At the police station, Anna and Hattie reluctantly agreed to be civil with each other. Eager to get things back on track, Roman confronted Hattie with the anonymous letter. She tried to claim that she had never seen it before, but when he pressed the issue, she quickly dropped the act, conceding that she had always been putty in his hands. "I didn't have any choice! I had to [send that letter]! I just had to!" she insisted.
"See, Alfie was out -- he was free, [and he was] runnin' around, just livin' the life -- and that didn't seem quite fair to me, you know? I mean, because he'd hurt so many people -- myself included! So, I thought...well, I thought, 'I shouldn't do anything; I -- I -- I should just stay out of it and -- and -- and let the universe punish Alfie,' you know? [And] the universe [could] just grind him down to the ground until he came oozing out of [its] toes, like he deserved --" Hattie continued. Interrupting, Hope asked Hattie to stick to the facts.
"[Okay, so]...I was sitting at my computer in the warden's office, and -- and -- and I was doing my work, and then I was -- I was surfin' the Web a little bit, and then I thought, 'Why don't I just go on over to the [Brady Pub's] Instagram account and see [what's] happenin' there?' And you know what I saw? Those two -- Anna and Roman! She was all over him! Made. Me. Sick! And then I thought, 'I know... Here's a brainstorm -- what if I could get Anna away from that USDA choice beefsteak [and] turn Alfie into worm food [at the same time], huh?'" Hattie continued.
"[So] I wrote the letter, and then I put it into her purse when I was on one of my 'outings,'" Hattie continued. Hope started to admonish Hattie, but Hattie, who wasn't finished yet, testily pointed out, "If you're gonna eat a horse, you don't choke at the tail!" Glaring at Anna, Hattie added, "And I'm dealin' with a real horse's ass over there!" Offended, Anna snapped that Hattie was insane. "No, dolly -- 'insane' is carrying somebody's ashes around in a fancy tin, and then takin' that fancy tin to bonk my Alfie over the head! That's insane!" Hattie countered. Anna lunged forward with a growl of anger, but Carrie held her back.
Anna declared that Andre had gotten exactly what he had deserved. Carrie warned Anna to stop talking, but Anna forged ahead, insisting, "I'm glad he's dead -- [but] that doesn't mean I killed him!" Hope and Rafe pointed out that the letter gave Anna a motive, but Carrie argued that it wasn't admissible in court -- and shouldn't be used as an excuse to revoke her parents' bail. Hope assured Carrie that Anna and Roman were both free to go, at least for the time being. Relieved, Anna started to leave the police station with Carrie, but Roman refused to budge. "Tell [Hope] what you told me about the night of Andre's murder," Roman instructed Anna.
"Have you lost it, Dad?" Carrie began to protest, but Roman insisted that she needed to trust him. Sighing, Carrie turned to Hope and stressed, "I will end this if I feel my client's rights are in jeopardy." Hattie couldn't wait to hear what Anna was about to reveal. "Now we get all the details about how Alfie got clobbered! Tell me he was hurt! Tell me he was in pain!" Hattie excitedly begged Anna. Hope started to clarify that Hattie wasn't going to hear another word because she had been free long enough already, but Anna objected, "I think she should hear this! I think she should know exactly what her letter drove me to do!"
Hope reluctantly agreed to let Hattie stay but demanded total silence from her. Nodding, Hattie made a few quick gestures to indicate that she was locking her mouth and tossing away the key. Meanwhile, Anna began to reveal what had happened when she had gone to DiMera Enterprises on the night of Andre's murder to question him about Tony's death.
Andre had laughed off Anna's suspicion that he had killed his brother, reminding her that he had been in hiding, far from Salem, at the time of Tony's death. Unconvinced, Anna had suggested that Andre might have grown tired of hiding and might have therefore devised a plan to get rid of Tony and take his place -- a plan that had somehow gone awry. Andre had dismissively insisted that taking Tony's place -- especially at that particular time in Tony's life -- would have been a fate worse than death because it would have meant having to pretend to be in love with Anna, of all people. Offended, Anna had raised the urn and prepared to strike Andre with it.
Carrie tried to stop Anna from saying anything else, but Roman maintained that the truth needed to be revealed, and Anna agreed. Continuing the tale, Anna explained that when she had swung the urn, Andre had dodged the attack and seized the urn from her. When Andre had threatened to dump Tony's ashes in the toilet, Anna had begun apologizing profusely, hoping to change his mind. "You can have your Tony [back]...only after -- if ever -- you come to your senses. Now, get the hell out of here!" Andre had spat, slamming the urn down on his desk. Horrified, Anna had rushed out of Andre's office in tears, leaving him unharmed -- and in possession of the urn.
"You choked!" Hattie spat, glaring at Anna in disgust. Annoyed, Hope reminded Hattie to stay quiet. Roman pointed out that someone else could have easily killed Andre with the urn after Anna had left DiMera Enterprises, but Hope countered that, at least for the time being, Anna was still the last known visitor Andre had received that night, since DiMera Enterprises' security system had gone down for maintenance seconds after Anna had left Andre's office. Rafe added that, on the bright side, the maintenance had only lasted for an hour or so, meaning that there was more surveillance footage to review -- and it might provide additional suspects.
Hattie, deciding to take comfort in the knowledge that someone had killed Andre, tried to excuse herself, claiming that she was going to sneak back into Statesville before anyone realized that she had escaped again. Hope stopped Hattie and vowed to put in a request for her to be transferred to a more secure facility. "Ugh! I should've seen that comin'," Hattie grumbled.
As a police officer approached, Hattie turned to Roman and told him, "Love makes people do really weird things." Confused, Roman wondered if that was supposed to be Hattie's version of an apology. "What? No! I'm just lettin' you know that if I were you, I'd keep an eye on Blondie here, you know? Watch your back, if you know what I mean," Hattie clarified, eyeing Anna suspiciously.
Hattie continued shouting warnings at Roman as the police officer dragged her away. Meanwhile, Hope prepared a new statement for Anna to sign. "I hope it's the truth this time," Hope pointedly told Anna. Nearby, Carrie quietly reminded Rafe, "Hope is one tough cop -- [and] a great detective." Rafe somewhat irritably wondered if Carrie had a point. "I just pray, for your sake, that she never even gets a hint of a clue about what happened with you and Sami, because you won't stand a chance," Carrie whispered. "Yeah, okay -- I know," Rafe conceded with a sigh.
At Doug's Place, Julie tried to convince Eli to share all the juicy details of Andre's murder investigation. Eli dodged Julie's questions, but she refused to give up, pointedly noting that there were reasons to be suspicious of his girlfriend. Eli insisted that Gabi was innocent then added, in an effort to convince Julie, that the real killer was about to be apprehended.
"Well, you can't really blame me for going straight to Gabi -- she's a hothead, she's passionate..." Julie began to explain. Realizing that Eli was getting uncomfortable, Julie continued, "I'm going to stop talking now, because it's time to let go of the past, and I love you, and I want you to be happy." Eli assured Julie that he was happy -- thanks to Gabi.
