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Blue Heelers Season 6 Episodes
Season 6 Episode Guide
42 Episodes 1999 - 1999
Episode 1
Dancing with the Devil: Part 1
Probationary Constable Jack Lawson has barely arrived in Mt. Thomas before he is in trouble with the police. Jack's misdemeanours are small ones and quickly forgiven as his unassuming charm disarms Maggie and Dash. Even Tom can't find fault with the new recruit, whose initiative and enthusiasm for menial tasks prove an immediate asset. But Jack's sunny welcome to Mt. Thomas is clouded by a report of sexual assault at the local retirement home. This one requires a woman's touch. Maggie and Dash visit the home to discover the alleged victim is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, she claims her assailant is the devil. Maggie is not prepared to dismiss the report and neither is Dash, who finds the devil alive and well in the Mt. Thomas video store in the form of a plastic mask. As the new kid on the beat, Jack is ready for some action. PJ and Ben aren't about to let him shine all day long and dispatch him on a wild-goose chase around the district. Problem is, they've got a bush turkey on their hands and they don't know it. Maggie's got more important things on her mind, and her investigation turns up a list of suspects with easy access to the nursing home. Two belong to a new counselling group for troubled men which is run by the local reverend. Maggie convinces Ben to attend a meeting to check them out. Besides, it may do him some good. Ben's frustration with his wife, Rachel, and her attempts to limit access to their children is mounting.
Episode 2
Dancing with the Devil: Part 2
The prowler is getting more bolder and assaults a police officer and then taunts them. The mother of one victim is so upset and angry that the police have to resolve this but its taking time. The local clergyman is trying to help some men, with just this sort of issues but won't give the police the information on who they are.
Episode 3
Winning at All Costs
Jack is the only competition for Dash and her athletic brother, Alec, in the Heritage Day Races - and the McKinleys aren't about to let a boy from the bush swallow their odds. The Heelers lay their bets on Jack, which only spurs Dash on. Alec has returned to Mt. Thomas as the new Physical Education teacher with high hopes of coaching the girls' hockey team and his two best players to stardom. For Alec the game is to win, at any cost. Dash is proud of her big brother but at a loss to defend him when she sees his star hockey player slap him hard across the face. What could he have done to deserve that? A rejected schoolgirl crush? Maggie discovers Alec was accused of sexual interference with a student at his last school, then catches him hugging another student. Dash, protective in her disbelief, goes on the defensive. Maggie seems determined to nab her brother and Dash is none too pleased about it. Two young hockey players claim Alec coaches them in more than hockey, and when Alec gets clubbed from behind during training, even Dash must suspect foul play. Maggie and PJ field the girls' conflicting accusations against Alec, while Jack earns the trust of one who, he discovers, has alarming bruises on her body. Alec is suspended from the school while the Heelers investigate. With the town and a pack of lies against him, Alec refuses to scratch his start in the Heritage Race. No one's going to cow him into Coventry. The track is tough and so is the competition. But when Dash takes a bad fall midway and requires assistance, the racers must decide: who will be the stayers and who will last the distance? Someone's got to come out on top of this mess and Alec is going to make sure it's him. There can only be one winner.
Episode 4
Love Is the Drug
Maggie and P.J. are trying to be alone, out in the local couple's spot. Another couple arrive and someone is filming. A fracas occurs and P.J. has to get involved and this means the people are processed and then the tape made has gone missing, with P.J. and Maggie on the tape as well. Other incidents are someone spiking girls drinks and assaulting them and Dash meanwhile is using the internet to talk to people online.
Episode 5
An Eye for an Eye
Dash and Jack are witness to a terrible accident with fatalities. People are vying for blood and everyone seems to get dragged into the ongoing anger, including Chris and her chance to become a councilor. As some people want revenge, the police are doing what they can before another tragedy occurs.
Episode 6
Wishful Thinking
Ben's daughter Emma sets about getting her dad and Maggie together but she has to get rid of PJ first. Jack is also troubled after his routine roadworthy check of a semi-trailer puts its driver off the road and out of a job unless the driver can finds $20,000.
Episode 7
Pillow Talk
An elderly lady is beaten up and the number one suspect is smart and knows his rights. As more attacks happen and the suspect is known for his excessive violence, no one is willing to speak up. This case will test Tom and Sally on several occasions.
Episode 8
The Good Weed
A potential business that will bring in jobs to Mount Thomas is demanded by a lot of people needing jobs, though Chris, who is now on the council, warns against making a rash decision without getting all the facts. Chris then becomes a target for her opposition and farmers who are also at odds, including a new wave herbalist farmer come under scrutiny, as people are poisoned.
Episode 9
By the Book
Jack pulls over a mean and nasty criminal but as he is new, does not realise how potentially dangerous he is. With Jack discharging his gun by accident, this is only the start of his problems as more people and accusations come thick and fast against him. This brings in Inspector Falcon-Price to sort out the mess and there are rumours about the Inspector as well on a personal level, that makes Maggie wary.
Episode 10
Dirty Money
Pat turns up and catches Maggie and P.J. but his visit is because he is on the case of a killer. He confides in P.J. but the delicate nature of his investigations means he can't tell anyone else, including his own daughter. Then Pat gets investigated himself and then charged, leaving Maggie distraught as neither Pat or P.J. will talk to her.
Episode 11
Married to the Job
Ben is having women trouble, he gets Maggie mad at him and Vanessa Mackay makes advances on him, as he tries to help her with her violent husband, and then his ex wife turns up with a proposal. Maggie is not coping so well with her dad's apparent guilt and P.J. not being forthcoming and so she asks Tom for leave, that he has already suggested she take.
