24th January 2022

Natasha jokes with David that morning as he fell asleep last night during the movie that he so wanted to watch. Natasha settles on the couch that morning with David and mentions Elle's abrupt exit. David tells her to forget about it. Natasha reckons that he is right. Natasha asks David if Marc left the house this morning. Marc, meanwhile, has a coffee at the café as Eve walks in and asks what his chances with Elle are. Eve reckons that he should patch things up with Elle. Marc isn't sure what to do, but swears to Eve that he will get Alvin and Amanda put behind bars where they belong. Eve wishes him luck as he heads off on his day. Marya bumps into Claudia outside Leighton Locks, which still remains a crime scene, and tells her about Elle's abrupt exit. Marc and DC Nash sit down at the police station office to discuss the events at the salon. Marc claims that Alvin was in cahoots with Aaron. Marc wants Alvin investigated, but DC Nash thinks that it's too expensive and that there isn't enough of a case for it now that Aaron is dead. Marc is devastated and thinks that Alvin will get away with murder. Nash insists that Elle and Marc can come up with a case against Alvin if they really want to. Marc is given food for thought while Marya calls for other salon work. Marya finds Eve at the door while baby Paul starts crying. Marya lets Eve in and puts Paul to bed. Eve asks Marya where Elle is, and tells her that she has already left town. Eve is surprised, and asks if she tried to stop her. Audrey finds Amanda eating in the flat and asks her if she intends to go out. Amanda tells her it's none of her business. Amanda tells her that everyone hates her anyway and there's no business to tend to at the moment. This starts an argument between the pair as Amanda lays into Audrey for trying to rinse Jonny dry. Jonny tells them to stop arguing, and Amanda decides to head out. Audrey asks Jonny what he wants for tea. Jonny is quieting seething. Marc splurges all of the information about Alvin that he knows. Nash thinks that the case fails to stand up because of the lack of evidence and given that Marc was a criminal working for Harry, and that Alvin is a solicitor. Nash reckons that he can revoke Alvin's title temporarily. He encourages Marc to get Elle on board if he has any chances of taking Amanda down, let alone Alvin. Marc thanks him, and heads off to see Elle. Natasha and David are put off shopping at the corner shop as Amanda comes down from the flat above. Natasha evilly stares at Amanda. Jonny is obviously still seething at Amanda as he barley speaks to her in the shop. Natasha asks Eve if she's okay as she sits on the bench outside the shop. Natasha tells Eve it's obvious that Amanda is hiding something. As Marc returns, he finds Eve going home outside the charity shop, and tells her that he can get Alvin investigated again. The caveat being; they need Elle. Eve tells Marc that Elle has already left. Marc is shocked. Natasha annoys David by banging on about Amanda. David heads off into town. Natasha is forced to expel her nasty thoughts of Amanda to Tracey, who's at the bar. Tracey isn't at all surprised by Amanda's actions. Tracey tells her that she ought to lay off the subject if she intends to stay civil with David, she laughs. Audrey offers Jonny dessert and he refuses. Audrey can see how upset and ashamed Jonny is and tells him that Amanda will make the right decision.

Karyn gets back from the gym, and boasts to Karl about the new instructor. Karl seems quiet. Karl tells her that Piper is at work, and asks Karyn how she's feeling. Karyn claims that she's fine and that she was advised to seek a new hobby to take her mind of the pain killers. Karl isn't so sure and confronts her on the mess she made last week. Karyn tells him to get off her case. Karyn heads out the door and peers into her handbag to the pack of codeine. Karl makes dinner for him and Piper. Piper complains about being back at work as opposed to being abroad on honeymoon. Piper finds a stash of Karyn's codeine in the kitchen cabinet while and asks Karl if he should throw them away. Karl tells her not to move it, as it might aggravate Karyn. Karyn enters Laura's bar, while Sam chats to Tracey at the bar. Karyn reckons that her ears should be burning. Tracey insists that Sam is just looking out for Karyn. Karyn tells him to get a large drink in for her. Karyn checks her bag and finds that she's low on pain killers. Tracey chats to Karyn about Natasha knowing her secret. Tracey senses that Karyn is antsy and reckons why she's overdoing it on the pills; due to the one night stand with Karl. Karyn downs her drinks and expresses how she spent all that time last year preventing Karl from cheating only for this to happen. Karyn confides in Tracey. Karyn finishes her drink and has to go. Sam tells Tracey to check on her later today.

