Original subtitles

(DEL SHANNON'S 'RUNAWAY')

- # As I walk along,

# I wonder

# a-what went wrong with our love.

# A love that was so strong.

# And as I still walk on,

# I think of

# the things we've done together

# while our hearts were young.

# I'm a-walking in the rain. #

- Whew. She's a thing of beauty.

(MUSIC FADES)

- Look at that, hon. I actually fixed it.

- Only took me five weeks.

(GLENCOE FT. FINLAY TATE'S 'SUGAR')

www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2026.

- Come on, lightweights.

A toast.

To Tomo.

- To Tomo. - Yup. To Tomo. - To Tomo.

- To Tomo. To Tomo! Pathetic.

He'd be partying with me. Not like you losers.

- Says the guy drinking blue curacao like it's 2001.

- 2001. Yeah.

Back when Devlin still thought he was gonna make the All Blacks.

Come on, boys. This weekend's meant to be like the old days.

Like all those summers here just rinsin' it until sunrise.

GRUNTS: Mm. - Waste of good sleeping-in time, bro.

- Oh Jesus. Don't start talking about your kids again, Devlin. It's boring.

- No, that would be the 40-year-old sad guy who peaked in high school.

- Another toast. Right? To Tomo.

- (SIGHS) - Piss off.

- Peaked at high school.

At least I don't go there for my girlfriends.

- A ha ha (!) - Ross.

Why'd you bring her on a boys' trip?

Couldn't find a babysitter? - Come on. Mitchell.

- Hey. Blondie.

What is it you see in him?

- Where's your lady, Mitch? Oh, that's right. She left you.

Can't think of why.

- You wanna say that again, dickhead? - Come on, guys. Mitch.

- Shithead then... shithead now. - LAUGHS: Oh yeah?

(DOOR OPENS) - Hello? - Mm.

Hi. - Hiya.

- Hey, Room 2. I was gonna take a look at your sink.

- Yeah, you might wanna sort what's happening out there first.

- Let's go. - (LAUGHS)

- I kicked your arse in year 12. - You kicked my arse? Bullshit.

- Yeah. And I'll do it again. - Try it. - Come on! Guys.

- Try it. (SHOUTING OVERLAPS)

- Hey, hey, hey. Easy. Easy. Easy. You good?

- Aargh! Aargh! Aargh! - Vin.

- Take your hands off me! - Sorry. Sorry.

- This is bullshit!

What are you looking at?! - OK.

- I'm? I'm so sorry.

- You know what? There's a great fish and chip shop down by the beach. Let's just...

call it a night, eh? - We lost a friend...

a year ago today. Um...

We thought it would be a good idea to, you know,

gather? - It's OK, babe.

Emotions are running high. - We can sort this out. You go.

- Yeah, look. My... blocked sink. It can wait.

- Right. (CLEARS THROAT) We should? - Hey, Vin.

- Yep. Don't manhandle the guests. - Yeah. - Yep.

- That'd be good. - Mm-hm.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

(DISTANT TRAFFIC PASSES)

(SEAGULLS CAW)

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC CONTINUES)

(WATER TRICKLES)

- Never underestimate the stupidity of your average motel guest.

- Although we have been having problems with the plumbing since we got here.

- Yeah. The old owners never kept on top of things.

- Well, yeah? (STAMMERS) Wait. Don't.

- Hello. Housekeeping.

- Pretty sure he's not in there, Cole. He would've noticed the flooding.

- Still polite to knock, Vinny. - Yup.

Aargh... (CLICKS TONGUE).

MUTTERS: God.

- Glad we replaced the carpet.

(WATER RUSHES)

- He's gone out and left the taps on.

- Told you. Stupid. - Well, it's payback for me putting him on the ground.

There was a situation I was trying to de-escalate. Anyway.

(GRUNTS)

WHISPERS: Shit.

(DOOR OPENS, WATER RUSHES)

Oh shit.

(MARLON WILLIAMS' 'PARTY BOY')

- Come on, Mitchell.

- # Party boy.

# Everybody looks at you how they do. #

- You've gotta be kidding.

- You know there's a reason people drift apart after high school, eh.

- Ross? Shall we go?

(CAR APPROACHES)

- Ah.

- (EXHALES) Kia ora.

Constable Jamie Haira.

Seen you around town. - Pete Coleman ? Cole.

