Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 18, 2016 on DAYS

Hope was cleared of Dr. Malcolm's death. Deimos, Victor's brother, blackmailed Philip to help him destroy Victor. Rafe and Hope almost kissed. Belle and Philip made love. Shawn asked Belle if they could talk. John's birth mother answered questions about his past. Andre told Chad that Hope had murdered Stefano. Andre found the site where Hope and Rafe had stashed Stefano's body.

Hope's fate is determined

Monday, January 18, 2016

by Mike

At the police station, Lani offered to get one of the conference rooms set up for the recording of Hope's confession, but Roman said that wouldn't be necessary. "But she just confessed to murder," Lani protested. "And your commanding officer is going to talk to her alone," Roman countered before taking Hope into the conference room.

"That's not right," Lani quietly pointed out to Rafe, who replied that it wasn't her call to make. Confirming Lani's suspicion that he had helped convince Hope to turn herself in, Rafe credited Lani for making him realize, during their earlier conversation, that he might have been getting too close to crossing an ethical line in his effort to protect Hope. Lani assured Rafe that she would always have his back, and he returned the sentiment.

Hope closed the blinds in the conference room as she complained that someone needed to tell "the rookie detective" to refrain from jumping to conclusions. "I said I killed Malcolm. She's the one who said 'murder,'" Hope clarified, and she proceeded to tell Roman her story about killing Malcolm in self-defense and subsequently blocking out the memory of the event.

Roman expressed skepticism, pointing out that he had heard many different versions of what had transpired between Hope and Malcolm. "Okay. I'm sorry that after being almost strangled to death, losing my husband, and then being attacked by the man who tortured him, that I wasn't coherent enough for you," Hope dryly countered. Hope stuck to her story and tearfully insisted that Roman had to believe her.

Roman reminded Hope that he wasn't the one she ultimately needed to convince -- Justin was, and if she failed to convince him, she would have to stand trial for the shooting. Hope assured Roman that she could convince anyone -- even a judge and jury -- that she was telling the truth because she was telling the truth. Nodding, Roman advised Hope to get a lawyer before going on record with her account of what had happened with Malcolm.

Eve went to John and Marlena's townhouse and excitedly revealed that she had gotten Claire an audition at Juilliard. Claire appreciated the gesture but didn't think it would be a good idea for her to go to New York at that time, given everything her family was going through. Guessing that Claire's family members wouldn't want their problems to keep her from pursuing a wonderful opportunity, Eve urged Claire to give the matter some thought.

Philip ran into Belle at Club TBD and informed her that he was headed to Las Vegas to take care of some business. Philip invited Belle to join him, reasoning that she needed to take a break from work and have some fun. Philip assured Belle that there were no strings attached to the offer -- and that he would be a perfect gentleman during the trip.

Belle declined, knowing that Philip would just spend the whole trip conducting business because he didn't know how to take a break from work to have some fun. Philip tried to bargain with Belle, promising to hand his cell phone over to her after finishing the two meetings he had scheduled in Las Vegas, but she again refused, pointing out that she couldn't leave her clients -- or Claire -- to take a vacation with him.

Philip maintained that Belle owed it to herself to accompany him to Las Vegas because she had been through a lot lately and needed a chance to unwind. Before Belle could respond, she received a phone call from Hope. After a brief conversation, Belle ended the call and excused herself. As a last resort, Philip produced two tickets to a Gladys Knight concert in Las Vegas, prompting Belle to complain that he wasn't playing fairly.

Belle failed to notice Claire on her way out of the club. Claire approached Philip's table and stressed that Belle and Shawn still loved each other and just needed time to figure out that they needed to stay together. "So it would be really, really great if you'd just stay away from my mom," Claire stressed. Philip replied that, while he understood Claire's desire for her parents to stay together because he had gone through the same thing with his parents, the fact of the matter was that if Belle truly wanted to stay with Shawn, she would move heaven and earth to make that happen.

Claire protested that Belle was simply pretending that she no longer wanted to be with Shawn. Philip countered that Claire needed to let Belle make her own choices. "You can't will your parents back together. Trust me -- I know," Philip added before exiting the club.

Caroline requested a meeting with Justin in the town square, and when he arrived, she handed him a list of names -- including Damon, Damien, and Darius -- and wondered if any of them meant anything to him. "Damien? As in...St. Damien, who cared for the lepers?" Justin asked. "No -- Damien, as in the kid in The Omen who was the son of the devil," Caroline worriedly clarified.

Caroline explained that she had been having visions about Victor lately -- and, in each of them, Victor was either injured or suffering a heart attack. "[In] the worst vision of all, there was a man standing in Victor's doorway, holding a gun, and there was blood on his shirt. And he called himself Damien, or Damon -- something like that," Caroline added.

Justin was skeptical, but Caroline warned that it would be unwise to dismiss her visions, which had been scarily accurate in the past. Justin assured Caroline that Victor was very well protected. Aware that she was being placated, Caroline left in a huff, and Justin started to go after her but bumped into Eve in the process. Observing that Eve looked upset, Justin wondered if everything was okay.

Admitting that, as usual, she had acted without thinking, Eve explained that she had arranged an audition for Claire without first checking with her or Belle to make sure it would be okay to do so. Eve understood that Claire's family had been through a lot lately, but she feared that Claire might be getting lost in the shuffle. "And Belle -- she's not tuned in to what Claire really wants or needs, I think," Eve added.

Justin warned that Eve needed to be careful about getting between Belle and Claire. "Don't try to substitute Claire for Paige," Justin gently advised. Taken aback, Eve insisted that she wasn't trying to do that -- and that nothing and no one could ever replace Paige, anyway. Nodding, Justin apologized and, after taking a phone call, abruptly excused himself, explaining that he was needed at the police station.

Justin invited Eve to join him for dinner later, but she first wanted to know where their relationship was headed, since she had recently picked up on some signs that his relationship with Adrienne might not really be over yet. "I just don't want to have my heart broken again," Eve explained. Justin admitted that he couldn't really predict what the future held for him, nor could he make any sort of commitment to Eve at that time. "If that's not enough for you -- if you can't wait to see what happens next -- well, guess that's your decision," Justin added.

Nodding sadly, Eve gave Justin a kiss on the cheek before letting him walk away. Later, after watching a family stroll through the town square together, Eve retrieved her pocketbook from her purse so she could pay for a cup of coffee. Inside the pocketbook, Eve found a drawing Paige had given her years earlier. Eve held back tears as she turned the drawing over and looked at the message Paige had written on the back -- "I love Mommy."

