Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 16, 2012 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, July 16, 2012

by Mike

At the Horton Town Square, Nicole greeted Daniel, who made it clear that he didn't have time to talk to her. Nicole wondered what she had done to upset Daniel. Daniel assured Nicole that she had done nothing wrong, and he explained that Melanie was missing.

Meanwhile, Bo received a phone call from Chad, who explained that he had found Melanie's bracelet in a nearby house. Chad added that the house was empty. Bo chastised Chad for entering the house and contaminating a potential crime scene. Chad gave Bo the address, and Bo, Hope, Daniel, and Nicole rushed off.

When the group arrived at Andrew's house, Chad showed them the bracelet. Hope placed the bracelet in an evidence bag, and Daniel confirmed that it belonged to Melanie. Chad said that he had searched the entire house. Chad hadn't found Melanie in any of the rooms, so he assumed that she had been moved elsewhere. Bo wondered if Chad had checked the basement.

Chad admitted that he hadn't thought about checking the basement, and he rushed back into the house. Bo, Hope, Daniel, and Nicole followed Chad. Bo and Hope each warned Chad not to touch anything in the basement, but when Chad noticed the cell door, he quickly forgot about the warning. Chad tried to open the door, but it was locked.

Inside the cell, Gabi tried to look for a place to hide. Chad peered through the peephole for a moment, but Bo quickly shoved him out of the way. Bo observed that the room contained a bed, a rope, and a rag. Daniel assumed that the rag had been used as a gag, and Bo agreed.

As Bo continued to examine the room through the peephole, Gabi hid in a blind spot and held her breath. Seething with rage and nervous energy, Chad impatiently tried to force his way into the room. Bo pushed Chad away and warned him to back off. Daniel wondered why Bo wasn't trying to enter the room.

"We were able to enter the house legally because we thought your daughter was in here and in danger. Now...there's a possibility she was moved, so we need a search warrant in order to search the rest of the house," Bo explained. Hope added that she and Bo needed to do things the right way, so that the person who had kidnapped Melanie wouldn't be able to get away with the crime.

Bo excused himself so that he could get the search warrant, leaving Hope behind to guard the crime scene. Bo asked everyone else to wait outside, and Daniel and Nicole followed him out of the basement. Hope looked at Chad, who was seemingly frozen in place at the foot of the stairs. Hope reiterated that Chad needed to wait outside. Chad apologetically stated that he couldn't leave the basement.

"This is the closest I've been to Melanie since she disappeared. I can't leave here until I know if there's something in that room that can help us find her. If someone kidnapped her and held her prisoner, why haven't they asked for a ransom? This is bad, isn't it? This is really bad. That means they didn't do it for money. It means there's some psycho out there who wanted to get to her for some other reason, and -- and why did they leave, huh? Huh? What if he's scared, he's tired, and he started torturing her -- I mean, what is he gonna do with her then? What is he gonna do? Too much time has passed," Chad said, as he started to panic.

Chad realized that Melanie might be dead, but before he could actually utter the words, Hope stopped him. Hope told Chad not to go there, and she assured him that they had no reason to believe that Melanie had been harmed. Inside the cell, Gabi listened as Chad roared with frustration.

"Look, Melanie's not like any other girl I've ever met. I've been going crazy for weeks...thinking I lost her, wondering what I would ever do without her, and now -- how could I have been so stupid? How could I not have known that there was something really wrong here?" Chad wondered. Gabi sighed and sank to the floor in despair.

Hope insisted that Chad couldn't blame himself for Melanie's disappearance, but Chad disagreed. Hope assured Chad that they would find Melanie. "What if we don't? What if it's too late? 'Cause I'm telling you right now, if anyone lays a finger on her -- if they hurt her in any way -- they'll wish they'd never been born," Chad vowed, as Gabi continued to listen.

Outside the house, Daniel anxiously waited for Bo to return. Nicole admitted that she couldn't state with absolute certainty that everything was going to be all right, and she refused to give Daniel false hope. Daniel appreciated Nicole's honesty, because he had been having similar thoughts. "Melanie is a survivor, and it takes one to know one," Nicole pointed out.

Daniel told Nicole to go back to her hotel so that she could get some rest, but Nicole refused to leave. Nicole recalled that Daniel had supported her when she had learned that she was pregnant with E.J.'s baby, and she was determined to return the favor. As Daniel started to thank Nicole for her support, Bo returned with the search warrant -- and a battering ram.

Inside the cell, Gabi listened as Chad offered to help Bo with the battering ram. Bo refused the offer, and he warned Chad to step away from the cell door. Bo used the battering ram to open the door. Chad and Hope followed Bo into the room, where they found Gabi slumped over in a corner, pretending to be passed out.

At Titan, Ian rummaged through Kate's briefcase, which she had left behind when she had stepped out of her office to run an errand. Ian found the envelope that had been delivered to Kate earlier, and he started to examine its contents. When Kate returned to her office, she quickly recognized Ian's reading material.

