Series 2

Episode 14: Good Cop / Bad Cop Part I

Joni wakes up from a nightmare, Dean Stirling with a shotgun at her head asking her to choose between the two children, Which one will die? She rolls over to find David in bed with her. She stares at his sleeping form, recalling their previous night together. How will she tell Kees that she’s back on with David?

Kees has got other concerns – he’s commanding an undercover drugs sting which takes an unexpected twist when the drug courier, Miller, demands Sadie, the police undercover, snort a line to test the merchandise. Kees cannot let Sadie jeopardise her career and terminates the operation early. Everyone is frustrated as the operation has failed in its prime objective; nailing the methamphetamine drugs baron, Neilson. To make matters worse, once back at the police station Kees receives some devastating news. The District Commander removes him from active duty, due to an internal investigation into Kees’ conduct on the hostage operation, where Kees let his personal fears for Joni take over and assumed command of the Armed Offenders Squad when he knew the Duty Commander was on the way. The implication is clear: Kees’ career is on the line.

Kees asks David to defend him. David tries to wriggle out of it, but can’t tell the Kees the real reason for his reluctance – he’s sleeping with Joni. Oblivious, Kees berates David for not taking him on and becomes very emotional. David can see no way out and agrees reluctantly to act for Kees.

Joni is preparing to tell Kees about David, when Kees throws her by telling her that David is now acting for him. Kees expresses concern for trauma fallout Joni might be suffering from being taken hostage, but Joni takes it as a personal attack on her mental stability and orders him out of her apartment. Kees is understanding and leaves whilst urging her to seek help.

David becomes increasingly frustrated with Joni’s delay in telling Kees. She insists that she will tell him only when the time is right. Meanwhile, plagued by her conscience about the two boys she was taken hostage with, she becomes their temporary guardian. Adie has serious reservations about Joni’s state of mind but pledges her support anyway. The boys are delighted to see a familiar face and come alive.

DSS Jack Clifford, Kees’ arch-rival, has taken over the undercover operation against Neilson and has kept Sadie out there despite Kees’ suspicions that Sadie’s cover is blown. Kees tries to take a short-cut to Neilson by heavying Miller into telling him Neilson’s whereabouts. After a shakedown by Kees, Miller reluctantly pledges to meet with Kees the next day and give Kees the goods on Neilson.

Joni reveals to a psychologist the depth of her trauma. She tells the psychologist that she was forced at gun-point to choose which of the 2 boys was to die and she had done so, she had made that choice. Although all escaped unharmed she is appalled that she could have done such a thing. The trauma of that terrible choice is now confused in Joni’s mind with the choice between David and Kees.

She takes some comfort from the psychologist, but is plunged back into the depths, when a social worker arrives to take the boys to their aunty in the country. Joni is mortified with losing them and breaks up as they are driven away.

Kees’ plan to heavy Miller into potting Neilson backfires seriously, when he discovers Miller’s fresh corpse at their arranged rendezvous. Just as he is picking up the dead man’s cellphone the police swoop in led by DSS Clifford, his investigating officer. Kees has been set up to take the fall for Miller, but by whom?

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Episode 15: Good Cop / Bad Cop Part II

After being found alone with the still warm body of Miller, Kees is brought in to the police station for questioning. He maintains his innocence as David arrives to attempt to extricate him from this mess. As they are leaving Kees rings the last number dialled on Millers’ prepay and is startled to see Jack Clifford’s mobile ring. Not as shocked as Clifford though when he sees that a dead man is making the call.

Kees is now convinced that Clifford is on the take from the methamphetamine ring and warns his undercover oppo, Sadie, to be wary of him. Clifford seems intent on putting Kees away and when an audio tape is discovered of Kees threatening Miller, he is arrested and charged with murder. This causes Kees to snap and he attempts to physically attack Clifford but is restrained.

Meanwhile Joni is still agonising over her lack of ability to face Kees with the truth about her rekindled relationship with David. Rather than be confronted by either man she is instead avoiding the office altogether. Peter Wyeth has noticed her prolonged absences and confronts David, convinced he is to blame somehow. David reveals that an old fashioned love triangle is the cause and Peter cannot believe their adolescent behaviour. Joni visits her counsellor once more and realises that, in fact, she is not ready for a relationship at all. She meets with David to tell him of her need for more space. He acts understanding and supportive but his smile falls away as soon as she cannot see how much pain he is really in.

Out on bail Kees decides to take matters into his own hands once more, and begins a surveillance campaign. He is tailing a car when it instead comes after him and shoots out his driver’s window. He is lucky and survives this attack but it is clear the time has come to lay low. David takes him to his brother Samson’s car yard who reluctantly agrees to let Kees shelter there for a while.

Then surprisingly Clifford contacts Kees to set up a meeting. Kees warily attends, leaving David in the car. Clifford admits he is on the take but is now scared as he believes he will be Nielson’s next victim. He outlines a plan using Sadie as a decoy to lure Nielson into a trap. Kees is uncertain at first as he is worried about Sadie’s blown cover. Eventually though he agrees.

David and Kees are in the middle of Kees’ police complaints hearing when they receive a call that the drug bust is going down. They make an excuse to secure an adjournment and rush to the scene. Kees enters first to find he is the victim of a trap. Sadie has been injected by Clifford and needs urgent medical attention. As she slips further into unconsciousness Clifford, who is holding Kees at gunpoint, reveals that he was Neilson the Drug Baron all along. Clifford did not count on David however and just as he is about to kill Kees and then frame him for Sadie’s murder, David knocks him out and saves the day.

