TUESDAY 4 DAYS MISSING: Twenty

As Connor spirals over social media comments declaring Jamie dead, Pip insists they ignore speculation and focus on verifiable leads. They head to Mr Clark’s classroom, where Pip confronts him about following Layla Mead on Instagram. Despite his initial denial, his panic betrays him.

Pip pressures Mr Clark, hinting at safeguarding issues tied to Layla’s use of student Stella Chapman’s photos. To protect his identity, she proposes an anonymous, voice-distorted interview in exchange for his cooperation. Mr Clark reluctantly agrees.

In the recorded interview, Mr Clark explains Layla contacted him on Instagram in late February. They never met; conversations lasted under a week and stayed on the platform. Layla claimed to be twenty-five, local to Little Kilton, living with her dad, and working in HR in London but currently signed off sick.

Layla displayed detailed local knowledge, mentioning the King’s Head, and asked many personal questions about Mr Clark’s age, upcoming thirtieth birthday, and family. She avoided reciprocating similar details. After Mr Clark shared his job and workplace, Layla abruptly ghosted him. He later realized she had used Stella Chapman’s images, confirming a catfish.

Pip concludes that Layla is organized and careful, with targeted information-gathering tactics and deliberate local references. The interview validates Layla’s method and suggests she is nearby, refining Pip’s search parameters in Jamie’s disappearance.