"Hang on, there's been some sort of mistake... this is my Dad's place"
"Right..."
The cop jeered, unconvinced. He knew who owned that house. Rose's late husband had been a good friend of his fathers. And this low life was trying to convince him that the house belonged to the Phillips family.
"...and I'm the tooth fairy"
His partner laughed and Kane looked between them, seething.
"Look it up if you like - the house is owned by my father, Richard Phillips... he inherited it from my Aunt Rose"
A glance was exchanged between the officers
"Sure... we'll look it up... just as soon as we get you booked into one of the cells back at the station"
He was led roughly out to the waiting patrol car, his head pushed down as he was put into the back seat. A moment later they were on the move.
..............................
CARAVAN PARK
"Look, I've no idea... you'll have to talk to Kane"
Kirsty had spent the past half hour attempting to explain to the police that she had very little idea where she had been for the past few days. The only guys she knew by name had been Dennis and Josh and, as she learnt, both had died. She just wanted to forget about it. Kane could clear it all up, it was his fault they got into the mess in the first place. Josh had only wanted to avenge what he had done to Dani. And she couldn't even tell the police where to find Kane.
Carter's phone rang and he turned away, withdrawing it from his pocket.
"Carter"
He frowned
"What?... how come? Yeah... I need to have words with him myself.. I'll be back as soon as I can."
He hung up and turned back to the Sutherland's
"It seems that Mr Phillips is down at the station... a couple of my officers have arrested him..."
Her first thought was the stolen car. She had told him not to do it, but since when did her feelings matter?
"...for breaking and entering"
It was one stupid thing after another with him. Did he not learn? Kirsty turned away.
"I'm going to get back to the station and find out what's going on... if you remember anything just let me know"
He withdrew a card containing his mobile number from the inside pocket of his jacket, handing it to Kirsty. Grabbing his jacket, he left the house.
..............................
Kane paced back and forth in the cell. The officers who had brought him in had taken great pleasure in announcing to the custody sergeant that they'd arrested one of the Phillips kids.
The door swung open and Carter stood in the doorframe.
"Well Mr Phillips... you've got yourself into quite a little mess"
"Look I haven't done anything wrong!"
"We checked out the house... like you said, inherited by your father"
"So I'm free to go?"
That would at least be one problem solved.
"I'm afraid not... your father says he never gave you permission to enter the property"
So they'd spoken to him
"I just needed somewhere to sleep"
Surely they weren't going to charge him for forcing open a single window and using the floor as a bed for a single night.
"He wants to press charges"
"What?!"
That was his father all over. Ruthless and sadistic to the end.
"Likelihood is you'll be let off with a warning and a fine for the window... we've decided to let you out on bail... and I also need to get a statement about the past few days"
Kane nodded dismally. His life was spiralling out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
Rhys entered through the back door, glancing warily around the house. He felt like an intruder now, like he shouldn't be there. He jumped back as Kirsty entered, her look telling him automatically what she thought of him. No longer that respect, but disgust.
"What do you want?"
"We're having a family dinner tonight"
He was going to reveal all that night. The whole truth about why he left. The truth about his illegitimate son, Dylan.
"In your dreams"
Kirsty switched on some music, turning the volume up to block out her father. He turned and made his way outdoors again, undefeated. She wasn't going to have a choice but attend the dinner. It was his house and he was going to set the ground rules.
...........................
POLICE STATION (Exterior)
Kane exited the station, glad to be out of that dingy cell. Carter had asked him no end of questions about where he had been, but he had told them the last few days were blank in his mind. He didn't know where he had been, what he had seen, who he had been with, what had happened to Scott or how he had got back. Carter and his colleague didn't look as though they believed a word of it, but he knew it would cause less trouble in the long run if he said nothing and claimed the trauma had caused memory loss. They had offered him doctors and psychiatrists but he had turned them all down. All he wanted to do was sort his life out, his number one priority being Kirsty.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
The Diner fell into silence as Rhys entered. It was his first trip into the Bay since h had returned and he had been treated like a freak. The object of whispering and speculation. He could only think that Kane had suffered it for years. He wasn't sure exactly how much people knew, but they'd have to be stupid not to have noticed his absence from the Bay for so long, and most would have known about Shelley's overdose.
"What can I get you?"
Alf smiled, attempting to make Rhys feel more comfortable, knowing it wasn't his place to pry into the Sutherland's business. Fortunately, it was Colleen's day off and Rhys wouldn't be subjected to her interrogation.
