Episode 3945 (10th January 2005)

Plot
Ashley and Ethan argue about Ethan's treatment of Turner the previous evening. Ashley tells him that he was out of order when he suggested to Alan that Steph might not have killed Shelley. With puffed cheeks and arms waving, Ashley tells the curate to go and apologise to him. Ethan heads over to Alan’s where he says sorry, but tells him once again that Steph was ‘particularly contrite’ when he visited her and suggests Alan goes to see her. Alan is upset and tells Ethan to leave. Meanwhile, Zak receives a call from the school telling him that Debbie has not attended her classes today – or for the past few weeks! With Charity in bed depressed and Cain away, it’s up to Zak to sort – so he decides to go round to Andy’s, with his fist at the ready! Believing Debbie is with Andy, Zak and Chas arrive with Zak ready to punch the lights out of him. But Andy says he hasn’t seen her. Although he's telling the truth, neither believe him, and then Debbie walks through the door! Debbie jumps to Andy’s defence and tells Zak and Chas that he didn’t know she was going to see him. She explains that she only wants to talk to him, but Zak drags her home. Back home, Zak tells Debbie she must go back to school and that she shouldn’t see Andy again. She tells him she wouldn’t want to anyway after the way he just treated her. Zak’s not convinced and decides to go and see Jack. Scary-eyed Zak tells Jack what’s been going on, but since he and Andy have barely spoken to each other Jack is confused as to what he can actually do about it. Zak tells him just to have a word, but Jack replies that things are too difficult between them. Zak's wild look obviously made an impression on Jack for he decides to talk to Diane. The good samaritan tells him to go round and see Andy, even if he doesn’t want to. She says by warning Andy off Debbie he could be saving his life from the Dingles - she could be right! Meanwhile, in the shop, a reporter overhears Viv gossiping about Steph. He says he’d like to interview Alan and asks for his address, but Ethan overhears and steps in to tell him not to bother. Viv can't resist the urge though and tells him the address anyway, but Ethan says the reporter should speak to him instead. Ethan tells the reporter that he doesn’t think Steph killed Shelley, but he refuses to tell him what she said to him. The reporter says he can help by publicising Shelley’s disappearance in the press in the hope that she may come forward. The two head over to Alan’s to discuss the idea, but Alan’s enraged. Ethan, sounding like a broken record, again tells him to visit Steph to see what she has to say. But this man is not for turning and he asks them to leave. Clearly perturbed, he asks Betty if he is being unreasonable. Zak talks to Debbie in her room and tells her she’s too bright and clever to end up with nothing. When Zak leaves, Debbie pulls out a pregnancy test to reveal a positive blue line.