Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 28, 2017 on DAYS

Lucas awoke in bed with a dead Anjelica. Hope and Rafe worked with Abe and Myron to expose Raines. Chad and Abigail, and Sonny and Paul planned a double wedding. John and Marlena worked on a plan to escape. Kayla confided in Valerie about Steve and Tripp. Brady ensured that Nicole was awarded custody of Holly. Gabi found herself in harm's way.

J.J. and Lani try to prove Abe's innocence

Monday, August 28, 2017

by Mike

After inadvertently disturbing J.J.'s slumber, Lani apologetically explained that she was having trouble sleeping because she was worried about Abe -- and furious with Eli.

J.J. struggled to understand why Eli was convinced, despite a distinct lack of solid evidence, that Abe -- perhaps the most stand-up person in all of Salem -- was not only involved in a counterfeiting operation but had also conspired to commit murder in an effort to cover his tracks. "[Eli -- I mean], I'm not a fan of the guy, but I always thought that he was smart," J.J. mused.

Lani agreed that certain things about the case just didn't make sense, citing Hope and Rafe's willingness to dig up dirt against an old friend as another notable oddity. "Maybe we should do some digging of our own," J.J. suggested. Lani reminded J.J. that Commissioner Raines had ordered them both to stay out of the investigation. "[We'd] be breaking the rules," Lani continued.

"That's never stopped me before," J.J. countered with a shrug, adding that he was willing to do whatever it took to prove Abe's innocence. Recalling that one of Dario's known accomplices was still in Salem, J.J. wondered if Lani felt like paying Myron a visit. Lani pointed out that the IT expert had already claimed that he didn't know anything about Dario's silent partner. Undeterred, J.J. suggested, "Let's see if we can help him remember."

Raines entered the police station and found that Hope and Rafe had released Abe from his holding cell and were preparing to question him. Furious, Raines demanded to know what was going on. As Rafe led Abe into one of the conference rooms, Hope quietly explained to Raines that the plan was to try to get Abe to let down his guard and open up to two old friends without an attorney present. "If we don't get something more on him by morning, he's walking, [so] it's worth a try, don't you think?" Hope added. "Suit yourself," Raines replied before rushing off, claiming that he had an errand to run.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Eli ran into Valerie, who immediately began lashing out at him. "It's not just Abe's life [that you've] turned upside down; I've got reporters camped outside my house and my office, ready to harass me any chance they get!" Valerie complained. Eli patiently reminded Valerie that he was simply doing his job, adding that it was nothing personal.

Meanwhile, Eli received a phone call from Hope, who informed him that Raines was on the move. After ending the call, Eli said an abrupt goodbye to Valerie, prompting her to guess that he was off to try to dig up more dirt on Abe. "Good luck with that. Justin Kiriakis is [Abe's] lawyer, and he's confident that Abe will be released in the morning," Valerie bragged. "Believe it or not, Mom, I really hope that [Justin's] right," Eli replied.

Eli soon caught up with Raines, who was on his way to Club TBD and had no idea that he was being tailed. Myron was working at the otherwise unoccupied club when Raines barged in and started questioning him. Myron insisted that he hadn't heard from Dario since the night of the hit-and-run incident, and he added that he hadn't known the identity of Dario's silent partner until the moment that Abe's arrest had gone viral.

While Eli was trying to eavesdrop from the entrance, J.J. and Lani approached the club. "You two have to leave! Now!" Eli quietly insisted.

Meanwhile, Raines ordered Myron to find evidence that linked Abe to the counterfeiting operation. Myron refused at first, insisting that he wasn't going to risk his immunity deal just to help Raines secure a Commissioner of the Year award; however, when Raines hinted that something bad might happen to Myron if he didn't cooperate, the IT expert quickly backpedaled, realizing that he was face-to-face with Dario's true silent partner.

Outside, J.J. and Lani told Eli that they weren't going to leave without first talking to Myron, adding that they didn't care about the risks associated with getting involved in the case. "[Eli], if you go in there and question Myron, he's gonna give you nothing but lies about Abe. But since I am not on this case, I [can] do whatever it takes to get the truth out of that little geek," J.J. reasoned, advancing toward the entrance. Eli grabbed J.J.'s arm and refused to let him go anywhere near Myron. "Get your hands off me!" J.J. snapped, shoving Eli away.

While J.J. and Eli were arguing, Lani sneaked into the club. Surprised to see that Myron was with Raines, Lani coolly claimed, when asked, that she was simply in search of a stiff drink. Myron quickly retreated to the back office as Raines demanded to know why Lani had chosen to toss back drinks at Club TBD, of all places -- a club that her father's partner owned. "That didn't really occur to me," Lani replied with a shrug.

Unconvinced, Raines reminded Lani that she wasn't allowed to work on Abe's case. Lani stuck to her story and assured Raines that she would find another place to drink if her presence at Club TBD was going to be an issue. Meanwhile, outside, J.J. continued arguing with Eli, who was refusing to let J.J. join Lani inside the club. "Lani's a smart cop. She's got good instincts. Let's just hope she figures out fast how to play this," Eli reasoned.

"Play what?" J.J. demanded to know, but Eli dodged the question. Still worried about Lani, J.J. tried again to enter the club, but Eli shoved him away and insisted, "[J.J.], you are a loose cannon! If I let you go in there, you're gonna blow this operation sky-high!" J.J. seemed like he was about to make the argument even more physical, but Lani emerged from the club just in time to stop him.

J.J. asked if Lani had managed to get anything out of Myron. "She'll explain later, all right? We need to get out of here -- fast!" Eli insisted. "He's right. Just do what he says," Lani told J.J.

J.J. followed Lani and Eli to a secluded section of the town square then started asking questions again. Lani explained that Raines had been in Club TBD with Myron. J.J. curiously wondered why Eli had been skulking around outside the club instead of helping Raines question Myron. Lani admitted that she had been wondering the same thing. Eli told J.J. and Lani that it was none of their business.

Undeterred, J.J. mused that it was just another in a long list of things about the case that didn't make any sense. Eli tried to get out of the conversation, but J.J. forged ahead, guessing, "What if Dario's silent partner is Commissioner Raines himself?"

At the police station, Abe assured Hope and Rafe that he wasn't upset with them for their role in his arrest because the whole thing had actually been his idea. Abe explained that Eli had decided to tell him that Raines was Dario's silent partner after Raines had started threatening Lani. Eli had reasoned that it would be safe to talk to Abe about the case because Abe wasn't a member of the Salem Police Department. When Eli had mentioned that he wanted to arrest someone else to give Raines a false sense of security but hadn't managed to identify an appropriate candidate yet, Abe had quickly volunteered.