"I'll have your best chocolate cake"
He forced a smile at Alf as he handed over his cash.
"Special occasion?"
Alf removed a cake from the cabinet and placed it carefully into a box
"Family dinner... I'm trying to get the family back on track"
It wasn't going to be easy, but he was going to tell them the full story. It was the only way if he wanted to keep them.
"Look..."
He lowered his voice, leaning towards Alf
"How much does everyone round here know... about what's happening between me and Shell?"
He knew Alf was the man to ask, he knew most of what happened in the Bay.
"Not a lot... the kids have been handling things themselves since Shelley went into hospital... just that it involved money trouble and you doing a runner"
Rhys nodded
"Good..."
He picked up the cake box and retreated from the Diner. The less people knew about his shameful activities the better.
...........................
B+B ROOM (Evening)
Kane unlocked the door, entering he and Kirsty's room. He hadn't seen Sylvia on his way in, but according to the new room-maid she hadn't been the same since the death of her son. Kane couldn't help but feel the guilt, knowing all too well that Scott had shot him in cold blood. The room was messier than he had left it, but apparently the police had turned the place over in search of any clues as to the whereabouts of either he, Kirsty or Dennis. Sitting on the bed, he looked around him. Their photo still stood on the bedside table. They had had it taken at one of the photo booths whilst they were searching for jobs, before he had succeeded in finding work at the orange orchard. He picked up the photo, running his finger over her face, before continuing his scan of the room, which had been their home for so many months. So many memories of an era that had died.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
The family sat around the table, Shelley's seat the only one remaining painfully empty.
"Can I eat in my room?"
Kirsty couldn't bear being sat at the same table as her father, knowing all the damage that he had done. She had heard all about the money he'd been giving Angie Russell.
"No, I need to talk to you - all of you"
She had half a mind to leave anyway, but Rhys had been so forceful about them all attending that she knew something was up, and she couldn't miss it.
"More secrets?"
Rhys looked down at his dinner plate, ignoring her tone.
"You all know about why I left... the money trouble and..."
"Your affair with Angie?"
Kirsty glared at her father and Jade laid down her cutlery.
"There was never an affair... as such..."
Jade interrupted disbelievingly
"Yeah, right... so you're paying her hundreds of dollars because...?"
"Because I have a son..."
There. He had said it. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
"...the result of a one night stand... I have to take responsibility for my child"
That was what he'd been telling himself all those years. That he was doing the right thing by giving Angie the money, despite knowing that he was going behind the back of his wife. Angie had relished in the fact that she had a hold over him, that she could blackmail him into paying the money. Rhys told himself it wasn't blackmail. It made him feel better to think of it as taking responsibility for his actions.
Stunned silence crossed the table.
"Who else knows?"
Kirsty glanced at her father
"Your Mum doesn't...
He cleared his throat, knowing just how badly Kirsty was going to take the next news
"I told Kane..."
Kirsty slammed down her cutlery and stood up, unable to face any more revelations. Kane had known everything and kept it from her.
"Kirsty, please sit down"
His voice was too weak to have an effect and Kirsty made a beeline for the front door.
"I feel sick"
Jade and Dani also dispersed upstairs, grappling with the new information.
Rhys glanced at Max across the table, glad that at least one person could still bear to be in the same room as him.
...........................
He woke with a jerk, sweat glistening on his forehead and his body trembling uncontrollably. Lately those nightmares had returned with twice the force and intensity. Reliving the past time and time again, with no escape.
He rolled over in the bed, reaching out, discovering an empty space beside him, where she should have been. Where she had been for months. The empty bed brought him back to reality, the reality that she wasn't there to support him, to hold him whilst the mental torture subsided and he fell back to sleep. Instead he was alone, the room pitch black, no sign of warmth or love to keep him from remembering the past.
Fumbling for the switch on the bedside lamp he illuminated the room and sat up in bed, wiping away the sweat, ashamed at the tears that were forming. Grabbing for his phone he dialled out to her mobile, desperately hoping that she'd have got it back now that she was home. Needing to hear her voice telling him everything would be alright, seeking any kind of comfort or support through that lonely night.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
Kirsty rolled over in bed, groaning as she awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. She grabbed hold of it from off her bedside table, taking a look at the caller display, which read only 'K'. Without pausing to think, she switched the phone off.
