Turn around or I'll shoot you where you stand.
You wouldn't shoot me, would you, Mary?
So you rode a horse back from Newcastle?
Yes, and then I rode the train from Sydney to Parramatta.
Lightning fast.
It was 14 miles in only 50 minutes.
Really?
You must have felt so free. I can hardly imagine.
Mr Fife.
Always a pleasure. And you...you are...?
Ben Barrett.
Pleased to meet you, Mr...
Barrett? You're related to Mary?
That's my sister. You don't miss much, do you?
What's your business here?
Ah, exactly that. My business.
You be sure you don't make it mine.
That's the plan.
Did you see the look on his face as he left?
Thank you. That has made my day.
It's my absolute pleasure.
Oh!
Uncle Ben!
Go back, mate. I'll kick it to you.
I have to go. Maybe I can show you around town later?
Not that it'll take long.
I'd like that.
Morning, Mick.
- How are you today? - Fine, thanks.
What are you doing later?
I'll come over.
My brother's in town.
- Really? - Come to dinner?
OK, so, feet apart, arms out straight,
..and you let the tool do the work.
Good-o.
You see, a block of wood is like a woman.
You've gotta let her know who's boss.
Oh, really?
Except, of course, your mother.
Your turn. Have a go, mate.
There's no need to go to them.
There's no-one bothering me. Not at the moment, anyway.
So why were you talking to him, then?
None of your business.
Oh, you're not! With a trap?
It's not serious. Just keeping my options open, is all.
- What's wrong with Jack? - Nothing!
Apart from the fact that he can't even show his face in public.
Still - a trap!
You know nothing about my life.
Don't tell me how to run it five minutes after you've got here.
- OK. - Mick is a good man. He's solid.
Reliable. Dependable.
- Mmm. - Oh!
You look like my sister, but you sure as hell don't sound like her.
If you really want to help, come work with me.
I need a barman - a good one.
That so?
Yes. My businesses are doing OK.
Barman, eh? That sounds interesting.
I'm serious. You'd be good at it.
And it would be nice to be around...
Hey!
Yes! Good on you.
You little beauty, mate.
Oh, yeah?
And then I caught the train from Ballarat to Melbourne.
Melbourne, huh? What were you doing in Melbourne?
Tucker's up!
A bit of this, bit of that.
Remember the last time we did a bit of this and a bit of that?
We had to escape from that hotel in the middle of the night.
Yeah.
Do you remember the owner came running out
with his pants around his ankles, shooting at us?
I remember he missed me by inches.
Ah, you got over that, you big girl.
Hey, um, speaking of this and that,
are you interested in this job?
Whose place did you say it was?
Cattle baron - name of Delaney.
- Delaney? - You heard of him?
Yeah. He used to buy the odd bird off me. Tight old fool.
I haven't seen him in years.
Tell you what - doesn't pay his drovers well, either.
That's him.
So tight, he's only got two old blokes guarding his property.
Sorry - if you're talking about cattle duffing,
those days are long behind me.
Not cattle. Cash.
See, Delaney doesn't trust banks.
- Keeps all his money in his house. - All his money?
- Under the floorboards. - Under the floorboards?
How do you know that?
Overheard a bloke talking in a pub.
A bloke was just blabbing on about it in a pub, was he?
He was drunk. Delaney had just sacked him.
As much as I usually pay close attention to a drunken stranger,
count me out of this one.
Alright. Look, no skin off mine if you don't want in.
Easy job with a big haul.
I'll get someone else.
Come on, come on.
Eat up. I'm low on supplies.
Might be a while before we have a decent feed again.
- What is this - mutton? - Possum.
Me own recipe. I cook them long and slow.
Where did you say this place was?
There's a front door, a side door,
and we're after that front room on the left.
Alright. Dan and I will take the front. You two head around the back.
Hey, someone's coming.
Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa! Relax.
He's a mate of mine. He's with us.
You never said anything about a mate.
Ooh.
- G'day, Martin. - G'day.
Feeling better?
