Chad and Stephanie spent the day searching for the perfect apartment and ended up with one that featured three bedrooms and was close to Salem's schools and parks.
Stephanie and Chad were celebrating with a kiss when Brady stopped by to check out the apartment. Brady complained about always being late to the best apartments in town then hoped that Chad and Stephanie would enjoy the property.
Brady seized the opportunity to congratulate Chad on having secured Alex's old job at Titan -- and was surprised to learn that the offer had not yet been accepted or declined.
Maggie cut a business call short when Alex passed through the living room of the Kiriakis mansion with a suitcase and a duffel bag. Maggie commented on the luggage and was surprised to learn that Alex had decided to move out of the mansion. Alex explained that the mansion no longer felt like home because of Maggie's recent acts of hostility. Maggie argued that Alex was the one who had been acting hostile lately. Alex and Maggie managed to at least agree that continuing to live together wouldn't be healthy for either of them. Maggie stressed that Alex would always be family. Alex nodded in response then rushed off after promising to keep in touch with Maggie.
Chad arrived a short time later and accepted Maggie's job offer then wondered if Alex was going to have a problem with the development. Maggie assured Chad that there was nothing to worry about because Alex had just moved out of the mansion.
Alex stopped by an apartment and was surprised to learn that Stephanie and Chad had already claimed it earlier that day. Stephanie seized the opportunity to warn Alex about Chad's new job.
Alex soon rushed off -- then returned later that day to deliver keys and paperwork to Chad and Stephanie on behalf of a Realtor. "I got a place in the building -- directly across the hall from you!" Alex explained, leaving Stephanie and Chad speechless.
Kristen offered halfhearted congratulations when Gwen showed off an engagement ring during their chance encounter at the town square. Gwen was disappointed but assumed that Kristen's lack of enthusiasm was due to concerns about the potential dangers of a whirlwind romance. Gwen insisted that the relationship wasn't just a rebound thing, and Kristen responded with a nod of skepticism then walked away.
Xander was fretting about a substantial drop in ad revenue when Chloe entered the Spectator office and announced a new deal that easily solved the problem. Chloe and Xander celebrated with a kiss then started undressing each other after a quick debate about the appropriateness of office sex -- but Gwen arrived before things could progress much further.
Gwen chased off Chloe then flashed the engagement ring and bragged that Xander wasn't the only one who had recently started a new romance. "For the first time in my life, there is a man who wants to be with me and only me!" Gwen declared. "Just be careful with that guy," Xander advised. "I appreciate your concern," Gwen responded before begging Xander to sanitize the office.
Chloe ran into Brady at the town square and sensed that something was wrong. Brady received a phone call while complaining to Chloe about the latest unsuccessful apartment search.
Brady stepped aside and had a brief phone conversation with someone then rejoined Chloe and explained that Rachel had gone missing from a summer camp.
Kristen entered the DiMera mansion while wrapping up a phone conversation with E.J., who had called to warn that Megan was on the loose.
Someone began to emerge from the secret tunnels a short time later, prompting Kristen to reach for a fire poker -- but the intruder was Rachel, not Megan.
Kristen wondered why Rachel wasn't at summer camp. "What do you care? You never even came to see me before I left -- you never even said goodbye!" Rachel snapped.
Kristen blamed the offense on Megan, and Rachel softened after hearing the whole story.
Kristen started to phone Brady, but Rachel objected then begged for an update on the custody battle. Kristen grumbled that it was difficult to fight Brady for custody without a lawyer, but Rachel insisted that there had to be a way to solve the problem.
Brady soon stormed into the mansion and demanded to know where Rachel was hiding, but Kristen feigned ignorance and concern as the child eavesdropped from the foyer.
Dimitri continued kissing Leo while they were alone together in one of the mansion's bedrooms. Leo eventually pulled away and slapped Dimitri then guessed that the kiss had simply been a meaningless act of desperation from a man who was willing to do whatever it took to protect a valuable secret. Dimitri locked eyes with Leo and wondered if the slap had truly been a furious response of indignation from a man whose silence couldn't be secured with sex. Leo confirmed the suspicion with a nod then started to rush off, prompting Dimitri to begin undressing. "Maybe if you weren't just some douchey straight guy trying to take advantage of my insatiable sexual appetite --" Leo protested. "I'm not straight," Dimitri clarified.
Leo laughed off the claim, but Dimitri insisted that it was a true statement. "I have excellent gaydar --" Leo bragged. "I have a lifetime of practice not giving out pings," Dimitri countered.
Dimitri claimed to have been wanting Leo since they had first met during the Alamainian Peacock caper. "Any antagonism that you felt from me was just my attempt to hide my desire for you," Dimitri explained before showering Leo with compliments.
Leo eventually gave in to Dimitri's advances. "I genuinely like Gwen...but it's you that I want -- badly -- so if we could, you know, have more times like this --" Dimitri suggested while lying in bed with Leo later. "Marry Gwen and keep me as some sort of sidepiece? That is not happening!" Leo objected. "You know what's at stake here -- I will lose a staggering amount of money if I'm not married by the time I turn 40...and I turn 40 at the end of the month!" Dimitri reminded Leo.
Leo suggested to Dimitri that the two of them could get married instead. "The codicil is perfectly clear -- I must be married to a woman," Dimitri grumbled. "Guess I missed that part," Leo responded, giving Dimitri a look of suspicion. "I swear that this is not a trick -- and now you have to swear to me, Leo, that no one will know about us or what just happened...and what I hope happens again and again and again," Dimitri declared. "It'll be our little secret," Leo promised before kissing Dimitri.
Neither Dimitri nor Leo realized that they had left the bedroom door partially ajar -- or that Rachel was eavesdropping from the hallway.