The police arrive and take a bitter Clifford into custody as David and Kees rush back to conclude the police complaints hearing. They arrive to find the District Commander has taken over the case and is willing to dismiss the complaint. All seems well for Kees until Joni arrives and tells him of her night of passion with David and her wish to end their relationship. He is devastated by this and when David returns to tell him of their victory his anger explodes with a right hook. David is down but not surprised.

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Episode 16: Baby Love

On a community radio station Tim advises a woman seeking paternity information to employ a lawyer and nail the alleged father for as much as she can get. David is less than impressed when the father turns out to be him. Joni, who is worried she may be may be pregnant to David, insists on "defending" him.

The child in question is an engaging 10yr old, Robbie, son of Maddy McGuire, David’s law school lover. Ignoring Joni’s instructions, David makes contact with Robbie and is enchanted by the boy – and by the idea of fatherhood. Joni is less enchanted by David’s readiness to assume responsibility for a child by another woman and insists on DNA blood tests for David and Robbie.

Meanwhile the case against DSS Jack Clifford is looking shaky at best. All hope of a conviction is hinging purely on Kees and David’s testimony that Clifford identified himself as Neilson, the drug baron, and Kees is concerned that Clifford’s henchmen will try to eliminate them.

Kees’ fears are confirmed when David is shot at in his apartment. Kees appoints himself David’s bodyguard and tries to stay close, much to David’s annoyance.

David gives Kees the slip and, against Joni’s advice, visits Maddy. She is surprised to see him after so long and questions his motives. She believes David has come out of charity and declares Robbie is not his son and she’s doing fine. David leaves still believing Robbie is his son and goes to visit him at school. He arrives during rugby practice and is happily roped into a game.

Joni visits Maddy at home and convinces her to let Robbie take the blood test. After his blood test David pays Robbie another visit. His grandmother is minding cannot help herself – she reveals to him that to make ends meet Maddy is working in a massage parlour. David is shocked and when he confirms that the grandmother is telling the truth, he tells Joni to draw up a maintenance agreement for Robbie.

Meanwhile, corrupt policeman DSS Clifford makes an abortive attempt to get bail, but when he’s refused, his reasons for applying become clear when he engineers his escape from the security van taking him from court back to prison. Clifford ruthlessly guns down the security guards and makes a speedy exit with his henchmen.

When Joni tells David that the blood test results are back, David asks her not to open them - his heart has already told him what the truth is. Joni can’t help herself. She tells David he’s not Robbie’s father. David is furious at Joni for telling him the news, and signs the maintenance agreement anyway – and instructs Joni not to send the blood test results to Maddy.

When Kees hears of Clifford’s escape, he tells a disconsolate David and that he’s going to hunt Clifford down and take him out before he takes them out. David reminds Kees he’s no longer a cop, but Kees is already off on his mission.

Joni decides to finally confirm things one way or the other and takes the pregnancy test.

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Episode 17: Clifford Redux

Corrupt cop Jack Clifford has escaped custody, killing two security guards. David warns Kees to stay clear of the manhunt, and let the cops take clear of Clifford.

David tries to persuade the District Commander to drop the murder charges against Kees, because it’s now obvious that Clifford set Kees up. The District Commander says that while they can’t drop the charges yet, they will as soon as Clifford can be re-captured – in the meantime, Kees should stay out of the way and keep his nose clean.

But Kees is worried that Clifford knows too much about police procedures and is anxious to make sure Clifford doesn’t outsmart them. Kees finds out Clifford has sold his gin palace and warns his off-sider Mike Butterworth to be on the lookout for someone who has purchased a plane or a boat capable of international travel.

David meanwhile insists that Joni doesn’t send Maddy the blood test results which prove he’s not Robbie’s father, and delivers the maintenance agreement in person to Maddy at the massage parlour where she works. David makes it clear the quid pro quo for him supporting Robbie is that Maddy stops working at the parlour. Maddy makes it equally clear that whatever assistance David gives will be for helping Robbie and not to control her.

The District Commander receives a surprising call - from Jack Clifford requesting help. Clifford maintains it was the drugs baron Neilson who organised Clifford’s breakout, so that Neilson can silence Clifford – by killing him. District Commander, not taking any chances, organises an Armed Offenders Squad to meet Clifford at an agreed rendezvous. Just as the AOS is about to swoop a massive explosion lights the sky. It is a car containing a dead body with identification pointing to Clifford. No one can be sure it is Clifford until the DNA tests confirm it, and Kees isn’t prepared to wait. He enlists a reluctant David’s help, who then involves Tim, and the three of them embark on a private manhunt in an attempt to find a recently-purchased blue-water vessel or plane.

Maddy confronts David – she’s received the blood test results and is mystified by David’s offer of support when he’s clearly no Robbie’s father. David is furious with Joni, who admits to sending Maddy the results. Joni asks David, unaware that Joni might be pregnant to him, to think of the financial ramifications on his future children.

Joni knows the truth however: she’s let her feelings for David compromise her professional integrity. She laments to Adie that though she loves David, she doesn’t like herself when she’s with him.