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor entered the study, retrieved a gun from a desk drawer, and pointed it at the back of a man who was standing in front of the fireplace, looking at the pictures that were perched on the mantel. "Deimos, what are you doing here? How did you manage to get out?" Victor demanded to know.

"Hello, brother. It's been a very long time," Deimos said after turning to face Victor. "Not long enough," Victor countered. Victor wondered why Deimos wasn't still in prison, where he was supposed to be serving a life sentence. Deimos explained with a shrug that the prison officials had taken pity on him after thirty years of exemplary behavior.

Victor wondered why Deimos had decided to visit him after being released from prison. "Oh, I think you know the answer to that one," Deimos replied. Victor guessed that Deimos was seeking revenge, but Deimos claimed that he had spent his years in prison, learning to forgive. "But if I was honest with myself, I'd have to say that I was hoping that you'd spent the same amount of time wanting to atone for what you did. I guess that might be just too much to ask, huh?" Deimos added.

Victor suspected that Deimos was going to ask for something. Deimos confirmed that he wanted a chance to rebuild his life -- and he would need a job in order to do so. Deimos reasoned that Victor owed him at least that much. Ignoring the point, Victor told Deimos to leave, stressing that he wasn't welcome at the mansion. "That's because I remind you of your past. But you can't escape your past, Victor. Don't you know that by now?" Deimos asked.

Putting the gun away, Victor insisted that he didn't need or want a lecture from Deimos -- who, as far as he was concerned, was just as dead as Alexander and Titus were. "Yeah, but the reality is, I'm not dead, Victor -- I'm right here, and all the wishful thinking in the world isn't gonna change that fact," Deimos countered. Deimos observed that Victor had a lovely family, prompting Victor to guess that Deimos had spent some time studying him. "Of course I have! Your family is my family, too! It doesn't matter that you want me gone, that you wish I'd never existed; I'm still blood, Victor, and just like your past, you can't erase family," Deimos stressed.

Philip soon interrupted and wondered what was going on. Victor stayed silent, so Deimos introduced himself as Philip's uncle. "How many brothers did you have?" Philip asked Victor. "Two that I acknowledge; one I never hoped to see again," Victor replied. Deimos abruptly excused himself, explaining that, while he was looking forward to getting to know Philip better, he was going to have to first give Victor some time to process his unexpected visitation. Victor insisted that there was nothing to process. "You're not wanted here. You should go," Victor added.

Deimos left after stressing that he and Victor would talk again soon because they had a lot to catch up on. Victor warned Philip to stay away from Deimos, who would have no qualms about going after Victor's family in order to get what he wanted. "What's that?" Philip asked. "All you need to know is that he's trouble. Stay away from him," Victor replied before changing the subject, telling Philip to enjoy his time in Las Vegas. "Hopefully, by the time you get back, Deimos will be history," Victor added. Later, Philip met with Deimos in the town square. "So, what do you have to tell me?" Deimos asked after making sure that Philip hadn't been followed.

At the police station, Rafe told Roman that Hope had confessed to him earlier that day -- and he had immediately advised her to turn herself in. Meanwhile, Belle met with Hope and advised her not to make an official statement, but Hope insisted on proceeding as planned. When Roman, Rafe, and Justin entered the conference room a short time later, Belle made it clear that Hope was going against legal counsel.

Justin started to ask Hope to explain what had happened on the night of Malcolm's murder, but Belle quickly objected to the use of that word, so Justin backpedaled and referred to it as the night of Malcolm's shooting instead. After Hope gave her statement, Belle started to offer a defense, but Justin told her to save her breath, adding that he was dropping the charges against Hope because it would be a waste of time and money to take the case to a judge.

Relieved, Hope left the conference room with Belle, who pointed out that Hope had just taken a really big risk and was lucky that the gamble had worked in her favor. Belle suggested that Hope might want to talk to someone about everything she had been through lately, but Hope insisted that she was fine. After Belle left, Hope hugged Rafe and thanked him for everything. "You're practically home free," Rafe whispered in Hope's ear. Nearby, Lani watched Hope and Rafe closely. Elsewhere, Justin wondered if Roman believed Hope's version of events. "About as much as you do," Roman replied.

When Belle returned to John and Marlena's townhouse, Claire told her about the Juilliard audition. Belle wasn't thrilled that Eve had arranged the audition without first asking for permission, but she wondered if it was something Claire was interested in pursuing. Claire said she had turned down the offer because she didn't want to leave Belle at that time.

"Sweetie, I should be taking care of you, not the other way around," Belle pointed out. Acknowledging that she could have chosen a better way of wording her previous statement, Claire clarified that she didn't want to leave Belle at that time because she felt like they hadn't been connecting lately, and she wanted to remedy that -- perhaps with a weekend shopping spree in Chicago.

Belle said she would have to take a rain check because she would be going out of town on a business trip that weekend. "Hmm. Maybe some other time...when you don't have business," Claire suggested, silently recalling Belle's earlier meeting with Philip. After promising to make up for her absence some other time, Belle headed to her bedroom to pack.

Once the coast was clear, Claire called her father and left a message for him. "Call me when you get this, okay? Mom's in really bad trouble. You need to get back to Salem right away," Claire stressed.

Nicole and Brady share a moment

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

by Spalding

As Victor scowled in his living room, Maggie urged him to open up about his brother, Deimos. Victor grumbled that the family he loved seemed to die while the family he hated flourished. Victor told Maggie that Deimos was his much younger brother from his father's second marriage. With a sigh, Victor explained that Deimos had seduced Victor's fiance, Helena, four days before his wedding and that Helena had left Victor to meet Deimos.

When Maggie asked what had happened, Victor explained that Helena had been found the next day at the bottom of a cliff and that Deimos had been imprisoned for her murder. Victor added that when Deimos had gone to prison, Victor had moved to America. Maggie asked Victor what he planned to do, and Victor said he wanted to get rid of Deimos.

In the park, Philip told Deimos that he needed more time to obtain the serum from Victor. Deimos urged Philip to work harder. When Philip shrugged, Deimos threatened to expose Philip's secrets to Victor. Philip agreed to get the serum. When Deimos demanded to have the serum in 24 hours, Philip begged for more time. Deimos refused.

At Claire's urging, Shawn called her to talk. When Shawn asked what was wrong, a frantic Claire pleaded with her father to return to Salem. Belle entered the living room with a packed suitcase, and she was concerned to overhear Claire's phone call. Claire lied and said she was worried about a geometry test. On the phone, Shawn asked if Belle had walked in the room. Claire said yes and that she would talk to Shawn later. After Claire hung up the phone, Belle asked Claire if she was really upset about math. Claire said she was upset that Belle was going to Vegas with Philip.

