Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 14, 2015 on DAYS

Stefano had a heart attack. Chad started hypnotherapy with Marlena. Gabi was released from prison. J.J. told Jennifer that Clyde was the drug kingpin in town. Steve found information about Bo. John looked into his past. Abigail and Ben fought over the tracking app and Chad. Chad remembered that Clyde had talked to him at the bar the night of Serena's murder.

Stefano's fate rests in Chad's hand

Monday, September 14, 2015

by Mike

At the police station, Justin was on the phone with a judge, complaining about the judge's decision to release Chad due to failure to meet the burden of proof. After Justin ended the call, Rafe pointed out that Justin could be in trouble if he ended up later drawing that same judge when the case went to trial. Justin dismissively replied that he would file for a change of venue, since it was hard to find a judge in Salem who wasn't in Stefano's pocket. Rafe had read Aiden's brief and believed that Justin had simply gotten outgunned, but Justin disagreed, declaring that Aiden had gone forum shopping.

"I thought Saunders was clean. I guess we'll need Pearce," Justin muttered. Rafe pointedly observed that Justin was referring to the golfing-buddy judge Victor had in his pocket. "Hey, two can play this game," Justin unapologetically replied. Rafe maintained that Justin simply hadn't developed a strong enough case against Chad, but Justin countered that he could only work with what Rafe gave him. Rafe suggested that if Justin wanted a stronger case, he needed to give Rafe time to build it. "Sure. No rush," Justin sarcastically agreed, wondering how many times Chad would have to kill before Rafe would have enough to build a solid case against him.

Later, as Chad was signing for his belongings, Rafe advised him to do himself the favor of going home and staying out of trouble. Chad reminded Rafe that he no longer had a home because Stefano had kicked him out of the DiMera mansion. Justin overheard and said he would be happy to let Chad stay in a jail cell indefinitely. Ignoring the comment, Chad finished the paperwork and handed it back to Rafe, who went to get it processed. Meanwhile, Justin wondered why Stefano had kicked Chad out. "Doesn't like Mondays?" Chad guessed with a shrug.

Justin suggested Stefano might have instead kicked Chad out because even he had a line, and Chad had crossed it when he had started killing women simply because one of them had dared to say no to him. "When did you decide you didn't like me?" Chad asked. "When you started strangling women," Justin replied. Meanwhile, Rafe returned and announced that Chad was free to go. Rafe advised Chad to go back to the DiMera mansion, pointing out that Stefano disowned his kids all the time -- and always ended up backpedaling when times got tough.

Going a step further, Rafe suggested it couldn't hurt for Chad to get one of the DiMera bodyguards to keep an eye on him for a while. Roman arrived and reinforced Rafe's concern when he insisted on having a cop take Chad back to wherever Chad was going to be staying. When Chad questioned the concern, Roman revealed that some people had made threats against Chad. Justin was quick to clarify that, unlike Rafe and Roman, he wasn't the least bit concerned about Chad. Justin warned, however, that Chad needed to remain in Salem.

Later, after Chad left, Rafe showed Paige's autopsy report to Justin, who leafed through it while asking what Rafe had learned about the neckties. Rafe summarized that both neckties had probably originated from the same manufacturer but couldn't be linked to a specific brand because neither had sported a tag. Rafe added that none of the stores in town seemed to stock similar neckties. Justin suggested that the neckties could be high-end, custom-made ones, but Rafe shot down that theory, reporting that the forensic analysis had revealed them to be nothing more than cheap polyester.

"Do we have a problem?" Justin asked, detecting some annoyance in Rafe's voice. Rafe replied that he didn't have a problem; he was simply trying to work the investigation. Justin pointed out that it just happened to be the first investigation Rafe had worked in a very long time. Rafe sarcastically thanked Justin for the reminder, adding that he hadn't forgotten how to do his job. Justin seemed skeptical, noting that Rafe hadn't managed to close the case within the first forty-eight hours, which were known as the most critical hours in a homicide investigation.

Rafe dismissively wondered if Justin had any other cases he could be working on. Justin replied that he had assistants to handle those cases. "This is my priority. Let's make it yours," Justin added, prompting Rafe to wonder if that was supposed to be a direct order. Justin claimed that he was simply trying to help Rafe, who had barely managed to get reinstated in the first place -- and, therefore, had even more to prove than Justin did. "Oy, what a tool," Rafe muttered as Justin walked away. Later, Rafe talked to Roman about his suspicion that Chad was being framed, and Roman agreed that could be the case.

While at Club TBD, Abigail read online that Chad had been held at the police station overnight because of his connection to the murders. When Abigail called the police station to find out if she could visit Chad, she was told that he had already been released. Abigail went to the DiMera mansion to see Chad after failing to locate him at the Salem Inn. Stefano reminded Abigail that the mansion was no longer Chad's home, adding that Chad had disgraced the DiMera name. Abigail insisted that Chad wasn't capable of murder. "He's not --" Abigail began to add. "He's not me?" Stefano guessed when Abigail's voice trailed off.

Abigail confirmed that she had heard stories about Stefano all her life and knew exactly what he was capable of as well as what he was guilty of. Abigail wondered how Stefano could possibly believe that Chad, who hadn't even grown up under Stefano's influence, was capable of even worse crimes. "Because, as you so rudely point out, I know evil when I see it," Stefano replied. Abigail doubted that Stefano truly believed Chad was guilty, but Stefano pointed out that the evidence against Chad was quite convincing.

Meanwhile, Chad entered the study and suggested that the evidence against him might just be convincing because Stefano had planned it that way. "You know, you sound like a desperate man. A guilty man," Stefano observed with a dismissive chuckle. Nodding, Chad promised to get his things and leave immediately, but Stefano insisted that wasn't necessary. "You threw me out before, and now that you think I'm a serial killer, you want to have me back?" Chad asked incredulously.

Stefano pointed out that the mansion was quite large -- and Chad had nowhere else to go, anyway, unless Abigail wanted to take him home with her. Abigail stressed that she would be glad to help Chad because she knew he was innocent. Abigail added that she didn't understand how Stefano could possibly claim to love Chad while also believing he was capable of such crimes. "A passionate defense, but not an invitation, eh?" Stefano observed. Stefano suggested Abigail had been right to choose Ben over Chad, arguing that Chad didn't deserve her. "Don't listen to him. He's being hateful and Stefano," Abigail told Chad, dragging him into the hallway.

Clyde went to see Ben and feigned surprise when Ben revealed that Paige had been murdered the previous night. Ben seemed like he was still in shock, but Clyde matter-of-factly summarized that the world was filled with sadness, and death could strike anyone at any time, so it was best not to dwell on the matter much. Clyde advised Ben to be grateful for every moment he got to spend with Abigail and, eventually, their child.

Changing the subject, Clyde presented Ben with a set of keys, announcing that he had just purchased a house for Ben and Abigail as a wedding gift. Clyde added that the house had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a big backyard, and a view of the river. Stunned, Ben tried to protest that the gift was too extravagant, but Clyde dismissed the concern, insisting he could afford it. Clyde added that he wanted to make sure Ben could hold his head high among the Hortons and everyone else in Salem. Clyde vowed to also send all of Ben and Abigail's kids to prep schools and Ivy League colleges.

