Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 15, 2022 on DAYS

Li plotted to brainwash Stefan to pursue Chloe. Anna was suspicious of Kristen. Chanel and Allie had drinks with Alex. Johnny defended Ava to E.J. Lucas went to prison. Kate pleaded guilty. Brady considered joint custody. Kayla warned Steve not to kill Orpheus. Stephanie returned home. Leo gave the police Gwen's Sarah mask. E.J. overheard Ava with Gwen. E.J. attempted to blackmail Ava. Kristen threatened Chloe. Kristen visited Rachel. Gabi saw Li with Rolf.

Alex has a dinner date with Chanel and Allie

Monday, August 15, 2022

by Mike

At the Salem Inn, Shin contacted Rolf and demanded an update. "The last thing I need is Stefan O. DiMera returning to the land of the living --" Shin began to stress before realizing that Gabi had just entered their room.

Shin wrapped up the phone conversation with Rolf then ended the call and greeted Gabi. "Your mother?" Gabi guessed, drawing a sigh of relief from Shin, who claimed that the call had actually been about business.

Gabi accepted the answer with a hint of skepticism then changed the subject, telling Shin that they needed to talk about potential jobs for Ava -- but they ended up in bed together before the matter was settled.

Later, Shin tried to convince Gabi to stop wearing Stefan's wedding ring. Taken aback, Gabi refused then assured Shin that Stefan was dead and was therefore not a threat to their relationship.

Maggie was alone in the study of the Kiriakis mansion, working on a crossword puzzle, when Alex approached and started to say something. Maggie interrupted to ask for an eight-letter synonym for "naked" -- then looked up from the crossword puzzle and saw that Alex was shirtless and was holding a dress shirt in each hand. Alex suggested "topless" as the answer to the question, but Maggie protested that there were only seven letters in that word -- then realized that "disrobed" would work.

Alex accepted Maggie's correction with a shrug then changed the subject, fretting about running late for a dinner date. Maggie guessed that "the lucky girl" was Lisa, but Alex needed more information to even recognize that as the name of a recent hookup. After finally remembering who Lisa was, Alex laughed off Maggie's assumption then bragged that there would actually be "two lucky girls" at the date. "How...modern..." Maggie sputtered, prompting Alex to clarify that it wasn't going to be that kind of date. "However...I wouldn't have a problem with it if it were..." Alex admitted with a shameless grin, making Maggie even more uncomfortable.

Alex insisted that Maggie could relax. "Look, you're not gonna have to worry about finding either of these girls in my bed -- trust me, they only have eyes for each other," Alex explained, leaving Maggie confused about the appeal of being a third wheel on the date. "When I first asked them, I thought I still had a chance," Alex confessed with another shameless grin, unable to resist the urge to make Maggie uncomfortable again. "But they're both really cute and really fun...not to mention they're both little kickass businesswomen," Alex assured Maggie with a shrug.

Maggie gave the matter some thought then conceded that spending time with two girls for the sole purpose of enjoying the pleasure of their company would be a nice change of pace for Alex, who agreed that variety was the spice of life. Alex held up the two dress shirts and wondered which one screamed "drinks with the bisexual girls" -- then apologized and rephrased the question after Maggie pointed out that it was disrespectful to reduce people to labels. Maggie chose one of the dress shirts, and Alex seconded that choice then rushed off to finish getting dressed.

Chanel got dressed up for the dinner date then headed over to the Horton apartment to pick up Allie, who had arranged for Henry to spend the night with Roman at the Brady Pub. Chanel was surprised -- and somewhat disappointed -- to learn that Allie didn't feel like getting dressed up after a long day of work and was therefore planning to go out in loungewear. "Why does it matter what we wear, Chanel? Are you, like, lusting after Alex?" Allie wondered, drawing a scoff from Chanel, who admitted to having actually been hoping that they could ditch Alex at some point and have a private date night.

Allie gave the matter some thought then rushed off to change clothes, telling Chanel not to wait because they were already running late. Chanel headed over to the town square's bar and found Alex, who perked up and started flirting after assuming that their dinner for three had turned into a dinner for two -- then released a sigh of disappointment when Allie sauntered toward them in a dress and clarified the situation.

Alex ordered drinks then begged to hear Chanel and Allie's love story -- and maybe even see a demonstration of their affection for each other. "We thought that you invited us out because you wanted to hang out with us, get to know us a little better --" Allie began to protest. "Not to give you material for your fantasies," Chanel concluded. Allie and Chanel started to storm off together, but Alex stopped them and apologized for having offended them -- then tried again to convince them to share their love story. Chanel and Allie took turns telling Alex about how they had met in London then reconnected in Salem.

Alex assumed that Allie and Chanel had started dating at that point. Chanel and Allie took turns clarifying that their journey to happily ever after had been more complicated than that -- and Alex was stunned to learn that it had involved Chanel taking a detour into a marriage with Allie's twin brother. "That's gonna make for some interesting Thanksgiving conversation..." Alex predicted, and Allie agreed with a laugh then revealed that Johnny had already resorted to some dirty tricks, like enlisting the help of Chanel's mother, to change the outcome of their love triangle. "But that's not gonna happen; I already told my mother to back the hell off [because] nobody -- not Johnny, not anyone -- is gonna come between Allie and me," Chanel stressed -- and Allie swooned in response then seized a kiss as Alex watched.

Chanel and Allie eventually pulled away from each other -- and Alex, who was practically drooling, groaned then begged for an encore performance. Allie and Chanel laughed off the request then took turns advising Alex to look elsewhere for satisfaction. Alex wondered if Chanel and Allie had any single friends in mind. "What is your type?" Allie responded. "I'm not that picky -- I like beautiful women..." Alex declared -- and Gabi entered the bar just then. "Like her," Alex added.

