At the Horton Town Square, Chloe informed Brady that Philip was laundering money through Titan as a way of settling a major gambling debt with the Vitalis.
"Is this true? Does the mob have you in their sights?" Brady challenged Philip. "Why would you care if I'm in trouble?" Philip challenged Brady. "Look, guys...most of your fights have been over me, and this is me saying that the two of you need to work together for the good of your family!" Chloe interjected, but Brady and Philip continued arguing.
Brady eventually decided to help Philip. "You and I have been at each other's throats for as long as I can remember...but, damn it, we're family -- I don't want to see you get killed," Brady assured Philip. "Well, at least we can agree on that," Philip conceded before grudgingly accepting Brady's offer -- just as Chloe stepped aside to take a phone call from Nancy.
"Listen, I don't know exactly how I can help you with this whole thing, but I will try --" Brady began to explain to Philip once the coast was clear. "Thank you --" Philip interjected. "Don't thank me yet -- I'm not finished. [As I was saying], I will try...under one condition, [which is that] you need to stay away from Chloe," Brady concluded, surprising Philip.
"You going after her again?" Philip wondered. "No, but [she] is my friend, [and] you've put her in a very dangerous situation here," Brady answered. "She overheard me on the phone -- I didn't ask for her help!" Philip stressed. "We both know that that's never stopped her before, okay? And, right now, you are toxic, [so] you've gotta put some distance between her and you before she becomes collateral damage," Brady countered. "I don't want her involved any more than you do, all right? It would kill me to see her hurt!" Philip admitted. "We're on the same page here, then?" Brady challenged Philip.
Just then, Chloe rejoined Philip and Brady. "So, what did I miss?" Chloe asked. "Brady said he was gonna help," Philip replied. "Deal's a deal, right?" Brady again challenged Philip. "Deal's a deal," Philip assured Brady, who soon rushed off, seemingly satisfied. "You shouldn't have told him," Philip snapped as Chloe was breathing a sigh of relief. "Well, I think that's the closest to a 'thank you' I'm gonna get, so I'm just gonna say you're welcome," Chloe countered with a smile as Philip continued stewing.
At the police station, Rafe wrapped up a phone conversation with John then joined Charlie in one of the conference rooms. "I found Ava Vitali tied up in your apartment, [and yet]...you don't seem worried," Rafe began. "Why should I [be]? Ask anybody that knows me -- I'm a good guy. What possible reason would I have to tie up some random woman in my apartment?" Charlie replied. "Maybe because Ava Vitali is actually your mom," Rafe suggested before telling Charlie about John and Steve's conversation with Angelo. "I don't know any 'Angelo,'" Charlie insisted.
"[And] even if I were this 'Ava' person's son...is that some sort of crime?" Charlie asked. "No...but kidnapping her is -- and it's also pretty incriminating in another case entirely," Rafe replied before explaining why being Ava's son could make Charlie a suspect in Allie's rape case. "I had nothing to do with what happened to Allie Horton!" Charlie claimed. "So, you're saying you weren't in London at the time?" Rafe wondered. "Look, man, I am trying to cooperate -- I want to get this all cleared up, too," Charlie stressed, ignoring the question. "Okay, good -- that's rather easy to do; all you have to do is consent to a DNA test," Rafe challenged Charlie, who instead demanded a lawyer, ending the interrogation at once.
At the hospital, Kayla entered the Vitali room and tersely greeted Ava. "You said he'd be here -- where is my son?" Ava demanded to know. "Which son?" Kayla replied. "Don't play games with me!" Ava snapped. "I haven't been able to locate him yet," Kayla admitted. "Then how do I know that he's okay?" Ava challenged Kayla, who maintained that Tripp was fine.
Kayla tried to change the subject, wanting to know more about Charlie, but Ava remained focused solely on Tripp.
Steve went to the Vitali apartment in search of Tripp, who had just finished putting away the Christmas decorations, including the stack of cards that Ava had never mailed. "Finally! Why haven't you responded to any of my messages?" Steve began when Tripp opened the apartment door. "Sorry -- I guess my phone must have died," Tripp explained after checking the device. "I was really starting to worry," Steve admitted, breathing a sigh of relief. "Why?" Tripp wondered, prompting Steve to reveal what had happened in Philadelphia.
Tripp was stunned to learn that Ava had another son. "Why wouldn't she tell me -- or you?" Tripp wondered. "Well, she kept you a secret for years -- I guess it's a pattern with Ava," Steve suggested. "I have a brother," Tripp incredulously summarized. "Half-brother, according to Angelo," Steve clarified. "Younger or older?" Tripp asked. "Younger," Steve replied.
Tripp was even more stunned to learn that Claire's new boyfriend, of all people, was likely Ava's other son. "We've had a couple of run-ins -- [and], one time, Claire was giving me hell about what Allie said I did, and I tried to defend myself, and this 'Charlie' came in and acted all protective of her... [Now], if this is true, and he was able to stand there and attack me, knowing that he was the real rapist -- I mean, what kind of monster does that?" Tripp mused with a shake of the head before starting to worry about Allie and Claire's safety.
"John is taking care of his granddaughters, [and] Rafe has brought [Charlie] in for questioning --" Steve started to assure Tripp. "Yeah, well, I have some questions for my baby brother..." Tripp bitterly interjected. "[And] we're trying to find evidence right now that Charlie was in London at the time of the incident -- we should have some answers soon," Steve concluded.
Tripp started pacing around the apartment in frustration. "God, I can't believe that, all this time, he was just right here, under our..." Tripp began to summarize while walking toward the kitchen table, where a stack of missing-person fliers had been placed earlier -- and the sight triggered a thought. "Dad, do you think Charlie could have something to do with my mom's disappearance?" Tripp asked. "I don't know...[but] I'm sure Rafe is asking those questions," Steve replied. "Well, can we at least find out if he's gotten any answers?" Tripp suggested. "Might be too soon to know," Steve warned.
Just then, Steve received a phone call from Kayla, who was still trying to get in touch with Tripp. "Is he okay?" Kayla asked after learning that Steve was with Tripp. "Why wouldn't he be?" Steve, who had not yet given Kayla any reason to be concerned about Tripp's safety, curiously replied. "I'll explain everything when you get here," Kayla promised, summoning Steve and Tripp to the hospital.
Nicole and Allie took Holly and Henry to the Brady Pub to see Roman, who happily offered to keep the kids entertained in the kitchen for a while so their respective mothers could eat dinner together without any distractions. Allie didn't say much during the meal, and Nicole eventually mentioned the oddity. "Just thinking," Allie explained. "About your run-in with Tripp?" Nicole guessed.
Nicole wondered why Allie had decided to engage in a conversation with Tripp when they had crossed paths earlier that day. "I mean, [you know] he's just gonna [continue to] deny attacking you, and everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie..." Nicole began to argue before stopping abruptly, having just gotten an odd vibe from Allie. "Are you starting to doubt that Tripp is guilty?" Nicole asked Allie incredulously.