Ben hugged Clyde and thanked him for the grand gesture. Clyde insisted it was the least Ben deserved, and he hoped it would allow Ben to stop worrying about the future and instead focus on enjoying it. "You won, man," Clyde added, pointing out that Ben had gotten the girl, while his rival, Chad, was the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Ben clarified that Chad was actually the prime suspect in two murder investigations, and he wondered if Clyde believed Chad was actually capable of committing the murders. Clyde found it easy to believe but reasoned that it wasn't Ben's problem, reiterating that Ben just needed to focus on Abigail and the baby.

At the Horton house, J.J. stared at a picture of Paige as he recalled Clyde's recent threats. J.J. wished that Paige had gone to Stanford as originally planned the previous year, since she would have then been far away from him and the mess he had gotten her in. Jennifer insisted J.J. couldn't blame himself for what had happened, but he disagreed. After glancing out the window, J.J. turned on the radio and increased the volume. Standing inches away from Jennifer, J.J. quietly stressed that he was indeed the reason Paige was dead. J.J. added that he had found -- and met -- the head of the drug ring -- Clyde Weston.

J.J. went to check the window again before returning to Jennifer's side and warning her that Clyde was crazy. J.J. insisted that he and Jennifer had to find a way to stop Abigail from marrying Ben, even if they had to ship her off to England or Ireland to do so. Jennifer wanted to know why J.J. was accusing Clyde, so J.J. told her everything, starting with how he had failed Kyle's test and ending with how Clyde had threatened him after killing Kyle. Jennifer believed J.J. was telling her what he thought was the truth, but she reasoned that there had to be some other explanation for all of it.

To hammer home the point, J.J. showed Jennifer the bullet Clyde had left on their doorstep the previous day. J.J. was certain that someone was watching the house, even though he hadn't actually caught anyone doing so yet. Jennifer wanted to alert Roman, but J.J. insisted she couldn't do that because Clyde would kill her or Abigail if she did. Jennifer still doubted that Clyde had been involved in Paige's murder, since J.J. hadn't given Clyde a reason to kill Paige. J.J. told Jennifer about the phone call he had received from Paige right before her death, and he theorized that she might have told the police about Clyde -- and Clyde might have found out about that.

Jennifer pointed out that the police would have already talked to J.J. about the matter if that had been the case, but that didn't seem to make him feel any better. Insisting that he never should have agreed to work for the DEA in the first place, J.J. decided that he was going to tell Watts that he was quitting the investigation because Kyle was no longer around. J.J. added that he planned to keep what he knew about Clyde to himself, and he wanted Jennifer to do the same. Jennifer was still eager to alert Roman, but J.J. maintained that doing so would get her or Abigail killed, so she suggested she could investigate Clyde herself instead.

J.J. vowed to lock Jennifer in her bedroom if she gave that idea a second thought. J.J. admitted that he had confronted Clyde after Paige's murder, and he started to tell Jennifer about how Clyde had reacted when he had accused Clyde of being the person who was responsible for the crime. Once she had heard enough, Jennifer interrupted and firmly insisted that J.J. was going to get Roman and Hope involved immediately, and they were just going to have to trust that the police would be able to protect them from Clyde.

Later, while Jennifer was alone in the house, she contacted a home security company and asked for an alarm to be installed as soon as possible. Meanwhile, someone knocked on the front door, and when Jennifer opened it, she found Clyde standing outside. Clyde introduced himself and asked for a minute of Jennifer's time, reasoning that they needed to get to know each other a bit better because they were soon going to be family. Jennifer invited Clyde in and tried to hide her nervousness as he began talking about how Ben and Abigail were going to make the cutest babies in the world together.

Clyde offered to help pay for the wedding, but Jennifer insisted that wouldn't be necessary. Clyde revealed that he had purchased a house for Ben and Abigail because he wanted them to get a good start. "I know you can't buy happiness, Jen, but, uh, a little breathing room doesn't hurt, you know?" Clyde mused as he approached Jennifer, getting closer than necessary. Clyde gave Jennifer his email address so she could keep him informed about the wedding plans. As Jennifer walked Clyde out, he offered to give Abigail away at the wedding. Jennifer declined, assuring Clyde that there were plenty of men in Abigail's family who would fight for that honor.

Nodding, Clyde mused that the Hortons were blessed with family, and he casually mentioned J.J., noting that he seemed like a fine young man. "You're lucky, Jen, to have both of your kids here, nearby, healthy, happy. You enjoy it while you can," Clyde advised before leaving. Jennifer quickly closed the door and exhaled sharply as she leaned against it.

J.J., wearing a hoodie and a pair of sunglasses, paused in a secluded section of the town square so he could make a phone call, but he soon heard footsteps behind him. A menacing man approached but left after pausing to tie his shoe. Once the coast was clear, J.J. contacted Roman while glancing around nervously, but the call went straight to voicemail. J.J. went to the police station and informed one of the police officers that he needed to speak to Roman right away, stressing that it was an emergency.

Ben sent Abigail a text message, wondering where she was -- and urging her to return home as soon as possible because he had a big surprise for her. Ben put his cell phone away after sending the message but soon pulled it back out of his pocket and proceeded to check the tracking app. Ben tensed when he realized that Abigail was at the DiMera mansion.

Chad suggested he really could have murdered Serena and Paige, since he had blacked out on both nights, but Abigail maintained that he wasn't capable of committing murder. Chad told Abigail to leave and stay far away from him, but she refused to do so. Chad gazed into Abigail's eyes and stroked her hair before backing away and thanking her for believing in him. Chad promised to fight to clear his name but once again urged Abigail to leave and stay far away from him, advising her to instead focus on living her life with Ben. Abigail reluctantly exited the mansion after vowing that she would never give up on Chad.

When Abigail returned home, Ben was sitting on the edge of the bed, visibly upset. Concerned, Abigail wondered what was wrong. "I saw you. Every time, I saw you. This app tracks your phone, so I always know where you are. You were at the DiMera mansion just now. And before. Tell me the truth, Abigail -- are you still in love with Chad?" Ben demanded to know.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano once again insisted that Chad didn't have to leave, prompting Chad to wonder if Stefano just wanted him to stay so it would be easier to continue setting him up. Stefano started to protest that he would never do such a thing, but Chad disagreed, pointing out that Stefano had once withheld information that could have cleared Sami's name -- and he had been willing to let the mother of his grandchildren go to prison for murder simply because he had been upset about something E.J. had done.

Stefano started swaying in his chair, his face contorted in pain and his mouth hanging open, as Chad continued lashing out at him. "I love you, son," Stefano tearfully choked out. Chad sarcastically wondered if he was breaking Stefano's heart. Stefano raised a hand and shook his head, but before he could say anything, he slumped forward against the chess table, scattering game pieces as Chad stared at his motionless body in confusion.