Johnny entered the DiMera mansion and found E.J. and Ava alone together in the living room, getting ready to eat dinner at a table that had been set for three people. Johnny tried to claim the third chair at the table, prompting E.J. to object that it was meant for Gwen -- but Ava added that Johnny was welcome to take it because Gwen wasn't feeling well. E.J. forced a smile and agreed to go along with the idea -- then started stewing after realizing that Johnny and Ava had already done some bonding that day, in more ways than one. Ava intervened when E.J. tried to offer Johnny unsolicited advice about Chanel, and Johnny intervened when E.J. tried to question the legitimacy of Ava's relationship with Jake. E.J. eventually stormed off to check on dessert, annoyed that Ava and Johnny seemed to be a united front.

Tony and Anna entered the auto repair shop and found Kristen in the upstairs apartment. Kristen and Anna immediately started arguing with each other -- but Tony eventually intervened and got to the point of the visit, apologizing for E.J.'s recent behavior. While Tony was promising to find a way to convince E.J. to let Kristen move back into the DiMera mansion, Anna noticed a tablet computer that was displaying Jake's obituary -- then took a closer look and realized that the device was actually displaying Stefan's obituary. Anna questioned the oddity, prompting Kristen to reason that it was only natural to want to compare the two obituaries. Later, Anna told Tony that Kristen was up to something.

Kristen headed over to Rolf's laboratory -- and was stunned to find Shin there.

Li offers Kristen a deal

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

by Spalding

At the bar off the square, Alex chatted with Chanel and Allie. "Besides my girlfriend, what's your type?" Allie asked. Alex noticed Gabi approach the bar. "Like her," Alex said. Allie called Gabi over. "Of course, she knows her," Alex said. Gabi walked over and hugged Allie.

"Allie, you didn't tell me you were friends with a goddess," Alex said. "That's a new one," Gabi said. "I've never met her," Chanel whispered to Allie. Alex noted that Gabi seemed familiar. Allie invited Gabi to join their table.

"The reason that this goddess may seem so familiar to you is she is your niece Arianna's mother," Allie said. "Gabi Hernandez," Alex said. Alex introduced himself. Gabi smiled, and they shook hands. Chanel elbowed Allie.

"Sorry, Gabi, I don't think that you have ever met my girlfriend, Chanel," Allie said. "Not officially, but it's nice to meet you," Gabi said. Alex noted that Gabi's pictures did not do her justice. When Gabi noted that she had met with Alex's brothers in Arizona, Alex groaned.

"So, my brother was hiding you from me," Alex said. "He said you were always busy," Gabi countered. Alex joked that his priorities had been wrong. When Allie asked Gabi if she was there to meet someone, Gabi admitted that she was alone. "That is the best news I've heard all day," Alex said. Gabi laughed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were good friends with Gabi Hernandez?" Chanel asked Allie. "What's the big deal?" Allie asked. Before Chanel could answer, Alex left to order a round of drinks for the table. Gabi apologized for interrupting Chanel and Allie's evening, but Allie insisted that she was happy to see Gabi. As Gabi and Allie chatted about their children, Chanel stared at Gabi.

"I'm sorry, I'm just kind of fangirling," Chanel admitted. "For me?" Gabi asked with surprise. Chanel told Gabi that she was a loyal customer of Gabi Chic. Gabi thanked Chanel. "You wear it very well," Gabi said. "I agree," Allie said. Gabi told Chanel that she was obsessed with Chanel's bakery.

When Alex returned to the table, he asked Gabi why she was alone at the bar. Allie warned Alex that Gabi had a boyfriend. "She does?" Alex said. "She does," Gabi said. Alex called the guy lucky, and Gabi countered that she was lucky, as well. "You're seeing Li, right?" Allie asked. Gabi nodded yes, and she confirmed that they were exclusive.

"Working together, playing together. That's tricky business," Alex said. "So far, so good," Gabi said. With a smirk, Alex noted that if Gabi were his girl, he would not let her out of his sight.

"It's so crazy, but some guys are actually confident enough to let their girlfriend have freedom," Allie said. "Some guys just really appreciate what they have," Alex countered. Gabi explained that Li was on a business call and that she loved his dedication to work. Alex announced that he would be working with Sonny at Titan.

"I hope you don't mind a little friendly competition," Alex said. "I live for competition," Gabi countered. "And she usually wins," Allie said. When Alex asked Gabi about the company she had poached from Sonny, Gabi explained that she was innocent, but Sonny had not believed her.

"I believe you," Alex said. "Why? Anyone you ask will tell you I'm famously untrustworthy," Gabi said. With a grin, Alex told Gabi that he was a good judge of character. When Alex suggested that they all hang out again, Gabi said, "I'd love to, as long as I can bring my boyfriend."

Chanel reminded Alex that he still owed her and Allie a five-star dinner. "Actually, I'm really glad that we came here. It was very entertaining," Allie said. As Gabi rose to leave, she thanked Alex for the drinks. "I hope it was worth it," Gabi said. "And then some," Alex countered.

After Gabi left, Chanel joked, "Three women, three strikes, one night." Alex playfully bit his fist and said, "The night is young." Alex suggested a threesome, but Chanel and Allie politely turned Alex down. "The offer stands," Alex said.

After Alex left, Chanel asked Allie if she would ever consider a threesome. Before Allie could respond, her phone rang. It was Lucas. "There's something I need to tell you," Lucas said.

In the bistro in the square, Kate met with Lucas. Kate chastised Lucas for having avoided her calls about his trial, and she suggested that he claim temporary insanity.

"I knew what I was doing. I was selfish, shortsighted, and I didn't realize the emotional harm I was putting Sami through. And it's because of that, last night I decided to change my plea to guilty," Lucas said. "You did what?" Kate asked in disbelief. Lucas explained that Allie had changed his mind.

"If I want to earn [Allie's] respect back, I have to own up to what I did," Lucas said. "So, you actually think that Allie wants to see her father behind bars?" Kate countered. Lucas told Kate that Allie had asked him to take accountability for his actions. "If I do that, in the future, maybe the door will be left open for her to trust me again," Lucas said. Kate groaned.

"Don't even bother to try and talk me out of this. It's a done deal," Lucas said. Lucas explained that he had made a deal with the D.A. "Second degree kidnapping," Lucas said. Lucas explained that the D.A. had agreed to a three-year sentence. Kate shook her head in dismay.