My wife, Vinny. - Hello.

- Oh. Surf was up.

Sometimes you can't say no.

- (CHUCKLES THINLY)

- Unit, uh, 3. - Oh. - Um...

- Sure he knows what he's doing.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

- So, we've, um, turned off the taps, but otherwise kept the scene secure.

Was that a police protocol handbook? - Yeah. Yeah, it was.

So, uh... accidental drowning.

- Do you want me to talk to the friends, get next of kin while you wait for the paramedics?

- It's a bit late for paramedics.

(CLICKS TONGUE) - No, to... do the VOD.

- Oh. Right.

(CHUCKLES) You sound like you know what you're talking about.

- Oh, yeah. Uh... (CHUCKLES WRYLY) Police background. Retired now.

- I actually haven't done a VOD yet. - Ah. Must be pretty quiet around here.

- CHUCKLES: Yeah. Yeah, it is.

And also, I've only been here since October. - Oh, yeah?

Where were you before? - Police college.

Yeah. This is? This is quite a new gig for me, so...

Sorry I'm smiling. I'm shitting myself.

- Do you want me to do the VOD?

- (STAMMERS) That'd be amazing. I'll talk to the friends.

- OK. - Hey, I appreciate it, uh...

- Oh, Vanessa ? Vinny. - Vinny.

I owe you one.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

- I mean, he was pissed, yeah, but...

- How can we have lost another mate?

- Year ago to the day since Tomo.

- (CLEARS THROAT)

Remember how you said not to ship the CDs because we'd never use them?

Kaboom-ba. (CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS)

(SANDIE SHAW'S 'IF YOU EVER NEED ME' PLAYS)

Vinny. - (EXHALES)

- Unit 3. I just... (SIGHS)

I don't think it was an accident. - No, you don't.

- Cole, come on. You were wondering too. He was fully clothed.

- Vinny, no.

One idiot, too much drink, sad.

Dumb accident.

(EXHALES DEEPLY) Come here.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

Fresh start, remember?

- Yup. OK.

People die all the time. Not always murder.

- # My darlin',

# if only

# you knew ?

# I'm missin' you.

# Wanting to be

# kissing you.

# Well... #

- Well, I'm here to talk to the friends. Ask them to stick around.

- There's been a development? - Big one.

Yeah. News in from forensics?

Oh, it might be... confidential. - Oh, it's? it's fine. We're not civilians.

- We are 100% civilians.

- Prelim autopsy results. Something's shown up.

- Nothing.

As in no water on the lungs. - He didn't drown.

WHISPERS: Told you.

- This is the bit where I call in the big guns. Right?

The real police. - You're not the real police?

- But I'm gonna do the preliminary statements.

And shout out if you need anything? - I'm sure Constable Haira doesn't need us?

- No, but if he wanted to. - He doesn't.

- He might. - Doesn't.

(CLUNK!)

- Thanks for the coffee.

- CHUCKLES: Hmm.

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

It just feels wrong we're sitting here doing nothing.

- We are running our new motel. - (SIGHS)

And staying in our lane. OK. Fine.

- (INHALES SHARPLY)

- What do you mean, don't leave town?

- I just need to take a few more statements. - Nah. I've gotta get home

to my daughters, and this is stupid. No one actually killed Mitchell.

- Well, I don't think that's what the police officer is saying.

Oh, it is. You are saying that.

- The situation's just not as straightforward as we first thought.

- Nah.

- (EXHALES SLOWLY)

So do we postpone rock 'n' roll night?

- Suppose so.

All done? - Yeah.

They're not stoked. Acted like I'd accused them of something.

- All of them did, or anyone in particular? - Vinny.

- Look. They'll be OK. (CAR ENGINE REVS, THUD!)

(METAL CREAKS, ENGINE REVS)

(ENGINE STARTS)

(METAL CREAKS) - SIGHS: Oh...

- Oh, for fu...

- Constable, what are you doing? Go!

- He? He might just be going to the shop or something.

- (EXCLAIMS)

- He's not going to the shop, is he? (CAR DOOR SLAMS)

- Call another unit. Get him blocked off before he can leave town. (CAR STARTS)

- We don't have another unit. I'm it.

(CAR ENGINE RUMBLES)

- Take it easy? (TYRES SCREECH) ...love.