Stefano is rushed to the hospital

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

by Spalding

As Hope and Ciara walked through the town square, Aiden watched them from nearby while he talked to someone on his phone about his debts. Aiden said that he was "on schedule." After ending his call, Aiden approached Hope and Ciara. With a smile, Ciara noted that her mother had teased her about good news. Ciara guessed that the news was about Hope and Aiden's relationship. When Ciara asked for the news, Hope asked Ciara to wait until Chase could join them. Ciara ran off to find Chase at the yogurt shop.

As Hope and Aiden kissed, Hope spotted Joey crossing the square. Hope called out to Joey then she ran over and hugged him. Hope introduced Aiden to Joey. As Aiden held out his hand, Joey stared in stony silence. Hope rambled on about throwing a welcome home party for the whole family, until Joey interrupted to say, "Except you're not family, Hope. Not anymore."

Joey grumbled that Hope had divorced Bo and moved on to another guy. Hope stressed that she loved the Brady family and that Joey would always be her family. Aiden jumped in and noted that Hope was protective of the Brady family. With a grunt, Joey said he did not believe Hope or Aiden, and he walked away. Hope thanked Aiden for defending her.

Ciara returned and demanded to know what the good news was about. Hope urged Ciara to wait until Chase joined them at home. Aidan's phone rang, and he told Hope he would meet up with her later.

At the police station, J.J. begged an officer to connect him with Roman. While the officer called Roman's office, Clyde walked into the station and narrowed his eyes at J.J. Guilty, J.J. turned away. Roman walked into the waiting area and asked J.J. why he wanted to see him. J.J. lied and said that he wanted information about Paige's murder. Roman gently told J.J. that he could not talk about an ongoing investigation. When Roman prodded J.J. for any details he might have about the murder, Clyde interrupted.

Clyde said he had information about the case. Clyde introduced himself and shook Roman's hand. With a grin, Clyde mentioned that J.J.'s sister was engaged to his son. Nodding, Roman asked Clyde what information Clyde had about the case. Clyde told Roman that he had seen Chad outside of Paige's dorm around the time that Paige had been killed. With that, Clyde left.

Roman took J.J. aside and noted that J.J. was jumpy. When Roman asked what J.J. had wanted to say, J.J. shook his head. J.J. said he had wanted to ask about Paige. Roman said he was sorry for J.J.'s loss. Roman swore that he would find the murderer. As J.J. nodded, Roman asked J.J. to keep in touch with him. Roman left, and J.J. looked down at his phone and saw a text asking him to meet at the docks.

As J.J. sighed, Eve entered the police station. Eve growled that she wished J.J. had never been born so that her daughter would still be alive. J.J. left the station without a word. As Eve turned, she saw Justin walking into the room. Justin ushered Eve into an office to talk. Justin assured Eve that they were close to an arrest. When Eve asked for a name, Justin told her that she would learn about the suspect soon.

Eve asked Justin to stay with her for a while. With a sigh, Justin offered to refer Eve to a counselor. Embarrassed, Eve rose to leave. Eve chided herself for being needy, but Justin assured her that there was nothing wrong with asking for help. Eve asked Justin to keep her updated, and she left.

When Eve returned home, she stared at photos of Paige. Drinking wine, Eve looked at items around the apartment that had belonged to her daughter. Eve sniffed Paige's scarf, and she began to trash the apartment. Eve cried out in anguish, "She was all I had! She was my baby!"

In their apartment, an emotional Abigail asked Ben why he had been tracking her movements. Ben asked Abigail to be honest about her feelings for Chad. When Abigail said that she loved Ben, Ben pushed Abigail to tell him the truth.

"Why does the fact that I was at Chad's mean that I love him and I don't love you? Listen to me. I want to marry you. I love you, and I'm carrying your child. Nothing has changed, Ben. So please, please don't destroy this. Don't destroy everything we have over something so meaningless," Abigail pleaded. Ben argued that Abigail had crept off to meet another man in secret. Abigail disagreed. Abigail added that her visit with Chad had had nothing to do with her relationship with Ben. Ben said that Abigail would destroy their relationship.

Crying, Abigail begged Ben to stop. Abigail noted that Ben was paranoid, and she did not know why he had been spying on her. When Abigail asked Ben if he trusted her, he said the wanted to trust her. Abigail pointed out that the tracking app seemed to show that Ben did not trust her. Sighing, Ben explained that he believed Chad was the killer, and he was worried about Abigail's safety. Ben said he was upset that Abigail had gone over to the DiMera mansion.

Abigail countered that she had gone to the mansion to talk to a friend. When Ben asked why she had lied, Abigail said that she knew Ben would have been upset. Crying, Abigail said that Ben's jealousy scared her. Ben swore to protect Abigail from Chad. Shaking her head, Abigail begged Ben to stop obsessing over Chad. Abigail asked Ben to focus on their future and their baby. Ben dropped to his knees and told Abigail he was sorry.

Abigail asked Ben to prove that he was sorry by removing the app from her phone. Ben took her phone and deleted the app then he deleted the app from his phone as well. Sniffling, Abigail thanked Ben. Abigail asked Ben if they could start over and trust one another. Ben gathered Abigail in his arms and apologized for spying on her. Abigail told Ben that he did not need to be scared, and she asked Ben not to make her live in fear. Ben agreed. As Abigail sighed, Ben asked her to stay away from Chad.

Abigail said she did not believe that Chad had murdered anyone. Unfazed, Ben said he was worried and wanted to know that Abigail and the baby were safe. Ben begged Abigail to promise him that she would stay away. Abigail reluctantly agreed. Abigail added that she would not go looking for Chad. After kissing, Ben and Abigail lay down on the bed. Ben told Abigail that Clyde had bought them a house as a wedding gift. Staring at the house keys that Ben dangled in front of her face, Abigail started to cry. Ben assured Abigail that they would have a happy life together.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano slumped forward onto his chess table. In denial, Chad told Stefano that he was a terrible actor. When Stefano did not respond, Chad argued that Stefano was the only person with the resources to frame him for two murders. Stefano panted raggedly. Worried, Chad rushed to his father's side and helped him sit up. Stefano whimpered that he could not breathe. Chad frantically called 9-1-1 and yelled for Harold.

The paramedics arrived at the hospital with Stefano and Chad. While the medics wheeled Stefano into an exam room, Chad told Kayla that Stefano's heart had stopped in the ambulance. Kayla reassured Chad that the stoppage was common. As Chad stared wild-eyed across the waiting room, Kayla asked Chad to steer clear of his father while the doctors worked on him.

After examining Stefano and checking with his cardiologist, Kayla returned to the waiting room to inform Chad that Stefano would be fine. While Kayla and Chad talked about how Chad had helped to save Stefano's life, Steve walked around the corner and eavesdropped. Kayla commended Chad for his quick actions. With a nod, Chad walked down the hall to see his father.

Steve approached Kayla and asked her what had happened to Stefano. With a nervous chuckle, Kayla shook her head. Steve asked Kayla why she had treated Stefano. Kayla explained that a cardiologist had handled Stefano. With a knowing nod, Steve commented that heart problems would keep Stefano out of trouble. Rafe interrupted the conversation to ask about Stefano. Kayla updated Rafe. With a nod, Rafe asked to see the patient. Kayla noted that Rafe could speak to Stefano when Chad left.