"There's no going back now," Lucas said. "You called me here, why?" Kate asked. Lucas told Kate goodbye. With a sigh, Kate got up to hug her son. "First Philip, now you," Kate said. "You got Philip the help he needed, and I'm doing what I have to do," Lucas said. Kate stressed that prison was not the same as mental health treatment.

"But I'm not sick, all right? I was stupid. I was impulsive. And I kept making bad decision after bad decision. I didn't think about what it was doing to my children. I didn't think about what it was doing to Sami. I took her freedom, Mom. And in order for me to atone for that, I have to give up my own freedom. At least for a little while," Lucas said. Kate smiled sadly.

"I'm more proud of you than I have ever been," Kate said. Kate hugged Lucas again. "Now it's time to tell Allie that I kept my promise to her," Lucas announced. Kate asked Lucas to put in a good word for her with Allie. "She is going to forgive you. It's me she is mad at," Lucas said. With a sigh, Kate reminded Lucas that she had kept his secret.

"I'm sorry I put you in that position," Lucas said. "You didn't force me to do anything. It was my choice. Now, I have to live with the consequences," Kate said. Lucas and Kate said "I love you" to one another.

Paulina and Abe stopped into the pub for a drink. With a grin, Roman held up a baby monitor with one hand, and he explained that he was on call for a sleeping Henry. Abe offered to leave, but Roman waved him off.

"Glad to have the company," Roman said. Paulina admitted that she had an ulterior motive for the visit. "You didn't mention to me that you wanted to talk to Roman," Abe said with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't I?" Paulina asked innocently. Paulina told Roman about her idea for Abe to run for governor.

"So, you're still thinking about running?" Roman asked. "Not really," Abe said. "Yes, really," Paulina contradicted. Paulina stressed that there was no better candidate for governor than Abe. "No arguments here, but I am sensing some hesitation on the part of the candidate," Roman noted. Paulina admitted that Abe had been having second thoughts.

"I thought his best friend could help me persuade him to stay the course," Paulina said. Roman chuckled. "Don't you think it should be his decision?" Roman asked. Paulina admitted that Roman's answer was sensible. "Does this mean you are going to drop this?" Abe asked. "For the moment," Paulina said. Paulina looked into Roman's eyes.

"Now that we've established that Roman is a man of good sense, when are you going to have the good sense to forgive Kate?" Paulina asked. "So, this is the real reason you're here. To ambush me," Roman said. Paulina stressed that she was there as a friend. Abe agreed that he wanted Roman to be happy. "I just don't think it's our place to interfere," Abe added. Paulina explained that she had talked to Kate and that Kate felt terrible.

"[Kate] feeling terrible is not an excuse for what she did," Roman said. Paulina argued that Kate had been a desperate mother, and she asked Roman to consider what he would have done in Kate's shoes. "As a matter of fact, I was in her shoes," Roman said. Roman told Paulina about when Eric had gone to prison.

"So, I do understand Kate's instinct to protect her son," Roman said. Roman argued that Lucas would never change his ways if he did not plead guilty. "I'm not saying you don't have a right to be mad at Kate. But life is short. None of us are getting any younger," Paulina advised.

Paulina reminded Roman that Kate had hated her when she had first arrived in Salem, but they had bonded over their shared history. "We each spent years living in fear of men who tormented us," Paulina said. "I am sorry about that," Roman whispered. Paulina explained that she related to Kate, because she had spoiled Chanel like Kate had spoiled Lucas.

When Roman pointed out that Chanel was doing well, Paulina noted that it had taken time. "Because you forced her to. You made her take responsibility. Kate doesn't see that her kids need that," Roman countered. Roman added that Lucas was a grandfather, and he did not need to be coddled.

"If that doesn't change, I don't see anything changing between me and Kate," Roman said. With a sigh, Paulina admitted defeat. "Thank you for caring," Roman said. As Abe and Paulina turned to leave, Kate walked in. "Kitchen is closed, Kate," Roman said. "I'm here to see you," Kate said. Paulina pulled Abe aside, and she pretended to look for her glasses. Paulina whispered to Abe, "If you think I'm leaving right now..."

"What is it?" Roman asked. "Lucas changed his plea to guilty, and he is going to prison," Kate said. Roman was surprised. "I'm sorry for you. That's got to be a tough pill to swallow, but I am glad that Lucas finally did the right thing," Roman said. Kate told Roman that she had agreed to plead guilty as an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping.

"Why would you do that?" Roman asked. "It's never too late to do the right thing, Roman," Kate said. Kate waved goodbye to Paulina, and she walked out.

At the Salem Inn, Chloe told Brady that Nancy was at the police station with Clyde. "Leo is there, as well. They brought him in for questioning on some other matter," Chloe said. Chloe explained that Clyde had identified Leo as the jewelry thief, and the police had detained Leo for questioning. "Maybe they'll finally nail that weasel to the wall," Brady said. Chloe was still unsure whether Leo was capable of murder.

Brady appeared distracted. When Chloe asked Brady what was wrong, Brady admitted he had been thinking of Kristen. With a raised eyebrow, Chloe noted that since Kristen's release from prison, she was the only thing they talked about. Brady apologized, and he told Chloe that Kristen had threatened to pursue shared custody of Rachel.

"I'm sorry," Chloe said. "I know Kristen's dangerous, but I also know, Chloe, that she loves her little girl. And I know Rachel loves her mom. I don't want to be the dad to keep Rachel's mom from her completely," Brady said. Chloe asked Brady if he planned to share custody, and Brady said he was open to it.

"Do you think that will be enough for Kristen?" Chloe asked. Brady shrugged. Brady admitted that he was worried that he could lose his daughter altogether. Chloe told Brady that she did not believe that Kristen would attempt to kidnap Rachel again.

"I'm the last person to defend Kristen DiMera, but I do think she is kind of a decent mom. I don't think she would intentionally traumatize her daughter," Chloe said. "I hope you're right about that," Brady said. With a smirk, Chloe added, "And Kristen is not going anywhere unless you are following her." Brady promised that Kristen would not come between him and Chloe. They made love, and Brady told Chloe that he loved her.

