Is it a capital mistake to theorize before one has data?

Mysteries need to be solved in Salem, but do we have any evidence!? Let's ponder who Philip cryptically called. Let's track down some truths of Allie's allegations against Tripp. Let's investigate the new guy on the scene, Charlie -- a charmer or a protein shake-covered baby shark!? Carefully grab a smoothie and join me. Perhaps you may be able to help solve a mystery in this week's DAYS Two Scoops!

One of my favorite things about October is the "Halloweeniness" of it all. The holiday casts its spooky shadow over the entire month. There's a certain uncertainty in the air. Mysteries abound. Things go bump in the night. Smoothies get spilled. It can be terrifying, especially if one's in proximity to Jan Spears, a radio, and a bathtub. Eek!

While we only got to visit Salem for three days last week, secrecy has shrouded many townsfolk. Philip phoned an ally, it seems. We still don't know the entire truth about Tripp and Allie. Plus, we met Charlie Dale, who really had a worse day than any of us, but is he a smoothie-covered cutie, a corporate baby shark in protein shake-covered clothing, or a total baddie? Hmm.

Before we get to speculating, here's a quote to ponder. In "A Scandal in Bohemia," Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle wrote, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." That needs to be a more popular quote in Salem and in the real world. Still, in Two Scoops Land we must theorize with what little facts we have on hand. So, let's start sleuthing with mystery number one...

Who did Philip call!? We can probably rule out Ghostbusters. There's that. I had a list, and I kept going back to one person. A person who's been hurt by Victor and Xander recently. Okay. That's a long list. It's a person who was hurt by Vic and Xanimal, and who was well on their way to a snazzy revenge scheme until Brady sorta backed out. I'm talking about Sarah. I'm not convinced she's done choo-choo-ing down to Crazy Town.

Fact! Victor and Xander's actions gutted Sarah. Fact! She was living the revenge dream with Brady, for a while, at least. Fact-ish! She seemed to see the error of her ways. Or did she...

I believe Sarah's inherently a decent dame, but I can't help but wonder if she's still trying to stick it to Xander. Her team-up with Brady didn't go the distance, so did she reconstruct her revenge and team up with Philip? By giving Xander a second (or is it third?) chance at love and luring him into a false sense of security, Sarah could, in turn, gut him while Philip gutted Titan. Still, since that's a twisty theorization with no evidence, I'll make a few other wild accusations.

How about Chelsea!? Perhaps Uncle Phil -- which, hello, she gets to call him "Uncle Phil" -- has kept in touch and wants to place her in Titan's tower. That's a wishful long shot.

A shorter shot would be Kate! Sure. She stated she's given up on the corporate world, but, it's Kate. Promises are more like a Post-It for her -- a temporary reminder of a notion that could easily be plucked and discarded for a more opportune note.

Though, if not Chelsea or Kate, could Philip have hitched his wagon to the most extra star in the galaxy, Vivian!? He seems hungry for power (or perhaps revenge). She's always wanted to be part of his life, and she did secure Stefan the CEO position at DiMera Enterprises. Add in the fact that this caper would get her back in Salem and closer to Jake, and, well, it's not such a long shot, is it? We'll have to collect a lot more data and examine this case next week. In the meantime...

Let's talk Tripp and Allie. This storyline. Oof. It's a lot. If it wasn't my job to do detailed coverage, I could easily begin and end my entire take on it with a quote from the incomparable and downright brilliantly dimpled Justin. "I'm not going to lie. He said, she saids suck...this is going to be a long, nasty process." Preach, my friend. Preach.

With that, it's been a beautifully acted storyline by all parties involved. That much, I can genuinely gush about. The storyline at large, however, has me a little nervous. And by "a little," I mean I'm extremely anxious and a bit angry, and do any of us really need another thing to worry or rant about at the moment? I'm guessing "No."