(PLUTO'S "ROCK 'N' ROLL")

- # Take the colours of New Year,

# brushing the plain...

- No, no. You go ahead.

(PLUTO'S "ROCK 'N' ROLL" CONTINUES)

Gotcha. (ENGINE RUMBLES)

(TYRES SCREECH)

(TYRES SCREECH)

(FINAL ROCK GUITAR FLOURISH)

You wanna step out of the vehicle?

- I was gonna pay the bill online. I-I was. - It's not about that.

Taking off when you hear there's a police investigation? It's not a great look, mate.

- Yeah. I-I'm just, um... I need to get home to my kids.

- Full-time dad, huh? - Yeah.

And didn't Mitch love giving me shit about it.

Which is fine.

Uh, we're old mates, eh.

- Did Mitch give everyone shit, or were you special?

- Why are you so interested? - Can't help myself.

Cole and I, we're ex-police. New South Wales Homicide Division.

- Ah. Ah, well, um...

Ross was the main punching bag. Uh...

Mitchell used to call him Povvo Ross

cos he was at our school on scholarship. - Aha.

- And now he's more successful than all of us.

- After you and Mitchell fought last night, you didn't see him again?

- No. Uh... I? I went to my room.

Uh, I called home.

Uh, my wife was having trouble getting the girls to sleep, so, um,

we Zoomed, and, uh, I sung them lullabies till they drifted off. - CHUCKLES: Hmm.

- Shit. Do you really think that someone killed Mitchell?

- (CLICKS TONGUE) Oh, I don't think he got drunk and fell into a spa bath, put it that way.

- Yeah. Me neither.

Last year the wife and I got a hot tub, right,

and Mitchell said he couldn't think of anything worse.

Sitting in hot water ? he hates it.

He wouldn't get into the motel spa yesterday.

Why would he go back to his room and have one?

(SIRENS WAIL)

Oh no. Am I gonna be arrested?

- No. - (SIGHS SOFTLY)

(SLOW WESTERN GUITAR MUSIC)

So, Devlin's gonna send Jamie evidence of a Zoom call last night.

- Good. And then we're gonna stay out of it.

Hey, where are those little packets of long-life milk?

- But looking at the group as a whole... - (EXHALES SLOWLY)

- ...who's the odd one out?

The girlfriend, Shaylah.

- Like the Blondie song? - Yeah. I said that to her, babe, when they checked in,

and nothing. Just (BLOWS RASPBERRY) total blank.

- Well, just because she has no musical knowledge, it doesn't make her a murderer.

Now, you wanna, uh... find an end?

- Oh, I can't. Yeah. Little packets of milk calling my name.

(BLONDIE'S 'SHAYLA')

- # Shayla

# worked in a factory.

# She wasn't history.

# She's just a number.

# One day

# she gets her final pay,

# and she goes far away.

# Oh, whoa-oh, oh,

# Whoa-oh, oh-oh.

# Oh, whoa-oh, oh,

# Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, whoa... #

- Oh. Sorry. (LAUGHS)

Oh. (CHUCKLES) Hey.

- Doing my online stalking. - Oh. Right.

- Ex-girlfriends, potentials. You gotta know who you're dealing with.

I have a no vegans policy.

- Hey, Saffron. Could you... could you look into someone for me?

- Yeah. Ex-boyfriend, is it?

- Oh, no.

No.

(LOW, MYSTERIOUS JAZZ MUSIC)

- So this Mitchell guy follows Shaylah, but she doesn't follow him back.

- Hmm. - He's liked heaps on her grid...

all the way back to 2022, which means he's scrolled back. Ew.

- Devlin said Shaylah and Ross have only been together three months.

- Yeah. That lines up. He starts showing up on her feed around then.

- OK, so Mitchell likes his mate's girlfriend. Did that get him killed?

- Almost got me killed once.

Enough said. - (CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)

- Whoa. Unexpected.

I wondered what Shaylah does for a job,

because her post is straight up flexing and she never seems to work.

So I was thinking sugar baby, but I just did a quick image search, and...

- She's a nurse practitioner.

(MYSTERIOUS JAZZ MUSIC CONTINUES)

Hey.

You've been entertaining while I was out.

- Actually, this glass... (SIGHS)

is evidence.

- SOFTLY: Oh. - CHUCKLES: Yeah, OK. I took a quick look at the crime scene.

- Oh, that's naughty, Cole ? not waiting till Homicide turns up.