Changing the subject, Julie reminded Eli that the anniversary of David's death was fast approaching. Eli agreed to help Julie plan an event to honor David's memory. Julie admitted that it was nice to know that David lived on in Eli. "Maybe you don't even understand that now, but you will one day, when you have children of your own," Julie continued.
While passing through Horton Town Square, Gabi spotted J.J., who was carrying a blue bicycle in one hand and a pink bicycle in the other hand. He explained that he had been unable to resist buying a bicycle for his unborn child when he had seen them on display in a store window -- but he had also been unable to settle on one color because he didn't know yet if he was going to have a boy or a girl. She warned that, either way, it would be a few years before the child would be ready to use the bicycle. "I can wait," he insisted, smiling as he added that he would always be a part of the child's life.
Changing the subject, J.J. told Gabi that he had heard about what had happened with Gabi Chic. She assured him that she would get her company back eventually, one way or another. "Well, I feel sorry for anyone who stands between you and what you want," he replied, having seen her true power with his own eyes on Christmas Eve.
Eli arrived while Gabi and J.J. were in the middle of an embrace. J.J. said hello to Eli then rushed off with the bicycles. "It was just a hug," Gabi assured Eli, misinterpreting the serious look on his face. He clarified that he wasn't concerned about that. "I need to ask you something," he hesitantly admitted. "It's about Andre DiMera," he continued.
Gabi got defensive when Eli started probing for a detailed account of her actions on the night of Andre's murder. Eli told Gabi that he was curious because he hadn't been able to reach her that night. Annoyed, Gabi explained that, after being kicked out of her own company, she had gone for a drive around the lake to clear her head, and the cellular service was spotty there.
"Are you seriously considering me a suspect?" Gabi asked incredulously. "I just need to follow up on the footage -- to clear you," Eli replied, prompting Gabi to conclude that her word wasn't good enough for him -- just as it hadn't been good enough when he had questioned her about what had happened on Christmas Eve. "I will always be sorry for that," he stressed. "Hell, I'm sorry now for upsetting you," he added, making it clear that he had never intended to do that. "Of course you didn't have anything to do with Andre's murder," he conceded.
Softening a bit, Gabi admitted that murder would always be a sensitive subject for her because of her history. Eli, hoping to reassure Gabi, revealed -- off the record -- that Anna appeared to be Andre's true murderer. "You could have started with that!" Gabi snapped. "Sorry," Eli replied, flashing a sheepish grin. Eli told Gabi that he trusted her completely -- then squirmed when she gave him a hug and returned the sentiment.
Valerie spotted Lani outside the Brady Pub and insisted that they needed to talk. Before Valerie could continue, Abe, who had just returned from South Africa, joined the conversation.
A few minutes later, inside the pub, Abe assured Lani that her brother was doing well. Abe then changed the subject, eager to ask questions about his unborn grandchild. When Lani claimed that the baby was due in mid-August, Abe wondered if that meant the baby would be a Virgo. "Virgos are September babies," Valerie pointedly clarified. "The baby could be born in August or September, I think -- due dates are just approximations," Lani replied, waving a hand dismissively. "No, they're pretty accurate these days. Like, if you conceived in November, then the baby would be born in August, [but] if you conceived, let's say, around Christmastime...well, then, yeah, you'd have a September baby -- a Virgo," Valerie maintained. Lani shot Valerie a look and stressed, "Doesn't matter to me -- I will be happy as long as J.J.'s and my baby is healthy."
J.J. soon arrived with the bicycles and jokingly asked if Lani wanted to have twins. "Managing one will be hard enough," Lani guessed. Nodding, Abe warned that, as first-time parents, Lani and J.J. would make mistakes from time to time. "Oh, yeah. Like the big one I made -- not telling Eli who his real father was," Valerie interjected.
Forcing a smile, Lani pulled J.J. aside to talk to him privately. Abe watched as Lani and J.J. happily discussed the bicycles, one of which their child would eventually ride -- with the proper protective gear, of course. Grinning, Abe admitted to Valerie that he no longer had reservations about the relationship, since it was obvious that J.J. loved Lani. "Even though he is going a bit overboard," Abe added. "Yeah, well, every father-to-be deserves to go overboard," Valerie replied. Abe sensed that Valerie was upset about something, but before she could tell him what was going on, he received a phone call from Cameron, who was calling about Theo. "I asked him to look at Theo's revised treatment plans," Abe explained. Valerie urged Abe to take the call, insisting that it was important.
After Abe stepped outside, Valerie approached Lani, who had just finished saying goodbye to J.J., and revealed, "I know the truth. I know Eli is the father of your baby."
At Doug's Place, Julie caught J.J. reading an article about pregnancy. "So, J.J., any news you want to share?" Julie asked curiously. Grinning, J.J. excitedly confirmed Julie's suspicion that he was about to be a father.
Outside the pub, Roman assured Anna that confessing to the police had been the right thing to do. "I am just glad it's over," Anna replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "It's not over," Carrie insisted. "Until the police find evidence to incriminate someone else, this is not over, and you're not in the clear," Carrie stressed.
At the police station, Hope, Rafe, and Eli discussed the possibility that Hattie, not Anna, had killed Andre. Without enough evidence to prove that theory -- or any other theory -- Rafe and Eli resumed the task of reviewing the surveillance footage from the night of the murder -- and soon found a new suspect.
At the police station, Rafe and Eli reviewed newly found footage that had been recorded after the missing hour of footage. Rafe and Eli saw a woman that looked like Gabi outside of Andre's office. The woman was wearing the same coat that Gabi owned. Rafe was furious because Gabi had not mentioned that she had returned to Andre's office later that night.
Eli reassured Rafe that the murder could have happened during the missing hour of footage. Eli noted that Gabi would have confessed if she had murdered Andre. Hopeful, Rafe agreed. Rafe started to call the commissioner, but Eli asked Rafe to question Gabi first so that she was not blindsided. Reluctantly, Rafe agreed.
In the mausoleum, Abigail told Chad that she did not want to leave Andre after the dreams she had had about him. Abigail said she feared she would not be able to find peace until the killer had been caught. Chad told Abigail that they had caught Hattie. Chad added that Anna and Hattie had accused one another of Andre's murder.
Abigail worried aloud that anyone could be the murderer. "Do you still think that Gabi could have done it?" Chad asked. Abigail shrugged. Abigail said she had confronted Gabi, and Gabi had sworn she was innocent.
"I asked Stefan to reinstate her, and I really hope he does," Abigail whispered. Chad reminded Abigail that Gabi had been to prison once before and would not do anything to jeopardize custody of her daughter.
In the DiMera mansion living room, Vivian crowed to Stefan, "John Black has nothing on us, nor do the police. So we actually got away with it. Now we can go forward with our plan with one less thing to worry about." "Oh, yeah? So, what's the one less thing you have to worry about?" Gabi asked from the doorway. Covering, Vivian noted that she did not like to speak ill of the dead. Gabi asked Stefan about Gabi Chic.
"Are you gonna step up, or have you just been stringing me along?" Gabi asked. Stefan said he would make sure that Gabi was reinstated. "You can't do that!" Vivian blurted out. Vivian asked about the board. Stefan said he could make a recommendation to the board and sway the decision. Gabi asked Stefan to keep her updated.