I'm also going to need more, like, lots and lots and lots more, information from both Allie and Tripp before I'd even wager a guess as to which one is telling the truth (or the believed until the next twist is revealed truth). Their stories seem to stay consistent until she agreed to dance with him. After that, it quickly spirals into a "he said," "she kind of remembers and said," "Nicole says that Allie said" type fiasco.

One thing we can all be certain about is that with Justin representing Tripp, he'll likely go to jail for a while. No offense, Justin. Just, you know, track record and all. Though he did win one for Bonnie recently, but with the Big Bon Bon, does anyone ever really win? I digress...

I can also state that I have limited faith in Detective Selfie Stick. Of all the flipping doppelgngers and twins on DAYS, why can't Lani have one? I adore Sal Stowers. She's magic. She does an inspiring job when portraying Lani's compassionate and detective sides. Still, I can't shake Lani's former selfies with J.J. and entrapment of Shawn sleaziness. Is she the right detective to work this case? This is when her twin sister, also a detective, but less of a former predator-ish type character, could really come in handy. Not to mention Lani's doing some shady detective-ing right now, and since Allie's tale isn't exactly airtight, could more of said shady detective-ing become involved?

Steve and Kayla, and Nicole and Kayla. Again, oof. I'd have the energy to go there had I not accidentally punched my protein shake at an intern, but, since I did, moving on.

Then there's Nicole. Oh, my martini maven turned Gladys Kravitz. We need to talk. To put this out there first, yes. I believe Nicole is coming from a good place for the most part, especially considering what a bad place Nicole was in as a young adult, having been sexually violated when her disgusting dad pushed her into porn. That combined with her newer role as a "mama bear" makes it easier to see Nicole is trying to help. But that's kind of the problem...

Though she may have good intentions, I feel like Nicole is making matters worse at this point. Allie needs to see Granny Doctor Mar Mar for a little hypno sesh rather than play sexual assault Mad Libs with Nicole. Really. Nicole's heart in the right place and all aside, it's like Auntie Nic is encouraging Allie to flippantly fill in the blanks that she's unsure of. It's very unfair to the victim on many levels and could cause credibility issues down the line. Now that Nicole has identified the problem, it's time for her to let the professionals take over and simply support Allie in a calm manner, which Allie needs to dictate. Allie's tale should be told as, "I experienced" not Nicole's "She said that..."

Lastly on this topic, Allie and Tripp met at a club. Allie's uncle, Max Brady, was a barback while in Salem. Maybe he picked up a similar job at Club Jubilee. Please, oh, please, let him be a surprise witness who can lend some truth to this tale. Or this would be a good time to bring Billie back, since she's an ISA agent stationed in London. At the very least, maybe one of Salem brain trusts can simply suggest that a DNA test be done. Granted, results may vary depending on whose hands have been on them, but at least it would give us something more than an accusation and a lot of speculation.

Finally, it's time to speculate about new Titan intern Charlie Dale, or as I call him, Baby Shark. He's eager to climb the corporate ladder and isn't afraid to swim with Jaws while doing so, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. He even has a last name, which, for a new character? That must mean he's important. I repeat, "Hmm!"

My first impression of Charlie is that he's adorkable and not-at-all smooth, which makes him charming in a Hugh Grant romantic comedy kind of way. And that has to mean only one thing -- he's really a creeper. He must be. He's too seemingly sweet, and I loved his interactions with Claire, who actually got to smile for the first time in forever. Then he sealed his creeptastic status by stating, "What you see is what you get." That never, ever is the case. Ever. No. No, Baby Shark. Be better. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. Just read those last "doos" in a sad tone. Oh. Why can't we ever have nice things?