Belle explained that Titan was interested in adding to their legal department and that she was going to see about a job possibility. Belle kissed her daughter goodbye and left. Upset, Claire called her father on the phone and was annoyed when he failed to answer the call.

When Belle arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, she found a silent Victor pacing the room. Victor asked Belle about the trip to Vegas and about her husband. Overhearing the conversation, Philip stopped in the foyer and listened to hear Belle's response about Shawn. Belle said that Shawn had dumped her. After a moment, Philip made his grand entrance and said hello. Victor asked to speak to Philip privately, so Victor and Philip ducked into the foyer to talk.

Victor warned Philip that Belle was still married. When Philip shrugged, Victor asked Philip why he had returned to town. Philip swore that he was in Salem to build up Titan and that his trip to Vegas was for business. Peeking around the doorway at Belle, Philip whispered, "Belle is the one that got away. If she comes back, I'm happy at home, even better at work."

"Eye on the ball," Victor said. "I'm not Brady. I won't forget what matters," Philip said, then left with Belle. Once Philip and Belle were gone, Victor thought about his last conversation with Helena. In his memory, Helena begged Victor to stop.

At Club TBD, Kate called Theresa at the hospital. Kate asked Theresa to get Nicole and meet her at Club TBD. Theresa said she would meet Kate as soon as possible but that she did not know if Nicole would be able to join them.

In his hospital room, Brady slept fitfully and dreamed of Daniel and Nicole kissing on Daniel's couch. Brady woke with a start, calling out Nicole's name. From the doorway, Theresa asked Brady why he had called out Nicole's name. Brady said he had been having strange dreams about Nicole. Shaking his head, Brady said he was concerned. Theresa said she was worried about Nicole but that she wanted to give her space. Brady agreed. As Theresa started to leave to meet Kate, Brady asked Theresa to send Marlena to talk to him.

Concerned, Theresa asked Brady if he was okay. Brady admitted that he was experiencing a lot of strange feelings and emotions and that he was hoping Marlena could help him deal with everything. Theresa nodded. After leaving Brady, Theresa stopped by the nurses' station to ask Fynn about Brady's recovery. Confused, Fynn noted that Victor had ordered all the necessary equipment for Brady's recovery already. Theresa stressed that she and Tate were the best thing for Brady. Theresa suggested that Fynn not take orders from Victor.

In her apartment, Nicole watched videos of her with Daniel, and she smiled sadly. Nicole guzzled a bottle of wine. A vision of Nicole appeared in the living room and chastised Nicole for drinking wine. When a drunk Nicole told the vision to shut up, the vision ordered Nicole to be the person that Daniel had fallen in love with. Vision Nicole warned Nicole not to drink herself to death. Crying, real Nicole said that she had finally found happiness with Daniel and that she would not find it again. Vision Nicole yelled at real Nicole to live her life to honor Daniel.

"There's no point in living? Do you think this is the worst thing that has ever happened to you in your entire life?" Vision Nicole asked. Nicole nodded. Vision Nicole reminded Nicole that she had lost and buried two children. Nicole covered her head. Vision Nicole told Nicole that she was the part of Nicole that refused to give up. Vision Nicole added that Daniel had fallen in love with Nicole because she was a strong and resilient woman. As Nicole knocked back more wine, Vision Nicole reminded her how good she had been with Parker when he had refused to leave Daniel's apartment. Nicole muttered that no one needed her. Theresa knocked on the apartment door and begged Nicole to open up.

"We need you," Theresa said. "What's it going to take? Skywriting?" Vision Nicole retorted. As Nicole cowered on the couch, she listened as Theresa pleaded for Nicole to help her and Kate get Basic Black on its feet. "It just doesn't work without you," Theresa said. When Nicole remained quiet, Theresa asked Nicole to at least tell her that she was okay. Theresa banged harder on the door. When Nicole failed to answer, Theresa reluctantly left. Vision Nicole asked Nicole what Daniel would do. Sniffling, Nicole went into the bathroom to clean up.

In her hotel room, Ava groaned about Kayla's interference with her plan. Searching through the purse she had taken from Kayla after knocking her unconscious, Ava opened a letter from inside the bag and read it. The letter was a summons for Kayla to appear before a medical board about the unorthodox organ transplant that had occurred at Salem Hospital. Ava laughed. With a grin, Ava sent a text to Joey and Steve, using Kayla's phone. The text stated that Kayla would be unreachable for a few days while she was out of town.

At Steve and Kayla's house, Steve read the text from Kayla's phone. Shaking his head, Steve called Kayla's phone and left a voicemail to wish her luck. Steve was still upset about Ava's connection to Joey, so he went over to Ava's hotel room and confronted her. When Steve asked about Ava's meeting with Kayla, Ava nodded. Ava lied and said that she had talked to Kayla and then Kayla had said she was leaving town. Steve nodded.

Steve warned Ava to stay away from Joey. Shaking her head, Ava asked why it was a bad thing to reunite Steve with Kayla. Growling, Steve turned to leave. Ava begged Steve to talk to her. When Ava asked Steve if he would still help her find their son, Steve noted that he could not trust Ava. Ava handed Steve an envelope with all the information she had learned about their son, and she told Steve that he could do what he wanted with the information.

In Marlena's office, Marlena and John talked about Eric's legal problems. Marlena confided that she had considered ushering Eric out of the country, but she had reconsidered because she knew Eric would want to take responsibility for his actions. John's phone beeped. When Marlena asked about the text message, John explained that the message was an address for his birth mother. John added that he had spoken to his birth mother on the phone and that he was unsure whether the woman was his real mother.

When Marlena asked about the address, John said that the woman was in New Orleans and that he would need a couple of days to travel and meet the woman. Marlena was concerned that Eduardo had been the one with the information that John had needed. With a shrug, John explained that Eduardo had told the agency that John had no interest in exposing the Winterthorne program and that John was only interested in learning about his parents. Marlena urged John to go to New Orleans and to be careful. Smiling, John thanked Marlena and hugged her tightly.

After Theresa texted her, Marlena walked down the hall to talk to Brady. Brady confided that he had been having dreams about Nicole. Brady asked Marlena how to make the memories stop. Nodding, Marlena said the feelings were normal and that the dreams would fade. When Brady expressed his concern, Marlena suggested that the feelings were Brady's way of keeping Daniel alive. Brady nodded. Marlena counseled Brady to fight the feelings if he wanted them to stop, but she added that it would take time for Brady to let go.