- Well, they're taking their sweet time.

And now Jamie can dust it for prints, get a head start.

- So someone was in the room with Mitchell that night? - Yep.

- Anything else? - Yep ? what I didn't find.

The bottle the dead guy was drinking from.

- So whoever used this glass likely took the bottle from the room. Why?

- Because of the poison, I guess.

- (CLICKS TONGUE) OK.

Guess who I just saw at the pub? Having lunch and looking quite settled.

- Shaylah.

(DOOR UNLOCKS)

(STEALTHY MUSIC)

(INTRIGUING ROCKABILLY GUITAR MUSIC)

(VEHICLE APPROACHES)

(CELL PHONE VIBRATES)

- (WHISPERS) God.

How many do you need for one weekend?

- (MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY) - See ya later.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- I can't. - Tired? - Nup.

- Oh. Gidday.

- Hey. - How was town?

- Uh, yeah, we, uh, had a drink for Mitchell. Still can't quite get our heads around it.

- Understandable. - Yeah. - Big shock.

You know what? (CHUCKLES)

Times like this, you need... a distraction.

Yeah, my wife and I, this is? (BLOWS AIR) a few years back ? we, uh...

We did dancing lessons. Rock 'n' roll.

- Ha. - Yeah, it was our respite.

You know, when you're working hard day and night, sometimes you just... (INHALES DEEPLY)

You just forget to breathe. - BOTH: Yeah.

You know, so twice a week, we'd, um...

Well, we'd hit the dancing studio, and just whoo-hoo-hoo, daddy...

- (CHUCKLES) - ...let the world disappear. - Wow.

I don't wanna be rude, but bye.

WHISPERS: Yeah. Yeah.

- Vinny. Vinny. They're coming.

- WHISPERS: Why didn't you stall them? (DOOR UNLOCKS)

(SLIDING DOOR OPENS)

(SLIDING DOOR CLOSES)

- These people are mental. - Devin said they used to be police detectives.

- That's so messed up. - Try not to worry, Shay.

- Gonna go have a shower.

(INTRIGUING MUSIC CONTINUES)

(CURIOUS GUITAR FLOURISH)

(STEALTHY JAZZ MUSIC)

- Shh.

(SIGHS)

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

- You climbed out the window. - Yeah.

- You could've just said you were refreshing the towels.

- You make a good point.

- (SIGHS SOFTLY)

- Next time I'll bring props. - No next time.

Can't be snooping around and get...

You nicked the woman's make-up? - She's got so much, she won't even notice.

I'll put it back after.

- If we'd installed security cameras, we'd know exactly who was in Mitchell's room.

- Way to kill the holiday vibe.

We don't need cameras, Cole.

(POP!)

Come on, Shaylah. I know you were in Mitchell's hotel room that night.

Oh, hey. We were just...

trying to find a match for the lipstick mark.

- Jaffa Delight. From the Main Beach Rd chemist.

My ex used to wear it all the time.

- Right. Well, I'm pretty sure your ex didn't have a drink with Mitchell in his motel room the night he died.

- Yeah, so it'll be old mate in Unit 2.

- Maxine. - Spotted it on her the first second I saw her.

(DOOR OPENS)

- Gidday. - Hello.

- Hey, um, would you mind answering a? a quick question?

- I'm a open book, Mr Coleman. - Did you know Mitchell Gould?

- No, I didn't know him. - Right.

It's just that there are? there are two wine glasses in every room,

but there were three in Mitchell's the morning after the night before.

Do you, um? Do you have both your wine glasses here, Maxine? - Yeah, I do.

And I'd like to get back to my Jojo Moyes now. I'm on holiday.

- She lied. - Definitely.

That's her wine glass.

- Wanna know what else? Maxine's check-in details.

She's not from Auckland like she says.

- So where, then? - Main Beach Rd, Mowai Bay.

- So if she lives around the corner, why is she staying at our motel?

(CAR APPROACHES)

- Maxine? - I'll go. - No, no. I will.

- I can. - Shall we argue a bit longer and make absolutely sure we lose her (?)

(DOOR SHUTS)

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

Hi. Um...

I just saw my... cousin coming out of here shopping for our aunt's birthday,

and, um... I don't wanna double up, so can you tell me what she purchased?

- Well, what were you thinking of getting your aunt?