Kristen crept into the lab in the DiMera tunnels, and she called out to Rolf. Li stepped out from behind a curtain. "What the hell are you doing here?" Kristen asked. Li explained that he had learned about the off-the-books operation, and he was there to investigate. A loud beep sounded from behind the curtain, and Kristen shoved Li aside so that she could check on Stefan.

All the monitors were off. "No," Kristen whispered. Kristen ran to the fuse box, and she flipped on the power. "Come on, Stefan," Kristen whispered to her brother. The monitors turned back on, and Stefan's heartbeat registered. "How did the power get turned off?" Kristen growled. "I don't know. I just arrived," Li said. Kristen accused Li of sabotage.

"Why are you trying to kill him?" Kristen asked. When Li did not answer, Kristen announced that she would call the police. "How are you going to explain all this?" Li asked. "Well, I'm certainly not going to let you try and kill him," Kristen said. "Is it even possible to kill a guy after he's been dead four years?" Li countered. A look of realization crossed Kristen's face.

"You're the reason Rolf was reluctant to wake him up. You wanted him to stay dead," Kristen said. Li told Kristen that he had funded Rolf's work. "I'm the reason that [Stefan] is still alive," Li said. "And yet, you didn't tell a soul," Kristen noted. Li explained that Rolf had not wanted to get the family's hopes up until Rolf was sure he could revive Stefan.

When Kristen asked Li why he had continued Rolf's work while Rolf had been in prison, Li explained that he had hoped Stefan's resurrection would provide leverage at DiMera. Kristen laughed. "Only you started dating Gabi!" Kristen said. Kristen argued that Li was worried that Gabi would dump Li for Stefan.

"Jake's death did stir up memories for Gabi of losing Stefan. I watched that grief become fresh again," Li said. "But that showed how much she still loved Stefan," Kristen said. Li told Kristen that he believed he could win Gabi's heart in time. "So, you ordered Rolf to slam the brakes on his recovery, right?" Kristen asked. Li said yes.

"I am in charge of my brother's care now. I'm going to call up Rolf, and I'm going to have him wake him up right now," Kristen said. Li argued that if Kristen woke Stefan, Stefan would team up with Gabi against Kristen at the company.

"I don't want to run DiMera!" Kristen shouted. Kristen told Li that she was happy at Basic Black. "What's the ultimate goal? To drive [Chloe] out?" Li asked. "To drive her out and away from Brady," Kristen said. Li argued that he had a better plan for Kristen.

"As you'll recall, Chloe caught your brother's eye before he had an interest in Gabi," Li said. "But then he moved on," Kristen noted. Li suggested that Stefan and Chloe could revisit their romance with Rolf's help.

"You want me to just forget that you were in here trying to kill my brother?" Kristen asked. "Plans change. You have to be nimble," Li said. Li argued that this plan was not beyond Rolf's talents. With a shake of her head, Kristen argued that even if Stefan wanted Chloe, there was no guarantee that Chloe would reciprocate.

"[Chloe] loves Brady," Kristen muttered. "You know how this works. One step at a time," Li said. Li asked Kristen to think about his plan, and Kristen reluctantly agreed. "Rolf's already given him one change of heart. How hard would it be to give him another?" Li said.

When Li returned to his room at the Salem Inn, he ran into Gabi in the hallway. "I thought you'd still be on your conference call," Gabi said. "I was just down at the business center, sending a fax," Li lied. "What century are we in?" Gabi joked. Gabi asked about the meeting. "There was a promising exchange of ideas. We'll just have to see if they come to fruition," Li said.

In Rolf's lab, Kristen sat at Stefan's bedside. "You're family, and I won't let anyone hurt you. But that said, if Rolf can do what Li is suggesting, if you can blow up Chloe and Brady, and help me get my life and my family back, well then, you will forever be my favorite little brother," Kristen said.

Leo tells the police he knows who killed Abigail

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

by Steve Holley

At Steve and Kayla's place, Kayla was taken aback by flowers that Orpheus had sent. Steve said the flowers had been a "message" and that it had been Orpheus' way of saying he could get to Kayla whenever Orpheus wanted. Steve vowed to deliver a message of his own to Orpheus, and he reached into a drawer and pulled out a gun.

Kayla pleaded with Steve to put the gun away. Steve revealed that he'd already spoken to John about working to kill Orpheus. Kayla was relieved that John had refused to help Steve, who remained convinced that Orpheus had something planned for Salem. Kayla begged Steve not to take matters into his own hands. Steve asked Kayla to set the alarm to their home security system. When Kayla turned her back, Steve quietly tucked the pistol into the back of his jeans.

Later, at Salem University Hospital, Steve drove Kayla to work. By the nurses' station, both of their phones chimed. Steve announced that the home alarm system had been deactivated. Steve left to check make sure that everything was okay.

Back at Steve and Kayla's place, Steve arrived and found the door already open. Steve pointed his gun and yelled for the person inside to freeze. "Papa, don't shoot!" a woman pleaded. "Stephanie?" Steve asked, as he saw that his daughter had returned to Salem.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny encountered an attractive young woman in a skimpy dress. Sonny quickly surmised that the woman was Alex's latest one-night stand. Alex appeared, half-naked as usual, and he introduced Sonny to the woman, whose name Alex hadn't even bothered to remember. After the woman left, Sonny was dismayed by Alex's continued misogynistic remarks and his careless attitude toward women. Sonny chided Alex for repeatedly having sex with people that Alex barely knew. Sonny tried to have a serious conversation with Alex about healthy relationships, but Alex said he had no use for relationships.

Alex stunned Sonny when he read a news article from a tablet that announced that Leo had been apprehended as a suspect in Abigail's murder. Sonny thought he would be partially to blame if Leo turned out to be Abigail's killer. Sonny noted that Leo had hated Chad and Abigail because the two had blown up Leo's wedding to Craig Wesley months earlier as a favor to Sonny. Alex tried to calm Sonny.

