Paul finds himself at a crossroads
After a brief and frustrating phone conversation with an obviously intoxicated Lucas, Kate turned her attention back to Theo, who said he was sorry that her son was drinking again.
"Can't fix that...but I can fix this; we can fix this," Kate stressed, steering the conversation back to the matter of DiMera Enterprises' saboteur. Theo reported that the person who was hacking the company was doing so via a computer that was housed in an office building near the docks -- and that he had taken the liberty of scouting that building earlier. "Well, aren't you the overachiever!" Kate raved.
"The building's been owned by the same LLC for the past year. I'm not sure if they rent out space or not; I couldn't find any public records. [Anyway], all the doors were locked and alarmed, and I waited there for a while, but no one came or went, which means the server could be remotely operated," Theo continued.
Kate wondered if Theo could work his computer magic to find out more information. "No, but, um, I can...break into the building and look for the server," he replied. "That would be illegal," she pointed out -- just as the apartment door slammed shut.
"Didn't mean to interrupt. Sorry," Tripp said, chuckling uncomfortably. Realizing who Tripp was, Kate introduced herself then quickly launched into a long-winded and unsolicited explanation of what was going on, claiming that Theo had simply been telling her how DiMera Enterprises could protect itself from various forms of illegal cyber activity. When Kate finally finished talking, Theo wondered what Tripp was doing back at the apartment in the middle of a work shift. Tripp explained that he had realized, while on a break, that he had forgotten to take his cell phone with him to work that day. He grabbed the device then rushed off, still acting a bit uncomfortable.
Certain that Tripp had overheard something he shouldn't have, Kate wondered if Theo believed that his roommate would feel the need to share that information with others. "Well, Tripp's done some pretty bad stuff himself, [so] he's in no position to judge," Theo reasoned with a shrug, but Kate didn't seem to find that particularly comforting.
"[We'll] just have to hope that Tripp totally forgets meeting me here today, because we cannot let Andre get wind of what we're doing," Kate stressed, adding that Theo needed to let her investigate the building at the docks from that point forward, so his hands would remain clean. "It's not like breaking into the building would be wrong. [The person] who's trying to hack us [is] threatening the company, and we need to stop them, so it's...not wrong, really," Theo argued. "I do like the way you think...but it is wrong," Kate maintained.
Theo soon received a phone call from Andre, prompting Kate to advise that it would be best to avoid talking to him for the time being. Theo was okay with that but still had qualms about lying to Chad. Kate assured Theo, "We're so close to the truth [now that] I think I'm going to be able to tell Chad about your involvement [soon]. I think I can convince him not to confront Andre until we have concrete proof [that he's the saboteur]."
After Kate left, Theo went to the town square -- and caught Claire hugging Tripp. Claire, who had initiated the hug as a way of thanking Tripp for teaching her some tricks that would make her job easier, awkwardly explained to Theo, "That was just a 'friend hug' that you just saw, um, because...we're friends." Nodding, Theo asked to talk to Tripp privately.
After Claire walked away, Tripp stressed that she really was just a friend -- and that he would like to have a friendship with Theo, too. Theo dismissively insisted that he wasn't upset about the hug because he had recently worked through his feelings of jealousy with Claire. "But if you really want to be a friend, I need a favor," Theo added, asking Tripp not to tell Claire about seeing Kate at the apartment. "We're working on something that's meant to stay private," Theo vaguely explained. Tripp promised not to say anything to anyone. Satisfied, Theo walked away, unaware that he had just piqued Tripp's interest.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail insisted that Andre would never involve Theo in anything illegal, prompting Chad to point out that Andre had already done it in the past -- with Abigail's help. Abigail reminded Chad that the incident he was referring to had been about helping, not hurting, him. "[And yet] you always think the worst of your brother, especially when Kate is in your ear," Abigail mused.
Chad stressed that Kate wasn't to blame for his latest suspicions about Andre. "Okay, so what proof do you have that Andre's using Theo for some nefarious scheme?" Abigail asked. "That," Chad replied, directing Abigail's attention to the unguarded queen on the nearby chessboard. Chad was certain that Theo would only make such an obvious mistake if something was seriously wrong, but Abigail argued that Theo could have simply been preoccupied with concerns about school or his relationship with Claire. Abigail advised Chad to drop his suspicions and instead take advantage of a rare opportunity to finally beat Theo in a game of chess.
Chad complained that he couldn't focus on chess at that time because, thanks to Jennifer's recent article on DiMera Enterprises, damage control needed to be his sole concern. Abigail revealed that, coincidentally, she was available to return to her old job as DiMera Enterprises' public relations manager at any time. Thrilled to hear that, Chad suggestively invited Abigail to follow him to their bedroom so they could start the negotiation process.
Later, Kate returned home and found Chad and Abigail together in the living room. "Good, you're here. We, uh, need to talk DiMera -- in private," Kate told Chad, who replied that Abigail was once again working for the company and could therefore participate in the conversation. Kate wasn't thrilled that Chad had rehired his wife -- especially since he hadn't bothered to talk to her about it first -- but she grudgingly acknowledged that it would probably be pointless to try to talk him out of the idea. "Not exactly an enthusiastic endorsement, but I'll take it," Abigail dryly interjected.
Unwilling to talk about the saboteur in Abigail's presence, Kate claimed that she simply wanted to discuss how to combat Jennifer's recent hatchet job.
In Memphis, Sami refused to believe Susan's claim that Rolf had failed to revive Will, pointing out that Rolf had implied otherwise on more than one occasion. Susan stuck to her story and ordered Sami, Marlena, and John to leave her house at once. Knowing that Sami couldn't afford to get arrested yet again, Marlena and John convinced her to follow them off the property.
Meanwhile, at the bar, Paul hesitantly approached the bartender, whose back was turned toward him, and quietly called out, "Will?" Before Paul managed to get the bartender's attention, John contacted him to fill him in on what had just happened at Roger Fisher's house. Paul stared at the bartender in shock as John repeated Susan's claim that Will had never been revived.