Tim strikes gold down on the Coromandel – a blue water yacht with three men has been cleared to sail to Fiji tomorrow. David and Kees stop bickering long enough to get down there. They recognise two of Clifford’s cohorts and hire a boat to trail the yacht. Off shore, the yacht rendezvous with Clifford’s outboard, and David and Kees, seeing that Clifford’s about to kill the third man and assume his identity, take matters into their own hands, ram the yacht and grapple with Clifford and his henchmen…

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Episode 18: Ave Maria

David gets a cry for help from his ex-girlfriend Maddy, who’s been arrested for brothel-keeping after a police and Immigration raid on the massage parlour where she works.

Maddy maintains she is just the receptionist but the only person who can verify this, one of the Thai prostitutes, is refusing to talk. It is assumed this woman is an illegal immigrant like the others, but she is petrified of something or someone and will not break her silence. Instead, she passes Maddy a note with instructions of where she needs it to be delivered.

David intercepts Maddy on her errand and insists on going with her to deliver the note. They leave it in a letterbox and as they watch, hidden, it is collected by a woman with a number of children in tow. One child is part Asian. David is nearly bowled over by a man in a ute – the same man who’s been aggressively interrogating the new receptionist at the massage parlour about the whereabouts of a woman called Maria.

David pays a visit to Frank, the sleazy owner of the massage parlour to get him to swear that Maddy was employed solely as a receptionist. The owner, however, will only play ball if David convinces the mute woman to ID herself so she can be deported with the other Thai girls. Then, with no witnesses, he will get off his brothel keeping charge. David is repulsed by this offer and asks Kees to put some pressure on Frank to make him reconsider.

David then visits the very frightened mute woman in jail and appeals to her to clear Maddy’s name. She responds to David’s kindness and reveals in perfect English that her name is Maria and she was a mail order bride who got trapped in an abusive relationship. She ran away from her husband, but he got custody of their daughter because she had never been allowed to apply for residency. Rather than leave her daughter with this monster Maria abducted her and went into hiding. She is terrified of what will happen if he finds them.

David gets Maria bail and calls Joni in. Joni convinces Maria her that she can get custody of her daughter and a protection order against her husband. Maria, though still petrified, agrees to attempt things legally. Her fears of her husband’s violent intentions are confirmed when he breaks into the house where Maria has been re-united with her daughter. He is scared off by the arrival of David and Maddy.

Meanwhile, Frank, after a bit of "gentle persuasion" from Kees, confirms that Maddy’s only role was as receptionist and the brothel-keeping charges against her are dropped.

David and Joni are finding it awkward working together. Joni has asked for space, David wants to know how much space is enough space. Joni, aware of the chemistry between David and Maddy, suggests that if he’s that desperate, he should ask Maddy out: David accuses her of being jealous. Joni gets out of the Jailbar and catches a taxi.

Maria’s custody hearing is disastrous. Scoles, the abusive husband, presents well, and tells the Judge Maria has charges for soliciting pending and Maria’s fate is sealed. The Judge confirms the custody order in favour of Scoles and his mother, Eva.

Maria is devastated as Scoles, revealing his true character, grabs the daughter out of Maria’s arms and puts her in the ute. Maria cannot abandon her daughter and gets in too. Maddy sees all this and fears that Maria will be beaten when Scoles gets her back to his farm.

Maddy pleads with David or Joni to do something. Joni attempts an indifferent face and says they’ve done all they can within the law. She’ll file for an appeal - Maddy is astounded at what she sees as David and Joni’s lack of compassion and heads off to Scoles’ farm determined to save Maria. When Maddy’s gone, David tells Joni he agrees with Maddy – they blew it, are blowing it. He walks out, after putting the heat on her to finish it with him if that’s what she wants.

Joni reveals to Adie that she’s devastated at failing Maria and is utterly sick of the horrors of Family Law – she wants to move into criminal law, where people are guilty or not guilty but never innocent.

David’s conscience drives him to Scoles’ farm, where Maddy has followed the sound of a nail-gun to disturb Scoles in the act of building a coffin for a semi-conscious Maria. As Maddy grapples Scoles for control of his shot-gun, Maria comes round sufficiently to grab the nail-gun and kill him with a nail through the temple. David arrives too late to avert the mayhem.

David clashes with Kees, as Maria is taken into custody again, this time for homicide.

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^{Episode 19: Maria’s Trial}

Maria’s on trial for murdering her husband and there are a couple of major complications for David and Joni in mounting a defence. The first is that Maria is so terrified of her daughter April being harmed by Eva, her mother-in-law, that she refuses to give evidence or even talk about the abuse perpetrated on her by her deceased husband, Scoles. The second complication is that Joni tells David that their relationship is over.

David, struggling to stay focused, knows that their only hope is to prove a history of physical abuse of Maria by Scoles, and in the absence of any evidence from Maria, David sends Tim out on to scout local hospitals for any evidence that Maria has been admitted with injuries.

Peter is perplexed by David’s lack of focus, and when Joni reveals to Peter that she has just ended their relationship, Peter is forced to ask David to lift his game and try not to let the Joni thing impinge on his defence of Maria. Peter’s not entirely reassured by David’s reply.

Kees visits Maddy to serve her with a witness summons and is angry to find David there with a Crown Witness. He threatens to get David thrown off Maria’s case unless he leaves. David, disillusioned with life in general, angrily declares he doesn’t care, but Maddy convinces him to leave for Maria’s sake. Kees then warns Maddy that unless she plays by the rules he will lodge a formal complaint against her, making her future career as a lawyer difficult.

