Emmerdale Spoilers 16th - 20th February

[alan45]

There's some new hope for one unfortunate resident....

A confession changes things in an important police case!

Someone learns the alarming truth - will it set them free?

[Perdita]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...aby-bombshell/

Emmerdale's Joe Tate is rocked by more unexpected news next week, as his fianc?e Dawn Fletcher reveals that she thinks she could be pregnant. How will Joe react to her big revelation?

Recently, Joe has proven himself to be quite the family man. From popping the question to giving Dawn's little ones spending money, Joe is almost unrecognisable from the guy who arrived back in the village with vengeance on his mind.

That said, Joe hasn't yet mentioned starting a family of his own. So, when Dawn confesses that she thinks she might be pregnant, how will he respond?

"Joe only proposed at Christmas, now there could be a baby Tate on the way," explains our Emmerdale insider. "Joe and Dawn have the means to have a child, and they're in a solid place in their relationship, so it would make total sense if they wanted to start a family.

"But you'll have to wait and see whether Joe and Dawn are more happy or unsure about the possibility of parenting a child together."

As the conversation takes place in the Home Farm living room, Joe crosses his arms while Dawn lays out her point. It's yet to be seen whether the couple's tense body language is directly related to the baby news, but Joe's ongoing determination to claim Butler's Farm is no doubt a stress factor in his life.

Could Joe's complicated affairs elsewhere influence his reaction to Dawn? Or will he keep business matters separate from his personal life?

"You'd hope that Joe puts all that to one side when Dawn delivers her news," our spy continues. "But Joe has proven that he's set on taking Butler's from Moira and her family, which will take some effort - to put it lightly.

"If he and Dawn agree to have a baby, it'll be interesting to see whether Joe ramps up his ruthless ambitions or softens into his role as a dad?

Speaking of ruthlessness, Graham Foster is still rebuilding his relationship with Joe at the time of Dawn's revelation. So, if Dawn is carrying a baby, it'll surely only be a matter of time before he and Kim find out.

"Imagine Kim and Graham jostling to be the best grandparent," our source adds. "Given all the bitterness between them right now, it'd be wonderful to see."

Are Joe and Dawn set to welcome their first child together? And if so, what will parenthood mean for their relationship?

[Perdita]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...ce-confession/

Emmerdale's Bear Wolf is finally charged over Ray Walters' death next week, after he admits to DS Walsh that he's a killer. While being questioned at the police station, Bear reveals to Walsh that he was responsible for bringing Ray's reign of terror to an end.

Following this breakthrough in the police investigation, Bear is officially charged with manslaughter. But can Paddy talk his dad out of pleading guilty?

"Bear could well be sent down for this," our Emmerdale source reveals. "Now he's been charged with manslaughter, the odds are stacked against him.

"Bear's solicitor reminds Paddy that his dad acted in self-defence so he might get bail, but all hope vanishes when Bear admits that he's set on entering a guilty plea?"

During Bear's initial confession, DS Walsh senses her interviewee's confusion and gently asks him for more detail.

In response, Bear struggles to recount the events that led to Ray's demise, while remaining adamant that he acted alone and that the death was purely accidental. Will DS Walsh believe Bear's unlikely story?

Meanwhile, Marlon Dingle rushes to the station to comfort Paddy, who believes that he is to blame for his dad's predicament.

With the police interview still going, DS Walsh quizzes Bear over a slip of the tongue, but the granddad doubles down on his false claim that he was alone at the time of Ray's death.

Back home, Paddy is beside himself at the idea that he, Bear and Dylan could all be locked up, but Marlon urges his best mate to remain hopeful that his dad could be freed as he acted in self-defence.

The next day, Bear returns to the interview room, where he is grilled on his contradictory statements. On multiple occasions, Paddy butts in to vouch for his dad, which convinces DS Walsh that he too could be implicated in Ray's murder.

"Paddy practically drops himself in it," our spy continues. "This interview is far from DS Walsh's first rodeo, so she can see that Paddy's constant interruptions are a sign of something fishy.

"And things go from bad to worse for Paddy when DS Walsh suggests that Bear couldn't have moved Ray's body by himself. Bit by bit, it looks as though DS Walsh is slowly piecing it all together?"

Later in the week, Bear's solicitor tries to calm Paddy down by reminding him that Ray's death was self-defence. Reassured, Paddy allows himself to believe that his dad might be able to secure bail, but Bear dashes all his hopes when he declares that he is going to plead guilty.

With Bear set on his decision, will Paddy lose his dad to prison? And if so, how would fragile Bear cope with being banged up?

[Perdita]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...ting-decision/

Emmerdale's Cain Dingle continues to shut his family out next week ? and still refuses to reveal the truth about his cancer diagnosis to Moira. Is he making a big mistake by leaving her in the dark?

When it looks as though there's fresh hope his wife could be released from prison, Cain considers confiding in her, only to double down on his deceit and spiral further into self-destruction?

"Just when he really needs a support network, Cain insists on pushing everybody away," reveals our Emmerdale insider.

"Moira is still banged up, and new developments emerge with her case, meaning Cain can't bring himself to go public about his illness. If he's not careful, everyone will turn their backs on him?"

