At the Horton Town Square, Sami greeted Marlena and Carrie, who were looking at an outfit that Marlena had purchased for Carrie's baby. Sami was surprised to learn that Carrie was pregnant.

Sami quickly realized that Carrie had learned that she was pregnant several weeks earlier, and that she had neglected to tell Sami. Carrie admitted that Sami was right. "Who's the father -- my husband or yours?" Sami wondered.

Carrie accused Sami of being jealous, but Sami denied the accusation, and she pointed out that she had already experienced plenty of pregnancies. Sami noted that her earlier question had not been answered. "Well, Sami, I don't live my life like you. I don't have to look at the calendar to figure out who the father is," Carrie snidely stated.

Marlena tried to intervene, and Sami assumed that she was taking Carrie's side again. Carrie assured Sami that she had never slept with Rafe, but Sami wasn't convinced. Sami accused Carrie of stealing Rafe, but Carrie reminded her that Sami had lost Rafe because she had slept with E.J. Marlena made another attempt to defuse the situation, but Carrie ignored her.

"You know what, Sami? Part of me wishes this were Rafe's baby, and you know why? Because after everything that you have done to me, and to Austin, and to Rafe, you would deserve it," Carrie said. Sami lunged at Carrie, but Marlena stepped in and stopped the argument. Marlena told Carrie to stop antagonizing Sami. Carrie sighed and reluctantly agreed to back off.

Marlena turned to Sami. "You have a right to be upset. Your marriage -- your family -- is falling apart. You need some time to heal. I will be there for you -- I will help you through that -- but this is not the way to do it," Marlena said. Sami reiterated that Marlena was taking Carrie's side, and she insisted that Carrie had stolen Rafe.

Sami said that she had been unable to save her marriage because Carrie had interfered. "You said one thing that was true today -- you said you wished that baby were Rafe's. That wasn't some random thought -- it came straight from your heart. Good luck with that," Sami told Carrie, and she abruptly walked away. Marlena tried to stop Sami, but she was unsuccessful.

Marlena told Carrie to ignore Sami's comments, but Carrie admitted that Sami might have been right. Carrie wondered if Sami and Rafe would have been able to work things out if she hadn't interfered. Marlena pointed out that there was no way to know the answer to that question. Marlena added that the only thing that mattered was that Carrie and Austin were committed to each other.

Carrie said that things would have been different if she hadn't gotten pregnant. Marlena assured Carrie that it would just take some time. "To get over Rafe? Is that what you mean? I know that's what I should be doing, and I know that's what I have to do, but I don't know if I can," Carrie tearfully admitted.

At the DiMera mansion, Rafe and Spencer greeted E.J. After Rafe and E.J. traded insults, E.J. said that he had already declared his innocence, and he admitted that he wasn't sure what else Rafe expected him to do to prove that he was telling the truth. Rafe suggested that E.J. could take a lie detector test.

"So...how would something like this work? I would just go down to your impartial police station, talk to the utterly trustworthy police force, and give up several of my civil liberties for a test that is inadmissible in a court of law? Thank you, detective -- I think you've really solved my problem," E.J. sarcastically stated. Rafe said that E.J. was thinking like a lawyer, and he suggested that E.J. needed to look at it from a different angle.

Rafe advised E.J. to think of the proposal as a way to prove that he wasn't afraid to show his constituents the truth. E.J. replied that he was afraid of the Salem Police Department's vendetta against the DiMeras. E.J. added that he was afraid that some skewed version of the test results would get leaked to the press. Rafe promised confidentiality, but E.J. insisted that Rafe couldn't guarantee it.

E.J. asked Rafe and Spencer to leave so that he could get back to work. Rafe casually asked if E.J. owned a gun. E.J. defensively replied that Rafe's question was pointless. E.J. guessed that Rafe had already checked every suspect's gun registration records, which had revealed that E.J. did not own a gun. Rafe conceded that E.J. was right, but he added that the records only proved that E.J. didn't own a registered gun.

"The question was rather broad, so...okay, more specifically, do you happen to have, let's say, a forty-five caliber laying around? Maybe one you forgot to license?" Rafe asked. E.J. claimed that he wouldn't forget to register a gun, since it was his job to uphold the law. Rafe pointedly agreed that E.J. didn't strike him as the kind of person who would forget to register a gun.

E.J. wondered why Rafe had asked that question. Rafe innocently stated that he was just trying to cover all of his bases. Rafe thanked E.J. for his time, and he urged E.J. to contact him if E.J. changed his mind about the lie detector test. Rafe exited the mansion, and Spencer -- who had remained silent during the entire conversation -- followed him.

Later, at the police station, Rafe joked that the interview had gone well. Rafe admitted that he had known all along that E.J. wouldn't agree to take a lie detector test. Rafe explained that he had wanted to see how E.J. would react. Spencer knowingly added that Rafe had enjoyed sticking it to E.J.

Rafe conceded that he didn't like E.J. Spencer feigned surprise, and he wondered if Rafe had noticed that he hadn't said anything during Rafe's interview. Rafe admitted that he hadn't noticed. Spencer observed that Rafe liked to fly solo, and he pointed out that he had been put in charge of the investigation for a reason.

Spencer knew that Rafe had purposely backed E.J. into a corner so that he could mention the lie detector test. Spencer said that Rafe needed to check with him before he tried to pull another stunt like that. Rafe said that Spencer had to admit that it had been a good plan. Spencer insisted that the plan had not been good -- it had been great.

Spencer warned Rafe not to forget about the other suspects. Spencer excused himself so that he could call the governor. After Spencer left, Sami stormed into the room. Sami demanded to know when Rafe had learned that Carrie was pregnant.

At the Brady Pub, Will greeted Sonny, who was reading the newspaper. Will wondered if he was still on the front page. Sonny said that Will had been bumped to page three. "What? Man, fame is so fleeting, you know? I mean, I, of course, knew that I wouldn't stay on the front page forever, but imagine how disappointed my family must be that my sexual orientation is not the lead story anymore," Will sarcastically stated.

