AustLit

'Department B is to work closely with Detective Sergeant Stoner on a difficult case of child abduction. This would appear to be difficult enough, but there is also another problem.

'Stoner is suspected of fixing convictions, shopping innocent people, etc., and it is Bluey's job to not only keep an eye on the case in hand, but to also keep an eye on Stoner.

'This is no mean feat as for once Bluey has met his match. Here is a man who is not only a solo operator like Bluey, but is also a darn good cop. Being such men of strength, Bluey and Stoner build up a close relationship making Bluey's job more difficult and placing doubts in Bluey's mind as to Stoner's guilt. However, bending the rules a little to capture a guilty party is one thing, breaking the rules and coming up with the wrong bloke, is another.

'Bluey's quick thinking saves Stoner from making a mistake in charging the wrong man for the crimes, but when Stoner seems so intent on capturing the animal responsible for the disappearances of the young girls, it looks as though he is about to make a similar mistake.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'NICK STONER: MID FORTIES. BLUEY'S AGE. A SHREWD FACE. HARD TO PICK WHAT HE MIGHT BE THINKING. AN AGGRESSION THAT FINDS ITS MOTIVATION IN HIS FIERCE PRIDE FOR HIS POLICE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE ONE VULNERABLE SPOT - THE LOSS OF HIS WIFE - A SUPPORT THAT IS GONE FOREVER - A TENDER SPOT THAT WON'T HEAL - A NEED THAT FOCUSES MORE OF HIS ATTENTION ON HIS JOB AS A POLICEMAN THAN A MEANS OF INCOME. HE FORCES A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ON HIMSELF. WELL GROOMED. WEARS WELL CUT CLOTHES. AN EXPENSIVE WATCH. THICK WEDDING BAND THAT HE WILL TOY WITH WHEN UPSET OR EXCITED. HE KEEPS PEOPLE AT ARMS LENGTH. GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT HE COPES VERY WELL. WHEN HE COPES. AND AS A POLICEMAN, HE CARES. HE IS INVOLVED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HURT AND HE WANTS TO FELON BADLY. [sic]

'MACKAY: LATE TWENTIES. LEAN FACE. LONG GINGERISH HAIR (ADJUST - DISTINGUISHABLE HAIR) INNATE MEANESS. [sic] LIMITED INTELLIGENCE. DEFIANT.

'DAVIDSON: LATE TWENTIES. LEAN FACE. LONG GINGERISH HAIR. (ADJUST TO SUIT MACKAY) VERY SIMILAR TO MACKAY. BUT SENSITIVE. NERVOUS. LOW SELF-PROFILE. NEGATIVE.

'BRADLEY: EARLY FIFTIES. CORNER SHOP KEEPER. FERRET FACED AND A BUSY-BODY. LIKES TO DRAW ATTENTION TO HIMSELF.

'MRS. GILLIS: HOUSEWIFE. LATE THIRTIES. HARASSED. DOING HER BEST BUT LIMITED.

'MRS. NEILSEN: SIXTY FIVE. BLUE RINSE. SELF OPINIONATED. HAS A PET PRIZE CORGI. NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE 1970'S.

'MRS. OWEN: EARLY THIRTIES. BIRD LIKE. STRONG IN NATURE. QUIET BUT SELF CONTROLLED.

'ALLSOP: FORTY. SHORT. BUS DRIVER. BORN LOSER WHO IS FRIGHTENED OF LOSING EVEN MORE.

'KATE GILLIS: TEN YEAR OLD GIRL.

'RAYLENE OWENS: EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL.

'GIRLS ONE AND TWO: EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD.

'MRS. GREEN: MIDDLE AGED WORKING WIFE. NON SPEAKING.

'MRS. ROSE: WOMAN OF 50

'PRIZE CORGI'.