After Abe finished filling Hope and Rafe in on how he had gotten involved in the case, Valerie arrived to see him. Valerie was stunned and confused when Abe tried to convince her to stop blaming Eli for what was happening. Meanwhile, Raines returned and asked Hope and Rafe if they had managed to get anything new out of Abe. Hope complained that the interrogation had been a waste of time, and Rafe added with a sigh that Abe was going to get away with his crimes unless new evidence surfaced within the next few hours. "Let's hope we find something [soon]," Raines muttered.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Justin assured a worried Maggie that the charges against Abe would likely be dropped the following morning due to lack of evidence. Relieved, Maggie complained, "Between [Abe], Chad, and Sonny, that is the third innocent man the Salem P.D. have arrested this month!" Victor interjected that he wasn't particularly concerned about Abe or Chad but was glad that Sonny had been released.

Maggie guessed that Justin and Adrienne were pleased that Sonny and Paul were engaged. Justin confirmed that Maggie was right then happily revealed that there was more good news to share. Maggie and Victor were both stunned to learn that Justin and Adrienne were back together again. Justin expected Victor to comment on Adrienne's inability to make a decision and stick to it, but Victor insisted that he would never have a problem supporting anything that made Justin happy. Maggie, however, found it difficult to be happy for Justin due to concerns about Lucas. "I'm afraid of what this might do to him," Maggie admitted with a sigh.

Justin understood why Maggie was worried; he argued, however, that it wasn't like Lucas hadn't known all along that Adrienne had a long and wonderful history with another man. Victor warned Justin that it might be wise to take things slowly at first, just to be safe, since Adrienne's change of heart did seem quite sudden. Chuckling, Justin stressed that he had no intention of taking things slowly; in fact, he had actually already granted Adrienne's request to move back into the mansion right away. "Wow, she doesn't waste any time," Maggie grumbled. Victor was okay with the idea, so Maggie reluctantly assured Justin that she wouldn't stand in his way.

After Justin rushed off to share the good news with Adrienne, Maggie wondered why Victor was suddenly so supportive of a relationship he had never really been a fan of in the past. Victor maintained that he simply wanted his loved ones to be happy, and he could see that being with Adrienne made Justin quite happy. Maggie wanted Justin to be happy, too, but she was still worried about Lucas. "I just hope that Lucas can deal with this rejection in a healthy way...and, for Justin's sake, I hope that Adrienne doesn't change her mind -- again," Maggie stressed.

At the Salem Inn, Bonnie told Hattie to do "the chest-pumping thing" to Anjelica to revive her. "[It's] called CPR, and I don't do that! I'm not a doctor; I just play one in Salem," Hattie reminded Bonnie. After spending a few minutes blaming each other for what had happened, Hattie and Bonnie agreed to stop fighting and start trying to figure out what to do next.

Bonnie wanted to call for an ambulance, but Hattie insisted that there was no point in doing that because Anjelica was already dead. Hattie added that involving the police would be a bad idea because it probably wouldn't take long for them to figure out that they were dealing with a pair of impostors. Hattie decided that it would be best to simply get rid of Anjelica's body and pretend that nothing had happened, reasoning with a shrug, "Nobody liked her, so nobody's gonna miss her." Lucas stirred while Hattie was formulating a plan, but Bonnie managed to convince him to go back to sleep.

A short time later, Justin started knocking on the hotel room door while calling out to Adrienne to further announce his presence. Hattie quietly insisted that Bonnie needed to chase Justin off right away. Bonnie stepped into the hallway and nervously greeted Justin, who excitedly announced that Victor and Maggie had agreed to let Adrienne move back into the Kiriakis mansion. Bonnie tried to assure Justin that she would meet him there as soon as she finished packing her things, but he failed to take the hint, helpfully pointing out that an extra pair of hands would make the task a lot easier.

Backpedaling, Bonnie spontaneously asked Justin to lead the way to the Kiriakis mansion, adding that she could return for her things later. Justin pointed out with a chuckle that Adrienne couldn't leave the hotel in just a robe. Bonnie nervously explained that she was so excited about getting back together with Justin that she had forgotten what she was wearing. Bonnie maintained that Justin couldn't join her inside her hotel room, claiming that she might not be able to keep her hands off him if he did. Justin didn't think that would be a bad thing, but Bonnie insisted that she wanted her first time with him to be special.

"Our first time was a long time ago," Justin pointed out. Bonnie clarified that she had been talking about being with Justin for the first time since their divorce. Sighing, Justin reluctantly agreed to wait for Adrienne in the lobby. Once the coast was clear, Bonnie reentered the hotel room and insisted that Hattie was going to have to deal with the disposal of Anjelica's body on her own. Hattie pointed out that Bonnie no longer had to move into the Kiriakis mansion, since that had been Anjelica's plan, and she wasn't around to bark orders anymore. Bonnie decided to stick to the plan, since it seemed to be the best way for her to get what she really wanted.

Later, Bonnie entered the Kiriakis mansion with Justin and forced a smile as she thanked Victor and Maggie for their hospitality and stressed that she was looking forward to spending time with them again. Meanwhile, Hattie undressed Anjelica, put her in the robe Bonnie had been wearing earlier, and placed her next to Lucas on the bed. "Easier than dragging her all the way to my car trunk," Hattie reasoned before exiting the hotel room.

Lucas wakes up next to a body

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

by Spalding

In their room at the Kiriakis mansion, a smiling Sonny told Paul that he was excited to wake up next to him every morning for the rest of his life. As the two kissed, Sonny's brother Alexander texted to congratulate him on his engagement. Paul frowned and noted that he had not heard back from John yet. Paul admitted he was worried.

Andre proudly dropped his psychiatric evaluation report on the desk in front of Kate as she worked in the DiMera living room. Kate sighed. Chuckling, Andre encouraged Kate to read the report. As Kate read the report aloud, Andre beamed. The report read that Andre was fully capable of acting as CEO of DiMera Enterprises. Andre said he intended to run the company alone. Kate remarked that the examining psychiatrist, Dr. Hazel Van Pelt, was not a reputable psychiatrist and that the board would see through Andre's ruse.

At the hospital, Abigail told Chad that she was eager to go home. Chad asked about Abigail's annulment. Abigail called Justin, and Justin said he would need a few weeks before he could finalize the annulment. Abigail and Chad celebrated with a kiss. While Abigail made calls for the wedding, Kate walked in and showed Chad the paperwork for a deal that she had finalized for DiMera Enterprises. Chad was impressed.

After Abigail ended her phone call, Kate told Abigail that she was sincerely happy for her and Chad. Chad handed Kate the paperwork for the deal, and she left. Abigail informed Chad that she had found the perfect venue for their wedding.

In the hospital hallway, Kate ran into Paul and Sonny as she was leaving. Kate congratulated Sonny on his release from jail. While Sonny went in to visit Abigail, Kate took Paul aside to talk. Kate told Paul that she was worried about John. When Paul asked why, Kate told him that Roman had kissed Marlena, and John had punched him. Confused, Paul asked what had happened. Kate said that John had left to confront Marlena, and she had not heard from John or Marlena since then.