Sonny said that the important part of the story was the fact that Will had been cleared as a murder suspect. "Because I was with a gay guy at a gay bar. Have you ever seen a newspaper article describe some place as a straight bar?" Will asked. Sonny revealed that he had read an article that had mentioned that the bar's business had increased as a result of Will's story.

Will joked that everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of the murderer. Sonny insisted that no one believed that Will was a murderer, and he added that everyone believed that E.J. had killed Stefano. Sonny guessed that Will also believed that E.J. had murdered Stefano. Will conceded that E.J. had done some horrible things, but he wasn't convinced that E.J. had killed Stefano. Will said that family was everything to the DiMeras.

Will vowed to find something that he could use against E.J. Sonny cautioned Will to be careful, and he pointed out that Will could be seriously injured if E.J.'s secret was worth protecting. Will said that he didn't have a choice, because E.J. had backed him into a corner. Sonny wondered how he could help.

Will pointed out that Sonny had already stated that E.J. was a dangerous person. Will wondered how Sonny planned to stop E.J. Sonny shrugged, and he asked if it was wrong for him to want to help a friend. Will insisted that it was his fight, and he said that Sonny was just going to end up putting himself on E.J.'s hit list if he tried to help.

"I just, uh -- I just want to be by your side," Sonny said with a sigh. Sonny quickly added that he was a Kiriakis, and he pointed out that the Kiriakis family had a history of dealing with the DiMeras. Will laughed, but before he could say anything, someone named Brian entered the pub. Will rushed over to greet Brian, and he introduced Brian to Sonny.

Brian wondered why he hadn't seen Will at the Spot lately. Will said that he had been busy. Brian nodded, and he said that Will had been fighting a murder charge. Sonny happily stated that Will no longer had to worry about that. Brian said that the whole thing could have been resolved a lot earlier if Will had just admitted that he had been at the Spot with Brian and Neil that night.

Sonny seemed uncomfortable, and he excused himself so that he could get another cup of coffee. Sonny could still hear Will and Brian's conversation from the nearby coffee station, and he listened as Brian wondered why Will had been reluctant to admit that he had been at a gay bar.

"My grandfather is the police commissioner, and my whole family is on the force, basically...so maybe I didn't want to come out to them like that, you know? 'Hey, I didn't shoot anyone last night -- sorry, I was at a gay bar...drinking cosmos,'" Will joked. Brian humorlessly stated that Will was lying -- he had been drinking beer that night, not cosmos.

Will said that the point was that he had wanted to keep his sexuality out of the newspaper. Sonny continued to listen as Brian complained that Will had felt more comfortable as a suspected murderer. Brian said that he didn't understand why Will had gone to such great lengths to hide the fact that he was gay. Will sighed, and he pointed out that he wasn't hiding anything.

Brian wondered if Will would have remained in the closet indefinitely if he had not been charged with murder. Before Will could respond, Brian received a phone call. Brian excused himself, and he walked over to the other side of the pub. "What is that guy's problem? I swear, he's, like, on a freakin' crusade," Will whispered to Sonny. Will insisted that his sexuality was his business, and Sonny agreed.

"Look at it this way. You're a Brady, right? How do you think you would feel if someone in your family didn't want other people to know that you were a Brady, but you are? But for some crazy reason, they're ashamed to be associated with you," Sonny explained. Will insisted that he wasn't ashamed, and Sonny assured Will that he knew that. Sonny said that he was just trying to clarify Brian's perspective.

Will realized that he was going to be late for an appointment, and he excused himself. Will thanked Sonny for not acting like Brian had, and he said that Sonny was a good guy. A short time later, Brian approached Sonny, and he wondered if Will had left. Sonny coldly replied that it looked that way, and he said that Brian had been kind of hard on Will earlier.

Brian countered that Sonny needed to be harder on Will, because Sonny had a reputation for being all about gay pride. "Maybe, but that's me, not Will. I've had a lot more time to adjust than he has, so I'm not gonna force him to be someone he's not," Sonny replied. Brian joked that Will was really good at being gay, but Sonny didn't appreciate the joke.

"Come on -- Will's gay, Sonny. Gay as you, gay as me. But he'd rather people think that he killed that DiMera guy than have them know the truth about him. To him, hanging out with a bunch of gay guys is worse than getting charged with murder. You get how messed up that is, right?" Brian asked. Sonny warned Brian to back off, and he pointed out that Brian did not know anything about Will.

Sonny assured Brian that Will would eventually realize that being openly gay was a good thing. "After you're done mentoring him? Come on, I see the way you look at Will, Sonny. You're into him -- that's why you cut him so much slack," Brian knowingly stated.

Sonny said that Will was a good friend of his. "But you wish he was more than that. It's cool -- I get it, man. He's hot. I'd want the same thing, but someone like Will comes with a lot of baggage. Good luck," Brian said, and he abruptly walked away.

Back at the DiMera mansion, E.J. was looking at Alice's letter when Will opened the front door. Will called out to E.J., and E.J. hurriedly dropped the letter into a desk drawer. E.J. partially closed the drawer before turning to greet Will. Will noted that he had seen Rafe leaving the mansion earlier, and E.J. told him about Rafe's visit.

E.J. said that Rafe had asked him to take a lie detector test, and he scoffed at the suggestion that he had something to hide. Will joked that Rafe's suspicions were correct. E.J. warned Will to choose his words carefully, and he started to issue his usual list of blackmail threats. E.J. warned that there was no statute of limitations on attempted murder.

"You know, I could use temporary insanity as a defense...although it could be one of the saner moments of my life," Will dryly stated. E.J. observed that Will had some of Sami in him, and he added that Will was lucky that E.J. liked Sami. "You're both at your defiant best when you're up the creek without a paddle," E.J. said, and he abruptly exited the living room.

After E.J. left, Will went to the desk so that he could get started on his work assignments. As Will opened E.J.'s laptop, he noticed the partially opened desk drawer. After verifying that he was alone, Will grabbed Alice's letter, and he started to read it.

Will's jaw dropped as he figured out exactly what E.J. had been trying to hide.