Kate calmly grabbed the documents, and she wondered why Ian had been snooping through her briefcase. Ian claimed that he had been looking for an unrelated document. Ian added that he had accidentally found a copy of Stefano's will, along with some DiMera estate paperwork. Ian wondered why Kate had not told him about the documents.

Kate shrugged and said that she had never expected the subject to interest Ian. Kate wondered if Ian was really surprised that she wasn't going to receive anything from Stefano's estate. Ian clarified that he was just disappointed. Ian claimed that he considered Kate his partner -- in and out of the bedroom -- and he added that partners weren't supposed to keep secrets from each other.

Kate reiterated that the documents had nothing to do with her. Ian pointed out that lawyers were capable of making mistakes, and he offered to take a closer look at the paperwork. Kate refused the offer, and she reminded Ian that Stefano had known her extremely well. Kate assured Ian that Stefano would have closed every possible loophole. Ian didn't seem convinced, but he abruptly changed the subject.

In E.J.'s apartment, E.J. demanded to know where the gloves had been found. Roman pointed out that he wasn't obligated to answer E.J.'s questions. E.J. theorized that Roman had planted the gloves in the apartment. Roman was prepared for the accusation, and he explained that he had used a video camera to document the entire search.

"As much as I dislike you, this has nothing to do with personal agenda. We have just been following the evidence trail, and so far, all the little breadcrumbs have led us right to you," Roman said. Unable to argue, E.J. nervously eyed the evidence bag that Rafe was holding. "I saw you when you saw these gloves, and you were...well, shaken, which isn't easy to do. Of course, that's because you know...we got you," Rafe said.

In Sami's apartment, Sami apologized for hugging E.J. earlier. Lucas assured Sami that he wasn't upset. "But I'm not gonna let E.J. pull the crap he's been pulling since day one with you and my kids. You belong to me," Lucas said. Before Lucas could finish his statement, Sami interrupted, and she insisted that she didn't belong to anyone. Lucas dismissed his comment as a figure of speech. "Yeah, from two centuries ago," Sami replied.

"What would happen if I took everything you said literally, huh?" Lucas pointedly asked. Sami reminded Lucas that they weren't talking about her big mouth. Lucas assured Sami that he didn't think of her as a piece of property. Lucas said that he was just trying to protect his family, and he promised Sami that he wasn't going to let E.J. ruin their relationship again.

Sami reminded Lucas that E.J. was always going to be a part of her life, since he was Johnny and Sydney's father. Sami added that she needed to try to find a way to get along with E.J. Lucas wondered if that was why Sami had been in E.J.'s arms earlier. Sami said that E.J. had been thanking her for her support, and she started to explain the situation again.

Sami summarized that E.J. had wanted Johnny and Sydney to know that he loved them. Lucas reminded Sami that E.J. had blackmailed Will. Lucas said that loving Johnny and Sydney wasn't going to be enough to make E.J. a good guy. Lucas added that Sami was being delusional, and that she was fooling herself again.

Lucas said that he understood that Sami had a number of exes who were always going to be in her life. Sami agreed, but she insisted that her relationship with Lucas was different than her relationships with her other exes. Sami assured Lucas that she cared about him, and she added that she was thrilled that he had agreed to give their relationship another chance.

Lucas seemed skeptical, and he wondered why Sami had decided to support E.J. Sami admitted that she couldn't answer that question. "You know, Sami, I got a funny feeling that you're gonna be the one to ruin our chances this time -- you're gonna be the one to mess it up. We both know you've always been your worst enemy," Lucas said.

Sami assured Lucas that she wasn't going to ruin their relationship. "Sami, just shut up. Just shut up and kiss me," Lucas said, and he started to passionately kiss Sami. Meanwhile, across the hall, E.J. and Roman's argument escalated. The shouts interrupted Lucas and Sami's kiss, and they went to investigate.

Lucas and Sami barged into E.J.'s apartment, and they wondered what was going on. Roman summarized that E.J. was having a really bad day. E.J. countered that the Salem Police Department had planted evidence in his apartment. Lucas wondered why the Salem P.D. would bother to do that, since it probably wasn't difficult to find actual evidence that could be used against E.J.

Sami tried to get Lucas to back off. "What? It might be a bad day for him, but it's a red-letter day for me," Lucas innocently stated. Lucas was pleased that his kids would not have to live near a man who had murdered his own father.

"Let me tell you something, Lucas -- I'm none too thrilled about my children having to spend time with someone who both confessed to, and went to prison for, trying to murder their father," E.J. said. Lucas wished that E.J. had died that night. E.J. smirked and wondered if Lucas really wanted to revisit that subject. Lucas lunged at E.J., but Roman held Lucas back. Roman, Spencer, Rafe, Lucas, and Sami exited E.J.'s apartment.

In Sami's apartment, Roman warned Lucas to stay away from E.J. Lucas pointed out that it would be difficult to do that, since E.J. was Johnny and Sydney's father. Roman wanted Lucas and Sami to accompany him to the police station, since it was a neutral place where they could calm down. Sami claimed that she had a lot of work to do. Sami urged Lucas to go with Roman, and Lucas reluctantly agreed.