Episode 12
Web of Lies
The Heelers call a full-scale investigation when Maggie goes missing after delving into the drug ring that killed her brother Robbie. Warned against trying to break the syndicate, Maggie refused to listen. Now she is in real danger. PJ's fears for Maggie's safety escalate when the body of a young boy is found. They learn he had hoped to become the syndicate's local dealer and had made contact with Maggie. Overwrought, PJ blames Ben for giving Maggie the leads to investigate the ring. The tension between them mounts as they struggle to find her. When St. Davids sends reinforcements, Inspector Draper and Detective Sergeant Barry Craig, PJ is suspended from the case. It is all too apparent to the Heelers and his district superiors that PJ's relationship with Maggie goes far beyond the professional. Even Tom can hide his knowledge no longer. Unable to pursue her trail officially, PJ teams with up with her father Pat to find Maggie. Pat is way ahead on his own enquiries and tells PJ that the force has been infiltrated by a crooked cop known to the syndicate as "Babe." While Babe is in action, the drug trade flows free. Pat's deep throats suspect Inspector Monica Draper of being involved, but informers also place Maggie in the picture. When the Heelers learn that Maggie had arranged to see the syndicate's new dealer, they race to stake out the meeting. But what they find is beyond comprehension: Maggie's car in flames and the charred remains of a body inside. PJ is inconsolable as the Heelers grasp their last hope and await the autopsy.
Episode 13
End of the Road
When a player on Jack's football team is killed in a road accident, he takes it seriously when he has to bring in a football mate, Matt Waldron, who have been drinking and driving. This will bring in reprisals and a football game that will cause more trouble for Jack than he bargained for. Senior Constable Robyn Taylor comes in to investigate the original crash in the meantime.
Episode 14
Lies and Whispers
Money goes missing from a school and rumours are flying about one of the female staff members being gay, who happens to be Monica Draper's friend. She lets P.J. take the lead whilst its investigated, but the rumours begin to cause harm to others.
Episode 15
Jack of Hearts
School girls at the high school seem to all have the 'hots' for Jack. But all is perhaps not as it seems and when one girl goes missing and her father's business has serious problems. Are the two linked and who is not telling more than they know? There are temporary new coppers for Mount Thomas and Jack's problems with the school girls just won't go away.
Episode 16
The Grace of God
Jack stumbles across a terrible scene whilst out riding. We then see investigation unfold with flashbacks of each Mount Thomas police officer from when they heard of this incident as the story continues to unfold, as this will affect them all.
Episode 17
The Stag
Jack's deer hunting plans go happily awry when his girlfriend arrives unexpectedly in Mt. Thomas with his cousin. Jack and Craig have made plans to go hunting but Molly has come as a surprise - since Jack left Molly behind in Swift's Creek, the long-distance relationship has taken its toll on her. Jack doesn't realise this yet, but he's about to find out. As deer season arrives, the Heelers go on alert as the blood sport always brings a squadron of men to town with an armoury of weapons. It seems inevitable that trouble is nigh. When two deer go missing from a hobby farm, one a prize stag worth $25,000, the urbane owner claims he's become an easy target for unsuccessful hunters seeking trophies. While the Heelers' evidence points to a neighbouring farmer, town prejudice prefers to prey on stray hunters. In particular, Dash can't bear the high-spirited machismo that follows a day's deer stalking. The Imperial seems to be full of men with more bravado than brains as Jack collars one drunken opportunist manhandling Molly. When it comes to this girl, gentleman Jack becomes a law unto himself but the Boss is unimpressed. Jack plans to marry Molly, and until that time she is the only woman for him. But Molly has decided that there is more than one man in her life. The cousins head off on their overnight trip, where Craig reveals his infidelity with Molly. Devastated, Jack loses control and when Craig does not return from the trip, Molly fears the worst. The Heelers find the cabin where Jack and Craig spent the night sprayed with bullet holes. There is a blood-stained shirt nearby. Jack proclaims his innocence and no one wants to suspect him - except Molly who pleads with the Heelers to listen. She knows Jack better than anybody - and there is a side to him they have not seen.
Episode 18
The Good Life
A neighbour has to destroy his sheep as they have been contaminated. Fingers are pointed at constable Robyn Taylor and her husband, with sheep they brought in to their new farm. Things are going to get a lot more rough for Robyn and her family.
Episode 19
Perfect Match
Paternal instincts and police work conflict for Ben when he is drawn to a sick girl and a hardworking father in trouble - Rosie needs a new kidney and time is running out. When George's car is stolen, Ben offers them a lift to hospital for her weekly treatment. The problem is, George's car was used in an armed robbery. Ben hopes, for Rosie's sake, that her father was not involved. PJ is distracted from the investigation when Maggie returns from six weeks in the safety house program. After the rushed and fractured parting, PJ is desperate to know whether they still have a relationship. With Dash busily organising welcome home drinks and dinners, PJ can barely find a second alone with his golden girl. And when he does, it is clear that Maggie has doubts about their future together. The Heelers begin to suspect Rosie's father when his ex-wife, Carol, shows up in town and displays some mysterious hold over him. Carol skips the pub without paying her bill and demands that George settle the matter. When the Heelers are called to stop him from destroying her car, the truth begins to unfurl. Rosie believes her mother is dead. Her father, however, has asked Carol to give their dying daughter one of her kidneys. Carols has agreed but there are strings attached. Might a large sum of money be involved? Like Ben, Maggie finds this woman's careless attitude to Rosie intolerable. As PJ investigates the family, keeping his police work separate from personal feelings, Maggie is touched by Ben's more considerate approach. When Maggie and PJ find the driver of the getaway vehicle, PJ errs by throwing himself in front of Maggie to protect her. Nothing has changed, says Maggie, who finds her human shield stifling. If there's one thing Maggie has learned in her absence, it's that she wants the freedom to make her own mistakes. In the hot seat of the getaway vehicle is Rosie's father. Guilty of armed robbery, he cannot pay Carol her blood money. Now he has lost his freedom, will his daughter lose her life?