In Nicole's hotel room, Nicole was pleasantly surprised when she realized that Daniel had spent the night with her. Daniel didn't have to work at the hospital that day, so he offered to take Nicole to Chez Rouge for brunch.

Nicole found it hard to believe that Daniel wanted to take her to Salem's best restaurant for breakfast. "Actually, at those prices, it's called brunch," Daniel clarified. Nicole suggested that Daniel could take her to a nearby diner instead, but he seemed to think that idea was distasteful. Daniel's reaction surprised Nicole, who pointed out that Fay had worked at a diner.

Daniel recalled that Victor had implied that Nicole had learned to appreciate the finer things in life. Nicole guessed that Victor had called her a gold-digger. Daniel confirmed Nicole's suspicion, and she insisted that Victor's assessment was no longer true.

Later, at Chez Rouge, Nicole admitted that Victor wasn't the only person who had formed a negative opinion of her. Nicole acknowledged that she had done some things that she wasn't proud of in order to survive. Daniel cautioned that being a single parent was going to be a lot harder than manipulating a paternity test.

Nicole agreed, but she insisted that she was strong enough to handle the challenge. Nicole was confident that she had made the right decision, because she didn't want her child to be raised as a DiMera. Daniel admired the fact that Nicole had lied to protect her baby, because he believed that Chloe had only lied about Parker's paternity to protect herself.

"Can I ask you something? Um...why do you get involved with all your patients? I mean, your wife, Chelsea, Kate, Chloe...am I missing someone?" Nicole asked, and she quickly remembered to add Jennifer's name to the list. Daniel tried to suggest that he had been going through a phase, but Nicole refused to believe that. Daniel laughed as he tried to think of a different answer.

Daniel theorized that he had been looking for uncomplicated relationships, but he added that his plan had backfired, because each of those relationships had been complicated. Nicole pointed out that Daniel still hadn't learned his lesson, because her situation was extremely complicated. "You know what I think? I think you like complicated," Nicole mused.

Nicole said that she liked spending time with Daniel, and she added that the sex was incredible. Nicole told Daniel that she didn't want to label their relationship, because that would cause them to start to set expectations, and they'd be disappointed if the relationship ultimately failed to meet those expectations. Daniel agreed, and he and Nicole each went their separate ways at the end of their meal.

At the DiMera mansion, Will stared at Alice's letter in disbelief. Will heard E.J.'s footsteps in the foyer, so he quickly pocketed the letter. E.J. entered the living room, and he demanded to know what Will was doing. Will discreetly closed the desk drawer with the side of his leg, and he claimed that he had been looking for his phone.

E.J. instructed Will to go to a specific location to retrieve a package. E.J. said that the package contained a substantial amount of money. "Money in a package...that sounds shady," Will observed. E.J. agreed, and he wondered if Will had a problem with that. Will said that he was just curious about the deal. E.J. replied that Will wasn't allowed to ask questions.

Will apologized, and he pointedly stated that he didn't want to get on a DiMera's bad side. Will added that he could probably be more helpful if he knew exactly what E.J. was up to. "William, the less that you know -- the less you ask -- the more productive this little relationship's going to be. You should be grateful for this opportunity to be able to watch, to learn," E.J. pompously stated.

Will said that he had already learned a great deal of information. "You may have watched a few plays, William, but you'd do well to remember that you have no idea how or when to execute them," E.J. replied, and he waved his hand dismissively. Will exited the mansion, and he grinned as he glanced at the letter, which was tucked in the pocket of his suit jacket.

At the police station, Rafe insisted that he had never slept with Carrie, but Sami wasn't convinced. Sami incredulously stated that Rafe had managed to get Nicole and Carrie pregnant. Rafe refused to let Sami pretend that she was the victim, and he reminded her that she was the one who had destroyed their marriage.

Sami conceded that she had made a terrible mistake, but she remained convinced that she and Rafe could have found a way to save their marriage. Rafe agreed that he might have been able to forgive Sami if she had told him the truth earlier. Sami countered that Rafe had been eager to end their marriage so that he could be with Carrie.

Sami demanded to hear Rafe acknowledge that he had been partially responsible for their failed marriage. Rafe reluctantly agreed to humor Sami, and he admitted that he had developed feelings for Carrie after they had started working together. Rafe apologized, and he added that his feelings no longer mattered, because Carrie and Austin were still together. "I never got her pregnant," Rafe added, as E.J. entered the room.

E.J. assumed that Rafe had been referring to Nicole, but Rafe clarified that he had been talking about Carrie. Rafe asked Sami to leave so that he could get back to work, but Sami refused to do so. Rafe insisted that he was done talking about his personal life. Rafe reiterated that he wanted Sami to leave, and he added that he was glad that E.J. had changed his mind about the lie detector test.

E.J. clarified that he had gone to the police station so that he could talk to Roman about the department's budget. Rafe said that Roman had left the police station earlier, and he tried to convince E.J. to take the lie detector test before Roman returned. E.J. refused and abruptly exited the room. Rafe tried to get Sami to follow E.J.'s lead, but she paused before she reached the hallway.

Sami wondered if Rafe really believed that E.J. had murdered Stefano. "At least you're closer to the door," Rafe muttered, and he reminded Sami that he couldn't discuss police business with her. Rafe said that it was his job to find Stefano's murderer, and he added that it was Sami's job to stay out of everyone else's business. Rafe exited the room, and Sami reluctantly followed him.

At the Brady Pub, Carrie told Austin that Sami had assumed that Rafe was the father of Carrie's baby. Austin theorized that Sami probably resented the fact that Carrie's marriage had survived, since Sami's marriage had failed. Carrie agreed, but she added that Sami was right about one thing -- Carrie never should have kissed Rafe. Austin replied that he had forgiven Carrie, so Sami needed to do the same.

Carrie assured Austin that she had never slept with Rafe, but she admitted that she had developed feelings for Rafe before she had kissed him. Austin reminded Carrie that their marriage had been on shaky ground at that time, and that they had each made mistakes. Austin said that he understood, but Carrie wasn't convinced that she deserved his forgiveness.