Inside Abigail's room, Sonny and Chad joked about betting on who would get married first. Abigail told Sonny that St. Luke's was available at the end of September. With a raised eyebrow, Sonny said he had just booked that venue for his wedding. Sonny urged Chad and Abigail to take his reservation at the church. Smiling, Abigail said she was still open to the idea of a double wedding. When Paul joined them, Sonny pitched the double wedding idea. Paul agreed but then noted he needed to talk to Marlena.

After Paul left, Chad asked Sonny if Paul really wanted to take part in a double wedding. Sonny said Paul was worried about John. After Sonny left, Abigail said she wanted to walk. Chad reminded Abigail not to push too hard. Abigail countered that she needed to be able to walk down the aisle for her wedding. With a nod, Chad stood up and beckoned Abigail to walk across the room toward him. Uneasy on her feet, Abigail slowly shuffled across the room as she hummed "Here Comes the Bride." Giggling, Abigail fell into Chad's arms.

At the psychiatric facility, John and Marlena sat in their respective padded cells, still wrapped up in straitjackets. Through the grate in the wall, John urged Marlena to think about more suspects. John suggested that they lure Hattie to the facility so that they could get answers. In Marlena's room, an attendant walked in and asked to whom Marlena was talking. Marlena lied and said she was talking to herself. When Marlena grumbled about not being allowed to talk to other patients, the orderly said that Dr. Evans had instructed him to keep Marlena separated indefinitely.

Once the orderly was gone, John calmly urged Marlena to take a deep breath. John listed several former foes, and he promised that they would beat Hattie, as well. Marlena told John that she trusted him. When Marlena lamented that she could not hug John, he told her to close her eyes and imagine they were alone together. Marlena smiled as she envisioned John rescuing her from her padded cell and hugging her tightly.

In the town square, Hattie talked to Bonnie on the phone. Hattie assured Bonnie that they would not be arrested for Anjelica's death because Anjelica had died of natural causes. Hattie added that she had taken care of the problem. Hattie told Bonnie that they should stick to Anjelica's plan so that they could get revenge on Maggie and Andre.

Hattie dug into her breakfast as Andre walked up to her table and said hello. Hattie told Andre that she was happy to have heard that Chad was out of jail because he was not a criminal like the rest of the DiMera family. Chuckling, Andre argued that he had changed, and he had proven that when he had helped Marlena track down Orpheus. Growling, Hattie said one good deed did not prove anything. Hattie added that she would make Andre paid for what he had done.

Andre asked for a truce. Citing his emotionally instability, Andre said he had not been in his right mind. With a wide grin, Andre asked Hattie for help. Andre explained that Kate was forcing him out of the business because the board believed that he was mentally unfit to run the company. Andre said he needed a respected psychiatrist to examine him. As Hattie made snide comments, Andre argued that his marriage had been a business arrangement. When Andre mentioned that Kate was having an affair with Roman Brady, Hattie gasped in shock.

As Andre described the passionate kiss he had witnessed between Kate and Roman, Hattie groaned. Hattie suggested that they stop Kate and Roman from dating. With a nod, Hattie said she would help Andre. Andre asked why. Hattie said that her ex deserved better than Kate. When Hattie suggested that Andre should tell the board about Kate's affair, Andre laughed eagerly. Andre kissed Hattie's hand, and they agreed that they would work together.

After Andre left, Hattie returned to her breakfast. Paul approached the table. Paul said he had "heard about the rotten thing you did to my dad." Hattie stared at Paul nervously.

In Bonnie's hotel room, a groggy Lucas woke up and found Anjelica in bed next to him. Thinking that the blonde woman next to him was Adrienne, Lucas snuggled up next to her. Lucas realized the body was cold. Worried, Lucas turned the woman over to reveal Anjelica. Horrified, Lucas wondered aloud what he had done. Lucas muttered over and over that he would never drink again.

When Lucas attempted to wake Anjelica, he realized that she was dead. Lucas jumped out of bed, away from the body. After hurriedly getting dressed, Lucas paced the room and called Chloe for help. When Chloe arrived, Lucas ushered her into the hotel room. Lucas showed Chloe the body. Whispering, Chloe said that sleeping with Anjelica to get back at Adrienne was gross.

"You don't have to keep your voice down, all right. She can't hear you!" Lucas yelled. Lucas explained that Anjelica was dead. "What have you done?" Chloe cried out. Lucas said he had not killed Anjelica, but he did not know why she was dead. When Chloe asked what Lucas remembered, he said he had gone to the pub, the DiMera mansion, the hospital, and then the hotel room. Chloe pushed Lucas to think harder. Lucas said he thought he had made love to Adrienne. Chloe dismissed the notion as a dream.

With a furrowed brow, Lucas said he remembered making love to Adrienne and that she had somehow changed. Lucas theorized aloud that he had mistaken Anjelica for Adrienne because he had been so drunk. When Lucas mentioned that Anjelica had been interested in offering a truce to Adrienne when he had last talked to her, Chloe suggested that Anjelica had visited Adrienne's room to talk. Lucas was adamant that he and Anjelica had hated one another and were unlikely to have had sex. Chloe suggested that Anjelica might have slept with Lucas to upset Adrienne.

When Chloe declared that they needed to call the police, Lucas said no. Lucas explained that Kate had threatened to fire him, and he could lose access to Arianna. Begging, Lucas asked Chloe to help him salvage what was left of his personal life. Chloe agreed to help. Chloe offered to call 9-1-1 anonymously. Thrilled, Lucas hugged Chloe and gathered his things. Chloe warned Lucas not to let anyone see him leave the hotel. After Lucas left the room, Chloe mumbled to herself that she hoped she would not regret helping him.

John and Marlena plan their escape

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

by Mike

Paul took a seat at Hattie's table in the Horton Town Square as she insisted, her mouth still filled with food, "I didn't do anything to your dad!"

Paul disagreed, pointing out that Marlena had broken John's heart. Hattie claimed that she, too, was heartbroken, but Paul found that hard to believe because, according to Kate, Marlena had kissed Roman shortly after dumping John. "Well, I don't believe in dwelling on things," Hattie explained with a shrug.

Paul revealed that no one had seen John since he had gone to the Salem Inn to confront Marlena about the kiss she'd planted on Roman. "Hmm," Hattie replied. Annoyed, Paul wondered if that was really the only thing that Marlena had to say about the matter. Hattie hesitantly added, "Oh, yes -- yes -- John came to my hotel room, and he was -- he was wound up like a cheap clock, and he was going on and on...and on and on...about Roman and me; he -- he was -- he was in quite a tizzy." Paul argued that there had been a very good reason for John to be in that state of mind at that particular time.

"Oh! Oh, yes -- no, I understand him being upset...but I [had hoped] that he would take it like a man," Hattie replied. Confused, Paul wondered what that was supposed to mean. "Well, it means...you shouldn't try to win someone back who clearly doesn't want you anymore, you know? Whether you're a man or a woman, that's just -- that's just plain begging. It's not manly; it's not womanly. I would think he would have more pride," Hattie explained. Paul insisted that it was extremely unfair of Marlena to expect John to just accept, after having shared many years and been through many things with her, that she suddenly didn't want him in her life any longer.