Later, as Brady slept in his bed, Nicole stopped by for a visit. Nicole gently placed her hand over Brady's heart, and she cried. A groggy Brady woke up, and Nicole pulled her hand away. Brady told Nicole that he understood why she had wanted to touch his heart. Smiling, Nicole asked Brady how he was feeling. Brady smiled. Fynn entered the room and informed Brady that he was ready to take his first walk. After Fynn left, Nicole expressed her surprise at Brady's quick recovery. Brady said that walking was good for the heart.

"Daniel's heart. For your recovery," Nicole said. Brady took Nicole's hand. Fighting tears, Brady started to talk about Daniel, but Nicole cut Brady off. Nicole said that Daniel would have wanted to save Brady and that it was like a part of Daniel was still alive. Gasping with emotion, Brady said that he was having vivid dreams and feelings. Brady pulled Nicole's hand to his chest and rested it over his heart. Brady then touched Nicole's cheek.

Nicole leaned forward and placed her ear against Brady's chest. With tears in his eyes, Brady caressed Nicole's head. As Brady closed his eyes, Theresa opened the doorway and saw Brady holding Nicole.

In the town square, Claire was looking at her phone as Shawn met with her. Claire hugged her father fiercely. When Shawn asked what was wrong, Claire explained that Belle had gone to Vegas with Philip. Claire stressed that Belle was acting strangely, and she begged Shawn to save Belle from herself. In Vegas, Philip escorted Belle to her hotel room. When Philip asked Belle what she wanted to do, Belle grabbed him and kissed him passionately.

In New Orleans, John met with Maude, who claimed to be his mother. John asked Maude if she could prove that they were related. Maude noted that John had a birth mark near his knee. Nodding, John asked Maude about his family.

Andre believes that Hope killed Stefano

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

by ChickenGrrl

In New Orleans, John visited Maude, the woman who was purportedly his mother. Maude placed a tray of tea on the side table between them and noted that John reminded her of his father. John began asking her questions in rapid succession about his father, but he finally slowed down and asked Maude to tell him the whole story from the beginning. Maude began, "You were born in Baton Rouge. I named you John Robicheaux."

Maude produced a small chest-shaped box and presented it to John. He opened it and found a Distinguished Cross and a Purple Heart. Maude revealed that John's father had died in the Korean War three weeks before John's birth. As John wiped away tears, Maude related how tight money had been, and after John's father had died, she hadn't been able to both work and take care of John. She'd sold many things at auction, where she'd met a wealthy couple, and the young woman had fallen in love with John.

Maude had known that, with the couple, John would never have wanted for anything; she had given John up so that they could both survive. Confused, John pointed out that the Alamains had adopted him from an orphanage. Maude explained that the young couple had been killed in a car accident, and their relatives had gotten John's adoption nullified and had put him in an orphanage because they hadn't wanted him to be the sole heir to the couple's money. The Alamains had found John there, and he'd grown up with them. "I was with them...until I died," John said in a whisper, to Maude's dismay.

John elaborated that the Alamains had faked his death by drowning and had sent him away to school, though he didn't think he should divulge its true purpose to Maude. An emotional Maude exclaimed, "Oh, son, I'm so sorry! I only tried to do right by you." She maintained that the couple who'd adopted John would have given him a great life if they'd lived, and she was sure the Alamains would have, as well. "It's just devastating," Maude cried.

John noted that he finally had answers to what he'd long been searching for. As he prepared to leave, he reached to place his cup on the table but missed. "You drugged me," John whispered before tumbling limply to the floor. Upset, Maude cried out, covering her mouth with a hand.

In Horton Square, Claire pleaded with her dad to fight for her mom. "She shouldn't be with Philip Kiriakis!" Claire asserted. Shawn gently told his daughter that he and Belle hadn't been close for a long while, and a lot of it had been his fault. "She loves you, Dad," Claire insisted. Shawn assured Claire that he loved Belle, as well, but sometimes that wasn't enough. Claire pleaded with Shawn not to let Philip take Belle away.

Shawn suggested that perhaps Belle had merely gone away with Philip because he was helping her to start her new law practice. Claire insisted, "I hear her crying at night when she's alone in her room, when she thinks that nobody hears. She really misses you." She implored Shawn to call Belle -- in case it was his last chance.

As Philip and Belle arrived in their Las Vegas hotel room, Belle grabbed Philip by the tie and kissed him. Although Belle clearly wanted to have sex, Philip suggested they play blackjack instead. Soon the two were half-dressed and in the midst of a game of "strip" blackjack. When Philip lost a hand, Belle ordered him to take off his briefs. Although he pretended to protest, Philip complied. Belle playfully shoved him onto the bed and crawled on top of him.

Afterward, Philip remarked that Belle was more grown-up and more playful than she'd been before. They discussed the future, and Philip admitted that he'd never dreamed about running Titan -- but his father had a tendency to second-guess all of Philip's decisions. Belle thought that included her, but Philip reassured her that Victor liked her -- and Philip wanted her. Belle and Philip were about to have sex again when he remembered his meeting and dragged himself away.

While Philip was showering, Shawn called Belle to tell her that he was in Salem and wanted to see her. Belle reminded him that he'd filed divorce papers, but Shawn admitted that he'd made a mistake because he still loved Belle. "I don't want us to end," Shawn added. He urged Belle to return to Salem so they could work things out.

Belle snapped that Shawn had wasted a trip, but Shawn said he'd wait until Belle returned to town. "Do whatever you want, Shawn. Stay, go -- it has nothing to do with you, just like, as long as Claire is safe, where I am has nothing to do with you," Belle contended. Shawn reiterated that he would be waiting for Belle when she returned, and she agreed that they would talk then.

After Belle hung up, Philip emerged from the bathroom and suggested that perhaps she wasn't as over Shawn as she'd thought. Belle maintained that she really was over Shawn, but he'd caught her off guard. Declaring that she had more important things to focus on than Shawn, Belle grabbed Philip and kissed him voraciously.

Shawn joined Claire again and informed her that he and Belle planned to talk when she got back to Salem. He asked Claire how school was going. She told her dad that she really liked the singing program -- and that her vocal coach had arranged an audition for Claire at Juilliard. Shawn was thrilled for his daughter, but Claire wasn't sure she should go to the audition because of her mom.

Clasping Claire's hands in his, Shawn reassured her that her parents were adults who could take care of themselves. Shawn asserted that Juilliard would be an incredible opportunity for Claire. She fretted that the other students would be more driven than she was and that she wouldn't be able to cut it. "Claire, you have a gift, all right? If they take you, that means that you've got what it takes... You can do this!" Shawn declared encouragingly. Claire was worried that something could go wrong at home, but Shawn was optimistic that things would soon turn around -- for all of them.