"It's because you still have feelings for Rafe, isn't it?" Austin realized with a heavy sigh. Austin said that he had decided to give Carrie another chance because he firmly believed that her feelings for Rafe would eventually disappear. Austin abruptly changed the subject when he realized that he and Carrie were going to be late for a doctor's appointment.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Carrie and Austin beamed with delight as they looked at an ultrasound photograph of their baby. Carrie thanked Austin for his forgiveness, and she promised to prove to him that she valued their marriage just as much as he did. Austin assured Carrie that she had nothing to prove, and he abruptly excused himself. After Austin left, Carrie ran into Rafe.

At the Brady Pub, Will placed Alice's letter inside the safe that was hidden behind the bar. Sonny entered the pub, and Will enthusiastically greeted him with a hug. Will offered to buy Sonny some lunch, and Sonny wondered why Will was in such a good mood. "Did you win the lottery? 'Cause if you did, I want half of it right now," Sonny joked. Will laughed and said that he hadn't won the lottery yet, but he was going to.

Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, E.J. received a text message. E.J. tried to contact Will, but the call went straight to voicemail. "William, where are you? I just learned you've yet to make that pickup, so when you get this message, get that package, get back here, and you'd better have a bloody good excuse as to where you've been!" E.J. angrily shouted.

Back at the Brady Pub, Will noticed that E.J. had left him a message. Sonny wondered who Will was ignoring. Will dismissively stated that E.J. had asked him to take care of some sort of silly errand. Will said that he was more interested in eating some food and hanging out with Sonny. Sonny was flattered, but he cautioned that Will didn't want to get on E.J.'s bad side.

Will laughed and promised that he was going to handle his business with E.J. Sonny tried to decide if Will was being really gutsy or really stupid. "You know, either way, uh, things are going to be very different between him and me from now on," Will cryptically stated.

Later, Will returned to the DiMera mansion, and E.J. demanded an explanation for the delay. Will said that he had decided to order some lunch first. E.J. wondered why Will couldn't have done that after he had retrieved the package. "I don't know -- I guess I could have done that, but I didn't," Will said with a shrug. E.J. wondered where the package was.

"What pack -- oh, yeah, that's right. I, um, totally forgot about it. My bad," Will nonchalantly stated. E.J. demanded to know what was wrong with Will. "You sound like you're about to tell me," Will dryly stated, as he claimed E.J.'s favorite chair and propped his feet up on the coffee table. E.J. started to issue his usual list of threats, but Will wasn't even slightly intimidated.

"I don't think I'm going to prison. I think I'm gonna go to the top...if you stop holding me back," Will said. E.J. decided that Will was probably drunk or high, and he refused to accept that sort of behavior. Ignoring E.J.'s statement, Will said that he had decided to change the rules of their little relationship. "From now on, I will be calling the shots," Will confidently stated.

E.J. laughed and said that Will was suffering from delusions of grandeur. Will smiled and replied that E.J. had taught him that knowledge was power, which was why Will was certain that things were going to change. E.J. impatiently urged Will to get to the point.

"I know the truth. I found what you've been hiding. I know that Stefano is not your father. You are not a DiMera," Will said, as E.J.'s face turned pale.

When Carrie and Rafe ran into each other in the park outside Horton Square, each said that they had something to tell the other. Carrie insisted that Rafe go first, so he informed her that he'd run into Sami, who was convinced that Rafe was the father of Carrie's baby. Carrie said that she'd tried to tell Sami that it couldn't be true, but Sami had called Carrie a liar and a hypocrite. "Part of me is wondering if she is partly right," Carrie admitted.

Rafe assured Carrie that she was neither of those things. Rafe was afraid that he'd made things worse when he'd warned Sami not to give Carrie a hard time. Carrie maintained that the only reason Sami had accused Rafe of being the father was to hurt him, and she mentioned that she was glad that she knew Rafe wasn't the father of Nicole's baby. Rafe wondered if things would have been different if he'd told Carrie the truth sooner.

Carrie noted that she had never imagined being where she was at that point in her life -- married and with a baby on the way, but questioning some of the choices she'd made. Rafe admitted that he felt sort of the same way, but Carrie should be focusing on her family and the baby. Carrie acknowledged that she should, but she knew it would take time before she could move on.

After an awkward silence, Rafe started to leave, but Carrie reminded him that she also had something to tell him. She continued that she had just been at the hospital for a sonogram, and the experience had been amazing. Suddenly Carrie burst into tears. "I can't do this anymore!" she cried, explaining that it wasn't fair to Rafe, or Austin, or the baby. She added that she didn't know how to be around Rafe, so she had to stay completely away from him.

Rafe stated imploringly that if it were the right thing to do, then it wouldn't be so difficult for both of them. He took Carrie by the arms, but she cried out for him to stop. Rafe reluctantly admitted that he only wanted what was best for Carrie and the baby, so he would step aside. The two said a final goodbye, and then parted ways.

In Horton Square, Chad admitted to Gabi that he'd been having a hard time concentrating. He added that he and Melanie had planned to watch the fireworks together and have a picnic in the park that day. Gabi feigned sympathy as Chad noted that it wasn't like Melanie not to have called him back after he'd called to tell her about Lexie. "What if something happened to her? I can't lose her, too," Chad lamented. Gabi asserted that any girl would be lucky to have a guy like Chad, and Melanie should have been there for Chad despite their fight.

When Gabi's cell phone rang and she ignored it, Chad asked, "It's not that creep who's been stalking you, is it?" Gabi maintained that she hadn't heard from her stalker since he'd put the dead rat in her salad, and the phone call had been from a friend. Chad offered to walk Gabi to the bookstore where she was going to meet the friend, but Gabi thought that she had scared the stalker off by getting the police involved. Chad said if that were the case, then perhaps Gabi should move back into her apartment. He then insisted on walking her to the bookstore.