- Depends on what my cousin bought.

- Well, we have this lovely room spray. Is she a home scent person?

- Can you just tell me? (LAUGHS AWKWARDLY) - What kind of cousin?

- Hmm? - First cousins?

- Did she buy wine glasses? one ? one wine glass?

I will buy a room spray.

Will you tell me then? - I am more inclined

to make conversation with paying customers, yes. - Mm.

- $70.

- S?? - Thank you.

- (CLEARS THROAT)

(CELL PHONE CHIMES)

- My previous customer purchased one wine glass.

You're welcome.

(CURIOUS JAZZ MUSIC)

- (EXHALES)

- Our wine glasses are a lot cheaper than the ones at the gift store, just FYI.

- Oh, you know. Andrea gets hers from the city and hikes up the prices.

She's shameless. - Which you know, because...

you're a local.

- Yeah. OK.

Uh... I have owned a holiday home here for the last 22 years.

And now that my husband's gone, I've decided to live here permanently. - I'm sorry for your loss.

- Oh God. The prick didn't die. He just left.

Anyway, I have some leaks, and they're getting fixed,

and while they're getting fixed, I've decided to stay at your very lovely motel.

- Why were you in Mitchell's room the night he died?

- Look, guys. Every? Every New Year's Eve, this town is filled to the brim with teenagers.

They're drinking, they're partying.

Years ago, Mitchell was one of those teenagers.

I met him... late one night.

He was... 17,

and I was a very youthful thirty...

three.

Anyways, he was stumbling on the beach. He was drunk, he was crying, he couldn't find hismates,

so I took him home, fed him...

He made a pass at me, and then puked all over the patio.

Hmm. Then his mates came to pick him up the next day.

He was bragging that he'd scored himself a MILF. - Mm. Charming.

- Aw, I didn't really mind. Things weren't going great with Barry.

It was a nice little ego boost.

- And two nights ago?

- Well, when we saw each other, he pretended not to recognise me. I mean, he was even panicking.

- You know why? - Well, I had an inkling.

Later that night, I stepped outside for a menthol, and...

there he was. Right next door.

- Bludge one of those?

- So I took my drink, went to his room, had a chat.

He just begged me not to let his mates know that I was the MILF ? and the rest.

- He was worried about a 20-year-old secret.

- Well, you know these alpha male types.

If they knew their mate, the big stud, had crashed in the spare room and wee-weed on the bed...

- OK. So... (CHUCKLES) you drink your wine, then leave.

- Back to my unit to read.

- His bottle of blue liqueur ? did you see it in his room?

- Did you, uh, steal that from daddy's liquor cabinet, did you?

- Yes. Great, great, great. Very funny. Ha ha (!)

And thanks.

That night...

made me the legend I am today.

(LAUGHS) - (CHUCKLES)

Mitchell didn't deserve what happened.

Sometimes, these big-talking blokes, they just...

they're just insecure little boys under it all.

(DOOR OPENS)

- Hi. - Hi. Um...

one of my make-up bags has been stolen from our room. - Oh.

Oh. No, I-I'm... I think I saw one of those in lost property.

- Uh, how? how would it be in lost property? I haven't taken it anywhere.

- Housekeeping must've gathered it up with the towels.

- What kind of incompetent staff? - It's OK, babe. There's no harm done.

- Look, I know it's not easy having to hang around.

Police forensics will be back with a toxicology report any minute now.

- Good. Because this is insane. - Ah...

- Oh, Shaylah. Um... Do you mind me asking ?

did Mitchell ever hit on you?

- Uh? sorry, I don't think that's appropriate.

- So that's the police angle. - No, no, not police. Just... curious.

- If I murdered every 40+ guy who grabbed my arse,

there would be no one left in Ponsonby. - Mitchell grabbed your arse?

- I'm so over this shithole.

- So... (SIGHS) Maxine knew Mitchell. - Mm-hm.

- But I can't find a logical motive.

- Anything gone walkabout?

If it was opportunistic, someone could've grabbed something from in here.

- Yeah. Not that I can see.

- Or it wasn't opportunistic.

Maybe there was already beef.

Come on, Cole, you're in this. You wanna know as much as I do.

- Fine. Come on.

- Thanks for this, Jamie. Just a quick look before digital forensics do their thing.

- It's allowed. Right? - Totally. Yep, yep. - Oh yeah. Absolutely.

