Graham Foster made another appearance in Emmerdale on Monday (Image: ITV)

Emmerdale has kicked off flashback week, as a series of thrilling episodes piece together the events leading up to Ray Walters' murder.

During Monday's tense visit to the Dales (January 19), the episode focused on Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy), who was in a relationship with Ray (Joe Absolom) before he was killed off by a mystery assailant.

Laurel had been tipped off about Ray's criminal activities by teenager Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle), who was being exploited by the drug dealer.

She was upset and disappointed that she had let Ray into her family home and rushed to ensure her children were safe, only to be greeted by Arthur Thomas (Alfie Clarke).

"I will never let Ray in this house again ever, I promise," she then told her son, but Ray soon turned up at her front door, leaving her petrified.

A different moment in the timeline showed Laurel calling it quits on her relationship with Ray.

"Whatever we had is over," she told him before slamming the door in his face, but the backstory revealed that Laural had let Ray into her house.

After killing his mum, Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths), Ray called at Laurel's, pleading with her to hear him out, having to admit he was a drug dealer.

"I'm sorry I never told you before, it's not something we advertise, is it?" he told her without any remorse.

"I have lived a dodgy life, Laurel. I've done a lot of bad things. Not because I wanted to, not for fun, but because I had to," he added, "I hated myself for it. And then, then I met you."

As the conversation continued, Ray reminisced about his traumatic childhood with a reluctant Laurel, who eventually convinced him to leave.n.

As he begged Laurel not to call the police, Ray talked her into letting him go. As the couple said goodbye on Laurel's doorstep, Arthur looked on. Ray later made a phone call, demanding a new passport and documents to flee the country.

He also had a bag full of cash, and before Ray could drive out of the village, Arthur confronted him, looking very angry.

After Ray knocked Arthur to the floor and poked fun at him, Arthur was ready to hit him with a rock as Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) witnessed the scene from his car. Did Arthur hit Ray? Or did Graham do the deed?

In a huge twist, Emmerdale fans think Graham and Ray were connected in the criminal underworld, and he was helping Ray escape.

Talking to X, one person predicted: "Graham could have done it, or Graham is the one who runs all this trafficking, or he's helping Ray? Graham has done something or he wouldn't be in the episode. #Emmerdale."

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A second exclaimed: "A brilliant twist would be if Graham turns out to have been Celia's muscle, retrieving runaway slaves; literally, no one believes Celia and Ray ran the whole racket by themselves. Rays just called Graham to arrange his dodgy passport #emmerdale."

A third explained: "I think he is probably involved somehow with Ray and Celia. Though I'm not sure he's the boss. But Graham has never been a black-and-white character, so who knows! I'm more interested in finding out why he revealed himself to Rhona and not Joe! Suppose we will find out somewhat."

"I think he's gonna turn out to be the big boss, and Shona's sister was being transported to be used as a worker on the farm, or she was working for them and tried to run," added another.

Emmerdale's Graham Foster 'didn't kill' Ray Walters as real connection 'exposed' - Daily Star