After everyone left, Sami rushed over to E.J.'s apartment. Sami demanded to know what was going on. E.J. refilled his glass of whiskey, and he sullenly explained the situation. Sami asked if the gloves belonged to E.J., and he confirmed that they did. Sami wondered if the gloves would test positive for gunshot residue, and E.J. confirmed that they would.

E.J. swore on Johnny and Sydney's lives that he had not killed Stefano. Sami noted that E.J. was smart enough to get rid of the gloves, and she wondered why he had kept them. E.J. said that he had gotten rid of the gloves. E.J. guessed that someone had found the gloves and planted them in his apartment.

Back at Titan, Kate casually mentioned that Madison had taken the day off so that she could accompany Brady to rehab. Ian tried to hide his reaction, but Kate could tell that he wasn't happy. Later, Kate received a phone call from one of her contacts at the police station, who told her about E.J.'s situation.

Kate repeated the information to Ian, who wasn't surprised. Kate observed that Ian didn't seem to like E.J., but Ian feigned disinterest. Kate excused herself, and she abruptly exited the room. After Kate left, Ian silently recalled the steps that he had taken to frame E.J. for Stefano's murder. In addition to the gloves, Ian smiled as he remembered that he had also planted a box of bullets in E.J.'s apartment.

At the police station, Lucas eavesdropped as Rafe told Roman and Spencer that the gloves had tested positive for gunshot residue.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

by Spalding

In their hotel room, Carrie stared at a sonogram photo and talked to Austin about how excited she was about their child. Carrie and Austin playfully debated whether the baby would be a girl or a boy, and Austin expressed his concern that Carrie was not resting enough.

When Austin noted that he hoped their child would be honest like Carrie, she shifted her eyes guiltily. Austin laughed and noted that Carrie always grew uncomfortable when people complimented her. As Carrie strode across the room, she banged her leg into the dresser. Austin remarked that Carrie's accident showed that they needed to find a bigger place to live. Carrie agreed but noted that she was too busy to house hunt. Austin offered to do the house hunting and narrow down the choices for Carrie.

Outside the kidnapper's house, Daniel paced nervously as he waited for news about Melanie. Nicole cautioned Daniel to remain calm and wait for the police to investigate. Rafe arrived on the scene and went inside the house to back up Bo and Hope. Unable to wait any longer, Daniel announced that he needed to talk to the police and get an update on his daughter.

Inside the house in the basement, Chad and Hope helped Gabi to her feet. Gabi sat on the bed and pretended to be groggy as her worried brother Rafe rushed into the room. Rafe asked Gabi what had happened, and she answered that her head hurt. Chad noticed something in the corner, and Bo took a closer look.

Bo theorized aloud that the same person that had kidnapped Melanie had abducted Gabi. When Bo asked Gabi if she had been chloroformed, Gabi stuttered that she did not know what had happened. Bo asked Gabi why she had gone to the house, and Gabi explained that she had been canvassing the neighborhood, looking for Melanie.

As Rafe noted that the kidnapper had left with Melanie, Daniel entered the basement with Nicole and asked the police what their plan was to track down his daughter. Bo informed Daniel that Melanie had been held at the house but that she was no longer there. Frustrated, Daniel asked Bo why he had left him waiting outside and wondering whether Melanie was dead.

Rafe told Daniel that the kidnapper had drugged Gabi and moved on. Bo promised to track down the kidnapper and find Melanie. As Daniel choked back his anger, Bo asked Daniel to leave the house so that forensics could process the room for evidence. Nicole escorted Daniel upstairs, and Chad offered to take Gabi to the hospital for Rafe.

"You're a victim, just like Melanie is," Chad said to Gabi. Hope searched the room and found a piece of paper. "I think we just got a lead," Hope exclaimed. Bo looked at the note, and Chad cursed the kidnapper. Hope noticed a smudged phone number on the back of the note, and Chad realized that the phone number appeared to be the same as Gabi's cell phone. Gabi acted confused by the revelation, and Bo asked Gabi if she had any information that she had not told them.

Thinking back on recent events, Chad wondered aloud if the kidnapper was the same person that had been stalking Gabi. Jumping on the lead, Bo and Hope questioned Gabi about her stalker. Gabi said that she did not have any additional information. Nodding her head, Hope theorized that because both Gabi and Melanie had modeled then the kidnapper might be connected to both women through the modeling world.

Bo took Hope aside and noted, "We're missing something here. Something that is staring us in the face." Chad asked Bo what the next step was, and Bo informed him that the lab would process the evidence and check the note for fingerprints. Alarmed by Bo's statement, Gabi thought about when she had held the note. Frustrated, Chad begged Bo to let him look for Melanie.

In Horton Town Square, Nicole made arrangements with the local news to run a story on Melanie as Rafe counseled Daniel to stay strong. Nicole urged Daniel to remember that Melanie was smart and resourceful. As Daniel stepped away to call Carly, Nicole talked to Rafe about how tough Melanie's life had been. When Nicole mentioned how scary it was to be a parent, the baby kicked. Giggling with delight, Nicole urged Rafe to feel the baby kick.