Roger returned home and startled Susan, who briefly suspected, when she heard him moving around in another room, that one of Will's loved ones had returned to question her again. "They still think Will might be alive?" Roger concluded. Nodding, Susan explained, "I did what I had to do -- I told them Wilhelm failed." Roger doubted that would be enough to make Will's loved ones abandon their search for answers, but Susan was convinced that she had managed to take away the last shred of hope they'd had left.
Sami went to Lucas' hotel room to tell him about what had happened at Roger Fisher's house. When Lucas retrieved a couple bottles of alcohol from the minibar while listening to Sami's recap, she tried to take them away from him, insisting that he'd already had enough for one night. "This is my coping mechanism! Don't ever touch my alcohol!" he warned her.
Sami insisted that she needed to return to Roger Fisher's house yet again to continue the search for answers, but Lucas refused to let her do that, fearing that Susan might kill her as further payback for E.J.'s death if they ever crossed paths again. Lucas argued that Sami needed to think about her kids, who needed her to look out for herself for their sakes, but she countered that Will was her kid, too.
Lucas pointed out that Will wasn't just Sami's kid. "You don't think I want him to be alive? Of course I do! But if -- if -- Rolf brought him back to life -- and that's a big 'if' -- it doesn't mean that he's still alive [now]. Susan could've still gone through with her plan!" Lucas continued. Sami thought that Susan would have been eager to brag about what she had done in that case, but Lucas disagreed, reasoning that not even Susan would be stupid enough to admit to murder in front of someone with known ties to the ISA.
Realizing that Lucas was right, Sami sadly explained, "I came here with hope, and I just can't let it go! I can't give up, Lucas! I can't!" Lucas conceded that hope could be a good thing at times; he insisted, however, that it was time to face reality. "We have to let our son rest in peace. We should just go home and be there for our children -- our children who are still alive. They need us," Lucas continued. "But, Lucas, I want Will to be alive!" Sami sobbed. Fighting back tears of his own, Lucas assured Sami that he understood.
After regaining her composure, Sami decided that if she couldn't help Will anymore, Lucas needed to instead let her help him get out of his downward spiral. "My downward spiral's going just fine, thanks," Lucas dismissively insisted, but Sami disagreed. "You have to be there for your daughter and your granddaughter, and I need a project," Sami reasoned. "[Then] go bedazzle something," Lucas tiredly countered.
Undeterred, Sami tearfully begged Lucas to accept her help. "You want to save my soul and my liver?" he concluded. After she nodded in response, he gave the matter a moment of thought then decided, "If it helps you get over the fact that you've lost our son twice, I...I guess I can do that for you." Managing a smile, she embraced him then broke down in his arms.
Meanwhile, at the nearby hospital, John continued giving Paul the recap he had begun during their earlier phone conversation. "[And] that's Susan's story, and she's sticking with it, so unless we come up with some evidence to prove she's lying, we're kind of right back where we started -- unless you've come up with something that could shine some light on it," John eventually concluded.
Paul hesitantly began to explain that he had gone to a nearby bar earlier to get something to eat. "And that's when I, um...yeah, that's when I, uh...I saw...someone," Paul stammered. As John and Marlena waited expectantly, Paul recalled Lucas' earlier advice about nice guys finishing last. "The person that I saw at the bar was...Lucas," Paul claimed.
John and Marlena reported that they were already aware that Lucas was in Memphis. "Yeah, he was -- he was really drunk, and he was really ticked off that [Dad] and I tried to -- tried to dig up Will's grave," Paul continued, adding that he was sorry he didn't have better news to share. "Don't worry about it. You've done all you could," John assured Paul. "John's right. We all wish that Will was alive, but...it seems like he's not, and we have to find a way to accept that and move on," Marlena added.
Nodding, Paul encouraged John and Marlena to locate Sami and Lucas and head back to Salem with them right away, adding that he would stay behind with Sonny and tell him the bad news himself so they didn't have to further disrupt their lives or relive the pain of Susan's revelation yet again. Marlena raved that Sonny was lucky to have Paul then excused herself so she could say goodbye to Sonny. Before following Marlena to Sonny's room, John gave Paul a hug and reminded him that, on the bright side, things would soon go back to normal for him and Sonny, and they would be able to reschedule their wedding and finally start building a life together.
Later, John and Marlena joined Sami and Lucas at the hotel, and they all reluctantly agreed that it would be best to just accept the fact that Will was still dead.
Susan's earlier encounter with Sami, Marlena, and John had made the pain of E.J.'s death feel fresh again, so Roger offered to take her to the nearby bar, knowing that was a surefire way to cheer her up again. Meanwhile, Paul entered the bar and considered approaching the bartender again, but after remembering that Sonny would probably leave him for Will if given the chance, he rushed back outside, unnoticed, muttering, "Oh, God, please forgive me."
At the police station, Gabi walked Eli to his first day of work after attending Arianna's father-daughter day. Rafe joked about Eli finally showing up for work. With a quizzical look, Eli noted that he was ten minutes early for his shift. Rafe nodded. Gabi asked about the wound on the side of Rafe's face. Rafe explained that someone he had arrested had hit him but that he was fine. Gabi told Rafe that Eli had attended Arianna's event at the school. Staring at Eli, Rafe noted that "Uncle Rafe was available too." Rafe stepped outside to take a call on his cell phone.
Gabi gave Eli a lunchbox filled with gourmet foods for his first day of work. Gabi added that Arianna had baked cookies and included them in the lunchbox. Grinning, Eli asked Gabi why she had been so good to him. Gabi thanked Eli for supporting her through everything. Eli asked about Will. Gabi said that although the thought that Will was still alive had been far-fetched, she had been hopeful. Eli hesitated to kiss Gabi, but she encouraged him.
As Eli and Gabi kissed, Rafe entered the precinct and grimaced at the sight of his sister kissing his partner. Rafe interrupted to say that they were standing in a place of business. Gabi retorted that Rafe kissed Hope in the precinct frequently. Rafe turned to Eli and asked if he was ready to work. Looking at Gabi, Eli said he had five more minutes until his shift. With a fake smile, Rafe nodded and walked away. Gabi apologized to Eli for getting him in trouble with Rafe. Eli assured Gabi that he could handle Rafe because he had his lucky lunchbox.