- (CLEARS THROAT) OK.

So... no mention of Shaylah in recent emails.

Ooh. Hang on. A week ago, Mitchell sent Ross a big file of video.

- No message? - He's written 28.15.

(MURMURS) - Huh.

Looks like a recording of a livestream. A funeral.

Tomo's?

- We've lost the glue that... holds us all together.

(TAPE REWINDS)

- Tomo fought so hard. But... he couldn't win in the end.

- The timecode. - Hmm?

- The message that Mitchell wrote.

28.15. It's referring to? - The timecode.

(KEYBOARD CLICKS)

- OK. Pallbearers.

Ross, Devlin.

Random old gu? - Oh.

- Oh. Hold the bus.

(CHUCKLES) Different hair, but?

- Shaylah.

So much for only meeting Ross and his mates three months ago.

- So Mitchell sent this to Ross, showing him that she was at the funeral.

- Looks like it. - Oh, hang on.

There's a 'Tomo' folder on Mitchell's desktop.

Car insurance, a bunch of paperwork for Thomas Preble.

- Did Mitchell have power of attorney or something?

- Oh, Cole.

- Oh shit. - Mm-hm.

- Someone wanna share? - OK.

So about 10 years ago, Cole decided to get life insurance.

- After a close call at work. - But they turned him down. - Homicide detective.

- Plus, he drank and smoked like a chimney. - OK, love.

- Anyway, the point is, they refused to give him cover for life insurance.

- And yet, Tomo here got a policy even though he was...

terminally ill. - Hmm.

- So he wasn't terminally ill when he took the policy out.

- Uh-uh.

- OK. That's weird. - Mm. You wanna know what's weirder?

Look at the sole beneficiary.

- Ross. How??

- You could probably cheat the system if you had, say,

a medical professional willing to lie.

- Mm. And Ross had one of those.

His girlfriend.

(MYSTERIOUS JAZZ MUSIC)

- Fresh towels.

Oh. Um... one more thing.

Can you tell me about the life insurance policy Ross's friend Tomo had?

- Sorry? - You don't know about it?

- Why would I? I never met Tomo. - Oh. Um, Tomo took out a policy,

the sole beneficiary being his mate Ross.

- Get out. - Insurance fraud could be motive for murder

if anyone found out.

- How dare you. - And so could falsifying medical records.

The cancer was advanced when he was diagnosed, and yet he still got a life insurance policy.

- Hey, uh, what's going on?

You OK, babe? - No. She's saying that?

I just need to get outta here.

- Get our bill ready. We're leaving. - Oh, you might wanna check with Constable Haira first.

- You're not the only motel around here.

(DOOR OPENS)

- Shaylah and Ross didn't wanna talk about his insurance fraud.

Whatcha got there? - Thought it was time for a break.

- Mm. OK.

CHUCKLES: Hmm.

Look at us. Living the dream. (CHUCKLES)

(GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC)

- You sure?

- Hmm? - Oh, well, I've never seen you so excited about a potential homicide.

- Oh, you know me. If there's a question, I wanna know the answer.

- (SIGHS)

Vin...

You know you didn't have to...

walk away. Right? If you feel like you've made the wrong decision.

- It was never a decision, Cole.

Wherever you go, I go.

No looking back.

I love you.

- You loved your career, too. - (CHUCKLES)

- Hi. I'm Vinny Coleman.

- Oh. - I run a motel.

- Oh. - Yeah. And, um...

I'm not letting you go ever again.

(MUSIC SOARS)

Well... (SIGHS) back to reality.

Back to the blocked sink.

- If I can't fix it tomorrow, I'll call the plumber.

An overpriced plumber who'll probably charge an arm and a l? - Hey!

Litterbug!

- Vin!

(ACTION MUSIC)

- (GRUNTS)

- Get off! Get off! (SPITS) What are you doing?

- What did you throw in the sea, Ross?

- Why did you follow me down to the beach?

- We were here first. - Well, I was just? you know,

taking a walk! - Was it a liqueur bottle?

- You know, we aredefinitely leaving tomorrow. And...

And you're lucky I don't have you charged with assault.

- It was Ross. Still didn't wanna talk.

- What did you do?

- Just... stopped him running.

- Well, whatever he wanted to get rid of has floated

just out there past the waves. You see?

Or is that a bit of driftwood? - According to Ross, he threw nothing.