Johnny knocked on Wendy's apartment door. "Is Wendy here?" Johnny asked. Tripp explained that Wendy was visiting her brother at the police station. "Wendy was pretty upset with her brother last night. How was she today?" Johnny asked. "Still in shock," Tripp said. When Johnny wished aloud that he could help Wendy, Tripp muttered, "You've done enough."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny asked. Tripp argued that Johnny had almost gotten Wendy killed because he had taken her to a DiMera party. "First of all, I didn't drag Wendy along to that party. She was happy to come along with me. And second of all, how was I supposed to know that her crazy brother was planning to assassinate my Uncle Stefan?" Johnny asked. Tripp rolled his eyes, and he noted that all DiMera gatherings were dangerous affairs. Johnny reminded Tripp that Stefan was Li's victim.
"Your Aunt Megan DiMera was also apparently involved, and now she's on the lam," Tripp said. Johnny was surprised by the news. "If you really care about Wendy, you'll keep her away from [the DiMeras]," Tripp said. Johnny scoffed and called Tripp judgmental.
When Tripp reminded Johnny that E.J. had kidnapped Tripp, Johnny countered that it had been after Tripp's mother had kidnapped Susan. "Who is now dead because of your mother. So, I don't think you get to criticize my family when yours is just as messed up," Johnny said. "My mom has a mental illness," Tripp growled. Johnny argued that Ava had faked her mental illness.
"You best watch your mouth," Tripp muttered as he leaned in close. "You started this, taking shots at my family," Johnny said as he took a step closer. With a smirk, Johnny said that he believed Tripp's anger was about Wendy. "I think you're afraid that you're going to lose her to me," Johnny said. Tripp said he was tired of the competition, but he did not want to give up on Wendy. Johnny said he felt the same way.
"Given that we both don't want to be petty or juvenile about this anymore, I say we both just do our best to be mature and dignified through all of this," Johnny said. Johnny argued that they should wait patiently for Wendy to make up her mind on her own. "I'm all for that," Tripp agreed.
At the police station, Wendy yelled at Li for his part in the scheme to make Harris kill Stefan. "You let me walk into a situation that could have gone very wrong. People could have died. Including me," Wendy said. Li protested that Megan had framed him. Wendy argued that Harris had blamed Li, and that she was disappointed that Li had not moved on from Gabi like Wendy had believed.
"Obviously that was all an act. And now, instead of pride, I feel shame. I'm ashamed that you're my brother," Wendy said. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh?" Li asked. When Li asked about family loyalty, Wendy winced. "You lied to my face. You told me you were moving on. You even said you hired a matchmaker. And then you attempted murder!" Wendy said. Wendy gasped.
"That day, I overheard part of your phone call. You said something about a big plan you're trying to put into action," Wendy said. Wendy ordered Li to look at her. Reluctantly, Li looked his sister in the eyes. "What is wrong with you, Li? When did you become so unhinged, so venal that you would go to such extremes to get what you want? Why couldn't you just let Gabi go?" Wendy said. Li leaned forward.
"Who are you to lecture me about letting go? You've been stringing along two poor saps for months!" Li yelled. Taken aback, Wendy asked Li if he was comparing her indecisiveness to his attempt at murder. "I was only trying to point out that most of us are somewhat irrational when it comes to matters of the heart," Li said. "Irrational doesn't even begin to explain your behavior," Wendy countered. Wendy added that she was taking the time to decide which man was better for her.
"I will make my choice at some point. And unlike you, I won't be committing any crimes along the way," Wendy said. Li reiterated that he had been set up. When Li asked why Wendy could not believe him, she shrugged. "I don't know what to believe about you anymore," Wendy said.
"I care deeply about you, Jing-Wen. I think the world of you. And I only want you to find happiness. So, will you at least allow me to offer my brotherly perspective?" Li asked. Wendy nodded yes. Li told Wendy that she already knew which man she wanted, but she was reluctant to hurt the other one with a rejection.
"Take the stress off yourself and relieve those young men of their uncertainty, their need to compete for your affection. Make that choice," Li said. Wendy reiterated that her indecisiveness was not comparable to Li's felony. Frustrated, Li reminded Wendy that he had not admitted to any felonies. Wendy urged Li to consider the situation a wake-up call. "It would be a shame to throw your entire life away over a woman who has made it abundantly clear that she doesn't want you!" Wendy said.
At Wendy's apartment, Johnny waited on the couch for Wendy to return home. "What happened to giving her space?" Tripp asked. "You're not doing that," Johnny said. Tripp noted that he lived with Wendy. Johnny called it an unfair advantage. "Being mature doesn't mean I'm willing to have you barge in here whenever you want," Tripp said. Tripp advised Johnny to hang out with Wendy in neutral territory.
Johnny talked about his personal chef at the mansion. "[Wendy] isn't shallow like you are. She cares about things like character, intelligence," Tripp said. Johnny laughed. "So, what you're saying now is that you're smarter than me, that you have more character? Well, guess what? That is bull," Johnny said. Tripp told Johnny to leave. "I really thought we could get past this whole petty crap, but clearly I was wrong," Tripp said. Johnny refused to leave.
As Tripp attempted to push Johnny to the door, Wendy returned home. "What is going on?" Wendy asked. Johnny said he was there to check on Wendy. "Before you got here, Johnny and I decided to be mature about this and not petty and obnoxious and juvenile, but clearly he's incapable," Tripp said.
"I don't blame either of you for hating this. My stringing you both along, so it's time to put an end to it," Wendy said. Wendy told Johnny and Tripp that she liked them both, but that it was not fair to date them both. "Who is it going to be?" Johnny asked. Wendy took a deep breath.