Maddy is freaked and decides to visit Kees the next day to tell him the full story after all. But while he is out of the room she rifles through his file on Maria and removes a document and stuffs it in her satchel.

As they go to trial, Maria’s defence is looking shaky: Maria still won’t talk, Tim has found no evidence that Maria was ever admitted to hospital and David and Joni aren’t talking…

Maddy’s testimony is a nightmare. She behaves in a manner so prejudicial she’s declared hostile by Judge Adie. Sina, the Crown Prosecutor, elicits some confusion in Maddy’s account of the tussle that lead to Scole’s death and so throws doubt on whether or not Maria was justified. David declines to cross-examine her believing Maddy’s already done enough damage.

Then a hospital admission record for Maria under her maiden name anonymously arrives in the mail. Believing there could be more records for her beatings under this name, Tim is again dispatched to check things out in person. Joni’s concerned that this document has obviously come from the police, and wants to tell, but David disagrees, telling Joni to toughen up. David suspects he knows who sent the document to them.

Back in Court, David gets Eva Scoles in the stand and tries to get her to confirm that Maria was savagely beaten by her son. Eva is in complete denial, and paints her son as an angel.

David stalls and requests an adjournment, hoping for some last minute evidence before tomorrow from Tim.

Tim however discovers Maria’s hospital admission was for an appendectomy. But he does find out something: the nurse on duty knows Eva Scoles personally – Eva used to work at the hospital.

David visits Maddy and tells her she is an idiot for jeopardising her career by filching the document from the police file. Maddy maintains Maria’s life is more important than her career and pours scorn on David’s urgings that she should work within the system.

Instead, Maddy decides to visit Eva herself hoping to save the situation. The old lady is petrified of Maddy and screams at her to leave. Maddy does so very quickly after Eva produces a shotgun. Once she is on her own Eva breaks down into sobs. But Maddy has seen something important…

David’s cross examination of Eva next morning confirms that Eva was fired from the hospital for stealing supplies. David puts it to her that she was using these supplies to nurse Maria through injuries from beatings by her son. As Eva repeatedly denies this, Maddy is outside relaying vital information to Joni, who comes into Court and takes over Eva’s cross-examination. Joni asks Eva to remove her gloves. Eva does so, revealing hideous scarring from burns which she eventually breaks down and admits were caused by her son. She was a victim of his abuse also and she then verifies how he tortured Maria.

Maria wins her case and is reunited with April. David rushes to tell Maddy the good news but finds that she has been arrested by Kees for subverting the course of justice. Kees has deduced that Maddy stole the document and knows she visited Eva. David argues vociferously on Maddy’s behalf, that justice wouldn’t have been done without Maddy’s intervention, but Maddy is saved from prosecution when new comes through that Eva, consumed with shame, has committed suicide. Kees no longer has a witness against Maddy.

Out of compassion, Joni visits a distraught Maddy and tells her Eva’s death was not her fault. David arrives to ask Maddy out for dinner and is just a little thrown to see Joni there. Joni’s just as thrown to hear David’s invitation to Maddy.

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Episode 20: The Recruit

Whilst roller-blading at the beach with Maddy and Robbie, David stops Mark, a car thief, trying to make a break for it. David gives Mark Tim’s name as the cops close in. Mark is a first offender but police oppose bail as they believe him to be linked to an organised car theft ring. As there is no evidence however, bail is granted.

Mark then invites Tim to a poker game that evening to meet some possible character witnesses. The game is led by Eddie, and is played in an opulent house in the suburbs. Tim plays poker and signs for chips at 1 cent for a dollar. Mark disappears and Tim finds from Eddie that the $250 he thought he owed is actually $25 000. Eddie, coked to eyeballs threatens Tim that unless he pays up, the book’s underwriter, a Mr Lombard, will set his henchman, Pliers, on him.

Meanwhile Joni tells David she saw his cosy scene at the beach with Maddy and wonders if this new relationship is a bit too close on the heels of theirs. David becomes defensive and says it is now none of her business. However when pushed by Maddy, David admits he is not fully over Joni. She tells him she won’t be his rebound baby and to give her a call when he is able to put the past behind him.

David and Peter’s assurances to Tim that Eddie and company are just kids trying to scare him does little to help when that evening Mark falls through his door badly beaten. Mark tells Tim his beating is a warning from Eddie that Tim should pay up – and a punishment to Mark for bringing a lawyer to the poker game. Mark was supposed to bring in someone with a clean record to induct into the car theft ring. Mark begs Tim not to call the police but Tim insists that they’ll go to the cops in the morning. By morning, Mark has fled. Tim then gets a visit from Eddie’s heavy, Pliers who takes his DVD as a down payment. Pliers also says if Tim goes to the police he will never be able to talk again.

There’s not a lot Kees can do, so Tim hits the road with David to try to find the house the poker game took place in. They are unsuccessful in finding the house – and Tim is rattled because they’re trailed by Eddie. David concocts a plan to throw Eddie and Pliers off Tim’s track, but it doesn’t work and Pliers pounces on Tim and drags him off to a warehouse – Eddie’s base.