"I have no doubt that Tripp was in my flat in London last December...and I am just as sure that, in that same night, my arms were pinned to my bed while I told my attacker 'no'...[but] I'm not sure anymore if my memory of Tripp and my memory of the assault go together," Allie admitted with a shrug. "I've spent so long thinking that Tripp was guilty -- I mean, I know I didn't get justice, but just knowing, at least, who attacked me was helping me start to move on -- [and now]... The thought of it being someone else -- that would mean I have to start this healing process all over again, and that is terrifying. But I don't want Tripp to suffer any more if he really is innocent," Allie added before pausing to take a phone call from John.
"God, I can't take this anymore!" Allie complained to Nicole after ending the call. "He said that he and Steve got some information, and it might change my case...but he doesn't want to tell me any details over the phone -- [and] he's stuck in traffic, [so] I'm just supposed to hang tight until he gets here finally," Allie elaborated. "Well, Rafe will know what they found," Nicole predicted before starting to rush off to the police station in search of Rafe -- and Allie insisted on tagging along, not even bothering to update Roman first.
Steve and Tripp entered the hospital and tracked down Kayla, who revealed that Ava had been found earlier and was being treated at that time. "[She] got worked up when I was in with her [earlier], so I sedated her because I didn't want her to hurt herself. [Look, Tripp], I am running blood work to see if there are any substances in her system, [but if not]...I think that she's had a definite break with reality -- she was absolutely convinced that something terrible has happened to you," Kayla elaborated, prompting Tripp to confirm that Ava was mistaken.
Tripp soon rushed off to Ava's room. "[This all] makes me more sure than ever -- we're finally gonna be able to clear Tripp's name," Steve said to Kayla once the coast was clear. "I feel awful for Claire...but I hope it's true," Kayla assured Steve. "I just keep thinking about Allie and Tripp -- what those poor kids have been through..." Steve mused with a shake of the head. "We'll all do everything we can to help them -- but we have to be careful, because if Charlie really is Ava's son, he could be extremely dangerous," Kayla warned.
Meanwhile, in the Vitali room, Tripp started talking to Ava, who was asleep at first but soon woke up. "Is that really you?" Ava asked Tripp groggily. "Yeah, it's me," Tripp replied, grasping Ava's right hand. "I thought you were dead," Ava admitted. "I'm fine -- I've been looking for you," Tripp revealed. "I love you," Ava whispered, and Tripp returned the sentiment.
"Is it true that I have a brother?" Tripp asked, and Ava nodded in response. "I am so sorry I didn't tell you about him sooner," Ava stressed. "Why didn't you?" Tripp wondered. "I wanted to protect you...because you are the best part of me, and he is the worst," Ava explained. "Well, whatever you think of him, you need to tell me about him -- I need to know everything about Charlie," Tripp insisted.
"I will tell you -- and the police -- everything I know about Charlie," Ava promised Tripp. "Are you sure you want to do that, Mother?" Charlie challenged Ava, appearing suddenly in a corner of the room. "What are you doing here?" Ava fearfully demanded to know. "I'm just here to support you," Tripp explained, confused. "No, not you -- him!" Ava clarified as Charlie approached with a butcher knife.
Nicole and Allie entered the police station and greeted Rafe. "I was just about to text you, actually," Rafe said to Nicole before revealing that Ava had been found earlier and was being treated at the hospital at that time. Allie was stunned to learn that Claire's new boyfriend, of all people, had apparently kidnapped Ava -- and was also a new suspect in the rape case.
"When Claire first introduced us, he looked familiar, but he said we'd never met before," Allie informed Rafe. "Did you ever see him in London?" Nicole asked. "I don't know -- I couldn't place it... But I said that he reminded me of Tripp..." Allie replied. "You need to make him admit what he did to Allie!" Nicole challenged Rafe. "He denied everything...[and then] he requested an attorney, [so] I cannot even ask him any more questions," Rafe revealed. "Well, you can't let him get away with this!" Nicole insisted. "If he is our guy, I promise you, I will get the answers," Rafe stressed.
Rafe started to rush off to the hospital to talk to Ava about Charlie, and Nicole decided to tag along, but Allie declined -- then joined Charlie in one of the conference rooms once the coast was clear. "I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth," Allie warned Charlie.
Shawn and Belle returned home from their honeymoon vacation. Curious, Shawn suggested that they call Claire to tell her they were home, but Belle assured Shawn that their daughter would not want them to bother her when she was with her boyfriend. "I don't know. I just get a bad feeling about [Charlie]," Shawn said. Belle asked Shawn why he was concerned. With a shrug, Shawn said that Charlie rubbed him the wrong way, but he could not specify why.
"Is that a cop instinct or a dad instinct?" Belle asked. When Shawn admitted it was both, Belle suggested that Shawn would not think any man was good enough for his daughter. "I think that we need to keep an eye on this Charlie," Shawn said. Belle agreed she would listen to Shawn's instincts and be cautious with Charlie.
At the penthouse, Claire waited with Marlena for John to return home. Claire called Charlie and left him a voicemail asking him to call her back. When Marlena asked about dinner, a frustrated Claire demanded to know why Marlena had taken her away from Charlie. "John will be home soon. He can explain," Marlena stressed. "Why do we have to wait for grandpa John?" Claire demanded. Marlena urged Claire to trust her, but Claire announced that she intended to find Charlie.
"You can't do that!" Marlena yelled. "Right now, you are not telling me the truth. So, I don't care what you say!" Claire countered. As Claire started to leave, John returned home. Claire asked John for answers. "We think that the person who hurt Allie might be Charlie," John said. Confused, Claire argued that Tripp's DNA had matched Henry.
"But it also means it could match any close member of Tripp's family," John said. John explained that Charlie was Tripp's younger brother. "What makes you think that this Charlie is my Charlie?" Claire asked. John explained that the evidence implicated Claire's boyfriend. "I am telling you there is no way Charlie raped Allie!" Claire screamed. Marlena asked Claire to help them find out the truth.
"You don't want the truth. You just want to destroy my relationship. I have finally found someone I like. A guy that treats me the way I want to be treated, and you are accusing him of rape," Claire said through tears. Claire shook her head no. John told Claire that Rafe had taken Charlie in for questioning. Upset, Claire told John and Marlena that she would not let them ruin her relationship, and she stormed out of the penthouse.
At the hospital coffee cart, Rafe and Nicole talked to Steve about Charlie. "Of course, [Charlie] denied everything, and as soon as I brought up the DNA evidence, he lawyered up," Rafe said. Nicole asked about Ava. "According to Kayla, [Ava] is pretty out of it," Steve confirmed. Rafe was anxious to speak to Ava about Charlie, but Ava was still sedated.
In Ava's hospital room, Tripp assured Ava that she was safe from Charlie. "I'm never going to let anyone hurt you again. Especially my brother," Tripp said. Steve walked in after Ava drifted off to sleep. "She's really freaked out," Tripp told Steve. When Steve noted that Rafe needed to talk to Ava, Tripp remarked that the sedative needed to wear off first. Steve asked about Ava's condition. Tripp told Steve that Ava had screamed about Charlie attacking her in the hospital room.