Episode 20
Oil and Water
A woman who killed whilst drunk driving goes to court 5 months after the incident. Sally Downie is going to defend her and try to get her off on any legal way she can and Tom and the other police officers are determined to keep her behind bars. Then Sally starts to tear the case apart and then there is more bad news for the prosecution. Then Sally really lays into the police.
Episode 21
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
There's an underage smoking problem in Mount Thomas. One young girl Tiffany, will bring in her once famous grandmother Audrey Ropers, who is on a crusade to ban smoking in Mount Thomas. She will be whirlwind and stir things up with everyone, including the police.
Episode 22
King of the Kids
Dash treads a thin line when social worker Tim Ryan convinces her the overloaded welfare system can no longer protect abused children. The Heelers and the Department of Human Services take a dim view of Tim's attitude. His obvious frustration in applying band-aid solutions to violent domestic situations is bound to lead to trouble. Trouble begins when Dash arrives to break up a violent argument between old family friends. The father appears to be strangling his son, who retaliates by stabbing him. While in hospital, the boy confides that his father regularly bashes him. Soon after he returns home, the boy disappears and the Heelers struggle to find a lead. Dash suspects Tim knows more about the boy's disappearance than he is willing to divulge when two missing children are found in his care. Tim passionately defends his actions - someone's got to look after these kids when the system fails them. Dash admires Tim's determination to put their welfare before his own, even if it does mean breaking his department's code and when necessary, breaking the law. She begins to wonder whether her uniform hampers rather than helps to protect the community. Tim suspects Dash is his secret ally and a hint of romance brews between them. When the Heelers discover the missing boy is without his asthma medication, the search to find him before another attack escalates. Dash tackles Tim on the subject and learns that he does know where the boy is hiding, but if he tells Dash, she will have to bring him in. He stays her a kiss and Dash trusts Tim to ensure his young client's health and safety. When the Heelers finds the boy unconscious, Dash blames herself for endangering his life.
Episode 23
The Full Circle
Dash is trying out for detective job in Melbourne and her mum goes with her. Meanwhile in Mount Thomas, a judge and a criminal have words outside of the court room, as the judge's car is vandalised. Then a hit and run will occur that will affect Dash completely.
Episode 24
Behind the Badge
Chris and Maggie are off on a trip to Melbourne. Stopping off at gas station they are involved in an armed robbery. After the incident, both women try to cope with the trauma in different ways. Pat Doyle comes up from Melbourne and he has his own demons to sort out, as Maggie and P.J. point out to him.
Episode 25
The Angel Cruise
Two residents of Mount Thomas come into a lot of money on a cruise scheme, which just looks like another pyramid scheme. Those desperate for money are drawn in and Ben is too, as he suddenly needs money for his kids, but will he succumb to the temptation as well?
Episode 26
Downsizing
Tom can't believe his eyes when his old mate Max Arnold arrives at the bank with a hefty cheque written on the side of a cow. It's legal tender, snorts Max, and if the bank is so determined to milk him for mortgage payments, well let them learn how - milk this. Country life has changed. There was a time when a bank manager would cut some slack to catch up on a missed payment. Not any more. Tom goes to see bank manager Kevin Sutton to discuss Max's difficulty but Sutton remains steadfast. Tom returns to find the station empty and the phone ringing. It is a struggle coping one member down and no replacement for Dash in sight. When the Heelers learn from St David's that staffing levels are under review, tempers become short. Are they really expected to continue like this? More bad news when Chris arrives to see Tom. Has he heard that the Vic Bank is closing down? What are they to do without a bank? Tom wonders whether his beloved Mt. Thomas is about to suffer the same downward spiral that has ruined so many rural communities. One by one, the commercial resources are plucked away until prospering towns wither and fade. Unnerved by the bank's closure and noticing the Heelers under pressure, Chris spreads word that the station may be in danger of shutting down. Well-meaning locals keep the Heelers busy with a spate of false crime reports, hoping St David's will reconsider its drastic proposal if the town is ravaged by crime. But the ploy takes a tragic turn when Leila's urgent call of assistance sits on the pile. Her partner Merv cannot be found and, they discover, has had a bad accident. Where were they? Kevin Sutton is having the same trouble. Everyone wants to open a new bank account but no matter how much business they bring it's too late. The bank will close, and with it Max Arnold's farm. Unbeknownst to the town, Sutton tells Tom he has tried to save the branch but the locals' anger is fierce and he bears the brunt of their jibes with a heavy heart. Tom learns the town has misjudged Sutton as Max walks into the bank with a shotgun. Now there are two lives at stake: Max's life on the farm and Sutton's life. Which is it to be?
Episode 27
The Deepest Cut
When a gay hairdresser moves into town there is going to be problems for him. He is an old friend of Ben but as they go to dinner and meet up, the homophobia follows them both as this is not the big city and Ben will be on the receiving end of bigotry even though he is not gay himself. Maggie gets a new hairstyle herself but tragedy is looming on the horizon.