Sonny hesitated for a bit, and Alex wondered what had been on Sonny's mind. Sonny admitted that while Leo was "total scum," Sonny had doubts that Leo was capable of having brutally stabbed someone to death. "I don't think Leo killed Abigail," Sonny told Alex.

Alex got dressed for work, and he asked if Sonny was ready to head to the Titan office. Sonny received an email about a business dealing with a company in London, and he surmised that something with the deal was amiss. Because of that, Sonny decided to pass on the company he'd hoped that Titan would acquire. Alex vehemently disagreed. Sonny refused to hear what Alex had to say, and he grabbed his jacket and told Alex to meet him in the car. "Damn, bro. I'm trying to help you out here," Alex said vaguely once Sonny had left the room.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad escorted Jada to the basement, where Thomas said he'd encountered Leo on the day of Abigail's death. Chad remarked that the tunnels had several exit points all over Salem and that anyone in the underground tunnels could escape most anywhere in town. When Chad and Jada walked into the basement, Chad immediately spotted an empty breakfast tray. "Son of a... Thomas was right. Leo was under our noses the whole time," Chad said.

Jada shared that the police believed the murder weapon had been a steak knife, and she wondered how Leo had even known about the tunnels to begin with. Chad said he could think of only one person who would have known about the tunnels that might have given the information to Leo.

In Gwen's room, Jack stopped by for a visit, and he told Gwen that the police had a new suspect in custody for Abigail's murder. Gwen defended Leo, but when Jack asked if Gwen knew why Leo would kill Abigail, Gwen feigned ignorance and claimed to be shocked. Gwen said that Leo wasn't capable of murder. "Well, if it wasn't Leo, or Lucas, or Sarah, or Clyde, then who?" Jack asked Gwen directly.

Gwen and Jack heard a knock at the door. Chad entered, and he explained that he and Jada had found evidence in the DiMera mansion that proved that someone had hidden in the secret room of the basement. Chad was certain that the fingerprint tests the police had started to perform would soon reveal that Leo had been in the basement. Chad turned to Gwen, and he remarked that Leo wouldn't have been able to get into the mansion without Gwen's help. Gwen asked why she would help Leo. "Because he told you he was planning to kill my wife, and you... you vindictive, sadistic little psycho helped him do it," Chad said.

Jack came to Gwen's defense, but Chad thought it made sense that Gwen and Leo had conspired to murder Abigail. Chad warned Jack to not fall for Gwen's act. Gwen pleaded for Chad to listen, but he refused and left the room in a hurry.

Alone in the room, Gwen swore again that she knew nothing about Abigail's murder. Jack thought that Chad was merely upset. Gwen thanked Jack for having believed her claims of innocence, and she and Jack hugged. With her face to Jack's back, Gwen seemed relieved.

Later, at Jack and Jennifer's home, Chad poured himself a drink before the glass shattered in his hand. Chad then went to the hospital. When Chad arrived at the nurses' station with his hand in a bandage, Kayla asked what had happened.

At the Salem Police Station, Leo told Shawn that he'd never met Clyde. Leo tried to deflect Shawn's interrogation by citing Clyde's checkered criminal history. Leo claimed that Clyde hated Leo because of Nancy, Clyde's girlfriend, and he tried to convince Shawn that Nancy and Clyde had set Leo up. When Leo said the police had no real evidence to back up Clyde's accusations, Shawn told Leo that the police had been working to find evidence. Leo asked to call his lawyer.

Out in the lobby, the woman from Alex's one-night stand appeared, and she asked to speak to Leo. "Sloan Petersen, attorney at law," she announced. "Sloan Petersen, isn't it your day off?" Shawn asked. "I think you have me confused with somebody else," Sloan said.

Sloan initially scoffed at the evidence the police had against Leo, and she went to walk Leo out of the interrogation room. Just then, Jada walked in and announced that the police had new evidence that placed Leo directly at the scene of the crime.

Sloan asked for the evidence, and Jada produced a lab report that traced Leo's fingerprints to a fork that had been found in the DiMera mansion basement. Jada said the evidence proved that Leo had at least hidden in the secret room in the basement on the day of Abigail's murder.

Shawn said the evidence was enough to at least place Leo under arrest, and he added that he would check with Trask about filing murder charges against Leo.

"I did not kill Abigail. But I know who did. I can prove it," Leo said.

Stephanie returns to Salem

Thursday, August 18, 2022

by Mike

Steve was surprised to discover that Stephanie was responsible for the suspicious activity that the Brady-Johnson townhouse's security system had reported.

"Took me a minute to remember the code -- Emily&Gideon4Eva," Stephanie admitted, referencing a little-known chapter of Steve and Kayla's love story -- the time they had been rewarded with a mansion for helping a stranger in need and had then gotten swept up in the love story of another couple, Emily and Gideon, who had once lived in the mansion.

Stephanie pointed out that it had been awhile since the security system had last been used, prompting Steve to explain why locks no longer seemed sufficient.

"The Steven Earl Johnson I know -- my big, strong, protective Papa; that guy -- wouldn't have blinked at all that; he would have already found a way to neutralize the threat...and with time to spare for a round of poker with the boys," Stephanie argued after hearing about everything Orpheus had done since being released from prison.

Steve bragged that Stephanie was correct. "The problem is, Little Sweetness, that Mama Sweetness won't let me eliminate the son of a bitch," Steve grumbled.

Stephanie sided with Kayla. "You can't just kill a man for no reason," Stephanie insisted. "That evil bastard has been terrorizing the people I love since Reagan was in office -- I think that's reason enough," Steve countered before starting to fret about what Orpheus might do next. "Wow -- you really are worried," Stephanie realized with a shake of the head before suggesting that Abigail's murder had left Steve more anxious than usual. Stephanie tried to use the change of subject as a way of wrapping up the conversation, wanting to head over to the Horton house to offer condolences, but Steve advised that heading back to Seattle would be a better idea.

