Watch out! The boss is on the warpath.
How come? Wayne hasn't done the rosters.
So what else is new, eh?
I suggested Maggie do them. Wayne stuffs them up.
Thanks, Nick. Sounds like a good idea to me, mate.
Be good, kids. I'm off on patrol. I'm off to the ladies.
Mate, how are you?
Speak of the devil.
Gidday, mate. What?
May I interest you in a raffle ticket?
Only 20 cents. Yes, alright.
What name? Roz Patterson.
Oh, you're the policeman's wife. Yes.
Jean Richards. Hi.
We'd, ah, like to have you come along and give us a talk.
We're always looking for people. Sergeant Croydon's been along.
But so far, we haven't had the wives' point of view.
ME give a talk?!
Well, The Country Women's Association won't bite you.
I'm fairly new as far as wives go, M
I'm fairly new as far as wives go, Mrs Richards.
So is Wayne, as a policeman.
He's made a name for himself in this town.
Because he was shot?
That must've been a dreadful time for you.
Yes, it was.
I...I don't know if I'd be able to talk about it yet.
Well, we'd love to have you along. W
Well, we'd love to have you along. We'd love to have you join us, too.
Thank you.
Now that is really superb jam.
I'm just saying it's not real police work.
Oh? It's paper shuffling.
It's what I do and I'd hate to think it wasn't police work.
It means I'd be getting paid und
It means I'd be getting paid under false pretences.
You're not suggesting that? No.
Good.
A bloke gets his picture on the telly,
he starts believing he's special.
That wouldn't be you, would it? No.
There are crime reports out there, circulars, counter e
There are crime reports out there, circulars, counter enquiries...
All police work. Not very glamorous but it needs to be done.
Yes, boss. As does the roster.
Now get on with it.
Wayne, what weekends are you putting me down for?
I'm not up to that yet.
I need to be clear the weekend of the 14th.
Why? Personal reasons.
Sorry.
Harvey Jensen's asked me down to Melbourne for a party.
I thought he'd given up on you at the Academy.
He must be getting desperate.
NICK: Come on, mate.
You could have at least given me a chance to dry myself.
What's this?
Barry Taylor, or so he says. It IS Barry Taylor.
He was starkers in the river.
He says he was washing. I WAS!
Get him a towel. I don't want to be watched.
We'll respect your modesty. In there, please.
There's that ruling you wanted.
There's been complaints of a flasher.
You think it's him? "I don't want to be watched"!
It's the shy ones that do it. I've see
It's the shy ones that do it. I've seen profiles.
Really? Psychological profiles.
PHONE RINGS
Hello, Mt Thomas police.
Yep. Righto.
Ah, Mr Wilkinson, Shaw's Supermarket?
Must be the new manager. He has a shoplifter.
Off you go, Doyle.
Someone's on their way now, sir.
Madam, I'm Constable Doyle from Mt Thomas police.
Madam?
Can I have your name, please? This is what she took.
They were in her bag when she was stopped.
Thank you.
Madam, I'm arresting you for shoplifting.
It won't help matters not giving me your name.
Burns. Helen Burns.
$6.40.
Is that all the money you've got?
$6.40 more than I had this time last week.
What were you doing at the river?
I told you, I wanted a wash.
Not what he's been saying - that's disgusting.
So you took all your clothes off in order to wash in the river?
Yes. Most people take a shower.
Most people have got somewhere to live!
Lock me up! At least I'd have a roof over my head.
And a concrete floor under your back. I
And a concrete floor under your back. I doubt you'd enjoy it.
That path's a public thoroughfare. I didn't see anyone.
Well, two ladies saw you.
They must've been hard up for a thrill!
We think you might be.
A joke's a joke, fellas!
I'm not your pervert.
My name's Barry Taylor, I've come from Sydney on my way to...
You could say anything. Yo
You could say anything. You don't have I.D.
I told you.
Everything I own is in my pack.
My pack's somewhere between here and Brisbane,
on some stupid great interstate truck wit
on some stupid great interstate truck with...
..some stupid great interstate truckie.
Lock him up until we can verify his story.