Stammering, Hattie countered, "Well, I would accept it -- I mean, if somebody didn't want me in their life. I mean, I would just say to myself, 'He doesn't want me, so...to hell with him! I'll -- I'll just -- I'll move on! Onward and upward!'" Paul stared at Hattie in disbelief as she prepared to eat another spoonful of food, prompting her to wonder if she had spilled something on herself. Shaking his head, Paul clarified, "No, you didn't spill anything on yourself; I just -- I just can't believe that you would say something like that to yourself -- or to anyone else, for that matter. [It] doesn't sound like you at all, Marlena!"

Hattie defensively insisted that she did, in fact, sound that way at times -- like when she was frazzled, as she was at that moment. "I've been having a little bit of a hard time lately, you know!" Hattie added. "Right. Of course. Can't forget about how this affects you," Paul agreed. Missing Paul's sarcasm, Hattie breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him for being so understanding, adding that her life hadn't always been a bowl of cherries.

Paul changed the subject, asking for more details about John's confrontation with Marlena at the Salem Inn. Hattie explained that John had been quite upset, and she added, after a moment of thought, that when she had insisted that she wasn't going to talk to him while he was in that state of mind, he had protested that it would be a while before he would have another chance to talk to her because he was about to go on another ISA mission. "[That's] not true, and you and I both know that!" Paul argued, prompting Hattie to defensively demand to know if he was calling her a liar.

Paul explained that he had simply meant that John would never leave town without first talking to him about it, since they were in business together. "Really? Come on! Your father's always pulling some kind of a -- a disappearing act! Why, that was why I left him!" Hattie countered. Paul again noted that he had never before heard Marlena talk about John in such cold and dismissive ways, curiously adding that she almost sounded downright mean. "I've never seen this side of you before," Paul continued.

"I've never seen this side of you, either!" Hattie shot back, adding that Paul was acting like a spoiled brat who couldn't see past his own wants -- namely, his desire to have his father back in town again, even if the only way for her to help with that was to take the man back at the cost of her own happiness. "[I'm sure] a psychiatrist would have a -- have a different word for it; well, they'd call it a...a...what's a fancier word for 'spoiled'?" Hattie mused. "You're asking me?" Paul incredulously replied. "Conceited! No, no -- that's not it..." Hattie continued.

Frustrated, Paul impatiently interrupted, insisting that being concerned about his father didn't make him a spoiled brat. Hattie countered that she had known John for a lot longer than Paul had, and the fact of the matter was that leaving was simply what John did best. "I had to learn [that] the hard way, after -- after years of...heartbreak and...shattered dreams!" Hattie continued.

Paul gave Hattie another look of disbelief then admitted with a sigh that he felt responsible for his father's pain because he was the person who had sent his father on the mission that had caused Marlena to get fed up and decide to move on with her life. "Oh, no, no, no -- Paul, you're misunderstanding. It wasn't just that mission; it was the mission before it, and then before that, and then before that..." Hattie clarified. Paul tried to argue that John had simply been doing his job, but Hattie insisted that the pattern of behavior proved that the ISA wasn't just a job to John; it was his life, and it was more important to him than anything else, including her.

Still confused, Paul begged Marlena to give John another chance, adding that, according to Kate, Marlena's plan to get back together with Roman wasn't going to work out, anyway. Annoyed, Hattie countered, "How do I tell you this [in a way that you'll understand]? Ah, yes, I know -- for your father, it's three strikes, and he is out! Dr. Marlena Evans is done, and we are calling this game!" Hattie stormed off before Paul could say another word to her.

At Bayview, John coached Marlena on how to free herself from her straitjacket, joking that all the time she had devoted to yoga was finally going to pay off. John managed to get out of his straitjacket easily enough, but Marlena had a lot of trouble with the task and was about to give up when she finally figured out the right way to contort her body.

With the straitjackets no longer an issue, John assured Marlena that they would be ready when the orderly, who had just served lunch a short time earlier, returned with dinner. Marlena was delighted when John figured out that the slats of the air vent that connected their two padded cells were wide enough and flexible enough for them to each squeeze a hand through, allowing them a bit of contact with each other while waiting to make their next move. "We're gonna be out of here soon, [Doc], and then we're gonna track down Mad Hattie, and she's gonna be spending some time in [a] padded cell," John promised.

While passing through the park, Chloe dialed 9-1-1 and reported that there was a dead body at the Salem Inn. After providing the room number and guessing that the person had died of natural causes, Chloe abruptly ended the call, explaining that she didn't want to reveal her name because she didn't want any trouble. Chloe was surprised when she looked up from her cell phone and saw that Eric was standing nearby.

Eric apologetically stressed that he hadn't been trying to eavesdrop, and he added, when asked, that he had only heard Chloe say that she didn't want any trouble. Relieved, Chloe claimed that the police had been questioning her about Dario because they had figured out that he had recently offered her a gig at Club TBD. Eric hoped that Chloe would still be able to work at the club despite its owner's fugitive status.

Changing the subject, Chloe wondered if Eric had decided what to do about his feelings for Nicole. Eric insisted that there was nothing to do because Nicole was in love with Brady, and Brady was in love with Nicole. Chloe skeptically warned Eric that if she could see that he had feelings for Nicole, it would only be a matter of time before people who knew him better started to reach the same conclusion. "I know your brother really well, and the only thing that would hurt him more than losing Nicole would be losing Nicole and thinking that he's been played for a fool," Chloe added before walking away.

At Club TBD, Myron received a phone call from Commissioner Raines, who impatiently reiterated that he needed something he could use to prevent Abe from being released later that day. Myron stammered that he was working on it. Myron then ended the call abruptly, having realized that Hope and Rafe had just entered the club.

After casually greeting Myron, Hope added, "[I] hope you gave Commissioner Raines our best." Myron nervously wondered why Hope had said such a thing. "Because we're onto you, Myron -- that's why," Rafe answered. Hope continued that it wasn't a secret that Myron had received a visit from Raines the previous night. "We just want you to tell us everything that you told him [so] we'll all be on the same page," Hope explained.

Myron stammered that Raines had wanted to look at Dario's records in the hope that they would contain proof that Abe was Dario's silent partner. "And I'm sure you were eager to help, right? [Because], after all, the deal you cut for immunity [isn't] set in stone yet," Hope pointed out. Nodding, Rafe added, "It'd be a shame to see the whole thing fall apart because of an obstruction of justice charge."

Myron nervously protested that he hadn't obstructed anything; he had simply done what Raines had asked him to do. Rafe countered that Raines wouldn't need to go to Myron for Dario's records because the district attorney had already subpoenaed them, and Hope helpfully added that Raines's eagerness to close the case might have prompted him to cross a few lines that he wouldn't have normally been willing to cross.