As Rafe placed his hand on Nicole's stomach, Carrie entered the square and spotted them across the way. Carrie gently caressed her own stomach then left to visit Marlena. Carrie confided to Marlena that her life was going well but that she was not happy.

"I feel guilty all the time and putting all this stress and the guilt and pushing my real feelings down can't be good for him or her," Carrie said about her baby. Marlena advised Carrie not to worry. "This baby's just fine," Marlena said. "But I'm not," Carrie countered. When Carrie told Marlena that she had seen Rafe touching Nicole's belly in the town square, she said that she had thought, "I wanted that to be us. I wanted what I can't have and I can't stop myself from wanting it."

When Carrie noted that she had been unfair to Austin and the baby, Marlena countered that Carrie had been unfair to herself as well. "You've got feelings, too, you know? And it's not healthy to hate yourself for having those feelings," Marlena said. Fighting tears, Carrie said that she loved Austin, and she believed that she had made the right decision. Carrie noted that she had left Austin before to be with Mike.

"I had no business walking away from a good marriage," Carrie said about her previous separation from Austin. When Carrie chastised herself for falling for her sister's husband, Marlena chimed in that Sami and Rafe's separation was unrelated to Carrie. "How could I decide to break Austin's heart when he's been nothing but a good husband?" Carrie wondered aloud. Carrie admitted that she had been selfish and that she believed the baby was sign that she should not pursue Rafe. Marlena urged Carrie to be kinder to herself because she was only human. "Whatever you do, whatever path you choose, I'm always going to be here for you," Marlena said.

After talking to Marlena, Carrie returned to her hotel room and began to pack. When Austin returned from the gym, Carrie informed him that she was packing to return to Switzerland.

In Horton Town Square, Rafe urged Nicole to go home and rest, but she refused to leave Daniel. Raising an eyebrow, Rafe asked Nicole about her relationship with Daniel. Chuckling, Nicole said that she wanted to be a good friend to Daniel. Rafe commented that Nicole was not the person that he had believed she was in the past. Smiling, Nicole shook hands with Rafe as Daniel concluded his phone call with Carly and stared at them.

When Nicole saw Daniel across the square, she walked over to him and asked about Carly. Daniel informed Nicole that Carly had not heard from Melanie, and he swore to find his daughter. Rafe questioned Daniel about the details of Melanie's disappearance in the hope that he had overlooked a clue.

In an underground tunnel, Melanie lay unconscious on the ground. As Melanie stirred awake, she called out for help. Handcuffed to a pipe, Melanie struggled to pull herself free. Down the darkly lit tunnel, the masked kidnapper, Andrew, appeared. Melanie began to weep quietly, and Andrew begged her to stop. Andrew noted that he had not planned on moving her, and Melanie surmised aloud that the police were on Andrew's trail.

"You need another game plan. Of course you do have a very big card up your sleeve," Melanie said. Melanie reminded Andrew that she did not know what he looked like and that he could let her go without repercussions. When Andrew declined Melanie's offer, she noted that she smelled gas. Melanie pleaded with Andrew to check for a gas leak, but he refused, arguing that Melanie was lying.

Unfazed, Melanie argued that she smelled gas in the tunnel air. Andrew refused to move until he figured out his next move. "You don't know where we're going?" Melanie asked in shock. "Well it doesn't really matter does it? As long as we're together," Andrew said. Scared, Melanie swore that she would not go anywhere with Andrew. An angry Andrew argued that Melanie had no choice. "You're going with me one way or the other!" Andrew screamed.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

Sami emerged from her bedroom wearing only skimpy lingerie. As she looked through the apartment, she hoarsely whispered for Lucas to return to bed with her. There was a knock at the door, so, assuming it was Lucas, Sami opened it -- but E.J. was in the hallway instead. Sami covered up as much of herself as she could, while E.J. leered openly.

Sami hurriedly pulled on a robe, and demanded to know what E.J. wanted. E.J. said that he was there to see the children. Sami assumed that he wanted to say goodbye to them, after the evidence the police had found the day before, but E.J. declared that he wasn't going anywhere.

Sami watched while E.J. played with Sydney for a few minutes until the tot had to get ready for gymnastics. Sydney asked why her daddy was so sad, but E.J. assured her that he wasn't. Sydney dashed into her bedroom to get her things. Sami said that she knew E.J. was terrified about what the police would find -- and admitted that she was worried for him. E.J. reiterated that he was not going to prison, because all the evidence against him was circumstantial -- and he was innocent. Sami recognized that perhaps E.J. didn't want to admit that he was worried because he stood to lose a lot.

The Brady Pub was virtually empty when Will entered, carrying a backpack. He ducked behind the bar, opened the safe, then pulled out the letter proving that E.J. wasn't Stefano's son and put it in the safe. He was startled when he stood up and Lucas was standing on the other side of the bar. Lucas wanted to talk about Will's relationship with E.J., but Will reiterated that he liked working for E.J.