"[Charlie] is being held for questioning. Let's hope they never let him loose," Steve said. Tripp was relieved to hear that the police had detained Charlie, but he was also anxious to confront his little brother. Steve cautioned Tripp to be patient and let the cops collect the DNA evidence. "I've been walking around this town with everyone thinking I'm a monster, and I finally get a chance to clear my name, and you want me to hold off? No!" Tripp protested.
"If you want justice for yourself and for Allie, you have got to let the police do their job. Because if you try to take this into your own hands, you'll only make it worse for yourself," Steve counseled.
At the coffee cart, Rafe asked Nicole if Ava had ever mentioned her son Charlie. "No, we weren't 'share your deepest secrets' kind of friends, we were 'share a cocktail and complain about men' kind of friends," Nicole said. Rafe noted that Ava had a history of keeping her sons a secret. Nicole said that she understood Ava had done horrible things; however, Ava was her friend, and Nicole was worried about her.
"Can I go in and see her?" Nicole asked. Rafe warned Nicole about Ava's condition and her hallucinations. "Kayla thinks [Ava] was drugged," Nicole said. With a shrug, Rafe said they would have answers soon. Steve and Tripp joined Rafe and Nicole at the cart. Rafe asked Tripp if he could question Ava, but Steve noted that Ava was barely lucid. Nicole asked if she could visit Ava, and Tripp and Rafe agreed to let Nicole check on her.
"Let me know if she says anything," Rafe said. With a nod yes, Nicole left to visit Ava. Rafe told Steve and Tripp that he would return in the morning to question Ava. "And you plan on going to see Charlie again tonight?" Tripp asked. Rafe cautioned Tripp not to expect anything useful from Charlie, but Rafe confirmed he would see Charlie at the station. After Rafe left, Steve asked Tripp to promise that he would not attempt to see Charlie. "For now," Tripp agreed.
In Ava's hospital room, Nicole gently woke Ava and said hello. "Nicole?" a groggy Ava whispered. Ava asked about Tripp, and Nicole assured Ava that Tripp was safe outside the room with Steve. "Rafe told me a little bit about what happened. About Charlie," Nicole said. "I can't," Ava whispered. Nicole assured Ava she did not need to talk but that it would be helpful. "You want me to talk? About Charlie?" Ava asked. Nicole explained that Allie was her niece. "I want the right person to be punished for it," Nicole said.
"If Tripp didn't attack Allie, wouldn't you want to do everything to help your son?" Nicole asked. "I would. I want to help my son," Ava said. Ava explained that when she had heard about the charges against Tripp, she had known that he was innocent. "So, I confronted Charlie," Ava said. Ava told Nicole about her fight with Charlie. "But [Charlie] wouldn't admit it," Ava whispered before she groaned. Ava remembered her hallucination about Charlie stabbing Tripp. Nicole assured Ava that no one had stabbed Tripp.
"What else do you remember?" Nicole asked. "I remember something else [Charlie] said," Ava whispered. When Nicole urged Ava to talk, Ava admitted her memory was jumbled. "I remember that he admitted it," Ava said. Ava explained that Charlie had begged her not to tell the police, but when she had refused, Charlie had kidnapped her. Upset, Ava demanded to see Tripp. Nicole promised to help Tripp. "Everything is going to be okay now," Nicole assured Ava.
Rafe went to the Brady house, and he updated Belle and Shawn on the situation with Charlie. "Didn't you say that Claire might be with Charlie right now?" Shawn asked Belle. Rafe assured Belle and Shawn that Charlie was detained at the police station alone. Rafe added that Claire should be with Marlena. When Shawn growled that he had questions for Charlie, Rafe invited Shawn to join him at the station. Belle told Shawn to go with Rafe while she tracked down Claire.
At the penthouse, John called Claire's voicemail and begged her to call him back so that he could talk to her about his investigation. "I was trying to break it to her as gently as I could," John told Marlena. "There is no good way to break that kind of news," Marlena countered. Marlena noted that after all of Claire's struggles, Claire would not give up her happy relationship without a lot of proof.
"That's just it, Doc. She stormed out of here before I could tell her I have the proof," John said. "What is it?" Marlena asked. John told Marlena that Charlie had kidnapped Ava. "I think it is a good chance that he is the one who hurt Allie," John added. When Belle arrived, she asked about Claire. "We're assuming she went to the police station," Marlena said. Belle noted that Shawn was at the station and would keep Claire away from Charlie.
Allie confronted Charlie in the interrogation room at the police station about the night of her rape. "I wish I could help you, but I shouldn't even be here. This is all one big misunderstanding," Charlie said. "The cops aren't here, okay? So, whatever you say right now, it isn't an official confession. It's just me and you. And I deserve to know," Allie said.
"You already know who attacked you in London. It was Tripp Dalton," Charlie lied. Allie said she was no longer sure that Tripp had attacked her. When Charlie mentioned that there was DNA evidence, Allie corrected Charlie and noted that Charlie's DNA could match Henry, as well.
"That also means that you could be the man who raped me," Allie said. "That's not true, Allie," Charlie said. When Charlie pointed out that he had only met Allie at Christmas, Allie countered that Charlie had felt familiar. "Every time we're in a room together, I get this strange feeling," Allie said. Charlie argued that familiarity was not guilt.
"I don't remember [Tripp] on top of me," Allie said. Allie wondered aloud if her memory of the rape had not included Tripp's face because Tripp had not been there during the attack. "Is it because it was you?" Allie asked. Charlie did not answer. When Allie argued that Charlie was Henry's father, he stood up and yelled, "I'm nobody's father!" "You have a son! Does that not matter to you at all?" Allie asked. The anger vanished from Charlie's face.
"I am so," Charlie started before Claire burst into the room. "I need to talk to you. There is something you need to know," Allie said to Claire. "I know what people are saying, but right now, I need to speak to Charlie," Claire said. When Allie noted that Claire should not be in the interrogation room, Claire shot back, "[Should] you?" Claire lied and said that Shawn had given her permission to talk to Charlie. With a nod, Allie left.
"I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to hear you call me your boyfriend," Charlie said. "It's what you are, aren't you?" Claire asked. Charlie said he was happy to know that Claire was still on his side. "I need to know if any of this is true," Claire asked. Charlie said he was not Ava's son and that the whole thing was a misunderstanding. "I want to believe that," Claire whispered. Charlie took Claire's hands in his, and he said, "You know me."
"There's something else that's bothering me," Claire said. When Charlie asked Claire what was wrong, Claire noted that Allie had repeatedly said that Charlie felt familiar to her. "How do you explain that?" Claire asked. "I'll be honest. I can't, but just because she thinks that I seem familiar doesn't mean that I'm the one that attacked her," Charlie said. Confused, Claire started to sniffle back tears. Charlie swore that he had not raped Allie.
