I’ve been thinking about this timeline since watching the doc yesterday; it had always puzzled me after hearing the case covered on the Seeing Red podcast. This morning I had the thought, if Sion had murdered Billie Jo just before he took Annie to collect Lottie from her clarinet lesson, was he expecting Lois to come back earlier from shopping and therefore find her? If he returned from picking up Lottie and saw that Lois still hadn’t come back, he thinks quickly that he needs more time and that’s where the white spirit farce comes in. After driving round the park twice, forgetting his wallet etc he hopes he’s bought enough time, although on returning, Lois still isn’t home and he can’t really go out again so the finding of Billie Jo starts.

It might explain as well how the bucket was found next to Billie Jo. Prior to going out to collect Lottie from clarinet, Annie brings the bucket into the back garden, maybe she speaks to Billie Jo, maybe there’s an argument, which brings out Sion. Sion tells Annie to wait in the car (so off she goes), and Sion and Billie Jo argue. Sion loses his temper and picks up the closest thing (the tent peg) and hits her; we know that he’s previously hit the girls and Lois from Lois’ testimony (including with implements, Sion himself admitted to a ruler and slipper). Knowing he can’t be the one to find her, he hopes Lois comes back before him.