Episode 7 opens with the 10 and-under soccer league’s Head Coach (Shem Le Scelle) hanging by his ankles for a goal while Khalid (Arka Das) punts soccer balls at him. Maz (Jacob Hohua) looks on in amusement as the coach pleads for leniency and apologies for the team’s losing ways. Khalid isn’t very forgiving.

Amanda Pharrell (Nicole Chamoun) and Ted Conkaffey (Thomas Jane) are still at the small plantation when Ezra/Twist (Simon Lyndon) shows up to acknowledge the message. After several traded insults, it is revealed that it was Twist who gave Taylah/Tayla (Miah Madden) the money to hire them. Amanda is outraged by the discovery and continues to dwell on it all the way back to the office. Ted assures her that they don’t need Twist to continue their investigation and they owe it to Raph/Raphael (Ethan Lwin) to bring Julian Naughton’s (Andrew Buchanan) killer to justice.

The following morning, Ted briefly discusses Kelly (Radha Mitchell) and Lilly (Molly Belle Wright) staying with him. Despite everything good that’s happened, Kelly makes it clear that she has no intention of staying. Ted hints are returning with her but she doesn’t appear so keen on that idea either.

At the offices, Amanda continues to dwell on Brooke Phelps’s (Sara West) text and the fact that Colin Finch (Brett Tucker) continues to show up in all the right places at the wrong times. Ted appears to be more interested in questioning Tayla, so they apply the divide-and-conquer method.

Ted doesn’t just confront Tayla about all her lies but he takes her to the police station and threatens to give the police the address to the small field. The sight of Detective Sweeney (Zindzi Okenyo) is enough to scare Tayla into sharing everything from Twist bailing out the banana plantation to Ronnie (Ursula Yovich) being behind the field. Other than a fright and comb with possible DNA traces, Amanda doesn’t get much more from her search of Colin’s room thanks to his unannounced return.

While Ronnie, Raph, and Tayla make plans to leave Crimson Lake, Amanda visits Sweeney at the station to share her discovery from Colin’s room. Sweeney not only refuses to use the comb, but she practically vilifies Amanda for even assuming that she would. Their dispute doesn’t get much longer thanks to the unexpected return of Sergeant Hench (Ling Cooper Tang).

As evening approaches Tayla and Ronnie enjoy the time they have left at the plantation while Ted has dinner with Lilly and Kelly. Amanda and Sweeney appear to squash their beef for the moment after Amanda blames her lone-wolf mentality on prison life. Although Sweeney tells her that she is no longer in prison, they appear to come to an understanding of sorts. Sharon/George (Fletcher Humphrys) and Linda/Reggie (Meyne Wyatt) get an unexpected visit from Twist, who is not at all happy with the way they have been treating their dogs. It’s also pretty clear that he suspects them of murdering Julian, although they aren’t given a chance to deny it. The scene ends with him unleashing the dogs on them.

Amanda is still running down leads on the Claire Bingley (Jessi Robertson) case when Ted joins her at the offices. It is quickly decided that they’ve done enough talking on Julian’s case and it’s time for action. This leads them to Family Tree where they help themselves into one of Julian’s storage lockers. They don’t get very far before Raph catches them. Despite their illegal activity, Amanda and Ted go at Raph hard, which leads to them learning that Julian really had nothing to do with the Devil Breath. It was only through dumb luck during a trip upstate that Julian discovered the truth.

While preparing for a delivery, Twist subtly threatens Ronnie about leaving. Much to his surprise, she tells him that she isn’t going anywhere but Tayla and Raph are. Although it’s not confirmed, it appears that he agrees to let them go. Sweeney decides to take Amanda’s advice but still refuses to use the comb. Instead, she pulls him over and gives him a breathalyzer that she later has Doctor Val (Angela Punch McGregor) run against the DNA discovered under Brooke’s fingernails.

Ted and Amanda discuss Kelly’s return to Sydney while they trace the path Julian took through the woods on the night he died. Before they discover a portable orange gas container that was likely misidentified as the orange backpack he was seen carrying, Ted assures her that he is going to see the case through. At nearly the same time they realize how close they are to the field, Colin breaks into Ted’s house and leaves a present in Lilly’s room.

Not long after sharing the location of the possible second crime scene with authorities, Hench discovers what appear to be pieces of a broken taillight. Leaving the site for further processing, Amanda and Ted decide to check the taillight on Sharon and Linda’s vehicle. Although the taillight is obviously entirely different, the absence of the barking dogs raises their concern. Nearly seconds after discovering the reason for the silence, Khalid shows up with a limping Linda and cleaning supplies.

Amanda immediately wants to go after Twist for revenge but Ted talks her down. He does, however, get her to realize that Khalid will likely go after someone Twist loves if he can’t find Twist. After a quick call to Tayla reveals that Raph is missing, they decide to separate in order to better their chances. Just as Ted locates him at Julian’s grave, Amanda receives a return call from one of the puppy breeders. The breeder not only remembers the man who bought Ruby as Stuart Smith but she has his contact information as well. Much to her surprise, the number leads to Colin Finch.

The episode ends with Amanda calling and telling Ted about her discovery. Before he really has time to digest it, he and Raph are t-boned by Linda.

 

Troppo Review

A heck of an episode for Ted and Amanda but far too long. Everything that happened could have happened in half the time and probably even been better. I never would have fingered Colin for being involved in Ted’s case, if this is how it is going to turn out. That’s sure how things are looking. If this is the case, it should be interesting to learn why he wanted to frame Ted. I’d give the episode a 5.5 out of 10.

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