"I would never hurt somebody like that. You have to believe me. You do, right?" Charlie asked. As Claire stared in silence at Charlie, he took her hand and told her that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. "I have never, ever felt this way about anybody. I don't think you have, either," Charlie said. "No," Claire whispered. Charlie begged Claire not to let her family turn her against him.
"Claire, what the hell are you doing here?" Shawn growled as he walked into the room. Claire begged for a moment to finish talking to Charlie, but Shawn ordered Claire to leave. When Claire resisted, Shawn grabbed her by the arm and escorted her out of the room. In the bullpen, Claire told her father that Charlie had not attacked Allie. "I'm sure that is what he told you," Shawn said. When Claire protested that Charlie did not know Ava, Shawn informed her that Rafe had found Ava tied up in Charlie's apartment.
In the interrogation room, Rafe checked on Charlie. "I'm not answering any more questions without a lawyer present," Charlie said. Rafe informed Charlie that the lawyer was on the way. "For the record, I know you're lying, and Allie means a lot to me. So, I'm going to stop at nothing to get the truth. And to get the answers I need. You will answer my questions," Rafe said.
At the pub, Allie met up with Nicole. Allie admitted that she had confronted Charlie at the police station. "He denied everything. I don't know why I expected anything different," Allie said. "Maybe I could help you with that. I mean, he might not have admitted it to you, but he told someone," Nicole said. Nicole explained that she had talked to Ava. "[Charlie] admitted to his own mother that he was the one that raped you," Nicole said.
Julie entered the Horton house with a gift bag and cheerfully greeted Jennifer and Jack then started raving about how much fun it was to shop for Jules -- and, to a lesser extent due him to being a boy instead of a girl, Carver. Jack and Jennifer exchanged looks of concern, realizing that Julie was not yet aware that the twins had been kidnapped, then took turns delivering the bad news.
Julie rushed over to the Price-Grant apartment to comfort -- and feed -- Eli and Lani, the latter of whom clearly wasn't in the mood for either service. "My old friends at the Bureau [are] all over this, and so is every other cop in the tristate area," Eli assured Julie as Lani struggled to stay composed. "Do you have any suspects?" Julie wondered. "Vivian Alamain," Lani answered. "She's dead," Eli protested. "Oh, never assume -- she was buried alive, and she survived that!" Julie warned. "Yeah, but this time, she died -- in a police station, in front of a lot of witnesses," Eli maintained.
"[Then] it's Gabi Hernandez -- it has to be!" Julie decided. "It makes sense," Lani agreed. "No -- when she left town to be with her daughter, she was completely over us," Eli protested. "Oh, she wants everybody to think she's 'over' things, [but] she never gets 'over' anything! And didn't she claim that she couldn't have any more children because of the beating that she got in the prison?" Julie countered before contacting Will and casually asking about the status of the co-parenting situation with Gabi. "Gabi is still in Arizona -- Arianna spent the night at her place, and Will just picked her up this morning," Julie summarized with a sigh of defeat after ending the call.
Julie started to say something then stopped abruptly, not wanting to offend Lani and Eli. "Go ahead," Eli tiredly encouraged Julie. "Well...if this kidnapper is...white...wouldn't it be very hard to be on the run with two babies of another race?" Julie suggested. "Yeah -- we know," Eli tiredly confirmed. "Of course..." Julie conceded before stepping into the kitchen to finish preparing a pot of soup. "I know she means well, but get her out of here," Lani whispered to Eli, who politely but firmly chased Julie out of the apartment.
Bonnie entered the Brady Pub after noticing, while passing by it, that Justin was inside. "I just wanted to tell you -- I got your message, and I'm really looking forward to having dinner with you tonight," Bonnie explained after greeting Justin. "Good," Justin flatly replied. "You don't seem very enthusiastic..." Bonnie observed before starting to apologize for having interrupted Justin's breakfast for such an unimportant reason.
Justin dismissed the concern then wondered if Bonnie was hungry. "Breakfast and dinner in the same day -- are you kidding me? Justin, a little of me goes a long way, you know!" Bonnie warned, but Justin wasn't worried. "I'm reading a very sad article --" Justin started to explain while gesturing to a tablet computer, wanting to clarify the flat response to Bonnie's earlier comment. "Oh, don't read the news -- that's enough to ruin anybody's day! Me? I read the horoscope! Mine said I'm gonna get lucky today, so I'm gonna buy me a Powerball ticket!" Bonnie interjected, drawing a polite nod from Justin.
"Okay, anyway...what's wrong in Salem [now]? Escaped convicts? Blackouts? Somebody come back from the dead?" Bonnie asked. "Newborn twin babies were abducted from the hospital," Justin replied before elaborating.
"[You know], I bet it was an inside job. [Granted], I watch a lot of Law and Order, [but]...I had Mimi's baby with me for a while, and it is real hard to pass off somebody else's baby as your own -- and whoever did this, they got two babies to contend with!" Bonnie declared after hearing all the known details of the crime. "It's like I told that lady yesterday..." Bonnie started to recall.
"The twins -- were they infants?" Justin asked when Bonnie revealed that the lady hadn't been alone. "Well, they were tiny -- [but maybe she just] starved those poor little ones while she was pregnant, 'cause she didn't have one ounce of baby fat on her," Bonnie replied. "Were they both boys?" Justin wondered. "No -- one had a pink hat, one had a blue hat. Like the kind you get from a hospital," Bonnie answered. "And did these babies happen to be Black?" Justin asked. "Well, of course they were -- just like their mama! Didn't I mention that?" Bonnie replied. "No -- it was just a lucky guess..." Justin claimed.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail entered the study in search of coffee -- and froze in shock at the sight of Gwen. "What the hell are you still doing in my house?" Abigail snapped at Gwen -- just as Chad entered the study from the opposite side. "Ask your husband," Gwen advised Abigail while giving Chad a smirk. "We may despise her, but the kids don't -- the kids love her -- [so] I thought that they should have a chance to say goodbye," Chad stammered. "And you just made that decision without talking to me about it at all," Abigail summarized. "When I came to bed last night, you were asleep -- and this morning --" Chad claimed. "I wasn't asleep -- I was just tired of talking. [But fine -- then] I'm gonna go out for a while, [and] when I get back, she better be gone...for good," Abigail countered before storming out of the mansion.
"You're going to have to come up with something better before she gets home -- or I can tell her that you and I had sex on New Year's Eve," Gwen warned Chad. "Why are you doing this?" Chad wondered. "I like it here, [and] I don't want to go back to the real world -- it sucks there," Gwen claimed. "More than living in a house full of people that despise you?" Chad asked. "I'm used to being despised," Gwen replied. "I'll buy you a house," Chad offered. "Tempting... No, thank you. [Now, if Abigail learns] that you have been screwing around on her...well, it might just send her back to the loony bin forever, and [then] poor Thomas and Charlotte, they'll grow up without their mummy, and you [will] have to live with that guilt forever, [so] I suggest that you put on your thinking cap [and] find a way to turn my temporary reprieve into a permanent stay," Gwen countered.
