realising that the attempt on Emily's life and Maxine's murder had been pointless. This is further impacted on the day of Maxine's funeral, where Richard ends up delivering a heartfelt speech about Maxine to further cover-up her murder. Upon watching how he visibly appeared, Audrey realises that Richard killed Maxine and desperately tried again to prove her theory - but was dismissed and Richard is later hailed a hero by Maxine's husband Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold), who thanks him for contributing to his late wife's funeral. The downfall of Richard ironically begins on the day that his money troubles end. He receives the money from the buy-back scheme and puts a deposit on a new expensive house for the family, after which farewell drinks are arranged for him and Gail. Whilst Richard blissfully looks to the future, drug tests show that Aiden was drugged with the tranquillisers prescribed for Audrey. Sarah visits Aiden in his detention centre where he adamantly tells her that he didn't commit the murder. Audrey tells Gail this who also learns that Richard has lied about several matters connected to his ex-wife's disappearance. She recalls seeing Richard at the cabinet where the tranquillisers were kept on the night of Maxine's murder. Whilst in The Rovers, Richard states to Gail that he does not care about Audrey and Archie's accusations because "he's won" before quickly correcting himself to "we've won" - which proves to be one of his fatal errors. Steve then reveals that he had found a necklace on the building site that Gail was currently wearing, the necklace Richard claimed he bought for her. After making a farewell speech at everyone's request, Richard spots Gail heading home and follows her. He is stunned when she accuses him of various crimes after finding out that the tranquilizers were in the cupboard before Richard disposed of them. Caught off-guard, Richard confesses to killing Maxine; Gail is shocked, and doesn't buy Richard's excuse when he attempts to put the blame on Aidan for what he did to Sarah. In the ensuing argument between them, Richard finally comes clean about his other crimes to Gail - explaining in full detail how he left Duggie for dead after seeing him fall, and then covering up Patrica's disappearance when he himself murdered her. Realizing that Audrey, Archie, and Norris were all indeed right about Richard all along, Gail describes her husband