Andrew entered the windowless room in his basement where he was holding Melanie and locked the door behind him. Wearing his usual ski mask, he dropped some magazines and newspapers on the foot of the bed, and then opened a thermos filled with hot herbal tea to help keep Melanie calm. As Andrew poured a mug for her, Melanie pleaded with him to let her go home, but he ignored her.

With a look of resignation, Melanie picked up one of the newspapers, and was horrified when she saw that it was the Fourth of July. The next newspaper she grabbed prominently featured Lexie's obituary. As the knowledge sunk in, she begged her captor to let her go to Chad, who had just lost his dad and his sister and had no idea where Melanie was. Andrew refused somewhat apologetically. Melanie demanded to know what Andrew planned to do with her.

Andrew ordered Melanie to stop asking questions and drink her tea. Melanie obediently picked up the cup. Andrew then unlocked the door to leave again. Melanie got his attention, and when he turned around she threw the hot tea in his face. She tried to run out the door, but Andrew quickly grabbed her and chloroformed her until she was unconscious.

While passed out, Melanie dreamed that Chad found the basement, knocked out Andrew, and rescued her. In the dream, Chad vowed that if the man who had kidnapped Melanie ever got near her again, Chad would kill the guy.

Andrew was in the exterior basement when Gabi arrived and demanded to know why he'd wanted to see her. She reminded him that she was supposed to be the one to contact him, not the other way around. Andrew noted that he hadn't heard from her in a while, and he thought she might want to know what her "stalker" was going to do next. Gabi warned Andrew that she didn't want any more physical attacks -- or dead rats. She asked him to do something simple, like a threatening gift or picture, but it had to happen right away.

Andrew asked what the rush was. Gabi explained that Chad had asked her to move out when he'd learned that she didn't think that she was in danger anymore. Andrew burst out laughing, and asked incredulously, "You've been living with Chad this entire time...and you still can't get him to make a move on you?" After admonishing Andrew to stop laughing, Gabi complained that she had thought it would be easy to make Chad fall in love with her, but Chad only missed Melanie more the longer she was gone.

Andrew firmly stated that Melanie was not going to be a problem. Gabi demanded to know what that meant. Andrew refused to say more, but his eyes kept darting over to the door to the room where Melanie was. "What is in that room?" Gabi asked suspiciously, striding over to the door. She looked through the speakeasy and saw Melanie out cold on the bed. "Oh, my God. What did you do?" Gabi demanded anxiously.

"I found what you've been hiding. I know that Stefano is not your father. You are not a DiMera," Will declared to E.J. E.J. suggested that Will get his facts straight before throwing around such wild accusations, since what Will had said was both inaccurate and insulting. Will countered that he intended to use what he knew to his advantage. Indicating the desk drawer, Will stated, "There was a letter that was in here that said pretty bluntly that Stefano wasn't your father." He then opened the drawer, which was empty, to show E.J. that the letter was gone.

E.J. asked what Will planned to do with his newfound information. Smirking, Will replied that he could keep it a secret, as E.J. had tried to do, since Stefano was dead and wouldn't be revealing the truth to anyone. E.J. warned Will that he was on thin ice. Will wondered aloud what people would think if it got out that Stefano had known that he wasn't E.J.'s father when he'd cut E.J. out of his will. Will concluded that it could be considered "an outstanding motive for murder."

"You think I killed my father," E.J. said. Will pointed out that Stefano wasn't E.J.'s father -- and Stefano had disowned E.J. When Will alluded to the police, E.J. demanded to know exactly what Will wanted in exchange for the letter. Will asserted that he was going to get what he wanted, but there was nothing to prevent E.J. from going back on his word if Will returned the letter. Will pointed out that the letter was leverage, and E.J. had taught him never to give up leverage.

Changing tactics, E.J. asked politely, "Why don't you tell me what it is you want in exchange for keeping your mouth shut?" Will declared that he wanted his car and his apartment back. E.J. took the keys to both out of a desk drawer, dropped them to the floor, and kicked them toward Will. Will then stated that he would like an official position in the company with a good salary. E.J. agreed, but Will cautioned that he wasn't finished yet.

"I want power," Will declared. He clarified that he didn't want the DiMera fortune or to run the company. "Real power is the ability to be in control, to make something happen because you want it to and because you can. Power is knowing that you have the fate of another person in your hands, and whatever happens to them is up to you," Will explained pointedly. E.J. asserted, "I'm sorry, William, but that kind of power can't just be handed to you. It doesn't matter what you're holding over somebody's head."

Will acknowledged that he had a lot to learn, but he had thought he'd been on his way to becoming like E.J. "I want to be you," Will said, then proposed, "Make me your right-hand man, okay? Because I want to know what you do; I want to know how you do it; I want to know why you do it." E.J. reminded Will, "You're not me. You're not a DiMera." Will pointed out that E.J. wasn't, either, and asked if E.J. could think of a better way to get back at Stefano than to have two non-DiMeras running the DiMera empire.

E.J. cautioned Will against saying anything negative about Stefano, and warned that all he had to do was make one quick phone call to end the situation. Will said that he had had a backup plan: so there would be no paper trail or search history to follow, he had given the letter to a lawyer he'd found in the phone book, who would take the letter to the police should anything happen to Will. E.J. cautioned Will that twenty years in prison for attempted murder was a very long time. Will urged E.J. to go ahead and call the police.

Will agreed that he might, indeed, go to prison, but then he would tell the police that E.J. wasn't Stefano's son, and E.J. would lose everything. Will walked over to the chessboard, lightly declared, "Checkmate," and knocked over the king. When E.J. only glowered silently, Will said, "So, we're on the same page. Come on, I think this is a good thing. We've taken our relationship to the next level, and I think this will be very rewarding -- for both of us." Will turned and practically skipped out of the house, but then turned and addressed E.J. again: "Just so we're clear, I own you now."

At the Carver house, Abe and Kayla reminisced about Lexie. Later, Abe asked about Steve. Kayla didn't want to burden Abe with her problems, but he assured her that he could use the distraction.