Yeah. Finally kicked that fever. Good.
Jack, Dan, Conrad - Martin Coyle.
Done a lot of droving together.
Know about this job, do you?
Martin was in the pub with me
when we overheard that bloke talking about Delaney and his stash.
What the hell do you think you're playing at, Ben?
Look, I wasn't sure if you'd make it
and I couldn't do this on my own, Jack.
I thought you wouldn't have come if I mentioned him.
Well, you can vouch for him?
Like a brother.
But if you three don't feel right about it...you know.
Well, we're here now.
Alright, since you two know each other,
pair up and head around the back.
Conrad, take the horses.
Tie them up down at that gully out of sight.
You cover us from the barn.
Hey.
Two old blokes. They'll see they're outnumbered.
No need for bloodshed.
Let's go.
The old guys must be having a kip.
Who the hell are you?
Um, we were...I was just looking for Delaney.
Well, he's not here.
That's our mistake, and we're gonna go.
OK.
Bye-bye, boys.
Like I said, we got the wrong house, and we're going to leave now.
No.
Get him! Pull him in! I think we should leave now.
Hey!
Time to go, Jack.
Get to the shed!
Come on, Dan!
Cattle baron, my arse!
- That was Harry Pierce in there! - Are you serious?
Holed up in the back room.
- Is he shot? - I don't know.
I think his gun jammed.
So you just left him there?
What was I supposed to do?
Keep them busy.
Oh, hey, hey! Jack! Get it across!
- Have you been shot? - No.
- Out the window. - No, it won't open.
It's open now.
Whoa! Go, go, go!
Alright, boys! Let's get out of here.
- Where's Martin? - I don't know! Go!
- Get up! - Hey! Hey!
Get up!
Ooh! Get off him! Get off him!
Ah. Ah!
What were you thinking? That was the Rope Gang!
Sorry! I checked it out, I swear!
Who are the Rope Gang?
Harry Pierce's crew. They're ex-convicts.
- Guys you don't want to know, Conrad. - Look, how was I to know, OK?
Maybe one of them knew the drover at the pub.
OK? That's how they got there first.
Well, where's your trigger-happy friend gone now, Ben?
He nearly got us killed back there, mate.
- We trusted you! - I'm sorry!
I know Martin stuffed up.
He was gonna leave you behind, you know that?
Do you think I wanted it to go this way?
Believe me, I know what the Rope Gang are capable of.
I have seen it.
Where's Martin now?
No idea, but wherever he is, I hope he stays there,
because I will shoot him if I see him again.
Not if we find him first. Come on, Jack.
Whoa! Whoa!
We're looking for a bloke called Jack, handy with a pistol.
Know him?
Jack?
No.
No, no, I...
I know a few Johns.
A couple of Anguses. Even a Ferdinand.
Not that we hold that against him.
Well, if you meet a Jack,
tell him the Rope Gang thank him for the house call.
They'd like to return the favour.
OK.
And not in the way he's expecting.
OK.
Hee-ya! Hee-ya!
So, Ben, what were you doing before you came to Hopetoun?
This and that.
Such as?
Droving up north, mostly.
Whereabouts?
Around Maitland.
Who were you working for?
A cattle grazier up there.
Roberts.
Big name in the district.
I thought the Morgans pretty much covered that area.
Yeah. No, come to think of it,
Roberts was more Port Macquarie way.
So I take it you know Jack Keenan?
Yeah. We go way back.
Me and Jack go back too.
Good for you.
When was the last time you saw him?
Can't say.
You know he's a wanted man?
Well, you better go find him, then, instead of sitting around here,
scrounging off my sister's generosity.
Captain Starlight's on his horse, racing to catch a train.
Faster! Faster!
Suddenly, the people on the dinner carriage,
they see this face by the window.
"Who's that? Who's that?"
Next thing, boom! Starlight's off his horse, onto the train.
Not a hair out of place. Whoa!
'Night, Mum. Then what happened?
Five minutes, then candle out, Tommy.
