Katie is later suspicious when she discovers that Robert had left Chrissie's son Lachlan (Thomas Atkinson) alone whilst he had supposedly gone on a business meeting, during which time Lachlan had collapsed after overdosing on a legal high. Believing him to be having an affair, she later looks at his mobile phone and discovers texts from someone with a name beginning with "A". Katie accuses Robert of having an affair with Alicia Metcalfe (Natalie Anderson) but is later proved wrong and is humiliated. Chas later convinces Katie to give her cousin Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) a job at the stables. Katie sympathises with Belle, who has a manslaughter conviction after accidentally killing one of her friends, Gemma Andrews (Tendai Rinomhota) in a fight, and tells Belle of her own experience with her involvement in Miss Strickland's death. Belle and Katie become close and Katie discovers that Belle is suffering from delusions and hearing Gemma's voice in her head. When she comforts Belle and convinces her to tells her parents, Belle attacks Katie, biting her and locks herself in Katie's car. Katie informs Belle's parents Zak and Lisa Dingle (Jane Cox) and they convince Belle that she needs help.