"Right..."
The cop jeered, unconvinced. He knew who owned that house. Rose's late husband had been a good friend of his fathers. And this low life was trying to convince him that the house belonged to the Phillips family.
"...and I'm the tooth fairy"
His partner laughed and Kane looked between them, seething.
"Look it up if you like - the house is owned by my father, Richard Phillips... he inherited it from my Aunt Rose"
A glance was exchanged between the officers
"Sure... we'll look it up... just as soon as we get you booked into one of the cells back at the station"
He was led roughly out to the waiting patrol car, his head pushed down as he was put into the back seat. A moment later they were on the move.
..............................
CARAVAN PARK
"Look, I've no idea... you'll have to talk to Kane"
Kirsty had spent the past half hour attempting to explain to the police that she had very little idea where she had been for the past few days. The only guys she knew by name had been Dennis and Josh and, as she learnt, both had died. She just wanted to forget about it. Kane could clear it all up, it was his fault they got into the mess in the first place. Josh had only wanted to avenge what he had done to Dani. And she couldn't even tell the police where to find Kane.
Carter's phone rang and he turned away, withdrawing it from his pocket.
"Carter"
He frowned
"What?... how come? Yeah... I need to have words with him myself.. I'll be back as soon as I can."
He hung up and turned back to the Sutherland's
"It seems that Mr Phillips is down at the station... a couple of my officers have arrested him..."
Her first thought was the stolen car. She had told him not to do it, but since when did her feelings matter?
"...for breaking and entering"
It was one stupid thing after another with him. Did he not learn? Kirsty turned away.
"I'm going to get back to the station and find out what's going on... if you remember anything just let me know"
He withdrew a card containing his mobile number from the inside pocket of his jacket, handing it to Kirsty. Grabbing his jacket, he left the house.
..............................
Kane paced back and forth in the cell. The officers who had brought him in had taken great pleasure in announcing to the custody sergeant that they'd arrested one of the Phillips kids.
The door swung open and Carter stood in the doorframe.
"Well Mr Phillips... you've got yourself into quite a little mess"
"Look I haven't done anything wrong!"
"We checked out the house... like you said, inherited by your father"
"So I'm free to go?"
That would at least be one problem solved.
"I'm afraid not... your father says he never gave you permission to enter the property"
So they'd spoken to him
"I just needed somewhere to sleep"
Surely they weren't going to charge him for forcing open a single window and using the floor as a bed for a single night.
"He wants to press charges"
"What?!"
That was his father all over. Ruthless and sadistic to the end.
"Likelihood is you'll be let off with a warning and a fine for the window... we've decided to let you out on bail... and I also need to get a statement about the past few days"
Kane nodded dismally. His life was spiralling out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
Rhys entered through the back door, glancing warily around the house. He felt like an intruder now, like he shouldn't be there. He jumped back as Kirsty entered, her look telling him automatically what she thought of him. No longer that respect, but disgust.
"What do you want?"
"We're having a family dinner tonight"
He was going to reveal all that night. The whole truth about why he left. The truth about his illegitimate son, Dylan.
"In your dreams"
Kirsty switched on some music, turning the volume up to block out her father. He turned and made his way outdoors again, undefeated. She wasn't going to have a choice but attend the dinner. It was his house and he was going to set the ground rules.
...........................
POLICE STATION (Exterior)
Kane exited the station, glad to be out of that dingy cell. Carter had asked him no end of questions about where he had been, but he had told them the last few days were blank in his mind. He didn't know where he had been, what he had seen, who he had been with, what had happened to Scott or how he had got back. Carter and his colleague didn't look as though they believed a word of it, but he knew it would cause less trouble in the long run if he said nothing and claimed the trauma had caused memory loss. They had offered him doctors and psychiatrists but he had turned them all down. All he wanted to do was sort his life out, his number one priority being Kirsty.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
The Diner fell into silence as Rhys entered. It was his first trip into the Bay since h had returned and he had been treated like a freak. The object of whispering and speculation. He could only think that Kane had suffered it for years. He wasn't sure exactly how much people knew, but they'd have to be stupid not to have noticed his absence from the Bay for so long, and most would have known about Shelley's overdose.
"What can I get you?"
Alf smiled, attempting to make Rhys feel more comfortable, knowing it wasn't his place to pry into the Sutherland's business. Fortunately, it was Colleen's day off and Rhys wouldn't be subjected to her interrogation.