Lucas warned Will that if E.J. went to prison, Will might face charges of conspiracy or accessory after the fact. When Will confidently stated that there was no evidence that E.J. had killed Stefano, Lucas realized that Will and E.J. hadn't spoken yet that morning. Lucas informed Will that the police had found a pair of gloves, which had tested positive for gunshot residue, in E.J.'s apartment.

"Now you have a choice: either you stay away from E.J., or you're going to go down with him," Lucas asserted. "I gotta make a call," Will declared, and tripped over his backpack as he hurried outside. Some of its contents spilled onto the floor. Exasperated, Lucas bent to retrieve everything, and found Alice's letter. His eyes widened with amazement as he read it.

Outside, Will demanded to know why E.J. hadn't called him about the gloves. E.J. said that he hadn't called because he hadn't wanted Will to overreact. Will ordered E.J. to meet him at the mansion right away.

E.J. made an excuse, said goodbye to Sami, and hurried out. Meanwhile, Will went back into the pub, grabbed his backpack, and left again, despite Lucas' protests.

At the police station, Rafe and Spencer were still awaiting the DNA results from the gloves they'd found in E.J.'s apartment. Spencer and Rafe each expressed their sympathy for what Daniel was going through, and they were glad that Daniel wasn't alone. Rafe then left to check on Gabi.

Daniel and Nicole sat together at a police department computer in a conference room, as they used social networking to try to turn up a clue about Melanie's whereabouts. Daniel was admittedly frustrated, and a sympathetic Nicole reminded him that she understood how he was feeling. She took his hand and reassured him that she would do anything she could to help find Melanie.

When an upset Maggie entered with a box full of files, Daniel quickly took the box from her, put it down, and gave her a hug. Maggie expressed her gratitude to Nicole for helping. Maggie explained through sobs that the files were from the spa -- schedules, customer records, contact lists, and the like. Daniel, Nicole, and Maggie got to work looking for anything out of the ordinary in the files.

Nicole put her hand on Daniel's to comfort him -- until Rafe entered the office, and she moved her hand away. Rafe reported that Bo and Hope were out tracking down leads about Melanie, though they hadn't yet found anything concrete. Maggie blamed herself for leaving Salem when Melanie might have gone to her for help, but Daniel urged his mother not to think that way. Maggie started to fall apart, so Daniel embraced her reassuringly until Maggie pulled herself together and said it was time to get back to work.

Daniel found something in one of the files and told Nicole and Maggie, "This might be something. On July first, a customer cancelled on extremely short notice when he was told that Melanie wasn't working." The file didn't list the full name, but Maggie agreed that it was odd, so Nicole offered to take the information out to Rafe. Daniel shook his head a little as he watched Nicole leave with the file.

Nicole nearly bumped into Rafe out in the squad room, and he noticed that something seemed wrong. She admitted that she couldn't help feeling for Daniel when she had been in the same situation before -- and she was still worried about everything that could go wrong with the baby and the pregnancy. Rafe urged her not to worry about things that might never happen.

Nicole then showed Rafe the file. He acknowledged that it wasn't much to go on, but promised to find out what he could. Nicole asked if Rafe really thought they would find Melanie. "I have to," Rafe replied. Nicole admitted that she just didn't have that same kind of faith. "Let me just have the faith for both of us," Rafe said with a small grin. As Rafe pulled Nicole into a hug, Daniel entered the squad room and spotted them. He left without a word.

Rafe got a phone call, so Nicole headed back to the conference room with coffee for everyone. Maggie declined, since she was going back to the spa, but thanked Nicole. On her way out, Maggie whispered to Nicole, "Take good care of him." Daniel said that he was going to leave, as well, so Nicole offered to go with him. "Not today," Daniel replied. Nicole asked hesitantly, "Daniel, are you leaving because you just want to be alone, or because you just want to stay away from me?"

Daniel said that maybe he and Nicole should take a break and go back to being just friends. He noted that if he hadn't been so wrapped up in Nicole, he might have noticed that Melanie was missing. "I don't need the drama," Daniel added. "This is about Rafe, isn't it?" Nicole fretted. "No, I just don't think this is the time. I need to find my daughter," Daniel declared, then turned and left.

Rafe's phone call was from Lucas, who said he had something to show Rafe. Rafe told Lucas to meet him at the station in an hour.

As Lucas hung up, Sami entered the pub. She noted that she and Lucas still had a lot to talk about. Unable to hide his glee, Lucas declared that E.J. was about to get some very bad news. "He did it, Sami. He killed Stefano...and pretty soon, the police are going to know it, too," Lucas said. He gave Sami a quick kiss and rushed out, even though Sami called after him.

Frustrated, Sami sat down at the bar, and noticed a man installing a security camera overhead. Worried that there had been a break-in, Sami asked about it, and introduced herself as Caroline's granddaughter. "No, this is just a security-system upgrade. Your aunt wanted to make sure your grandmother was safe," the man explained. Sami asked if the man installed a lot of systems like that, and he said that he'd put in cameras all over town. He turned around to say something else, but Sami had rushed out the door.

