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It’s the day of the televised appeal. As Ian sits in the Square, contemplating his speech, Denise is at the hospital talking to Patrick - maybe this is the day they find out who killed Lucy. Alfie opens up the cafe for Ian and offers to keep an eye on the restaurant.

Sharon forces Phil into a suit – Ian’s grateful when she tells him they’re going with him. Ian dashes over the Vic to plead with Mick regarding Linda’s ultimatum. Lauren wishes Peter luck, Lola’s dismayed when Peter invites Lauren back to the Beales’. Phil realises something’s up with Ian and is suspicious. Emma Summerhayes arrives to accompany Ian to the appeal. Phil, Sharon, Denise, Peter and Lola go with him, but Lola makes it clear to Lauren she’s not welcome.

Feeling put out, Lauren complains to Whitney. Later, Lee overhears Lauren talking to Max about the appeal and looks worried. Waiting to go into the press conference, Sharon and Denise discuss Mick, expressing sympathy for Linda - men like that are scum. Phil can sense Ian’s awkwardness. Local and national press are present at the appeal. Press officer Ross Abernethy’s irked with Emma, who apologises there’s been a mistake - only Ian and Peter are allowed in, the others have to watch a live feed in another room. Large pictures of Lucy line the walls and Peter supports Ian.

Via the live feed, Phil watches DI Keeble chatting to a journalist. When the appeal begins, Keeble says a few words about the crime then hands over to Ian. Ian’s terrified and emotional and struggles to speak – Peter looks to one of the photos of Lucy, reminding Ian why they’re there. Ian eventually starts to talk but quickly breaks down; Phil storms in followed by Sharon, Denise and Lola. Seeing them, Ian rallies and continues with his speech. Afterwards, DI Keeble plays CCTV footage of Lucy on a bus journeying to her appointment on the night she died.

The police are keen to trace the other passengers, especially anyone who got on the bus with Lucy or got off at the same stop. The reporter Keeble was talking to earlier, Beth Kennedy from the London Telegraph, immediately jumps up and starts quizzing Ian. She asks if there had been any tension in the family and mentions Lucy had been in possession of drugs – could she have been meeting a dealer that night?

Ian stands up, angry, he won’t have Lucy talked about like this, then breaks down again in Peter’s arms. Furious, the others question why Keeble let the reporter interrogate Ian, Keeble insists she’s just trying to catch Lucy’s killer. Back home, Phil corners Ian, he’s sure Ian’s hiding something and wants to know what it is...

Lauren asks Cora if she’s heard from Rainie. Cora insists she doesn’t want anyone else knowing it was her. The Carters are planning a drinks promotion that night in the Vic. Mick asks Stan to spread the word and to talk to Cora. Mick’s unhappy to discover that Linda gave Ian an ultimatum. She reminds him of the affect the accusations are having on their family and on the trade at the Vic. Stan talks to Cora; he establishes that Cora didn’t actually see Mick with the prostitute but realises she knows the woman in question. Lauren unwittingly confirms this. Mick finally makes Linda agree to keep quiet about Ian. Stan tells Mick he thinks Cora’s hiding something and that Mick is too. Mick ‘admits’ to Stan that the accusation was true – he did pay for sex.