Amid the death, revelations and destruction of the past week, one of several shock twists revealed that Ray (Joe Absolom) had been killed by an unidentified assailant.

As the week opened, an unseen figure was shown dragging Ray’s body, wrapped in a tarpaulin, across the grass behind Tenants House.

 

 

By that evening, the body had been stashed in the back of one of the depot’s vans—unknowingly driven by Jai (Chris Bisson).

After a failed trip to Manchester, which saw Jai caught in a tailback caused by the Corriedale pile-up, he returned to the depot with Ray’s body still hidden in the van, where it remained undetected.

Next week, the residents of Emmerdale are going about their morning business when a convoy of police vehicles come through the village, putting everyone on edge.

The police make their way to the depot, where there is already an ongoing inquiry into the suspected trafficking of drugs through the business. The investigation stems from an anonymous tip-off made by Dylan (Fred Kettle), who had tried to put a stop to Ray’s operation after being forced to take part in drug drops during deliveries.

But as the officers begin their search and open up one of the vans, Jai, Caleb (Will Ash) and Billy (Jay Kontzle) are shocked by the news that there is a body inside.

Over in the café, villagers are speechless when Billy comes in and shares the news, but are more than one of them looking a bit shifty…?

Later, April attempts to open Dylan’s eyes to the way Ray controlled and manipulated them, but Dylan isn’t ready to hear it. Having once looked up to Ray as a father figure, his anger and grief collide, and he storms out, adamant that Ray didn’t deserve to meet such a violent end.

Police attention quickly centres on Jai as officers question him about his use of the van and press him for a clear timeline.

When they leave the depot, making it clear they’ll be back in touch, Caleb pulls Jai aside, uneasy and convinced that whoever killed Ray hasn’t gone far.

Unaware that she’s also dead, Jai suggests Ray’s mum Celia (Jaye Griffiths) could be responsible, but Caleb isn’t convinced, suspecting the truth lies much closer to home.

The following day, DC Stewart (Neil Grainger) continues the enquiry by speaking with Caleb about any possible link between Jai and Ray. When Caleb mentions Jai’s divorce from Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy)—who Ray had been in a relationship shortly before his death—Stewart notes it with interest.

Over at Mulberry, Laurel is still reeling after ending her relationship with Ray, having finally learned the extent of the abhorrent activities he’d been involved in over recent months.

Son Arthur (Alfie Clarke) is quick to take Laurel to task on it when they have a disagreement, pointing out that she doesn’t get to lecture him on what’s right and wrong after she brought someone like Ray into their lives. He’s stunned when Laurel subsequently reveals that Ray’s body has been discovered.

The following day, Laurel seeks solace in the church as she prays. When she leaves, she runs into Marlon (Mark Charnock) and unleashes her anger at him for not telling her about Ray’s true nature sooner.

Claudette (Flo Wilson) steps in and gently suggests they both come inside to talk things through, but Laurel refuses and walks away, leaving Marlon weighed down by her words.

Laurel later finds herself facing questions from DS Walsh about her relationship with Ray. When she suggests that Jai may not have been entirely comfortable with her new romance, officers take note—though Laurel is insistent that Jai could not be responsible for Ray’s death. Nevertheless, Jai is taken in for questioning, leaving him worried about the attention.

Later, over coffee, Nicola cautiously raises the idea that Jai could be involved, but quickly backs off when she realises how upsetting the speculation is for Laurel.

As April is supported by her family, attention turns once again to Ray’s death. When DS Walsh talks to them all outside the pub, the villagers beginning to question who is really responsible—and it becomes clear that many are harbouring secrets of their own…

Meanwhile, the search for Bear (Joshua Richards) continues, with hopes of finding him alive rapidly fading and the family struggling to face what may lie ahead.