At the DiMera mansion, Will ordered E.J. to tell him everything. E.J. calmly maintained that he was being set up. "Or you've been lying to me," Will countered. E.J. emphasized that he had not killed Stefano. "That doesn't matter. You told me that innocent people go to jail all the time -- so if you're not careful, you're going to be one of those people," Will asserted.

E.J. contended that the circumstantial evidence was enough to create reasonable doubt in the minds of a jury. Will declared that they should still get their stories straight. Will reached into his backpack to retrieve his phone, and noticed that the letter wasn't where it had been. He began anxiously digging around in his backpack, trying to find it.

At the townhouse, Abe showed Marlena the seating chart for a benefit he was hosting in Lexie's honor for autism research. As they were chatting, John entered and announced that he had great news: he had just spoken with Joseph Rinaldi, DiMera Enterprises' largest investor. Marlena quickly explained for a confused Abe that John had decided to claim controlling interest of his birthright. Abe was impressed.

John informed Abe and Marlena that he'd pleaded his case and asked Rinaldi to back him, and Rinaldi had promised to let John know something soon. John was just admitting that he was a little worried because he hadn't heard from Brady, when a call from the investor interrupted. While John talked to Rinaldi, Marlena and Abe chatted about how wonderful it would be if John took over DiMera Enterprises.

Abe noted that Lexie had wanted Theo to spend time with the DiMera side of the family, and Marlena pointed out that John was also part of that side. Abe asked for Marlena's help in writing a toast for him to make about what a good mother Lexie had been, and how important it had been to her for Theo to grow up in a world that accepted him. Marlena promised that she and John would always be there for Abe and Theo.

John hung up from talking with Rinaldi, and revealed, "He said he respected my determination, but he was not willing to back my endeavor at this time... Apparently, E.J.'s made him a lot of money recently; Rinaldi is planning on keeping it that way." Although they were all disappointed, John vowed not to give up until he figured something else out. Abe declared that Salem had been under the DiMeras' control for far too long, and agreed with Marlena that John was the right man for the job.

When John got another call, Abe asked if Marlena was ready for John to embrace his DiMera side. Marlena reminded Abe that when she had fallen in love with John, he hadn't known who he was -- and at one point she'd feared she'd fallen in love with Stefano DiMera. "Being a DiMera doesn't change who he is. He hates this business; he's just doing what's right for the greater good," Marlena asserted. Abe was sure that John and Marlena would be all right.

John hung up and informed Marlena and Abe that Brady had checked into rehab -- and Brady was certain that Ian McAllister had been slipping him drugs. "If Brady's right, that son of a bitch McAllister's going to pay," John vowed.

Abe was just leaving when Lucas knocked on the door. After Abe had gone, Lucas announced to John and Marlena, "I have something you've got to see." John asked what the envelope in Lucas' hands was. "The key to the entire DiMera empire," Lucas declared, eyes glinting.

Spencer entered the squad room, carrying the DNA results from E.J.'s gloves. Rafe eagerly opened the envelope, and grinned when he saw the results. "So we've got a failed polygraph test, gloves covered in GSR, hidden bullets, and E.J.'s damn DNA all over the gloves," Rafe recounted, then declared, "I think we're ready to make an arrest."

Thursday, July 19, 2012

by Mike

At the DiMera mansion, Will frantically searched for Alice's letter. E.J. wondered what Will was looking for. Will gave a vague answer, and he abruptly exited the mansion.

After Will left, Sami entered the mansion, and she announced that she had figured out how to save E.J.'s life. "I was at the pub, and I was watching this guy installing security cameras for my grandmother, and it reminded me of something that my dad told me...about all these safety cameras that they're putting all over Salem, you know? To help...keep people safe. The point is, they're everywhere," Sami explained.

E.J. realized that he might be able to use those cameras to prove his innocence. E.J. hugged Sami, and he declared that she was brilliant. E.J. tried to kiss Sami, but she pushed him away. Sami reminded E.J. that he needed to focus on finding the security footage. E.J. placed a phone call to one of his employees, who agreed to investigate the situation.

After E.J. ended the call, Sami started to leave. E.J. stopped Sami, and he pointed out that he hadn't properly thanked her earlier. E.J. leaned in to kiss Sami again, but she stopped him, and she reminded him that she was with Lucas. E.J. noted that Lucas wouldn't be happy to learn that Sami had gone to the mansion. E.J. tried to kiss Sami's hand, but she pulled it away.

Sami conceded that she should have called E.J. instead. Sami started to rummage through her purse, unaware of E.J.'s movements. When Sami found her keys, she turned to leave, but she bumped into E.J., who had deliberately positioned himself right behind her. Sami groaned and pushed E.J. away again. E.J. wondered why Sami had gone to the mansion to talk to him in person.

Sami said that she didn't want Johnny and Sydney's father to go to jail, but E.J. refused to believe that. E.J. reiterated that Sami could have just called him. E.J. advanced toward Sami, and she backed away from him. E.J. smiled and wondered if he was making Sami nervous. Sami pointed out that E.J. was invading her personal space, and she tried to walk away from him again.