So, the million-dollar question: who is Charlie, like, really? Something tells me he's not just a sweet little Dale with big dreams. Here's a random rundown off the top of my head:

While he's nowhere near a Stefano level of pop-up offspring, John certainly isn't a stranger to previously unknown children. Hi, Paul! Could Baby Shark be John's son with Ava Vitali? Before "Rant-itis John," we had rambunctious "RoboJohn." He and Ava did pal around while his memories were on a disc. Is Charlie a product of said, uh, palling? At the end of the day (or a rape trial), it might be a convenient time for another male to have Vitali DNA. Just saying.

How about Tyler Kiriakis? Which, yes! That could get icky. Like, incestually icky, but, Soap Gods willing, nothing between him and Claire has to get physical prior to them discovering their relation. That ick factor would be off the charts. Like, don't do it, DAYS. Still, an innocent flirtation preceding the bombshell wouldn't be as icky. Oh. Still icky, of course. Just not "as" icky as anything further. Baby Shark being Tyler would give him a real reason to want to rule Titan, and, perhaps, a reason to be on the phone with Philip. Boom! I thricely repeat, "Hmm."

A stretch of a theory, how about an undercover Johnny DiMera? Obviously, this one wouldn't last long, as kin would recognize him, but I'm sure the Kiriakis clan weren't keeping up on Johnny's growth spurts, and I'm not sure when Claire last saw her cousin. Sure, Allie could out him in a second, but I'm also sure he'd have something on his twin to use as blackmail to keep his cover. Again, sorry, Claire. Incest and all. I doubt this theory will pan out, which is good for Claire, who is practically related to everyone in Salem.

I have more hunches, but last guess for today -- a son Jan Spears had that we didn't know about!? Think about that. Jan's son and Belle's daughter would cause the ultimate "Romeo and Juliet" type you-know-what kind of storm. Plus, a child would give Jan more reason to stay in Salem. Though Jan having a kid while in a coma is all shades of wrong, but DAYS has done wronger, so...maybe?

LOOSE ENDS: I grew up watching both daytime and primetime dramas. As such, I don't mind corporate storylines. It makes my Dallas- and Melrose Place-lovin' heart reflect on the likes of J.R. Ewing and Amanda Woodward. With that, DAYS needs to up their game. A CEO flip-flop once every few weeks does not high stakes make. That is getting rather stale and simply makes the company (and its execs) look weak.

Like, last week. Victor fired Xander and rehired him within hours. That's not so much OMG-drama as it is, "Didn't that happen at DiMera Enterprises a few weeks ago, too?" It's hard to take these titans of industry seriously when they're in rotating chairs. I think the last time we saw an exec securing a deal was Gabi with help from Jake. We've learned Xander has done the leg work, but let's see Xanimal and Philly actually work, even if it's a montage of meetings and handshakes with investors, as this one-upping to oust one another is, well, getting weak.

I guess Bonnie actually has somewhat of a soul. She donated her big settlement to the Adrienne Foundation. That was big of her. No. Really. That was nice of her, but it sort of falls under that broken clock being right twice a day thingy.

Though Bonnie has a -- "a" meaning one -- redeeming quality! She seems to love Dolly Parton, too. I might be able to work with that as long as she doesn't touch Lucas when she "sincerely" apologizes to him, claiming she's seen the error of her ways. Ha! Like that'll happen. I mean, I hope it does. Amends go a long way, but with Bonnie? Believing her is going to take her huge cowboy hat-sized amount of faith on my part.

I'm beginning to think Jan could mature into the show's next big baddie, given a little bit more terrible tutelage, say, from someone like Vivian. Jan spoke of inheriting a fortune from her parents, so she's financially set. She certainly has mastered crazy and cunning. She's also got the "get out of jail (mostly) free" thingy tackled. And she's sparked a lot of hate from several Salemites. Could this once easily manipulated sidekick become a Sith master?

Who wants to bet Kristen will back out on the entire "I will not let Lani pay for helping me" thingy? Everyone's been telling Lani that Kristen is bad news. Lani digs in her heels every time. The more she digs, the deeper the despair will be when everyone's proven right, and Kristen crushes her. I would never gloat in anyone's misery, but if you need me, I'll be working on decorating an "I Told You So!" cake for, uh, nobody in particular.

