 Angelo is promoted to Sergeant and Charlie is promoted to Leading Senior Constable, becoming his second-in-command, which causes tension between the pair; not only does Charlie have to take orders from an officer who was until recently her subordinate, but also has to get used to sharing what had once been her own office. Angelo is forced to leave the police force and Charlie feels guilty when she is made Sergeant. She encourages Angelo when he decides to set up a restaurant. They later decide to end their relationship and agree to remain friends. Ross dies and Charlie and Ruby attend his funeral. The River Boys, a surf gang from Mangrove River, arrive in town and Darryl "Brax" Braxton begins flirting with Charlie. He later kisses her and Charlie arrests him for assault. Charlie becomes concerned when Ruby tells her that she had sex with Romeo Smith and later suffers a hypoglycemic attack. Charlie discovers Ruby with Casey Braxton and she tells Brax to keep Casey away from Ruby. Charlie is called out to a party at a mansion and arrests Casey. She realises that Ruby was also involved and threatens to stop her from seeing Casey. Brax visits Charlie and they argue. Brax kisses her again and they have sex. Charlie tells him it was a mistake, but she kisses him again and asks him to keep their relationship quiet.