Once Gabi was gone, Vivian asked Stefan what he was thinking. Stefan noted it would be bad publicity not to rehire Gabi. Shaking her head no, Vivian accused Stefan of hiring Gabi back to impress Abigail. Stefan admitted he had not been able to stop thinking about Abigail. With a groan, Vivian told Stefan that he always wanted what he could not have. "I'm used to getting what I want, and what I want is Abigail," Stefan said. Vivian slapped him.
As Stefan held his cheek, Abigail and Chad walked into the living room. Vivian explained that their argument had grown heated. "It must have been about something pretty important," Abigail remarked. "Actually, it was about you," Stefan said cheerfully. Stefan explained that he had told Gabi that he would work to reinstate her. Vivian said she felt Stefan had acted rashly in promising that to Gabi. Abigail thanked Stefan for giving Gabi a chance.
"If there is anything you want or need from me in the future, all you need to do is ask," Stefan said. Stefan added that he had liked what Abigail had said about Andre at the funeral. "Makes me wish I could have gotten to know him better," Stefan said.
Stefan offered to draft the announcement about rehiring Gabi. Chad interrupted to stress that the press announcement could wait. Chad escorted Abigail upstairs. "I don't know if you missed it, but Chad just placed you on notice. You are playing a very dangerous game, my son," Vivian said.
J.J. met with Kayla in the hospital to talk about Lani's pregnancy. Kayla said she could not discuss the details of the pregnancy, but she told J.J. that the baby was right where it should be in its development. J.J. asked about the heartbeat, but Kayla said she had not heard one yet.
Changing the subject, J.J. asked Kayla about entering the EMT training program. Kayla encouraged J.J. to apply. J.J. said he had admired the work of the EMTs that had saved Theo's life. Kayla told J.J. to think about the job seriously, and she would recommend him for the program if he was interested in working as an EMT. After reviewing the brochure, J.J. noted that the training program should be completed before the baby was born. Kayla nodded but shifted her eyes away.
In the pub, Lani clutched her stomach when Valerie said she knew the truth about the baby. Valerie helped Lani sit down. "I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing by my son," Valerie said. Lani protested that she was doing the right thing for Eli too. Valerie warned Lani that she did not want to keep the truth from her child. Valerie stressed that Eli would want to be a father to his baby.
"This will destroy people's lives, Valerie. Especially J.J.," Lani cried out. Lani explained that the night the baby had been conceived, J.J. had planned to commit suicide. After Lani told Valerie the story, Valerie nodded and said that Eli had told her about J.J.'s attempted suicide.
Valerie asked if J.J. had improved. With a nod, Lani confirmed that J.J. was better but not fully healed. "If he finds out this baby is not his, I don't know what he'll do," Lani said. Lani asked Valerie not to tell anyone the truth.
"Continuing to lie to [Eli] is not doing him any favors. And not for the baby either," Valerie said. Lani countered that everything would be fine. Valerie stressed that she could not lie to her son again. Upset, Lani begged Valerie to keep the secret because Valerie would be responsible if the news sent J.J. over the edge.
"One way or another, he is going to find out. I'll give you 24 hours," Valerie said quietly. J.J. entered from the back and saw Lani crying. Valerie excused herself and left. J.J. asked what was wrong.
After Eli called Gabi, she arrived at the police station to meet with him. Rafe and Eli showed Gabi the footage of the mystery woman. "That's not me! I swear!" Gabi protested. Rafe asked Gabi to be honest with him. Gabi reiterated that the woman on the camera was not her.
Rafe asked Gabi who the woman could be, but Gabi was unsure. Gabi asked to see the rest of the footage. Gabi noted that the woman was hiding her face. With a nod, Eli suggested they look at other cameras to find a shot of the woman's face.
"Are you saying you believe me?" Gabi asked hopefully. "I'm not saying anything until I see her face," Rafe said. Gabi pleaded with Rafe to find evidence to prove her innocent. While Rafe went to check on other footage, Gabi promised Eli that she would never lie to him because she knew he would have her back. "Of course, I believe you," Eli said.
When Rafe returned, he confirmed that there was no other video footage of the woman, and the key card the woman had used had been Gabi's card. Rafe asked Gabi what she had done with her key card after she had left Andre's office. Gabi could not remember. Frustrated, Rafe asked Eli if he could zoom in on the footage. Though the enlarged picture was fuzzy, Rafe realized that the item in the woman's hand was the missing piece of the murder weapon.
As dinnertime approached, Tripp, wanting to repay Claire and Ciara for their recent kindness, sneaked off to the Horton Town Square to buy groceries.
A short time later, Tripp returned home and informed his roommates that he was going to cook for them that evening. Claire, clearly in a rush, thanked Tripp for the offer and explained that, unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to stay for dinner because she had just been called in to work to cover someone else's shift. Tripp frowned then turned to Ciara and reasoned with a shrug, "More for us?"
Changing the subject, Tripp began distributing the mail he had carried in with the groceries -- mail that included, among other things, wedding invitations for Ciara and Claire. "Oh, look -- I have a plus-one. Stellar...assuming this thing even happens," Ciara mused without much enthusiasm. "What is that supposed to mean?" Claire asked curiously. "It means...you never know around here," Ciara replied before turning to Tripp and inviting him to be her date. After a moment of thought, Tripp accepted the offer, reasoning that, while he didn't really know the bride or the groom very well, they were both friends of the Johnson family, after all.
"Too bad Theo isn't gonna be here in time for this. Guess you'll have to sit all by your lonesome," Ciara told Claire, who irritably wondered if it had really been necessary for Ciara to point that out. "What? It's true!" Ciara reasoned with a shrug. Tripp quickly intervened, reminding Claire and Ciara that they had recently agreed to a truce. "You were doing really good. Let's -- let's keep that going," Tripp begged. "Maybe I'll just leave. I think that'll help," Claire replied before rushing off. Scoffing, Ciara asked Tripp, "What's her problem? She got Theo! She won the prize! I hope she's not having second thoughts now..."
Later, while preparing dinner, Tripp caught Ciara staring at her wedding invitation with a look of concern. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yeah...sort of..." she replied. "It's just...I knew [that this wedding was going to happen], but now that there's an actual date..." she continued. Nodding, he concluded that she was worried about her mother, whose husband-to-be was harboring a major secret.
"I can't help but think about what happened the last time [my mom] got married, you know? Aiden destroyed us; he tore our family apart," Ciara explained. Tripp was quick to point out that Rafe wasn't Aiden, but Ciara was still concerned, fearing that Rafe could cheat again at any time. "Are you having second thoughts about telling your mom [what he did]?" Tripp asked. Ciara gave the matter some thought and ultimately decided to continue protecting Rafe, assuring herself that he could, in fact, be trusted to never again betray the woman he loved. "He'd better not," Ciara stressed through gritted teeth.
After clocking in, Claire greeted the first customers of her work shift -- Brady and Eve -- and teasingly wondered if they were on a date. Brady and Eve, both stammering, evasively claimed that they were simply getting to know each other better -- and enjoying each other's company. "Right..." Claire replied with obvious skepticism before rushing off to get drinks for the couple.