In the hospital, Harris told Marlena, "I'm frustrated. We've been working at this for hours. Doesn't seem like we're making any progress." "This kind of deprogramming takes time. You've got to be patient with the process and with yourself," Marlena advised. Harris confessed that he still had an overwhelming urge to kill Stefan.
"I've been in this situation before, thanks to Megan. But the last time, the ISA used ECT to deprogram me, and it worked, so why don't we just try that again?" Harris asked. "I don't think we need to do anything that risky. I think that we can try something else, another resort, because your programming wasn't as ingrained as it was before," Marlena said. Harris begged Marlena to reconsider.
"You're going to have to trust me," Marlena said. Marlena put Harris under hypnosis again, and she asked him to remember when Megan had kidnapped him. "I'm in a lab," Harris whispered. Marlena asked Harris to look around the room and tell her what was there. "Is there anyone in the room with you?" Marlena asked. Harris told Marlena that there were muffled voices in the hall.
"Wait. Someone is coming," Harris said. "Who is it?" Marlena asked. "It's Li," Harris said. Harris explained that Li had instructed him to go to Gabi's engagement party and eliminate Stefan. Marlena told Harris that Li had put the idea to murder Stefan in Harris' mind. "And you did not want to do it," Marlena said. Marlena encouraged Harris not to listen to Li's voice in his head.
"Let's go over this one more time. But this time you're an observer, not a participant," Marlena said. Harris remembered having seen Rolf return to the room and give Harris the order to kill Stefan. "Furthermore, you will believe it was Li Shin who gave you the orders. Not me, not Megan," Rolf had added. Harris told Marlena that Rolf and Megan had framed Li.
"Now that you remembered all that, when you see Stefan DiMera, how do you feel?" Marlena asked. Marlena held up a picture of Stefan. After a moment, Harris said he did not feel anything. "The thoughts of wanting or needing to kill him are gone. Dr. Evans, I think you did it," Harris said.
Down the hallway, Gabi assured Rafe that she was fine. "I can't believe that Dr. Rolf jumped me!" Gabi said. Rafe asked Gabi to stay with him, since Megan and Rolf were on the loose, but Gabi refused. "I just want to be home in the loving arms of my loving fiancé," Gabi said as Stefan exited the elevator.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You lied to my face. You said you were not going to confront Megan," Stefan bellowed. "Okay, Stefan. You're upset right now, and I get it. And I agree with you, because what Gabi did was reckless and dumb. But the important thing is she is all right," Rafe said. Stefan reminded Gabi that she had promised him that she would not take any more risks.
"You could have gotten yourself killed. How do you not see that?" Stefan yelled in frustration. "I'm not going to sit here and get scolded like a little girl who didn't eat her vegetables. I'm going home!" Gabi countered. "Good! Unless that's another one of your lies!" Stefan said. Gabi yelled at Stefan in Spanish, and she stormed off.
On the docks, Trask was annoyed to see no police presence except for Shawn. "Who is in charge down here?" Trask asked. "That would be me, obviously. Is there a problem?" Shawn asked. Trask demanded to know why the dive team was packing up their gear to leave. Shawn explained that he had called off the search because Megan and Rolf were "long gone." Trask sniffed as Shawn leaned close to her.
"Do I smell alcohol on your breath?" Trask asked. Shawn played dumb. Trask noticed a bottle on the docks, and she asked Shawn about it. Shawn stammered that someone had left it there for the memorial. Suspicious, Trask asked Shawn if his fingerprints would be on the bottle. "You're not going to find my prints on there," Shawn said. "Then I guess we're going to have to wait and see," Trask said. Shawn cautioned Trask to spend more of her time on the search for Megan than an empty liquor bottle.
"Maybe I'll just take this down to the police lab and find out if this is yours," Trask said. As Trask started to walk away, Shawn asked her to stop. "Fine. It's mine. Are you happy now?" Shawn said. "Why the hell would I be happy about a police officer drinking on the job?" Trask countered. Shawn argued that he was a detective whose task was to wait for the divers to report to him.
"It's not like I'm in some high-speed pursuit. It's not a big deal," Shawn said. "Of course, it's a big deal! You are an on-duty cop. You are carrying a gun. You can't have your judgment impaired," Trask argued. Shawn asked Trask if it looked like he was impaired. "It does. Why else would you prematurely call off a search for a dangerous psychopath and her evil sidekick?" Trask asked. Shawn argued that he was desperate to catch Megan, but there was no chance she was in the area.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe it doesn't make a difference whether or not you're drinking on the job. Matter of fact, maybe you should have started knocking them back sooner. Maybe if you had had a few, you wouldn't have been so quick on the draw when you shot your own father," Trask said. Shawn told Trask to go to hell, and he stomped off.
At the DiMera mansion, Gabi was pouring a drink when Stefan stomped into the living room. "You put yourself in harm's way for no good reason," Stefan said. "Megan had to pay. She tried to kill you!" Gabi argued. "And in turn, you almost got yourself killed!" Stefan countered. Gabi asked Stefan why he was so angry. Stefan explained that if Megan wanted him dead, she would have been fine to kill Gabi, too.
"And I never would have forgiven myself. You are my entire world," Stefan said. "You're mine, too," Gabi said. With a sigh, Stefan asked why they were fighting. "Because we're good at it," Gabi joked. Gabi leaned onto Stefan's shoulder, and he apologized for having yelled at her.
"I'm sorry, too. That I lied and made you worry. I guess I just felt like I needed to control the situation," Gabi whispered. Gabi confessed that since Harris had appeared at the party, she had been unable to stop worrying about Stefan. "You don't know what it was like. All those years thinking that you'd been gone forever," Gabi said. Stefan said he understood.