Taylor says he's never been here before.
Says he got a lift from Bendigo with a truckie called Bruno.
Stopped at Ronnie Field's servo for petrol about 5 a.m.
Took a shine to Mt Thomas.
No. He, ah, went to the toilet and Bruno shot through without him.
Give Ronnie a ring and check it out.
Hello.
Mrs Burns is helping us with our enquiries.
Ah, Helen...Wayne, look after Mrs Burns, will you?
Constable.
What's the story? She's the shoplifter.
You know who you've got there?
"Imrod McMillan Burns", the solicitors on the High Street.
The husband's THAT Burns?
The firm was owned by her father.
Sam McMillan was a local institution.
So what do you want me to do?
She still pinched stuff and the shop wants to press charges.
What did she take?
Goods to the value of $15.44.
That's according to Wilkinson, the manager.
What does she say? Very little, so far.
I'll speak to her.
Problem, Constable? If you feel you SHOULD get involved.
It's straightforward shoplifting.
Allegedly committed by the wife of a local solicitor,
who, to my knowledge, has never done a
who, to my knowledge, has never done a bad thing in her life.
Strike you as odd? No.
Bring her in.
Mrs Burns, please come through.
Am I going to be charged? Sergeant Croydon will discuss that.
I did take those things.
This way.
Sit here, Helen.
How are you, Tom? How's Nell?
Fine.
You do understand why you're here, don't you, Helen?
Naturally.
They're saying you took some things from Shaw's Supermarket.
That's right.
So, ah, you did take them?
Can you tell us why?
I wanted...
I didn't want Mar...
You didn't want Martin to what?
He'd dislike me buying chocolates.
He'd say it was an extravagance.
So you stole them?
I suppose. You suppose?
No, that's not right. I remember stealing them.
I remember putting them in my bag and leaving the supermarket.
I felt all over the place. I...
Why this?
You said Martin wouldn't like you buying chocolates. Why this?
My brother used to wear it.
Cameron?
That scent reminds me of him.
You can't make me drop the charges. No, I can't and wouldn't want to.
So why are we having this conversation?
I'm satisfied Mrs Burns wasn't fully aware of what she was doing.
Friend of yours, is she?
This is a small town, Mr Wilkinson.
When you've been here as long as me you get to know almost everyone.
Where did you work before this? Sydney.
A bit different to Mt Thomas. Not so different.
When you run a supermarket, people still rob you blind.
I'm not withdrawing the charges.
An example has to be made.
Begin as you intend to go on, that's my motto.
Fair comment.
I'll tell Horrie Shaw how conscientious his new manager is.
You know Mr Shaw?
We have the occasional beer together.
Head off fishing sometimes.
He's a good man, fair.
He understands how a town like this works.
Perhaps that's why he's done so well.
Well, I'd better get back.
Thanks for your time, Mr Wilkinson.
Ah, Sergeant Croydon...
The manager's dropping the charges.
Why? He seemed intent on pursuing it when I was in his office.
He obviously had a change of heart.
Did you speak to him?
Helen, the matter's closed.
My advice is to put it behind you.
So, I'm not going to court? No.
And whether you decide to tell Martin or not is your choice.
But it wouldn't hurt.
I can go now?
Constable Doyle will drive you home.
Take care, Helen.
This way.
You must think there's one law for the rich.
You grew up here?
I made the break once, it didn't last.
It's been let go a bit.
Me and the house, both.
I don't suppose if I made coffee...
No, you wouldn't have the time.
Thanks for driving me.
Wayne, can you change me to an afternoon there?
No.
Why not? Because I just worked it out.
You drongo, you've got me down for a six a.m. start after a late night.
Move. You're dropping crumbs on me.
I believe my wife's here.
I'd like to see her now.
Mr Burns.
Martin. Tom.
What the hell's going on? Come through.
PHONE RINGS You want to get that?
Mt Thomas police.
Bruno, thanks for calling.
$15. I can't believe she'd do something like this.
Yes, well.
Helen knows if she needs anything all she has to do is ask.
But she does have to ask.
We all have to count our pennies.
The fact is, you haven't helped. Me?