Episode 28
Hello Goodbye
When the Heelers attend a call to a disturbance at a general store, they find the matter already taken in hand by a capable young women - Constable Joanna Parrish. At last, the cavalry has arrived and she's impressive - Parrish has arrested two feral shoplifters single-handedly. Jo's good impression fades when Tom learns there were no witnesses to the shoplifting and the offenders accuse her of false arrest. Horrified with this turn of events on her first day, Jo is up for an ESD investigation in front of Monica Draper and may face disciplinary action. Then news arrives that feral Clay Thurgood is pressing a civil suit. On hand to comfort Jo is her ex-boyfriend, Andrew, who helped her move from Melbourne to Mt. Thomas. The Heelers are curious about Jo's friend, who seems reluctant to leave her to begin her new life. Jack spies the bigger picture when he sees Jo and Andrew arguing vehemently in the hotel car park. Jo wants Andrew to go - now. While Jo impatiently awaits Monica Draper's decision, she visits Clay Thurgood to sort things out. Jo spies bales of lucerne hay which, she suspects, are connected to a recently reported theft. Tom is furious that Jo has conducted her own investigation but wonders if she may be on track when the brakes on her car are tampered with, causing a nasty accident. So much for a new recruit and peace of mind. The Heelers begin to wonder if Parrish is a curse more than a blessing. Her profile shows she has a history of attracting trouble. When an unexpected lead links Clay Thurgood to the general store manger, the Heelers are able to uncover Thurgood's operation and redeem Jo's reputation. They discover Thurgood cultivates a healthy cannabis plantation and barters it for essentials such as groceries and hay. With the civil suit against her dropped, things for Jo appear to look up. There is unfinished business yet. Back at her hotel room, Andrew awaits. He has come back to town and this time, he's not leaving without her.
Episode 29
Whip Crack Away
The Greatest Little Western Show on Earth trundles into Mt. Thomas and Jo and Jack are sent to ward off pickpockets reported to be operating in the audience. They arrive to find the show's ringmaster, Sandy Rivers, challenging anyone to a whip-cracking competition. From the crowd emerges a handsome, rugged stranger who beats Sandy squarely at his own game and demands the $500 prize money. Sandy's show has seen better days, however, and with no prize money forthcoming the contest ends in fisticuffs. Down at the station, Sandy promises to pay the winner back once the ticket sales trickle in. Jo is intrigued by the stranger, who is reluctant to give his name and appears to have no family or fixed address. Like the stranger, Jo feels displaced in Mt. Thomas, where country folk welcome city slickers with folded arms. She takes it upon herself to settle him in, whether he likes it or not. Jack worries that Jo has misjudged the wanderer when Sandy Rivers is found bashed and Jo's gypsy comes under suspicion. They find him camped illegally by a riverbed and killing protected wildlife for food. The stranger's name is Janos Molnar and he denies the attack on Sandy. Jo trusts Janos and offers him her bed at the pub to get him out of the bush. She bunks in with Jack, much to his delight and embarrassment. Jack is clearly infatuated with Jo, who remains clueless as to her own charms. Janos mixes with the wrong crowd at the pub and Jo overhears that he may be involved in a scam at Sandy's show. The gig is up when Janos challenges Sandy to another whip-cracking event - double or nothing - and wins the competition. The Heelers investigate and find Janos' crooked mates, Stacker and Compo, had run a book against him and owe their punters hundreds of dollars. Now Janos is missing. Sandy Rivers rings to report the theft of his collection of antique guns and Janos lands firmly in the frame. Tom suspects he is an illegal immigrant running from town to town, chased by trouble, and Jo's just run out of excuses to protect him.
Episode 30
The Price of Silence
A pro-police politician campaigning in Mt. Thomas gets the Heelers offside when he indecently assaults Maggie in the station. Shocked by his audacity, Maggie tells the Boss of her ordeal but asks him to keep it quiet - she will deal with Powers herself. When Inspector Falcon-Price hears of Maggie's encounter, however, he casts doubt on her ability to judge these situations. After all, didn't she once misinterpret his interest in her career as personal? Falcon-Price will not look upon her favourably if she makes a formal complaint and impresses upon Maggie the importance of Mark Powers winning his seat. Powers promises to bring vast improvements to the police force and Falcon-Price expects the Heelers to support his every endeavour while in town. As Powers presses the flesh at a public gathering, it is easy to see that he has a penchant for the ladies, particularly his branch secretary, Kerry Barron, and a journalist covering his tour. Powers' growing profile is called into question when a heckler punches him square in the nose during a speech. Bill Stockton refuses to tell the Heelers the reason behind his beef with Powers but it is strong enough to want to damage him. Powers refuses to press charges, raising Maggie and Jo's suspicions that he hides a past. Jo decides to dig further. When the Heelers receive a report of a disturbance at Kerry Barron's place, Maggie and Ben arrive to find her traumatised by an attempted rape. Severely sight-impaired, Kerry claims to have no idea who attacked her, but Maggie is sure she is covering for Powers. There is no sign of forced entry and Kerry had the party faithful over for a few too many drinks. Jo lets slip to Ben and PJ that Powers assaulted Maggie, giving them a mission to nab him, but under tough scrutiny Powers professes wide-eyed innocence. He admits he loves women, perhaps a little too much, but he'd never force one into a sexual encounter. PJ understands Maggie's need to handle the situation herself but the incidents angers Ben and deepens his ardour for Maggie. He wants to protect her. Jo finds the incriminating history she's been looking for: Powers got Bill Stockton's young daughter pregnant years ago and she committed suicide. In the face of Falcon-Price's avid disapproval, Maggie lays a charge against Powers, hoping it will encourage Kerry to give him up, but when Maggie learns Kerry has landed a job in Melbourne working with him, she is certain Kerry is paying a high price for the opportunity and her silence.