An anxious Abigail arrived at the hospital, where Chad informed her that her mom's back had seized up while he'd been with her. Fynn escorted Jennifer out to the waiting area and advised Abigail that her mom would be in pain until the muscle relaxer had taken effect. Fynn explained that there was inflammation around Jennifer's lower vertebrae, and there could have been serious damage if Chad hadn't taken her to the hospital when he had.

Jennifer smiled as she watched Abigail throw her arms gratefully around Chad. Fynn gave Jennifer a referral for physical therapy and a prescription for the muscle relaxer. He urged Jennifer to wear her back brace and take it easy. After Fynn left, Abigail and Jennifer thanked Chad, and Jennifer embraced him.

Chad took Jennifer and Abigail home, and Jennifer thanked him again before heading inside. Abigail and Chad celebrated the needle moving closer to Jennifer's full acceptance of him. An ecstatic Chad kissed Abigail. He said all he had to do before the two of them could live happily ever after with Thomas was to find a place for them to live. Chad left to meet with a real estate broker.

At the DiMera mansion, a distressed Andre paced around the study, finally alighting in the desk chair. His eyes fell on the figurine of a woman with long hair that spilled down her back, and he picked it up and held it to his chest. As Andre caressed the piece, he turned it around and noticed something in the carved locks of hair. He put on his glasses to get a closer look then he grabbed his phone to snap a picture. Andre zoomed in on the photo and exclaimed quietly, "Blood."

Andre headed to the police station and found Rafe working in the interrogation room. Andre blamed Hope -- and her accomplice -- for his father's disappearance. "I've got real work to do," Rafe said and pointed Andre to the desk sergeant if he wanted to file a complaint. "Don't you want to see the evidence of foul play?" Andre asked impatiently, producing the photograph on his phone of what he maintained was Stefano's blood.

As Rafe inspected the photo, Andre angrily asserted that the lab where he was having the blood analyzed would determine that it was Stefano's blood. "And you and your partner know exactly where that came from," Andre snarled. Rafe reminded Andre that the mansion belonged to Stefano, who was a diabetic, so Stefano's DNA and probably even some blood would have been everywhere.

Andre pointed out that the blood had been on a piece of art, nowhere near the master bathroom. "It certainly doesn't prove that Hope Brady is guilty of anything," Rafe noted. "She chose well, assuming it's you -- Hope's co-conspirator. She's not worth saving, detective," Andre remarked as he left. Lani watched the exchange with quiet interest and perhaps suspicion.

In Horton Square later, Andre concluded a phone call with, "You'll get your check soon." He spotted Chad striding across the square and hurried over to his brother. Chad tried to brush past Andre, who urged Chad to give him a moment. Andre declared, "Our father is dead... I have proof. Hope Brady killed Stefano. The question is now -- what are we going to do about it?"

When Roman arrived at the Horton house, he almost immediately asked Hope when she intended to return to work. Hope admitted that she wasn't sure if she would return to the police force, since what she'd been through had been too much all at once -- plus Ciara and Chase needed her. A skeptical Roman asked Hope if there were anything she needed to talk to him about. Hope assured Roman that everything was fine. "We have been through the wars together, haven't we?" Roman remarked thoughtfully. Touched, Hope put her arms around him, quietly agreeing, "We have. I'd trust you with anything."

Just as Roman was urging Hope to trust him and talk to him, Rafe banged on the front door. Roman said goodbye to Hope and headed out. Rafe told Hope about the blood that Andre had found. Horrified that they'd left blood at the scene, Hope flipped out. She became nearly hysterical over the idea of getting caught, but Rafe managed to talk her down.

When Rafe learned of Hope's intention to quit, he urged her to take a leave instead, because quitting would set off alarms. "I can't even think about being a cop right now after what I did," Hope said softly, her brows knitting in disgrace at the memory. Rafe reminded her, "What we did. You're not in this alone." Hope expressed her gratitude. As Rafe moved intimately close, he quietly reassured Hope, "I'm here for you -- through this, through everything." Hope's eyes met his, and she looked up at him for a long moment.

Eric slept fitfully in his hospital room, his dreams filled with memories of the night of the accident that had taken Daniel's life. When Eric awakened, he yanked the cannula out of his nose and the wires and tubes from his arms before turning off the alarms on his monitor.

Fynn entered the room later to check on Eric, but Eric's bed was empty. Meanwhile, Eric had wandered down to the morgue in his hospital gown. He looked at the bodies laid out in their zippered body bags and searched the toe tags until he found Daniel's. In a voice heavy with anguish, Eric expressed his wish that he could trade places with Daniel.

"So many people need you, love you. I put holes in their lives, too," Eric lamented, his lower lip trembling. He placed his hand on Daniel's body and broke down in tortured sobs. Eric wondered how he had become the man he'd been who had gotten behind the wheel that night. He vowed to find a way to make it right.

When Roman arrived at the hospital, Fynn informed him that Eric had left his room, and the staff was searching for him. Eric shambled up just then. As Fynn got Eric settled back in bed, Eric apologized if he'd scared anyone.

After Fynn left, Roman guessed that Eric had gone to the morgue to see Daniel. "I had to. But how do you apologize to the man you killed with your stupidity and make it right? There's nothing that can make it right," Eric said miserably. He mumbled that he had to face what he'd done. Roman acknowledged that his son was right but asserted that Eric had to get well first. Eric said, "Dad, when I get released from here, you're going to have to arrest me. I'm ready."

John makes a bold decision

Thursday, January 21, 2016

by Mike

At Hope's house, Hope and Rafe found themselves close to kissing but separated before letting things progress that far. As Rafe and Hope began apologizing to each other for getting caught up in the moment, Ciara entered the house, prompting them to further distance themselves from each other. Rafe rushed off after happily informing Ciara that the charges against Hope had been dropped.

Having picked up on the tension, Ciara asked if Hope was falling for Rafe. Hope laughed off the idea, insisting that she wasn't ready to fall in love again yet -- and she might never be ready. Ciara suggested that Rafe might not be on the same page, but Hope dismissed the idea, insisting that Ciara had just picked up a weird vibe from Rafe because she had returned home moments after he had learned that Hope wasn't going to be returning to the police force. Hope acknowledged that her quest for vengeance had been unhealthy, and she vowed that she was no longer going to put that or anything else ahead of her responsibilities to Ciara and Chase.

Ciara was concerned that Hope might turn into a "helicopter mom" if she no longer had a regular job to focus on, but Hope promised that wouldn't happen unless Ciara gave her a reason to turn into that kind of mother. Hope conceded, however, that she could pursue a hobby in some of her newfound spare time. Ciara quickly suggested cooking, and she agreed when Hope proposed that they could learn together.