At the warehouse the group of kids from the poker match, led by Billie, an attractive twenty-something, are pleading with Eddie to stop, things have gone too far, they want out. They back down quickly when Eddie goes berserk and threatens them with a gun. Eddie tells them he always wanted a tame lawyer, but when he puts the deal to Tim that he can work off his debt by providing Mr Lombard with legal advice, Tim refuses to act unethically and turns him down.

David’s anxiety about Tim’s disappearance is compounded when Eddie jumps in the Jailbar and tells him to back off or Tim will be hurt. David gets Eddie’s rego but it leads to a cul de sac, when it becomes clear Eddie’s plates are stolen.

Eddie sets out to compromise Tim, by allowing him to drive off in a car with Mark. Unbeknownst to Tim, the car is stolen and Eddie’s motives become clear when he calls the police to alert them to the theft.

A car chase follows in which Mark just manages to lose the cops and a freaked Tim makes it back to the office. He and David then head off to the address of the poker match, which Mark let slip, to find Billie. She is there and agrees to talk. She tells them that there is no Mr Lombard at all, just Eddie. He gets young clean recruits and hooks them in with the poker match. He then uses this debt as leverage to get these lackeys to steal cars for him, which he then flogs off to a syndicate. It started as a rich kids’ thrill, but now he’s hooked on the money to feed his coke habit.

Billie’s petrified of Eddie, but David eventually persuades her to talk, on the basis that he’ll try to cut a deal with the police. Tim and David accompany Billie and the other kids to the warehouse but Eddie arrives brandishing a gun. David warns him not to do anything stupid, as there are police all over the building. Eddie calls his ‘bluff’ but can’t resist looking out the door, as he does so, David and Kees do a classic one-two – David knocks the gun out of Eddie’s hand as Kees knocks him out cold.

Eddie is arrested and charged while the other kids are all granted immunity. Amongst the names of the kids is one that Kees recognises: Tim O’Connor. Kees asks Tim what he’s doing on the list. David tells Tim mum’s the word.

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Episode 21: The Coach

Joni is distraught when her old swimming coach Scott Farmer is accused of raping one of his pupils, Miranda. She agrees to defend him with David acting as her "junior" as this is her first criminal case. David puts the heat on Scott – Miranda had sex with someone and the DNA in the semen will be analysed. Scott denies everything and is infuriated when he visits the pool to find he has been stood down and his squad taken over by his assistant, Joni’s old swimming rival, Judith. His star pupil Hayley is inconsolable at Scott’s removal and reacts hysterically.

Kees creates a media frenzy, in the hope that other victims will come forward. Scott has his tires slashed and his home vandalised. Joni is appalled at Kees, and takes Scott home to stay in her apartment, against Kees’ advice.

Scott’s case turns for the worse when swimming togs belonging to Miranda are found in his office. He is crushed, believing his career as a coach is over. Joni pledges her support and urges him to be strong. She agrees to Scott having a medical.

Hayley tells David of her devotion to Scott and reveals that Miranda’s stepdad Des is an old lech throwing suspicion his way. Judith listens very intently. She seems to know more than she’s letting on.

David decides to visit the victim’s mother accompanied by a reluctant Tim. When they arrive Miranda’s step-father Des tries to attack them but her mother insists on talking. Miranda’s father left 3 years ago and she threw herself into swimming for consolation. She was infatuated with Scott and would do anything for him. When Miranda missed out on the Olympic squad, she was devastated, but her mother was delighted, because she "got her daughter back".

David confronts Miranda, telling her he believes she was raped by someone, but it wasn't Scott – he implies it was Des. Miranda denies it. Kees warns David to keep away from her as Des is certainly guilty of slashing Scott’s tires and vandalising his house, but has a solid alibi for the night of the rape.

David feels Joni’s becoming irrational and not mounting a proper defence due to her blind allegiance to Scott. He urges Peter to take her off the case. Peter agrees with David. Joni is furious and strikes a deal: she will step aside as counsel only if she can give evidence for Scott as a character witness. David argues against Joni allowing herself to go on the stand for Scott, but has to give in to get her to step aside as counsel.

Tests reveal an absence of DNA in the semen taken from Miranda. David is delighted until Kees tells him men who’ve had a vasectomy don’t leave DNA in their semen. Scott has had a vasectomy. Kees arrests Scott, who immediately gets bail. Kees is now extremely worried that Joni is putting herself on the line – he’s convinced she has a rapist staying at her apartment and she is on the trial list as a character witness, risking a traumatic cross-examination.

At her apartment Scott apologises to Joni for causing her so much distress. His affections take an inappropriate turn as he speaks of how beautiful and youthful she’s remained, but he pulls back when he realises he’s gone too far. Joni is disturbed and no longer wants to be a character witness for Scott and takes herself off the witness list. The prosecution leaps on this and subpoenas her. On the stand Joni is emotionally skewered: she cannot perjure herself when asked if Scott has ever behaved in an inappropriate way towards her. She refuses to answer, but her refusal speaks volumes.

Miranda takes the stand and reveals how distraught and hurt she was when she was dropped from Scott’s squad. She was humiliated and begged to be taken back. Kees calls for a recess as he now believes Miranda may be lying to get back at Scott for this pain. Miranda breaks down in the interview room and confesses she fabricated the rape story. When the charges are dropped Judith becomes hysterical at the back of the Courtroom at the prospect of Scott getting away with it. She alleges Scott had underage sex with her and with Miranda and with others in his charge over the years.