"I think I'm finally accepting what I've known for a long time, and after that conversation I had with Steve the other day, I'm pretty positive that our marriage is over," Kayla admitted, as Abigail and Ciara entered the living room. Abigail started to question Kayla's statement, but before Kayla could respond, Cameron and Theo walked into the room. Kayla and Abigail went to the garden so that they could have some privacy.

After Abigail and Kayla left, Ciara and Theo started to tell Abe about the day that they had spent with Cameron and Abigail. Theo said that the group had played baseball together. "And I saw Cameron and Abigail kiss," Ciara announced, and she and Theo rushed off to Theo's bedroom. Cameron quickly tried to explain the situation, but Abe assured him that there was no need to do so.

Abe knew that Cameron and Abigail cared about each other. Abe said that Lexie had approved of Abigail and Cameron's relationship, and he added that he had always trusted Lexie's instincts. Cameron breathed a sigh of relief. Abe noted that Theo was Abigail's biggest fan, and he added that Theo was a great judge of character. To support his assessment of Theo's judgment, Abe pointed out that Theo also adored Cameron.

Cameron was grateful that he had been given the opportunity to be a part of Theo's life, but he admitted that he wished that he had also been given the opportunity to spend more time with Lexie. Abe said that Lexie was his one true love, and Cameron hoped that he would eventually be able to find that kind of love. "Well, who knows? Maybe you already have," Abe mused.

Meanwhile, in Lexie's garden, Abigail wondered if Jack and Adrienne knew that Steve and Kayla were planning to get a divorce. Kayla said that Adrienne and Jack were only aware that she and Steve had separated. Kayla said that she didn't want anyone else to know about the divorce yet, because she wanted to talk to Stephanie -- who was out of town -- first.

Abigail agreed to protect Kayla's secret, but she warned Kayla not to wait too long to tell everyone. "Ciara overheard what you said earlier, too, and...as much as I love my little cousin, if you want to keep a secret, she's the last person in the world that you tell. I'm sure that she's going to tell anyone who will listen that she saw Cameron and I kissing earlier," Abigail said. Kayla was happy that she had heard the news from Abigail.

Abigail downplayed the kiss, because she was convinced that Cameron would soon decide to leave Salem. Kayla could tell that Abigail didn't want the relationship to end, so she urged Abigail to give Cameron another reason to stay in Salem. Kayla advised Abigail to tell Cameron exactly how she felt about him. Abigail was afraid that Cameron might not feel the same way about her.

Kayla encouraged Abigail to take a chance. "You know, when I first met Steve, he was...not the man my parents exactly had in mind for me, but I knew that we had something special, and I trusted those feelings, and I took a chance on us. And maybe we're not spending a lifetime together, but we had a lot of wonderful years together, and we have two fabulous kids," Kayla said.

Abigail was sorry that Kayla and Steve's marriage had ended prematurely, but Kayla pointed out that the same could be said about a lot of other couples, including Abe and Lexie. Kayla noted that Abe and Lexie would have missed out on a lot of wonderful years of marriage if they had been afraid to reveal their true feelings. Abigail agreed, and she realized that she had to tell Cameron the truth.

Back inside the house, Cameron conceded that he really liked Abigail. Abe joked that Ciara had already figured that out. Cameron received a phone call, and he excused himself so that he could answer it. As Abigail and Kayla entered the room, Cameron excitedly accepted an offer, and he wondered when he would need to go to Chicago. Kayla and Abe quietly exited the room so that Abigail and Cameron could have some privacy.

Cameron ended the phone call, and Abigail congratulated him. Cameron eagerly explained that he would be starting his new job the next day. Abigail tried to hide her disappointment as she prepared to say goodbye to Cameron. Cameron was confused, and he wondered what Abigail was talking about.

Abigail admitted that she had heard Cameron mention that the job was in Chicago. "No, I have to drive to Chicago for some training. The job is here in Salem -- at University Hospital. I'm staying here in Salem with my nephew and you," Cameron said, as he passionately kissed Abigail.

In Andrew's basement, Andrew assured Gabi that he had not harmed Melanie. Gabi said that Andrew had crossed a line, and she insisted that she had never intended for him to kidnap Melanie. Gabi noted that Andrew would be in a lot of trouble if anyone ever found out about the kidnapping. Andrew countered that Gabi would also be in a lot of trouble, because they had been working together.

Gabi reiterated that she had never asked Andrew to kidnap Melanie. Andrew wondered if Chad would believe Gabi's story. Gabi begged Andrew not to tell Chad about her involvement, and Andrew promised that he wouldn't say anything unless she decided to talk to the cops about the kidnapping. Andrew pointed out that his plan had allowed Gabi to spend some time alone with Chad.

Gabi continued to chastise Andrew for his actions, and she noted that Melanie's loved ones were going to be worried about her. Andrew wondered if Gabi really cared about Melanie's loved ones. Gabi insisted that she did care, and she refused to help Andrew. Andrew shrugged and agreed to release Melanie, but he pointed out that Gabi would probably never get another opportunity to be with Chad.

"You do realize that Melanie will go right to the cops, and when she does, my very lovely co-conspirator, you and I will end up spending a very long time in Statesville Prison," Andrew added, as he started to open Melanie's cell door. Gabi stopped Andrew, but she still seemed conflicted about her decision. Andrew assured Gabi that he would eventually release Melanie.

"You see, Melanie hasn't seen my face, and she has no idea about your involvement. Look, and by the time that we actually do release her, it will be far too late for her and Chad, because he will be so in love with you -- that is, if you still think that you can get him to fall in love with you," Andrew said. Gabi claimed that she was certain that Chad would eventually fall in love with her, but there was a hint of doubt in her voice.

Gabi reiterated that she didn't want Melanie to get hurt. Andrew promised to take very good care of Melanie, but Gabi wasn't convinced. Andrew claimed that he was more concerned about his own safety, because Melanie had tried to escape earlier. Andrew assured Gabi that he had taken care of the situation. Gabi stressed that she didn't want Melanie to get hurt, even if she tried to escape.