That morning, Tracey bumps into Samantha outside the café and learns that the police want to talk to her about Jim. Tracey apologises for the inconvenience it has been causing for Samantha. Tracey feels deflated. Clare comes down from upstairs and finds Dan feeding Stacey her food. Clare is surprised as Stacey is playing with Dan, as Stacey isn't a playful toddler. Mike comes over and Clare tells him that he should be at college. Mike tells her that he's following instruction from Samantha; to check up on Stacey and her. Mike is introduced to Dan. Nikki tells Samantha that the police are waiting in the office. Samantha heads over there. Barry makes Jane breakfast surprising Jane. Barry thinks she should hang out with Carla or Natasha today, but Jane insists on looking after him. Barry pleads her to go, and Jane finally accepts to doing something else. Clare learns that Mike is going to college later and Dan suggests taking Clare out. She agrees. Clare tells Mike not to burn the place down while she's away. Samantha tells the police what happened, but as they suggest that Samantha seduced Jim, she defends herself. Samantha asks if that's all, as the police thank her for her time. Samantha complains about the police to Nikki at the reception desk. Nikki gets confirmation on a form that she'll be aiding Chris with his physio sessions. Jane finds Natasha at the RR and joins her for a drink. Jane tells a shocked Natasha that Carla fancied Barry and tried it on with him last year. Jane expresses her worry, and feels like it's karma, in the most torturous way. This gets Natasha thinking. Natasha tells Jane that she's just a bit paranoid. Nikki finds Karyn at the reception desk and asks how she is. Its revealed that Karyn quickly cancelled her appointment with Nikki after Piper left. Karyn asks Nikki for some advice. Nikki suggests finding a replacement, or see someone to take the edge of as something is clearly worrying Karyn. Karyn leaves Clare and Dan enjoy lunch at a bar in town. Clare and Dan get on like a house on fire. Natasha heads off while Jane finishes her drink. Carla arrives and Jane leaves. Carla rolls her eyes in frustration. Barry feels useless as he's unable to reach a top cabinet. Barry eyes a bottle of liquor, and pulls it towards him. Will he drink it? Clare and Dan flirt, and Clare feels tipsy and reckons that she should get home. Dan and Clare make their way home. Samantha bumps into Clare and Dan outside the corner shop and learns that Mike has Stacey under his care. Samantha tells Clare to bring Stacey over so she can enjoy the rest of her day. Clare thanks her and vows to go the RR with Dan. Samantha gets home and Chris is happy that he's finally getting physio and Samantha jokes about Nikki, as she can be quite unbearable. Chris is more easy going compared to last night. The pair laugh and joke. Chris humbly asks how Clare is. Samantha tells Chris that it would be better if Stacey moved here and Chris agrees. Barry is about to call Carla until Jane gets home. Barry tells Jane that he missed her and sobs. Jane is concerned. It's clear that Barry almost hit the bottle having been sober for 20 years. As Jane gets dinner ready. She checks Barry's phone and the phone screen unlocks to Carla's phone number. Jane fears that Barry and Carla are still seeing each other.

Karyn gets home and Piper tells her that there's leftovers in the microwave. Piper makes a dig about her painkillers and Karl tells her to lay off her. Piper and Karl continue to watch their movie while Karyn checks her drug stash and throws it in the bin. Karyn tells them both that she ought to fit in a quick gym session now. Piper thinks that she's bonkers and as Karyn makes her way out and bumps into Tracey Jones outside. Tracey is delighted to see Karyn in a better mood and learns that she's going to the gym and has a new instructor. Karl spots Tracey outside and tells Piper that he ought to invite her in. Piper is annoyed as it's coming to the climax of the movie. Karl finds Tracey outside and learns from Tracey why Karyn is still abusing painkillers, now more than ever. Tracey isn't happy over the situation and claims that she's slowly losing her friend, Karl heads back inside releasing the repercussions the one nights stand is having on Karyn.