Scott runs up to the roof of the courthouse and is poised on the edge about to jump when Joni finds him. He finally tells the truth. He was having an affair with Miranda but had broken it off to be with Hayley. Miranda had seduced him on the night in question for old times’ sake. He also had an affair with Judith years ago. Joni realises that she’d have been next if she hadn’t moved away. Scott says he’s disgusted with himself, breaks down, looking for sympathy. But Joni is scathing, tells him to jump as he is pathetic and dead to her anyway. Kees arrives and invites Scott to make up his mind whether he’s going to jump, he’s easy either way. But Scott breaks down, lacking even the courage to jump and is taken into custody.

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Episode 22: Streetfighter

David is called on to help when Samson’s mate Ricky is identified as the key suspect in the violent mugging of a young Asian boy, Michael Choy. Ricky admits to beating ‘some guy’ up on the night in question but not the Asian victim. His wife sheds more light by saying Ricky runs with a group of guys who use fighting for sport. They meet late at night and voluntarily participate in organised streetfights. She is worried about him but maintains he is a good husband and father.

Her fears are confirmed when Ricky gets horrendously beaten in prison. David visits Ricky in hospital and is disgusted when he learns that Ricky was a willing participant. Ricky’s wife pleads with David to protect him, but as David points out, Ricky needs to want to be protected first.

Samson reluctantly agrees to accompany David to the bar Ricky frequented in a dodgy part of town. Once there, David tries to induce the streetfighters to talk by pretending that Samson is a challenger. David tries to talk his way out of fighting, but can’t – and Samson ends up fighting, and winning the group’s respect, at some cost to his own face. The guys reveal that Ricky was around on the night of the mugging but only after the police arrived. They also say that they have never seen an Asian face in their scene but that there is more than one scene in this part of town.

Kees and Joni meet up for a drink. Kees wants to asks if she’s OK after the trauma with her swimming coach, Scott. He also lets her know that as a result of that case, he understands more about her, and is aware she didn’t sleep with David out of malice or to hurt him. She thanks him for his kindness but overcome, she has to leave. She later discusses it with Adie who tells her to go for it with Kees if it’s what she really wants.

Keen to place Ricky away from the crime scene David and Tim trace the route he took on the night of the mugging. They discover a security camera outside a club that may be able to help. The club is a thinly disguised brothel and the owner fights through the courts to prevent his clientele being viewed on tape. Adie makes a decision in favour of David and he and Tim have to sift through a pile of surveillance tapes.

Joni sees Kees leaving the High Court and loiters to try and catch his eye – but his mobile distracts him and Joni loses her nerve.

David and Tim view hours of tape until they eventually strike the jackpot and place Ricky too far from the crime scene to have committed the murder – Michael Choy has died of his injuries - in the time-frame. It all clicks into place for David when Tim is propositioned for sex and a fight whilst running Ricky's supposed escape route.

Ricky is gay and cruising the streets at night. That is what he was doing on the night of the mugging and why he cannot talk. It is his secret life. David goes to Kees who is now willing to talk as Michael Choy’s wallet has surfaced with none of Ricky’s fingerprints on it.

Ricky is wired and goes looking for the man he was with on the night of the mugging, who can give him an alibi. That man is found and eventually leads the police to a man who knows the truth. This man was having sex with the assailant when Michael Choy interrupted them – and recognised the assailant as a celebrity. The celebrity, a rugby league star, panicked at being recognised beat Choy to a pulp.

Kees marches into the celebrity’s tv show and arrests him - and the charges against Ricky are dropped. David threatens Ricky that if he doesn’t tell his wife of his nocturnal activities then he will have no choice but to tell her himself.

Meanwhile, Kees is completing the paperwork, when Joni, having plucked up her courage, apologises for rushing off on him earlier and offers to buy him a drink.

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Episode 23: For Better or For Worse

A car with a man suffering from serious gunshot wounds pulls into Accident & Emergency. The driver, Melissa Yorke, is almost hysterical as Kees interviews her: an unknown gunman has shot her husband. When Kees discovers the car Melissa was driving was stolen, Kees calls Joni in to act for her.

While her husband Tommy fights for his life in intensive care, Kees and Joni try to unravel the background. Melissa reveals that Tommy had a serious gambling problem and owed money all over town. She maintains she had no idea the car was stolen saying her husband told her he won it at the casino. She says a man named Jason kept ringing the Yorke’s house demanding money. When Kees asks Melissa what she might gain by her husband’s death, Joni angrily terminates the interview believing that Kees only suggested her as counsel because she was a pushover.

Melissa’s version of events is supported by the discovery of a penknife with the initials J.S. at the scene of the attack. Joni calls David in to assist, and he enlists Samson’s help in discovering that Tommy’s original car was repossessed as he was behind on his payments. David informs Kees, and Kees then discovers that Tommy borrowed the "stolen" car from a notorious loan shark. When Tommy was late in returning it, the loan shark reported it stolen to teach him a lesson. Kees suspects the loan shark also carried out the attack on Tommy, but the loan shark has a firm alibi for the time of the shooting.

A man we will come to know as Jason, comes to visit Tommy at hospital, but Melissa warns him off with a look, as Tommy recovers consciousness briefly. Sadie, on guard, sees Tommy look at his wife with wide-eyed terror. Melissa seems very concerned and calls for help but Tommy has a heart attack and his condition deteriorates further.