Brady and Eve quickly realized that, with sex a newly forbidden topic, they really didn't have much to discuss with each other -- except work, of course. "Well, you know, we [haven't] vowed not to talk about work, [so] let's talk about work," Brady reasoned with a shrug. "You are a hopeless romantic, aren't you?" Eve teasingly replied. Going along with Brady's idea, Eve admitted that she still wasn't at peace with the fact that she had lost Gabi Chic to DiMera Enterprises -- especially since Basic Black really needed something in its arsenal that would make the company appealing to the younger female demographics.
Claire soon returned with the drinks that Brady and Eve had ordered. Recognizing an opportunity, Eve wondered if Claire was on the lookout for any particular product or service at that time that wasn't widely available yet. "A time machine, definitely," Claire replied without hesitation. "My boyfriend and I are in the ultimate long-distance relationship. It's gonna be a long year," Claire explained before rushing off to take another customer's order. Frowning, Eve mused, "Poor girl. Probably thinks that she's the only person in the world right now that's alone."
Brady, who had also been impressed with Eve's continued interest in Claire's music, observed with obvious surprise, "There really is a heart in there, huh?" Grinning, Eve confirmed, "If you look hard enough..."
Later, after eating, Brady and Eve, drawing inspiration from Claire's earlier comment about wanting a time machine, began discussing Bella, the popular magazine Titan had once published. Brady explained to Eve that the magazine -- which had actually been named after his mother -- had been shelved after its editor had resigned. "We could bring it back! We could put it online first, [and] we could use it to promote all of our products!" Brady continued. "That's genius!" Eve declared, prompting Brady to jokingly admit that was the first time anyone had ever used that word to describe one of his ideas.
Claire returned while Brady and Eve were talking about promoting Bella's relaunch with an updated version of its infamous "Face of the '90s" contest. Brady encouraged Claire to enter the contest. Intrigued, Claire promised to give it some thought. Eve waited until the coast was clear then fretted to Brady that getting Claire's hopes up was probably a bad idea because, after all, there was no guarantee that she would actually win the contest. "You don't understand! Her aunt -- Carrie -- was the 'Face of the '90s' back in the day! It's perfect!" Brady excitedly insisted.
Later, while Eve was freshening up, Brady bought a long-stemmed pink rose for her. When she returned and found it resting on her chair, she mused that he might truly be a hopeless romantic, after all. She admitted, as she admired the rose, that she couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a flower from a man. "I don't know what your game is, [but] tonight was quite lovely," she added. He coolly wondered why she suspected that he was playing a game. "You always do," she reasoned with a shrug. "You always do," he countered. "Whatever," she evasively replied.
Brady walked Eve back to the entrance of the Kiriakis mansion, where she gave him a kiss on the cheek then started to head upstairs. He quickly stopped her and asked if she would like to go on another date with him sometime. "Maybe," she coyly replied before continuing on her way. He sighed as he watched her retreat to her bedroom.
At the police station, Hope filled Abe in on everything he had missed while he had been out of town. "[Andre's murder] is high-profile, [so] I want as many officers put on it as you can spare," Abe told Hope. "[But] can you keep my daughter out of this fire as much as possible?" Abe carefully added. "Well, I'd planned on doing that, anyway...knowing that Lani's pregnant," Hope replied with a grin before congratulating Abe, who was pleased to hear that his daughter was already sharing the good news with people.
Later, Abe met with Valerie in the park and reminded her that when they had parted ways earlier, she had been in the process of telling him something. Forcing a smile, she claimed that she had simply wanted to talk to him -- in vague details, of course -- about a patient she had been concerned about lately. "[But they've] taken a turn for the better, so [it's] all good," she continued.
Satisfied, Abe changed the subject, informing Valerie that he had just received an invitation to Hope and Rafe's fast-approaching wedding. "I am rooting for you to catch the bouquet," Abe confessed to Valerie. "Assuming that J.J. has put a ring on Lani's finger by then," Abe quickly added. Valerie carefully warned Abe not to put any pressure on the young couple. Abe suspected that Valerie would be less cavalier about the matter if it were her grandchild who was potentially going to be born out of wedlock, but she confidently assured him that he was wrong about that.
At the Brady Pub, Lani told J.J. that she was upset because Valerie had blabbed to Eli about the baby. Confused, J.J. wondered why Lani was upset about that, since, after all, quite a few other people knew at that point, too. "I don't know. I guess I'm just hormonal...and maybe just a bit overwhelmed by all of the unwanted attention, you know, that I've been getting," Lani explained with a shrug.
"I mean, it just -- it, uh...it amazes me that when people find out you're pregnant, they -- they treat your body like public property; they touch your belly, and they ask you how much weight you've gained, [and if] you're gonna keep working, [and if you're taking] your prenatal vitamins, [and if you're gonna] breastfeed -- because that's the best [option] -- and..." Lani continued, fighting back tears.
J.J. apologized to Lani, knowing that he had been hovering a lot lately, but she insisted, "It's okay coming from you; you're the..." After a brief pause, she continued, "You're the man I love."
J.J. flashed Lani a smile then changed the subject, excitedly informing her that he was thinking about taking some EMT training courses. "[Kayla] said that she'd give me a recommendation, and I was thinking that maybe if I asked Valerie, too --" J.J. continued. Interrupting, Lani blurted out, "No!" Confused, J.J. wondered why Lani was objecting.
"I just -- I don't want you to think that you have to rush into a job because of me or the baby," Lani claimed, but J.J. suspected that there was more to the story. "You get so tense every time I mention Valerie. I thought you two got along," J.J. curiously noted. Lani hesitantly replied that Valerie's unsolicited advice was simply getting a bit annoying. "Well, I think you better get used to it; I mean, if Abe and Valerie ever get married, [she'd be] the kid's grandma, [and] unsolicited advice is kind of in their job description," J.J. pointed out. Lani forced a smile then abruptly excused herself, explaining that she needed to get back to work.
At the police station, Rafe and Eli tried to assure Gabi that everything was going to be okay -- just as Hope joined them in the conference room they were using. Hope quickly deduced that something was going on, forcing Rafe and Eli to admit that they had been questioning Gabi. Rafe, wanting to fill Hope in privately, asked Eli to stay with Gabi.
After Hope and Rafe left, Gabi told Eli that when Andre had fired her, she had stormed out of DiMera Enterprises in anger, leaving her key card and her coat behind in one of the offices. "Gabi, it's February. It's freezing cold outside. Didn't you realize that you didn't have a coat on?" Eli asked incredulously. Gabi was annoyed that Eli was questioning her claims, but he clarified that he was simply trying to prepare her for questions she would have to answer sooner or later. Softening a bit, she explained that she'd had another coat with her that night, and she hadn't returned to the building the following day to pick up her belongings because, at that point, the place had been declared a crime scene. He accepted that explanation and reassured her that he would always be on her side.