After Rafe walked away, Steve asked Kayla if they could talk privately about their son. Kayla escorted Steve back to her office to talk. Steve marveled that Kayla was looking after Stefano in the hospital. With a shrug, Kayla noted that she was the chief of staff and needed to look after Stefano despite what he had done to the people she loved. With a grin, Steve asked Kayla if he was one of the ones that she loved.

"You got a heart as big as all outdoors, especially when someone needs your help. You're an amazing doctor. Not to mention an amazing mom. You're an amazing woman, Kayla," Steve said. Talk turned to Joey's school schedule, and Steve commented that Joey liked art class. When Kayla added chemistry to the schedule, Steve argued that Joey hated science. As Kayla groaned, Steve relented and commented that Joey could not hate a class he had never taken. Kayla smiled in spite of herself.

Kayla asked Steve about his theories about Bo. Steve refused to turn his back on his friend. Steve wondered aloud why Bo had escorted his mother to California for medical tests but then had sent her home alone and had never been seen again. Shaking her head, Kayla reminded Steve that there had been letters. Steve argued that the letters did not sound like Bo. The discussion turned heated. Steve said he wanted to retrace Bo's footsteps, angering Kayla. Kayla accused Steve of using Bo as an excuse to skip town. As Steve shook his head, Hope entered the office and asked what was going on.

Down the hallway, Stefano thanked Chad for saving his life. Chad said that even though he had called 9-1-1, he had not forgiven his father. Stefano swore that he had not framed Chad for murder. Near tears, Stefano told Chad that he loved him. Overcome, a tearful Chad said that he did not believe anything Stefano said to him. Stefano urged Chad to find out who had murdered the women.

While Chad was out of Stefano's room, Rafe questioned Stefano about the murders. Stefano stressed that neither he nor his son had killed the women. When Rafe reasoned aloud that Chad had been blackout drunk, Stefano defended his son until his heart made the monitors beep. A nurse entered and examined Stefano. As Stefano coughed and struggled to breathe, the nurse asked Rafe to leave.

"DiMeras, they always protect their family. You'd do anything to watch out for your son, wouldn't you?" Rafe asked. "Blood is blood," Stefano muttered weakly. As Rafe walked into the hallway, Chad confronted Rafe about questioning Stefano while he was in a weak state. Chad asked Rafe to let Stefano rest. With a shrug, Rafe said he did not need to talk to Stefano again because Stefano had no information. Angry, Chad said, "You know I'm being framed, right?"

Chad explained that he had thought Stefano had framed him, but he'd been wrong. Chad added that he was out of ideas as to who would want to frame him for murder. With a nod, Rafe asked Chad to talk privately. Rafe and Chad walked to the park. Rafe reminded Chad that he would need to prove his innocence. When Chad argued that Rafe had made up his mind, Rafe countered that he had not decided about Chad but that Chad's arrest was imminent. Rafe informed Chad that a witness had seen him outside Paige's dorm.

"I barely knew who she was!" Chad yelled. Rafe reminded Chad that Paige had been a witness. When Rafe asked about Chad's alibi for Paige's murder, Chad shook his head. Rafe recounted the evidence against Chad. Rafe advised Chad to figure out who hated him enough to frame him for two murders. Taking Rafe's words to heart, Chad returned to the mansion, and he paced. Chad opened the safe and removed a stack of cash and his passport.

At the hospital, Aiden visited Stefano in his room. Aiden warned the sleeping Stefano not to die before Aiden had finished the job and had been paid for his work.

Down at the docks, J.J. met with Clyde. Clyde demanded to know why J.J. had been at the police station. J.J. lied and said that he had wanted to find out information about Paige's murder. As Clyde frowned, J.J. added that it would have looked suspicious if he had not pushed the police for information. Clyde nodded. J.J. noted that he had seen the newspapers, and he added that he had to have been wrong about Clyde's involvement in Paige's murder. Clyde warned J.J. to forget Paige and to move on with his life.

Clyde handed a burner phone to J.J. and ordered him to check his phone every hour for text messages. Clyde added that the phone was the only way that J.J. could communicate with Clyde. As J.J. nodded, Clyde instructed J.J. to say, "I'm calling about the cat," if J.J. ever called Clyde directly on the phone. Clyde explained that the greeting was so Clyde would know if anyone other than J.J. was using the phone. J.J. nodded. Glowering and leaning close to J.J., Clyde warned J.J. to stay away from the police station and all cops.

Hope shows Steve her final letter from Bo

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

Alone in his office, John reflected on the many years he'd spent imprisoned by Stefano, under Stefano's mind control, and unable to remember his past, as well as the time he had almost jumped off the balcony of the penthouse. As John spoke on the phone with someone at the ISA about a lead within the agency, he looked through old newspaper about his past. The ISA agent gave John the phone number for his contact. John called the contact and asked him or her to help John track down the officer who had investigated the drowning death of a ten-year-old boy named Forrest Alamain.

Marlena bumped into Paul at Club TBD and asked how his promotional tour for the Narita product line had gone. Paul admitted that parts of the trip had been terrible. Referencing the incident when the drunk guys had gay-bashed him and his friends, Paul wondered why he had put himself in a position for people to hate him more than in a less serious, baseball-related way. Marlena knew Paul had done it for other kids and pointed out that he could talk to John about things anytime he needed.

Paul worried that he'd already dumped enough problems on his dad, but Marlena assured him that John didn't feel that way. Marlena enlightened Paul that John had faced a lot of adversity in his life, and he hadn't known his birth parents -- so he could relate to what Paul was going through.

John arrived and greeted his son warmly, but Paul had to leave for a meeting at Mad World. They promised to catch up later. After Paul left, John observed that something seemed to have been bothering Paul. Marlena said Paul would probably talk to John about it later. John advised Marlena that he was making some progress in the search for his parents.

At their apartment, a towel-clad Ben served Abigail a bowl of soup as she explained that several small meals a day were supposed to help with her nausea. Ben fretted that Abigail hadn't been in the mood earlier when they'd had sex, but she assured him that she had most definitely been in the mood. Ben informed his fiance that there were pictures online of the house that his dad had bought for them as a wedding gift. Ben took out his tablet and immediately saw a news headline about Stefano's heart attack.

Abigail read the story while Ben got dressed. When he returned, Ben observed that the story seemed to have upset Abigail -- which surprised him because he knew she hated Stefano. Abigail shut the cover on the tablet with obvious exasperation, so Ben reassured her that he trusted her and would never do anything behind her back again. Abigail stated that she had meant it when she'd promised to stay away from Chad. As Ben left for class, Abigail said she would be working from home all day.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad rushed around, gathering things he would need to flee the country. He got a text message from Abigail asking if Chad were all right, since she'd heard about Stefano. Chad deleted the message without replying.

Abigail tried to work but couldn't focus because she kept glancing at her phone to see if Chad had replied to her text.

A few minutes later, Abigail showed up in the doorway of the DiMera study just as Chad was heading out. "No. There is no way I am letting you do this," she declared firmly, snatching the suitcase out of Chad's hand. Abigail demanded to know why Chad was running from the cops. His voice raised, Chad recounted the evidence against him and his lack of alibis for either crime. "I'm all out of options, Abby," Chad concluded. "Maybe you're not," Abigail suggested.