"I guess I'm the lucky one. I didn't have to live without you," Stefan said. With a shake of his head, Stefan admitted that it had been a mistake to have helped his mother escape from the police. "How about we make a pact? From here on out, we work as a team," Stefan said. "No more going rogue," Gabi agreed.
In the police station, Shawn was typing on his computer when Trask walked in with Rafe. "The Coast Guard is going to be keeping an eye out for Megan's submarine. I've already alerted the ISA," Rafe said. As Rafe turned to head into his office, Trask stopped him. "You need to fire Detective Brady over there. For drinking on the job," Trask said. Shawn did not say a word as Rafe looked over at him.
"That must be some sort of mistake. I have worked with Detective Brady for a long time, and there is no way that he would ever drink on the job," Rafe said. Trask told Rafe what had happened on the docks. "Is this true?" Rafe asked. Shawn asked to talk to Rafe in private.
"What's to discuss? You drank on the job. Endangering the public. Commissioner, this man should be fired immediately," Trask said. Rafe reminded Trask that he was in charge of the department, not her. Annoyed, Trask argued that she could not prosecute criminals if the police officers were too drunk to catch any. Rafe reminded Trask that they had arrested Li. Before Trask could respond, Rafe's phone rang. It was Marlena, and she told Rafe about the memory that Harris had recovered.
Rafe went to the hospital to take Harris' statement. "So, you believe that Li Shin is innocent?" Rafe asked. "If he was involved, I have no way of proving it," Harris admitted. Harris told Rafe that he could only identify Rolf as the man that had given the order to kill Stefan. Marlena noted that Harris was deprogrammed, and she asked Rafe if he could release Harris.
"Are you absolutely sure that he is no longer a threat to Stefan or to anyone else?" Rafe asked. "I will verify that myself. And I'll also testify in court that he was not responsible for what he did," Marlena said. Rafe accepted the offer. Rafe unlocked Harris' handcuffs.
After Rafe left, Harris thanked Marlena for her help. "I want to ask you another favor," Harris said. Harris asked Marlena to have him committed to Bayview.
At the police station, Trask entered the interrogation room. "I have nothing to say to you," Li said. "Harris Michaels is changing his story. He is walking back his accusation [against you]," Trask said. Li smirked. "Told you I was innocent," Li said. Trask said she was not convinced of Li's innocence, but there was no one to confirm that he had been a part of the scheme. Trask released Li from custody.
Rafe called Gabi at the mansion to tell her the news about Harris and Li. Gabi told Stefan. "So, E.J. and Kristen were remembering accurately. That Megan set Li up," Stefan said. "Maybe. I just can't shake the feeling that Li's involved somehow," Gabi said. Stefan noted that Wendy had said that Li had freaked out when she had told him that she was going to the party.
"[Li] had to have known something," Stefan said. "And if Li ends up going free, he'll definitely come after you. I can't let that, I mean, we can't let that happen," Gabi said. "Li Shin is no match for us," Stefan said.
When Rafe returned to the station, Shawn thanked Rafe for having had his back with Trask. "I don't take my orders from Trask. But I can't ignore the fact that you have been drinking on the job," Rafe said. Shawn promised that it would never happen again. "It was a one-time thing," Shawn said. "Except that it wasn't, right?" Rafe asked. Rafe noted that Shawn's work had slipped.
"I'm trying to cut you some slack because I know you're upset about your father. But I can't look the other way anymore," Rafe said. Rafe told Shawn that he was suspended.
At the Brady Pub, Kayla told Kate that Marlena had managed to deprogram Harris. Kate told Kayla that it had been Kate's idea to hire Harris to kill Megan. Kate asked Kayla not to tell Roman, since nothing had happened to Megan.
Kayla thought that Roman would understand, and she admitted that she wished Megan was out of their lives for good. Kayla mentioned a lunch date with Steve. Kate walked Kayla out, and she said there was someone she had to see.
In Harris' room at Salem University Hospital, Harris told Marlena that he needed to be under constant surveillance at Bayview to ensure that Megan and Rolf could never brainwash him again.
Marlena noted that the DiMera family had used mind control against people for decades, but Harris said he wouldn't risk being the subject of the family's agenda again. Marlena asked what Harris needed from her. Harris said that if Marlena were to commit him to Bayview, he would have no choice but to stay.
"My mind has been so screwed with over the past few years. I just need some time to heal. For me, this is about survival. And if I can't rid myself of the fear that, at any moment, I might lose control of who I am or who I want to be, I just don't know if I can go on. So, please... will you commit me or not?" Harris pleaded.
Marlena agreed to commit Harris. Later, Kate visited Harris' room. Kate apologized that her plan to kill Megan had backfired. Harris said there was nothing to apologize for, and he told Kate about his plan to seek help at Bayview.
In Horton Town Square, Chanel placed a breakfast spread on a table in front of Sweet Bits. A handsome, brown-haired man dressed in a suit and tie introduced himself to Chanel as Clint Rawlings. Clint said that he was the acting mayor since Abe had died.
Chanel quickly surmised that Clint had an attitude toward her. Clint confirmed Chanel's suspicions when he said that, if it were up to him, Sweet Bits would be closed permanently. Clint rambled off a litany of Chanel's former relationships. Chanel was alarmed that Clint knew so much about her personal life.
Clint said that Chanel and Paulina had brought nothing but trouble since the two had arrived in Salem. Clint talked about his administration bringing "law and order" back to Salem. Clint added that Chanel would never do business in Salem again if he learned that she had committed another violation.
Clint walked away, leaving Chanel stunned. A short while later, Chanel received a call from Allie in New Zealand. Allie expressed her condolences over the passing of Abe. Chanel said that she had no one new in her life, just as she saw Johnny sulking nearby. Chanel went to check on Johnny, and she observed that something was wrong.