E.J. followed Sami, and he backed her against a wall. "Why is it that every single time our lives spin out of control, we end up in exactly the same place -- together?" E.J. asked, as he leaned in to kiss Sami. Before E.J.'s lips touched Sami's, she pushed him away again. Sami reiterated that she was with Lucas, and she vowed that she was going to make their relationship work.

"E.J., we are not good together. We are the opposite of good. When we are together, we hurt each other. We hurt other people. We're both selfish -- when we decide that we want something, we run over anybody who gets in our way," Sami said. E.J. assured Sami that things had changed, but she wasn't convinced. E.J. dared Sami to deny that there had always been an irresistible pull between them.

Sami insisted that she felt nothing for E.J., but he countered that she was a terrible liar. E.J. leaned in to kiss Sami again, and she didn't push him away as quickly as she had before. "Don't deny it, Samantha. There's something between us, whether you like it or not," E.J. said, and he confidently exited the living room. Sami slammed her hands against a nearby desk in frustration.

At the police station, Carrie told Rafe that she and Austin had decided to move back to Switzerland. Rafe tried to hide his disappointment, and he said that he would miss Carrie. Carrie admitted that it would be difficult to say goodbye to everyone, but she insisted that leaving Salem was the right decision. Rafe said that he just wanted Carrie to be happy, and she assured him that she was.

Roman entered the room, and Carrie told him the news. Roman asked about the baby, and Carrie joked that the baby would be joining her and Austin in Switzerland. As Carrie repeated the speech that she had given Rafe earlier, Roman quickly realized that he would not be able to convince her to stay in Salem. Roman hoped that Carrie would still be able to attend Abe's charity event.

Carrie shook her head, and she regretfully informed Roman that she would be leaving Salem in less than twenty-four hours. Carrie explained that she had been asked to return to her old firm, and she added that she and Austin still owned their old home in Switzerland. Rafe seemed hurt, but he forced a smile and hugged Carrie. After an emotional goodbye, Rafe excused himself.

After Rafe left, Carrie started to sob, and Roman wondered if her feelings for Rafe had influenced her decision. Carrie hesitated for a moment before stating that she had decided to move back to Switzerland because she was committed to making her marriage work. Roman agreed to support Carrie's decision. Roman hugged Carrie, and he added that he was going to miss her.

At Titan, Ian received a phone call from someone. Ian started to talk to the caller about keeping an eye on the DiMera situation, unaware that Kate was listening. After Ian ended the call, Kate started to question him. Ian claimed that he was looking out for Kate's best interests, but she wasn't convinced. Kate reminded Ian that he had recently lectured her about honesty.

"I think I have to be very clear about something...to avoid confusion. You easily manipulated Madison with your...abundant charms, and once upon a time, you did the same to me, but times have changed," Kate said. Ian theorized that Kate didn't trust him because Stefano had tested her loyalty on a regular basis. Kate admitted that loving Stefano had made her vulnerable. Kate refused to make the same mistake again.

Kate guessed that Ian wanted to use her name to try to gain a portion of the DiMera estate. Kate added that Ian probably expected to receive his own share of the estate in exchange for his good deed. Unwilling to confirm Kate's suspicions, Ian simply stated that her hypothetical scenario had some obvious benefits. "You make it happen...and we'll talk," Kate noncommittally stated, and she exited the room.

At John and Marlena's townhouse, John read Alice's letter. "Junior isn't Junior after all," John noted. John wondered why Will had decided not to reveal E.J.'s secret. Lucas reluctantly admitted that Will had probably been protecting E.J. "What if it turns out that it wasn't E.J. he was protecting? I don't want to say it, but what if Will had something to do with whatever E.J. had done?" Marlena wondered.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Marlena cautioned that it might not be a good idea to show Rafe the letter. Marlena pointed out that the letter had fallen out of Will's backpack, and she suggested that it would be best to talk to him first. Before Lucas or John could respond, Ian and Kate greeted them. Ian invited the group to join him and Kate for lunch.

John and Marlena declined and quickly turned to walk away. Ian wondered if he had done something to upset Marlena and John. "You offend me, McAllister -- coming in here and acting like we're pals after what you did to my boy," John replied. Ian claimed that he wanted Brady to get the help that he needed. John lunged for Ian, but Marlena held him back.

"Perhaps you should have paid more attention to your son, Mr. Black, instead of focusing on trying to take control of DiMera Enterprises," Ian suggested. John pointed out that Titan had nothing to do with DiMera Enterprises, and he wondered why Ian cared about the latter company. Ian claimed that he was concerned because Kate had a vested interest in DiMera Enterprises.

Lucas pointed out that Stefano had removed Kate from his will before he had died, and that Stefano had also given Kate's company to Sami. Ian replied that Kate had been mistreated, and he vowed to rectify the situation. Lucas seemed skeptical, and he noted that Kate had been treated poorly because she had gotten involved with Ian. John warned that Ian's innocent act wasn't fooling anyone.