As Brady jogged through the park, he saw Eric walking nearby, talking on his phone. Brady called out to Eric. Eric attempted to avoid a conversation, but when Brady said he had been sorry to hear the news about Will, Eric hung up on his call. Brady started to needle Eric about Nicole. When Brady wondered aloud whether Nicole had moved on to a new man, Eric bristled.
Eric grumbled that he would discover the truth about why Nicole had left, and he would expose Brady. When Eric added that he planned to focus on his work at the Horton Center, Brady commented that his only focus was his rage. Brady stood close to Eric and dared Eric to punch him. Brady growled that he would make Eric pay for betraying him. Eric stood his ground as Brady grew more aggressive. Jennifer ran over and squeezed between the two men, pushing them apart. Jennifer begged the two men to realize that neither of them had anything to gain by fighting. Brady's phone rang, and after narrowing his eyes at Eric, Brady ran off.
In their bedroom, Chad woke up to find Abigail reading her tablet in bed next to him. Abigail explained that she wanted to get a jumpstart on work. Grinning, Chad grabbed Abigail's tablet and promised her that she could get to work at the conclusion of their honeymoon. Abigail playfully shoved Chad away, noting that she needed to get up to speed on all the problems at DiMera Enterprises. Chad reiterated his belief that Andre had sabotaged the company, but Abigail disagreed. Chad asked Abigail to give him one last morning together before returning to work.
Curled up in bed together, Abigail and Chad teased one another about whether Abigail would take orders from Chad at work. When Abigail kissed Chad, he laughed and pronounced that Abigail was the boss. The two made love. After, Chad groaned and suggested that they get ready for the day. Abigail was quiet. When Chad asked what was wrong, Abigail asked Chad if he was sure that he wanted to work with her. Chad said he was certain.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Eve talked to Victor in the living room. Eve told Victor that the police had confirmed that Paige was dead. Victor said he was sorry that Eve had had her hopes dashed. After a moment, Victor asked Eve when she was moving out of the mansion. Eve stared daggers at Victor. With a shrug, Victor said he no longer needed to be nice to Eve. Victor called Eve a "fortune hunter." When Eve refused to leave and give up on being CEO at Titan, Victor called Eve delusional.
Eve explained that Deimos had bought up the outstanding shares of Basic Black for a controlling interest. Eve added that Deimos had willed the shares to her upon his death. With a big smile, Eve pulled the paperwork out of her purse and handed it to Victor. From the foyer, Brady called out to Victor to announce that there was a problem with Eve. Brady stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Eve standing next to Victor in the living room. Brady stared in disbelief at Eve's proof of controlling interest of Basic Black. Eve swore to dig Basic Black out of the red.
Victor growled that he would not provide any money to Eve. With a shrug, Eve noted that Titan was obligated to pay 80% of the operating expenses for Basic Black. Brady and Victor were confused. Eve explained that Deimos had placed Nicole in charge, and she had made the changes. Eve added that Nicole had done a terrific job running the company, and she would have let Nicole continue to run the company if she had not left town.
While Eve was showering upstairs, Brady asked Victor what he planned to do. Victor told Brady that Brady was in charge of running Eve out of their company and their lives. When Brady complained that he was too busy running Titan to handle Eve, Victor explained that he was relieving Brady of his Titan duties in order to take care of Eve. Indignant, Brady asked if Victor was placing Sonny back in charge. Victor said that Sonny was on his way home, and since Will had been confirmed dead, Victor believed Sonny would be ready to run Titan again.
Brady demanded Victor reconsider, but Victor argued that Brady's life was a mess. When Victor cited Brady's decision to run off to Canada with Nicole as evidence, Brady countered that the company had not suffered from his decision. Victor blamed Brady for giving Deimos a way to fracture the company while Sonny had been trapped in Greece. With a scowl, Victor warned Brady he needed to stop drinking. Brady claimed he had slipped, but Victor said he did not believe Brady planned to stop drinking.
"You have to do it for yourself or else it won't stick," Victor said. Victor asked Brady to prove himself and handle the problem with Eve. Raising an eyebrow, Brady asked Victor if he planned to throw him out if he did not take care of Eve. Victor stared at Brady silently. Brady was annoyed that Victor wanted to test him, but Victor noted that Brady had changed. Victor said he needed Brady to prove that he could remain sober. Brady swore that he had his drinking under control.
Brady grumbled about Sonny, and Victor reminded Brady that Sonny had been able to focus on work despite many distractions. With a scowl, Victor told Brady to prove himself by removing Eve. After Victor left the room, Brady poured glass after glass of whiskey and gulped them down. Brady paced the room, drinking and talking to himself. "Evie, your reign of terror is over before it began," Brady said.
In the Brady Pub, Kate called Theo and informed him that she had not talked to Chad about their research because Chad had hired Abigail for PR. Kate confided that she did not trust Abigail to keep the secret from Andre. As Kate noted that she believed Andre had sabotaged her deals, Jennifer walked over and asked what deals Kate was talking about.
Kate hung up the phone. Jennifer told Kate that she was sorry about Will. Kate nodded. When Jennifer offered Kate the opportunity to respond to her story about DiMera Enterprises, Kate said there was nothing to say. Jennifer said her source had confided that someone had tanked the last three deals that Kate had set up. Kate suggested that Jennifer talk to Abigail, the new head of PR.
Without another word, Kate walked over to Gabi's table. After complimenting Gabi's entrepreneurial mind, Kate explained that she had reviewed Gabi's website and was impressed. Smiling, Kate said she wanted to make Gabi an offer. Kate explained that if Countess W bought Gabi Chic, it would give Gabi the opportunity to work her way up the corporate ladder.
Gabi said the offer was amazing, but she wanted to run her own company. When Kate pushed Gabi, Gabi admitted that her biggest concern was working with Chad. Kate explained that Gabi would report to her directly, not Chad. As Gabi sat silently in thought, Kate announced that she would give Gabi time to think about her offer. Gabi thanked Kate as Kate left.