Gabi noted that Melanie had been a really good friend to her. "Oh, I get it. Look, Melanie is just an innocent bystander in this entire situation. I mean, the whole reason that she's under lock and key right now is that she just happened to have the bad luck of falling in love with Chad. And -- well, what a bummer that Chad happened to be the dream guy of her 'good friend' Gabi, and that you would be willing to plot, scheme, and do just about anything to steal him away from her," Andrew sarcastically stated.

Gabi insisted that Andrew didn't know what he was talking about. Andrew reminded Gabi that he was the one who had made it possible for her to spend some time alone with Chad. "I suggest that you stop disrespecting me and take advantage of the golden opportunity that I've given you," Andrew added. Gabi agreed that it would be best to leave Melanie in the cell for a while longer.

Andrew reiterated that he would take very good care of Melanie. Gabi questioned Andrew's true motives, and he claimed that he had kidnapped Melanie so that he could have the satisfaction of knowing that he had helped Gabi find her true love. Gabi confirmed that she was in love with Chad, and she insisted that he was better off with her. Andrew assured Gabi that they were doing the right thing.

In Madison's hotel room, Brady was passed out on Madison's bed. Madison managed to rouse Brady, and she urged him to tell her what was going on. "I don't know! I'm coming off of something. I don't know what's going on with me, all right? But somebody's managed to get some stuff in here, Madison. I think I know who it is, and I think you know who it is, too," Brady said.

Madison suggested that Brady's sponsor would advise him to refrain from trying to blame other people for his relapse. Brady insisted that Ian was determined to mess with his life, and he added that Ian wanted to ruin Brady and Madison's relationship. Madison couldn't understand why Ian would want to do something like that, since he was the one who had made it possible for her and Brady to be together in the first place.

Brady said that Ian was a jealous man, and he suggested that Ian was probably upset because Madison had chosen to be with Brady. Madison wondered how Ian had managed to get drugs into Brady's system, and Brady admitted that he didn't know how to answer that question. Madison halted the conversation when she realized that she was going to be late for a meeting at Titan.

Brady wanted to join her, but Madison insisted that he needed to focus on his health. After Madison left, Brady's withdrawal symptoms intensified. Brady tried to contact Maggie, but she wasn't answering her phone. "There's only one thing that's gonna help me now," Brady muttered, as he started to scroll through his contact list. Later, Brady received a message from someone, and he abruptly exited the room.

At the Horton Town Square, Kate continued to suspect that Ian had caused Brady's relapse. Ian claimed that he was innocent, and he suggested that Brady was simply a weak individual who had been unable to resist his urges. Kate wasn't convinced, and she pointed out that sabotaging Brady's sobriety was the perfect way to ruin his relationship with Madison. Ian claimed that he only cared about Kate.

Before Kate could respond, she received a text message from Madison. Kate announced that Brady wasn't going to be able to make it to the meeting, and she abruptly excused herself. After Kate left, Ian placed a call to someone. "We have Brady Black right where I want him. He's gonna need something very soon. Keep a very close watch on him -- I don't want to lose this opportunity," Ian said.

At Titan, Kate asked about Brady. Madison said that Brady wasn't feeling well, and she claimed that he had contracted some sort of twenty-four hour virus. Kate wasn't convinced, and she wondered when Madison was going to accept the fact that Brady was back on drugs. Madison asked Kate to drop the subject, but Kate ignored the request. Kate revealed that she had been in Madison's shoes before.

Kate explained that Lucas was a recovering alcoholic, and that Billie was a recovering addict. "First there's denial, and then there's guilt, and then all you can really, really think about is whether they're ever gonna get better or whether they're gonna end up dead, so if you love Brady as much as you say you do, then you need to take action, and you need to do it before it's too late," Kate advised.

Madison appreciated Kate's concern and honesty, but she insisted that she knew Brady well enough to know that he was just really sick. Madison vowed that she would do whatever she had to do to help Brady. "Now I'm really impressed -- denial and guilt at the same time. You need to wake up. Brady does need your help, but he doesn't need excuses. He doesn't need someone to enable him," Kate said.

Meanwhile, in a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Brady greeted a man. The man said that he had heard that Brady had gotten clean. Brady replied that he had assumed the same thing, and he added that he didn't need much -- just a little pick-me-up. Brady handed the man a large wad of cash, and the man slipped Brady a small bag of drugs as he observed that Brady still liked to fly first-class.

Later, Ian received a phone call from a photographer. The man said that he had sent some photographs to Ian's phone. After Ian ended the call, he flipped through the photographs, which documented Brady's earlier purchase.

Back in Madison's hotel room, Brady cut up several lines of cocaine and prepared to snort them.

At the hotel, Madison left an anxious, apologetic message for Brady, who had not returned at all the night before. She begged Brady to call her to let her know if he was all right, then grabbed her things and hurried out the door.

Meanwhile, in a hotel bathroom somewhere, Brady contemplated the lines of cocaine he'd laid out. He seemed ready to snort some, but suddenly flung the drugs onto the tile floor, and sobbed in frustration. A few minutes later, he was on his hands and knees, scraping up the cocaine. He scooped back into the baggie with a straw ready to snort it, but then caught sight of himself in the mirror, and flushed the drugs down the sink.

Madison went to the Kiriakis mansion to see Maggie, and admitted that she was worried because Brady hadn't returned any of her phone calls. Maggie said that Brady had called her, too, but he hadn't left a message. Madison blamed herself for Brady not calling back, but Maggie assured Madison that it wasn't her fault. Maggie said, "Brady is an addict. I know he says he's not using -- but you're afraid that's not true, aren't you?" Madison declared that she knew it wasn't true.

"I was worried that he was using again, and maybe that somehow undermined his sobriety," Madison fretted. Maggie acknowledged that Madison had to be wondering what Brady was going through, but a lot of baggage went along with loving an addict. "I'm not sure that this is what Brady is doing, but...if he guilts you into keeping secrets, into not rocking the boat, into looking the other way -- if you feel like you can't be honest because he can't handle it, that's not good! Because it always blows up eventually," Maggie declared.

