In the gripping second episode of "Return to Paradise" titled "Dead Last," the tranquility of Dolphin Cove is once again shattered by a mysterious death. The episode opens with a brief scene of Jade McCready and Curtis Faleafa preparing for a marathon, an event that will soon take a tragic turn.
Detective S.C. Colin Cartwright and Glenn Strong make brief appearances, setting the stage for the day's events. The story then shifts to DI Mackenzie Clarke, who is unexpectedly drawn into the case when Curtis, one of the marathon participants and a wellness influencer, collapses and dies just seconds after finishing the race.
As the investigation unfolds, Clarke and her team, including Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong, discover a 10-digit number written on a scrap of paper near Curtis's phone, which leads them to question the volunteer at the drink station, Keith Cole, who used to coach Curtis in football. Despite Cartwright's initial belief that Curtis died of a heart attack, Clarke insists on testing the water cups from the marathon, leading to the discovery of a foreign substance in one of the cups.
The plot thickens as the team learns about Curtis and Jade's successful business built on health and wellness, and the recent revelation that Jade was planning to sell it to a private equity company in Singapore, which would net them $20 million each. This leads to suspicions about Jade's motives and her relationship with Curtis.
As the team delves deeper, they uncover that Jade had been using homemade supplements to overcome her own health issues, which had contributed to her popularity. The investigation takes a surprising turn when they discover that Curtis had sent a suspicious text to Nick Dosanjh two weeks before his death, indicating a disagreement over a business deal.
The episode reaches its climax when Clarke, obsessed with the mysterious number, nearly overlooks a crucial clue. The number is revealed to be a patient ID for the Green Grass Institute, linking back to Jade's past treatments for cancer, which were not as successful as she had led the public to believe. In a twist, it is revealed that Jade had poisoned Curtis using a water bottle, cleverly drinking from it herself to avoid suspicion, and that her motive was to prevent Curtis from revealing the truth about her cancer treatments.
In the end, Jade is arrested, and Clarke's dedication to solving the case, despite the personal challenges she faces in her return to Dolphin Cove, is once again highlighted. The episode concludes with a hint of personal drama for Clarke, as she navigates her complicated relationships with the town's residents and her colleagues.
"Dead Last" is a testament to the show's ability to weave a complex mystery with personal drama, set against the backdrop of the picturesque Dolphin Cove. The episode keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, eager to see how DI Clarke will navigate both the cases and her own past in the town she once fled.