Across the pub, Chad and Abigail walked in, kissing. Gabi noticed the lovebirds, and she started to gather her stuff to leave. Abigail called out to Gabi. When Abigail asked about Will, Gabi said she was okay. Abigail asked about Arianna, but Gabi explained that she had not told Arianna about the lead on Will because she had not wanted to get her daughter's hopes up. Abigail asked Gabi to join them for breakfast, but Gabi declined, citing her workload. Beaming, Abigail noted that she was headed back to work herself. Abigail explained that she was going to head up PR at DiMera Enterprises.
Nodding, Gabi said that Kate had mentioned that there was a new head of PR. Curious, Chad asked Gabi about her conversation with Kate. Gabi explained that Kate had offered her a job. While Abigail talked to Gabi and Chad, Kate left a voicemail on Abigail's phone, asking her to handle a reporter that was harassing her. With a devilish grin, Kate announced that the reporter was Jennifer.
After picking up coffees at the pub, Jennifer returned to meet Eric in the park. Eric said he was struggling to remain calm when Brady baited him. Jennifer said she believed that Brady would realize that Eric had not intended to hurt him. Eric said he could not shake the feeling that Brady was the reason that Nicole had left town abruptly. With a nod, Eric said he needed to move on with his life. Eric announced that he intended to focus on the center. With a smile, Jennifer reminded Eric that he had many friends, including her. Eric told Jennifer that he was grateful to have her in his life and for having his back. Jennifer said she felt the same way.
At the police station, Rafe was surprised when Eli pushed through his assigned cases quicker than expected. Rafe asked about various cases, and Eli listed all the suspects he had identified in each case. Rafe jokingly asked Eli if he was a genius. With a shrug, Eli said he was "a speed reader with a photographic memory." Rafe suggested that Eli take orders for coffee. Annoyed, Eli reminded Rafe that they were partners. Rafe argued that all rookies made coffee runs. When Eli barked that he had been an FBI agent, Rafe groaned that he was well aware. The two men argued about Gabi until Eli suggested that Rafe was upset about Hope, not Gabi.
When Rafe asked what Eli meant, Eli said it was clear that Rafe was unhappy Hope had been promoted instead of him. Eli suggested that Rafe was compensating for his bruised ego by taking his anger out on Eli. Rafe said Eli was wrong. Rafe explained that he did not like Eli, and that was the reason for his disdain. With a shrug, Eli said he did not care if Rafe hated him as long as it did not interfere with work.
After cleaning up, Eve returned to the living room of the DiMera mansion and found Brady reading his tablet by the fire. Eve asked Brady if they could start over. Before Eve could finish her pitch, Rafe and Eli arrived at the mansion. Brady explained that he had information about Deimos' killer. When Rafe asked what Brady knew, he pointed at Eve. Eve rolled her eyes when Brady announced that she was the killer.
At the Brady Pub, Gabi informed Chad and Abigail that Kate had offered to make Gabi Chic a part of Countess Wilhelmina.
Chuckling awkwardly, Chad admitted that Kate hadn't talked to him about the offer yet. "Well, it literally [just] happened this morning, so..." Gabi explained with a shrug, adding that she hadn't accepted the offer yet because she had some concerns about joining DiMera Enterprises -- and, consequently, being back in Chad and Abigail's orbit again.
Contradicting Kate's earlier claim, Chad pointed out that Gabi would, at the very least, have to work closely with Abigail, since it wasn't like every company under the DiMera Enterprises umbrella had a different public relations manager at its disposal. Abigail added, however, that she didn't want Gabi to turn down such a great opportunity on her account.
Gabi and Abigail decided to get together sometime soon to continue discussing the matter. Abigail was free to do so later that night, but Gabi had already made plans with Eli, so she told Abigail they'd have to find a different date that worked for both of them. Before leaving, Gabi mentioned that she did have other concerns about joining DiMera Enterprises -- concerns that stemmed from the recent rumors that the company had been having trouble finalizing deals lately and might be under attack from within. Chad claimed that everything was fine, prompting Gabi to skeptically counter that Kate had said the same thing earlier.
Theo entered his apartment and greeted Claire, who excitedly informed him, "I'm trending!" She was proud of her achievement -- until he casually revealed that he had used his most recent paycheck to buy her a bunch of new followers and get her trending on various social media platforms.
"Some of them could become your real fans, and then your career could take off. Who cares how it gets started?" Theo reasoned. "I care -- [and] so do record producers!" Claire angrily countered, adding that such manufactured spikes were seen as shady acts of desperation in the music business. Confused, he admitted that he had expected her to be thanking him instead of yelling at him. "God, sometimes I feel like you just don't know me at all!" she complained before storming off to work.
Tripp was in the Horton Town Square, browsing Claire's Instagram page on his cell phone, when Steve approached and asked, "So, who's that you're mooning over?" Chuckling at the outdated expression, Tripp insisted that he wasn't "mooning over" Claire; he was simply happy for her because her new song was trending, meaning that she was one step closer to achieving her dreams.
Steve wondered if Tripp was chasing any dreams at that time. Tripp admitted that although he was happy with his new job because the tips were great and the hours were decent, he didn't want to wait tables for the rest of his life. Steve made it clear that Tripp was welcome to join Black Patch Investigations at any time. Tripp promised to keep that in mind, but it was obvious that he didn't find the idea particularly appealing.
"It's just...I keep thinking of how much I screwed up at University Hospital, you know? It makes me mad every time I think about it, but [that's] not just because of, like, how far I went off the deep end or how much I hurt Kayla; it's because I actually really liked the work. Kind of even felt like I was good at it. But I screwed up...big-time," Tripp mused with a sigh of regret.
Steve pointed out that Tripp could still pursue a career in medicine at any other hospital in the world if he wished to do so. "I'd support that decision, and I'm sure Kayla would, too...[although] we'd hate to see you leave Salem," Steve continued. "Yeah, I would, too," Tripp admitted, adding with a chuckle that the town was actually starting to grow on him.
When Claire passed through the area a short time later, Tripp realized at once that she was upset about something, and Steve took that as his cue to leave. "That new song you dropped is blowing up. You should be celebrating," Tripp told Claire. "No, I just want to scream!" she replied before proceeding to do so.