Maggie explained that addicts had a huge fight ahead of them every single day. She urged Madison to think about how she really felt about Brady, because even in recovery, he would always be an addict. "You need to be honest and pragmatic: do you love him enough to be there for him no matter what happens?" Maggie asked.

"That's a very good question," Brady said from the doorway. Madison rushed to him and threw her arms around him, relieved that he was all right. Brady explained that he had gone there to talk to Maggie, who said that Brady and Madison should talk first. After Maggie had gone, Brady admitted that he'd had a really bad night, but he wanted to hear Madison's answer to Maggie's question.

Madison didn't think that Brady had a right to demand anything after making her frantic with worry the night before. She demanded that he tell her where he had been. As Madison listened somewhat impatiently, Brady finally reluctantly admitted that he had bought some cocaine. Madison exploded, reminding him that he had sworn that the only way there had been drugs in his system was that Ian had been slipping it to him. "But that's just not true, is it?" she demanded.

Daniel and Nicole awakened in her hotel room bed together. After kissing her passionately, he declared that she was the sexiest pregnant woman he'd ever seen. Nicole teased that he probably used that same line on all the girls. After a few minutes of playful banter, Nicole declared, "We don't need to play games, right? I mean, this is what it is, and nothing more, right?"

Just as Daniel and Nicole were about to have sex, there was a knock at the door. "Nicole, you in there?" Rafe's voice shouted from the hallway. Nicole jumped out of bed, pulled on her robe, then checked her hair in the mirror -- which Daniel noticed -- before she opened the door a crack. Rafe had gone to the pharmacy to pick up Nicole's prenatal vitamins. While Daniel listened, a grateful Nicole said that she would invite Rafe in, except that she wasn't feeling very "sociable." Nicole thanked Rafe and promised to call him later.

Almost as soon as Nicole closed the door, Daniel declared that it was time for him to get going. As he pulled on his clothes, Nicole asked what the problem was. Daniel said that he had learned a lot from his involvement with Jennifer. "I am no one's backup plan," Daniel asserted. Nicole was completely mystified, and wondered if Daniel had wanted her to invite Rafe in. "Daniel, what we have is private," Nicole maintained.

Daniel pointed out that Nicole had checked her hair and makeup before she'd answered the door to Rafe, and added that he had at least hoped the two of them had honesty between them. Nicole swore that she had been nothing but completely honest with Daniel. "It's hard to do that when you're not honest with yourself," Daniel countered. He turned and left.

A while later, Nicole found Daniel at the Brady Pub, and presented him with a cup of coffee just the way he liked it. She sat across from him, and admitted that she had considered making an appointment with him. Nicole playfully declared that whenever she was around him, she forgot how to do things like breathe and swallow -- and dribbled her beverage down the front of her dress to prove it. Daniel laughed and cleaned up the mess. "You are insane," he proclaimed.

Carrie woke up in bed next to Austin, but found herself fantasizing about Rafe. She got out of bed and began to get ready for work. Although Austin playfully begged her to get back in bed, Carrie insisted that she had a new case that she had to get ready for.

At the police station, Rafe and Spencer discussed Stefano's arms deal that E.J. had been ignorant of. Spencer pointed out that they had no proof that Stefano had been trying to set E.J. up, but Rafe argued that Stefano had cut E.J. out of his will. "I don't know if E.J. killed his father or not, but I'm going to get into that mansion, and I'm going to find out what happened that night -- and I want that lie-detector test," Rafe declared.

Even though the bullets were inadmissible as evidence, Rafe was determined to prove that they were somehow connected to E.J. Spencer pointed out that E.J. didn't own a registered gun, and even if he once had, it was surely at the bottom of the river by then. A uniformed cop stuck his head in the office and said that there was a lawyer there to discuss the Hamilton case. Spencer left so that Rafe and the lawyer could use the office.

As soon as Spencer exited, a surprised Carrie entered. She explained that she had just gotten the case, or she would have already known that Rafe was the lead detective on it. After Rafe and Carrie then discussed the case briefly, Carrie headed for the door, but Rafe stopped her. He noted that they had agreed to steer clear of each other, but neither of them seemed to know how. Rafe suggested that they get a cup of coffee to discuss it.

Carrie and Rafe went to the café in Horton Square. Rafe acknowledged that they were going to have to figure out a way to be around one another without it being difficult, and Carrie agreed. As they were talking, Austin arrived in the square, and stopped to watch them for a moment. Rafe admitted that he didn't want to make things harder for Carrie when she had so much at stake, so he would keep his distance. "I know what I said, that I need to keep strong, but I'm not sure that I can do this," Carrie confessed. "Do what, Carrie?" Austin demanded.

At the DiMera mansion, Will watched carefully over E.J.'s shoulder as E.J. worked his way through a pile of paperwork. Will explained that he just wanted to learn all there was to learn about the DiMera way of doing things. He alluded to the information he had that allowed him to counter-blackmail E.J. E.J. warned Will, "Your prey is at its most dangerous when it's backed into a corner." Will contended that instead of backing E.J. into a corner, Will had merely leveled the playing field.

Will then mentioned that Rafe had asked E.J. to take a lie-detector test. Will noted that it was bad for the DiMera name if their investors believed E.J. had killed his father. Will pointed out that if it got out that E.J. had lied about being Stefano's son, it would make E.J. look "guilty as sin." E.J. wasn't worried, because he was innocent -- and there were legal implications to taking a polygraph.

Will asserted that E.J. taking and passing the test would give Rafe no choice but to stop pursuing E.J. as a suspect. "Maybe," E.J. conceded. Will asserted that it was a good idea for E.J. to take the test, and since he was in charge, he wanted E.J. to call Rafe and set it up. E.J. argued that regardless of what Will believed, E.J. made his own decisions. E.J. warned that Will was out of his league, and vowed to retaliate with deadly force should Will decide to use the information he had on E.J.

As Agent Spencer was reviewing the suspect file on E.J., which contained a note that read, "Suspect refused polygraph," E.J. and Will entered the office. "I changed my mind. I've decided to take your little lie-detector test," E.J. declared.