Eli started to advise Gabi to get a lawyer -- just as Hope and Rafe reentered the conference room. "We have to book you on suspicion of murder," Hope apologetically informed Gabi. "[Which] means that we have forty-eight hours to either charge or release you," Rafe clarified with a sigh. "And until then...Gabi, I'm sorry, [but] you're gonna have to spend the night here," Hope continued.
Eli was quick to remind Gabi that there were other suspects, and Rafe added that he would do everything in his power to prove her innocence. Gabi, struggling to maintain her composure, informed Rafe that he would have to pick Arianna up later that night at the Kiriakis mansion, where the child was staying with Sonny. Eli offered to escort Gabi down to the holding cell so she wouldn't have to be handcuffed.
Alone with Rafe, Hope stressed, "[Gabi's] lucky to have you. There's no one better [anyone would] ever want on [their] side than you." Rafe squirmed as Hope gave him a hug.
Claire returned home while Ciara was in the process of thanking Tripp for being someone she could trust to keep things to himself. Claire opened the apartment door just as Ciara was reminding Tripp, simply for good measure, "Seriously, you [can never] tell anyone, all right? Especially Claire. She can never keep her mouth shut."
While passing through the town square, Abe and Valerie ran into J.J., who, having decided to propose to Lani, seized the opportunity to ask for Abe's blessing.
Meanwhile, Lani went to the police station to see Eli, who was working alone in one of the conference rooms. He dismissively insisted that he didn't have time to talk to her, but she ignored his protests and blurted out, "This baby that I'm having -- I lied [about it being J.J.'s], Eli. It's yours."
While eating the leftover portion of the dinner Tripp had made earlier, Claire fished for details about the secret Ciara had shared with him. He made it clear that he wasn't going to reveal anything, prompting Claire to wonder when he had gotten so close with Ciara. "Are you [two] more than friends?" Claire demanded to know.
Tripp insisted that Claire was reading too much into his refusal to betray someone's confidence. Unconvinced, Claire accused Tripp of dodging the question. "You and I [used to be] pretty close, [but now that Ciara's back], you're sharing secrets and plotting breakups with her, and she's inviting you to go with her [to a wedding]..." Claire pointed out, still suspicious. Tripp was quick to assure Claire that no one was plotting anything anymore. "And the only reason I did that before was because [Ciara] had it bad for Theo...and, you know, I..." he continued. "Had it bad for me," Claire helpfully concluded. "Past tense," he stressed.
Claire wondered if Tripp and Ciara had both moved on -- with each other. Scoffing, Tripp clarified, "[Look, Ciara just] needed to vent, all right? And I had nothing better to do, so I listened." Deciding to accept that explanation, Claire changed the subject, asking Tripp where things stood with their friendship -- which, she was quick to remind him, preceded his friendship with Ciara. "I get that you're over me, and you've moved on and everything, but...[I just don't want you to] pull away from me completely," Claire stressed. Smiling, Tripp assured Claire that he wouldn't -- and that he still considered her a friend.
Satisfied, Claire changed the subject again, eager to tell Tripp about the contest she was thinking of entering. He assured her that she'd have his vote, at least. "And, hey, how could you not win, you know? You are talented and beautiful, and anybody would be lucky to have you," he stressed. "Any -- any magazine, I mean," he quickly clarified. "And you know that I'm [saying] this as a friend, not someone harboring some lame unrequited love, right?" he added, chuckling awkwardly. "Totally," she assured him before heading off to her bedroom to get some rest.
"By the way, I forgot -- what was Ciara's secret, again?" Claire casually asked Tripp before shutting her bedroom door. "So not smooth," he replied, shaking his head dismissively. Frowning, she accepted defeat.
At the police station, Eli lashed out at Lani, upset that she had lied to him about the baby's paternity. "I knew it! I knew it! But, you know, I didn't question you, because --" he started to explain. Interrupting, she concluded, "Because I told you what you wanted to hear." Nodding, he acknowledged that the truth certainly complicated things; he added, however, that he'd still had a right to know it regardless.
Eli wondered why Lani had suddenly decided to tell him the truth. "Well, it wasn't exactly my idea..." she admitted. He was stunned to hear that his mother had resorted to going through confidential medical records in order to figure out the truth about the baby's paternity. "She doesn't want history to repeat itself; she doesn't want me kept in the dark about my child, like my dad was kept in the dark about me," he guessed.
Lani wondered what Eli wanted. "I told you [before] that I would be there for my kid, and I meant [that]," he stressed. "Even if you don't have to?" she countered.
Lani tearfully begged Eli to consider keeping the truth to himself forever, insisting that would be best for everyone involved. "I wanted to tell [J.J.] the truth [when he jumped to the wrong conclusion about the baby's paternity] -- I really did -- but he looked so happy, and he was so excited, and after everything he had been through...it was like he was [back to being] the J.J. I first met. He needed this so much," she stressed. "[And] what do you think is gonna happen when [Gabi] finds out [that you not only] cheated on her [but also] got another woman pregnant?" she pointedly added.
Sighing, Eli admitted that the thought of hurting Gabi was almost unbearable -- especially since she already had so much to deal with at that time. Lani was surprised to learn that Gabi had recently emerged as the prime suspect in Andre's murder investigation. "[Then] this is definitely not a good time to tell her about the baby," Lani concluded. Annoyed, Eli pointed out, "This isn't about Gabi; this is about you denying me my child for the rest of my life!" Lani tearfully assured Eli that the child would be taken care of and would have the love of two parents who actually wanted to be together.
"[If we tell the truth], everyone will lose -- including this baby -- [so] I am asking you...can you please keep this [quiet]? Please. For all of our sakes," Lani begged Eli. Dodging the question, he abruptly excused himself, stating that he needed to get some air. She broke down as she watched him walk away, fearing that he was going to decide not to go along with her ruse.
At the Horton Town Square, Abe thanked J.J. for seeking his blessing before proposing to Lani. "[This has] been on my mind since Lani told me she was pregnant. It seems like the next logical step. And I already knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Lani, but now that we're having a child together, why wait?" J.J. reasoned with a shrug.
"Before you give me an answer, you should know that I am getting my act together so I can provide for Lani and the baby," J.J. continued, revealing his plan to pursue a career as an EMT. J.J. confirmed, when asked, that he had given a lot of thought to the idea of marrying Lani and knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was what he truly wanted to do. "So, what do you say? Do I have your blessing?" J.J. asked Abe.
When Abe didn't respond right away, J.J. concluded that there were lingering reservations as a result of what had happened with Theo. Abe assured J.J. that wasn't the case. "It's me," Valerie added. "[See, earlier tonight], Abe and I, we were discussing the possibility of you and Lani getting married, and I shared my concerns about it," Valerie explained to J.J., who respectfully wondered why she was against the idea.
"Marriage is a huge commitment, [and] just because Lani's pregnant, [that] doesn't mean you have to rush to the altar," Valerie pointed out, adding that she believed it was best for young couples to take their time to make sure that they were getting married for the right reasons. "We love each other. I mean, what's more right than that?" J.J. argued. "Sometimes love isn't enough," Valerie countered.
