Mt Thomas station is full of secrets. Maggie and PJ have come back from holidays deeply in love but determined that no-one - especially Tom - will find out about their new relationship. Meanwhile, Nick and Adam have intercepted Dash's Confirmation Certificate as a fully-fledged constable in order to have it framed for a special presentation, and Tom and Chris are conspiring to organise a surprise celebration for Dash's 20th birthday.
Into this web of intrigue comes a very distressed Elly Winslow, asking for police protection because her ex-husband, Danny Hobson, has just been released from prison in Queensland where he was serving time for sexually molesting his own son, and she is terrified that he will come looking for them.
Tom does his best to calm her fears, meanwhile sending Dash and Maggie out to the little one-teacher school attended by Elly's boys, Mark and Joey, to investigate a report of a man seen "hanging around" by Dash's young niece, who has a very well-developed imagination. Although inclined to dismiss Macca's tale, the Heelers are disquieted by the news that Danny Hobson has had his parole shifted to Victoria. Maybe Elly's fears are justified. The Heelers track Danny down and bring him in for questioning. Unfortunately they can't charge him for anything and when Nick's attempt to make Danny break the Intervention Order taken out by Elly misfires, Tom has no choice but to do a deal with Danny whereby he will return to Queensland by bus. Before he does, Danny gives Nick some food for thought - why is little Joey still traumatised that he doesn't speak? Could someone else be molesting him? The next morning the Heelers learn that Danny wasn't on the bus when it arrived in Sydney. Figuring they have some hours before his return, Tom sends Dash out to Flat Gully School to take the kids on a planned excursion to the Magistrate Court. Then the Heelers learn that in fact Danny got off the bus in Albury - he could already be here. And he is. Dash is taking a warning call from Tom when Danny arrives, demanding the boys. When he learns that Joey is home sick today, he produces a sawn-off riffle and forces his other son Mark, to phone home. When Elly discovers that Joey is missing, Maggie and PJ find an answer machine message from Danny, asking Joey to meet him at a secret place. They rush to the little Flat Gully schoolhouse only to find it deserted - except for one sick little boy and a trussed up bus driver. Where are Dash, the teacher and the other children?
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