I'm finding it hard not rooting for Melinda right now, and that's an odd feeling. While her true motives are transparent -- and that transparency spells "revenge" in flashing lights -- she's not all that wrong, as she still sees the larger picture. That picture being one of Salem's most sinister behind bars. It's like nailing Capone on tax evasion. Pick the one that will stick and go from there.

Bravo to Kristian Alfonso and Robert Scott Wilson! Their performances as Hope and Ben continue to be perfection as this "Ciara: Gone Girl" storyline limps along. I'm only disappointed not to see more of Hope tracking down leads. She's been on fire lately. Okay. Bad choice. Hope the hero is exactly how I like my Fancy Face.

Now, supposedly Vincent shot Ciara before the car exploded. He realized by the ring she was wearing she wasn't Wendy, and bang. Okay, Vinnie. Sure. Until we see a body, I don't believe his story. And when I believe his story, I'm sure it can be erased with *whispers* Resurrection by Wilhelm.

HOT Yes. All day long, yes! I loved the scene between Victor and Jan. The John Aniston and Heather Lindell combo had me in stitches, yet I also cheered when Jan took Victor to school about the changing times. Sure, she's a twisted sister, but she's not wrong on that account. This feels weird, but...way to go, Jan!

NOT This entire "Allie and Tripp" storyline makes me feel like I'm Old Yeller and Travis is stating, "C'mon out back, boy. I have a treat for you," while casually reaching for the rifle.

LINE(S) OF THE WEEK Philip: "Great right hook, Xander. You KO-ed the protein shake. Wait a minute...wait a minute -- that was an assault. The shake should call the police so it can feel safe." Bonnie (to Justin): "I finally understand that it's true. It is better to give than to receive. I mean, I don't know who said that, I think it was Dolly Parton."

EXCHANGE OF THE WEEK Jan: "It's Philip you should keep your eye on. He was not kidding when he threatened to kill me." Victor: "That's the way people talk to people who try and blow them up."

RANDOM THOUGHTS I kind of loved that Steve called out Tripp's dramatic soap pause by asking, "What? You couldn't have said a simple, 'no?'"

I loved Kayla's last place so much, so I'm trying to warm up to the new penthouse. The lime lamp and the turquoise and red accents are helping. Still, she is too much of a baker to settle for that small kitchen. This year's question really is, "What's up with Kayla?"

Yes! Roman, you keep decorating for Halloween, good sir. Get the fries and wine ready, Laurisa and I will be there to help shortly.

On topic, I wonder what ghoulish things Ron and company have in store for this year's episode!? I still think the Paige and Serena pop-up stole the spooky show a few back, but I'm eager, nonetheless. Only a few more weeks. Woot!

I kind of cheered when Melinda told Eli, "No, Kristen put you into this position." Again, she's certainly seeking vengeance, but she's also not wrong about Kristen's ability to skate.

I enjoyed Roman and Kayla's scene. Like his li'l sis, I missed Roman, too. And we got to see the tough guy's softer side. Chin up, Ro Ro. The Bradys will rebound soon.

Was I the only one who hummed the X-Men '90s cartoon theme song when we learned the club Allie and Tripp met in was named Jubilee? Okay. I figured I was alone with this one.

Oh, sure. Helen's at the "dentist" again. Classic Helen. Based on some watercooler gossip I heard while at the Titan intern mixer that I totally wasn't invited to but went to anyway because they had a good spread, "dentist" is code for horse track on Planet Helen. Sneaky, sneaky. Win big, gal.

PARTING THOUGHTS So, friends and fellow DAYS fans, that's it for October 12! I must go follow up on some hunches and refresh Claire on her family tree, just in case, so Laurisa will be back with her detective cap on next week. As always, thank you for reading, and "That's a fact."

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