Abigail drove over to the Horton house to see Jennifer and Jack -- and learned, while listening to the radio on the way there, that Carver and Jules had been kidnapped. Abigail discussed the matter with Jack and Jennifer for a few minutes then started venting about Gwen. "Whatever Gwen is up to, it is [about] more than just trying to get between me and Chad -- she is out to get the whole family," Abigail realized after comparing notes with Jennifer and Jack -- and confirming their suspicion that Gwen had orchestrated the discovery of the letter in Kate's armoire that had nearly destroyed their marriage.
While passing through the town square, Kate and Jake ran into Chad, who was trying to cool off after what had happened earlier. Chad asked to talk to Kate privately -- and promised that the conversation wouldn't be about Jake. "I screwed up -- and I don't know how to fix it," Chad began to explain to Kate after Jake walked away. "How crazy are you?" Kate incredulously admonished Chad after hearing the whole story.
"I should have told you the truth [about my relationship with Jake]," Kate apologetically acknowledged. "It's fine," Chad tiredly replied. "I don't know what Gwen is after, but I do know that you cannot trust her to keep her mouth shut. [Now], Abigail is Jennifer Horton's daughter, [and] we all know how Jennifer reacted when she found out that Jack and I had [that] one-night stand -- [and] Jack told me it wasn't really the infidelity as much as the fact that he kept it from her to protect her. [So], my advice is that you go to Abigail [and] tell her everything [and] suffer the consequences...because if Gwen gets to her first, your marriage could be over," Kate warned.
Jake entered the DiMera mansion and found Gwen in the study. "Kate and I have gone public -- you got nothing to hang over my head anymore," Jake revealed. "Oh, God -- I don't care about you and Kate; your relationship isn't useful to me anymore!" Gwen insisted. "How were we ever 'useful' to you?" Jake wondered, prompting Gwen to brag about having manipulated -- but not about having slept with -- Chad.
"You overplayed your hand this time," Jake warned Gwen at the end of the tale. "I'm surprised you're not already out on the street," Jake admitted before saying goodbye -- and good riddance -- to Gwen. "Oh, darling, I'm not going anywhere," Gwen insisted as Jake was walking away. "I never overplay my hand -- and now it's time to deal out the last few cards..." Gwen said to Stefano's portrait once the coast was clear.
At the Brady Pub, Justin contacted Eli and revealed that Bonnie had just shared a potential lead. Meanwhile, in a motel room at an undisclosed location, Raynor tried to comfort Jules and Carver. "I am so sorry for this -- I didn't want to, but I didn't have a choice; this wasn't my idea!" Raynor explained -- just as someone knocked on the motel room door. "That's the person you should be blaming for this nightmare!" Raynor stressed.
Abigail entered the DiMera mansion and found Gwen in the study. "I just want to ask you one question here before I throw you out of this house myself -- the night of my parents' party, you knew about the letter from my dad to Kate, [and] you were just setting me up to find that, [right]?" Abigail challenged Gwen, who confirmed the suspicion. "I would ask you why, but I know all you would do is lie about it," Abigail snapped, prompting Gwen to point out that the previous question had just been answered truthfully. "Here's [another] little dose of the truth -- I didn't sleep in a chair on New Year's Eve; I slept with your husband," Gwen bragged.
At the Horton Town Square, Chad fretted to Kate that it was going to be hard to tell Abigail the truth about what had happened with Gwen. "How do I look my wife in the eyes and tell her I did the exact thing I accused her of?" Chad wondered. "You suck it up [and] just say the words [then] beg her for forgiveness...[and], maybe, you duck," Kate advised.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail refused to believe that Gwen was telling the truth about what had happened with Chad. "I would be skeptical, too...[but] when I give you all the graphic details of what happened [on New Year's Eve], I have a feeling you will believe every word," Gwen declared, and Abigail tiredly agreed to play along.
"I suppose I'll start with how I got Chad to doubt your fidelity to him -- which really wasn't hard at all, given that he doesn't trust you much to begin with, anyway...and there was that affair that you had with [Chad's] brother Stefan, wasn't there? And we all know how very jealous your husband can be -- quite, quite jealous... So, no -- it didn't take much at all, really..." Gwen began before explaining how Chad, through a series of manipulations, had ended up in a room at the Salem Inn on New Year's Eve, guzzling Champagne while waiting for Abigail and Jake to arrive.
"So, he was drunk, and you took advantage of him," Abigail summarized. "Hardly!" Gwen insisted with a laugh before clarifying that Chad had been the aggressor. "He was so sure, you see -- sure that you were in bed with Jake... You know, he even said that you'd probably use the same excuse that you did when you slept with Stefan -- your mental illness -- [and that] you were probably a serial cheater who had everybody snowed, so why shouldn't he cheat on you when you were cheating on him..." Gwen elaborated, causing Abigail's expression to change. "Now you believe me," Gwen realized, grinning triumphantly.
"You know, I could tell you that the sex was horrible -- I could just say that it was Chad just having another romp in the hay...and that, for me, it was just another excuse not to be alone on New Year's Eve... But, no -- it was so much more than that; [it was] deeply passionate, really, [and] one might even say it was incredibly mind-blowing. Your husband is a very talented lover," Gwen raved, earning a slap from Abigail that landed just as Chad joined them in the study. "I was coming home to tell you," Chad explained to Abigail, realizing what Gwen had done.
Abigail ordered Gwen to leave the mansion at once. "You got what you wanted," Abigail conceded. "[But] what a shame it is to miss the upshot -- all the tears, all the apologizing, the regret, the begging somebody's going to have to do..." Gwen tauntingly countered before taking a bow then rushing off.
"I wanted to hurt you the way that you'd hurt me," Chad tearfully explained to Abigail. "But I didn't hurt you -- because I never slept with Jake," Abigail reminded Chad, who conceded the point. "I'm so sorry, [and] I'm so ashamed -- I should have never believed a word Gwen said," Chad admitted. "But you did -- I told you the truth, repeatedly, but you chose to believe Gwen's lies instead -- and that is really what hurts the most, because you should have believed in me [and] in us, [but] you didn't," Abigail tearfully countered.
"[And] this isn't the first time that we've been through this -- when Gabi was trying to drug me and convince everyone that I was losing my mind, I told you that I was sane, [and] I begged you to believe me, [but] you chose to believe Gabi instead...[and then] you promised me you were never gonna doubt me again... And here we are," Abigail continued. "I know, but we got past that --" Chad began to argue. "Because I chose to forgive you," Abigail interjected. "[And] we can get past it again," Chad concluded. "You broke your promise, Chad -- you don't get to just take that back," Abigail stressed.
At the Brady Pub, Justin wrapped up a phone conversation with Eli then ended the call and started to rush off to the police station, expecting Bonnie to follow. "What if we're wrong? I mean, how is that woman gonna feel if I rat her out to the police, and it turns out she was with her own kids? [And besides], how much help could I possibly be? I only saw that woman for a couple minutes!" Bonnie nervously protested, stopping Justin.