Earlier, at the Shin apartment, Wendy had asked Tripp to give her and Johnny some privacy. Tripp left to visit Steve. Afterwards, Johnny assumed that Wendy had chosen a relationship with him over Tripp. Instead, Wendy said that Johnny wasn't being honest about his feelings for Chanel. Johnny insisted that he didn't want to be with Chanel, but Wendy noted how frequently Johnny had been present in Chanel's life.
Wendy said that Johnny's first instinct was to always protect Chanel, and she added that it was one of the reasons she was choosing a relationship with Tripp. Johnny was taken aback, especially when Wendy said that her feelings for Tripp had started to deepen. Wendy added that the timing wasn't right for her and Johnny.
At Steve and Kayla's home, Steve surmised that Tripp was having a bad day. Tripp said he thought he was about to lose Wendy to Johnny. Steve recalled that when he and Bo had been Tripp's age, they would fight for a girl's attention. Steve scoffed that everyone had grown too sensitive when Tripp said that he refused to fight for a lady.
Steve admitted that Tripp had to respect a woman's wishes, and he agreed that it was a good thing that the days of "throwing a woman over my shoulder" were gone. Tripp said that men had to trust women with their decisions, and he referenced Wendy's choice between Tripp and Johnny.
Steve said that he was "hip" to speaking out against toxic masculinity and to standing up for gender equality, but he noted that Tripp and Johnny didn't have to resort to toxicity and disrespect. Steve said that Tripp's generation was smarter than Steve's generation had been. "You just show Wendy what a good, awesome man you are and that you're in it for the long haul," Steve encouraged Tripp.
Steve said that Tripp had a tendency to run from people because of how often Tripp had been hurt. Steve said he understood, and he added that he had done the same thing when he'd been Tripp's age. Steve posited that if Tripp truly cared about Wendy, he had to let Wendy know that Tripp wasn't going anywhere.
Steve asked Tripp to consider everything he'd said. Tripp said that he would, and he thanked Steve for his advice. The two men hugged, and Tripp left to see Wendy. Steve smiled proudly at Tripp as Tripp left.
Back at the Shin apartment, Tripp was surprised when Wendy said that she had told Johnny that she had chosen Tripp. Wendy whispered that Tripp was the man she wanted to be with. A happy Tripp and Wendy kissed.
At the Salem Police Station, an angry Shawn surprised Rafe when he said that he had first-hand knowledge that Rafe had been involved in a personal relationship with Jada. Shawn revealed that he had overheard Jada tell Kate at the Brady Pub about having spent the night with Rafe.
Rafe accused Shawn of having eavesdropped on a private conversation. Shawn and Rafe both hurled accusations at one another before Shawn blurted out that he wouldn't tell anyone that Rafe had been "hooking up" with Jada. just then, Clint appeared, and he confronted Rafe about what Shawn had said.
Shawn said that Clint had misheard things. Jada appeared, and Clint said that Shawn had accused Jada and Rafe of having an inappropriate relationship. Clint demanded to speak to Jada in private. Jada left with Clint. Afterwards, Shawn tried to apologize to Rafe. Rafe said that Shawn had done enough, and he ordered Shawn to turn in his badge and gun.
Shawn left the station. Later, at the hospital, Marlena was surprised to see Shawn. Shawn said that he had been lying to himself and to others, and he added that he had been suspended from the police force. "I'm in trouble, Marlena. And I need your help... before I make my life worse than I already have," Shawn said somberly.
Back at the police station, Rafe nervously paced around the lobby when Jada returned, followed shortly by Clint. Clint said that Jada had confirmed that she and Rafe had engaged in a personal relationship. "I have no choice but to take immediate action. I'm gonna need to take your gun and your badge," Clint said.
Rafe said that Clint didn't have the authority to suspend Jada. Clint then delivered shocking news to Rafe. "Oh, I'm not suspending her -- or you, for that matter. But as acting mayor, I do have the authority to appoint the commissioner of police -- or remove him. In other words, you're fired," Clint told Rafe.
In Horton Town Square, Brady told Marlena that he believed Kristen was responsible for Rachel's disappearance. Marlena offered to talk to Kristen on Brady's behalf. Brady agreed to Marlena's request. The two hugged, and Marlena left.
At the DiMera mansion, Kristen was surprised to open the door to Lani. The two friends shared a warm hug. Kristen extended condolences to Lani about Abe's death. Kristen feigned worry about Rachel, but Lani quickly deduced that Kristen was lying. Lani advised Kristen to find a way to "legally enjoy time" with Rachel, and she encouraged Kristen to tell Brady where Rachel was.
Lani said that Brady was as important to Rachel as Eli was to Jules and Carver, and she implored Kristen to do the right thing. Before Lani left, she and Kristen said that they loved one another. Kristen said that it had been wonderful to see Lani, who promised that the two friends would see each other again soon.
A few hours later, Kristen was startled when Marlena appeared from the wine cellar. Marlena demanded that Kristen tell her where Rachel was. Kristen said that even if she knew where Rachel was, she wouldn't give up the information for free. "I would need something in return," Kristen added.
At Steve and Kayla's home, John visited Steve before Abe's funeral. John told Steve that he had dreamed of Abe. John shared that he'd had the same dream two nights in a row. "I'm gonna say something that sounds a little bit out there: I'm starting to wonder if maybe somehow, it was more than a dream," John said.
John wondered if his dream had been a premonition, and he said that Abe's death felt similar to when the two men had believed that Marlena, Kayla, and Kate had died. John noted that there were too many unanswered questions about Abe's disappearance. Steve agreed, and the two of them decided to reopen their investigation. Steve and John then looked at Whitley's initial statement to the police.