Myron tried to get out of the conversation, but Hope and Rafe forged ahead, explaining that they were simply trying to prove Abe's innocence. Unable to take the pressure any longer, Myron blurted out, "Look, I cannot say no to Raines, all right? [He] said that if I don't help him frame Mayor Carver for what he did...he was gonna kill me!" Hope and Rafe took the news calmly enough, leading Myron to conclude that they had known all along that Raines was Dario's true silent partner. "Why the hell didn't you just say so?" Myron asked incredulously.

Hope and Rafe assured Myron that he would be fine if he just followed Raines's instructions to the letter. "We need to catch Raines in the act of committing a crime," Hope explained. Myron protested that Hope and Rafe were committing entrapment, but Rafe clarified that Raines was the person who had asked Myron to break the law. "All we're doing is trying to keep you safe," Rafe continued.

"And what if something happens with your little plan, huh? Then I'll be a criminal and as good as dead!" Myron countered. Myron spontaneously decided that it would be safer for him to just leave Salem while he still had a chance to do so, but he rushed off in such a hurry that he left his keys behind on the bar. Hope chased after Myron, having realized that she didn't scare him quite as much as Rafe did.

Hope caught up with Myron in a secluded section of the town square and warned that if he tried to leave Salem, he'd be on his own -- and Raines would stop at nothing to track him down. "I didn't sign up for this!" Myron insisted with a worried sigh. Nodding, Hope assured Myron that she believed him, adding, "Look, I've gotten to know you the past few months, and you're not a bad guy; you just got in over your head. This is your opportunity to change things. [Help us catch] Raines, and you'll get your second chance. You have my word." Myron thought about the matter for a moment then agreed to help out, shaking Hope's hand to seal the deal.

Meanwhile, Chloe entered Club TBD and greeted Rafe, who apologetically informed her that although he was aware that the FBI had frozen all of his brother's assets, he didn't really know where that left things with the club. He promised to look into the matter and get back to her as soon as possible; however, he received a phone call before he could add her contact information to his cell phone. When she realized that the call was about the dead body at the Salem Inn, she ducked out of the club without saying goodbye. He was confused when he ended the call a short time later and saw that she was gone.

At the police station, J.J. assured Lani that Raines wasn't going to get away with what he had done. When Raines arrived a short time later, Lani apologized to him for what had happened the previous night, conceding that her presence at Club TBD had probably looked suspicious, even though it had been completely innocent.

"Your partner seems a little wound tight today," Raines told J.J. after Lani walked away. "I can handle her," J.J. replied. "Do that," Raines encouraged J.J.

Changing the subject, J.J. conspiratorially admitted that although he felt bad for Lani, he was fairly certain that her father was actually guilty. "I mean, the guy married into the DiMera family, [so] how clean can he really be?" J.J. reasoned. Confused, Raines wondered why J.J. was saying such things about a family friend. "[Abe] may be close with my family, but, um...that didn't stop him from freaking out when Lani and I got together. He just didn't think I was good enough for her," J.J. explained. Adding that Abe deserved to rot for the hit-and-run incident that had nearly killed Abigail, J.J. promised to do whatever he could to help Raines take down the mayor.

Later, Lani joined J.J. in one of the conference rooms and wondered how his conversation with Raines had gone. As if on cue, Raines poked his head in the room and announced, "I'm headed to City Hall for a meeting. Deveraux, you're in charge." Once the coast was clear, Lani observed that J.J.'s plan to gain Raines's trust seemed to be working. Hope and Rafe soon arrived and informed J.J. and Lani that Myron had agreed to cooperate.

Meanwhile, Raines contacted Myron and asked for an update. "Almost ready," Myron assured Raines.

At the courthouse, Nicole waited anxiously for a judge to arrive and begin a review of Holly's custody case. Justin had asked Eric to speak on Nicole's behalf about her work at the Horton Center, so Brady took the opportunity to pull Eric aside and apologize for trashing his room at the Martin mansion. "There's nothing going on [between me and Nicole], and there never will be," Eric assured Brady. Later, Eric listened uncomfortably as Brady suggestively assured Nicole that they would find ways to make use of the free time she'd have after she finished fulfilling her community service requirements in the near future.

Justin soon arrived and announced that he had just received a message from the judge. "He knows what you did," Justin told Nicole, who shot Brady a look of concern.

Tripp makes plans to right past wrongs

Thursday, August 31, 2017

by Mike

At the courthouse, Justin continued, "[Nicole], I don't know how [the judge] found out [what you did], but it doesn't look good."

"What does he know?" Nicole asked Justin nervously. The judge entered his chambers at that exact moment and answered, "That you violated the court order to stay away from Holly." Brady started to insist that Nicole would never do such a thing, but she reluctantly admitted that she had, in fact, recently had contact with Holly in the Horton Town Square.

Nicole explained to the judge that she had gone to the town square with the intention of only watching Holly from a distance; however, she had been unable to resist stepping in after Holly's foster mother had left her with Holly's foster sister, who hadn't known how to comfort the crying child. "I am deeply sorry for breaking the rules, but I won't apologize for loving my little girl," Nicole concluded.

"I understand the sentiment, Ms. Walker, but the law is the law, and feelings don't come into play," the judge began. Brady started to protest that feelings had to matter in cases involving a mother and child, but the judge ignored him and continued to address Nicole, adding, "Bottom line: when you violated the court order, you may have cost yourself the chance to get your daughter back."

Brady started to voice more objections, but Justin quickly intervened, realizing that Brady was trying the judge's patience. "Your Honor, Nicole's honesty today should be commended. For the foster mother to leave a child alone with a twelve-year-old is --" Justin began to argue. Interrupting, the judge pointed out that the foster mother's judgment wasn't the focus of the custody hearing. "Well, it seems relevant to me..." Justin countered.

The judge dismissively asked if Justin had anything else to present to the court before a ruling was made. Sighing, Justin called forth Eric to speak on Nicole's behalf about her work at the Horton Center. Eric credited Nicole with saving the Horton Center, which had been struggling to secure donations before her arrival. "She's a caring, compassionate woman, which makes her a great worker and a great mother, so I'm only asking you, Your Honor...give her a chance to be a mother," Eric concluded. The judge thanked Eric for testifying then excused himself so he could take some time to review the case and decide on a ruling.

Nicole, Brady, and Eric went to the town square for coffee to give themselves something to do while waiting for the judge to call them back to his chambers. Nicole was certain that the judge had it in for her, but Eric urged her not to give up hope yet. Brady wondered why Nicole had never bothered to tell him about her encounter with Holly. "Well, there was so much going on, and we thought we had convinced the foster mom it wasn't me," Nicole apologetically explained. "We?" Brady asked curiously. Nicole reluctantly admitted that Eric had been with her at the time. "I was just passing through, [and] I did my best to clean up," Eric added.

