10: 21/08/24, Amazon Freevee: 21/08/24
Leo encourages Krista to call Reece... Krista learns that Reece had no idea about the hotel sale... Aaron recognises the pig necklace as Melanie's... Blood
is found at Tess's place and is identified as Toadie's... Terese is convinced that something terrible has happened to Toadie and Mel... Heath worries about
Justin's actions while Tess tells him that this is make or break for them... Haz decides to hack into Holly's phone... Mack and Haz tell Karl and Susan that
they're going to go looking for Holly in the outback... Heath throws Holly's phone into the water... Holly searches for her missing phone... Heath offers to
message Karl for her... Heath becomes annoyed at Holly for constantly talking about her friends and family...
Holly watches from a distance as Heath talks to Tess on the phone. Tess is in a hotel in Cairns, with Heath wanting to know how he's going to get himself
out of this situation. Tess reminds him that nobody knows where he is, and she's at least managed to buy some time before the police work out where she is.
She tells him that she's still figuring out a plan and asks him if Justin is there. Heath admits that he doesn't know as he's still at the accommodation, so
Tess tells him to get to the cattle station. He warns her that she'd better get him out of this, before hanging up. Holly then approaches Heath, apologising
if she seemed ungrateful earlier and telling him that she's having a nice time. He tells her that he needs to get to the station and will be back later.
 ..
At no. 22, Andrew is explaining to the group - Terese, Paul, Krista, Leo, Karl and Susan - that Tess was spotted at the boarding gate for a flight to
Honolulu and that she dumped her phone there. Andrew explains that they're trying to contact the flight crew to make sure she's actually on the plane,
but the flight is in international air space at the moment so it's not easy. Terese says that Tess might be the only person who can tell them what's happened
to Toadie and Mel, while Karl asks if the Queensland police can do anything to find Holly and Heath. Andrew says that the nearest police station to Mount
Harper is a 12 hour drive away and that they don't actually know if Holly is in any danger. A frustrated Terese goes to sit with Susan, as Paul asks Andrew
if he can throw more resources at this. Andrew says that there are processes in place and to leave it to the police. Andrew then tells everyone that he'll
need to update Haz and Mack when they land too, as they can't be sure what they're dealing with.
On the plane, Mackenzie is wondering if she's judgmental, as that was why Holly said she didn't tell her about Heath. Haz assures her that she isn't, but
Mack says that Holly chose to tell Sadie and not her, and that she'd hoped that they'd managed to move past their problems with each other. She adds that
she keeps thinking about the last conversation they had, wondering whether something awful really has happened to Holly and that they'll never get the
chance to make things right.
 ..
Holly is sitting outside the Warrawee accommodation, thinking about things. She then goes inside and starts to look through Heath's bag, throwing things
onto the bed as she does so. She finds a Lassiters access card and throws it down, before finding a small notebook which she opens and looks at. Inside,
she sees Heath's handwritten notes detailing how he and Tess have been taking money from Lassiters and the other SinCast investments.
Meanwhile, Heath is at the station, looking for Justin, when he receives a text from the man himself, saying that he's heading back to Melbourne, as well
as the words 'Jackaroo Cottage, red toolbox'. Heath looks annoyed, then marches over to the cottage and unbolts the door, going inside to find Melanie and
Toadie tied up and gagged.
 ..
Heath removes the gags from Melanie and Toadie's mouths and unties their hands, giving them some water to drink. Mel wants to know why they were brought
here, but Heath says nothing. Toadie says that, whatever's going on, he doesn't have to hold them hostage like this and that he's clearly part of something
much bigger than him. Heath tells him to shut up, but Toadie adds that he heard Justin on the phone to Tess and it didn't sound like he knew what he was
doing. Melanie also points out that people will quickly notice that they've gone, Toadie adding that this clearly wasn't part of the plan. Heath loses his
patience and, as Toadie continues to taunt him about not getting away with it, he ties up their hands again and leaves.
Outside, Heath bolts the door and then spots the red toolbox.
 ..
