There is celebration in Mt. Thomas as Tom gets a service medal for 30 years in the force. But the celebrations are marred when a young Aboriginal woman injures Grace and claims Tom stole her from her family as a child. The Heelers soon discover that when Tom was new to the force, in 1973, he was involved in helping the government remove some Aboriginal children from their families. Where he lived as a child, out near Lake End Mission, was the scene of his removing Kim Cook and her two brothers from their violent father. Kim's life was destroyed in foster homes and her brothers both died (one of drugs and one of suicide). Tess, Evan and PJ stand by the boss but Jo believes it is more his fault for taking the children.

Meanwhile, Chris believes Kim is responsible for stealing some money at the pub that the town had pooled to buy Tom an antique mirror for his 30 years. Kim denies it and her alibi seems to check out, but when they discover she has a boy in the room with her, they think he