After calming down, Claire told Tripp about what Theo had done. Tripp understood why Claire was upset but urged her not to be too hard on Theo, who had only been trying to help. Tripp added that Theo could be right about some of those paid followers eventually turning into real fans because, after all, he hadn't been the least bit interested in Claire's style of music until he had listened to her songs and had realized that she was actually really good. Touched, Claire hugged Tripp and thanked him for making her feel better. He smiled as he watched her walk away.
Chad and Abigail went to see Theo, who made it clear that he wasn't really in the mood for visitors -- and, in any case, he didn't have time to talk because he was busy trying to get people to stop following Claire on various social media platforms. "[Well, this is] important. Has anybody at DiMera asked you to do anything behind our backs?" Chad asked.
After a board meeting at the hospital, Kate went to Kayla's office to try to find out the identity of the person who had recently made a sizable donation. Kayla evasively insisted that the donor wanted to remain anonymous, but Kate could tell that there was more to the story. "If I'm going to go back to the board with an explanation, I would at least like to know what I'm dealing with," Kate stressed.
Kayla hesitantly admitted that she was concerned that some people might not feel comfortable accepting money that Tripp Dalton had inherited from Ava Vitali. "Wow. You knowingly let the hospital accept mob money?" Kate asked incredulously. Kayla defensively countered that, as a member of the DiMera family, Kate wasn't exactly in a position to judge the source of any given donation.
Kate clarified that she wasn't judging; she was simply recognizing, as a member of the board, that the hospital could be facing a scandal if the public ever learned where the funds had originated. "[But] I guess we shouldn't judge the son by his mother's sins, should we? I mean, that was a very generous and forgiving thing he did. For a young man to just hand over his entire fortune to a place where his mother was murdered -- by [the chief of staff's] own son? He's almost saintly," Kate continued. "Trust me -- Tripp is no saint," Kayla countered.
Recalling that Theo had said something similar recently, Kate curiously probed for more details. Backpedaling, Kayla claimed that she had simply been referring to various personal issues she'd had with Tripp when he had first entered her family. Kayla added that Tripp was a good guy and that they were working on putting those issues behind them.
Changing the subject, Kayla wondered if Kate wanted Tripp to donate the money to some other worthy cause instead. Kate insisted that wouldn't be necessary then rushed off, promising to tell the board that the donor wanted to remain anonymous.
Later, Steve found Kayla near the nurses' station, getting a cup of coffee. Kayla was surprised when Steve revealed that Tripp was still considering pursuing a career in medicine. "Of course, he knows he could never come back here," Steve added.
"I had a very interesting conversation myself today...about Tripp...with Kate," Kayla hesitantly admitted. Steve was concerned at first, but Kayla assured him that she hadn't revealed anything incriminating; she had simply identified Tripp as the person who had recently made a sizable donation to the hospital. Kayla added that Kate had agreed to keep that information to herself. "Well, that's a relief," Steve mused.
Nodding, Kayla admitted that she had panicked a bit when Kate had begun questioning her about the source of the donation. "I mean, if the board found out -- or anybody, for that matter -- that Tripp was behind those incidents that almost cost me my medical license, I mean, he would be in a lot of trouble!" Kayla stressed. "And you could lose your job," Steve added. Neither Kayla nor Steve realized that Kate was eavesdropping nearby.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady informed Rafe and Eli that Eve had married Deimos and had then murdered him in order to obtain his inheritance. Eve denied the accusation, but Brady insisted that he could prove his claim. Brady summoned Henderson, who explained that he had been told to toss Eve's stuff outside earlier -- and when he had gone to her bedroom to do so, he had spotted the infamous missing amulet in her open purse.
Scoffing, Eve assured Rafe and Eli, "This is completely ridiculous, you guys. Every woman knows exactly what's in her purse at all times, and I'm gonna show you." She stepped over to her nearby purse and began pulling items out of it -- including, to her surprise, the amulet. She accused Henderson of having planted it there, but he insisted that he would never willingly go anywhere near the item, let alone handle it, because it was cursed.
"You set this up, didn't you?" Eve guessed, throwing the amulet at Brady. Eli fetched the item as Eve continued that Brady was simply bitter because Deimos had left her controlling interest in Basic Black -- a move that served as a painful reminder that Deimos had been smarter than Brady and Victor. "[So they're] trying to frame me for my husband's murder to get me out of the company and out of their lives!" Eve concluded. Brady confirmed that Eve had controlling interest of Basic Black and that he wasn't happy about that development; he insisted, however, that he would never try to frame someone for murder as a way of solving a problem.
Eli pulled Rafe aside and quietly pointed out that it would be best to get a warrant before taking further action. Rafe dismissively insisted, in a similar tone, that he wasn't going to waste time doing that because it could give Eve a chance to flee. "I've been working on this case for months, and this is the closest that I have come, [so] I am not letting this slip through our fingers," Rafe continued.
Meanwhile, Brady taunted Eve, who eventually lost her composure and snapped, "I'll kill you for this!" Brady was quick to warn Rafe and Eli that Eve was making threats, but she argued that it was simply a figure of speech. She started to leave, stressing that she had a company to run and that the detectives didn't have just cause to detain her, but Rafe insisted on taking her down to the police station for further questioning.
Scowling at Brady, Eve spat, "You are a son of a bitch, and you're not gonna get away with this!"
Later, at the police station, Eve maintained her innocence and threatened to file a complaint unless she was released immediately. Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady poured himself a celebratory drink and smugly mused, "That was easier than I thought."
Theo was on edge during Chad's unexpected visit and subsequent interrogation. However, because Chad was only suspicious of Andre, Theo was able to tell the truth -- if not the whole truth -- when asked if Andre had given him any special projects lately. Chad was forced to accept Theo's answer because, as Abigail was quick to point out, it simply wasn't in Theo's nature to tell an outright lie.