Valerie entered the pub while Justin was in the process of somewhat impatiently telling Bonnie that the lead needed to be pursued because it was the only hope that Eli and Lani had at that moment -- and that no one would shoot the messenger if the lead didn't pan out. Valerie demanded to know what was going on -- then insisted on accompanying Justin and Bonnie to the police station.
At the Horton Town Square, Kate called out to Abe, who was passing by, and asked for an update on the search for Jules and Carver -- then decided to send out a press release after learning that the police didn't have any leads yet. Abe produced a cell phone, at Kate's request, and located some digital photographs of the twins. "You know, I never got to do this with Lani -- show [off] her pictures [and] puff up my chest... I didn't even know she existed 'til she walked into my life [as a] young woman, [so] I never saw her take her first steps or speak her first words, [and] I wasn't able to take her to school, or teach her how to ride a bike, or read her bedtime stories... [That's] why it meant so much to me to have those moments -- make those memories -- with her children..." Abe admitted with a sigh, prompting Kate to insist that the twins would be found eventually.
Lani and Eli entered the police station and greeted Valerie, who explained that Bonnie was with Justin in one of the conference rooms, waiting to meet with a sketch artist. Eli and Lani were both confident that Bonnie truly had seen Carver and Jules, since they were the only opposite-sex twins that had been born at any hospital in the area recently.
Meanwhile, Justin tried to keep Bonnie calm as they continued waiting for the sketch artist to arrive. "I'm really out of my comfort zone here right now," Bonnie fretted to Justin, who insisted that the process of describing a person of interest to a sketch artist was painless -- and that the resulting sketch could be of great use to the police.
Gwen passed through the town square while Kate was working on the press release about the abduction. "Your plan's not going to work," Kate called out, stopping Gwen. "Chad told you," Gwen realized. "He's on his way to see his wife right now and tell her what a truly disgusting and wretched creature you really are," Kate warned. "Well, unfortunately, Chad's a bit late -- you see, I've just had the immense pleasure of informing Abigail what a cheating, lying piece of rubbish her husband really is...[and], in fact, I can bet that their marriage is imploding as we speak!" Gwen bragged.
"What a sadistic little witch you are -- destroying people's lives just for the hell of it," Kate mused. "I never do anything just 'for the hell of it,'" Gwen stressed. "That's what I thought -- [so, tell me], what do you have against Abigail and her family?" Kate challenged Gwen, who dodged the question and walked away. Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, Chad broke down as Abigail stormed off to another room.
Abe entered the police station and got an update from Valerie while Eli was in the process of studying the sketch artist's rendering of the woman Bonnie had seen with opposite-sex twins the previous day. "You got anything you want to confess, Mom?" Eli dryly asked before irritably revealing the sketch -- which was so crude, due to a lack of details from Bonnie, that everyone who looked at it mistook it for a rendering of Valerie.
Lani took the sketch back to Bonnie, who was still with Justin and the sketch artist in one of the conference rooms. Bonnie apologized for having failed to provide something more useful. "I know what you're thinking, [but] I do not think that all Black people look alike, all right? [I guess it's just that] when they told me to focus on a face that I saw recently, I focused on Valerie's face -- [but] I know she wasn't the woman in the park with the babies!" Bonnie stressed, and Lani patiently insisted that the mishap was understandable. Lani wanted another sketch, but Bonnie wasn't very confident about being able to remember anything else about the mystery woman.
"The truth is, I was just so focused on those precious little babies -- and when the little boy started crying...[well], I know it was rude, [but] I couldn't help myself, [so] I picked him up..." Bonnie admitted with a sigh of regret. Lani produced a cell phone, at Justin's request, and located some digital photographs of Jules and Carver. "Yeah -- I think that maybe that's the little boy!" Bonnie confirmed with a gasp, perking up at once.
Suddenly feeling more self-confident -- and more certain that the mystery woman really was the person who had abducted Carver and Jules -- Bonnie promised to work with the sketch artist all day, if necessary, in order to produce something that was actually useful. Eventually, the sketch artist finished the second rendering of the suspect -- which was much more detailed and, as a result, reminded Lani and Valerie of someone specific.
Justin offered to buy Bonnie a Powerball ticket as a reward for having helped the police get closer to finding Jules and Carver. "Since it is your lucky day," Justin reasoned. "[Especially] if I help get those kids back to their parents," Bonnie proudly replied before following Justin out of the police station. Meanwhile, Valerie and Lani showed Eli and Abe a digital photograph of the mystery woman -- Dr. Amanda Raynor.
Ivan Marais entered Raynor's motel room and took a peek at Carver and Jules. "I commend you on a job well done," Ivan said to Raynor, who dismissed the praise. "Stealing babies from their parents is not something I'm proud of," Raynor stressed. "It's not as if you haven't done it before -- your experience with newborns at University Hospital is why I chose you in the first place," Ivan countered.
"You're blackmailing me!" Raynor pointed out. "You're so lucky no one pressed charges when you switched Little Horton for Little DiMera...[but, nevertheless], a crime was committed [back then, and it is] my duty to report it," Ivan reasoned. "You're the criminal here -- not me!" Raynor protested. "I see [what I'm doing] as simply righting a wrong," Ivan explained.
"It was a huge risk for me to return to that hospital -- a lot of people on staff, they're aware of my history," Raynor fretted. "I am sure there is a certain notoriety that comes with having switched your colleague's dead baby for one very much alive...but I trust you were discreet," Ivan replied. "Yeah -- I avoided the security cameras, lobbies... There was one nurse who recognized me, but she just assumed that I was back on staff, and I let her believe that," Raynor confirmed. "Well played," Ivan declared. "[But] as long as I am anywhere near that hospital -- or in this state -- I am in jeopardy, [so]...are we done here?" Raynor snapped.
Ivan handed Raynor a duffel bag that was filled with stacks of cash. Raynor warned that the twins' parents were detectives who would stop at nothing to locate the children -- and anyone who had played a part in their abduction -- but Ivan wasn't concerned. "Are you selling them on the black market?" Raynor asked. "No -- I have procured them for...someone else," Ivan replied, refusing to elaborate.
Ivan said goodbye to Raynor then exited the motel room with the twins -- and paused outside to make a phone call. "It's me, Madame -- I am on my way home," Ivan reported.
At Titan, Xander yelled out to Charlie, but the only one that walked into the room was Philip. "Charlie won't be in today," Philip said as he handed his tablet to Xander. "Charlie's been arrested for kidnapping?" Xander yelled. Xander read through the story. "That doesn't make any sense. The kid is a total wimp," Xander said. Xander asked Philip if he knew why Ava would be tied up in Charlie's apartment.
"Not a clue. But since he is not coming in anytime soon, I should find a temp," Philip said to change the subject. When Xander noted that Ava had a lot of enemies, Philip shrugged. Frustrated with subtlety, Xander asked Philip if he had made Charlie kidnap Ava.