Episode 31
Without Judgement
The Heelers are drawn into a hostile domestic situation when a distraught man arrives in Mt. Thomas in search of his missing lover who is terminally ill. Robert is sure his long-time partner, Peter Jones, has returned to make amends with his parents, whom he hasn't seen for 8 years. As Peter is not officially missing, Jack can do nothing to help him and is assaulted by an overwrought Robert. Behind the station counter, emotions are on a short leash as Ben and Maggie struggle to come to terms with their impassioned kiss at Ben's birthday bash. A few drinks, some silly games, a fine time had by all and then, somehow, it just happened. What now? Ben longs to pursue the matter with Maggie, who avoids him, unable to admit her true feelings. Although he seems genuine, Robert skirts some incriminating details of his relationship with Peter. The Heelers learn that theirs was a tumultuous household and that Peter has a history of prostitution. Could Peter be hiding from a violent domestic situation? Tempers in the Doyle family boil over when Pat arrives on a surprise visit with his new fiancée, Evie Osborne, in tow. Maggie is in no mood to welcome another woman in her mother's place. Evie seems a harmless enough chatterbox until she lets slip that her relationship with Pat goes back longer than fidelity allows. Furious and aggrieved, Maggie turns the guilty couple from her house. Between Ben and Pat, Maggie is having a bad day. Robert, meanwhile, is working hard at harassing families by the name of Jones, but when the Heelers find Peter's car being driven by his father, the parents have much to answer for. The Jones deny having seen their son in years but burnt clothing in the incinerator and a fresh grave nearby suggest otherwise. As the Heelers investigate, it appears Peter Jones death was indeed a crime of passion and while the Jones seem the obvious suspects, new evidence uncovers a most tragic murder.
Episode 32
Smoke Without Fire
Tom joins Chris on a board of upstanding citizens preparing to set up the new community bank. However, his position is compromised when both he and Pat Doyle are named in a parliamentary committee investigating bent coppers. The Heelers rally round to support Tom but Jo finds herself on the outer when she suggests Tom might well have been on the take. Small gratuities, a little cash on the side - it was the way things were done back then. Though concerned for Tom, Maggie breathes a small sigh of relief. At least her father is retired and unlikely to suffer any fallout from the inquiry. At first, Tom refuses to worry - his conscience is clear. But word spreads throughout the town and the bank board requests his immediate resignation. The citizens of Mt. Thomas have lost confidence in their Senior Sergeant. After her contrary attitude to Tom's dilemma, Jo is left grappling for allies when her own friend, school teacher Selina Harvey, is accused of supplying dope to, and having a sexual encounter with, one of her students. Jo believes implicitly in Selina's innocence but verdicts of guilt are apportioned against Tom and Selina as the town's rumour mill takes hold. Tom's worries multiply when he mistakenly believes the braid have set up an integrity test to reel him in and Inspector Falcon-Price arrives to suggest he transfer to another station until the scandal settles. Tom's superiors believe he has no charges to answer but firmly planted seeds of distrust sprout throughout the town. Maggie implores her father to stand up for Tom and publicly advocate his innocence, but Pat crumples in the face of his daughter's pure intentions and confesses it was not Tom who was on the take but himself. Maggie is rocked by the revelation. Her father was the reason she joined the force and now she learns he was knee-deep in graft. Distraught by Maggie's angry withdrawal from him, Pat is compelled to clear Tom's name, and discovers a former colleague with a personal grudge who is determined to bring Tom down. Jo comes unstuck when her own investigations reveal that her new friend was recently transferred from another school for inappropriate behaviour.
Episode 33
Starry Starry Night
A mystery unfolds on night patrol when Jack and Jo stumble across a troubled stranger who carries a message for the Heelers that they won't soon forget. When Jack and Jo draw the short straw, night patrol finds them embroiled in a case that involves an abandoned suitcase and a mysterious stranger. Throughout the night, each of the Heelers stumble across the stranger at different times, but when dawn arrives, he reveals a reason for his visit that deeply affects them all.
Episode 34
Paradise Lost
Maggie takes Ben's daughter Emma off his hands for a day on a mushrooming expedition, but the event has nasty repercussions for Emma when they come across a tourist who dies from eating field mushrooms. Ben and Maggie head out to inform the local community of the potential danger of mushrooming and come across an idyll commune called Paradise. The inhabitants - three women, a cluster of kids and a charismatic, gentle man named Rod Cathcart - present an alternative lifestyle that appeals to them both. Enchanted by the mood of the place, Ben and Maggie find themselves drawn to each other once again. Rod invites Maggie and Ben to return for lunch the following day, but their rapturous account of Paradise makes PJ resentful of their common fondness for a country lifestyle. PJ is also wary of Emma's open scheming to bring Ben and Maggie together. Conscious of PJ's annoyance, Ben tries to placate PJ by pulling out of the lunch date. Tom detects the growing tension between PJ, Ben and Maggie and has a strong word to PJ, warning him to leave his personal life at home. The Heelers learn that the poisonous mushrooms came from a local store whose owner claims a child sold them to him. With the troublesome fungi removed from Mt. Thomas shelves, they are confident the problem is solved until Maggie turns up to work stoned from eating magic mushrooms. Someone laced her lunch at Paradise and PJ is determined to bring charges against these "yuppie hippies". When one of these women confesses to the incident, Maggie is torn between charging and helping her. Rod is threatening to expel her from Paradise. Rod seems quite taken with Maggie and visits her at home to apologise, bumping into PJ, whose patience with Maggie's string of suitors is wearing thin. PJ gets a warrant to search the property for magic mushies but returns empty handed. When Rod is poisoned by a native variety of death cap, the Heelers suspect a devil at work in Paradise. The women close quarters, but after hard questioning reveal they blame Maggie for upsetting the equilibrium of life on the property. They believe Rod has designs on bringing Maggie into the fold. But when the commune's youngest child goes missing, feared dead, the Heelers suspect a devil discovery. Just how far will the coven go to protect their clan and punish its leader?