Stephanie refused to live in fear of Orpheus. "A prospective client here in Salem is considering hiring Stephanie Johnson Public Relations for some big project," Stephanie began to explain. "This could be huge -- for SJPR, for me --" Stephanie tried to continue, but Steve interrupted to demand more information about the client. "They haven't disclosed their name yet -- it's top secret; they want to wait until we meet in person tonight," Stephanie admitted, leaving Steve convinced that the client was Orpheus. "My meeting was set up by a trusted colleague," Stephanie objected, but Steve was still concerned enough to insist on attending the meeting as backup.

At the hospital, Kayla tended to Chad's hand injury while probing for details about the cause of the wound. "I'm not acting out or anything, Kayla -- my problem isn't that I am suicidal; my problem is that I am homicidal," Chad stressed before admitting to being obsessed with the idea of killing any and all individuals who had contributed to Abigail's death.

Chad told Kayla about the latest suspect then started complaining about Jack's refusal to believe that Gwen had helped Leo sneak into the DiMera mansion. Kayla argued that no parent would want to believe that one of their daughters had contributed to the death of the other, but Chad wasn't willing to let Jack off the hook that easily.

Kayla tried to empathize, remembering how it had felt when Steve had been presumed dead at the hands of Lawrence Alamain, but Chad insisted that the two situations weren't comparable because Abigail was truly dead. Kayla advised Chad to talk to Marlena about joining a grief support group. Chad admitted to Kayla that Sonny had made a similar suggestion of private grief counseling sessions. Chad laughed off both ideas, but Kayla argued that it would be wise to at least consider the advice. Chad eventually agreed to humor Kayla then made it clear that the concern was appreciated.

Steve and Stephanie arrived just as Kayla and Chad were parting ways. After greeting Kayla, Stephanie stepped aside to offer condolences to Chad. Once the coast was clear, Steve hinted to Kayla that they were going to have a serious conversation later about Stephanie's unexpected return to Salem.

At the DiMera mansion, Ava received a visit from Gwen, who reported that the police had recently found evidence that suggested that Leo was the person who had murdered Abigail. Unaware that E.J. was eavesdropping from the foyer, Ava refused to see the development as a reason to stop suspecting that Gwen had been involved in the crime. E.J. eventually interrupted the conversation, prompting Gwen to rush off. Once the coast was clear, E.J. threatened to tell the police that Ava had helped Gwen escape from Statesville on the night of Abigail's murder.

At the police station, Sloan chased off Shawn and Jada then warned that Leo was on thin ice. "I'm only taking this case on for the publicity -- and any possible profits from the book sales of your sordid little story," Sloan reminded Leo to reestablish that they had no real connection to each other. Sloan threatened to stop representing Leo, upset about the false promise that had just been made to the police. "Who says I can't deliver what I'm offering? I said I know who killed Abigail DiMera -- and I do," Leo assured Sloan before sharing the whole story.

Rafe eventually entered the conference room that Sloan and Leo were using. Leo quickly realized -- long before Rafe referred to Sloan as "Salem's most prolific ambulance chaser" -- that the commissioner and the lawyer didn't like each other at all. Sloan tried to secure an immunity deal for Leo, but Rafe insisted that they didn't have the leverage to make such a demand. After Sloan conceded the point, Leo told Rafe everything.

After learning that Leo was the latest suspect in Abigail's murder investigation, Xander and Sarah headed over to the police station to tell the police that Gwen also could have been involved. While passing through the town square, Sarah and Xander ran into Gwen and shared what they knew about the mask. "You mean this mask?" Rafe called out while approaching the group, holding an evidence bag that contained the mask.

Kristen threatens to stab Chloe

Friday, August 19, 2022

by Spalding

Marlena was working in her office when Brady stopped by with Rachel for a visit. Brady asked Rachel to listen to her music in the corner while he talked to his mother. As Rachel put in her earphones, Brady told Marlena that he hoped Rachel would see the office as a neutral place.

"I've decided to give Kristen a chance to see [Rachel]," Brady said. Marlena asked Brady if he was sure. Brady explained that Rachel wanted to see her mother. "Kristen can be very unpredictable," Marlena said. "She can. But not so much when she is with Rachel. She adores her," Brady countered. Brady told Marlena that he did not want to tell Rachel about her mother's sordid history until Rachel was older.

"I do know that I'm not being completely selfless in this. I mean, since Kristen has gotten out of the joint, she has been very noisy about wanting to revisit the custody agreement," Brady said. Brady added that Kristen had installed herself at Basic Black so that she could terrorize Chloe at work. "What do you think [Kristen] is looking for in terms of custody?" Marlena asked. Brady said his concern was that Kristen would go for full custody. "I can't let that happen," Brady said.

At Basic Black, Kristen complained about Chloe's extensive report for the Merino deal, and Kristen ordered her to trim it down or face repercussions. "You're unqualified for this job," Kristen said. Kristen explained that she would have to report Chloe to the board for incompetence because the faulty report would delay the Merino deal.

"So, for the last three weeks, you've been saying this is too vague or you need to be more specific, so I did what you asked. And now you're asking me to pare this thing down to 20 pages?" Chloe asked. "If you don't like my management style, you can just quit," Kristen said. Chloe told Kristen that she would not let Kristen drive her out.

"But even if you did succeed, do you really think that you can come between Brady and me?" Chloe asked. "You're not the great love of his life, you know," Kristen countered. "That's not what he said last night when we were making love," Chloe said. Kristen raised her hand, and Chloe flinched. When Chloe asked if Kristen was going to hit her, Kristen grabbed a letter opener.

"I'm not going to hit you. I'm going to drive this stake right through your heart," Kristen growled. Chloe backed away, and she noted that Kristen could not get away with murder. "I have a certain gift for getting myself out of jails," Kristen said with a grin. Kristen's phone rang with a call from Brady.

Gabi sat on a bench in the park, and she called Li and invited him to join her for lunch in the park. "Unfortunately, I have a meeting," Li said. Dr. Rolf knocked on Li's door in the Salem Inn, and Gabi asked Li about it. "Probably just the maid," Li lied. After Li ended the call, Gabi dug into her lunch. A shirtless Johnny ran by, and he stopped when he saw Gabi alone.

