As the episode opens, Sergeant Andrea Whitford Leah Purcell) and Constable Brett Sweet (Luke McKenzie) race to Mansfield Private Hospital. She drops him off and soon enters the ward to find him and Gemma Sweet (Emma Annand) with their newborn son. She watches a few minutes before visiting Sam Dyson (Ian McElhinney). When she informs him about the birth of Brett’s son, he says babies are born all the time and offers to help with her investigation. She receives a message regarding a DNA match on the Hyundai and Rachel Griggs. She orders him to stay put before leaving.

At the police station, Andrea tells Dominic Schaeffer (Robert Morgan) that evidence connects Lachie Francis to her murder. He suggests asking Lachie who is currently in ICU. Placing photos of missing Claire Harris (Rosie Traynor), David Miers, and Jean Grierson on the table, she suggests Lachie killed them to protect Dominic’s crop. He calmly denies any connection to their disappearances. She warns that if he is convicted for the attempt on her life, he could get 10 years behind bars. He offers to provide intel in exchange for a reduced sentence. She refuses a plea deal until he gives her the intel. He claims David Miers was a corrupt attorney and later, a corrupt judge with many enemies. A short time later, Taskforce takes Dominic to Melbourne.

Andrea informs Liam Mason (Jamie Timony) that his fingerprints were found inside the Hyundai with Rachel’s DNA on the bumper. Liam says he and Lachie are friends when Nash Mason (Nathaniel Dean) approaches and orders her to leave. Looking at Trudy, she gets in her cruiser and drives away.

Helen Hartley (Sara Wiseman) is packing up her art supplies when Rose De Vigny (Linda Cropper) approaches. Helen tells her that she is relocating her studio to her house to give her more time with Kirra (Pez Warner) Rose asks if she is avoiding her. Helen reminds her that she is married to Andrea. Rose questions if Andrea is the problem that Helen may need to break free from. Helen assures her that is a fallacy before driving away.

Reza Bohrani (Matt Domingo) tells Andrea that David is a board member for dozens of legitimate companies and one not-so-legitimate company, Artemis Fidelity Holdings. He questions if David was funneling dirty money to Artemis. A short time later, they find Colleen Miers (Gloria Ajenstat) at her house burning documents. Reza detains her while Andrea confiscates documents revealing Jean, David, Michael Novak, and Max Phillips are Artemis Fidelity Holdings’ board members.

Helen receives a call from Andrea saying she is following up on a lead. Helen tells her that she was hoping they could have some time alone with Kirra gone. Andrea promises to be there by dinner. Later, Andrea updates Detective Nico Dracos (Alex Andreas) on the case. She says Jean, David, and Michael to Artemis. She tells him about David and Claire’s affair. He questions how the case is connected to the Haber case. She points out that Max Phillips and Haber worked at Fairhaven Hospital. She suggests Haber is associated with Jean, Claire, David, and Michael’s disappearances. He informs her that Haber’s extensive debt problem drove him to suicide. He says a receptionist claims Haber was being blackmailed by a patient.

Assistant Commissioner Kramer (Genevieve Picot) informs Andrea that Sam recommended her as his replacement. Owen Cooper (Aaron Pedersen) tells Andrea that Ben Cooper (Pedrea Jackson) and Kirra were detained in Docklands for speeding. Andrea says they were supposed to be at school camp. A short time later, Andrea grounds Kirra and says no phone. Kirra accuses her and Helen of being too busy for her. Andrea threatens her if she doesn’t “pull her head in.”

Tammy Samson (Leah Vandenberg) visits Sam who is feeling down about not finding Luke’s killer. She assures him that he has not failed her and needs to take care of himself. Later, Helen apologizes to Kirra and vows to be a better mum. Andrea compliments Helen for the way she handled Kirra’s taking off with Ben. They are kissing when the white dingo reappears. Andrea tells her that it is providing protection and goes out to feed it. A short time later, Andrea is looking through Helen’s art when she comes across Rose’s partially nude painting. When Helen tries to come onto her, she rejects the offer.