Toadie realises that he and Melanie must have been kept in different parts of the train, but she still doesn't understand where they are. Toadie says that
they've come a long way north and that they're caught up in some big scam. He adds that they just seem to be making it up as they go along, which doesn't
reassure Melanie at all, but he adds that they can use it to their advantage and get out.
At no. 22, Krista points out that it would make sense that Tess would go to Hawaii, as Heath bought that house there, but they can't work out why Heath
would go to the Outback with Holly. Paul returns, having spoken to John Wong, and reports to a worried Terese that he couldn't find out anything, as he's
hitting the same obstacles as the police. Krista then receives an email from Reece, with information about all of Tess's actions in the Asia Pacific region.
She and Leo go across the road to look through them properly, while Karl and Susan also leave, so that they can update Izzy on the situation. Left alone
with Paul, Terese wonders when, and how, she could tell Nell and Hugo what's going on, becoming upset as she says that Toadie is the only parent they've
got left and they can't lose him.
 ..
Back on the plane, Haz is still reassuring Mackenzie, telling her that the fact that they're on this trip proves how much she cares about Holly and her
wellbeing. She tells him that she loves him and he says the same, before they lean in to kiss but find that the mics on the headphones are in the way. They
move the mics and make another attempt at the kiss.
Heath arrives back at the accommodation, where Holly has been preparing some food for them. Outside, Heath is on the phone to Tess, angrily asking what he's
supposed to do with Toadie and Mel. As he walks inside, Holly tells him that she's making something for them to eat but that he smells a bit like cattle,
suggesting that he go and start the shower and she'll come and join him. He puts down his bag and phone and leaves, at which point Holly rushes over and
starts using the phone. He comes back and catches her and shouts in her face when she says that she just wanted to text her dad. Holly then attempts to
calm him down by leading him away to the shower with her.
 ..
Back in the cottage, Mel is wondering if anyone is even looking for them, as they didn't tell anyone that they were going to Tess's house. Toadie is sure
that someone will make the connection, but Melanie isn't so sure, worrying that people might assume that they've run off together. She apologises, but
Toadie says that he's the one who should be sorry, for dragging her into this mess and for treating her and Terese so badly.
At no. 22, Terese asks Paul if he's been avoiding her recently. He explains that he did a lot of thinking when he went to New York for Rosemary's funeral,
and he realised that he needed to be more respectful of her and Toadie's marriage. He says that he watched her fall in love with Toadie and he put his own
feelings aside for the sake of her happiness, but after losing David he realised that he did want her back, even when he was with Chelsea. She admits to
feeling very betrayed when she found out that his relationship with Chelsea was all part of some agenda and Paul tells her that was the part of the reason
why he needed to get away, to gain some perspective. He adds that, when you love someone, you put their happiness first, and he can see that Toadie makes
her happy. Terese confides that, although she wants Toadie to come back, things weren't going well in their marriage...
 ..
Melanie asks Toadie why he got so upset when she admitted that she thought their marriage was never meant-to-be. Toadie says that he doesn't understand it
himself, but Rhonda thinks that there was a pattern in his behaviour, before apologising and saying that he shouldn't be telling her about that. Mel insists
that she's at peace with their break-up now, then asks if he's questioning his love for Terese. He tells her that he's been questioning everything lately.
Paul asks Terese if she's been doubting her feelings for Toadie. She quickly replies that she isn't, adding that she loves Toadie and she has to have faith
in them.
 ..
At no. 32, Leo asks Krista if she recognises any of the businesses on the list that Tess has been working on, but Krista doesn't and assumes that they're all
SinCast investments. Leo points out that they're all posting at a loss, at which point Krista realises that, like the Lassiters figures, they could be
inflated too. Leo says that would mean that a lot of money is missing, as Krista is hit with the sudden realisation that Tess has been embezzling the company
and that Heath must be in on it too. They notice Warrawee Cattle Station on the list and, after seeing that it's supposedly making a loss of more than two
million dollars, Leo looks it up and realises where it is.
As Haz picks up supplies, Mackenzie is outside setting up the GPS in the car. As Haz appears, Mack reports that there are no messages from Holly, but Andrew
has been in touch to say that Melanie and Toadie are still missing and that they think they were last at Tess's house. Haz says that he had a message from
Krista, telling him about a cattle station.