"Having a picnic on company time, I see," Johnny said. "Yeah, don't tell anybody," Gabi said. Johnny smiled. After a moment, Johnny stammered out an apology for his actions as the devil. "You mean us almost having sex on my desk?" Gabi said. "That happened, and I don't remember it?" Johnny said. "Do not worry. It was not memorable," Gabi said. With a chuckle, Johnny said, "Ow. That hurts."

"The thing that I feel worst about, I don't know, I just feel like you and my uncle Jake might still be together if I, if the devil hadn't," Johnny said. "No, we wouldn't," Gabi said. Johnny reminded Gabi that her breakup had been because of the devil's lies. "I am truly sorry for that," Johnny said. Gabi told Johnny not to worry.

"The truth is, you did me a little favor," Gabi said. When Johnny asked how, Gabi explained that her relationship with Jake had been built on her desire for Jake to be Stefan. "When Jake died so suddenly, it brought back all those memories of the worst night of my life," Gabi said. Gabi told Johnny not to feel bad, because Jake had moved on to Ava. Through a forced smile, Gabi said that she was happy with Li. "I'm glad. So does that mean you and me, we're okay?" Johnny asked. Gabi nodded yes. Johnny wished Gabi luck with Li.

When Gabi returned to work, a frazzled Chloe rushed in with her Merino report. "Kristen just tried to murder me," Chloe said. "For real?" Gabi asked. "With a letter opener. Because she wants Brady," Chloe explained. Gabi asked Chloe if she had talked to the police, and Chloe said no. When Gabi noted that Chloe was not dead, Chloe argued that she had only survived because Brady had called Kristen.

"Going to work now feels like I'm risking my life," Chloe said. "Maybe you should just resign," Gabi suggested. Chloe reminded Gabi that she had a son to support. With a nod, Gabi told Chloe to avoid escalating the situation.

"Can you tell her to leave me alone?" Chloe asked. "If I do that, she's going to flip on me," Gabi said. Gabi argued that her hands were tied. Frustrated, Chloe asked Gabi, "If Kristen murders me at the office, you won't care?" Gabi argued that Kristen would not jeopardize her freedom or her daughter. Chloe warned Gabi that Kristen could hurt Gabi, too.

"Even if you're right, she is still a DiMera, and I'm not. I have absolutely no power over her," Gabi said. Chloe groaned in frustration. "I guess I should have figured you'd do this," Chloe muttered. "What does that mean?" Gabi asked. Chloe reminded Gabi that Gabi had stolen Stefan from her. Gabi noted that her relationship with Stefan had not been about hurting Chloe.

"At first, I wanted to get back at him because he was part of the reason I went to prison for something I didn't do. I never expected to fall in love with him. It just happened. And I thought that I'd been in love before, but Stefan was the first, was the only man that ever really loved me back," Gabi said. As tears welled in Gabi's eyes, Chloe apologized. Chloe admitted that she had been hurt when Stefan had dumped her, but she knew they would not have lasted.

"I mean, good grief, Vivian would have been my mother-in-law," Chloe joked. With a nod, Chloe told Gabi that Gabi and Stefan were "obviously meant to be." "Till the day he died," Gabi said.

After Gabi dried her tears, she asked to look at the report. Chloe handed Gabi the binder. "This is pretty detailed. What was Kristen's problem with it?" Gabi asked. "Apparently, my first draft was too vague, and now this one is too long. So basically, nothing I do is going to please her," Chloe said. When Gabi asked about the footnotes, Chloe explained that it was documentation that Kristen had requested. Gabi asked Chloe to send her a pared-down version.

"You do know that Kristen is going to come up with some new way to torture you?" Gabi said. "I know, but I'm not quitting. She needs to know that two can play at that game of hers. Kristen needs to know that she is not the only one who can play hardball," Chloe said.

Kristen slowly opened the door to Marlena's office as Brady asked Marlena if Rachel should undergo therapy. "Rachel doesn't need a therapist. What she needs is her mama," Kristen said. Rachel ran into Kristen's arms. Kristen and Rachel told one another that they had missed each other. Kristen gave Rachel a locket with pictures in it.

"It's when we were a family. The three of us together," Kristen said. Brady interrupted to suggest that Rachel should have a snack. Marlena escorted Rachel out of the room so that Brady could talk privately with Kristen. "What the hell are you doing?" Brady asked. "You're angry because I gave a present to my own child?" Kristen countered. Brady argued that the locket would give Rachel hope that they would reunite as a family.

"Who says we won't?" Kristen asked. Brady stressed that he would never reconcile with Kristen. "I let you see Rachel because that is what Rachel wanted. But make no mistake, if you start trying to turn her against Chloe or if you keep making these ridiculous promises to her about you and I," Brady started. Kristen argued that she had not made any promises to Rachel. Kristen swore that she would never use her daughter.

"Never use her? That's exactly what you did," Brady said. Brady argued that the first thing that Kristen had said to her daughter after months of separation was to talk about when they had been a family. "The truth is that she just didn't understand the fact that we were on the run because her mother was convicted of stabbing her great-grandfather!" Brady shouted. "You know why I did that," Kristen countered. With a sigh, Brady said that wanted to give Rachel a stable life.

"Make no mistake, just because she wants you in her life, doesn't mean that I'm gonna do whatever you want," Brady said. "You cannot keep her away from me because that would be heartless and cruel," Kristen countered. Brady reminded Kristen that she had attempted to kidnap Rachel from him. "I was wrong and desperate," Kristen admitted. "You're always desperate!" Brady yelled. Brady announced that the visit was over.

"When do I get to see her again?" Kristen asked. "You get to see her again when you stop putting your needs in front of your daughter's. You get to see her when you are the mother that she needs right now," Brady said. Furious, Kristen yelled, "How dare you speak to me that way!" Brady shrugged, and he walked out.

Marlena returned to her office. "I didn't think you'd still be here," Marlena said. "I was hoping Brady would bring Rachel back to say goodbye," Kristen said. Marlena explained that Rachel had asked to see Chloe. Kristen's expression darkened. "You said that to hurt me," Kristen whispered. "I said that to help you face reality. Brady and Chloe are together. They love each other. Nothing you can do can change that," Marlena countered.