- Well, who's gonna go get this 'nothing'?

- (SCOFFS) Well, I tackled him.

S-Stopped him running, I mean.

- What have I told you about physically restraining motel guests?

Hold that. - (CHUCKLES) - (INHALES SHARPLY, GRUNTS)

(LIGHTS BUZZ)

(LAID-BACK STEEL GUITAR MUSIC)

- Can you tell us what it's about? - It's OK, Shay.

Just some more routine questions, I'm sure.

- OK, well, can you make it quick? Cos we're moving motels today.

- It's OK, darling. Go pack. I won't be long.

- (SIGHS)

- Yeah, I'm still thinking I should wait.

- No way. He tried to dispose of the murder weapon last night.

- Yeah, but Detective Granger from City Homicide ? she's on her way, you know?

- She's been on her way for days. What is she, walking from Auckland?

- Just see what Ross says about throwing a liqueur bottle.

He's looking terrified. He might just fold.

(CURIOUS MUSIC)

- Do you wanna sit in?

That way if Detective Granger kicks my arse, I can blame you.

(LAID-BACK STEEL GUITAR MUSIC)

(PHONE RINGS)

- Hey. - Tox report came back.

- And? - And... nothing.

Booze. Nicotine. That's it. Maybe a medical event took him out.

- One of those two was in Mitchell's room the night of.

One of them took the liqueur bottle, Ross tossed it in the sea, and you're concluding?

- (SCOFFS) I'm not concluding anything.

We're detaining him until...

something comes up.

(DOOR OPENS) - Excuse me, love. My sink's still not draining.

- Cole? - Yep, I heard. I'll pop back.

- He's coming.

(MIKE HALL'S 'SHORTEST STRAW')

- # Who drew the shortest,

# who drew the shortest straw?

(GLUG!)

# You know

# it surely wasn't you.

# Who drew the shortest,

# who drew the shortest straw?

(BLOCKAGE GLUGS)

# It surely wasn't you. #

- One, I stink.

Two, I cleared the blockage in the pipes.

- Remember that time you were giving up smoking

and you didn't read the directions on the patches properly,

and you got? - Nicotine poisoning.

Yeah. I remember. Felt like death.

(CHUCKLES)

You're pretty bloody good, aren't you, Detective Coleman? - I like to think so.

And I'm always surprised at what people think they can flush.

- Oh ho ho.

Oh yeah. We are bloody good.

- And if you'd like to leave us a Google review?

- Are you joking?

Here's my review. There's no minibar, and the owners are freaks.

- It's OK. I know it's just the nicotine withdrawals talking.

You were attached to your vape from the minute you got here.

But after Mitchell died, you appeared to go cold turkey.

You didn't even take it to the pub with you.

- Cos I had no refills. And this stupid-arse backwards town ran out.

- Cole's an ex-smoker. I know how organised you have to be when you head out of town.

But you were. You had four refills with you.

But where did they go?

(ANTICIPATIVE MUSIC)

(DOOR OPENS)

- Where's Ross? We wanna leave. - Still at the station.

- Ross has confessed to killing Mitchell.

- Really? - What?

But... What'd he say? - He made a full statement.

He laced Mitchell's bottle with liquid nicotine and then dropped him in the bath.

Just to make sure. And he flushed the capsules.

- And he just offers this up to a junior constable?

He goes to all the trouble of killing a man to keep his secret, and then he just caves?

- Ross will have to stay in custody until we can get to court next week. - No, this is bullshit.

You must've coerced him or asked leading questions or something.

- No, I-I? actually, I don't know how to do that kind of thing yet.

I'm new, so. - We need a lawyer. His lawyer.

- Ross called his lawyer already.

- He wouldn't hurt a fly.

He is the kindest, best person I've ever met.

OK? He didn't do it. He didn't...

- Well.

She's right.

Because...

you did it.

That right, Shaylah?

Mitchell had been drinking that blue crap all afternoon,

and you were on edge because he had something over you.

- What is it you see in him?

- You and Ross. And I'm guessing that this weekend, he threatened to use it.

So you went to Mitchell's room, tried to change his mind...

with an oldie but, uh...

a goodie.

But he wasn't making it easy for you, was he, Shayla?

He knew what you were up to.

So in comes the backup plan.

You had a go at his drink.