Abigail explained that Chad might be able to defend himself if he could remember what had happened the nights of the murders. "Ever heard of hypnotherapy? Sometimes when you're hypnotized, things come back to you; you remember things. Maybe Doctor Evans could help you," Abigail proposed. Chad refused: "I'm not dragging her through this mess -- or you, either." Chad said Aiden had warned him that visiting a shrink would make it look as if Chad were preparing an insanity defense. Abigail pointed out that running away could make Chad look just as guilty. She pleaded with Chad to see Marlena and try to find out what had happened during his blackouts.

Ben returned to the apartment after class, but Abigail wasn't home. His suspicions aroused, Ben got out his phone as if to track Abigail but stopped himself. "She's marrying you. She's carrying your baby. You can trust her. You have to trust her," Ben told himself.

As Hope entered Kayla's office at the hospital, she overheard part of Kayla and Steve's conversation. "You want to go chasing after Bo?" Hope asked. Steve said no one could convince him that Bo had abandoned his family. Hope emphasized that she'd felt exactly the same way at first -- and she had something that might change Steve's mind. Hope asked Kayla to retrieve the letter, so Kayla opened a file drawer and handed Hope a sheet of paper that had obviously been torn up and taped back together.

Hope explained that it was the last letter she'd gotten from Bo -- the last time she'd heard from him at all. She added that John had delivered the letter to her nearly two years earlier, and she'd been so upset after reading it that she'd ripped it up. Steve guessed that Hope hadn't been able to bear throwing the letter away -- and they both knew why. Hope asserted that after tearing up the letter, she'd realized that it had been the right of Bo's family to read it, as well. Hope gave the letter to Steve so he could read it for himself.

As Steve read the letter aloud, his voice began to break as he neared the end. When Steve finished reading, Hope believed he could no longer deny that Bo had chosen work over family. Steve acknowledged that the letter did sound like Bo -- nothing like the letters Victor had gotten. Steve apologized to both Hope and Kayla, explaining to Kayla that reading the letter and seeing Hope's face had made him realize just what Steve had put Kayla through.

Steve berated himself for not being there to talk Bo out of the mission, but Hope contended that Steve would not have been able to do so. She wondered if Bo had been bored with her, but Steve refused to believe that. He apologized again and left. Hope asked if Kayla thought Steve would give up on the idea of trying to find Bo. "Not for a minute," Kayla admitted.

Aiden leaned over a sleeping Stefano's hospital bed and ordered DiMera not to die before Aiden finished the job Stefano had hired him to do and Aiden got paid. Stefano snarled that he was hardly worried about Aiden's debts. Aiden countered that Hope had accepted his proposal, and he expected to be debt-free when the two of them walked down the aisle.

As Aiden was leaving Stefano's room, Chase and Ciara arrived for their sports physicals. Ciara wondered why Aiden had been in Stefano's room, since she knew Mr. DiMera was a bad man. Aiden explained that he'd needed to talk to Stefano because he was Mr. DiMera's son's lawyer. Chase and Ciara knew about the suspicion on Chad for the two murders. "[Chad is] my friend Theo's uncle. He'd never murder anybody!" Ciara declared adamantly.

Aiden promised Ciara that he would do everything he could to prove Chad's innocence. Hope and Kayla showed up just as Ciara was cautioning Aiden to stay away from Mr. DiMera. Kayla admonished Aiden that he shouldn't have been bothering Stefano, who wasn't allowed visitors.

Once they were alone, Hope asked how Aiden's talk with Stefano had gone. Aiden claimed that Stefano had fallen asleep while they'd been talking. Aiden inquired about Hope's work, and she declared that it had been "fantabulous" to have Rafe back because they had such a heavy workload. Aiden remarked that it had been weird, seeing Stefano looking so frail. Hope wondered why, since Aiden had never met Stefano. Aiden quickly covered that he'd based his idea of Stefano on what he'd heard about DiMera.

Kayla returned with the kids and pronounced them fit for sports. The kids were excited when Aiden and Hope offered to take them out for ice cream, although Ciara mostly just wanted to know the adults' secret.

Steve found Joey on a bench in Horton Square. Steve noted that Joey looked a little down, and Joey admitted that his first day at Salem High hadn't been that great. Steve offered to do whatever he could to help, and Joey wondered if that meant his dad was going to stick around. Steve said it was never too late to have a good father/son relationship, and he promised to listen if Joey ever needed to complain about school.

Joey admitted that when Hope had been nice to him earlier, he'd gotten "in her face" and said she wasn't family because she'd divorced Bo. Steve explained that Hope had waited a long time for Bo, who was the one who had left, then she'd met Aiden and had decided to start a new life with him. Joey didn't understand why his Uncle Bo had left like that. Steve surprised his son by blaming the ISA. Steve added that although Kayla believed he had left because he'd been bored with his life, it wasn't the reason. He urged Joey to apologize to his Aunt Hope.

As Kayla was digging through her desk drawers to find a charger for her phone, she ran across a portrait of herself and Steve from their wedding. Joey stopped by a little later to ask his mom for some money to buy school supplies. While she was getting out her wallet, he noticed the picture out on her desk and asked about it. Kayla explained how she'd found it. Laughing, Joey made fun of his dad's hair and tuxedo in the picture, and Kayla noted that her hair wasn't that great, either.

Joey said he'd run into his dad earlier and had told his dad how he'd acted toward his Aunt Hope. Joey promised to apologize to Hope, acknowledging that Steve had filled him in a little about what had really happened with Bo and Hope. Joey added that, although he wasn't getting his hopes up, his dad had seemed like less of a jerk, at least where his ex-wife and son were concerned.

Asking Joey not to tell his dad what she was about to say, Kayla admitted that Steve had always liked being a "daredevil," but he'd also liked returning home, so perhaps she should have spent less time being angry with him and more time accepting who he really was. "It doesn't mean he doesn't love us, right? I mean, I think he does. Why else would he keep coming back?" Kayla noted. "Maybe because even when you had big hair, Dad was hot for you," Joey suggested.

Steve found John and Marlena at Club TBD. He apologized for interrupting, but Marlena had to leave to "handle something." As soon as the men were alone, Steve said he'd read Hope's letter and agreed that it really was from Bo, but Steve still couldn't accept that Bo had deserted his family. John pointed out that Bo had been working undercover, although he had no idea what Bo had been working on.

Steve wanted to know if John had gotten the letter directly from Bo. "No. After I met with him, the letter was delivered to the hotel room a couple hours later," John replied. He added that he'd done some digging after talking to Steve, but John had turned up nothing. "It's as if Bo never worked for the agency," John explained. Steve was taken aback. John said, "I'll tell you what I hope didn't happen -- that the mission went south and the ISA is just covering it up."

Over ice cream in the square, Chase asked his dad and Hope what the big secret was. Aiden proposed acting it out, although Ciara was worried that the adults would embarrass the kids. Aiden suggested that Chase should record what was about to happen, as he had with Aiden and Hope's dance at the gala, so Chase got out his phone while the grownups stepped away.