Ciara went to get some takeout food, and while she was gone, Hope thought about how Rafe had helped her cover up Stefano's murder. When Ciara returned with the food, she announced that Chase was going to be a bit late because his coach was making him run extra laps. As she and Hope began to eat, Ciara added that Chase had been having a rough time at school lately because he felt like he needed to prove to everyone that he was nothing like his father. Changing the subject, Ciara asked if she could invite a few friends over to hang out for a while the following night -- without parental supervision -- and Hope cautiously agreed.

Rafe entered Club TBD and ordered a beer. Eduardo offered to pay for it, and Rafe accepted the offer and even agreed to take a seat at Eduardo's table. Eduardo could tell that something was bothering Rafe, and he wondered if Rafe wanted to talk about it. Rafe declined, but Eduardo found it promising that Rafe had at least not told him to "go to hell" yet. Rafe said he had decided that Eduardo wasn't worth the fight, since it was clear that Eduardo wasn't going to leave Salem, even though Rafe still wished Eduardo would do just that. Rafe vaguely added that he had bigger battles to fight.

"Yeah, the ones you don't want to talk about," Eduardo guessed. Rafe pointed out that Eduardo hadn't exactly shared much information about his life, and Eduardo conceded the point, explaining that he didn't like to talk about his past much because he was ashamed of it. "Sounds like a man who's hiding something," Rafe observed. Eduardo confirmed that he had done some things that he wasn't comfortable talking about, and he guessed that Rafe could relate to that feeling. Nodding, Rafe admitted that he had some secrets he would prefer to keep buried.

Rafe wondered if Eduardo could at least explain why he had walked out on the Hernandez family years earlier. Rafe assumed that Eduardo had left because he had stopped loving Mrs. Hernandez -- Adriana -- or because the Hernandez kids had driven him crazy, but Eduardo insisted that he had loved all of them very much. Eduardo explained that he had simply been a lost young man back then -- one who'd had a sick sense of machismo. "So, leaving us was macho?" Rafe asked. "No, it was the biggest mistake of my life," Eduardo replied, prompting Rafe to point out that Eduardo had repeated the mistake with Eve and Paige.

Unsatisfied with Eduardo's responses, Rafe started to leave, but Eduardo stopped him and wondered if Adriana had ever talked to him about how they had met each other. Rafe recalled that Adriana had once mentioned that she and Eduardo had met at a gallery exhibit. Nodding, Eduardo began talking fondly about Adriana. Rafe listened for a minute or two then uncomfortably excused himself.

Rafe tried to get Eduardo to let him pay for the drinks himself, but Eduardo insisted on covering the cost. Eduardo suggested that Rafe could pay the next time they shared a few beers together, hoping that there would indeed be a next time. "One day at a time, okay?" Rafe noncommittally replied before walking away. Later, Rafe thought about the moment he had shared with Hope earlier. "It didn't mean anything," Rafe quietly muttered. Meanwhile, Hope started to dial Rafe's phone number but changed her mind before initiating the call.

While Kate was criticizing various aspects of a Basic Black photo shoot that she and Theresa were overseeing, Nicole arrived to help out. Theresa suggested a new approach for the photo shoot, and Kate actually agreed to try it, prompting Nicole to stress that Kate didn't have to start acting nice on her account. "I wouldn't dream of it," Kate assured Nicole.

The photographer began taking pictures of Gabi and Paul again, and Nicole offered occasional suggestions. J.J. soon arrived and lingered in the doorway, quietly watching as the photo shoot continued. Kate eventually suggested taking a quick break, and Theresa seized the opportunity to ask if Nicole was sure she was ready to return to work. Nicole said she wasn't ready but knew that Daniel would want her to move on with her life.

Meanwhile, Paul approached J.J. and Gabi and asked if they would mind hanging out with him and the photographer, Jacob, later. Paul explained that Jacob had asked him out, and he didn't want to turn Jacob down because he had to work with the guy, but he wasn't sure the date would go well, so he wanted some backup in case he needed to make a hasty exit. J.J. and Gabi assured Paul that they would be happy to help him out.

After the photo shoot ended, Kate admitted that it had gone well, and she assured Theresa that one of the pictures would be featured on the front cover of a fashion magazine. Nicole seemed a bit distant, so Kate left to give Theresa a chance to talk to Nicole privately. Nicole revealed that she had visited Brady earlier, and Theresa admitted that she had seen Nicole and Brady together but hadn't said anything because it had looked like they had been having a moment, and she hadn't wanted to interrupt it.

Nicole said that seeing Brady -- and knowing that he had Daniel's heart inside his chest -- had been really intense. Theresa assured Nicole that the whole situation had been really intense for Brady, too. Theresa guessed that Brady felt guilty about having Daniel's heart, and Nicole stressed that she didn't want him to feel that way because she was grateful that she still had him in her life.

Theresa asked if it was true that Nicole and Brady had once dated. "Eons ago," Nicole replied with a shrug. Theresa wondered if Brady had told Nicole that he had been having dreams about her. Nicole asked for more details, but Theresa backpedaled and admitted that she shouldn't have said anything because the subject was probably really hard for Nicole to talk about. Nicole insisted that she didn't want people to be afraid to talk to her about Daniel because not talking about him would kill her, since all she had left of him was his memory -- and the comfort of knowing that a part of him was still alive inside Brady.

At the Horton Town Square, Jacob went to throw some trash away, and Gabi seized the opportunity to ask if Paul needed her and J.J. to stick around any longer, since they had somewhere else they needed to be. Paul thanked Gabi and J.J. for their help and confirmed that he would be fine without them for the rest of the night. Gabi and J.J. rushed off, and Paul tried to excuse himself when Jacob returned, but Jacob convinced Paul to accompany him to a party instead.

Elsewhere, J.J. wondered why Gabi had told Paul that they had somewhere else they needed to be. Gabi said she had gotten the impression that J.J. had been bored. J.J. tried to deny the suspicion, but Gabi assured him that it was okay because she had been bored, too. Gabi also revealed that she had spent most of the night thinking about kissing J.J., and she proceeded to do just that.

A man entered Maude's living room and approached John's motionless body as he told Maude to give him some time alone with her son. "She's not going anywhere, and neither are you, you son of a bitch," John said, grabbing the man's tie and pointing a gun at his throat. John explained that he had never actually consumed the tea Maude had given him because he had detected the scent of the drug it had been spiked with.

