At the end of the dramatic season-two opener of Mystery Road, we were left wondering what was inside the mysterious bag archaeologist Sandra had found.
As this week’s episode kicks off, Sandra (Sofia Helin) is having a personal crisis deciding what to do with it. For now, she decides to keep it hidden.
The contents of the bag could jeopardise Sandra’s dig.
(Image: ABC)Jay and Fran (Jada Alberts) are continuing to look for clues surrounding Clarry’s death. This time, they’re at his home.
“How did you get a warrant on the weekend?” Fran asks Jay as he lets himself into Clarry’s house without giving her a response.
The pair’s search leads to a local bar where the manager, Suzi (Kirk Page), reveals he’d seen Clarry down the water’s edge on the night of his murder being badly beaten by two men who “weren’t mucking around”.
When Jay arrives at the police station to question Dylan (Fletcher Humphrys) as to his whereabouts in connection to this new information, the suspect is pulled out of the interview by a lawyer sent there by local businessman Tony Pierce (Gary Sweet).
But why would Tony, a successful pearl farm owner, bail out an employee of a trucking company, Jay wonders. As Jay is told, Tony has connections all over the town, and in
this small town, news travels fast.
Is there more to businessman Tony than meets the eye?
(Image: ABC)If Dylan thinks he’s had a lucky break in dodging Jay’s questions, he quickly finds out that’s not the case. On arriving at Tony’s compound, Dylan is beaten by Tony’s goons, with Tony demanding answers as to who killed Clarry. Dylan pleads innocence, but that doesn’t seem to satisfy Tony as the beating continues.
Back in town, Shevorne (Tasia Zalar) and her daughter Ava are living with Mary (Tasma Walton), but Shevorne appears to have a new lease on life.
More spirited and free, she goes to a nightclub, where she takes drugs with her boyfriend, Phillip (Rhimi Johnson). When Phillip comes to Shevorne’s house the next day, asking her to look after his bag, she agrees, but later discovers it’s stashed full of drugs. Is Shevorne heading down a dangerous path?
Later, Jay comes home to find Sandra waiting outside for him. She looks shaken.
“You haven’t been threatened, have you?” Jay asks. “I need to know.”
“More of a crisis of faith,” she replies. After a brief pause, Sandra continues, “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done, detective?”
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Jay asks, but before Sandra can reply, they’re interrupted by two strung-out locals who Jay has to deal with, and Sandra heads home instead of answering Jay’s question.
Has Shevorne got herself involved with the wrong crowd?
(Image: ABC)Back at the excavation site, Amos (Rob Collins) has discovered Sandra’s hidden bag and takes a look inside.
“You get that thing away from me – that’s big trouble!” Amos yells as he backs away from it. “The dig is over. Someone put this there. You don’t muck around with this one.”
Realising she needs to take action, Sandra risks the future of her work by dropping the bag outside a local church.
Later that same night, Jay is brutally attacked by a mob of men as he arrives home. Simon (Callan Mulvey) comes to his aid, as he was visiting to tell Jay about meth labs based out in the bush.
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The next day, Jay decides to go – alone – to track down the alleged lab. Again, he doesn’t have a warrant.
Jay discovers the compound belongs to Tony, who demands Jay leave his property immediately. Watching the tense stand-off from a distance is a battered and bloodied Dylan, who has managed to free himself.
Sensing his opportunity, Dylan jumps into a car and speeds off into the distance. Jay decides to give chase, though Dylan evades him this time.
Dylan makes a daring escape after suffering a severe beating.
(Image: ABC)While Jay is involved in trying to uncover a potential meth lab, Fran has gone to the local church after it called to report finding the mysterious bag. Fran’s jaw drops as she opens it and pulls out a necklace.
“I think I know who it is… My cousin Zoe,” Fran says of her cousin who has been missing for the past 20 years.
And then, in a desolate part of town, two men are dragging what appears to be a body from a truck and into a vacant area of land. The men begin to dig a rough grave.
Who is it they’re burying – and why is the body count in Gideon rising?
Want more stories on Mystery Road? Check out the below links
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Mystery Road’s Aaron Pedersen reflects on his latest TV role – and life with his brother
