As far as Emmerdale viewers are concerned, Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) is missing and presumed dead.
We saw him discover that John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) was connected to the death of Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter) – and saw John quickly and ruthlessly deal with the situation.
When the two men fought and Mackenzie made a break for it and ran off into the woods, John pursued him, armed with a bow and arrows. He was absolutely ruthless as he hunted down his prey, launching an arrow that floored Mackenzie.
When his quarry was still alive, John apparently finished the job by slamming a huge rock down on Mack’s head – before returning to the village where a farewell party was in progress for him and Aaron (Danny Miller) who were preparing to move elsewhere.
As far as Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) and others in the village are concerned, Mackenzie is missing but presumed to be in London at a days-long stag do.
He left amid a turbulent time for him and Charity, as he struggled to come to terms with the fact that Charity was pregnant with – as far as he knows – a baby she’s carrying as a surrogate for Sarah (Katie Hill) and Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant).
At the same time, Charity had forgotten it was the anniversary of when they lost the baby they were expecting together because of an ectopic pregnancy.
So when Charity got a text message from Mack saying their relationship was over and he wouldn’t be coming back, she initially accepted it at face value.
She was devastated that he would end their marriage so brutally by text, but in a way she could understand it. Of course the text had actually been sent by John.
In upcoming episodes, it seems that people might be starting to see through John Sugden. Chas (Lucy Pargeter) senses that Aaron is having a few doubts about his marriage, though he downplays this.
Meanwhile Liam (Jonny McPherson), a man who loves a good mystery, has started to wonder whether it was plausible that his patient Owen could really have overpowered and killed Nate Robinson, who was a much bigger and more athletic man.
This confirms Tracy (Amy Walsh)’s suspicions that the Owen story could just be a cover.
But it’s Charity who really gives John cause for alarm.
