There was a shock opening to Wednesday (May 22)’s 10,000th Emmerdale episode as we saw Ethan Anderson (Emile John) lying in the road, blood dripping from his fingertips.
Back in Emmerdale the village fete was getting underway. As the scarecrow competition, raffle and other excitements got started, there were a few people who were noticeably missing.
One was Ethan, of course. Charles (Kevin Mathurin) was starting to get worried because his son had gone out for a run quite some time earlier and should have been back.
Moira (Natalie J. Robb), Kyle (Huey Quinn) and Isaac (Bobby Dunsmoir) were also missing Cain (Jeff Hordley), who eventually turned up very late and said he’d been stuck in traffic after being called out to a job. At Mill Cottage we saw Ruby (Beth Cordingly) cleaning, and then Caleb (William Ash) came in and put his car keys on the table.
We know that Ruby, Caleb and Cain have all made threats to Ethan since he was arrested for causing serious injuries to Nicky Milligan (Lewis Cope) after the car he was driving went out of control – and he fled from the scene leaving unconscious Nicky behind.
Eventually Ethan staggered into Main Street as the horrified fete attendees looked on. He collapsed to the ground and Manpreet and Charles rushed to help. Ethan told them he’d been the victim of a hit and run.
But who was responsible? Cain and Caleb were certainly acting in a cagey way a few minutes later when the discussed the hit and run. Cain said Ethan had had a lucky escape and Caleb’s response was, ‘Accidents happen though, eh?’ His brother looked like he had a strong suspicion that Caleb had been the driver, but didn’t say anything else.
We didn’t have long to wait to find out what had happened to Ethan. He was alone in the house after Manpreet had decided he didn’t have concussion and he had a visitor. Ruby Fox-Milligan suddenly appeared in his kitchen. ‘Door was open. I thought I’d see how you were doing.’
Ethan told her that he knew it was her who’d run him over because he’d seen her behind the wheel. She said that had been ‘Kind of the point.’
‘I hope we’re square,’ Ethan said, but Ruby has nowhere near finished with him yet, given that Nicky is still in a coma and there’s still no indication of when he might wake up.
Ruby had a warning for the lawyer. ‘You’d better look both ways every time you cross the street. Because if Nicky doesn’t make it, be assured I will finish the job.’
She walked out, leaving Ethan petrified and in no doubt she was absolutely serious in her threat.