John said he thought that someone had moved Abe from the hospital, and he added that the person had known where the hospital's cameras had been. Steve noted that Whitley was as an exemplary employee. John found it strange that Whitley had complained of being sick on the day Abe had disappeared, and he marveled that Whitley hadn't missed a day of work in 15 years until her ex-husband had died.
John and Steve heard a knock at the door. Steve opened the door to Chanel. Steve and John were taken aback when Chanel mentioned that Whitley had stopped by Abe and Paulina's penthouse to offer her condolences to Paulina.
Chanel said that Whitley had worked on Abe's mayoral campaign, and she added that Whitley had been in the park during Abe and Paulina's Juneteenth wedding a year earlier. After Chanel left, Steve and John agreed to take a closer look at Whitley.
At Abe and Paulina's penthouse, Theo practiced his eulogy for Abe's funeral in front of Paulina. Theo delivered a heartfelt speech in which he praised Abe and Paulina's marriage. Theo vowed that he would take care of Paulina with Abe gone. Paulina wept, and she promised that she and Theo would take care of one another.
Hours later, in the park, Theo, Chanel, and Lani comforted Paulina after Abe's funeral service. Paulina wondered why Whitley hadn't been at the funeral. Theo mentioned Jerry, and he said that Jerry had said he felt guilty for not having saved Abe.
Theo, Paulina, and Chanel all left, leaving Lani alone in the park. On a park bench, Lani flashed back to Jerry's apology to her and Theo near the spot where Abe had allegedly died. Lani stood up, and she left the park.
At Whitley's house, Abe said again that Whitley wasn't Paulina. Whitley stood up, and she gave Abe another injection against his will. Whitley heard a knock, and she opened the door to Jerry, who was alarmed to find Abe unconscious.
Out in the hallway, Jerry said that he was having second thoughts about going along with Whitley's scheme. Whitley yelled at Jerry, and she said that she would leave Salem to take Abe somewhere far away. Whitley offered Jerry money to leave town, too, and she added that she would be in touch.
Back inside the house, Abe insisted that Jerry wasn't his son. Whitley said that she had to leave, and she vowed that she and Abe would start a new life together when she returned. After Whitley left, Abe watched another episode of Body & Soul. Abe saw Jerry on-screen, and he remarked that Jerry wasn't Theo.
Later, at Salem University Hospital, Steve told John by phone that he would talk to Whitley, who had overheard Steve say her name. Whitley asked why Steve wanted to talk to her. Steve explained that he had been a good friend of Abe's, and he recalled Chanel saying that Whitley had worked on Abe's mayoral campaign.
Whitley grew restless and frustrated over Steve's questions, and she said that she needed to talk to Kayla. Steve was surprised when Whitley said that she planned to tender her resignation.
At the same time, in an unknown apartment, Jerry rushed to pack before hearing a knock at the door. Jerry opened the door to Lani, who seemed to be smirking at Jerry.
Back at Whitley's house, Abe continued to watch Body & Soul. Abe was taken aback when a man appeared on-screen. The man on-screen was Abe.
At the hospital, Steve asked Whitley why she wanted to resign. Whitley stressed that she loved her job. "If you're so happy here, why do you want to quit? Unless you're going somewhere?" Steve asked. Whitley confirmed that she wanted a fresh start in another city. "I'm going to Arizona," Whitley said. Whitley explained that she had family there.
"I bet, considering you're one of five kids," Steve said. Whitley's smile disappeared. "How do you know that?" Whitley asked. Steve told Whitley that the FBI had run a background check on her after Abe's disappearance. "It's completely routine," Steve assured Whitley. Whitley complained that she had already explained why she had left work early on the day that Abe had disappeared.
"I know. You see, the thing is, we're not exactly clear on what happened yet. And this is Mayor Carver we're talking about. We're not just going to let this go, not me, not the cops, definitely not the FBI. You know, Abe was Eli's father-in-law. That man is gonna keep digging until he nails down the entire timeline, accounting for every minute between when Abe went missing and when he ended up in that river," Steve said. Steve explained that law enforcement needed to get all the details, especially from the last person that had seen Abe.
"It wasn't me. It was Jerry," Whitley said. "The guy who witnessed Abe going into the water?" Steve asked. Steve clarified that Whitley was the last person to have seen Abe before he had disappeared from the hospital. "No. It was Jerry," Whitley stressed. Steve asked Whitley if Jerry had been at the hospital on the day of Abe's disappearance.
"Yes. He was right outside of Abe's room, just lingering," Whitley lied. "Well, why didn't you tell anybody about it?" Steve asked. Whitley explained that she had not thought it was important until she had read in the news that Jerry had been the witness at the docks. "I didn't want to get Mr. Prentiss in trouble. He's such a nice man," Whitley said. "Or not," Steve muttered. Whitley feigned surprise, and she asked Steve if he suspected that Jerry was connected to Abe's disappearance.
As Steve called John, Whitley eavesdropped on his conversation. "[Whitley] told me something very interesting. You got an address on this Jerry Prentiss guy?" Steve asked. After Steve ran out of the hospital, Whitley whispered to herself, "Sorry, Jerry, but I didn't want to do this." Whitley wished aloud that Jerry had left Salem before Steve found him.
As Jerry hurriedly packed to leave town, Lani knocked on his front door. "What are you doing here? I thought your father's funeral was today?" Jerry said. "You were there, weren't you?" Lani asked. Jerry explained that he had wanted to pay his respects. Lani noted that it was strange to have a funeral without a body. "There are still all these unanswered questions," Lani said. Lani asked if she could talk to Jerry.