"Didn't do much good, did it?" Brady grumbled. When Nicole started to object, Brady softened a bit, thanking Eric for his earlier testimony. "I hope it had an effect on the judge," Brady continued. "Me, too," Eric agreed. Sighing, Nicole told Brady and Eric to stop acting like she was receiving a fair trial. "This whole thing is a joke [because] Deimos paid off the judge," Nicole complained. Eric maintained that Nicole needed to have faith that, with Deimos no longer able to interfere, the judge would do the right thing. Meanwhile, Brady abruptly excused himself, vaguely claiming that he had something to take care of before the custody hearing resumed.

Brady returned to the courthouse and warned the judge that if Holly wasn't returned to Nicole that day, everyone would find out about how Deimos had been allowed to interfere in the case. The judge doubted that there was any proof that Deimos had paid him to keep Holly away from Nicole, but Brady reasoned that the mere suggestion of impropriety would be enough to do irreparable damage to the judge's reputation. "[Ms. Walker] violated a court order!" the judge protested. Brady countered, "Yes, she did...but you committed a felony, [so either] return Holly to [Nicole], or I will expose you for the lying hypocrite that you are. Ball's in your court."

Meanwhile, Eric praised Nicole for being honest about her encounter with Holly. "Being honest is new for me. It doesn't come easy. I've told so many lies through the years [and] hurt so many people... It's coming back on me now," Nicole fretted. Eric argued that Nicole had made up for every mistake she had made in the past, prompting her to hint that there was at least one she hadn't atoned for yet. Just as Nicole was about to elaborate, having realized that she had grown to once again think of Eric as one of the few people she could trust with anything, Justin joined them in the town square and announced that the judge was ready to make a ruling.

Nicole returned to the courthouse with Justin and Eric, and Brady joined them in the judge's chambers just as the custody hearing was about to resume. After sharing a look with Brady, the judge hurriedly declared, "After careful consideration, I've come to a decision: Ms. Walker, when you made contact with Holly, you directly ignored a court order [and] broke the law; however, given the circumstances, I find that I cannot hold that against you, [so] I am ordering that Holly be returned to your custody, effective immediately." The judge rushed off as Nicole and Brady started hugging and kissing each other in celebration, with Eric watching uncomfortably.

At the police station, J.J. retreated to a conference room with Lani and surprised her with a make-believe picnic as a temporary distraction from her father's ordeal. Touched, Lani admitted that she was glad she had finally found a guy who treated her well and didn't take her for granted. Knowing that Lani hadn't always thought of him as that sort of guy, J.J. wished that he could change how they had originally gotten together.

"Let's just make up a story we like better," Lani suggested with a shrug. After a few silly suggestions, including one ripped straight from the plot of Titanic, J.J. and Lani settled on a story about two people who had fallen for each other while working together and had later shared a kiss during a romantic make-believe picnic on their lunch break. "[The best part is that] it's the truth," Lani reasoned before giving J.J. a kiss.

At the hospital, Kayla wondered how Valerie was doing. Valerie admitted that work was a nice distraction but added, "What I'm going through [is nothing compared to] what Abe's going through, you know?" Valerie started to fret about Abe being behind bars then quickly backpedaled, realizing that she was being insensitive. "I'm sorry. How is Joey? Have you been able to visit him?" Valerie asked Kayla.

"Not yet. [Joey's] not even allowed any phone calls [right now]," Kayla reported with a sigh, adding that work was a nice distraction for her, too. Valerie guessed that Kayla was grateful to have Steve to lean on for support during such a difficult time. Fighting back tears, Kayla admitted that the situation had actually put a strain on her marriage.

"Steve could have stopped Joey from confessing, [but] he didn't do that, and I can't help but feel that [he] chose his own son over ours," Kayla continued. Valerie comforted Kayla with a hug and advised her to consider cutting Steve some slack. "[You] really need each other right now. [Steve's] a tough, proud guy, but he's suffering, too," Valerie added before excusing herself so she could meet with Justin to discuss Abe's case.

Claire joined Theo in the living room of their apartment and saw that he was staring at a digital copy of a tabloid that had dubbed his father "Mayor McSleaze." Claire tried to dismiss the nickname as nothing more than clickbait, but Theo complained that there were people out there who were going to believe it to be true. Claire wondered what Theo believed to be true. "He's not just my dad; he's my hero, [and] I know he's a good person," Theo answered. Nodding, Claire encouraged Theo to keep believing in Abe. "So, you think he's innocent?" Theo asked. Claire stressed that she believed in Abe because Theo -- the most honest person she knew -- believed in Abe, and that was good enough for her.

Claire tried to distract Theo with a video game, but he wasn't in the mood to play it with her. "You know, if [my dad] goes away, I won't have either of my parents around; [I'll] be all alone, and if I screw up, no one [will] be there to help me. [And there will be] no one to decorate the Christmas tree with, no one to take me out for my birthday..." Theo began to complain before stopping himself, realizing that he was being selfish. Claire assured Theo that it was okay for him to feel sorry for himself -- especially around her, of all people. "[And] you do have [other] people who care about you and love you, like Lani [and] Brandon...and me," Claire added.

Still hoping to find a way to distract Theo, Claire started to clean the apartment, explaining that she had often heard that doing so was a surefire way to get things to start making more sense. Theo didn't understand the logic behind that advice; however, in an effort to play along, he picked up a blanket and started to fold it, causing a hat to fall to the floor in the process -- a hat that Joey had accidentally left behind when he had moved out.

Sighing, Theo admitted to Claire that he missed having Joey around. Claire guessed that Joey had probably been scared and confused when he had killed Ava, and Theo guessed that it had probably been hard for Joey to live with that secret for such a long time -- especially after Tripp had entered the picture. "I just hope [Joey] comes home soon...[but] until then, we are stuck with an expensive apartment that was meant to be split four ways," Theo continued, adding that Ciara had not yet decided if she was going to return to Salem for the start of the new school year, and it didn't feel right to continue letting Steve and Kayla help out with the rent.

Claire wanted to invite Tripp to move back into his old apartment, reasoning that he might be lonely by himself in his new one -- and, in any case, he was going through a rough time and could probably use some friends. Claire added that Tripp was a good guy who felt awful about what he had done to Kayla. Theo wondered if Tripp had opened up to Claire while they had been hugging each other a few days earlier. "Yeah. He was upset. It was nothing," Claire explained with a shrug. "Didn't look like 'nothing' to me," Theo argued, leading Claire to conclude that he was jealous. Theo insisted that wasn't true. "If you say so," Claire skeptically replied.

Valerie soon arrived with groceries, planning to make dinner for the teens. Claire appreciated the kind gesture but wasn't able to stick around for dinner because she was scheduled to work that evening, so Valerie promised to save some leftovers for her. Before leaving, Claire asked about Valerie's earlier meeting with Justin. Valerie reported that Abe would be released later that day unless new evidence surfaced soon -- and, of course, that wasn't going to happen because no such evidence existed. Theo and Claire were both thrilled to hear that. Claire rushed off after telling Theo that they would continue their conversation about Tripp later.