 ..
At no. 22, Krista and Leo are explaining that Warrawee is about a two-hour drive from Mount Harper, and that Tess just had the property closed down so it
seems like Heath could have headed there. Andrew then arrives with news that Tess wasn't on the flight to Hawaii so they're trying to find out where she's
gone. Karl and Susan then arrive, having heard about the cattle station and wanting to know if it's enough now to send the police out there. Andrew isn't
sure, much to everyone's annoyance, and Paul asks if he needs to charter a plane himself. Andrew tells them all that they're underestimating just how remote
Warrawee is, and he then gets a call from Mackenzie, pointing out that she and Haz are going to get there before anyone else. As Andrew takes the call, and Karl and Susan comfort Terese, Krista takes Paul to one side and says that they've found out what Tess has been up to.
In her hotel room in Cairns, Tess is on the phone, trying to persuade Heath to drive to Cairns. He's refusing to go but she says that she needs to give him
his fake passport before they leave the country together. He suggests that she could just transfer the money to him and he can make his own way, but she
reminds him that she's organised everything - the flights to Beijing and the transfers. She then asks if he still wants to be with her and he angrily replies
that he doesn't want to be in this situation. Tess says that she's not happy either but then Holly calls Heath's name and Tess asks who it was. Heath tries
to change the subject, saying that he needs time to think, as Tess says that he needs to follow her instructions, and that goes for Toadie and Melanie too.
Heath simply hangs up, leaving Tess worried. Holly then tracks down Heath and asks if it was Tess on the phone, to which Heath replies that she's always
telling him what to do. A concerned Holly asks what's going on at the cattle station, suggesting that she could help, but Heath insists that it's fine. Holly
stares off into the distance, saying that Warrawee has made her realise how small and insignificant they are in the grand scheme of things. Heath says that
Tess makes him feel that way a lot so Holly tells him to cut the cord and they can go travelling together. Heath is surprised by this, asking what happened
to her needing to talk it through with her dad. She says that she doesn't need to, but this doesn't improve Heath's mood and he asks her why she came with
him. She says that she likes him and she thought that he liked her too. She suggests that they could do something fun the next day, and tries to take his
hand, but he pulls away then walks off, saying that he's going to the cattle station early the next morning. Holly then looks out across the landscape,
realising the desperate situation she's found herself in.
 ..
 ..
Later, Mack and Haz are in the car, in the dark, and the GSP has stopped working. They wonder if they made the wrong turn earlier, and also whether, after
what Andrew told them, they should still try to find Holly or wait for the police. Mack points out that, until the GPS signal returns, they'll just have
to wait it out in the car.
Meanwhile, still tied together in the cottage, Melanie is sleeping while Toadie suffers from a panic attack.
 ..
At no. 22, Karl, Susan, Leo and Krista sit and wait for news, as Paul tries to comfort Terese.
Toadie continues to suffer the effects of the panic attack.
 ..
The next morning, a distressed Karl looks out of the window and at his phone, tearfully asking Susan why Holly hasn't returned any of their calls. He says
that he's aware of her bad run with relationships, but he doesn't understand why she'd go off with someone like Heath. He then breaks down in Susan's arms.
 ..
At the Warrawee accommodation, Heath gets into the ute and drives off, unaware that Holly is hiding out in the back...
Featured Regular Characters: Holly Hoyland, Terese Willis, Paul Robinson, Karl Kennedy, Susan Kennedy, Krista Sinclair, Leo Tanaka, Mackenzie Hargreaves, Haz Devkar, Melanie Pearson,
Toadie Rebecchi, Andrew Rodwell
Guest Cast:
Anica Calida as Tess Carmichael,
Ethan Panizza as Heath Royce
Trivia Notes
• There were no opening titles for this episode, with just a title card featuring the Neighbours logo over a shot of the outback. The titles cards used for Death In The Outback week can
be viewed here
• Past characters David Tanaka, Izzy Hoyland and Reece Sinclair are mentioned
Summary
by Steve
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