With their backs turned to the kids, Hope furtively removed her engagement ring and slipped it to Aiden. When Hope and Aiden turned around and Aiden dropped to one knee, Chase began recording. "Hope Williams Brady, will you marry me?" Aiden asked. "I would love to marry you," Hope replied, beaming. The two kissed, and the kids jumped up from the table to hug their respective parents. After a group hug, Ciara grabbed Hope's hand to get a look at the ring.

Ciara wanted to know if her mom and Aiden had set a date yet. Hope said they'd been thinking about doing it during the Salem bicentennial celebration in November. Ciara anxiously rattled off a long list of everything they needed to do before the wedding. Chuckling, Hope declared, "Don't worry! Oh, my gosh, you are like a little Julie!"

An excited Ciara dragged her mom away to look at a dress. Chase groaned that he just didn't understand Ciara sometimes. "Yeah, well, you'd better figure her out, because she is going to be your stepsister," Aiden noted. "That is totally cool," Chase declared. Just then, Aiden got a text message that read, "Your time is running out!!"

Stefano's room was dark later when he opened his eyes and saw Victor's foreboding form at the foot of the bed.

Steve gets a lead on Bo's whereabouts

Thursday, September 17, 2015

by Mike

At the police station, Hope and Rafe discussed the murder investigation. Rafe wanted to get Marlena's input, and Hope thought that was a great idea. Meanwhile, a cop carried a bouquet of flowers over to Hope's desk. Hope read the attached card -- "Thank you for making me the happiest husband-to-be in the world" -- and handed it to Rafe, who forced a smile and congratulated her.

While out with Arianna, Will ran into Marlena, who wondered if he had heard from Sonny lately. Will said he hadn't heard from Sonny since Sonny's departure from Salem, and he added that, while he missed Sonny terribly -- and so did Arianna -- the worst part was knowing that he had driven Sonny away himself.

Marlena reminded Will that she would always be available if he needed someone to talk to. Will appreciated that but guessed Marlena had other things to deal with, as well. Will couldn't believe that Eric's ex-girlfriend had recently been murdered -- and that Chad was the prime suspect in that murder as well as the murder of Paige Larson.

Will insisted that, while Chad had seemed different -- more like a DiMera -- since his return to Salem, he wasn't a killer. Marlena wondered if Will had a theory about what had triggered the change in Chad's behavior. Will believed Abigail had, explaining that Chad loved her. "He keeps saying that he's over her, but I know he's not -- just like I could never be over Sonny," Will added.

Marlena pointed out that Abigail was involved with Ben, but Will assured her that there was still something between Abigail and Chad, too. When Marlena wondered how Will knew that, he replied that he couldn't get into the details. Will hoped Abigail was smart enough to steer clear of Chad, especially if he really was somehow entangled in the murder investigation.

Suspecting that Abigail was smart enough to do the right thing, Marlena advised Will to trust Abigail -- and Sonny, too. Will wondered what he was supposed to do with himself while giving Sonny time alone. Marlena suggested that, in addition to spending time with Arianna, Will could also start working again. Will insisted that he didn't even want to think about journalism, but Marlena objected that he was a wonderful writer who had a lot bottled up inside. Marlena advised Will to start writing about a topic he was passionate about, guessing that the words would just flow out of him then.

At the DiMera mansion, Abigail promised she could get Chad into Marlena's office without anyone noticing. Chad warned that the answers gained during hypnosis might not be the desired answers, but Abigail refused to believe there was even a remote possibility that hypnosis could reveal that he really was the murderer. Chad also cautioned that, if he was being set up, it could be dangerous for Abigail to get involved. Undeterred, Abigail sneaked Chad into the hospital and, after confirming that Marlena was alone in her office and wouldn't be meeting with any patients until later that day, sneaked him into Marlena's office and locked the door.

Chad and Abigail explained the situation to Marlena, who quickly picked up on the fact that Chad wasn't entirely sure he was innocent. Chad told Marlena that if he said anything while under hypnosis that she felt the need to divulge to the police, she had his permission to do that. Marlena agreed to help but warned that there was no way of guaranteeing that hypnosis would work. After Abigail left, Marlena started to close the blinds to darken the room -- just as Rafe knocked on her office door and asked to talk to her for a few minutes.

Chad hid in the closet while Marlena dealt with Rafe, agreeing to take a look at the case file but stressing that she would need a few days to do so. After Rafe left, Chad emerged from the closet and wondered if Marlena had only covered for him because he had stopped Stefano from killing her. Marlena clarified that she hadn't said anything because Chad was a patient -- and because she hadn't felt obligated to tell Rafe anything.

Chad apologized for shooting his mouth off, explaining that he had a tendency to do that when he was scared. Marlena pointed out that Rafe had expressed doubts about Chad's guilt, and Chad admitted that it did help to know that, since he didn't have many people in his corner at that time. Marlena dimmed the lights and began the hypnotherapy session.

After realizing that Ben had been trying to reach her, Abigail rushed off to Club TBD to meet with him. Will stopped Abigail along the way and tried to talk to her about Chad's connection to the murders, but she dodged his questions and quickly excused herself, leaving him somewhat confused. When Abigail got to the club, Ben tried to find out where she had been, but instead of answering the question, she just gave him a passionate kiss and hoped that the only thing that mattered was that she was right where she wanted to be -- with him -- at that precise moment. Ben assured Abigail that was indeed all that mattered, but as he hugged her, his facial expression seemed to tell a different story.

Aiden went to a secluded section of the town square for a meeting with the guy he owed money to, but instead, he found himself face-to-face with the man who had picked up the cash he had dropped on the ground a few days earlier. Aiden nervously promised to pay the man's boss back, with interest, as soon as possible. Congratulating Aiden on getting engaged, the man extended a hand -- and proceeded to crush Aiden's.

At the hospital, Victor tauntingly observed that it looked like Stefano was chilly and could perhaps stand to have his blanket adjusted. "Listen to me, stronzo -- I may be on my back at this very moment, but if you think that that means I'm helpless, ha-ha, think again," Stefano replied. Stefano assumed Victor had only visited him for the enjoyment of seeing him in a vulnerable condition, but Victor said that was just a nice bonus.

Victor explained that he needed the ongoing murder investigation to be wrapped up quickly because every time a murderer was on the loose, the cops, in their efforts to solve the case, always seemed to start sniffing around him eventually, and he couldn't afford that kind of scrutiny in his line of work. "I get it, all right, I get it. But what I do not get is, why the hell should I give a damn?" Stefano wondered.

Victor suggested that, with Chad as the prime suspect, it might be best for everyone if Stefano decided to just lie back, focus on getting better, and let Chad fend for himself. "I mean, hell, what's he ever done for you?" Victor concluded. Stefano said he appreciated Victor's candor and would think about the idea. Satisfied, Victor started to leave, but Stefano protested that he, too, deserved an opportunity to speak his mind about family, since Victor had opened the door to that topic of conversation. "Only fair," Victor conceded.