Episode 35
The Game
It's Grand Final week in Mt. Thomas and the money is on Awesome Lawson to win the cup, and the town's honour, from the St. Davids football team. Jack finds it hard to focus on work with footy fever upon him - until Marnie Sommers yanks him to attention with yet another incident of petty crime. Jack is tiring of Marnie's brushes with the law and her open antagonism toward him. Marnie resents the blind worship the town affords footy players like Jack and her husband, Harro, who is serving time for armed robbery. As far as Marnie's concerned, footy heroes are all the same - good for nothing. When Marnie's husband returns to town, she demands an intervention order against him, claiming he is violent, but her troublesome reputation makes the Heelers wonder if Harro is a threat at all. He seems a nice enough bloke to Jack. Besides, he's a fellow footy player. Harro's done his time, now he just wants his wife and his kids back. When a report of stolen CD players comes in, Jack suspects Marnie is involved and organises a search warrant for her home. As Grand Final Day draws close, Jack feels the pressure of the town's expectations crowd in on him. Then the Mudlarks' coach, Ian Waldron, is kidnapped. Could this be pregame high jinx or is Ian really in danger? Jack and Jo arrive at Marnie's to issue the search warrant and break up a heated argument between husband and wife. When Marnie learns the real reason for the visit she turns her vitriol on Jack. He's just another pig bloke, like her husband, giving a hard-up mother a tough time. Jack remains suspicious of Marnie and determined to get to get to the bottom of the matter, but Jo's wondering if the town's adulation may have clogged Jack's sensibilities. The Heelers find Ian Waldron, safe and sound, the willing victim of a prank by the St Davids team. Jack decides to match the caper and raids the St Davids team's locker rooms. He stumbles across the stolen CDs in the process, which puts him in trouble with the Boss - at least the discovery knocks out one of the opposing team. The find weighs heavily on Jack's mind, however. He was wrong about Marnie and maybe she does deserve his compassion. With the big game just hours away, Jack goes to Marnie's to make amends but gets caught in the midst of an explosive domestic. At gunpoint, Harro demands Marnie cough up his stash from the armed robbery. Then Marnie is badly injured. No one is going to get anywhere until Harro gets his stuff.
Episode 36
Miracle at Rabbit Creek
Tom pursues a local troublemaker in a high-speed chase when the boy's car veers off the road, crashing into Rabbit Creek. It's a devastating scene for Tom who has known Tim Sullivan all his life. As he watches the boy slip away, Tom prays to God to absolve Tim of his sins. Ten minutes later, the ambulance arrives to take the body away. But before Tom can cover the boy's face, Tim coughs and sits upright, he's alive. At first, the Heelers enjoy a few jokes at Tom's expense, but for Catholics Tom and Maggie, the event inspires a deep questioning of their faith and is a cause for spiritual upheaval. They deal with life and death every day, but this time it is Tom who has been God's servant. John Waterson's declaration that Tom has performed a miracle has the town's faithful out in search of answers and the sacred site. Is their Senior Sergeant blessed? Falcon-Price, would certainly like to know. Young Tim has had a hard time coping with his second chance. It feels more like a sentence to purgatory as his fervently religious mother presses him to reform and his schoolmates ridicule him mercilessly. When the city's television crews get hold of the story, the pilgrims begin to arrive, including one crippled man who touches Tom and claims he is healed. For once, Tom Croydon finds it hard to rely on faith alone when faced with the unbelievable. It is not until property owner Keith Purvis dams Rabbit Creek to bottle and sell the "holy water" that the town demands an answer from Tom. Is this creek really holy and has a miracle occurred? PJ remains the station's cynic until his mother arrives in town unexpectedly. She has a terminal illness and PJ despairs that he lacks the faith of Maggie and Tom to deal with this confronting news, but he cannot believe a miracle alone will save her, let alone his Senior Sergeant. Feeling his life has become a freak show, young Tim runs away from home and Tom, feeling responsible, goes in search. Tom finds Tim on a stretch of road, city bound, when a call comes across the radio that someone has planted a bomb in Keith Pervis' new dam on Rabbit Creek. They have ten minutes to get there or visitors to the creek will be killed. Tim acts on impulse and grabs the bomb and throws into the creek just in the nick of time. The bomb explodes harmlessly in the water. Later, Tim thanks Tom for saving his life. Has Tim turned a new leaf?
Episode 37
Second Chance
Jo's blossoming romance with out-of-towner Travis Watson is cut short when PJ reveals Travis is a dangerous criminal put way for murdering his girlfriend. The vicious crime haunts PJ who arrested Travis and he is immediately suspicious of Travis' return to Mt. Thomas. Tom warns Jo to dump the romance before she becomes too involved and jeopardises her job - he can't have a constable going out with a criminal, even if he is reformed. When a spate of vicious armed robberies against women are reported, PJ believes Travis is involved. Mindful of Jo's broken heart, Maggie provides a shoulder but counsels Jo to leave him. The promise of a new love never felt so lonely. PJ keeps tabs on Travis who seems contrite and is certainly cooperative. He has returned to Mt. Thomas to start afresh and find work but PJ makes it clear - he expects Travis to leave town. Tom becomes uneasy with PJ's relentless pursuit of Travis and warns him to go by the book. Jo struggles with her decision. She wants to believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Where Travis is concerned however, PJ cannot spare Jo's feelings and pushes her to end it by showing her shocking photos of Travis' dead girlfriend. Jo is deeply disturbed by the photos and Jack promises PJ he'll keep an eagle-eye on his lovelorn mate. Jo confronts Travis over the murder. She wants to believe he didn't do it but there are strong doubts and the overwhelming conviction of her workmates to contend with. She tells him their relationship cannot continue. Determined to win the Heelers over, Travis provides information on a planned armed robbery of the Imperial's takings but is bashed severely for turning informer. Feeling indebted, Chris gives him some work around the pub. PJ is furious to find Travis entrenched at the Imperial and remains convinced he is hatching some plan of vengeance. The Heelers wonder if PJ has become unreasonably obsessed with Travis but what they haven't seen or heard is a private moment between the adversaries where Travis makes his intentions perfectly clear. He spent five years in prison because of PJ and now PJ is going to pay for it.