Jewell McCartney are getting cases from here.
I suppose it's natural, you being a Catholic, too.
They choose their own solicitors.
They came to us in Sam McMillan's day.
It's been slim pickings lately.
It could be there's less crime.
Apart from shoplifting, eh?
Martin, do you know why Helen did this?
No, not a clue.
Has it happened before? Not to my knowledge.
Any mental problems?
Meaning what? Meaning she was in a state.
That makes two of us.
Tom, this is the last thing I need.
She mentioned Cameron.
Cameron?
Did she say anything to you? No.
Bruno's given your bag to another driver coming back this way.
He's dropping it off at Ronnie Field's servo.
It should be there now so I'll give you a lift over.
If your ID checks out, you're free to go.
Free to go where?
Well, you don't want any more strife here, so don't stick around.
As the flypaper said to the fly.
What? Don't stick around.
That's what the flypaper said to the fly.
And then the fly said to the flypaper, you want me to buzz off.
That'd be right, Barry.
Yeah, well, after I get my bag.
Did Bruno say why he dumped me?
He forgot about you.
The story of my life.
What's up your nose?
The boss.
What about him? He thinks we're social workers.
He got that manager to drop the complaint against Mrs Burns.
Save you some paperwork.
Her husband's in there now.
Whose husband?
You'll see Helen's alright? Of course.
Whatever happened, it won't happen again.
We were concerned about her.
Doyle here drove her home. Oh, wonderful.
Made sure the neighbours didn't miss a show, eh
Made sure the neighbours didn't miss a show, eh?
Bye, Martin. Goodbye.
How was she when you got her home? She seemed okay.
I thought you weren't telling her husband.
The store manager phoned him to big note himsel
The store manager phoned him to big note himself.
Maybe he didn't like being forced to drop his complaint.
No-one forced him. It was his decision.
Come in here.
That's what triggered it.
Cameron McMillan, loved brother of Helen.
20 years ago yesterday.
It was a wet night, the car was a write-off.
The smell of blood and alcohol.
You were there?
I wasn't much older than you are now.
Later, I had to break the news to Helen and her father.
Still think we should've charged her?
You're the boss.
Alright, Doyle, if you've got something to say, say it.
That woman committed a crime.
I thought it was our job to arrest and charge her.
After that, I thought it was up to the courts.
The court would've solved things?
It's not up to me. Meaning it's not up to me either?
I think sometimes it helps not to have local knowledge.
If I'd shown partiality because of friendship I wouldn't be here.
But that's what you did today. Special case.
You say. That's right, Doyle. I SAY.
Anything else?
CHRIS: Another drink?
No, I'll have a pack of chips.
I can turn my hand to anything.
This room could use a lick of paint.
I kinda like it the way it is.
Righto.
Goodnight.
Hi.
Poor beggar.
He told Nick he was getting a lift out of town.
Out of sight, out of mind. Out of sight, out of trouble.
Planning on staying here tonight?
Take him home. It's past his bedtime.
It's your fault, and PJ, and Maggie - wanting to change shifts.
I've tried more permutations than Tattslotto.
Know how you fix that?
You fix me up and forget the rest.
That'd be right.
Come on, let's go home.
What's for dinner? Aren't you cooking?
I'm knocking off, boss. Fancy a beer?
No, thanks. It's been a long day.
Alright, see you tomorrow. Oh, before you go.
I had a call from Jim Bowles at the high school.
He's got a Danny Mathews.
Jim says he's a bright kid.
Doesn't usually miss school but they haven't seen him for about a week.
You're out that way in the morning. A bit of a detour.
Can't you just ring? The phone's be
Can't you just ring? The phone's been disconnected.
Check it out. It won't kill you.
Oi!
Oi! Come here!
You Mr Mathews? Yeah.
The school asked us to drop in. I've been expecting someone.
They wondered where Danny was.
No need to wonder any more.
Was that him on the bike? Yeah.
Some of the herd's got in with a bull and he's gone to get 'em out.
Flick that on, would ya?
Your wife at home?
She's got a cleaning job in St David's.
Won't be back till about four.
Damn it!