Helen is awakened by gunfire and finds Andrea’s side of the bed empty. Andrea finds Grant Brown (Trevor Major) with a shotgun and Trudy dead. She warns that Liam and Nash will be upset when they learn he killed their dog. When Andrea returns home, Helen asks what is going on. Andrea curses her and goes to get dressed for work. Helen confesses to having slept with Rose. Andrea reminds her that she tried to warn her but she would not listen. Helen claims to want to be there with her and Kirra. Kirra emerges from her room. Andrea asks Helen to leave. Kirra says she is going with Helen. Andrea agrees before slamming the door shut behind her. Later, Andrea struggles to concentrate on her work. Refusing to take paternity leave, Brett says several hundred thousand were invested into Artemis Fidelity Holdings over several years. He points out a payment of 200 grand made by Bryan Harris (Geoff Morrell).

A search warrant is executed at the Harris house produces a handgun, a large sum of cash, jewelry, and passports. Maddie Harris (Annie Chiswell) asks Rez what is going on but he declines to tell her anything. Bryan claims to have considered investing 200 grand into Artemis but backed out. Andrea tells him that Claire was having an affair with one of the board members, David Miers. He denies knowing about the affair until just recently. At the police station, Brett and Andrea are going through Bryan’s files when they find Maddie’s sonogram image from Fairhaven. Rose agreed to let Kirra and Helen stay at The Farm. Kirra bluntly suggests Rose slept with Helen. Rose says they can stay as long as they like for free.

Andrea confronts Bryan about Max Phillips delivering Maddie in 1998, the same year as the 200-grand payment to Artemis. She says Michael Novak was employed with Adoptions Victoria, Haber, and Phillips were obstetricians, and Jean was a nurse and midwife. When she threatens to discuss it with Maddie, he admits to trying to adopt but he was too old. He claims Claire somehow knew they could help them bypass the adoption agencies. He denies killing anyone and pleads with her to not say anything to Maddie. Back at the police station, Andrea suggests David established Artemis specifically for the illegal adoption scheme that Haber took over after Phillips died. He says the killer could be someone with a grudge.

Mansfield Private Hospital – Sam wakes to find Andrea looking down. She tells him about kicking Helen out. He suggests she did it because she thought Helen was going to leave anyway. She says her mother abandoned her when she was five after her father died. Liz Whitford (Melissa Jaffer) denies Andrea is her daughter. Upon returning home, she finds Whitford among the names of people who made payments to Artemis. Steven and Elizabeth Whitford paid Artemis 25 grand on March 9, 1975. Her birth certificate reveals Phillips delivered her on September 3, 1975. The episode ends.

 

High Country Review

Andrea uncovers a straw company, Artemis established by corrupt attorney, David Miers to funnel money for an illegal adoption scheme. David and Claire were having an affair when they disappeared. Nurse Jean Grierson, pediatricians, Max Phillips and Haber, David, and Michael Novak, who worked for Adoptions Victoria, were Artemis Fidelity Holdings board members.

Unable to get pregnant, Claire convinced Bryan to pay Artemis 200 grand for a baby girl, Maddie. Andrea also learns her parents paid Artemis 20 grand on March 9, 1975. She was born on September 3, 1975.

Rachel’s DNA is detected on the front of Lachie’s Hyundai. Laim’s fingerprints were found on the steering wheel.

 

A story about an illegal adoption scheme is reasonable but to achieve originality, Andrea had to be thrown into the mix. The timing is completely off to the point of premature. Throughout the season, Liz’s memory switched on and off, only sometimes did she remember Andrea. Not so unusual for a dementia-ridden mother to forget her offspring. I, like many viewers, thought nothing of it when she denied Andrea as her daughter.

The plot twist feels a bit cliché. The season will most likely end on a cliffhanger, with Andrea hell-bent on finding her biological parents. A second season will surely depend on viewership.

The episode deserves a 5.8 out of 10. Get more High Country recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Learn how advertising with us can help build your brand awareness. Join our newly established forum to discuss a variety of topics.