JON and Peter Ellis, Perth-based students, are in Bali after the body of their dad Robert, 60, was found wrapped in plastic and dumped in a ditch on Tuesday.
Jon, 23, tried to visit his Indonesian mother Noor at a Bali police station on Saturday.
He hid his face with a towel and ran past waiting media.
But the meeting had to be scratched, says Ms Noor's lawyer Nyoman Wisnu, because he was unable to be present.
Police allege Ms Noor - bitterly unhappy about her husband's infidelity and the handling of their finances - admits to organising her maid's boyfriend to kill Mr Ellis.
The businessman's throat was slashed in the kitchen of the couple's Sanur villa.
But Mr Nyoman argues it was never supposed to go that far.
"This incident happened because Noor picked the wrong person to talk to about her problems," the lawyer said.
According to the lawyer, Ms Noor last week confided in her maid that she was "losing her patience" with her husband over their marital problems.
Mr Ellis had twice refused to divorce his Indonesian wife, whose name was used to acquire substantial assets in the country, Mr Nyoman said.
The maid introduced Ms Noor to Aril, "who could solve the problem".
She agreed to pay him Rp 150 million ($A14,000) but said she didn't want her husband hurt.
Ms Noor waited in another room when Aril and four others confronted her husband on Sunday night,
Mr Nyoman says, and was stunned when she found him dead.
The men told her they had to "slash him" when he fought back.
"Noor was crying and in regret," he said.
"She was hysterical, frightened and confused."
One of the four men still on the run then ordered Ms Noor to drive her car when they disposed of Mr Ellis' body in a rice field, according to the lawyer.
Police are now weighing a premeditated murder charge, which can carry the death penalty.
Her lawyer says she will plead forgiveness from her sons, whose support could be crucial to her leniency before the courts.
"She really wanted to meet her sons and tell them lots of things, especially to apologise for her mistake," Mr Nyoman said.
The lawyer says his client suffered through years of infidelity by her husband of 25 years, and denies her actions were motivated by greed.
Rather, he says, Ms Noor was being denied access to funds she was helping to earn, and barred from a dignified separation.
"There's no action without reaction, no smoke without fire," he said.
"It was Bob who was selfish, playing around with women, getting drunk and keeping all of their business profits in Australia."
Aril and the couple's two maids remain in custody, while Mr Ellis' remains will next week be flown to New Zealand, where he will be laid to rest.
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