"Why would I have our intern kidnap Ava Vitali?" Philip asked. "Because she's your boss," Xander said. Philip played dumb, but Xander told Philip that he knew Philip had returned to Titan to launder money for Ava. Philip laughed and asked Xander why he would say that. Xander turned his laptop around and showed it to Philip.
"Wait until your daddy finds out," Xander teased. "How did you get this?" Philip asked. With a grin, Xander gave credit to Sarah. "Don't tell me you really thought she was crushing on you? Did you really believe that you had a chance with her?" Xander asked. Xander explained that he and Sarah were still together and more in love than ever. With a smirk, Xander pointed out how stupid it had been for Philip to flirt with Sarah in order to make Xander jealous. Philip realized that Sarah had stolen the computer files on New Year's Eve.
"Whatever advantage you think you have being Victor's son, when I tell him the degree to which you put his empire at risk, he's gonna throw you out on your ass. Out of his company. Out of this family," Xander said. "You don't know what you've done," Philip whispered. Xander said he knew that he had won. Confused, Philip asked Xander why he had not told Victor the truth. Xander explained that he cared about Victor's health, and he'd wanted to fix the problem before he told Victor what Philip had done.
"I dissolved the shell company you were using to launder money for the mob," Xander explained. "You idiot! If you shut down that pipeline for the money, then the mob will kill me," Philip said. Xander told Philip not to overreact. Philip asked Xander how he would explain to Victor that Xander had let Angelo Vitali murder Victor's son.
After Chloe dropped Rachel off with Maggie, she met up with Brady in his room in the Salem Inn. "How are we doing here?" Chloe asked. Brady said he was thoroughly examining the Titan financials. "I know that he didn't say so himself, but I know that Philip appreciates your help," Chloe said. Brady corrected Chloe and said that he was doing it to help her and not Philip.
"Even though it could get me in a little trouble," Brady added. "I think if you could come up with enough stuff to protect Philip, then we can just turn that over to the police, and we can be safe," Chloe said. Brady explained that the trouble he had referred to was Kristen, and he told Chloe about his argument with her at the prison.
"I'm sorry that Kristen was upset about that kiss, but you didn't explain to her that it was just a New Year's Eve kiss? I mean, she knows that you and I are just friends now, right?" Chloe asked. Brady said he had told Kristen, but she was lonely and had overreacted. "I feel bad that you feel guilty about something so innocent," Chloe said. Brady stressed that he did not feel guilty. "I feel bad that Kristen felt threatened for no reason," Brady said. Chloe said she understood that Kristen would feel threatened by an ex.
"That is something that I actually do feel very guilty about," Brady said. Confused, Chloe asked Brady what he meant. Brady said he had been selfish and had hurt Chloe and himself during their marriage. "That was a really long time ago, Brady. You're not the same person anymore," Chloe said.
"I'm really grateful that you have given me a second chance. Your friendship means a lot to me. It's very important," Brady said. "And yours to me," Chloe agreed. "I'm also grateful that I'm getting a second chance with Kristen. I gotta do everything in my power not to screw this up," Brady stressed. Chloe sighed, and Brady asked what was wrong. Chloe confided that she was worried about Brady because he was separated from Kristen.
"Those are the cards I was dealt," Brady said. "Are you going to be okay without her for the next four and a half years?" Chloe asked. Brady bristled at the question, and he insisted he would wait as long as it would take for Kristen to return home. Chloe apologized.
"It's not going to be easy being alone for the next few years and juggling Rachel and work," Chloe said. Brady argued that Chloe was a single parent, also, but Chloe noted that she could still date. Brady vowed to support Kristen. "I hope she knows how lucky she is to have you," Chloe said. Brady told Chloe she was a good friend.
Brady got back to work looking over the Titan financial documents, and he noted a problem. "Philip told me that there was a shell company being used to launder money for the mob, but I can't find it anywhere," Brady noted. Philip knocked on the door. When Chloe asked what was wrong, Philip scowled. "Xander Kiriakis is what's wrong. That idiot put a target on my back," Philip grumbled.
At the Brady house, Belle delivered a cup of tea to Claire in her bedroom. Claire sniffled back tears as she looked at the concert tickets Charlie had given her for Christmas. "How is it possible that the amazing guy who got me these tickets is the same guy who is being accused of kidnapping Ava Vitali and attacking Allie? I just don't understand how I could have been so wrong about him," Claire whispered.
"Charlie only allowed you to see a part of who he is," Belle said. With a shake of her head, Claire said she had believed that Charlie was good and kind. "I guess I was just so desperate for a boyfriend that I didn't see that he was just lying to me," Claire said. Belle told Claire it was not desperate to trust someone. Claire argued that she had a pattern of desperation.
"With Charlie, it was different. It was so different. I felt like the one, mom. For the first time in my life. And now, what if it was just a lie? And I'm the pathetic idiot who fell for it," Claire said. Claire told Belle that Charlie had sworn that he was not Ava's son or Allie's attacker.
"Ava told Nicole that Charlie confessed to the rape, and then [Charlie] knocked [Ava] out and tied her up because she was going to expose him," Belle noted. Claire suggested that Ava might have imagined Charlie's confession. "[Charlie] begged me to believe him," Claire said. Claire added that she had thought back on her courtship with Charlie, and she could not remember a moment that Charlie had not been a gentleman.
"You and dad liked him, right?" Claire said. Belle looked away. "Your dad is not really a fan," Belle admitted. Belle added that she thought Charlie had seemed to care about Claire. With a smile, Claire said she had enjoyed having a caring boyfriend. Claire started to talk about the Christmas party, and she stopped.
"Do you think Charlie left [the party] because he was afraid that Allie would recognize him?" Claire asked. Claire admitted it was odd that Charlie had left the party right after he had met Allie. "Allie, she seemed really freaked out the other day when Charlie came to join us," Claire added. When Belle asked for details, Claire said that Allie had said she was fine, but she had appeared upset.
"What if seeing Charlie is helping Allie remember what happened to her in London? What if it was Charlie who attacked her and not Tripp?" Claire said. When Claire wondered aloud if Charlie could be innocent, Belle noted that Ava's accusations were serious. "I was at Charlie's apartment. I didn't see Ava," Claire noted. Claire added that Ava had been hallucinating. Belle reminded Claire that Rafe had found Ava in Charlie's apartment.
"So, we believe Ava, this ruthless gangster, and we don't believe Charlie, who has been nothing but sweet and kind?" Claire said. "I know it's hard to reconcile the Charlie that you know with the Charlie that hurt Ava and Allie," Belle said. Belle added that she was thankful that Claire had not gotten more involved with Charlie. With tears in her eyes, Claire argued that she did not need to sleep with Charlie to be involved with him.