When Brady returned to Basic Black with Rachel, Chloe was there. Rachel showed Chloe her new locket. "Mommy said that picture is when we were a family," Rachel said. "That was a long time ago," Brady whispered. Rachel said that she wanted to be a family again.

At the Salem Inn, an angry Li reminded Rolf that they had agreed to meet in the lab. "Do you think I'm stupid? I know it was you," Rolf said. Li played innocent. "You tried to kill Stefano's son!" Rolf yelled. Rolf argued that Stefan would have died if Kristen had not caught Li.

"You don't care any more about Stefan than I do. He's a science fair project to you," Li said. "And an obstacle to you," Rolf countered. Li argued that he and Rolf were on the same page. "I assured Kristen that you would not have an opportunity to get near her brother again," Rolf said. With a wave, Li noted that Kristen's concern for Stefan was about stock shares. Li told Rolf that he had revised the plan with Kristen.

"Once Stefan has been miraculously brought back to life, I want him to immediately become attracted --" Li started. "Chloe Lane," Rolf interrupted. Li noted that Chloe was in Kristen's way. "I need Kristen to be happy and on my side. So, can you make it happen?" Li asked. Rolf admitted that he was unsure.

"The emotion center of the brain is not my expertise," Rolf argued. "Don't be modest," Li said. Li mentioned Rolf's efforts to turn Hope into Princess Gina. Rolf smiled at the memory. "If anyone can make Stefan fall back in love with Chloe Lane, it has to be you," Li said. Rolf asked Li how he could be sure that Chloe would feel the same way about Stefan.

"I don't care what Chloe feels. I just want to keep Stefan from going after Gabi," Li hissed. Li argued that if Chloe did not break up with Brady, that was Kristen's problem. "I can only promise to do my best work," Rolf said. "I have faith in you, Rolf," Li said. As Li opened the door for Rolf to leave, Gabi appeared in the hallway. "What do you two have to meet about?" Gabi asked.

In the DiMera living room, E.J. questioned Ava about Gwen. "Just friends don't usually break each other out of prison, do they? And the fact that you did your 'just friend' that favor the night that Abigail was killed, well that certainly is vital information, don't you think?" E.J. said. Ava handed her phone to E.J., and she urged him to call the police. "You're bluffing," E.J. said. Ava asked E.J. if he had recorded her conversation with Gwen, and E.J. said no.

"You're a lawyer. You know that your statement about a conversation eavesdropped on is hearsay," Ava said. "You're familiar with the federal rules of evidence?" E.J. asked. With a grin, Ava reminded E.J. that she was a Vitali. "Gwen didn't kill anybody," Ava said. "I heard you accusing her just now. You have no idea what she did or didn't do," E.J. said.

When Ava asked E.J. what he wanted, he promised to keep silent if Ava gave him Jake's shares of the company. Ava laughed. E.J. assured Ava that she could remain in the mansion after she relinquished her shares. "So, it's bribery and blackmail," Ava said. Ava reminded E.J. that she had ratted on Gwen originally, and she had no reason to help Gwen.

"We both know what I heard. And we both know that Rafe will be very interested to hear it," E.J. said. "Rafe is not going to believe a word you have to say. He hates you more than he hates me," Ava said with a chuckle. Ava encouraged E.J. to call Rafe. "Waste Rafe's time and make an enemy out of me. See where that gets you," Ava said. E.J. handed Ava's phone back to her.

"I suppose we don't need to involve the police yet," E.J. said. E.J. warned Ava that if Leo had an alibi, E.J. would call Rafe and tell him about Ava's conversation with Gwen. "We are right back where we started. Except now everything is out in the open. Look, I know the only reason you invited me to move in here was to get your hands on my DiMera shares, but now you've completely shown your hand," Ava said. Ava added that if she did relinquish her shares, she would give them to Kristen, not E.J.

"You'd be foolish to pit me against my sister right now. Her loyalty will always be to family," E.J. said. "Well, I'm family now, too," Ava reminded E.J. "You think you can live here indefinitely without offering me something in return?" E.J. growled. Ava told E.J. to go to hell. "What's going on here?" Johnny asked as he walked in. Ava marched out. E.J. told Johnny that Ava had refused to vote with him to remove Gabi from the company.

"It was pretty obvious from the get-go when you invited her to move in here that it wasn't about taking care of your brother's widow. It's about controlling the shares," Johnny said. E.J. reminded Johnny that Ava's marriage was suspect. "Because he was killed the same day she married him," Johnny said. E.J. nodded yes, and he said that Ava always acted in her best interest.

"Or maybe, she is just trying to do what she thinks Jake would have wanted, and maybe Jake wanted Gabi to stay right where she is. And it sounds like you are asking her to say to hell with what he wanted," Johnny said. E.J. argued that Ava did not care what Jake wanted and that she was not grief-stricken.

Johnny went upstairs to talk to Ava, and she wiped tears from her eyes as Johnny entered her bedroom. "I'm sorry about the way my dad's treating you," Johnny said. Ava told Johnny that E.J. had threatened to kick her out of the house if she did not give E.J. her shares in the company. "I'm no pushover, kid. I'm not going anywhere," Ava said. Johnny advised that E.J. was upset about his marriage, and that E.J. had focused on the company to compensate for his recent losses.

"But that doesn't give him an excuse to walk all over you. Not after everything you've been through. I'm sorry he did that," Johnny said. Ava smiled sadly. "I grew up in a mob family. I'm not going to let E.J. DiMera rattle me," Ava said. Johnny passed a box of tissues to Ava, and he asked her if E.J. was why she was crying. Ava explained that she had had a rough run the past few years, between leaving behind her mob family, losing her youngest son, and then Tripp moving away.

"Then my precious Jake. You know, to lose him, too, it was just, you know, it all became a bit much. But I will be okay," Ava said. Johnny told Ava that he was there for her if she needed someone to talk to. Ava and Johnny hugged as E.J. watched them from the hallway.