Home and Away is building toward one of its most suspenseful and emotionally charged storylines in recent memory, as Lacey launches a dangerous plan to expose

Councillor Craig Wendell—a powerful figure she believes is responsible for the tragic accident that killed her mother, Christina. What begins as a quest for truth quickly spirals into

a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, with devastating consequences potentially awaiting everyone involved.

In Summer Bay, grief has never truly loosened its grip on Lacey and her sister, Jo. Christina’s death in a horrific car crash left the family shattered, and for months, the case seemed destined to remain an unsolved wound. Jo was driving the night of the accident, but her memories were fragmented, clouded by trauma and guilt. For a long time, the official explanation—that it was a tragic accident—was all they had to cling to, even though it never quite sat right.

Everything changed when Jo underwent hypnotherapy. During a breakthrough session just weeks ago, long-buried memories finally surfaced. Jo recalled a second vehicle forcing their car off the road in a terrifying moment that sealed Christina’s fate. The recollection was incomplete but chillingly specific: a grey Mercedes, and fragments of a number plate that refused to fade from Jo’s mind.

Their father, Senior Constable David, followed the only lead they had. His investigation traced the partial plate to Councillor Craig Wendell, a man with significant political influence and a carefully curated public image. Crucially, Wendell had been seen at a community event in Red Gum Falls on the same afternoon as the crash back in 2023—placing him far closer to the scene than he ever admitted.

When David brought Wendell into Yabbie Creek Police Station for questioning, the councillor was calm, controlled, and dismissive. He denied any wrongdoing and claimed he couldn’t remember his exact movements that day, promising to “check with his assistant.” It was a familiar tactic—delay, deflect, deny. Before David could push further, Wendell retreated behind his legal team, and the investigation stalled almost as quickly as it began.

The pressure mounted when David received a call not from Wendell, but from his lawyer. The message was blunt and unmistakable: back off. Soon after, David’s superiors stepped in, warning him that his personal connection to the case made his involvement inappropriate. Wendell filed a formal complaint, effectively forcing David to step away and leaving him powerless to pursue the truth through official channels.

To make matters worse, Jo’s hypnotherapy memories were deemed inadmissible as evidence. Without physical proof, the case couldn’t be reopened. For David, it was a professional and personal nightmare—knowing something was wrong, yet being unable to act.

But while David felt trapped by procedure, his daughters were not ready to let the matter die.

An unsettling encounter at the police station reignited Jo’s fears when she crossed paths with Wendell and became convinced he recognised her. The look on his face—brief but unmistakable—felt like confirmation that he knew exactly who she was, and what he had done. From that moment on, Lacey’s determination hardened into something far more dangerous.

Together, the sisters began investigating on their own. Lacey crossed a line by sneaking into her father’s office and photographing his old case notes, desperate for anything that could help them build a clearer picture. Meanwhile, Jo uncovered a detail that sent chills through both of them: Craig Wendell’s signature in the condolence book at Christina’s funeral.

On the surface, a local councillor attending a community member’s funeral might appear routine. But to Lacey and Jo, it felt deeply personal—and deeply incriminating. Why would Wendell attend unless he knew exactly who Christina was?

When they confronted David with their findings, he was furious and terrified in equal measure. He warned them that Wendell’s influence ran deep and that challenging him could have serious consequences. David made them promise to step back and let the matter rest. Jo, still shaken and wary, reluctantly agreed. Lacey did not.

Consumed by the need for answers, Lacey’s behaviour became increasingly reckless. She began following Wendell, watching his home, and even calling him anonymously to threaten going to the press. Each move pushed her closer to the edge—and closer to danger.

Next week, Lacey takes her most extreme step yet. Instead of attending Cash and Eden’s highly anticipated wedding with her boyfriend Theo, she becomes fully focused on luring Wendell into a trap designed to expose him once and for all. According to actress Sophia Pennington, Lacey isn’t driven by revenge, but by desperation.

“She’s not trying to destroy him for the sake of it,” Pennington explained. “She needs closure. She needs to know why her mother died and whether it could have been prevented.”

But Lacey’s obsession comes at a cost. When she pulls Theo into her plan—asking him to skip the wedding and help her—tensions explode. Theo’s unwavering loyalty to Lacey sparks fury from Leah and Justin, who are fed up with watching him sacrifice everything at her command.

Upcoming promos hint that the consequences of Lacey’s actions may be irreversible. Dark scenes show two cars speeding along a remote country road, with a white BMW making a threatening move eerily reminiscent of Christina’s fatal crash. Later, police are seen managing a grim scene as a body bag is loaded into a private ambulance. David is visibly distraught as he steps in to shield Leah from witnessing the aftermath.

Speculation is already rampant, and fears are growing that Theo may pay the ultimate price for standing by Lacey. Actor Matt Evans’ absence from recent filming has only fueled rumours that Theo’s story could be nearing a tragic end.

As Home and Away races toward this explosive climax, one question looms large: will Lacey finally expose Craig Wendell, or will her trap destroy the very people she loves most? One thing is certain—Summer Bay is about to be changed forever.