At the Genoa City Masquerade Ball, Brad Carlton, dressed as Zorro, and Ashley, wearing a glitzy Scheherazade ensemble, sat at a table together to enjoy a nightcap after Victor Newman, at the time married to Ashley, had made an early exit. Ashley explained that Victor had never before attended a masquerade party and hadn't enjoyed the experience. Ashley laughed as she recalled her efforts to cajole Victor into donning his Roman emperor costume. Brad said he was glad to see Ashley laugh again because her happiness, even if she remained committed to Victor, was important to him.
Ashley asked Brad how things were going for him. Brad was hesitant to respond. Ashley noted that Brad had recently changed careers and was debating whether or not to marry a pregnant Traci. Brad said he'd made a decision, but he explained that Traci should be the first to hear.
At the Abbott mansion, Mamie Johnson, the Abbotts' beloved maid, checked on Traci. Nestled in bed, Traci told Mamie that there was nothing anyone could do to help. Mamie checked Traci's forehead for fever and mentioned that a stomach virus had been making the rounds. Traci explained that she'd been spotting a little. Mamie said she'd had no idea Traci was pregnant. Traci explained that she was a little over two months pregnant, though the only people who were aware of the pregnancy were her father and Brad.
Traci admitted to Mamie that she'd been hesitant to tell Brad because she didn't want him to feel pressured to marry her, because a baby was the last thing he was ready for in his life. Mamie insisted that Brad was a fine man and would do the right thing. Traci said she wanted Brad to marry her because he loved her and not because she was carrying his child. Traci admitted she hadn't told Brad about the spotting, and she asked Mamie to keep quiet. Mamie nodded.
After Mamie left, John entered Traci's room. Traci said she'd left the ball early because she'd felt tired. John recalled how happy and in love Traci had looked as she'd danced with Brad. John asked Traci if Brad had made a decision. Traci explained that at the ball, she and Brad had refrained from discussing a decision to remarry. John said he expected to attend a wedding soon and was looking forward to welcoming a baby shortly thereafter. John said he'd been eagerly waiting to become a grandfather.
After John went to bed, Mamie returned to serve Traci a cup of herbal tea. Traci told Mamie she'd assured her father she was just feeling tired. Mamie consoled Traci as best she could. Traci cried, "I can't lose this baby. I just can't." Traci asked Mamie to pray with her that the spotting would stop. Mamie bowed her head. Traci asked God to let her miracle continue to grow and not let anything happen. Traci seemed relieved after she prayed.
At her apartment, Flo Webster sobbed after speaking on the phone to someone she'd called her husband. As uniformed officers inspected the home, John Silva asked Flo to identify the man on the phone. Shaking and sobbing, Flo cried, "What am I going to do? My Nina! I'm just never going to see her again. My sweet baby." Flo cradled a framed photo of Nina and kissed it as her tears flowed uncontrollably. Paul entered. John Silva took Paul aside and told him what had transpired. Flo was unable to hear the men talking on the other side of the room.
John Silva, an attorney, informed Paul that he'd been surprised to hear Flo talking to a man she'd called her husband. John explained that Nina hadn't likely even known her mother was married because Nina hadn't mentioned it when he'd recently changed her will. Paul replied, "Are you telling me that Nina left Flo a sizable amount of money?" John said Nina had only told him about her mother's boyfriend, whom Nina had met only one time. Paul and John theorized that Flo's mysterious husband wasn't David Kimball because Nina would have recognized him. John said, "And to take that a step further, this new husband would now have a motive for wanting Florence's daughter out of the way." Paul agreed and explained that with Nina out of the way, Flo's husband would also inherit Nina's money.
Paul told John they'd have to force Flo to tell them about her husband because they had no time to lose. As Paul and John discussed the investigation, Flo's mind seemed addled as she pondered in her mind why John had badgered her and why he was engaged in a conversation with a man she didn't know. Flo, consumed with worry about her husband, a man she knew as Jimmy, remembered her promise to him not to tell a soul about him. Paul approached Flo and introduced himself as Paul Williams, a private investigator and Nina's friend. Flo began crying uncontrollably, and Paul put his arm around her shoulder.
Paul promised Flo that things would get better very soon. Flo couldn't fathom what Paul meant and asked him how things could get better for her because her only child was dead. Paul explained that both he and John were trying to help her. Paul asked Flo about her husband and explained that he and John needed her help to catch the man responsible for the loss of her daughter. After Flo inadvertently admitted she was married, she bristled when Paul asked if the name Jim Adams was familiar. Flo didn't offer confirmation.
Paul explained that a man named Jim Adams had rented a costume identical to the one Danny Romalotti had rented from the same costume shop. Paul added that he suspected that Flo's husband was responsible for what had happened to Nina. Flo became enraged and said Paul was an evil man for even suggesting that her Jimmy could do such a thing. Flo threatened to scratch out Paul's eyes and berated both men for harassing her on the night of her daughter's murder. Paul charged toward Flo and insisted she admit she was married to Jim Adams. Flo confessed that Jimmy was her husband, but she insisted he wouldn't lay a finger on anyone.
Paul pressed Flo to tell him where Jim lived. Flo cried that she didn't know because her husband had never told her his address, though she had his phone number. Flo explained that her husband had planned to fly away to an unknown location, so he couldn't be reached at the number he'd given her. Paul gave Flo a pen and paper and asked her to jot down her husband's phone number. Flo sobbed uncontrollably after she wrote down her husband's phone number. John assured Flo that things would be better for her soon. Flo said she didn't know how. After Flo walked away, a police officer, who'd contacted the station, gave Paul the address connected to the phone number Flo had provided. Paul told Joe, the police officer, to arrange for backup.
