Mick's day gets off to the worst possible start when he finds that the chippy has been trashed and splattered with racist graffiti. "Keep Britan White" (sic) has been sprayed right across the shop front - and there's more of the same inside. That's apart from all the fixtures and fittings being wrecked.
Ron tries to express his sympathy but Mick is feeling particularly ungracious. Yeah, he's hacked off over the attack on the shop, but he also knows that Ron, yesterday, had been telling the police what he saw on the day of the brawl.
In fact, unbeknown to Mick, Ron had changed his mind and told the police that he didn't see anything at all. Mick had to apologise.
Later, Mike told Ron that a developer was rumoured to be considering buying the parade. Whilst *we* know that this is in fact true, it was news to Ron and he was annoyed that Jacqui had not said anything to him.
Over at the Shadwick residence, Margi has received Greg's credit card statement and is surprised to see an entry relating to a "posh hotel", but she assumes that it is erroneous. To stop her from phoning the credit card company, Nikki tells her that it isn't and that Greg had paid for her and Bernie to crash at the hotel following a party there; a line which Margi was happy to swallow because she's sure that it is the sort of thing that her beloved Greg would have done.
Later, Margi and Nikki go out and collect Jason's ashes. Understandably, there are floods of tears and Nikki at least, finds that consolation comes in bottles.
Matt and Bosko are wandering around the parade trying to find a way to make money from their artistic skills. Actually, in lieu of money, and due to desperation, they would have been happy to settle for some free butties. Bosko got the 'you have won a competition, come to xx hotel' message on his pager, which Matt had received the day before, but Bosko said that the message was from his mother advising that it will be sausages and mash for tea!
Mike Dixon also had a similar message, in which he was advised that he'd won a grand in a special promotion. He too, had to collect it from a hotel in town.
Matt and Bosko make their way (separately) to the hotel where they quickly realise that everything is not quite what it seems. Mike is already there. Matt works out that it's a set up and that the police are using the 'prizes' as bait. Bosko's imagination begins to work overtime and before long he's decided that he and Matt are the main targets (the nicked PC, the stolen costumes, the dodgy stones - it all adds up).
"It could be a fraud investigation. Operation Shad", he speculates.
Mike is livid. "I'm gonna kill you. I've nearly been done for handling stolen goods", he tells them and demands his money back plus reimbursement of his taxi fares. Hmm, so that's *another* debtor for our two young entrepreneurs.
Lindsey and Jimmy are nervous to say the least, following the 'Victor Vanquished' episode ('terrified' might be a better description) and are sneaking about trying to avoid being seen. Kylie has been packed off to the safe haven that *is* R'Val's and Lindsey has holed herself up in Susannah's (without Susannah's knowledge, of course!). Jimmy is trying to arrange for Lindsey to go away, but unfortunately, he hasn't been subtle enough. Callum is watching from the alleyway. Seeing Jimmy, he makes a call on his mobile:
"I've found him. I'll call you back when I need you", he says.
Whilst Jimmy is out, Callum sneaks into Susannah's, where he gives Lindsey the fright of her life by creeping up behind her, muttering his favourite phrase: "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock". He grabs her.
"Don't even think about shouting for help or making a run for it", he says. "You have been a very naughty girl - trying to get my old friend Victor to do a job on me." He tuts several times.
"I wasted my money then, didn't I?" Lindsey manages to utter.
"For a job as important as that one, you really should have gone a wee bit more upmarket."
"What did you do with him?" asks Lindsey, apprehensively.
"Poor old Victor has been made redundant. Permanently. And now *you* are going to pay the price for your penny pinching."
Lindsey can't understand why Callum is spending so much time and energy on her and the Millennium Club. It seems that Callum has been wondering much the same thing.
"It must be lurve", he suggests.
There's a knock at the front door. Callum opens it.
"Lindsey, I'd like you to meet an associate of mine. She's been *dying* to meet you", he says and then continues:
"You see, what you should aspire to, is being able to hire the very best in whatever field of expertise you need. Now, my friend here, unlike poor Victor, is the very best in what she does, so I've hired her to demonstrate her skills and to teach you a lesson that you *desperately* need to learn: Just how far out of your depth you really are."
"You can't teach me anything", Lindsey starts, but is suddenly stopped from saying anything more when Callum's henchwoman gives her an unexpected headbut.
That headbut was merely for starters: "Let the lesson begin" laughs Callum...
[Ouch. Even *I* felt that headbut!]
Summary © 1999 Graeme Selway
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001