"That's quite a situation that you've got going there. At your house, I mean. Two women to satisfy? Ha-ha. I hope you're up to it," Stefano mused. "You listen to me, malaka -- if you think I'm gonna say a word to you about Caroline or Maggie, think again. They're none of your damn business," Victor insisted. "Oh, I think they are," Stefano replied in a singsong manner after Victor left the room. Later, Aiden -- who had just finished getting his broken pinky finger looked at -- sneaked into Stefano's room after hearing one nurse tell another nurse that she had just administered some pain medication to Stefano that would knock him out for a while.

"Is there no rest for the weary?" Stefano complained when Aiden woke him up. Aiden fretted that he might lose all his fingers if Stefano didn't pay him soon. "Well, is it my fault that you like to gamble, huh? Or that you blew your dead wife's inheritance?" Stefano asked. Aiden started to warn Stefano not to talk about his wife, but Stefano just closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Sighing, Aiden started to leave before changing his mind and deciding to go through Stefano's belongings instead.

After grabbing Stefano's keys, Aiden hid against the side of a wardrobe when he heard two nurses talking outside Stefano's room. One of the nurses entered the room to check on Stefano but was called back into the hallway before she could spot Aiden. Once the coast was clear, Aiden sneaked out of the room then headed over to the DiMera mansion and sneaked into the study. After snooping around for a bit, Aiden found a checkbook and helped himself to one of the checks then took a signed business document, as well.

Kayla met with Steve at Club TBD and told him about her earlier conversation with Joey. Kayla struggled to understand why Steve would want to run off to search for Bo, especially when it seemed like he was actually managing to make a bit of progress with Joey. Steve told Kayla about what he had learned from John earlier, and he wondered if she really wanted him to just ignore the possibility that Bo might be in real danger. Kayla didn't know how to respond to that question. "Kayla, you know I came back here because I wanted to see if there's still a chance for us. I've been thinking, if I can bring your brother back and show you that I'm not just looking for a reason to run away, you might be willing to give me another chance," Steve admitted.

Later, Kayla went to the police station to see Hope. Kayla had mixed emotions about Hope's engagement news; she was happy for Hope but realized that the news could mean that her relationship with Hope would soon change. Hope assured Kayla that they would always be sisters. Kayla told Hope about her earlier meeting with Steve, and Hope admitted that she wished Steve could find Bo and convince him to return home -- for the sake of his kids, his siblings, and his mother, and also so she could confront him about his abandonment and tell him, face-to-face, that their relationship was over for good.

Kayla complained that having Steve back in the picture made it harder to tell herself that she loathed him and was glad to have him out of her life. "When he's in the room --" Kayla started to add, and when her voice trailed off, Hope guessed Kayla was still attracted to Steve. "Well, I don't know if it's just, like, an old habit or something, or if it's more than that, but I am gonna do my best to fight it. That's all I can tell you," Kayla replied with a nervous laugh. Hope suspected that Steve wanted Kayla back. "Oh, he says that now," Kayla skeptically replied before letting her voice trail off again.

Later, after Hope and Kayla left, Aiden arrived to talk to Rafe, who asked about Aiden's injured hand. Aiden claimed that he had hurt it when he had tried to stop an elevator door that had been determined to close. Aiden added that he had something to tell Rafe -- something he was sure Rafe was going to want to hear. A short time later, after Aiden left, Will and Arianna arrived and joined Rafe -- just in time for Gabi to be escorted into the police station to reunite with them as a free woman.

Steve tracked Kayla down at the hospital and excitedly told her that he had just talked to a woman he had met in Hamburg. Kayla complained that she didn't need to hear about one of Steve's flings, but he forged ahead, urging her to hear him out. Steve continued that the woman owned a boat that she used to run people up the river and out to the North Sea, as a side business of sorts, and Bo had been one of her passengers. Steve added that the woman had taken Bo to a freighter he had then boarded, but she didn't know where it had headed afterward. Steve said he had been unable to figure out if Bo's meeting with John had happened before or after that but was certain that it had all occurred within the same basic time frame.

Kayla expressed skepticism, but Steve was just happy to have a lead to follow. Kayla pointed out that the lead could turn out to be a dead end -- and Steve could therefore be about to get everyone's hopes up for nothing. Kayla wondered what would happen if that turned out to be the case, prompting Steve to guess she was really just asking if he would return to Salem if he failed to find Bo. "Do you want me to come back?" Steve wondered. "No, I don't," Kayla claimed with a dismissive shrug. "Nice try, but I don't believe you," Steve replied.

Outside Hope's house, Aiden arranged a meeting with someone, promising that he was ready to pay his debt. Aiden ended the call just before Hope arrived, and she quickly noticed his hand injury. Aiden claimed that a client's dog had mistaken him for the mailman when he had tried to pet it. As Aiden followed Hope inside, Bo -- still trapped in an undisclosed location -- tossed and turned in his sleep, having a nightmare about being unable to get into his and Hope's house to save her from an unseen danger.

Chad suspects Clyde of setting him up

Friday, September 18, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

Ben and Abigail sprawled on the bed, making wedding plans, with bridal magazines strewn about -- one of which Ben was actually reading with interest. Ben was a little incredulous when Abigail mentioned wedding favors for the guests, which he lightheartedly referred to as "swag." He reminded Abigail that she shouldn't go overboard because her mom was paying for everything. Ben suggested that his dad could help financially, but Abigail declined.

Abigail wondered if they could get married at the old Martin mansion, which would be all fixed up and decorated for the bicentennial celebration. Ben said they could do whatever Abigail wanted. "What if what I want right now is you?" Abigail asked playfully. As she moved closer to Ben to kiss him, Abigail suddenly gasped and clutched her abdomen. "I think I just felt the baby kick!" Abigail said breathlessly.

As Ben and Abigail lay in bed later, she mused about how the two of them were building a family together, something that was very powerful and important -- so they couldn't have doubts. Although Ben appeared to have dozed off, Abigail continued that there could be no one else from then on, no matter what had happened in the past. "There can only be one great love, no one else. No one else ever again," she said quietly.

Later, Abigail dreamed that Chad was in prison, waiting desperately for her to visit him before his execution. A snarky guard told Chad that no one wanted to visit him. In Abigail's dream, as the guards led Chad to the execution chamber, a priest administered last rites. Abigail showed up and frantically tried to get Chad away from the guards, shrieking that he was innocent, but the guards dragged Chad away as he screamed her name.

Abigail jerked awake and sat straight up in bed, exclaiming, "No!" As she tried to catch her breath, Ben asked what she'd been dreaming about. Shaking and sobbing, Abigail claimed that she'd dreamed Ben had left her and their baby. Ben held her and firmly reassured her that would never happen.

At the police station, an elated Gabi tossed her daughter in the air and spun her around while Will and Rafe watched with huge grins on their faces. Rafe remarked that he hadn't expected Gabi's release until around Thanksgiving. After Gabi thanked the guys for not giving up on her, she promised Arianna that she would never make another mistake that would separate them. Rafe and Will informed Gabi that Aiden Jennings had found an error in the judge's sentencing of Gabi, so she had Aiden to thank for her release.