Episode 38
The Price of Friendship
The prospect of the Racing Club Carnival dance has the Heelers in a frenzy to find partners. There is little to celebrate when an armed robbery of the race takings leaves a security guard seriously wounded. The only clues, a Mudlark's Grand Final pin is found at the scene of the crime. Could one of Jack's fellow football team be responsible? The Heelers call in football coach, Ian Waldron, to find out which Mudlarks' players have pins but the carnival atmosphere fades for all when Ian tells them that his son Matt, Jack's good friend, is dying from a brain tumour. Ian has spent his company's fortune trying trying to find a cure for Matt in Brazil and must close his factory. There is little chance Matt will survive to see his wife deliver their first child. Jack finds it difficult to confirm the alibis of his football buddies for the time of the robbery and is puzzled by the behaviour of his mate Scott who has been acting strangely since Matt returned from Brazil. Jack is certain something's up. Scott is about to lose his job at Ian's factory. Putting two and two together, Jack dare not believe his own thoughts - could Scott or Ian have stolen the money to help Matt? Or themselves? Jo saves him the trouble. Both men have a motive for the robbery. Maggie is moved by Matt and his wife Letty's sad predicament and understands their desire to have a child a spite of the knowledge that it will grow up without a father but she is shocked by PJ's lack of compassion.What kind of life is that for a child? PJ gets a lead on the race course robbery. Two witnesses believe the suspect may be identified by a conspicuous limp but when Scott fails to hand in his badge, PJ targets him for questioning. When PJ finds the weapon from the armed robbery at Ian's factory, both Scott and Ian confess to the crime. Jack is certain they are covering for someone and when new evidence puts Matt in the frame, PJ is forced to arrest him. Jack and Ben have the difficult task of escorting Matt to the St. David's courthouse where Matt manages to escape. Jack knows Matt has gone into hiding until the baby is born and has a good idea where they might be. For Jack, the price of a friendship is high. Matt's tumour could kill him at any time and Letty's baby is due. They may be together but Matt has placed his families lives at risk.
Episode 39
Under Fire
Jack receives unsettling news when his ex-girlfriend Molly calls with plans to visit Mt. Thomas to try and repair their broken relationship. Jack is not sure whether he is ready or willing to recover his shredded emotions after Molly's infidelity. The Heelers investigate the death of a drug dealer whose burnt body is found in the ashen remains of a house used for the manufacture of amphetamines. They believe a man called Graeme Palmer is involved and when Maggie and Ben spy Palmer's car on the road they give chase. Ben reports to Tom via radio that the pursuit is reaching dangerous speeds and they are about to terminate, when Ben yells a warning to Maggie and the radio cuts dead. The Heelers are left hanging until a shaken Maggie calls to say both vehicles are trashed and a passenger bus that swerved to avoid collision has crashed on its side. The situation is serious. The Heelers and emergency services arrive to a scene of confusion and devastation. They break into the bus to find six dead passengers. The CFA commander, Russ Cavell, blames the police for this carnage after the high speed chase. Tom can expect nothing but grief from Cavell during this chaotic rescue effort. Dr. Mel Carter, Mt. Thomas' newly arrived hospital resident, tackles her first shift with furious efficiency but there is further cause for alarm when a list of passengers from the bus company indicates one passenger is missing: 38 walking wounded, 6 dead and 3 seriously injured. Maggie and Ben climb back aboard to drag the wreckage and find beneath a double seat, the missing passenger. It is Molly and her condition is critical. Jack pushes aside concerned mates as he races to reach Molly. Her rescue is going to be difficult. Molly is impaled on a piece of metal anchored to the floor and she requires urgent surgery. As the SES workers begin to cut her out, the Heelers learn from a barely conscious Graeme Parker that there are highly volatile drug lab chemicals on board the bus. One small spark from the angle grinder and the bus could blow. Russ Cavell takes charge and orders everybody off the bus. Jack makes distraught pleas to Tom and Russ to save Molly but Russ declares the bus out of bounds. Beside himself with anger and despair, Jack threatens anyone who gets in his way, including the boss. He refuses to leave Molly's side. The Heelers defy Russ' orders and begin a frantic search for the chemicals. They uncover a suitcase full of money and suspect the chemicals are in Palmer's car, Russ declares the entire area unsafe until the chemicals are found. Dr Carter warns the Heelers that Molly must be moved immediately and, taking matters into his own hands, Tom leavers Palmer's car over a cliff, running to safety as the chemicals explode and the car bursts into flames. Now they can free Molly if it is not too late.