It's alright, mate, I'll do it. Ta.
You should be wearing gloves. Yeah.
Got a bit of arthritis? Both hands.
I'm booked into hospital, not that they can do much...
..except send me another bill.
How long you been like that? Ah, it don't come on you sudden.
I use to be able to do a bit until...ah, what's the use?!
You oughta shoot a man.
The law says the boy has to go to school.
I tried to tell his father that but it didn't do any good.
What did he say? He needs the
What did he say? He needs the kid to run the place.
The Education Department will be out there with a court order.
It's pretty rough.
This bloke's faced with losing his farm.
Special case, eh, Doyle?
Boss.
Do you need those glasses in here?
Yesterday wasn't the first time.
There's more at the house.
I do it when I'm depressed.
When I was a child, I looked for nice things to cheer me up.
It's like that, I think.
But all this?
It's built up over the years.
This definitely will go to court, won't it?
It'll have to.
Martin doesn't know about this?
No.
No idea.
Do you know what he told me?
He said that Cameron phoned him the night he died.
My brother phoned Martin.
He said he was going to kill himself because he failed his law exam.
He couldn't face my father.
Your father wasn't like that.
Oh, yes, he was.
My father was a terrifying man.
My brother just wanted someone to talk to, just to talk.
And Martin hung up on him.
Said if he was stupid enough to want to kill himself he should do it.
And he did.
When did he tell you this? The day before yesterday.
He was angry because of the notice I put in the paper for my brother.
He was making it up.
Cameron was weak, like me.
It'd be the truth.
He do that, too?
That was for yesterday.
He thought I deserved a lesson. He does that.
He thumps me when he thinks I deserve it.
And when he's thumped me enough, he thinks everything's alright.
Equilibrium restored.
The trouble is, I think it's left me a very unbalanced woman.
Make a complaint against him.
We can charge him with assault. I've done enough.
Where is he today?
He's got a case in court.
What the hell's going on?
Your wife's admitted to other thefts over a period of time.
We have evidence which we're taking to the station.
I'm coming with her.
That's not a good idea. I beg your pardon!
It's not necessary.
It's hardly for the police to decide.
Do you want your husband there?
I'm her solicitor. She hasn't nominated one.
I imagine she hasn't had a chance.
Helen...
She may find your presence intimidating.
Who is this person? What's she talking about?
I'm talking about those marks.
Helen, what have you said to them?
He's intimidating her now!
Tom, you better remind this woman about my right to communicate
with my client without harassment or interruption.
Harassment or interruption?! Doyle.
Helen, you want me to be there when they talk to you, don't you?
Darling, you need me there with you.
Doyle.
PHONE RINGS
How's it going in there? It's farcical.
Mt Thomas police.
Hi, Chris.
Yeah, he's here.
Chris for you. A problem at the pub.
We can't stretch proceedings so she doesn't have to go home.
She'd be better off in custody.
If she won't make a complaint, we're helpless.
Yeah, yeah. She's too beaten.
We just can't ignore it.
There is nothing to investigate until she makes a complaint.
So what do we do?
Charge her with the thefts and let her go home so he can do it again.
I thought she was a friend of yours.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
If I can get him out of there, can you get her to make a statement?
I can try.
You better try bloody hard.
Otherwise it'll hit the fan.
What are you going to do? Something I'll probably regret.
What about this one, Mrs Burns?
Or maybe this one?
Tom, this is outrageous. I want to talk to you in my office.
I'm not leaving Helen.
If necessary, I'll have you forcibly removed.
You can't do that! Senior.
Alright...but you'll regret this, Croydon.
I found out when I went to clean the room. He must've taken the key.
Have you got a master key? It won't work in the lock.
He must've blocked it.
This is it? Yep.
Police. Open up.
Barry?
Barry, what are you doing?
Come on, Barry, open up the door.
I'm surprised at you, Tom.
I gave you credit for a lot more intelligence.
This will cost you your job.
Handy with your fists, are you, Martin?
I don't know what you mean. Helen's face.
Helen and I are a normal married couple.
I wouldn't call belting your wife normal.
I'd be careful about insinuations.