Maude assured John that everything she had told him earlier had been true, and she insisted that, while she hadn't wanted to betray him, she hadn't exactly been given a choice in the matter. The man stressed that his organization didn't want John dead. "What do you want?" John angrily demanded to know. "We just want you to come home," the man replied.

John insisted that he wasn't going to go anywhere with the man, who countered that John wasn't the first person who had ever tried to leave the organization -- but, in the past, John had been the one who had persuaded his classmates to reconsider when they had gotten the urge to run away. Realizing that he wasn't getting through to the man, John decided to communicate with violence -- the only language the man seemed to understand.

Maude gasped as John struck the man's head with the butt of his gun, knocking the man out. After using his cell phone to take a picture of the man's face, John told Maude that he didn't know if she was really his mother -- and he didn't care, either. "My whole adult life, I've had this ache -- I've had this emptiness, this longing -- just to know who I am and where I came from," John began to add, and when Maude tried to interrupt, he angrily insisted that she needed to hear him out because she owed him at least that much. "Now I know. Now, I know...that I never needed you at all," John concluded, pointing his gun at Maude.

Maude whimpered in fear, but John lowered the gun and said that she hadn't been worth worrying about for a single second, so he wasn't going to spend another minute thinking about her. John hoped that his father had been a good man, because he wanted to have at least that much to hang on to. Maude tearfully tried to stop John from leaving, insisting that she could still tell him much more about his father, but he snapped that he didn't want to hear another word from her. "And don't come after me, 'cause I don't ever want to see [your] face again," John added before walking away, taking his father's belongings with him.

Marlena was pleasantly surprised when John returned home much sooner than she had anticipated, but she quickly surmised that something was bothering him. John told Marlena about what had happened, and when she tried to suggest that Maude might have been lying about being his mother, he explained that he was pretty sure that part was true because the man had referred to him as Maude's son at one point -- and, at that time, the man and Maude had both been under the impression that he had been rendered unconscious.

Marlena wondered what the organization had planned to do with John. "Kidnap me [and] turn me into a killer again," John guessed. John admitted that he had walked into Maude's living room, hoping for the best but expecting the worst, and he was lucky that the organization had trained him well, because that training was what had kept him from falling for their trap. Marlena feared that the organization might go after John again. "Let 'em come. Now I know I'm ready," John said with a shrug.

John wondered if he had chosen his first name years earlier because he had known, somewhere deep down inside, that it really was his first name. John told Marlena that he needed to know who had changed his identity, prompting her to wonder what he hoped to gain from that knowledge. "I'm not the only one this has happened to. This has been going on my whole life, and it needs to stop. I need to be the one to stop it," John explained. Marlena thought that was an admirable goal but wondered what would happen if the organization found out about it. "I'm already on their hit list, so I might as well see this through to the end," John reasoned.

Later, John met with Eduardo at Club TBD and told him about what had happened. John showed Eduardo the picture of the man from the organization, and Eduardo identified him as Vadim Constantine -- "a bad son of a bitch." Eduardo told John that there weren't many people who had managed to walk away from an encounter with Vadim in one piece. "If you've humiliated the master teacher, he will come after you with all he's got," Eduardo warned. "Well, that's exactly what I'm counting on," John replied.

Andre gets closer to uncovering the truth

Friday, January 22, 2016

by ChickenGrrl

Belle returned to the Las Vegas hotel room she was sharing with Philip and nonchalantly informed him that she'd lost at blackjack but had charged the chips to their room -- which meant that Victor would foot the bill for her gambling loss. Philip suggested that he and Belle extend their trip for a little while -- or longer -- instead of returning to Salem. Belle reminded him that she had a daughter in Salem.

Philip said it had been a long time since he'd felt as good as he had with Belle during their stay, and it had been very freeing to forget about everything but their next kiss. He acknowledged that a future with Belle was unlikely, but he still wanted her to try to envision a "new and exciting life" with him. He began to kiss her, but she pushed him away gently, explaining that she wasn't ready for that. Philip thought it had been destiny that he'd returned to Salem just as she'd become free.

Belle said she didn't believe in destiny or that there was just one person for everyone, because if she had, she wouldn't have made the mistakes that she had with Shawn. She continued that there had been an "emptiness" to her marriage with Shawn, and she'd turned away from him to fill that emptiness. When Philip suggested that he, not Shawn, was the right one for Belle, she reminded him that they had an early flight and still needed to pack.

The next morning, Philip escorted Belle back to John and Marlena's townhouse. Belle reassured Philip that her parents were already gone, so he gave her a passionate kiss. They agreed that they'd had a good time in Las Vegas. After Philip left, Belle giggled and blushed like a schoolgirl with a crush. A moment later, there was a knock at the door, and Belle was surprised and disappointed when she answered and found Shawn instead of Philip in the hall. "You said we could talk," Shawn reminded her.

Belle stammered in disbelief, "Were you parked outside, waiting for me?" Shawn wanted to know why Belle had gone back to Philip, "of all people." Belle countered that Shawn had given up on the two of them and had filed for divorce, and he hadn't wanted to discuss reconciliation until she'd gone away with Philip. Shawn surprised Belle by taking responsibility for his part in the collapse of their marriage by abandoning her emotionally and causing her to search elsewhere for what had been missing between them, while in the hallway, Philip scowled.

Shawn added that he hoped he and Belle could make a new start. Belle admitted that she didn't know what she wanted. "Is this about Philip? Am I wasting my time here?" Shawn demanded. His sudden flash of anger obviously triggered something in Belle, who made an excuse about needing a nap but tried to hide her feelings. After Shawn left, Belle scoffed and shook her head in anger and frustration.

When Philip returned to the Kiriakis mansion, Victor chastised him for being tardy to a couple of meetings and blamed it on Belle. Philip became defensive, asserting that he had done everything Victor had asked for and more, yet it still didn't seem to be enough for Victor. "Have I failed you somehow, Father? Have I given you some reason to doubt me and my loyalty to you?" Philip asked.

With a sigh, Victor admitted that he was upset because of Bo's death followed so quickly by Daniel's, and to add insult to injury, his brother Deimos had returned when Victor had thought he'd gotten rid of Deimos for good. Victor reassured his son, "I don't doubt you at all, Philip. I know that you're loyal, and that's very important to me. What I need right now is for you to keep your eye on the Titan ball, especially since Deimos is back in town. We're going to have to be extra careful." On his way out of the room, Victor produced the paperwork for a deal he'd been working on and handed it to Philip.

Philip headed to the park outside Horton Square to meet Deimos. "I want out," Philip declared. Deimos cautioned Philip, "There's no 'out' here. You're in this till the end. You and I are going to take down my brother -- your father -- and we're doing this together." Meanwhile, Victor advised someone on the phone that he was stepping back and putting Philip in charge. "He has my complete faith," Victor added.