Episode 40
Fifty-Fifty
Ben is troubled to learn that his daughter's tutor, Amy Fordham, is struggling through the maelstrom of her parents' marriage breakdown. Concerned for her welfare, Ben drops Amy off at home, arriving in the middle of an explosive fight during which Amy gets hurt. Unwilling to leave Amy to deal with the aftermath of their anger, Ben brings her back to the Watchhouse, determined to alert the Department of Human Services to Amy's plight. Tom cautions him to attempt a reconciliation with the parents fist. The Fordhams agree to behave themselves and though Ben is not convinced, he sends Amy home and promises her that she can depend on him at all times. Ben's troubles multiply when Maggie returns shaken from an internal enquiry into a bus crash. Although the enquiry clears her of reckless driving, it leaves her overwhelmed with remorse for those killed. She finds comfort in Ben's arms - and PJ walks in on the moment. PJ's patience for their intimate friendship is waning but both he and Ben are thrown when Maggie requests leave to spend time with her father. They suspect Maggie needs the time away to examine her heart. The Heelers receive a report of a burglary at the Fordham's fabric factory but arrive to be told by Don Fordham that his secretary was mistaken. Don took the bolt of exclusive fabric home overnight as a security measure, he says. Ben suspects there is more to the incident than Fordham will tell, but neither PJ nor Tom has any patience for his hunch and tendency to become personally involved with his cases. Ben stops by the Fordham place to discuss the burglary and finds a hysterical Claire sawing Don's boat "Endless Love" in half with a chainsaw. If this marriage is over, the split will be fifty-fifty. Up on criminal charges for property damage, Claire counters that her husband must be charged with fraud for squandering company finds on his mistress - their secretary. In a desperate measure to flee the abusive household, Amy files to become a ward of the State and names Ben as her temporary guardian. Tom is unimpressed. It is one thing for his coppers to care about some hard-luck cases but quite another to adopt them. The Fordham war continues to rage as the Heelers learn Claire is guilty of destroying the bolt of fabric to sabotage a major order, but when their factory is burned to the ground and husband and wife stop to survey the wreckage they are shocked by a dreadful reality. Their livelihood is gone and so is their daughter - the charred frame of Amy's bike lies on the factory floor, but where is Amy?
Episode 41
Kids
Ben's divorce finally comes through, but it's hard news for his daughter Emma who must return to her mother in Melbourne. In anger and frustration, Emma trashes the station. Tom has patiently watched Ben struggle with single parenthood and his duties as a cop but warns him that this interference with work must stop. PJ discovers $20 missing from petty cash and Emma seems the likely suspect, but Ben's troubles boil over when he learns Emma has run away and a teacher confides that she frequently skips school with a friend. Ben finds Emma at her friend's grandmother's house. They seem to be in good hands and after reassurance from Nanny Nora, Ben realises his daughter has found comfort he has been unable to provide. Back at the station, the Heelers puzzle over a series of house burglaries in which odd trinkets and valuable electrical goods are stolen. The crimes seem unrelated but are taking place in the same area. Jo and Ben attend a report at an older woman's home and find another break-in. Some strange things are missing, such as a snow dome and a fairy magnet. This time, however, the homeowner is found severely assaulted and unconscious. The Heelers enlist the aid of a roof tiler who seems to have the perfect vantage point to view the crimes but he offers no clues. PJ's main lead is a collection of dumped goods found at the local quarry - discarded booty from burglaries reported months earlier. At the quarry he also discovers an abandoned car turned into a kids' cubby house. It seems certain that children are involved in these burglaries and when Emma arrives at the station with an expensive new fairy doll and a bag of lollies for all to share, PJ puts her in the frame. After an interview with the bashed woman confirms children were involved in her robbery, PJ confronts Ben with his suspicions. Emma has been skipping school, hasn't she? Does she have an alibi? The suggestion whips Ben into a fury. He lashes out at PJ accusing him of acting out of jealously over his close relationship with Maggie. Tom questions Emma about the burglaries and she appears very uncomfortable when news of the older woman's plight is relayed. Some digging later, the Heelers learn the roof tiler's work pattern corresponds with another spate of robberies in nearby St. Davids and he becomes the prime suspect. This is little comfort to Ben who finds Emma has run away again. The Heelers have some success with an ID photoboard of children when the older woman recovers and identifies Emma's truant friend as the culprit. The Heelers keep this grim counsel - how can they possibly tell Ben? PJ has a hunch Emma might be hiding at the quarry but when he and Ben arrive, they find the abandoned car has fallen down the embarnkment and Emma is lying unconscious beneath it.
Episode 42
Be Prepared
With the turn of the new year just weeks away, Inspector Falcon-Price pulls an impromptu blackout at the station to test the Heelers' preparedness for potential Year 2000 problems. There can be no cause for alarm if the police force and emergency services are ready for every situation. Jack finds Gary Scully dangling in a net up a tree on the Janssen property, the victim of a crude but effective mantrap. Ben's daughter Emma returns to the Watchhouse after a stint in hospital but her presence is a painful reminder for PJ of Ben and Maggie's vigil over Emma's sickbed. They make a picture perfect family. PJ tells Ben he can no longer stand in the way of Maggie's happiness and asks her to consider Ben as her future partner. Now Maggie must choose between her troublesome love for PJ and growing intimacy with Ben. The Heelers talk to the Jenssens about the mantrap and learn the family has been zealous in their Y2K preparations. The family expects the worst-case scenario and has secured their property like a fortress and stored ample provisions should they need to isolate themselves from a community starved of essential services. The Janssens do their best to persuade Tom that their survivalist approach to the century's end is no more unreasonable than the measures taken by emergency services. Their assurances fool no one however when the Janssen's son reacts violently to Jack's attempts to study his threatening pocket knife. Tom worries that the town is working itself into a state of panic when a local tries to register an antique gun to protect himself, a collector's machine gun is stolen, and Gary Scully becomes a target for stray bullets while wandering near the Janssen's property. Ben goes out to check on the Janssen family but is bailed up by the mother when she learns the Heelers have contacted the welfare services about their children. One of the children escapes as the situation escalates out of control and the Heelers arrive to find the family armed and ready to protect its own at all costs. Ben and PJ put their lives at risk but only one recovers with a determination to win Maggie's heart and hand.