I'm not insinuating anything.
Helen told me you're abusing her.
She's made a statement?
You try and stir up trouble between Helen and I,
I'll go you for defamation.
Alienation of affection.
I'll hit you with every civil suit there is.
Save your fists for the women, do you?
You're in enough trouble as it is.
Take some advice, cut your losses.
I've discussed it with Sergeant Croydon.
You must make a complaint against Martin now.
We can pause the theft matters while we proceed against him.
Helen.
You must make a statement.
It's the only way.
I can't.
We'll have cause to get him away from you.
It's your chance to break free.
Where to? There's a refuge at St David's.
No. Helen, I can get you in there.
It'd be the finish between us.
He'd never forgive me.
Isn't that what you want?!
The fact is, she has to be bloody mad, stealing from half the town.
That's how it'll go in court - psychiatric report.
You think so?
Everyone will feel sorry for me because I married a lame duck.
Her father messed her up.
I'm afraid I married damaged goods, Tom.
There's been a lot more damage since.
BARRY: I'm sick of being pushed from pillar to post!
Don't I count for anything?!
We'll discuss that when you come out.
I'm not coming out! Barry, this is getting annoyin
I'm not coming out! Barry, this is getting annoying.
If you don't come out, I'm coming in.
Did you hear what I said? Did you hear what I said?!
You only want me to come out so you
You only want me to come out so you can go home.
Barry, it's my job. I can't leave you in there.
Mate, be a good lad and come out. Mate now, is it? Nick, mate.
Mind if I break in? Go for it.
Sorry.
Barry, this is your last warning.
Come out or I'm coming in.
Come on, be reasonable.
No point in breaking a perfectly good door.
What do I care?
It's not my door.
Good on you.
Why is it always you?
Isn't that funny, mate?
I was going to say the same thing.
There. Your surety.
I believe that's all that's necessary.
Come along, darling.
I blew it.
I had my chance with her.
You gave her a chance and she didn't take it.
There's nothing more we could've done apart from jailing her.
That's the end of it.
And what, leave it to fate? Unless she comes to us, stay away.
NICK: Full name?
Barry Curtin Taylor.
Date of birth?
6/7/49.
Address?
No fixed address.
6 Neale Crescent, Stanmore.
Sydney. Where I used to live.
When?
Till the bank took it back.
We held on to it as long as we could.
Don't know who's living there now.
No fixed address.
Occupation - unemployed.
That house was too grand for us.
I liked the other one better.
Where the kiddies were born.
You got kids?
Oh, long gone, like the house.
They're with their mum, somewhere.
We had to rent after I lost my job.
Then, one day,... I'd been out job hunting.
I came home,... Sally and the kids were gone.
Furniture was gone.
She left me a mattress on the floor and a radio.
And a note saying she'd had enough.
You couldn't really blame her.
Did you go after her? Of course I bloody went aft...
She'd found someone else.
He was providing for the kids, she said, and they were better off.
Courts wouldn't give me the kids.
So, that was it.
Wasn't wanted.
But I had a house once, and a family, and a good trade.
I'll tell you something else.
They didn't call me Barry when I had all that.
I was Mr Taylor then.
Barry Taylor.
What about him?
He's spending the night in the lock-up.
He's got his wish then. A roof over his head.
Seems that was all he was bothered about.
Actually, I've got an idea about Barry Taylor.
Gidday.
Mr Mathews. Danny.
Who's your friend?
The last time I gave a speech was in defence of keeping rabbits.
Year 7 at school.
The class voted in favour of compulsory myxomatosis.
Wayne said you did public speaking at the Academy.
Mostly of the "I was proceeding in a westerly direction" variety.
Anyway, why didn't you ask him? He'd make a joke of it.
Can you give me some tips? I've got to remember them.
Okay, there's three things to remember.
What's the subject, who's the audience and what's the occasion.
The audience is the Country Women's Association.
They asked me while I was buying a cake.
The woman who you had in here for shoplifting made it. Ah, Helen?
She's one of them? Yeah.
Subject, audience... what was the other thing?
Occasion.
Roz, could you do something?