Chad walked away from the interrogation, still convinced that Andre was the saboteur, even if it no longer seemed likely that Andre had tricked Theo into doing his dirty work. Abigail remained on Andre's side, arguing that it wouldn't make sense for him to try to sabotage the very company he was hoping to one day run. "We're DiMeras; we don't make much sense," Chad dismissively countered.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate picked up a framed photograph of Will and stared at it wistfully while assuring a caller that the rumors about DiMera Enterprises' imminent demise had been greatly exaggerated -- and, if printed, would lead to a lawsuit. Andre joined Kate in the living room shortly after she ended the call. He regretfully informed her that, thanks to the rumors, yet another potentially lucrative deal had just been lost.
Changing the subject, Andre asked Kate for an update on the search for answers about Will's death and supposed resurrection. Kate sadly reported that, according to Susan Banks, Rolf's attempt to revive Will had failed. "But it's Susan Banks. She could be lying," Andre pointed out. "Well, John and Marlena are satisfied, so I guess I'm going to have to be, [too]," Kate replied with a shrug, turning away from Andre.
Andre placed a comforting hand on Kate's shoulder -- then jumped back in shock when she recoiled and angrily warned him not to touch her. Confused, he wondered what was wrong with her. She was not yet ready to let him know that she suspected him of being the saboteur, so she claimed that it simply wasn't his place to put his hands on her because he was her husband in name only, but he didn't buy that explanation.
"I was just trying to comfort you [because] I thought we had some kind of understanding -- maybe even a friendship -- [but] that -- pulling away like that -- that's new. What changed?" Andre demanded to know. Kate reminded Andre that she'd had a lot on her mind lately. "[The person who's] going after DiMera has upped his game," she continued. "Or her game," he countered. "Whatever," she dismissively conceded.
"The point is, the attacks are now nonstop, so I've been working night and day," Kate concluded. Andre was quick to point out that Kate had also been preoccupied with questions about Will's death lately, but she insisted that she didn't want to talk about that. "Then why don't we talk about [the] sabotage? Do you have any leads?" he asked. "Nothing concrete," she replied.
Kate soon received a text message. "It happened again," she reported with a sigh of frustration. "We were outbid on a deal, and now we'll lose millions. This is war," she added before storming off.
When Chad and Abigail returned home later that day, Andre informed them that an unknown competitor had once again managed to steal a prospective acquisition from DiMera Enterprises. Frustrated, Chad spontaneously demanded, "Why don't you just admit it, Andre? It's you, isn't it?"
Meanwhile, Theo received an unexpected visit from Kate, who admitted that although she still didn't like the idea of him breaking into the office building near the docks, she had a feeling that it might be the only way to save DiMera Enterprises. "Is the offer still good?" she asked.
After returning from Memphis with Lucas, Marlena, and John, Sami went to the Brady Pub to see Roman, who comforted her with a hug. Marlena arrived in time to hear Sami tell Roman that the search for answers about Will's death and supposed resurrection wasn't over yet. "I'm not [just] gonna take [Susan's] word for it that Will is dead," Sami insisted.
"Dad, you're a cop. If someone told you that they brought someone back from the dead [just] so that they could kill them again themselves, would you believe them? No! Not in a million years! And then Susan said that Rolf committed suicide because he had a crush on her! I mean, Rolf was evil, not visually impaired! Susan Banks is an orthodontic nightmare!" Sami continued.
Roman conceded that the story did sound suspicious. "Exactly! [And] it is possible to come back from the dead -- look at the two of you! It is practically in Will's blood!" Sami pointed out.
Marlena argued that Sami needed to stop searching for answers because she had three other kids to think about who were definitely alive and definitely needed her. "How long are you going to leave them with Austin and Carrie?" Marlena wondered. Ignoring the question, Sami countered, "What if Will is alive? Then he needs me -- more than ever! I'm going to find some answers -- or I will die trying."
Marlena gently reminded Sami that, with Rolf dead and Susan unwilling to cooperate, there was no one left on earth who could provide her with answers. "[Then] maybe I'm gonna have to find someone not on earth," Sami countered before rushing off. Roman and Marlena were confused but decided not to chase after Sami, knowing that it was pointless to try to stop her once she had an idea in her head.
"Heaven only knows what she's going to do next. She's [already] been arrested twice since she got here, she held a gun on Rolf, and she broke into Susan's house," Marlena pointed out. "[And] almost got arrested again [as a result]. That's our Sami," Roman lovingly added. Marlena and Roman agreed that although they were extremely glad to have Sami back in Salem at last, they were also concerned about the toll that the seemingly hopeless search for answers was taking on her -- and everyone else.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor caught Brady drinking in the living room. "No worries. I'm simply toasting to the absolute destruction of Eve Donovan," Brady proudly explained.
After filling Victor in on what had just happened, Brady waited expectantly, assuming that he was about to be named the CEO of Titan once again as a reward for orchestrating Eve's downfall. Scoffing, Victor disapprovingly asked Brady, "Did you spend a lot of time working out the details of your brilliant little plan, or did it just come to you in a [drunken] flash of genius?" Confused, Brady insisted that his plan was brilliant.
Victor pointed out that Brady could no longer use the amulet as leverage against Nicole because he had wiped her fingerprints off it. Brady dismissively insisted that he didn't need that piece of evidence to keep Nicole in line, anyway, because he still had a recording of her confession. "Which, if you use, will exonerate Eve. I mean, there's no double play here; you can only punish one of the bad ladies," Victor countered.
"Doesn't matter, because Nicole is gone, and Eve will be in jail, and I'll be the head of Titan!" Brady maintained. Nodding skeptically, Victor observed that Brady's scheme had all the telltale earmarks of PUI -- planning under the influence. Brady denied that he was hammered at that moment, but Victor wasn't convinced -- and guessed that Brady, in a move of alcohol-induced shortsightedness, had failed to consider all the potential landmines in his path. "Such as?" Brady asked defensively. "What if she has an alibi?" Victor pointed out.
Brady insisted that wasn't going to be an issue because Eve had no life, but Victor argued that Brady couldn't be certain of that. "You don't plant evidence and call the cops unless you know it's going to work; otherwise, all she has to do is prove that she was at a bingo marathon or whatever she does with her evenings, and your whole plan blows to pieces! And who do you suppose gets implicated [then]? You!" Victor continued.