When Cain learns that Bear Wolf has confessed to Ray Walters' murder, he reckons this might go some way to clearing Moira's name if it proves she had no connection to the slavery operation.

Daring to believe that Moira might be released soon, Cain intends to tell her that his prostate cancer has been confirmed and he needs treatment.

However, it all kicks off in the visiting room when a fight breaks out between the inmates. Reminded of how tough Moira's finding it behind bars, Cain backs out of confiding in her at the last minute, and instead tells her about Bear.

Moira doesn't quite share Cain's optimism that this is an automatic ticket to freedom, but agrees they have more reason to hope than they did before.

That hope quickly fades the following day when Moira learns that the police know about Cain putting pressure on Bear to clear her name ? and it turns out this doesn't help her case anyway.

"Moira is fuming," our spy continues. "Cain's hot-headed behaviour is getting him nowhere.

"She can sense something else is stressing him out and pleads with him to tell her what's on his mind. It's the perfect opportunity for Cain to open up."

Sadly, Cain can't bring himself to be honest about his diagnosis and claims that he's just desperate to get Moira back to the village. How long can he keep the truth so closely under wraps?

[Jessie Wallace]

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emm...-updates-moira

Bear is questioned

During his police interview, Bear confesses that he killed Ray, but insists that he was alone and it was an accident.

He struggles to recall details about Ray's death, but after a slip of the tongue, DS Walsh pressures Bear with further questioning about who else was there.

When DS Walsh changes the subject to Moira, her interest is piqued when she learns Cain pressured Bear to tell the police that he never saw Moira at Celia's farm.

Marlon consoles Paddy

Marlon rushes to the station to comfort Paddy. Feeling helpless about his father's situation, Paddy blames himself and breaks down, scared that he, Bear and Dylan will end up in prison.

Marlon encourages his best mate to hold on to his hope that the police will recognise Bear's action as self-defence and will release him.

Paddy panics

The next day, Paddy makes the situation worse when he repeatedly interrupts Bear when he's being questioned by the police about his contradictory statements.

DS Walsh is suspicious that Paddy might be involved with the murder, especially when she doubts that Bear would be able to move the body alone.

Paddy begins to spiral when another detective, DC Chen, arrives and requests that he and Dylan are interviewed at the station in the morning?

Bear is charged

Bear is charged with manslaughter, but his solicitor tries to remind his family that Bear acted in self-defence and could get bail.

However, when they try to encourage Bear to think strategically about his plea hearing, traumatised Bear is determined to plead guilty, viewing it as the honourable thing to do.

Cain updates Moira

Cain is hopeful that Bear's confession could help prove Moira's innocence. He visits her and is about to break the news about his cancer diagnosis when a prison fight interrupts them.

Distracted from his original plan to share the bad news, Cain updates Moira on Bear's confession, hoping it will lead to her freedom.

But when Moira learns he put pressure on Bear, and notices a change in his mood, she urges him to share whatever he's hiding?

Matty confronts Cain

When Cain returns home and finds Joe on his sofa, he tries to violently throw him out, but the confrontation is stopped by Matty. Matty admits that he let Joe in and urges Cain to stop fighting everyone and support Moira instead.

Seeing the state Cain is in, Joe returns to Home Farm and assures Kim that Butler's Farm will soon be theirs.

Ruby makes a confession

Unable to cope with the guilt that she was the one to report Anya's body, Ruby confesses to Cain that she was the one who called the police.

Cain sees red and accuses Ruby and Caleb of throwing Moira under the bus and assumes their offer of hiring a lawyer was out of guilt.

Later, Sarah urges Cain to stop pushing away his loved ones ? but will he listen?

Laurel makes a discovery

When Laurel catches Arthur searching for his passport, after quitting his job, she questions how he can afford his plan to move to Australia.

After feeling guilty about all the upheaval in her son's life that she has caused, Laurel is furious when she discovers a huge amount of cash and the drugs she thought she'd previously disposed of.

Arthur threatens Laurel

Laurel is horrified when Arthur confesses he kept the money and drugs from Ray's bag. He then tries to blackmail her, threatening to tell people that she hit him.

Laurel breaks down, unable to believe how their relationship has deteriorated. Later Arthur apologises for holding her to ransom and begs her to let him use the money to travel.

But Laurel has second thoughts when she overhears Marlon and Rhona discussing how much debt they're in. Will she hand over Ray's drug money?

Mandy returns

Mandy makes her triumphant return to the village next week, and comes home to a huge shock.

Until now, Mandy has been kept in the dark by Paddy, so she's stunned and confused to see so much police presence. When Paddy is taken by the police, he leaves it up to Dylan and Marlon to explain the full story.

Dawn has news

Dawn has a shock announcement to make at Home Farm when she tells Joe she might be pregnant.

But with his Machiavellian scheming taking up all his time, how will he feel about the possibility of becoming a father?

Kammy and Ross play cupid

After noticing sparks between Vinny and Lewis, Ross and Kammy make it their mission to match make the lads.

But later Vinny, Kammy and Manpreet are entranced by a DeLorean car parked outside the shop. When it disappears ? who's taken it for a joyride?