after discharging mercedes from hospital, lynsey is found dead and doctor browning confirms her time of death. he forges mercedes' discharge papers so it appears as though she left hospital after lynsey's murder. he moves into the flat next door to riley costello (rob norbury) to be closer to mercedes. he blackmails mercedes with the papers and tells her that she can make riley jealous if they pretend to be in a relationship. his wife, helen browning, visits mercedes and warns her that doctor browning will ruin her life. she has a black eye and mercedes uses this to give riley the impression that doctor browning has been hitting her. he tells riley that mercedes is lying and she leaves him. doctor browning finds mercedes and they share their secrets about bad deeds. he tells her that he loves her no matter what she has done and they become closer. jacqui mcqueen (claire cooper) discovers lynsey's scarf in his office desk and assumes that he is the killer. it is later revealed that doctor browning went to threaten lynsey into keeping quiet about mercedes stalking mitzeee. they argued and he strangled her, not knowing that walker was watching. when mercedes finds out the truth, doctor browning kidnaps her and drives off. he suggests that they go abroad and mercedes agrees, but the police arrive and arrest him. at the trial for lynsey's murder doctor browning pleads not guilty and is later acquitted when he blames riley for lynsey's murder, after riley's death. doctor browning surprises mercedes on christmas eve and spends christmas with mercedes' family. mercedes is thrown out by her family and doctor browning proposes marriage to her which she accepts. when mercedes' mother, myra mcqueen (nicole barber-lane) begins feeling ill, doctor browning suggests she come and see him at the hospital as she may have a serious illness. he carries out some scans on her and switches her results with another patient so it appears as if she has cancer. doctor browning suggests that myra may not have long to live so should remain close to her family and make up with mercedes.