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While Max paces in a police cell, officers search the Butchers’ house and bag up his belongings. Carol’s desperate to know what Abi told the police but she ignores her calls. At the police station, Max’s outraged at his arrest - he only came to straighten things out. Keeble teases Marsden she can’t question Ben for much longer, but Marsden’s confident he’ll crack soon. Meanwhile, Bryant requests a key to search Max’s house but Carol refuses. Carol learns from Max’s solicitor that Abi’s changed her statement. When Abi fears the Beales will hate her for not coming forward sooner, Sharon soothes it’s understandable given Max forced her to lie. Guilty Abi nods. At the police station, Marsden threatens that Ben’s DNA on Lucy’s purse and phone places him in Walford in breach of his probation.

Ritchie declares Marsden can’t date the DNA and Ben remains steadfast – ‘no comment’. Sharon informs a stunned Jane and Ian of Max’s arrest. When questioned, Max ascertains he has nothing to hide and merely helped Lucy with drunken Jake on the night of her murder. Keeble warns if there’s any trace of DNA evidence on Max’s belongings he’s looking at a life sentence. Meanwhile, Ben cracks and breaks down when Marsden informs him it was Phil who turned in Lucy’s purse and phone. At Phil’s house, Carol barges in with Whitney to see Abi. Sharon insists Abi’s been through enough with Max forcing her to lie. Carol refuses to believe it. Back home, she berates Liam for speculating about Max’s innocence but fears to Whitney that Max is in trouble. At the police station, with Ben reduced to tears, Ritchie demands his release.

At the Butchers’, Sonia finds Carol trying to contact police mates of Jack’s to help Max; she vows her support and whisks Carol to the Vic to prove the gossips wrong. Ian’s reluctant to celebrate Ben’s release after he mugged Lucy but Jane’s adamant they carry on as normal. On the Square, Tina witnesses Max getting out of a police car. In the Vic, Carol pales to learn Ben’s been released; she protests Max’s innocence and pleads Ian and Jane not to believe the lies. Sonia arrives with Tina to report Max is back and Carol hotfoots it to Max’s where officers are searching the house. Bryant rushes in carrying a tablet, showing a forensic photograph of Max’s shoes, speckled with UV glow. Keeble turns to Max triumphantly - it’s blood…

Billy’s relieved when Lola phones; he claims to Phil not to have heard from them but Phil swipes his phone and clocks Lola’s call. Billy reveals Jay, Lola and Lexi are going to Newcastle to stay with Dexter. Phil orders Billy to get Jay to call him - it’s the only way to get them back. Phil’s relieved when Jay agrees to see him but annoyed when he arrives at the park without Lola and Lexi. Jay scoffs he’s a mug for thinking Phil would do right by him – he had no choice but to run when Phil turned him and Ben in to the police. Phil advances on Jay, who warns if he hits him he’ll never see Lexi again. Phil relents and presses an envelope of cash on Jay, insisting he’s still one of them. Later, Sharon informs Phil of Ben’s release and Marsden’s vicious tirade that Phil’s abandoned him. Things are tense when Ben returns. He’s furious to learn from disgusted Billy that Phil gave Lola and Jay cash to leave. Billy washes his hands of Phil and advises Ben to do the same. Marsden arrives - Jay’s wanted for questioning.

Hung-over Paul’s delighted when Dean offers him the trainee job at Blades as Lola’s quit. As Pam fusses over Paul, Vincent approaches, to his alarm. Out of earshot, Vincent demands to talk about Les and Claudette. Uneasy, Paul claims he was mistaken, but Vincent’s unconvinced. He brings Pam cakes for the centenary party from Claudette, intrigued to spot a Gran Canaria postcard from Les. At home, he rummages in a drawer and locates an identical postcard from Claudette. When confronted, Claudette’s evasive and defiantly rips up the postcard. Vincent’s unimpressed but offers to keep Paul quiet. Claudette resolves to deal with Paul.