"I'll have your best chocolate cake"
He forced a smile at Alf as he handed over his cash.
"Special occasion?"
Alf removed a cake from the cabinet and placed it carefully into a box
"Family dinner... I'm trying to get the family back on track"
It wasn't going to be easy, but he was going to tell them the full story. It was the only way if he wanted to keep them.
"Look..."
He lowered his voice, leaning towards Alf
"How much does everyone round here know... about what's happening between me and Shell?"
He knew Alf was the man to ask, he knew most of what happened in the Bay.
"Not a lot... the kids have been handling things themselves since Shelley went into hospital... just that it involved money trouble and you doing a runner"
Rhys nodded
"Good..."
He picked up the cake box and retreated from the Diner. The less people knew about his shameful activities the better.
...........................
B+B ROOM (Evening)
Kane unlocked the door, entering he and Kirsty's room. He hadn't seen Sylvia on his way in, but according to the new room-maid she hadn't been the same since the death of her son. Kane couldn't help but feel the guilt, knowing all too well that Scott had shot him in cold blood. The room was messier than he had left it, but apparently the police had turned the place over in search of any clues as to the whereabouts of either he, Kirsty or Dennis. Sitting on the bed, he looked around him. Their photo still stood on the bedside table. They had had it taken at one of the photo booths whilst they were searching for jobs, before he had succeeded in finding work at the orange orchard. He picked up the photo, running his finger over her face, before continuing his scan of the room, which had been their home for so many months. So many memories of an era that had died.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
The family sat around the table, Shelley's seat the only one remaining painfully empty.
"Can I eat in my room?"
Kirsty couldn't bear being sat at the same table as her father, knowing all the damage that he had done. She had heard all about the money he'd been giving Angie Russell.
"No, I need to talk to you - all of you"
She had half a mind to leave anyway, but Rhys had been so forceful about them all attending that she knew something was up, and she couldn't miss it.
"More secrets?"
Rhys looked down at his dinner plate, ignoring her tone.
"You all know about why I left... the money trouble and..."
"Your affair with Angie?"
Kirsty glared at her father and Jade laid down her cutlery.
"There was never an affair... as such..."
Jade interrupted disbelievingly
"Yeah, right... so you're paying her hundreds of dollars because...?"
"Because I have a son..."
There. He had said it. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
"...the result of a one night stand... I have to take responsibility for my child"
That was what he'd been telling himself all those years. That he was doing the right thing by giving Angie the money, despite knowing that he was going behind the back of his wife. Angie had relished in the fact that she had a hold over him, that she could blackmail him into paying the money. Rhys told himself it wasn't blackmail. It made him feel better to think of it as taking responsibility for his actions.
Stunned silence crossed the table.
"Who else knows?"
Kirsty glanced at her father
"Your Mum doesn't...
He cleared his throat, knowing just how badly Kirsty was going to take the next news
"I told Kane..."
Kirsty slammed down her cutlery and stood up, unable to face any more revelations. Kane had known everything and kept it from her.
"Kirsty, please sit down"
His voice was too weak to have an effect and Kirsty made a beeline for the front door.
"I feel sick"
Jade and Dani also dispersed upstairs, grappling with the new information.
Rhys glanced at Max across the table, glad that at least one person could still bear to be in the same room as him.
...........................
He woke with a jerk, sweat glistening on his forehead and his body trembling uncontrollably. Lately those nightmares had returned with twice the force and intensity. Reliving the past time and time again, with no escape.
He rolled over in the bed, reaching out, discovering an empty space beside him, where she should have been. Where she had been for months. The empty bed brought him back to reality, the reality that she wasn't there to support him, to hold him whilst the mental torture subsided and he fell back to sleep. Instead he was alone, the room pitch black, no sign of warmth or love to keep him from remembering the past.
Fumbling for the switch on the bedside lamp he illuminated the room and sat up in bed, wiping away the sweat, ashamed at the tears that were forming. Grabbing for his phone he dialled out to her mobile, desperately hoping that she'd have got it back now that she was home. Needing to hear her voice telling him everything would be alright, seeking any kind of comfort or support through that lonely night.
...........................
CARAVAN PARK
Kirsty rolled over in bed, groaning as she awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. She grabbed hold of it from off her bedside table, taking a look at the caller display, which read only 'K'. Without pausing to think, she switched the phone off.
