Sad news, I'm afraid. The Shad web-site has been shut down by Matt and Bosko out of respect to Greg and Jason. I'll admit that I was surprised that they finished with a money-making venture (well, they *claim* that it made money) so willingly, given their previously stated desire to get rich quick. But fear not, for they have a new plan, of which more later...
Talking about the Shadwicks, Bosko expressed his sorrow over Greg and Jason's demise rather eloquently:
"It was sad about Shad. And Shad's lad."
Now that the web-site is no more and given that the schools have reopened, Bosko went on to suggest that they should return the PC which they 'borrowed' from Brookie Comp before it's disappearance is noticed. Matt isn't keen:
"No way", he says. "Me Ma will go mad. She's never off the thing."
So, what's this new money making scheme, then? Well, er, electronic, vibrating instruments would be one description, but 'pagers' would be a clearer, if more mundane choice of words. They tried to sell one to Sinbad on the basis that he couldn't hear a phone, but they were too late - he already has one. Mike bought one though, after having negotiated a fifty percent discount. Whether that will prove to be a fiver (yes, fiver!) well spent, I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Matt actually received a message on his - something about winning some money and a trip to a hotel, tomorrow, to collect a cheque, but I'm not quite sure what that's got to do with anything!
Other than selling (dodgy?) pagers, Matt and Bosko are supposed to be immersing themselves in their college work. Both of them are doing an art foundation course, which whilst it has only just started, is already proving a disappointment due to the lack of nude models on which to test their artistic skills. Apparently, drawing dead fish is not quite as stimulating.
Sinbad has been to the hospital for a check up on his hearing. His left ear is improving, but he's been told that there could be some permanent damage to his right one. He might need to wear a hearing aid. Sandra (who we last saw at the fete) was at the hospital and seemed quite taken with Sinbad. I must admit that I've been expecting her to reappear at some point because it seemed obvious that she was gagging for a passionate affair with someone. I'd earmarked her for Mr Moore, myself, but maybe it'll be Sinbad she'll be pursuing? Maybe it'll be both? A love triangle, perhaps? Er, no. On second thoughts, let's hope not!
For some reason, which I couldn't quite fathom, Ron has been chucked out of the garage (remember that he'd insisted that Bing had agreed to let him temporarily run Great Grannies from the storeroom?) and much to Jacqui's chagrin, is now trying to operate out of Bar Brookie.
Not wanted in the garage or Bar Brookie perhaps, Ron *is* wanted by the police. No, not in *that* way, but he is due to give a statement detailing what he saw of the parade brawl. Mick's worried about what implications this will have for Leo and Jerome, given that no-one is quite convinced that Ron could actually have seen much from Great Grannies, although he claims that he did. For his part, Ron is being very cagey and won't say what he will be telling the bizzies. Mick doesn't trust him an inch and warned:
"You point the finger at Leo and *you'll* have something to fear all right."
Nathan has taken-on a new client who is a property developer. Although, he obviously shouldn't (remember Katie?), he did betray the client's confidence by giving some details of this guy's plans to Jacqui (which she then passed on to Lindsey), about a possible redevelopment scheme for the parade. It seems that he wants to develop the area by centering on the health club, extending the garage and adding some offices and flats. However, this would cause the loss of the hair salon, chippy and Great Grannies. *Not* though, the solicitor's office, you'll notice.
Lindsey, of course, is far too preoccupied with her little contract killing problem and threats from Callum, to be concerned about the Millennium Club at the moment. She is desperate to try to stop Victor the Vicar from actually bumping Callum off and is crestfallen when Jimmy tells her that he hasn't been able to get hold of his contacts. In fact, he'd prefer to leave things as they'd originally planned.
"Listen Lindsey, why don't we just let him get on with it?", he ventures.
"Because I don't want a man's death on my conscience."
"*You* can't afford to *have* a conscience. Callum Finnegan is a psycho. He's killed three people. He's given you seven days to leave and you're still here. If Victor doesn't stop him, then he'll kill you too."
Lindsey's starting to panic somewhat now and asks the question that's been on everyone else's mind for months:
"What's happening to me, Dad?"
"I don't like myself anymore", she continues. "I'll be a murderer. What kind of mother does that make me? They must be *some* way to stop Victor."
"We've paid a man to kill someone", Jimmy reminds her. "And you can't just change your mind."
"I can. I *have*."
"But you can't just ring him up and tell him."
"Why not?"
"Because contract killers don't advertise in Yellow Pages."
Jimmy explains to Lindsey that he's starting to fear for his *own* safety, now that he's been out making so many enquiries and that sooner or later, if Callum dies, someone will put two and two together and come looking for him.
I'm not quite sure whether Lindsey grasped this point, but in an attempt to appease her, Jimmy suggested that they could try a long shot and see if, by chance, Victor might be at the garden centre.
He wasn't, but whilst they were out, someone broke into Number Nine and left a box on the kitchen table. Lindsey's first reaction was that it was a bomb. Understandable that, for a resident of Brookside Close, I guess!
"Maybe it's from Victor, you know, erm, prove he's done the job?" suggests Jimmy hesitantly.
When they eventually summon up sufficient courage to lift the lid, they find a card which contains a photograph of Kylie at a playground. Underneath and covered by tissue paper, is a vicar's dog collar with a sheet of paper attached to it. "Victor Vanquished" was all that was written on the piece of paper.
Chilling, eh?
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001