Melissa confides in Joni that she is 13 weeks pregnant and is terrified of facing parenthood alone. Kees brings Melissa in for further questioning when it comes to light that her husband’s life was insured for $200 000. Melissa is again horrified at his insinuation and so is Joni.

Joni tells David she’s upset at Kees’ tactics but David tells her if she is to make it in the world of criminal law she has to take everything less personally. Joni accuses David of having doubts about Melissa’s innocence. Their disagreement is overtaken by the news that Tommy has died in The charge is now homicide.

At Tommy’s funeral Melissa tells David she recognises the face of a man in the crowd – he’s the gunman. David chases and tackles the man. He is taken in for questioning where he identifies himself as Jason Schwarz – and admits the initialled penknife is his and that Tommy, a friend of his, owed him money. Jason has no alibi for the time of the shooting, and a bloodstained sweatshirt is discovered in his house. When he is told that Melissa has identified him as her husband’s killer he is incredulous: he reveals that he and Melissa were lovers, until about three months ago.

Kees apologises to Joni for his conduct, and asks if they can get together some time soon. Joni agrees.

When Jason’s claim is put to Melissa, she denies it and tells Joni she was so committed to Tommy that they were seeing a marriage counsellor. David, ever wary, asks Joni to speak to Melissa’s counsellor off the record and Joni is shocked to discover that Tommy was sterile – there’s no way he could be the father of Melissa’s baby.

Joni is incensed with Melissa’s lies, and wants to tell Kees of this development but David stops her, reminds her she is acting for Melissa.

David becomes aware of Joni’s re-kindled interest in Kees, and when he gets a call from a distraught Melissa that the police are searching her house, he suspects the worst – that Joni has let slip to Kees the information regarding Tommy’s infertility.

But it’s David who inadvertently gives that information to the police – he assumes they already have it and alerts them to Melissa’s pregnancy and Tommy’s infertility.

Kees has been pursuing another link between Melissa and Jason – the police search located two keys in Melissa’s apartment: a key to Jason’s apartment, proving their affair, and a key to a safety deposit box. The safety deposit box reveals the murder weapon. Melissa crumbles in the face of such overwhelming evidence, claiming that Tommy had been a nightmare husband who couldn’t give her the child she desperately wanted, so she engineered the affair with Jason, then saw a way of getting rid of both men with one blow. She is taken into custody.

Joni laments to Kees that she has lost her first case but he points out that justice was served and finishes by asking her out for a drink later – watched by David. David apologises to Joni for assuming that she breached confidence with Kees. Joni lets him off the hook, says the police had the keys anyway. David notes that she and Kees are on again, but tells her Kees isn’t the man for her: he’s not saying he is the right man, but Kees isn’t. Joni turns and walks away, leaving David looking very alone.

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Episode 24: The Juror

When Trudi, a young waitress, is found strangled, David is called upon to defend her employer, Daniel Kent. Daniel’s protestations of innocence aren’t helped by the fact that he was tried and acquitted of a murder with exactly the same MO 6 years earlier. However, Daniel’s father Alan assures David that he will leave no stone unturned to prove his son’s innocence.

David discovers Trudi was having a relationship with a retired barrister, Ritchie Wells, despite their 40 year age gap. Wells was also the barrister who acted for Daniel in the last trial. When Wells rings David and arranges to meet, David is anxious to talk to him, but David and Tim arrive too late – they find Wells’ body. He appears to have taken his own life.

David appeals to Kees to drop the case against Daniel as Wells was obviously the murderer – Wells’ suicide confirms his guilt. Kees is swayed, but not convinced.

David and Joni find it increasingly difficult to work together as David’s jealousy of Joni and Kees’ relationship starts to infect the workplace. Tim backs away from their bickering and follows his own line of enquiry - the pathologist’s report reveals small amounts of gold found in Trudi’s stomach.

Joni is contacted by an old client of hers, Joy, who has a shocking admission. She claims to have been forewoman of the jury on the original murder case 6 years ago and says she was paid by Ritchie Wells to convince the jury of Daniel’s innocence. When Joni brings David in to hear the news he quickly terminates the discussion, telling Joni this is detrimental to their client and puts them in a dangerous position, ethically. But David puts it to Daniel that he corrupted the jury last time around. Daniel denies all knowledge of Joy.

That night, Joy gets a threatening visit from a figure who throws bleach in her face then warns her that next time it will be acid. She is petrified and decides to recant her story.

When DNA results come back putting Daniel’s skin under Trudi’s fingernails and her blood on his shirt, he is arrested for murder. Under pressure from David, Daniel admits he was indeed there the night Trudi was killed– he was responding to a call for help from Trudi. Ritchie had become violent. Daniel intervened in the fight, stopped Wells from beating Trudi, then left, thinking Wells had calmed down and the situation was under control.

Kees eventually persuades Joy to talk to them. Joy tells Kees about the attack on her. David tells Daniel that Daniel must have orchestrated the attack on Joy, because Daniel was the only one who knew about Joy. He’s disgusted with the under-hand tactics and tells Daniel to get another lawyer.

That seems like a good decision, when Kees tells David that Wells did not commit suicide but was in fact murdered. And it seems an even better decision when Tim tells David that Wells also had the same gold residue in his stomach as Trudi – and the victim murdered 6 yrs earlier. Tim’s also spotted that the two girls were murdered on the same day and date.