"Eve can't point the finger at me! I wasn't even at the party that night!" Brady protested. "Neither was she," Victor pointed out. "[But] I'm not guilty of anything!" Brady continued. "Neither is she," Victor countered.
Pointing out that Brady had just put himself in a situation where he might ultimately be forced to produce the real murderer just to save his own skin, Victor wondered, "Are you ready to throw Nicole under the bus?" Brady maintained that the matter would never get to that point. Victor argued that, in any case, Brady had just made it harder to find a good way of getting Eve out of the picture -- a way that would actually work. "[Now she's] onto you, [and you can] say what you will about her, [but] she could prove to be a worthy adversary," Victor warned.
At Doug's Place, Chloe tried to stop Lucas from drinking, but he insisted that he had a very good reason to drown his sorrows. Nodding, Chloe admitted that she had heard about what had happened in Memphis. "Do you think that Will would want to see you throw your life away because of him?" Chloe asked. "He's not gonna see anything, because he's dead!" Lucas countered.
Lucas tried to explain that he was also drinking because Adrienne -- the real Adrienne -- had just gone back to Justin, but Chloe didn't understand what that was supposed to mean because, as far as she was aware, the incident in question had happened months earlier. Chloe soon received a phone call from someone, and after a brief conversation, she hung up and apologetically explained to Lucas that she needed to take care of something. Before leaving, Chloe begged Lucas to take care of himself. Once the coast was clear, Lucas gulped down the rest of his drink then muttered, "That's just what I intend to do."
Chloe soon joined Eve at the police station. Chloe wondered when Eve had returned to Salem -- and how she had managed to get arrested already. Eve clarified that she was simply being questioned as a suspect in her dearly departed husband's murder investigation. Chloe was surprised to learn that Eve had married Deimos shortly before his death. The news was especially surprising because Chloe and Eve had talked since then; in fact, they had attended an opera together on the night of Deimos' murder -- and had taken selfies backstage that confirmed their whereabouts with time stamps. Eve gratefully noted that the opera's star diva couldn't hold a candle to Chloe.
After Chloe left, Eli pulled Rafe aside and pointed out that Eve's alibi was going to make it much more difficult to prove that she had murdered Deimos. "Oh, I know Eve didn't do it," Rafe casually admitted, reasoning that Eve wouldn't have willingly revealed the contents of her purse if she had known that the amulet was in it. "Then why'd you bring her down with no warrant?" Eli asked incredulously. "[Because] if someone's trying to lead you down the wrong path, the best thing to do is to pretend like you're going down the wrong path. You learn a lot that way," Rafe explained with a shrug, adding that someone at the Kiriakis mansion was obviously hiding something.
Sami soon entered the police station and insisted that she needed to talk to Rafe right away. Eli started to complain about the interruption, but Rafe quickly intervened, asking Eli to cut Sami some slack because she was dealing with a lot at that time. Eli reluctantly agreed to wrap up Eve's interview on his own. Once the coast was clear, Rafe prompted Sami to continue. "I can't talk to you about it here. We have to go somewhere where no one will hear what I am gonna ask you to do," Sami replied.
After leading Rafe to a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Sami explained that she was convinced that Susan was hiding something -- and in order to finally get some real answers, she was prepared to go through with the exhumation process, after all. "[Originally], I didn't want to desecrate Will's grave on a long shot, [but now] I have an instinct -- like, a mother's instinct -- and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't follow it," Sami continued.
Rafe suggested that Sami might want to talk to Lucas about the matter first, since he was on record as someone who was vehemently opposed to the exhumation, but she didn't think he was in the right state of mind to have another conversation about the idea -- and, in any case, she didn't want him to try to talk her out of it. Rafe conceded that, technically speaking, Sami didn't need Lucas' permission, anyway.
"You were with me. We lost Grace together. You know how that felt. And then the miracle of finding out about Sydney... I can't help it -- I still believe in miracles," Sami explained with a shrug. Nodding, Rafe promised, "I'll see what I can do."
Brady was stunned when Eve waltzed back into the Kiriakis mansion and explained that she had been at the opera with Chloe on the night of Deimos' murder. Eve was quick to point out the irony of her alibi, recalling that Brady was actually the one who had put her in touch with Chloe in the first place, back when they had both been living in New York at the same time.
Eve poured herself a celebratory drink then advised that it might be best for Brady, on the other hand, to refrain from drinking anything other than coffee for the time being. "You really don't want to be muddled when the police show back up there. [See], they're very curious [about] how you got your hands on that amulet," Eve explained. Glancing at Victor, Eve continued, "It's very clear that the two of you -- or one of you -- murdered my husband...[or], if you didn't, you certainly know who did."
Chloe rejoined Lucas at Doug's Place and offered to get a taxi for him. "What are you looking for?" Chloe asked when Lucas began scanning the club. "Will. I only see him when I'm really, really drunk," Lucas explained. "I mean, I know it's not real, but if it's the only way I get to lay my eyes on him, then..." Lucas continued before letting his voice trail off.
Meanwhile, Rafe ended a phone call and informed Sami that he had pulled some strings to quickly obtain the right to start the exhumation process. "When can it happen?" Sami asked. "Right now," Rafe replied.
At the loft, Theo agreed to check into the building on the docks that housed the server tied to the sabotage at DiMera Enterprises. Theo assured Kate that he had what he needed to successfully break in. Kate asked Theo not to tell anyone, and Theo agreed.
At the DiMera mansion, Andre was indignant that Chad had accused him of sabotaging the company. As Andre stared at Abigail, Chad urged Andre to tell the truth. Andre protested his innocence, and he argued that he was loyal to his family. Abigail said she believed Andre. Chad noted that Andre was the logical suspect, and he repeated his request for Andre to tell the truth. Kate walked in. Kate remarked that the saboteur had covered their tracks and that it was an inside job. Kate argued that Andre had tipped his hand at the press conference when he had threatened to discredit Kate.
