'It was Bobby!' Max tells the whole square who really killed Lucy Beale. But it was him that was re-arrested in EastEnders, by JIM SHELLEY
In EastEnders, perhaps predictably, the storyline of Max Branning going on the run didn’t last long - three days and two episodes to be precise.
In a blatant breach of the ancient, sacred, Cockney code, his daughter Abi grassed him up and he was violently grabbed by the rozzers, which in the circumstances probably was as painful as it sounded.
The fact that the entire square had now heard that Bobby ‘Damien’ Beale’ had killed Lucy (from Max shouting it out as he was dragged him away by the police) was no consolation. His former friends and neighbours were even less likely to believe that the little boy had done it and Max was innocent after his attempt to become The (Ginger) Fugitive.
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'It was Bobby!': Max found out who really killed Lucy Beale in Thursday night's EastEnders
Max had done the hard part, having escaped from Walford Crown Court, punching out the detective who looks like an Irish Tim Sherwood and using his irresistible sexual magnetism to mesmerise a passing motorist (female, obviously) into driving him to safety.
Heading straight back to Albert Square wasn’t the brightest idea Max had ever had, even though the police were mysteriously absent.
As for Max’s ‘plan’ to let Carol Jackson help him flee the country by taking the ferry to Ireland while hiding in the boot of Sonia’s car dressed in Peter Beale’s horrible hoodie and sleeveless puffa jacket...Well to quote Danny Dyer, he was ‘having a giraffe’ (laugh).
Max had turned up at Jane’s back door looking for ‘the troof.’
Facing the music: Heading straight back to Albert Square wasn’t the brightest idea Max had ever had, even though the police were mysteriously absent
Shocking consequence : Max had turned up at Jane’s back door looking for ‘the troof’
‘It don’t add up,’ he growled, referring to the last minute alibi Jane had given him, testifying that at the time Lucy was murdered she and Sex-Mad Max were having a wing-ding on his desk at the car lot. ‘You and Ian have got to be hiding something.’
To be fair, Jane’s justifications were ridiculously feeble, claiming she had done it because she had ‘a gut feeling’ that Max wasn’t guilty and because his ex-wife (Tan’) was her mate.
The way Jane tried to reassure him about the prospect of going to prison was also laughable.
‘You’ll get by. You’ll make friends,’ she said, as if he was a child worried about his first day at school.
Friends?! He was a middle-aged man who had been having an affair with, and supposedly murdered, his daughter’s best friend?! As Max pointed out, he would be treated as ‘not much better than a nonce.’
‘Do you want a bath or something?’ Jane offered, surely over-estimating the powers of Radox to relax him.
Suggesting he change into some of Peter’s old clothes didn’t do Max many favours either. He would have drawn even more attention than in his Reservoir Dogs suit, looking even more like Jimmy Somerville than ever.
Former flame: Stacey came over all Columbo when she popped round to Jane’s to see Max
Being frank: ‘Oh come off it !’ she carped, before adding, ‘Jane knows something and she ain’t saying !’
Mystery: Max was also turning into The Mentalist – solving the case by reading Jane’s mind
Max’s blinding insights suddenly (belatedly) seemed to be infectious to anyone on his side.
Stacey for example, came over all Columbo when she popped round to Jane’s kitchen for one last snog (with Max not Jane).
‘Oh come off it !’ she carped. ‘Jane knows something and she ain’t saying !’
‘Max is here isn’t he?’ deduced Carol too, suddenly psychic.
Having spent weeks persuading everyone he was guilty, Carol now insisted it was her sisterly duty to help him and go with him. ‘To somewhere no one knows us, somewhere by the sea’ – as if they were going on holiday rather than on the run.
‘I’ll drive to Wales. I’ve never been !’ she concluded cheerfully, as if this was the main criteria.
Only someone who had lived her whole life in Walford could be so excited by the idea.
Perhaps Carol figured anything was better than moving to Milton Keynes with Robbie, his son, and Wellard Junior.
‘It’s dangerous mum ! We can’t let you go !’ Robbie protested, blocking her way.
Close bond: Carol now insisted it was her sisterly duty to help Max flee
‘It’s dangerous mum ! We can’t let you go !’ Robbie protested, blocking his mother's way
‘GET OUT OF MY WAY !’ Carol roared.
Understandably, he moved. In this mood, no one argues with Carol.
Back at the Beales’ house, Max was also turning into The Mentalist – solving the case by reading Jane’s mind.
‘It’s got to be someone close to you. It’s got to be someone you want to protect,’ he grasped. He remembered she had justified her actions by saying: ‘It’s what mums do.’
‘Is it Bobby?’ he finally realised. ‘So Bobby did it !’
‘What? Has she told you?!’ gasped Lauren, conveniently appearing at this exact moment.
‘What you knew?!’ cried Max, seeing she could have spared him the ordeal of the trial. ‘You’re dead to me !’
He really wasn’t having much luck.
He had disowned one daughter (the one who was on his side) while the other had disowned him. Abi had taken all of ten seconds to call the cops and tell them where he was.
They duly took Max away, kicking and screaming to everyone that it was Bobby Beale that killed Lucy.
But who on earth is going to believe a story like that?
Letting him go: Max's former friends and neighbours were even less likely to believe that the little boy had done it and Max was innocent after his attempt to become The (Ginger) Fugitive
Unfair? The police took Max away, kicking and screaming to everyone that it was Bobby Beale that killed Lucy
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