Encouraged him to finish it. You're a nurse.

You know a high enough dose of nicotine is fatal.

He was crook. Throwing up, feeling like shit.

(THUD!)

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

- Ross deserves everything he's worked for.

He was the only one who visited Tomo.

Only one who came to chemo, supported him.

- You were Tomo's nurse? That's how you met Ross?

- The others didn't give a shit. And Tomo knew Ross just needed some capital.

It was his idea. It was his parting gift to Ross.

- It was very generous.

Not sure the insurance company he ripped off would agree.

- I offered him money.

Anything. But he wanted to take Ross down because he's spiteful and jealous.

I said, 'Please just let us get on with our lives.'

But he wouldn't. - Constable.

Did you forget about me? I've been waiting at the station.

- But? - He said he was going for a coffee.

- But? - Yeah, um...

Ross didn't confess.

- Sorry? - Oh, you sneaky sneaks.

- Really?

- It was worth a crack.

- The protocol handbook doesn't say anything about bullshitting.

But if it gets the job done...

- Well played, you two.

- Shay, for God's sakes ? what's going on?

- Come on, Ross. You know what she did. That's why you tossed the bottle.

Cos you found it, what, hidden in your room somewhere?

- I thought it was a bad look. I didn't think she'd actually done anything.

Darling.

- I just hated him so much. I'm sorry.

He was just never gonna leave us alone.

- Shaylah. You're under arrest for the murder of Mitchell Gould.

(EXPECTANT MUSIC)

- Don't worry, darling. I'll call my lawyer.

(GENTLE STEEL GUITAR MUSIC)

- (BLOWS AIR) - (CHUCKLES)

- She is a thing of beauty. Isn't she?

- We will get our rock 'n' roll motel warming someday. I promise.

- Yoohoo! Peter?

Oh, hey. Hey, just wondering what you guys are planning to do with Unit 3.

It's gonna be hard to fill after the murder. - Why do you ask?

- Well, it's just that my renovations are taking longer than expected,

so, look, I'm more than happy to take the murder room off your hands at a discount.

You let me know.

- I mean, a repeat guest... who can argue with that?

- Mm-hm. - (CHUCKLES)

- Oh? Ooh. Interrupting. - (LAUGHS) No, it's fine, Jamie.

How is the homicide detective? - Uh, pretty impressed, actually.

Yeah. Are you sure I can't tell her you guys helped me out?

- No, no. We? We hate attention. - Thank you.

Uh...

I almost felt like a real cop today.

- Jamie, mate, lose the imposter syndrome. You are a real cop.

- Throw away the police protocol handbook, you reckon?

- Oh, I wouldn't do that. - Mm... probably not.

- OK. No. (CHUCKLES)

The thing is, I, um...

I just gotta make this one stick, you know?

Well, like... when did you know you wanted to be in the police?

- Oh, when I was a little girl. Yeah. It was never anything else.

- See, I wish I felt like that about something. - It's not a calling for you.

- But could be. (WHISPERS) Can get pretty addictive.

- Anyway, uh... thanks. - Any time.

And hey, feel free to call if you want.

If anything comes up. - Sure thing. - Gotcha.

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

OK, you were right ? I do miss it just a little bit. - Mm.

- But there's no going back, and I am... fine with that.

- Well.

Constable Haira calls,

I don't suppose there's any problem with giving him a hand?

- Course. I mean, we probably won't even hear from him again.

- Nah. Probably not.

(PRINCE TUI TEKA'S 'LET'S FALL IN LOVE' PLAYS)

- (CHUCKLES)

Huh.

Ooh.

(LAUGHS)

- # Let's

# fall in love.

# Why shouldn't we

# fall in love?

- (LAUGHS)

- # Our hearts are made of it...

(KIDS LAUGH)

(UPBEAT, SPOOKY ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC)

- Everyone in town calls you Blue Murder Motel. - Do they?

(KABOOM!)

- You hear about the guy that blew himself up? Karma's a beautiful thing.

- Your victim, Gene ? he had no fixed address, no next of kin.

- Oh, hi. Won't be a second.

- The old owners never had this many guests. - Well, we like guests, Saffron.

That's? (BONK!) - Oh.

This wasn't? - Probably wasn't an accidental death.

- I heard you two used to be private investigators. Or still are?

- Aargh! - Honey, I thought we weren't allowed to do that to guests.

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