J.J. understood Valerie's point of view and guessed that she'd be telling Eli the same things if he were the one who was contemplating marrying the mother of his unborn child. "Without question," Valerie confirmed. Nodding, J.J. maintained, "Look, I love Lani, and we created a life together, and I want us to officially be a family so [that] when the baby is born, he or she will have my name."
Satisfied, Abe thanked Valerie for her input and stressed that he appreciated and valued it. "[But] I'm still very old-fashioned, and it's important to me that Lani marry the father of her child. It's best for everyone -- especially when that father is a decent, responsible young man like J.J., who clearly loves my daughter and this baby she's carrying," Abe added.
Turning to J.J., Abe continued, "I haven't always been supportive of your relationship with Lani, but there is no denying how happy you make her." Grinning, J.J. stressed that Lani made him happy, too. "Well, growing up in a home with two loving parents is still how I see family...which is why I'm giving you my full blessing," Abe concluded. Relieved, J.J. said that meant a lot to him -- especially since Abe was someone he'd looked up to his entire life. "It killed me when it felt like I'd lost your respect," J.J. admitted. "You have it now," Abe replied.
J.J. started to assure Valerie that there was no reason for her to worry, but she interrupted and clarified that her concerns had never been personal. "No, you [just] don't want us to make a mistake. I get it. But this is right -- you'll see," J.J. stressed. "I hope so," Valerie replied. Beaming, J.J. shook Abe's hand then rushed off to a nearby jewelry store to pick out an engagement ring.
Once the coast was clear, Abe wondered if Valerie was upset. "No, I just -- I want what's best for everyone involved," Valerie replied. Abe admitted that he was really looking forward to being able to walk his daughter down the aisle, especially since he had missed so many other big moments in her life. Nodding, Valerie mused, "No father should be kept from knowing his child, despite the good intentions of the mother. I learned that the hard way." Meanwhile, Abe spotted Eli passing through the town square. Abe invited Eli to stay for dinner, but Eli declined the offer.
"Can you convince him to join us while I take this?" Abe asked Valerie before stepping aside to answer a phone call. Once the coast was clear, Valerie wondered why Eli seemed upset. "You can stop threatening Lani. She told me about the baby," Eli replied. Relieved to hear that, Valerie wondered how Eli planned to handle the situation. "I hate the thought of pretending that my child doesn't exist, but Lani's right, Mom -- if the truth comes out, a lot of people will be hurt," Eli pointed out. "[So] what are you gonna do?" Valerie repeated. "I honestly don't know," Eli admitted with a shrug.
At the police station, J.J. surprised Lani with a long-stemmed red rose and asked her to join him for dinner at Chez Rouge later. She declined, claiming that she was tired and didn't feel like going out that night. Concerned, he began bombarding her with questions, wanting to make sure that she was taking care of herself. She eventually snapped at him then quickly apologized, stressing that she never wanted to hurt him, of all people. Smiling, he assured her that, according to the books he had been reading, she would feel a lot better -- and a lot less moody -- soon, when the first trimester ended.
"Actually, uh...there's something I want to talk to you about -- something that I don't want you to hear from anyone else," Lani hesitantly began. J.J. assured Lani that she could always feel free to tell him anything, since, after all, they were about to have a baby together. Lani, suddenly losing the courage to admit the truth about the baby, instead revealed, "[Gabi's] being held as a suspect in Andre DiMera's murder." J.J. expressed confidence in Gabi's innocence, prompting Lani to report that Eli felt the same way about the matter. "He must be out of his mind," J.J. guessed. "You have no idea..." Lani replied.
At the hospital, Kayla reviewed the results of Steve's blood test -- which, unfortunately, didn't really clarify anything. "It's an autoimmune disease, but what the exact type is, they still don't know," she informed her husband. "Come on! They took, like, a half a gallon of my blood, and they can't figure this out?" he asked incredulously. She assured him that they would likely learn more when they visited an immunologist the following day.
Steve soon started feeling dizzy again -- and reluctantly admitted, when asked, that the dizziness was getting more intense. Kayla wanted him to check himself into the hospital for overnight observation, but he insisted that wasn't necessary. "You are so stubborn!" she complained. "Yeah...[but] I think you knew that when you married me," he countered, pulling her in for a kiss.
Meanwhile, Will and Paul lurked in a hallway near the nurses' station, watching John, who had just arrived to pick up Marlena. "We've been following your dad all day, and we [still] have no clue what's going on -- no explanation for why he's poisoning Steve Johnson," Will quietly reminded Paul, who irritably shushed him. Will, refusing to stop voicing his concerns, continued, "Now [your dad's] about to go home with my grandmother, which gives me a lot of anxiety, Paul, so I say we either go and confront him or, at the very least, we go to the police and report him." Paul insisted that Will needed to be more patient, but Will countered, "Do you not understand how serious this is? Giving you more time [to investigate] means letting John keep hurting Steve -- maybe killing him [in the process]!"
As John and Marlena, both eager to check on Steve, started heading toward Kayla's office, a man approached and demanded to talk to John right away. "Who is that guy?" Will asked. "I've never seen him before," Paul replied. Despite Marlena's concerns, John agreed to talk to the man, who claimed that he urgently needed the services of a private investigator.
Before Will and Paul could follow John, who was allowing the man to lead him to a more private location, Marlena spotted the two young men and wondered what they were doing at the hospital. "I, um -- I didn't think you would be here so late," Will evasively replied. "Well, I often am, actually," Marlena explained. "We're here to see a friend," Paul claimed. "Uh, yeah -- Derrick. He works in administration," Will added. Will and Paul quickly excused themselves, telling Marlena that they wanted to catch their friend before he left for the day. She eyed them suspiciously as they boarded a nearby elevator.
Meanwhile, in a secluded section of the park, John demanded to know why the man had approached him in such a public place. "Pamela Van Damme, our boss, wanted me to remind you who's in control -- and that we have access to your loved ones whenever the spirit moves us," the ISA goon explained. John started to warn the goon never to approach Marlena again, but the goon interrupted and promised, "You have nothing to worry about...as long as you carry out your mission." Opening a hand to reveal a new vial of poison, the goon continued, "But to do that, you'll need this."
"I figured a refill was in order, since the other one was broken when you threw a hissy fit at the pub," the goon explained. Taken aback, John wondered how the goon had found out about that. "We see everything!" the goon reminded John. "And we'd hate for you to abandon your mission," the goon pointedly added.
"I smashed that vial because I'd just found out that my best friend was diagnosed with an incurable illness. If I [had known] that was in the cards for him, I never would have agreed to this!" John insisted. "What does it matter?" the goon dismissively countered. "Johnson is doomed -- we both know that! Our ISA muckety-mucks want him gone, and this drug slowly but surely is gonna kill him," the goon stressed.
"You're the one who suggested we use this drug on Johnson," the goon pointed out. "Because it's untraceable," John explained with a sigh. "[And] poisonous enough to kill him," the goon added. "Of course, because it works slowly, it'll look like he died of natural causes," the goon continued. When John expressed concern for Steve's loved ones, who were going to have to suffer right along with him the whole time, the goon suggested that John could always finish Steve off right away instead of prolonging everyone's agony.