Starlight says, "I never miss the six o'clock to Parramatta."
- Wake up! Wake up! - Bah!
Some people want to stick their privates in a hornet's nest.
Some want to go up against the Rope Gang.
I know which I'd prefer.
This Rope Gang - how worried should we be?
Well, I heard Henry Pierce once dragged a bloke five miles.
Tied a rope around his ankles.
All that was left was his boots.
Of course, that is just a rumour.
Alright.
Well, what are we gonna do?
Watch your back.
Keep a pistol under your pillow.
Don't think you're sleeping here.
Goodnight, gentlemen.
Get him!
- Come on! - Get him in the leg!
Come on!
Ned, have you seen Tommy?
No, Miss Barrett.
Are you sure?
Well, if you do see him,
you tell him he hasn't done his chores and he'd better be home soon -
or else he'll be in big trouble.
Ha-ha, missed me!
Yes, I think I'm going to go down and have a little look for him.
Mrs Timms, have you seen Tommy this morning?
No, I'm sorry.
Emilia - have you seen Tommy this morning?
No, Mary - I haven't seen him. Has he been gone long?
Longer than usual.
He must have left before breakfast this morning
and I can't find him anywhere.
Well, do you want me to help you look for him?
Ah...no. No, no.
He's probably just playing hide-and-seek
or climbing a tree somewhere.
Thank you. See you.
- Catherine! - Yes?
- Have you seen Tommy anywhere? - No. No, I haven't.
But that's not unusual.
I just can't find him anywhere.
Oh, there he is!
Tommy! I've been looking for you all morning.
Where have you...
Come on, Angus. Let's go!
Tommy!
- Is he back yet? - No.
No-one has seen him.
Hey, don't worry. Look, I'll look for him.
He's probably at the creek fishing, or trying to catch rabbits.
Where do you want this?
Uh...just put it in the...
What is it?
"Drop 100 pounds at the base of the waterfall at Cedars Creek.
"Come alone. Three o'clock.
"No traps, or...
"..you'll never see your son again."
Who would do this?
He did say in a way you wouldn't expect.
- What's that? - It's nothing. It's nothing.
I promise you, we'll get Tommy back.
But you can't go. You can't give him the money.
What? Why wouldn't I pay them - do exactly what they ask?
I'm with Mary. I can't see the sense of that.
We give them what they want, they give us Tommy back.
No! No, they can't be trusted.
You go and they will just as likely kill...
No, what if I'm holding on to the money until I've actually got Tommy?
They won't let you. They won't let you.
You can't reason with these men.
Do you know who's done this?
Well, do you?
Jack, if you know who's taken Tommy you have to tell me!
It might be the Rope Gang.
The Rope Gang?
Why would they take Tommy?
It's payback on us for a job that went wrong.
- Oh, you make me sick. - I'm sorry.
- Mary, we'll get him back. - No, I don't want your help.
- This is your fault! - Listen to me.
No, you listen to me. Stay out of it.
- I want him back as much as you do. - Then do as I ask - leave us alone.
You've done enough already.
I've checked under your desk, mattresses, Tommy's money box.
- I scrabbled together Ł3. - Yeah.
- Is this all the cash you've got? - Yep.
What about the bank?
My relationship with the bank is difficult, to say the least.
Me and the girls did a whip-around. We managed Ł3.10.
Thank you.
Thank you, girls. I can almost manage that.
Ben, I will pay you back.
OK, that means we've got...
..Ł25.
Not even halfway there.
Hello.
I was wondering if now would be a good time to show Ben around town.
What's wrong?
I have Ł75. Will that cover it?
Yes.
Yes, thank you so much.
I don't know how I'll ever repay you.
- Have you alerted the superintendent? - No.
The note is very clear - no traps.
I'm doing what they ask.
Your child, your decision.
I will pay you back somehow, I promise.
Good day, Miss Barrett, and good luck.
Tommy!
Here's your money!
I've done what you asked. Now give me my son back!
Please.
We have to get back.
What's going on? Where's Tommy?