When Daniel’s father tries to bribe him to continue with a new car, David returns the keys, then realises who bribed Joy 6 years ago. He also sees something else of interest in Alan’s office, which helps convince him not to abandon Daniel’s defence.

David enlists Samson’s reluctant help to break into Alan’s office and secure a critical piece of evidence for analysis – a bottle of the gold liqueur habitually imbibed by Alan.

David gives it to Kees to analyse believing it will match the gold found in all 3 victim’s stomachs. David then cross-examines Daniel who finally breaks down and admits that it is his father he is protecting. David passes the information to Kees who becomes extremely agitated because he knows that Joni, unaware of developments pointing towards Alan as the murderer, has gone to interview Alan about whether the dates the girls were both murdered on have any significance for Daniel. Kees tries to ring Joni but her phone is off.

In Alan’s office, Joni’s questions about the date produce a dangerous reaction in Alan. It becomes apparent that the date in question is when Daniel’s mother abandoned them. Alan is clearly bitter and twisted towards Daniel’s mother – and women generally. Joni realises the link too late – Alan locks the door and attacks her. Joni is fighting for her life, when Kees bursts into the room and beats Alan into submission.

David informs Daniel he is a free man and that his father can now get the help he needs.

As Kees cradles Joni, David walks alone down the long corridor from Daniel’s cell.

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Episode 25: Tim’s Friend

Adie informs Peter he needs to make the firm pay its way or accept the offer of a buy-out from a major central city firm. Peter tries to fend off the take-over by convincing Joni to go back to lucrative family law cases, but Joni refuses.

Meanwhile Kees and Joni’s relationship progress to the bedroom, and Kees, smitten, decides to buy a ring. At work, he’s being pressured to forget the minnows and get to the source of a major methamphetamine ring flooding the city. Kees starts by busting a pool cleaner whose chlorine granules prove to be more likely to blow up pools than clean them.

David agrees to defend Tim’s old mate from uni, Stan, a stand-up comedian whose material is so offensive it provokes a fight in the club. Out on bail, Tim and Stan go for a drink, and when Stan challenges Tim about selling out to a suit, a drunken Tim ends up in a tattoo parlour.

Tim arrives in late to the office the next morning with a hangover and a very tender posterior, to be informed by Peter that he’s selling the business. David and Joni accuse Peter of selling out, especially when he informs them he will not be part of the deal. Joni feels persecuted as she thinks he is blaming her for her switch to family law. David and Joni decide that Joni should approach Adie to try and stop Peter.

While David and Joni and Tim are out conspiring, Stan turns up for an appointment and is panicked when Kees turns up – with good reason, he’s carrying speed, which he dumps in Tim’s desk.

Kees is making progress up the speed pyramid, busting a couple of labs and finally getting the baker.

Tim is in David’s office showing David and Joni the tattoo on his butt – not a tasteful flower, but a well endowed naked woman on a motorbike – as Peter is showing the potential buyers the premises. Peter is furious with David and Joni for trying to sabotage the sale and storms off for some damage control.

Joni is shocked to discover that Adie knew of Peter’s plans all along and is leaning towards the sale.

David reads the rap sheet on Stan delivered by Kees, and realises Stan has problems - which Stan confirms by snorting speed in front of he and Tim before his gig. They drop Stan’s case – and Tim, angry at the tattoo and disgusted with Stan’s blatant drug-taking declares their friendship is over. Stan warns Tim to watch his back.

When the police receive and anonymous tip-off, they search Wyeth & Associates and find the speed planted by Stan – and Peter’s stash of recreational marijuana. Peter and Tim are charged and have to apply for bail and name suppression. Peter visits the prospective buyers and informs them of the unfortunate situation, expecting them to back out of the deal. But the big city boys want the firm as an entrée into the catchment area serviced by the firm – they make it clear that David, Joni and Tim are not part of their plans. Peter is shocked and calls off the deal.

Meanwhile, Kees heavies the baker into revealing who the king-pin is. Kees is shocked to discover that the methamphetamine ring is being run from prison by a man he put away – corrupt cop, Jack Clifford.

Kees searches Clifford’s cell and finds the mobile phone Clifford has been sending instructions on. When he charges Clifford, he finds he’s undergone a remarkable transformation – Clifford has become a tattooed Adonis, a King Rat of the prison system. Clifford is unshaken by the new charges and gives Kees a gift. When Kees sits in his car and unwraps Clifford’s gift, he finds it’s a welded coffin with the inscription "Lest We Forget." Chilled, Kees places it beside the ring in the glove-box and considers his future.

David and Tim scour the city looking for the man who set Tim up – Stan. They eventually sight him at the bus terminal. A chase ensues and David has to haul a furious Tim off Stan before he beats Stan to a pulp. They find speed on Stan and drag him to the police station, where Stan admits to planting the speed on Tim.

Peter tells David and Joni the good news – that the sale of the firm is off. David sees an opportunity and tells Peter that unless he and Joni get some ownership of the firm they’re out of there. Peter is left to ponder this. Outside, Joni tells David he should have consulted her. David says he wanted to seize the day – is that okay with her? Joni says it is. David’s delighted.

Kees meets Joni and finally produces the ring. He tells her life is short and he’s a simple man who knows what he wants. He wants to marry her. Joni needs some air and rushes outside. Kees thinks her answer is no and tries to let her off the hook. But surprises him with a yes, and the credits roll on Kees catching her in surprised delight and whirling her in his arms…

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