In the DiMera study, Andre tried to convince a skeptical Chad that Hope had done something to Stefano. He showed Chad the back of the figurine with the drop of blood -- which testing had revealed to be Stefano's. While Chad examined the little statue, Andre asserted that the two of them owed it to their father to find out what had happened to him. Chad irritably pointed out, "For God's sake, it's not like this is the first time Stefano DiMera's blood has been spilled in this room, and I'm sure it will not be the last."

Chad tossed the figurine to Andre, who caught it handily but gingerly. "You'd prefer it if our...if my father was dead, wouldn't you?" Andre mused. Exasperated, Chad headed for the door, but Andre stopped him by pointing out that Hope blamed Stefano for Bo's death and had been bent on revenge. Chad reminded Andre that Hope was a cop. Andre argued that Hope had obviously reached her breaking point.

Andre recounted all the seemingly flimsy evidence to support his theory that Hope had done something to, or possibly even killed, Stefano, such as the blood on the statue, the out-of-place chess piece, and how Stefano had allegedly chartered a plane from a company he'd never used before. Chad shouted that none of that proved Andre's "insane" theory. "Father is alive, damn it! Okay? He's coming back," Chad contended, his voice trembling. He stalked out of the room, but the doubt on his face was clear.

At the Horton house, Jennifer and Abigail were snuggled under an afghan and drinking hot tea as they binge-watched some television. As she was about to head upstairs, Jennifer admitted that she was still having spasms in her back, and Abigail suggested that her mom should take another pain pill. Jennifer unconvincingly assured Abigail that she would do so.

After Jennifer headed upstairs, Chad phoned Abigail, who said she'd been looking online at houses. Chad declined her invitation to join her because he had to "take care of something."

On the sofa at the Brady house, Hope was ostensibly reading a murder mystery while Ciara studied. Ciara observed, "You've been on the same page for hours. I'm all the way through the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette still had her head when you started." Ciara wondered if her mom were still thinking about Rafe. Hope changed the subject and reminded Ciara that she still needed to invite the other kids to the following night's get-together.

After Ciara went upstairs, Hope tried to watch TV, but the noises of shouting and gunfire caused her to immediately turn it off again. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door, and a surprised Hope answered it after peering through the window and seeing Chad on the porch. Chad warned Hope that Andre was gunning for her because he was convinced that she'd killed Stefano. "Andre's digging for proof, and as we both know, he doesn't need an airtight case to seek revenge," Chad pointed out.

Chad added that he would run interference for Hope if she could tell him that she hadn't had anything to do with Stefano's disappearance. Hope laughed and assured Chad that Andre's suspicions were baseless. As Chad left, he urged Hope to be careful.

Ciara returned from upstairs just then and admitted that she'd overheard some of Chad and Hope's conversation. Hope succinctly filled Ciara in that Andre blamed Hope for Stefano's disappearance. Ciara edgily asked how scared she should be, but Hope promised that nothing would happen to their family.

As Hope dozed in a chair, Stefano's hateful words from their final conversation, as well as the crack of her gunshot when she'd fired at him, echoed in her head. She awoke with a start, and, despite her relief that it had only been a dream, looked around the room apprehensively.

Andre sat at the chessboard, pensively staring at the pieces laid out on it. After he moved the black knight to take the white queen, he held up the queen and gazed at it, turning it around between his fingers.

Meanwhile, Chad slept fitfully, tossing and turning as his brain replayed snippets of separate conversations with Andre, Stefano, and Hope, before and after Stefano's disappearance.

The next morning, Chad arrived at the Horton house to pick Abigail up so they could go house-hunting. Jennifer joined them, cheerful but still in some pain. Chad and Abigail offered to go out and get Jennifer some breakfast and coffee, and Jennifer happily accepted. Outside, Abigail asked Chad if everything were okay with him, since he'd seemed distant the previous night and that morning. Chad assured her that everything was all right.

As Chad and Abigail waited at Club TBD, they looked at house flyers. Abigail noticed that Chad wasn't listening and asked what was going on. With a laugh, Chad admitted that Andre was convinced that Hope had gone after and possibly killed Stefano. Abigail guessed it was a ruse to draw Chad back into the family. Chad noted that his father had disappeared before but had always returned.

Jennifer carefully stooped to put something in Thomas' crib but winced in pain. She picked up a bottle of aspirin but rejected it in favor of half a pain pill.

Hope was still asleep in the chair when Chase and Ciara headed downstairs to go to school. Ciara sent Chase ahead because she needed to talk to her mom. When Chase left, Ciara lightly touched Hope on the arm, and Hope awoke with a frightened gasp. Ciara observed that her mom was on "high alert." Hope admitted that she'd realized it would be best if Ciara and Chase went to stay with Hope's Aunt Marie for a while. Ciara refused to go anywhere without Hope, so Hope agreed that the three of them would go.

"And Rafe. I want him to come with us," Ciara said, explaining that Hope seemed happier when Rafe was around. Hope gently refused, asserting that her only concern was protecting Ciara and Chase. As soon as Hope headed upstairs, Ciara called Rafe and invited him over, explaining that she and her mom needed to talk to him right away.

Andre instructed a DiMera henchman to search Paris high and low for Stefano. Andre returned to the study and asked two other lackeys about Chad and Rafe. They reported on Chad's short visit to Hope and on Rafe's behavior, which had only been a little out of the ordinary. One of the henchmen remarked that they hadn't been paid in a couple of weeks, but Andre growled that he didn't want to discuss it. The other minion described how Rafe had taken a route on his way home from work that had taken an additional half hour and had paused briefly around mile marker 15 before continuing on.

After the men had gone, Andre did some quick research on his tablet and determined that there was an abandoned warehouse at mile marker 15. "Okay, Rafe. What the hell are you hiding?" Andre wondered aloud.

Soon, Andre arrived at the warehouse, wearing a hardhat and fluorescent yellow reflective vest. He used a flashlight to descend the stairs to the basement and began to look around.

When Chad and Abigail returned to deliver Jennifer's coffee and breakfast, Jennifer admitted that she'd taken half a pill, but it hadn't taken effect yet. Abigail went into the kitchen with Jennifer, leaving Chad to watch over Thomas. Seconds after the door had closed behind Jennifer, Andre called Chad and ordered him to get to the warehouse immediately. When Chad tried to refuse, Andre bellowed, "Get your ass over here!"

As Andre continued searching, his flashlight beam landed on the pile of rubble under which Rafe and Hope had buried Stefano.