Laurel Thomas has suddenly become Emmerdale viewers’ prime suspect for the murder of Emma Barton after tonight’s double helping of the soap.
She was caught out by stepdaughter, Gabby, who called her out after discovering a train ticket in her bag that said she was in the village at the time of Emma’s murder.
Read more: Did Gabby Thomas kill Emma Barton?
Laurel has previously claimed she was staying with her sister, Caroline, when Emma was pushed off the viaduct – and no one has thought any different, until now.
The wife of late-vicar, Ashley Thomas, told Gabby that she’d bought a ticket to come back but didn’t actually make the train because Caroline stopped her from leaving.
She explained about her sister’s relationship troubles to Gabby, who was upset as she’d called Laurel and begged her to come back to the village because she was frightened of Emma.
Laurel had told Gabby that she hadn’t got her voicemail until days later, but Gabby assumed Laurel had purchased the ticket to come back for her.
Later, Laurel was seen frantically calling her sister and leaving her urgent voicemails. When she finally got through to her, Laurel made her promise to back her story up.
The mum-of-two was then seen calling a mystery person saying: “It’s me. Can you come over?”
Viewers were stunned when cafe owner Bob Hope arrived.
He seemed aware that Laurel had been in the village at the time of Emma’s death and agreed that Laurel should stick to her story because the alternative would be far worse.
Fans were thrown into a frenzy speculating that Laurel was the killer. And Bob was an accomplice.
While others seem to think she’s having an affair with married Bob. He certainly seemed to know where Laurel was the day Emma died.
One fan tweeted: “Oh my god are Bob and Laurel having an affair!? All the clues in this storyline are crazy right now can’t wait for the truth #Emmerdale”
Another shocked fan wrote: “OMG Bob and Laurel!!!!!!!!! #emmerdale”
While a third wished: “#Emmerdale OK there has to be a Laurel and Bob affair purely for the ship name Lob!”
Another armchair detective added: “No #Emmerdale making it too obvis!! I think she has slept with Bob & that’s what there talking about.”
While another fan agreed: “Is Laurel having a bit of naughty with Bob?”
Read more: Emmerdale star fears he might lose his job
Either way, it’s not the sort of behaviour one would expect from a vicar’s widow.