"I fell in love with him, don't you get that? And for once in my life, I thought that I actually got it right. That I chose someone who loved me for who I am," Claire said. Claire cried on her mother's shoulder, and she wondered how she could have been so stupid. Belle cautioned Claire not to blame herself. "Charlie is very clever. He fooled a lot of people," Belle said.
At Charlie's apartment, Tripp shoved a toothbrush into a baggie. Steve texted Tripp to find him, but Tripp muttered, "It's better you don't know." The handle of the front door jiggled. Tripp grabbed a baseball bat, and he swung at the person who walked in. Steve fell to the floor. "Dad?" Tripp asked. Tripp helped his father up, as Steve yelled at him. Steve assured Tripp that Charlie was still in custody.
"I thought we had this conversation! The one where you leave all this to the authorities," Steve argued. Tripp said he needed proof of his innocence. "I told you not to go rogue on me!" Steve said. Tripp noted that Steve had asked him not to go to the station, but Steve had not instructed him not to secure DNA.
"No. Taking matters into your own hands is not the way to play this," Steve said. "Maybe it is because I got what I came for, and I'm feeling really good about it," Tripp said as he pulled the toothbrush out of his pocket. Steve noted that stolen evidence would not hold up in court. "Just like you knew it when you stole my toothbrush," Tripp said. Steve apologized. Tripp told Steve he understood that Steve had acted to prove Tripp's innocence, and Tripp said he wanted the same thing.
"After what I did to Kayla, I had no right to even think that she was going to forgive me -- hell, love me, but she did. And it's been everything to me. But now, the way she looks at me, no," Tripp said. Tripp said he hoped the DNA would prove to Kayla that he had not been involved in Allie's rape. "Kayla loves you, and based on what we found out already, I know she's coming around," Steve assured Tripp. "This will seal it," Tripp said. With a nod, Steve agreed to test the DNA and clear Tripp's name.
"But it's not just about clearing my name. It's about Allie getting justice. She deserves to know who raped her so he can be held accountable," Tripp said. Steve reminded Tripp that the police would need to gather their own DNA from Charlie as evidence. With a nod, Tripp walked out with Steve.
At the hospital, Kayla called Rafe to inform him that Ava's blood work proved that someone had drugged Ava. Nicole was at the nurses' station and overheard Kayla's phone call. "It was that rat Charlie, wasn't it?" Nicole said to Kayla. Kayla refused to discuss Ava's medical history. Nicole noted that the paper had reported that the police had named Charlie as the suspected kidnapper, and Nicole pushed for details about the drug. Kayla refused.
Frustrated, Nicole said she hoped the police would be able to secure Charlie's DNA so that it would prove that Charlie was both Ava's son and Allie's rapist. After Nicole walked away, Tripp and Steve arrived at the hospital with Charlie's toothbrush. Kayla noted that Ava was not in her room because she was getting tests. When Kayla spotted the toothbrush, she noted, "I'm guessing that's Charlie's." With a nod, Tripp said he hoped the toothbrush would prove that Charlie was the rapist.
"I know that if the DNA test proves that he's Henry's father that it won't be admissible in a criminal case against him. But I'm hoping that I can get the civil case against me dismissed and that you and everyone else will finally believe that I didn't assault Allie. And that Henry is not my baby," Tripp said. Kayla told Tripp that there was nothing she wanted more than for the test to prove that Tripp was innocent. With a nod, Kayla promised to rush the results of the test.
"Do you mind if I wait in my mom's room?" Tripp asked. Kayla nodded yes. After Tripp walked away, Steve thanked Kayla for her help. "Well, if Charlie Dale ends up being Henry's father, I'm gonna owe Tripp a big apology. And a bigger one to his dad," Kayla said. Steve assured Kayla that she did not need to apologize to him, because Kayla had evidence to believe Tripp was guilty.
"I know my son. I know he could never hurt a woman like that. I just hope that, soon, everyone knows it," Steve said. Down the hall in Ava's room, Tripp realized that he did not have his cell phone. Tripp remembered that he had set his phone down in Charlie's apartment. "Damn it," Tripp muttered.
Rafe escorted Charlie into his office. Charlie asked about his lawyer. Rafe noted that Ava had accused Charlie of drugging and kidnapping her. With a shrug, Charlie said, "I hear Ava Vitali said a lot of things." Rafe nodded yes. "She also said you implicated yourself in the rape of Allie Horton," Rafe countered. Defensive, Charlie yelled that he would not let anyone blame him for Tripp's crime.
When Rafe pointed out that Charlie was in custody because Ava had named Charlie as her kidnapper, Charlie countered that Ava had also claimed that Charlie had stabbed Tripp. "Which obviously didn't happen, so I would think that anything that woman says about me isn't really reliable, is it?" Charlie said. Rafe told Charlie that he had proof that Ava had been drugged.
"I'm betting you're responsible," Rafe said. After a moment, Charlie sat down and agreed to talk. "Ava came to my place. She was confused. She was talking about knives. Wanting to hurt herself, and I didn't know what else to do, so I tied her up," Charlie lied. Rafe asked Charlie why he had not called the police.
"It didn't occur to me," Charlie said. "Maybe you didn't want the police or anyone else to know that she was at your apartment. Why didn't you at least call a doctor?" Rafe asked. Charlie stammered that Ava was terrified of doctors. "Your mother is terrified of doctors, why?" Rafe yelled. Charlie said he did not know why Ava hated doctors, but he knew she was, and so, he had not called one.
"There it is. Ava's your mother," Rafe said. With a shrug, Charlie noted that it was not a crime for Ava to be his mother. "Weird thing to lie about," Rafe countered. Charlie explained that Ava had not acknowledged him as her son his whole life, so he did not feel the need to acknowledge his mother. Charlie reiterated his request for his lawyer. Nicole marched into the office.
"Charlie Dale, you sick son of a bitch," Nicole said. When Charlie asked Nicole who she was, Nicole growled, "Nicole Brady. I'm your worst nightmare." As Nicole ordered Charlie to admit that he had drugged her friend Ava and had raped her niece Allie, Rafe stepped between Nicole and Charlie. Unfazed, Nicole continued to yell at Charlie.
"This is all a mistake! I am not going to jail!" Charlie yelled back. Nicole warned Charlie that he would be better off in prison because there was a line of people in Salem that wanted to kill Charlie for what he had done to Allie. "Enough!" Rafe yelled. When Nicole fell silent, Rafe escorted Charlie out of the room.
When Rafe returned to talk to Nicole, he cautioned that Charlie's lie about his mother did not prove that Charlie had attacked Allie. "Then how are we going to prove it?" Nicole asked. Rafe reminded Nicole that she was not a police officer, and he assured Nicole that the police would get justice. Rafe's phone rang. "Charlie made bail," Rafe said. Rafe called Steve at the hospital and warned him.
After Steve ended his call with Rafe, he told Kayla the news. "It's a damn good thing that Tripp found that toothbrush and we got out of there before Charlie found us," Steve said. At Charlie's apartment, Tripp grabbed his phone off the table. As Tripp opened the door to leave, he was face to face with Charlie.