Will and Paul eavesdropped nearby as the goon shoved the new vial at John and stressed, "A few more doses of this poison, and he'll be dead." The goon reminded John that Steve needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, anyway -- before anyone realized what was going on. "I told you -- I got this," John insisted. "You'd better," the goon replied before walking away.
Paul quietly informed Will, "I'm gonna tail that guy [and] try to find out more about him." Nodding, Will promised to keep an eye on John in the meantime. "Do not do anything until you call me first," Paul stressed. "Why do I need your permission?" Will countered. "Just...don't, okay?" Paul repeated before rushing off.
Meanwhile, John contacted Steve, who was still at the hospital, and asked him to head over to Black Patch Investigations so they could discuss a new client. Steve tried to postpone the meeting until the following day, explaining that he was tired, but John insisted that it couldn't wait. "Tell you what -- I'll stop at the pub and grab a couple coffees on the way," John added before ending the call.
Paul followed the ISA goon to an alley near the docks, where the man stopped to check his cell phone. Paul ducked behind a stack of crates and waited to see what the goon would do next. Seconds later, the goon was suddenly at Paul's side, pointing a gun at him. "I don't like being followed," the goon said, scowling at Paul.
Will followed John to the Brady Pub and watched from outside as John ordered two cups of coffee -- and poured the poison into one of them. Will started to send Paul a text message to let him know what was going on, but John emerged from the pub before the message was fully composed. "Hey, Will. What are you doing here?" John asked as Will stuffed his cell phone back in a pocket. "Actually, I was looking for you," Will claimed.
John apologetically explained that he didn't have time to talk because he was late for an important business meeting. "I'll hook up with you first thing in the morning, all right?" John added before starting to walk away. Putting a hand on John's chest to stop him, Will insisted, "I'm not gonna let you poison Steve."
At the hospital, Steve assured Kayla that his meeting with John wouldn't take long. Marlena, who was with Steve and Kayla, reported, "[You know, John's] been worried sick about you. He was up half the night, trying to think of some way that he could help you." Steve stressed that John was a good dude -- and the best friend a guy could ever hope to have.
After giving Kayla a goodbye kiss, Steve started to walk away -- and suddenly collapsed.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail joined Chad in the living room and explained, when asked, that Thomas was having trouble sleeping because he wanted his uncle. "I don't want to lie to him, but I don't want to tell him the truth, either, so I just sang to him 'til he fell asleep," Abigail continued. Nodding, Chad assured Abigail that they would tell Thomas the truth about Andre's death after the child got a bit older.
Abigail hoped that the whole truth about Andre's death would actually be known at that point. "There are so many unanswered questions right now," Abigail continued with a sigh. "Well, the police think that they may have solved one of them," Chad replied, revealing that Sonny had called earlier to explain that Gabi had been arrested as the new prime suspect in Andre's murder investigation.
"This sounds really bad!" Abigail fretted after Chad finished telling her about all the things that suggested that Gabi was Andre's killer. Chad agreed but chose to believe that Gabi was telling the truth about being innocent. Abigail wanted to believe that, too; however, she found it hard to dismiss everything she had just learned. "All the evidence pointed to me [when Ben was killing people, but] you never stopped believing in me, and you fought to prove that I was innocent," Chad reminded Abigail, adding that Gabi deserved the same benefit of the doubt. Abigail decided that Chad was right about that.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Arianna woke up and trekked off in search of Sonny, who was in the living room, reading an online article about Gabi's arrest. "Daddy?" Arianna called out when she finally tracked her father down. Sonny quickly set aside his tablet computer and wondered what his daughter was doing out of bed in the middle of the night. "Where's Mommy?" she asked.
Forcing a smile, Sonny told Arianna that he'd had so much fun with her that day that he'd asked her mother to wait until sometime the following day to pick her up -- sometime after breakfast, which he wanted to cook for her himself for a change. The thought of waffles topped with strawberries seemed to placate Arianna, who didn't get to dwell on Gabi's absence for very long, in any case, because Justin arrived seconds after Sonny finished talking. Arianna greeted her grandfather with a hug then allowed her father to take her back upstairs and tuck her back in bed again.
"I was right, wasn't I? When I told Ari she's gonna see her mom tomorrow?" Sonny asked hopefully when he rejoined his father in the living room. Justin couldn't make any promises but confirmed that Gabi's arraignment was scheduled for the following morning -- and that he was going to do everything in his power to convince the judge to grant bail.
"To have Ari go through this again -- not having her mom around for God knows how long... And, Dad, this time, she's older, [so it'd] be much more painful for her..." Sonny fretted. "But at least Will's back in her life -- thank God -- [so], you know, she'll have her dad [if the worst happens]..." Sonny continued. "And you -- her other dad," Justin pointed out, giving Sonny a supportive pat on the back.
Changing the subject, Justin informed Sonny that Eli was spending the night with Gabi at the police station. Sonny was relieved to hear that, knowing that being back behind bars was Gabi's worst nightmare. "[She's] gonna need all the support she can get when she faces the D.A. tomorrow. Trask is like a pit bull when it comes to nailing suspects -- especially a possible two-time offender like Gabi," Justin mused. "Yeah, but no murder charges have actually been filed, correct?" Sonny asked. "Not yet...[but it] could just be a matter of time," Justin admitted.
Sonny couldn't believe that, years after Nick's murder trial, Trask still "had it in for" Gabi. "Trask was not happy when she found out that Gabi wasn't going to serve her complete sentence [for killing Nick]," Justin explained, adding that the deck certainly seemed stacked against Gabi. "You know, Dad, you're not really instilling confidence here," Sonny pointed out. Shrugging, Justin explained that he was simply trying to be realistic; he was quick to add, however, that he could handle the district attorney. "I've done it before; I can do it again," Justin continued.
"I'm counting on you to deliver some good news, 'cause God knows we need some," Sonny stressed. Squirming, Justin hesitantly began, "Well, then, maybe I shouldn't bring up the other reason why I need to talk to you..." Sonny was crushed to learn that Will's petition for divorce was in order and that there was nothing stopping Justin from getting it finalized as soon as Sonny gave him the okay to do so. "And [then], just like that, Will and I are...over?" Sonny asked, heaving a sigh of defeat. "[I mean], it's not like I didn't know this was coming, [but] the thing is, I mean, even when we're divorced, I'm not gonna stop loving him," Sonny stressed.
"But since he's forgotten how he felt about me -- [and] doesn't even want to remember -- [I guess] I'm gonna have to face that, and I'm gonna have to move on," Sonny concluded, sighing again. "Maybe," Justin replied, confusing Sonny. "The mind works in mysterious ways," Justin elaborated. "I mean, think about the lengths that Sami went to, trying to shock Will into remembering," Justin continued. Sonny reminded Justin that Sami's attempts to restore Will's memory hadn't worked. "But something else might -- maybe something out of left field you never even considered," Justin countered.
"No. No, no, no, no, no -- I don't want to think about anything traumatic happening to Will ever again. He's been through so much," Sonny insisted. Nodding in agreement, Justin clarified that he certainly wasn't wishing for another traumatic event to occur; he was simply pointing out that memories could be jogged at any moment, for any reason.