Could you ring her and she if she's okay?
Helen? Helen Burns.
Okay.
Why don't you? The boss has warned me off.
He's watching me like a hawk.
This is the number.
What's the catch? No catch, Mr Mathews.
You need someone to help out here and he needs a job.
Can't pay him.
Bed and board would be enough for that bloke.
Maybe if things pick up you could give him a few dollars.
I dunno. He looks a bit shifty.
Listen, mate, it's no skin off my nose if you don't want this fella.
But your son has to go to school, that's the law.
Okay, let's have a look at him. Good on ya.
Come on, Barry, don't be shy.
Mr Mathews, meet Mr Taylor.
Gidday.
Gidday. Ever worked on a farm?
We're mostly sheep with some cows down the back.
I wouldn't know one end of a cow from the udder.
Did he say udder?
Yeah, I'm afraid he did.
We've got a funny fella. Come on.
When you get a minute can you type this up?
What is it? The new roster.
Don't let anyone see it.
How did you go? There's no answer.
Ah, I'm going out there.
If the boss needs sweetening up, remind him I made him tea.
How long will you be? As quick
How long will you be? As quick as I can.
RADIO: VKC to Mt Thomas 308.
Mt Thomas 308. This is Constable Doyle.
I'm at 23 Acacia Avenue, Mt Thomas.
Go to channel 38, Mt Thomas 308.
Sergeant Croydon wants to talk to you.
Boss, this is Doyle, I'm at the Burns house.
Get over to the quarry, Morrissey Road. We'll meet you there.
Boss! Do it fast, as fast as you can.
No sirens or lights.
We've got a jumper.
Just leave it to him, Mag.
Stay here till we're wanted.
That's all we can do.
Come on, Helen, give me your hand.
I won't come any closer.
Take your time.
There's no hurry.
How long has she been up there?
The call came 20 minutes ago.
A kid spotted her.
I reckon she's had a go at slashing her wrists.
There's blood in the car.
It's from broken glass. Her creep of a husband locked her up.
I want to go up to her. Leave
I want to go up to her. Leave it to the boss.
You're the one who's been hurt.
There's no shame in that, Helen.
Come on, give me your hand.
Leave me alone.
He said I was damaged goods.
And you're going to prove him wrong, aren't you?
Come on, give us your hand.
Not this, Helen.
This won't solve anything.
Stand up for yourself.
Don't give Martin the satisfaction.
No-one can force you to do anything you don't want to do.
But it's up to you.
Only you can make things change.
Martin...
Martin can't hurt you any more. I won't let him.
Give me your hand.
That's right.
She's unbalanced, you know she is!
You'll be facing charges, too.
Don't be absurd.
It was a domestic quarrel, between husband and wife.
Indictable assault, unlawful impris
Indictable assault, unlawful imprisonment, among others.
Charge him and lock him up.
She'll never make a complaint against me.
She already has, Martin, signed and on my desk.
Doyle!
Boss, I know I was out of line.
What were you playing at?!
I told you to stay away from the Burns.
I was worried about her.
Did I or did I not give you a direct order to stay away?
Yes, Sergeant.
Which you ignored.
Do you want a transfer?
Is that what you're pushing for? No.
You sure about that? Positive.
You're going the right way about it.
Sergeant.
Nick, seen the roster? It's a work of art.
Here he is.
Wayne, old mate, how are you? What's the matter?
I got three six a.m. starts in a row.
I asked for that weekend off.
You've got me on an evening after a day in court.
You've looked after number one.
I was here last night working this thing out.
Any problems, see the boss.
He's approved the roster.
What's wrong? They're complaining about my roster.
Belly-achers, the lot of them.
Patterson. Your wife. Oh, yeah?
I heard a rumour she's addressing the CWA.
That's right.
What's she gonna talk about? Ah, not sure yet.
They asked her for a police wife's view.
View of what?!
On marriage to a country cop.
You just got here from the city. Yeah, s'pose.
But they asked her? Mmm.
Never asked Nell.
SUBTITLERS: Kerrie McKay, Tricia Moreno, Jill Zerbini, Megan Boaden