Theo explained, to satisfy Valerie's curiosity, that Claire wanted to invite Tripp to move back into the apartment because they were in need of a new roommate. "And you have a problem with that?" Valerie guessed. "No!" Theo quickly replied, but he soon backpedaled, admitting that he did, in fact, have a bit of a problem with the idea -- and, according to Claire, that was proof that he was jealous of Tripp. "Are you?" Valerie asked. "I'm not sure," Theo answered with a shrug.

While passing through the town square, Claire contacted Marlena and left her a voicemail message to thank her for some past advice. "I don't even know if you remember, but way back when Theo said that he wanted us to be friends again, [you suggested] that I should give it a try [because] maybe it would turn into something more [later, and] guess what -- I think it has!" Claire excitedly explained before ending the call.

Steve was at the Brady Pub, drowning his sorrows while staring sadly at a picture of him with Kayla and Joey, when Tripp approached to say hello. "I shouldn't have come [inside]. After everything I did to your family, I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again," Tripp admitted with a sigh after realizing what was on Steve's mind.

Tripp started to leave, but Steve stopped him. "It's been a tough time for all of us...but you are my son, and I won't abandon you. I love you, [and] I always will; nothing can change that," Steve assured Tripp. Touched, Tripp thanked Steve for being so understanding. "And your other son? How's -- how's he doing?" Tripp asked. "Joe's doing okay; he's -- he's hanging in there," Steve reported. Tripp hoped that was true, adding that he was going to miss having his brother around -- and he still felt terrible about the part he had played in everything that had happened. Steve stressed that Tripp wasn't responsible for what had happened to Joey.

Tripp argued that, at the very least, he had inadvertently driven a wedge between Steve and Kayla -- one that could end up ruining their marriage. "Kayla and I are going to be okay. We've been through tough times before, [and] we probably will be again," Steve assured Tripp. Unconvinced, Tripp guessed that Kayla would never be able to look at him without thinking about what Joey was going through in prison.

"I should just do everyone a favor and just leave Salem for good," Tripp continued with a sigh. Chuckling, Steve informed Tripp, "We Johnsons seem to have a natural instinct to run away from our problems. I think it's in the blood." Steve urged Tripp to stay in Salem, predicting that if he did, he would eventually find a way to regain Kayla's trust. After giving the matter a bit of thought, Tripp promised, "Okay, I'll stay...[and I'll] work my ass off to regain that trust -- from everyone." Tripp added with a grin that he knew just how to start.

"I don't want my mom's inheritance [anymore], so I'm going to donate [all of it] to Salem University Hospital," Tripp explained, adding that Steve had been right all along about the Vitali fortune being blood money. Steve thought that was a great way for Tripp to start making up for what he had done to Kayla and the hospital. Steve ordered a beer for Tripp and toasted to his first effort to regain Kayla's trust.

Kayla, who had witnessed the scene from afar, sneaked back out of the pub without being spotted, having misinterpreted Steve and Tripp's celebratory toast.

Maggie confronts Bonnie

Friday, September 1, 2017

by Spalding

In Marlena's office, Hattie, still disguised as Marlena, kicked off her shoes and flipped through Andre's report from his other psychiatrist. Hattie complained that the report did not mention Andre's cunning, manipulative side. Chuckling, Hattie said she was eager to take revenge on Andre. When Andre walked in, he greeted "Marlena." Andre said that he wanted a certificate confirming his mental fitness rather than any actual therapy. Hattie said she needed to be persuaded that Andre was sane, so he would need to talk to her first. Smiling, Hattie reminded Andre that he had asked for her help because Marlena had a sterling reputation and could not be bribed.

"We both know this is a complete scam," Hattie said referring to Andre's marriage. Andre said his marriage to Kate had nothing to do with his sanity. Hattie complained about Kate and her involvement with Roman. Confused, Andre asked why they were talking about Roman. Hattie argued that Kate was not good enough for Roman. Leaning closer, Andre asked Hattie if she felt okay.

Ignoring Andre, Hattie said she wanted to start the evaluation. Hattie asked Andre why he hated women. Surprised, Andre frowned at the question. Hattie pointed out that Andre had a terrible record with women and that his only reason for submitting to an evaluation was to stab his current wife in the back. Andre argued that Kate was to blame. When Andre said no one respected women more than he did, Hattie asked him about Hattie Adams. Narrowing his eyes, Andre leaned close and asked how "Marlena" knew about Hattie.

Hattie explained that Hope had told her about a woman named Hattie she had met in prison who had told her about a man named Alfie. As Andre stared in silence, Hattie added that Hope and Hattie had determined that Andre had been the con man Alfie. Andre explained that he had conned Hattie for business reasons only. Angry, Hatie countered that Andre's actions had ruined Hattie's life. Suspicious, Andre asked Hattie why she was taking his actions personally.

With a shrug, Hattie said she was protective of Hattie because of Marlena and Hattie's resemblance to one another. Andre wondered aloud if he should look for a less prejudiced doctor. Hattie objected. Andre asked Hattie if she could be impartial in her evaluation. With a motion toward the chair, Hattie asked Andre to continue. Andre agreed to stay if they did not talk about Hattie again. Hattie asked Andre about his relationship with his mother. Andre laughed.

Andre joked that the mystery of his psyche was definitely tied to his Dickensian childhood. Hattie noted that she was not as gullible as Hattie Adams. "Few are," Andre retorted. Andre asked if "Marlena" was ready to sign his certificate. Hattie said she was not ready. Andre argued that he did not have time, but Hattie reminded Andre that he was in a hurry. With a creepy grin, Andre told Hattie to keep him posted. "I will be as fair and honest with you as you were with me," Hattie said to herself once Andre left.

In the square, Lucas quietly talked to Chloe on the phone about the police. Chloe promised that she had made an anonymous call about the body. Lucas thanked Chloe for her help. With a sigh, Lucas said he did not believe he would have hurt Anjelica. "If I had sex with Anjelica, I didn't know it. I thought I was making love to Adrienne," Lucas muttered as Justin walked up behind him. Lucas spotted Justin, and he hurriedly hung up the phone.

Justin said that he had heard Lucas mention Adrienne, and he urged him to clean himself up. Lucas growled that he did not want advice from the man that had stolen his woman. Justin disagreed, but Lucas noted that Adrienne's change of heart had been sudden. As Lucas muttered about waking up with "something," he turned and accused Justin of going after him. Justin urged Lucas to accept Adrienne's decision and move on.

Lucas vowed to get Adrienne back. Shaking his head, Justin said Adrienne had moved back into the Kiriakis mansion. Taken aback, Lucas asked Justin if Adrienne had been at the mansion the night before. Justin nodded yes. "This can't be happening," Lucas mumbled to himself. Justin suggested that Lucas talk to Maggie for the sake of his daughter and granddaughter. Once alone, Lucas ordered a martini and stared at it. Lucas thought about what Justin had said about Adrienne moving into the mansion, and Lucas hurriedly grabbed his martini and chugged it.