"Yeah, but I can't wait forever for that to happen," Sonny argued. "And I'm not saying you should...but you can still hold on to hope," Justin countered. "Because if Will's memories ever come back, he's not just going to remember that you loved him; he'll remember that he also loved you," Justin continued.
Outside the Brady Pub, John tried to laugh off Will's accusation, prompting Will to clarify that it wasn't just an accusation; it was a statement of fact. "I heard you [talking] to that guy [earlier about poisoning Steve, so you can't] lie your way out of this one," Will informed John. "You're making too much out of this," John insisted, but Will doubted that was the case. Forging ahead, John stressed, "[Look], you don't remember, but I work for an organization known as the International Security Alliance, [and] we deal with a lot of cases [that] are way over the heads of most civilians, and since you're not operating with all the facts here..."
"You don't have to treat me like a child, John," Will countered, adding that he knew all about the ISA. "[And] Paul told me about your past -- about how Stefano used you as a pawn to carry out his missions -- [so] is that what's happening now? Are you somebody's pawn again?" Will asked. Ignoring the question, John ordered Will to stay out of the matter. Will refused, insisting that John wasn't going to get the benefit of the doubt any longer because somebody's life was at stake. "This has gone on long enough. I'm calling Marlena -- right now," Will warned, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket.
"Can't let you do that," John replied, setting his cups of coffee on a nearby railing. "Sorry -- Marlena needs to know what's going on," Will insisted while scrolling through his contacts. "Not from you," John countered, producing a gun. Stunned, Will cautiously protested that John was overreacting -- and that there was certainly no need to pull a gun into their conversation. "I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with you," Will continued. "No -- you were trying to call Marlena. I can't let you do that. I gotta keep her out of this at all costs," John maintained -- just as his own cell phone began ringing.
John sent Marlena's call to voicemail with one hand while keeping his gun aimed with the other hand. Will tried to backpedal, assuring John that they could find a way to work things out without getting anyone else involved, but John remained unwilling to answer Will's questions about what was going on. "It's too late, Will. You already know too much," John insisted, pressing the gun against Will's neck and leading him away.
Meanwhile, at the docks, Paul was in the process of trying to talk his way out of his own predicament. The ISA goon refused to buy Paul's claim that he was simply using the alley as a shortcut to a rendezvous point where a friend was waiting for him. "I know who you are, Paul -- you're John Black's son," the goon said. "[Then] why don't you fill me in on who you are -- and what you're up to with my dad," Paul countered.
"You got this a little backward. You don't get to ask questions -- at least not while I'm holding the gun," the goon insisted. "Well, we'll have to do something about that, [then], won't we?" Paul mused. Confused, the goon wondered what that was supposed to mean. Ignoring the question, Paul glanced off in the distance and observed, "Well, what do you know -- here comes my father now!"
When the goon turned to look, Paul lunged forward and slammed him against a wall then wrenched the gun out of his hand after a brief struggle. "Start talking!" Paul ordered the goon, aiming the gun at him. "Or what -- you'll shoot me?" the goon asked, laughing dismissively. "I know you won't [do that]. I know all about you, Paul. You may have thrown some heat in the Majors, but you're not a killer," the goon added before calmly walking away.
At the hospital, Kayla emerged from Steve's room and approached Marlena, who had just finished leaving John a voicemail about Steve's collapse. Marlena was relieved to hear that Steve's vitals were good and that both a neurologist and an immunologist were with him at that moment, trying to find out more about what was happening to him. "I wanted to stay [with him], but they need to sedate him, so both doctors [agreed that] it'd be better if I just left the room," Kayla explained with a sigh. "You know, it's funny -- I mean, I don't even stop to think about the times that I ask, you know, patients' families to leave the room for the good of the patient, but [then doctors] ask me to leave, [and] it's a whole other story," Kayla mused, shaking her head.
"Why can't we figure this out? I mean, we're doctors! This has, you know, the label of 'an autoimmune disease,' but it doesn't have any [of the] symptoms of any of the diseases we know -- and he's getting worse! He didn't just pass out tonight; he stopped breathing!" Kayla continued. Nodding, Marlena reassured Kayla that she had singlehandedly managed to revive her husband with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
"I cannot lose him! We just found each other again!" Kayla fretted. Wanting Kayla to focus on positive thoughts, Marlena pointed out that Steve was in good hands -- and had been fortunate enough to receive immediate medical attention because he had been at a hospital, of all places, at the time of his collapse. Marlena tried to assure Kayla that they would probably know more soon, but Kayla wasn't entirely convinced, fearing, "Maybe this is just one of those medical mysteries [that will never be explained]." Meanwhile, Kayla received a text message from one of Steve's doctors, letting her know that he was awake and wanted to see her.
Kayla thanked Marlena for listening then rushed off to Steve's room. Alone again, Marlena turned her attention back to her cell phone and curiously wondered why John hadn't called her back yet.
John led Will to the DiMera mausoleum. Increasingly concerned, Will tried to apologize for having leveled an accusation at John without a full understanding of the situation. "But, um...the good news is that we're alone now -- clearly -- and maybe now you can, um, take the time to explain --" Will continued. Interrupting, John reiterated, "It's too late. The time for talking's over, Will."
"You know too much," John continued as Will's cell phone, which was in silent mode, began vibrating. Will discreetly answered Paul's call then said, "I don't get it, John. Why did you bring me here? What are we doing at the DiMera mausoleum?" Then Will ended the call and discreetly pocketed his cell phone. Meanwhile, John, ignoring the question, forced Will inside the mausoleum and shut the door.
Kayla entered Steve's hospital room and wondered how he was managing to stay awake with several sedatives in his system. "I didn't [really] take the last set," Steve admitted. "I don't like the drugs, baby...and I'm getting really sick of all these tests -- all the pokin' and proddin' -- although there was one procedure I didn't mind at all..." Steve continued, recalling Kayla's mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Back at the DiMera mausoleum, Will again asked John, "Why did you bring me here?" John, still aiming his gun at Will, replied, "So no one can hear us." Will assumed that meant that John was finally going to explain what was going on, but John insisted that there was no point in doing that. "Come on -- you gotta at least tell me why you brought me all the way down here," Will protested, trying to stall until help arrived.
"This is where the dead are put to rest," John explained, cocking the gun. "You don't have to do this, John," Will worriedly insisted. "I'm afraid I do," John replied, adding that he didn't have any other choice. "But you love Marlena! Do you think she's ever gonna forgive you if you kill her grandson?" Will asked incredulously. "That's a risk I'm gonna have to take," John reasoned with a shrug.
Paul approached the DiMera mausoleum and spotted Will's wallet on the ground -- just as a shot rang out. Shocked, Paul rushed inside the mausoleum and found John kneeling beside Will's motionless body, a hand pressed against the young man's neck. "You shouldn't have come here, Paul," John insisted, standing to shut the door again. Meanwhile, Paul dashed over to Will's side and shook him gently, hoping to revive him. "Oh, my God! What have you done?" Paul asked John incredulously. Ignoring the question, John cocked his gun again. "What are you doing?" Paul asked worriedly, rising to his feet.
Seconds later, another shot rang out.