Andre swore he had maintained their truce, and he explained that he had taken measures to ensure that the company was safe. Confident, Andre said that Chad would see that he was telling the truth. Kate asked who else could have committed the sabotage. Andre suggested that they work together to flush out the culprit.
In the park, Sami anxiously waited with Rafe while Will's grave was exhumed. Sami was desperate for answers. Rafe assured Sami that they would know the truth soon. Sami second-guessed waiting in the park, but Rafe assured her that she did not want to see the body. Rafe urged Sami to remember Will as he had been when he had been alive. The two reminisced about driving one another crazy in the safe house, and Rafe suggested that they return to the police station to wait for the call from the cemetery.
At the police station, Rafe did paperwork while Sami took a peek at her police record. Rafe grabbed the file from her and joked, "the other 3,000 pages are in the basement." Hope called Rafe on the phone, and he told her he loved her. When Rafe hung up, Sami teased him about his boss girlfriend. The cemetery called and confirmed that Will's casket was empty. Thrilled, Sami jumped to her feet. Rafe cautioned Sami not to get her hopes up. Sami yelled that she would kill Susan, but Rafe warned Sami not to go near Susan because of the restraining order. Rafe offered to talk to Susan instead.
In the town square, Tripp talked to Claire after her shift ended. Tripp invited Claire to go to the movie theatre to see High Fidelity. Claire thanked Tripp for the offer but declined because she had plans with Theo. As she walked away, Claire asked for a rain check. With a disappointed sigh, Tripp went over to the pub for a drink. Steve arrived after him, and he asked why Tripp was scowling at his beer. Steve deduced that Tripp was moony-eyed over Claire. Tripp played dumb.
Steve advised Tripp not to get involved in a love triangle because it could be very damaging. As an example, Steve told Tripp about his fight with Bo, which had led to Steve losing his eye. Tripp assured Steve that he would not do anything to Theo. Steve corrected Tripp and said that he was more worried about Tripp's feelings. With a nod, Tripp announced that he had decided to remain only friends with Claire. Raising an eyebrow, Steve asked Tripp if that was possible.
At the police station, Lani and J.J. finished up work and started to leave for a night out for her birthday. J.J.'s phone rang. With a groan, J.J. said he felt obligated to take the call. A break-in had been reported at Club TBD. J.J. noted that only he and Lani were around and that they should take the call. Lani grudgingly agreed.
When J.J. and Lani arrived at the club, the lights were off. Worried, J.J. and Lani drew their guns and entered the building. The lights switched on, and Theo, Claire, Abe, and Valerie shouted, "Happy Birthday!" J.J. chuckled and noted that he had emptied the clip in Lani's gun so that she would not accidentally shoot any partygoers. While everyone mingled, Claire and Theo bickered about their fight. Theo told Claire that he had been arranging to shed her new followers, which angered Claire because she did not want to lose followers either. Confused, Theo said he did not know what to do.
"Tripp gets me," Claire grumbled. "And I don't, right?" Theo asked. Upset, Theo walked over to Lani, who handed him a piece of cake. Theo asked for advice about Claire. Lani advised Theo to let Claire explain why she was mad, since Theo did not understand why she felt the way she did. After celebrating Lani's birthday, the party wound down, and everyone said their goodbyes. Theo told Abe that family was important and that he hoped he would never let Abe down.
Everyone left the club except Abe and Valerie, who stayed behind to have a "perfect night." Claire and Theo walked to the square. Theo attempted to talk to Claire, but she refused, citing the desire to talk about their fight in the privacy of their home. Theo begged off, noting that he had to run a secret errand. Furious, Claire stomped off. Theo headed toward the docks. After donning a hoodie to hide his face, Theo used an electronic device to break into the building with the server. Above the door, a red light started flashing as Theo worked on the lock.
J.J. and Lani had retired home to celebrate her birthday. J.J. told Lani that he loved her. Smiling, Lani said she loved J.J. too. The two made love then talked afterward. While they lay in bed, J.J.'s phone rang with a call about a break-in down on the docks. Lani chuckled. Lani asked J.J. what else he had planned for the evening. With a scowl, J.J. said the call was for real. The two quickly dressed and rushed down to the docks.
Worried that Andre was not the saboteur, Kate called Theo's phone, but he did not answer. Kate left a voicemail begging Theo to abort the mission because it was too dangerous. When J.J. and Lani arrived on the docks, they called out to the burglar to stop. His face hidden by his hoodie, a scared Theo ran off. Lani and J.J. pursued Theo, but they split up. J.J. caught up to Theo in the town square and ordered him to drop his weapon. J.J. yelled at the burglar that he would shoot if the burglar did not drop his weapon. Theo looked at the electronic device in his hand and slowly turned to face J.J. J.J. shot Theo.
In Memphis, Paul stood in the bar, staring at Will. Sonny called Paul to inform him that the hospital was releasing him. Without a word to Will, Paul left to meet up with Sonny. When Paul arrived at the hospital, Sonny was already dressed. Sonny complained about his headache, but he refused to stay at the hospital another day. Sonny apologized to Paul for not listening to him about Will. As Paul averted his eyes, Sonny said he was sorry for what he had put Paul through with the search. Sonny put on his wedding ring and beamed at Paul.
"This ring was given to me by the man I love. Given to me by the man who stood by me during my moment of temporary insanity. But this nightmare is over. I just want my life back. I want you back. I want to rewind back to the moment Ben crashed our wedding and pick up right where we left off. Let's go home. Let's get married," Sonny said. Paul hesitated then said he could not marry Sonny. When Sonny asked why, Paul admitted that Will was still alive. Paul explained that he had known for a day that Will was alive, but he had been too scared of losing Sonny to tell him the truth.
Angry, Sonny demanded to know how Paul knew Will was alive. Paul explained that he had seen Will at a bar downtown. Paul offered to take Sonny to Will, but Sonny sneered that he would go himself. After Sonny stormed out, Paul started to cry. Sami rushed in, desperate to find Sonny to tell him that Will was alive. A sad-eyed Paul stared at Sami. At the bar, Will was closing up when Sonny arrived. "Will?" Sonny asked tentatively. Will turned and looked at Sonny, blank-faced.