At the Newman ranch, Jack was in bed with a sleeping Nikki when the phone rang. Victor was on the phone and apologized to Jack for having called so late. Victor was worried and asked Jack if Victoria had made it home. Jack said she had. Victor asked Jack if Ryan McNeil had accompanied Victoria home. Jack said Ryan had, though he wasn't sure if the young man had left. Victor pleaded with Jack to check and ensure Ryan had gone home.
Jack entered the living room at the Newman ranch and found Ryan kissing Victoria. Ryan claimed he'd been kissing Victoria goodnight, though the couple was reclined together on the sofa. Jack explained that Victor had phoned to check on Victoria. Jack added that it was time for Victoria to call it a night and go to bed. Victoria became defensive and said Jack should trust her. Jack replied, "Maybe this is a point you should bring up with your father."
Victoria escorted Ryan to the door and watched as he passed the window along the front portico. Afterward, Jack phoned Victor to tell him that Ryan had left. Victoria recalled that her mother had abruptly left the ball, so she feared something was wrong. Jack admitted that he, too, had been surprised to find Nikki at home when he'd returned, but he'd been relieved that she'd headed directly home. Jack's words didn't appear to comfort Victoria.
Ashley returned home to a loft condo, where she and Victor lived. Ashley greeted Victor with a kiss. Victor acknowledged that he'd left the ball early to get out of his ridiculous costume. Ashley jokingly said she'd hoped to find a Roman conqueror waiting for her. Victor told Ashley she'd have to settle for him instead. Victor, complaining about his costume, laughed and noted that his "damn skirt" had been drafty.
Victor asked Ashley about her nightcap with Brad. Ashley said she'd learned something she'd share only in the strictest of confidence. Ashley excitedly announced that she was almost certain Brad would ask Traci to marry him. Ashley explained that Traci was pregnant. Victor asked how Brad had reacted to the idea of becoming a father. Ashley explained that Traci had kept mum about the pregnancy initially so as not to pressure Brad and had only recently broken the news. Traci, Ashley said, hadn't wanted Brad to feel overwhelmed as he decided his future. Ashley said that if her instincts were correct, Brad would propose and make Traci very happy.
At Diane Jenkins' apartment, Diane confronted David Kimball. David's face bore the scars inflicted by a surgeon, whom David had earlier consulted with to alter his appearance for nefarious reasons. Instead, the surgeon had used a scalpel to write "killer" deep into the flesh on David's forehead. The wounds had healed, but the scarred-over slashes all over David's face were startling and grotesque. David seemed unfazed when Diane aimed a handgun at him. David demanded Diane give him the gun, but she cocked it instead and said, "Not a chance, lover. Not a chance."
Diane told David that the very sight of him made her sick to her stomach. After David again demanded the gun, Diane replied, "Why, David? So you can shoot me the way you did the others tonight? You did shoot them, didn't you? That was your plan, right?" David said, "You're damn right. Danny, Cricket, and Nina are out of my life for good."
Diane noted that the television news hadn't mentioned one word about shootings at the masquerade ball. David became agitated and yelled at Diane to hand over the gun. Diane tightened her grip and threatened to kill David. Diane said, "I'm about to rain on your parade." Diane informed David that before he'd left to attend the ball, she'd changed the bullets in his gun. Diane, her eye and cheek bruised, told David he shouldn't have laid a hand on her.
David glared at Diane as she explained that the bullets in the gun he'd used had been wax, like the kind used in Western movies. David didn't believe Diane and recalled having witnessed Danny, Cricket, and Nina fall to the floor, bleeding. Diane laughed and said the blood he thought he'd seen was actually dye contained inside the fake bullets. David walked toward the door to leave. Diane reminded David that her gun was loaded with real bullets, which she would use to blow him away.
Just as David heard sirens wailing in the distance, Diane again threatened to blow him away if he took another step. David put his hand on the doorknob and told Diane she didn't have the guts to shoot. Diane fired. A bullet pierced through the top of David's hand. Diane cocked the gun again as David called her a miserable little bitch. David ran out the door. Diane rushed after him, but she tripped on the rug and landed facedown on the floor.
As David ran down the hall with blood dripping from his hand, he encountered several uniformed police officers accompanied by John Silva and Paul. Paul pointed and said, "Oh, my God! That's him. That's Kimball." An officer drew his service weapon and yelled for David to hold it. David turned and ran in the opposite direction. David opened a door leading into a maintenance room and barred the door closed. David opened the hatch leading into a trash chute and jumped inside.
Downstairs on the ground level, near the waste Dumpster, Cricket and Danny arrived just as David landed in the Dumpster. When David attempted to pull himself out of the Dumpster, he accidentally pressed a button that activated a compactor that compressed trash and encased the waste in metal straps. Danny and Cricket stood helplessly as the powerful machinery sucked David in and crushed his body. Cricket cried out in horror. Danny said, "There's nothing we can do."
After the machine completed its cycle, Danny and Cricket were horrified to see a bailed block of compressed trash. David's arm and wounded hand were visible. Danny held Cricket and said, "It's over. It's over, honey. David can never hurt you or Nina again."
After John, Paul, and the police officers left Flo's apartment, she held Nina's photo and sobbed uncontrollably. Someone opened the door and entered, but Flo was too deep in grief to hear. Nina called out to her mother repeatedly before Flo turned and was shocked to see her daughter standing before her. Nina said, "I'm okay. I'm alive."
Flo embraced her daughter and cried, "Oh, my baby!" Nina apologized and explained that she'd had to make "him" believe "they" were dead because if they hadn't, their nightmare would never have ended. Flo didn't understand what Nina was talking about. Nina said, "Mom, we just have so much to talk about." Flo was only concerned with Nina being alive and said, "Oh, my sweet baby."