Yah! Giddup, girl.
Tommy?
It's safe to come out if you're hiding.
Tommy?
Please be here, please be here, please be here.
He's not here!
Whoa! Where are you going? Where are you going?
I can't sit around here.
The Rope Gang - do you know where I can find them?
Maybe they're running late.
You need to stay here in case they turn up.
They've got their money!
Why won't they give me Tommy?
I just want my boy back!
I want him back!
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Tommy will be OK, I know he will.
Alright?
What happened? They get him back?
- No, still got him. - Ah.
Where are you going?
Going to get Tommy back. Hiyah!
Hiyah! Get up! Hiyah! Get up!
Where's the kid?
You've got guts coming back here.
Either that or you're sick in the head.
Both, I reckon.
It's probably best you just take him seriously.
Where are your men?
You'll know soon enough.
You know what?
This would be a lot less messy
if you just tell us where the boy is.
What boy? We haven't got any boy.
A girl, now that might...
Next one goes right between your eyes.
Now tell me, where's the kid?
I'm telling you, I know nothing about this kid.
Why would I take some kid?
Payback for us hitting your place.
When I'm looking for payback I don't hide behind a kid.
That's a coward's act.
I might be a lot of things but not one of them.
He's right, Jack.
You know that, don't you?
Course he does.
He's got a death wish.
First of all, he tries to rob my house.
Your house?
What would Delaney have to say about that, then?
Delaney?
Nothing.
He's been dead for three years.
You've been in this house all that time?
Yeah. So?
Tommy!
- Patrol the perimeter. - Tommy!
The rest of you, keep your eyes open for disused mines, wombat holes
and particularly, freshly turned earth.
Tommy!
Keep our eyes and ears open.
Don't worry, we'll find him.
Tommy!
I've got a shoe here.
Show me!
It's Tommy's, isn't it? Yeah.
Let me see it, Mary.
Got another one over here.
Show it to me!
What's your opinion, Alby?
Is the boy still alive?
Hard to say, boss. Tommy hasn't been here.
Hey?
Mary just identified these as Tommy's shoes.
Yeah, his shoes have been here.
Meaning?
I can only tell you what I know, Mr Fuller.
Which is clearly not very much.
Alright, focus our search on the riverbank.
Half of you men on this side, the rest on the other.
Make sure you look in the creek as well.
You think he's dead, don't you?
If he is, you will only have yourself to blame.
No-one thinks that, Mary.
Tommy!
Mum, I'm here!
Mum!
I keep telling ya - shut up and lie down!
- Where have you been? - What are you playing at?
- What do you mean? - You were gonna hand him over.
I'm trying to get more money.
You didn't ask for any more money, you idiot.
Now we've got traps, a tracker and half the bloody town down there.
- I didn't want none of this to happen. - Shut up!
Get out of here, don't do anything else stupid.
Alright, time to go.
Make some noise and I'll shoot you.
- They can't be far. - Jack.
Ben.
Martin, stop!
Martin!
If you want to see your mother again, run.
Martin!
Quick, boy.
Martin!
Martin.
Ben.
Tommy.
Come on, get up or you're dead, boy.
How many shots is that, Jack?
Jack!
Martin, wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Don't come any closer.
Stay back!
All we want is the boy - give him over, hand him over.
We'll let you go, we won't come after you.
You must think I'm real stupid to buy that.
I think you're smart enough to know that if you hurt him, you'll hang.
I'm offering you a way out.
I'd say we've got less than a minute
before a full search party of traps come over that ridge, Martin.
Stay back!
Not interested in you, just want the boy.
See?
- Just the boy. - You too. You.
Guns down.
I'll hang you myself if you doublecross us.
Tommy, you're safe now, you're safe.
Oh!
There's no way I'm letting him get away with that.
We've got to go, Jack.
Your mum will be coming over that ridge in just a second.
- Jack! - I'm coming! You stay right here.
Don't let him out of your sight, OK?
Time to go, Jack.
- Uncle Ben! - Tommy.