At the police station, Hope urged Rafe to remain patient and wait for Myron to call. Rafe said he was concerned that Myron would buckle under Raines's threats. Hope promised that they would have enough evidence to arrest Raines soon. In the doorway, Raines stopped and asked Hope who she planned to arrest. Rafe said they had a forensics report that supported an arrest in the Kubiak case. Raines grumbled that there were too many open cases.

Hope chimed in to note that there was a new case. When Raines heard about the details, he yelled at Rafe and Hope for sitting around the precinct instead of investigating the mysterious death at the Salem Inn. As Raines walked away, Hope grimaced and mimed choking him. Rafe asked about the Salem Inn case, and Hope noted that there had been an anonymous call to the police. Hope noticed that the body had been found in Adrienne's room.

After checking with the morgue, Rafe learned that the body was Anjelica Deveraux. While the autopsy results were pending, Hope fretted that Adrienne had several motives to kill Anjelica. Hope prayed aloud that Adrienne had nothing to do with Anjelica's death. Myron called. Rafe counseled Myron to text Raines and set up a meeting at Club TBD. Hope and Rafe high-fived over the plan.

Raines approached and asked for an update on the body at the Salem Inn. Rafe explained that the morgue had identified the body as Anjelica Deveraux. Scoffing, Raines asked if Jennifer would make the same fuss over the murder case as she'd made over Abe. As Hope and Rafe looked at one another, Myron called Raines. Raines picked up the phone and announced that he would be right over. Before he left, Raines ordered Hope and Rafe to interview Adrienne immediately.

In order to split their resources, Hope suggested that Rafe tail Raines while she tracked down Adrienne for an interview. Dodging a kiss for luck, Hope smiled and left the precinct. Dario called Rafe's phone and told his brother that he felt terrible for what had happened to Abigail. Quietly, Rafe growled that Dario should feel bad for what he had done. When Dario said Abe had not been his partner, Rafe said he already knew that.

In the Kiriakis living room, Bonnie, posing as Adrienne, grinned as she surveyed the house. Bonnie grumbled that she was eager to have everything she would have had if "that bitch hadn't taken what was mine." Maggie overheard Bonnie as she entered the room, and she asked what Bonnie was talking about. Bonnie complimented Maggie's blouse. Smiling, Maggie noted that Adrienne had helped Sonny pick out the blouse for her for Christmas. Bonnie lied and said that she had been forgetful lately.

Maggie asked about the bitch that Bonnie had mentioned. Bonnie said she was angry at Anjelica for attempting to steal the Intruder. With a furrowed brow, Maggie corrected Bonnie and said the paper was called the Spectator. Bonnie nodded. Changing the subject, Bonnie asked if Maggie had a problem with her. Maggie admitted that she was concerned that Victor had not changed how he felt about Adrienne.

"When Victor sees Justin and me together, parenting Jackson," Bonnie said. Maggie interrupted to say, "You mean Sonny?" Bonnie noted that Sonny was a good nickname for a kid, but he was an adult. Bonnie said they were all family and would learn to be happy together. With a hesitant nod, Maggie countered that she had married into the family, too. Maggie added that she was also a Horton, and Lucas was her family.

"You treated him horribly, and I want to know why," Maggie said with a scowl. Bonnie said that she loved Lucas and had not wanted to hurt him. Frustrated, Maggie said she was not angry at Bonnie for choosing Justin but for how she had dumped Lucas. With a smirk, Bonnie reminded Maggie that she had loved both Mickey and Victor. Bonnie said she could love two men, as well. With a nod, Maggie warned Bonnie to make sure she knew who she wanted before she moved into the mansion.

"I'm wondering if this isn't really about Justin and Lucas, or maybe it's that you want to be the only queen of this castle," Bonnie said. Shocked, Maggie's mouth dropped open. Justin walked in. Bonnie jumped to her feet and announced that she and Maggie were clearing the air between one another. Maggie disagreed. Maggie said she had told Adrienne that she was worried about Adrienne's sudden change of heart. Justin said that, though abrupt, it was what he and Adrienne wanted. Smiling, Bonnie said she knew that Maggie interfered out of love.

Maggie asked Justin about Nicole's custody case. Beaming, Justin announced that Nicole had regained custody of Holly. Maggie said she was excited for Holly to return home. Changing the subject, Justin said that Lucas was falling apart. Justin urged Maggie to talk to him. Justin stepped out to take a phone call, and Maggie and Bonnie stared intently at one another. The doorbell rang. Maggie asked Bonnie to answer the door, and Bonnie shrugged, noting that the butler would get it. Maggie yelled that it was Henderson's day off.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that going to the door was beneath you," Maggie said mockingly. With a fake smile, Bonnie said she was happy to answer the door. Bonnie found Hope on the front porch. Hope asked Bonnie if they could talk. "Sure, Fancy Face," Bonnie said. With a quizzical look, Hope walked into the foyer. Hope told Bonnie that a body had been found in Adrienne's room at the Salem Inn. When Hope asked whether "Adrienne" had any information about the murder, Bonnie shrugged slightly.

At Club TBD, Gabi stared at the police tape across the front door. When Gabi ignored the tape and attempted to enter the club, someone grabbed her from behind. It was Eli, and he dragged her over to the park. Eli reminded Gabi that the club was an active crime scene. Gabi told Eli that he had scared her when he'd grabbed her. Angry, Gabi told Eli that she was not a criminal. Once calm, Gabi apologized and said her life was a bit of a mess. Gabi noted that she had left Eli for Chad, who had then left her for Abigail. Eli told Gabi that she did not deserve to have her heart broken.

Eli reminded Gabi that she had been honest with him about her feelings for Chad from the start of their relationship. With a shrug, Eli said he had hoped to make Gabi forget Chad. Gabi assured Eli that he had been an incredible guy. However, she had believed that Chad had loved her, and she had followed her heart. When Eli said that Chad had loved her, Gabi countered that Chad loved Abigail more. Eli told Gabi that whomever she fell for next would be a lucky man.

After her talk with Eli, Gabi returned to the club to look for an earring she had dropped. Gabi located the earring and was in the process of putting it back in her ear when a messenger showed up with a package for Dario. Gabi offered to sign for the package. After the messenger left, Gabi wondered aloud what Dario had sent himself. Gabi ducked inside the club with the envelope.

While Eli was walking through the square, he called Rafe. Rafe informed him that he had spoken to Dario and that they might not need Myron to make their case against Raines. Rafe explained that Dario had sent a package to the club that would incriminate Raines. At the bar in the club, Gabi opened the package and found a tape recorder. Gabi played it and heard Raines confessing. "Really wish you hadn't heard that," Raines said. Gabi turned and saw Raines scowling at her from the doorway.