As Jerry waved Lani into his apartment, she noticed his suitcase. "Going somewhere?" Lani asked. Jerry explained that he planned to return to L.A. to work as an actor. Lani reminded Jerry that he had told Theo that there was something Jerry had wanted to tell him. "Yeah, I just wanted to tell him again how sorry I was about your father," Jerry said. Lani nodded yes. Lani asked why Jerry had run away from the docks.
"Are you sure we didn't do something to make you nervous?" Lani asked. "Why would you and Theo make me nervous," Jerry said as he averted eye contact. Lani noted that Jerry appeared nervous. "I'm just anxious to get packing," Jerry said. Lani promised to leave Jerry to his packing after she asked her questions.
"Are you sure, Jerry, that there wasn't anything else that you wanted to tell Theo?" Lani asked as she looked Jerry in the eyes. "Like what?" Jerry asked. Lani sighed, and she noted that as a former cop and the victim's daughter, she was highly motivated to find the truth. "And give everyone who loved him answers, including myself," Lani said. Lani pleaded with Jerry to tell her anything he knew about Abe's disappearance so that she could get closure about his death.
"Okay, okay, okay. I lied," Jerry blurted out. "What did you lie about?" Lani asked. Jerry confessed that his entire story had been a lie. "What do you mean?" Lani yelled. Jerry explained that he had planted the evidence at the docks. "What did you do to him?" Lani demanded. "I didn't do anything to your father. It was all Nurse King. Everything that happened, it was all a part of her plan," Jerry said. Jerry told Lani that Whitley had given him the evidence to plant at the docks.
"Why would you do that?" Lani asked. Jerry explained that Whitley had helped him get medication for his grandmother. "I know it was wrong, but when [Whitley] asked me for help, I couldn't say no. And I thought that I was helping. And I thought that she was a good person. But she's nuts," Jerry said. Lani asked what had happened to Abe. Jerry confirmed that Abe was alive.
"Nurse King has had him this whole time," Jerry confessed. Jerry explained that Whitley had kidnapped Abe, and she had pretended to be his wife. "And she paid me to tell Abe that I'm your brother Theo," Jerry said. "And he believed you?" Lani asked. Jerry explained that Abe's head injury had impaired his memory.
"Every once in a while, he has these little flashes, like a memory comes back to him," Jerry said. Jerry told Lani that Abe knew something was wrong, but Whitley had been sedating Abe to keep him helpless. "Why would you be a part of something so sick?" Lani asked. Jerry explained that he had accepted an acting gig. "I didn't know I would have to fake [Abe's] death!" Jerry yelped. Jerry told Lani that Abe was at Whitley's apartment, but she had plans to leave town with Abe. As Lani rushed out the door, Jerry yelled, "I'm sorry!"
Jerry continued to pack his bags, and he muttered under his breath, "I'm sorry, Ms. King. Abe's daughter deserved to know the truth. But I'm not gonna be there when she finds him. I'm not going down for this." As Jerry approached the door to leave, there was a knock. Jerry stopped dead in his tracks.
In Whitley's apartment, a drugged Abe continued to watch his soap opera. On the show, Abe hallucinated that he made an appearance as Henry Marshall. On the show, Abe changed out of his bathrobe into a suit. The character of Lorna, played by a Kate look-alike, asked "Henry" if he was ready to run for mayor. "This town has needed new leadership since the last guy got possessed by the devil," Lorna said. Lorna offered to be Henry's director of communication. Henry noted that the scenario sounded familiar to him.
"And nothing or no one is gonna stop us," Lorna said. The character that looked like Kayla, Kassandra, walked in. "Is that a fact?" Kassandra said. "Are you a doctor?" Henry asked. Lorna laughed. Kassandra warned Lorna that she could not fix the mayoral race. Lorna argued that Henry could win fairly.
"You see, I have my own perfect candidate right here," Kassandra said. Paulina walked into the room on the soap opera. "Do I know you?" Henry asked. Kassandra introduced Paulina as Sandra. Sandra announced her mayoral candidacy, and she argued she could win on the strength of her campaign cookies alone.
"My first act after I win will be to bulldoze the town square and build my new discount store, Clarkingtown," Sandra said. "I'm getting a strange sense of déjà vu [about Sandra]," Henry said. Henry explained that Sandra had had that plan before. "And that's not the only secret you kept," Henry said. Sandra told Henry that they did not know one another. Henry furrowed his brow as he struggled to remember the secret.
"I remember. You and I, we have a daughter," Henry said. In the real world, a highly drugged Abe watched the soap with a puzzled look on his face. There was a knock on a door, and Henry pointed it out. All three women denied that there was any knocking. The knocking continued. In the real world, Lani kicked in the door to Whitley's apartment. "Daddy," Lani said. Abe looked over at Lani with glassy eyes.
At the DiMera mansion, Marlena asked Kristen about Rachel's whereabouts. "So, what you're saying is that you will tell us where my granddaughter is only if you get something in return," Marlena said. "Well, I didn't say I know where she is. This is all hypothetical at this point," Kristen countered. Kristen confirmed that if she learned where to find Rachel, she would only pass along the information if Kristen was rewarded.
"What is it you want?" Marlena asked. "I want custody of my daughter," Kristen said. Marlena reminded Kristen that there were other options to revisit the question of custody. "You could hire a lawyer," Marlena suggested. Kristen admitted that she had been unable to find a lawyer to take her case. "So, kidnapping was the next logical step?" Marlena countered.
Frustrated, Kristen argued that Brady was a hypocrite because he had kidnapped Rachel on New Year's Eve. "You were withholding the orchid that would have saved three lives, including mine. So, what Brady did, he did for a very good reason," Marlena said.