Now, Tommy, we don't want the traps going after Jack and the boys, OK?
So it's probably best if we don't tell anyone that we're here.
- OK. - Alright?
Tommy!
Tommy?
- Mum! - Tommy!
- Mum! - What the cat dragged in.
You OK?
There's a body back that way.
I take full responsibility.
He got what he deserved.
- G'day, mate. - OK.
Oh, my God!
My love.
You're not going anywhere again, ever, OK?
And thanks to the courageous actions of Ben Barrett,
we have a happy resolution to a very anxious time.
So well done, Ben, well done to our constabulary
and welcome home, Tommy.
A great day for Hopetoun. Hip hip!
Hooray!
I can't thank you enough for all your help.
I will pay you back, I promise.
Don't worry about that.
Now I know you're good for it, enjoy the moment.
Come on, let's eat.
Come on.
Yum. Tuck in, mate.
Thanks, Mum. And your vegies.
The next round is on me!
I can't take my eyes off him.
I'll get going.
Glad we got him back.
Oh, your coat.
I'll get it in the morning.
Sure. Join us for breakfast.
Goodnight, Sergeant.
Goodnight, Mary.
- I'll take him upstairs. - Yeah, thanks.
What are you doing here?
I'm here to see Ben.
Can't it wait?
Outside. Now.
We're all real tired, Jack.
How did you know where he was going to be?
- Who? - Your friend, Martin.
Tell me the truth or I'll quite happily shoot you where you stand.
You gotta believe me,
I did not know he'd pull a stunt like this, Jack.
Stunt like what?
I had nothing to do with it. It was all Martin's idea.
Stop! Stop lying to me!
You set up to hit the Rope Gang - why?
We owed them money, Jack.
But you don't understand - it all went wrong.
You know what the Rope Gang would do to us if we didn't pay them.
We risked your lives because you owed them money.
That was...that was Martin's idea.
He suggested it to me, I said no way.
I would never let him do that to Tommy.
So you didn't think to tell that to Mary or mention it to Fuller?
I wasn't sure he'd actually go through with it.
You were sure! You knew because you helped him do it.
What's going on?
Don't listen to him, Mary.
Martin wasn't smart enough to do it by himself.
You had easy access to Tommy.
You knew Martin was on the ridge,
which is why you separated from the search party.
Jack, you're being ridiculous!
Has Ben given you back the ransom money, Mary?
It wasn't there.
Ben said that...
Empty your pockets.
Ben, no!
Pierce was going to kill us if we didn't pay up.
It was supposed to be simple.
Tom was supposed to be at the pub like the note said.
Martin got greedy, thought he could squeeze more money out of...
So you killed him to cover yourself!
I didn't want Tommy to get hurt, Jack!
Mary, I'm so sorry.
Pathetic.
You're pathetic.
Get out of town.
He's gone.
What would you like me to do with this?
Um...give it to those people he owes it to.
I never want to see him again, but I won't have his blood on my hands.
What do you want? I hope it's not mercy.
I've got something for you.
It's from Ben Barrett and Martin Coyle.
- Latter deceased, I hear. - Yeah, that's right.
There's an extra 20 percent in there for you
to cover any inconvenience,
and our apologies.
We didn't know. We all got done.
Get the kid?
Yeah.
Good.
So we square?
You tell anybody what you did to me
or that I didn't whip you till you've bled to death,
I will personally go into that town
and take the boy and his mother and you and feed them to my pigs.
Got it?
We're square...
..for now.
Mr John Danger, formerly of Old East Road, Hopetoun,
broke his neck falling into a ditch.
The Ryan family, formerly of Old East Road. Murdered.
Arthur and Jane Shepherd, formerly of Old East Road.
Died in a house fire.
All from Old East Road.
Don't you think that's some kind of strange coincidence?
And?
Do you not think that's worth investigating?
Coincidence means accident - chance, fluke, luck.
That's not a story.
Come back when you've got one.
Sync and corrected by dr.jackson for www.addic7ed.com