When Rafe suggested they should all go get something to eat, Gabi almost began to cry as she realized that she truly was back with her family. The little group shared a big hug before heading out for Club TBD. Gabi held Arianna in her lap even while Gabi ate. Rafe offered to let Gabi stay with him while she figured out where to live. Not wanting to change Arianna's routine too much, Gabi suggested moving back in with Will and Sonny. Rafe took Arianna to get some ice cream while Will broke the news to Gabi about Sonny moving, at least temporarily, to Paris.

Will blamed Paul Narita for Sonny and Will's problems. After Will had related the whole story, Gabi couldn't believe he hadn't told her about it before. Gabi tried to reassure Will that Sonny would return home eventually, but he didn't appear convinced. Holding Will's hand across the table, Gabi assured him that his husband would forgive him. "Trust me; I am the poster girl for second chances," Gabi pointed out. Will told Gabi that she was welcome to move in with him and Arianna. Rafe and Arianna returned just then, and Gabi eagerly took the little one from Rafe.

In her darkened office, Marlena started Chad's hypnotherapy session. When Chad was relaxed enough, Marlena used a soothing voice as she directed him to clear his mind and imagine he was back at Club TBD the night he'd been drinking with Serena. Marlena asked Chad to look at Serena and say the first thought to enter his mind. "This is the night she's going to die," Chad said. Marlena urged Chad to try to stay focused on his time in the club.

Marlena questioned Chad about the sights, sounds, and smells of the environment that night, and Chad offered a description. Upon further questioning, Chad said he and Serena had both been "messed up," and they had laughed and enjoyed each other's company while drinking shots. Chad continued that Serena had kissed him, but he had wanted more and had pushed too hard. As Chad became agitated, Marlena calmed him. Chad recounted the kiss, and Marlena asked how that had made him feel.

"Furious," Chad admitted, his breath becoming more rapid as he relived the emotion. "Damn bitch! We were fine, and now she's all worked up? What? Does she think she's so damn hot?" Chad ranted angrily. When Marlena was unable to calm him down, she carefully guided Chad back out of the hypnosis. When he awakened, he was more relaxed, and his breathing had evened out. It frustrated Chad when he learned that he hadn't revealed anything he hadn't previously known, but Marlena advised him that hypnosis was a process.

Chad expressed his gratitude and pointed out that it hadn't been necessary for Marlena to help him. Marlena reminded Chad that she'd saved his life in Italy. She assured him that she wanted to help him get the whole story, although she cautioned him that it wouldn't happen quickly or easily. Chad indicated that he was ready to do as many sessions as it took. "But what if you're guilty?" Marlena asked. Gulping, Chad replied, "Then I'll turn myself in." He asserted that the reason he thought he'd been set up was that all the evidence against him was "too neat."

Marlena asked who would have had the information and resources to do that. Chad admitted that he'd initially thought it had been Stefano, but Stefano had given his word that he hadn't done it. Marlena wondered if Stefano's word were really enough. Chad said he wanted to believe so, because Stefano was his father. Chad had no idea who else could be trying to set him up, but he pointed out that he only had to prove his own innocence and not who else had done it.

Marlena promised that they would work every single day -- but she warned Chad that since she was the consulting psychiatrist on the case, if the police asked if she and Chad were meeting, she had to tell them, although she didn't have to reveal what they were discussing.

On the phone with a contact, John requested information on a man named Ilya Petrov, who had defected from Russia. John hoped the man could help John find what he was looking for. Steve showed up just as John ended the call. Steve related what he'd learned from some of his old contacts in the Merchant Marine -- about a year and a half or two years earlier, a woman named Monika had transported Bo on her charter boat from Hamburg to a freighter in the North Sea.

Steve hoped John could find out if there had been any ISA activity in Germany around that time that Bo could have been caught up in. John got back on the phone. A little later, he reported to Steve that the ISA had shut down operations in Germany after the incidents with Wikileaks and Edward Snowden, and the timing coincided with when Bo had been there. Steve and John concluded that by then, Bo had already stopped working with the ISA and had been on his own -- although neither could figure out why.

John got on the computer to research the Marianne, the freighter where Monika had taken Bo. John learned that the Marianne made regular runs between Hamburg and Copenhagen. Steve sent a message to his buddy Axel to find out if anyone in Copenhagen had seen Bo. John and Steve agreed that Marlena and Kayla weren't happy about the guys "getting back in the game." John noted that he'd promised Marlena that he wouldn't let his job interfere with their relationship -- and if he and Steve screwed up, they would not get another chance.

John called Marlena to find out when she would be home because he wanted to make sure the two of them would be alone later. After he hung up, John returned to the computer and found an email from his contact about Ilya Petrov. Along with a photo of Petrov, John learned that the man had defected in 1987 and had been a teacher at Winterthorne Academy in Littleton, Vermont. Since he'd never heard of the school, John did a web search and found its website, which showed a photo of the traditional-looking academy, complete with bell tower, on the shores of a serene lake.

Steve got a reply from Axel. "Looks like Bo didn't disappear, after all. He just knew how to fly under the radar," Steve announced. He explained that Bo had been in Copenhagen off and on for a while until Axel had helped him get to Cancun. John frowned when he realized what the look on Steve's face meant. "Yeah, I'm going, man. I'm going to Cancun. I'm bringing Bo back," Steve declared.

As Marlena opened the door to leave, Clyde was standing right outside. Surprised, Marlena gasped, and Clyde apologized for startling her. He explained that he was there because he had remembered that he still owed Marlena for their last session -- and he was a man who always paid his debts. After Clyde wrote a check, he admitted that money didn't mean much to him, since everything he'd touched had been turning to gold.

"I feel better about myself than I ever have. You know, life is great," Clyde declared. Marlena cautioned Clyde that a feeling of elation could be misleading, and it could often be the beginning of a downward spiral. Clyde remarked rather unctuously that it was just like Marlena to be concerned about her patients, even former ones -- but he was certain that he would be just fine.

"Besides, I know how busy you are with all your patients and the consulting work you do for the Salem P.D. I'd imagine they've already brought you on board about those two murdered women," Clyde added. Marlena stated that she wasn't at liberty to discuss it. Clyde apologized, said goodbye, and headed out, leaving Marlena rattled.

Chad went to the DiMera mansion and poured himself a glass of Scotch, but he quickly thought better of it and got a glass of water instead. He called Kayla to ask if she could help him find some information about a medication, but she pointed out that he could search the Internet for that. Chad gently used his position on the board to persuade Kayla to help him. He inquired about what drug could make someone black out.

Kayla said there were several, so Chad narrowed it down to things that could be mixed with alcohol but not tasted. After Kayla suggested Rohypnol, or "roofies," she asked if Chad thought that was what had happened to him. Chad admitted that it could explain what had happened, although he would have to prove it. Kayla said if Chad had been drugged, there would no longer be any traces of it in his system. Chad thanked Kayla and hung up.

Chad paced around the study, wondering who would have put something in his drink. Recalling the night he and Serena had been together at Club TBD, Chad remembered Clyde sidling up to him at the bar and commenting on Chad's good taste in women. "How nice. Looks like you got a new little friend," Clyde had purred, to Chad's annoyance. As the memory hit Chad, his expression hardened. "Clyde Weston," he spat.