"I have a good reason, too, damn it. Hypothetically speaking of course," Kristen said. With a nod, Marlena said, "There's still time to do the right thing. You can repay me for the favor I did for you yesterday, and you can tell me where Rachel is." Kristen shrugged. "I can't tell you what I don't know," Kristen said. Marlena argued that Brady would never give Kirsten full custody.
"I'm not an idiot," Kristen muttered. "Well, then, what do you want?" Marlena yelled. Kristen said she wanted Brady to share custody. "You know that Rachel loves me. And it is important for our child to have both parents in her life," Kristen argued. Kristen encouraged Marlena to talk to Belle about a revised agreement.
"I will talk to my daughter. And when you talk to my granddaughter, please tell her that I love her," Marlena said. After Marlena walked out, Rachel exited the tunnels in a teddy bear costume. "What are you doing downstairs?" Kristen said as she hurriedly closed the door to the foyer. "The attic is scary," Rachel complained. Kristen reminded Rachel that she had her favorite books and dolls upstairs.
"But it's lonely, Mommy," Rachel said. Kristen assured Rachel that the situation would be resolved soon. "You know why it's important, right?" Kristen asked. "So the police don't find me," Rachel said. Kristen told Rachel that she was impressed that Rachel had blended in with the stuffed animals when the police had searched the attic. When Rachel pouted, Kristen asked what was wrong.
"Is Daddy worried about me? I don't like making him scared," Rachel said. "It's very sweet that you're concerned about your daddy, but you don't need to be. Because, like I said, this is gonna all be over very, very soon," Kristen said. Kristen sent Rachel back up to the attic.
In the town square, Brady sat next to Belle on the bench and talked about Abe's funeral. "It's pretty great that you came, considering everything that's going on with Rachel. You must be going out of your mind," Belle said. "It's not like she is actually missing," Brady said. Brady confirmed that Rachel had run away from camp, and he believed that Rachel was with Kristen.
"Well, I would ask Shawn if there had been any progress on getting another warrant to search the DiMera house again, but he wouldn't know," Belle said. Brady asked why. Belle told Brady that Shawn had been suspended for drinking on the job. "For weeks, he has been numbing the pain [over Bo] with alcohol. I know you understand," Belle said. "I do. I'd be happy to talk to him," Brady offered. Belle told Brady to focus on the search for Rachel instead.
Brady admitted that he had planned to tear apart the mansion, but Marlena had convinced him to let her handle the situation. "With any luck, Marlena is going to be able to convince that psycho to give me my kid back," Brady muttered. Brady noted that in the past, Marlena and Kristen had been able to work with one another.
"I'm hoping Marlena will go in there with her expertise and help Kristen, you know, listen to reason," Brady said. Belle smirked. "Has Kristen ever listened to reason?" Belle asked. Brady explained that he believed that Kristen would understand that the situation was bad for Rachel. With a dismissive wave of his hand, Brady told Belle to focus on her husband. Brady reiterated his offer to talk to Shawn.
"I appreciate that. He has agreed to talk to Mom, though," Belle said. Marlena walked across the square. "Any luck with Kristen?" Brady asked. "[Kristen] said she doesn't know where Rachel is," Marlena said. Brady sighed. Marlena added that Kristen had promised that if she had any information, she would share it.
"I can tell by the look in your eyes that I should assume she wants something in exchange," Brady said. Marlena told Brady that Kristen wanted to revisit the custody agreement. Annoyed, Brady threatened to strangle Kristen. "Kristen holds all the cards. And if you do something rash, she could just pick up Rachel and take off," Marlena warned Brady. "Do you really want me to cave in to this diabolical woman one more time? I don't want to. No," Brady said. Brady asked Belle for help.
"The fact that Rachel went missing works in Kristen's favor," Belle said. "How?" Brady asked. Belle explained that with full custody, Brady was responsible for his decision to send Rachel to summer camp. Brady did not believe a judge would blame him for Rachel's actions. "I'm saying that in the eyes of the law, the fact that she escaped on your watch, it looks bad," Belle said. Marlena argued that Brady needed to focus on what was right for Rachel.
"I'm sure [Kristen] gave you an earful about that, how it's important for Rachel to have both parents in her life. I'm open to that. I believe in that. Tell her," Brady said. Belle confirmed that Brady had attempted to share custody during the trial, but Kristen had pushed for a full custody fight instead.
"I wanted Rachel to have her mother in her life until her mother blackmailed me, using three women's lives, including yours," Brady added. "We've got to put aside our feelings for Kristen and focus on how that little girl feels about her mother," Marlena said. Belle told Brady that if he agreed to joint custody, she could add contingencies to the agreement to revert custody to him if Kristen broke any laws.
"I know this isn't easy. But experience tells me that the better that things go with Kristen right now, the easier things will be down the road," Marlena advised. Brady sighed. After Brady left, Belle sent an amended custody agreement to Brady to review. "So, as soon as Kristen gets that, we get to have Rachel back," Marlena said. Belle asked Marlena if they should have given in to Kristen's demands.
"I think the right thing to do is what is best for Rachel," Marlena said. Marlena argued that Rachel wanted to spend time with her mother. Belle lamented that Kristen had not worked with them on an agreement instead of having resorted to kidnapping. "But now that Brady is willing to compromise, maybe everybody can move forward in a civilized way," Marlena said.
Brady walked into the DiMera living room with a revised custody agreement. "[Marlena] said that if I was willing to amend it that that might help in the search of Rachel," Brady said. "I do recall mentioning that," Kristen confirmed. Brady handed Kristen the new agreement. Kristen signed it. "I have a really good feeling about this, Brady. I just know that once I sign this, Rachel is going to be found," Kristen said. When Kristen handed the papers to Brady to sign, he said, "I have a good feeling about this, too." Brady ripped up the papers.