Ian insisted that he had given Brady countless opportunities to prove himself, and he refused to accept responsibility for Brady's failures. Marlena seemed impressed that Ian was foolish enough to portray himself as the victim. John cautioned that it would be a bad idea to try to mess with his family.

"I should take that advice to heart. Isn't that what Stefano DiMera did -- mess with your family? And we know what happened to him, don't we? I understand the police are content to focus on E.J. as the chief suspect in Stefano's murder. Perhaps they've gone down the wrong path," Ian mused. Marlena echoed John's earlier statement about Ian's innocent act, and she added that Ian had proven that he was capable of spreading idle gossip and vicious rumors.

Ian smugly stated that he was entitled to his opinion, even if it was an unpopular one. "My opinion is you're a misogynist bully," Marlena calmly countered. Marlena theorized that Madison had been attracted to Brady because he was a real gentleman. Ian assured Marlena that Brady and Madison's relationship would eventually fall apart, and he abruptly excused himself.

Kate, who had remained silent the entire time, lingered for a moment. John expressed concern for Kate, but she didn't respond. Kate asked Lucas to call her later, and she vaguely stated that she had some things that she needed to discuss with him. Lucas agreed, and Kate walked away.

After Kate left, John wondered if Lucas knew anything about Ian. Lucas explained that Ian and Kate had known each other for a number of years, and he theorized that Ian had given Kate a job at Mad World based on their prior relationship. Marlena knowingly added that the job offer had also made Madison uncomfortable. "Yeah...my mom would call that an incentive," Lucas dryly stated.

John and Marlena were eager to look into Ian's background, so Lucas agreed to deliver Alice's letter to Rafe. Marlena reiterated that Lucas might want to talk to Will first. Lucas told Marlena that his previous attempts to talk to Will about E.J. had failed. Lucas insisted that he was willing to do whatever he had to do to protect Will and Sami from E.J.

Elsewhere, Kate guessed that Ian's earlier phone call had been about John's plan to gain control of DiMera Enterprises. Ian could tell that Kate's mood had changed, and he wondered if she believed that he had crossed some sort of line during his argument with John. "You didn't need to throw his son's drug addiction into his face. He said that you were responsible," Kate recalled.

Ian asked if Kate shared John's belief, but she didn't respond. Ian observed that Kate seemed protective of John, and he innocently wondered if John was one of her former lovers. Kate wasn't interested in playing Ian's game, and she knowingly stated that he had already figured out that she and John had once been involved. Ian apologized, and he admitted that he had made it his mission to learn everything about Kate.

Kate wondered if she was supposed to be flattered. Ian suggested that his knowledge could help Kate regain control of Countess Wilhelmina. Kate wondered what Ian's endgame was. Ian tried to deflect, and he asked if Kate really doubted his intentions. "Just once...I would like to get a straight answer from you," Kate replied.

Ian theorized that Stefano's influence had turned Kate into an extremely paranoid person. Ian reasoned that it was his job to keep an eye on his competitors -- including DiMera Enterprises. Ian added that being able to capitalize on a competitor's misfortune was just a bonus. Ian proposed a toast to getting what he and Kate each deserved. Expressionless, Kate studied Ian's face as she silently raised her glass.

Back at the townhouse, John vowed to take down Ian. John wished that he could have done something to help Brady. Marlena echoed John's sentiment, and she added that she wished that she could have been there to help Will, too. John was confused, and he pointed out that Marlena had been there for Will from the very beginning.

"You know, I thought that Will was always comfortable coming to me, confiding in me, trusting me, but now...he's gotten very good at keeping secrets. I mean, he had to at one point, but now I think he might be keeping secrets for E.J. I just -- I hope he hasn't decided that E.J. is more important to him than his family is," Marlena explained. Later, Marlena recalled John and Ian's earlier encounter.

"It just reminded me of Stefano -- the way he used to push your buttons to try to provoke you. Ian did the same thing, and it worked," Marlena observed. Marlena cautioned that Ian was a dangerous man, and she asked John to be careful. John promised that nothing was going to happen, but Marlena seemed unconvinced.

At the Brady Pub, Will frantically searched for Alice's letter. Sonny offered to help, and Will struggled to catch his breath as he explained that he was looking for a small white envelope. Sonny wondered what was inside the envelope. "Um, a letter -- a really important letter, and if I don't find it, honestly, I'm dead, and so is E.J.," Will said.

Later, Will and Sonny rummaged through the pub's recent collection of garbage, but they were unable to find the letter. Sonny tried to remain optimistic, but Will insisted that he hadn't been exaggerating earlier. "If I don't find this letter, E.J. will go to jail, and if that happens, he will kill me," Will assured Sonny.

As Sonny and Will concluded their search, Sonny pointed out that someone else could have found the letter. Will remembered that Lucas had been at the pub earlier that day. Sonny assumed that Will would be relieved if it turned out that Lucas had found the letter, but Will reminded Sonny that Lucas hated E.J.

Trying to think of the worst possible scenario, Sonny suggested that Lucas had gone to the DiMera mansion to talk to E.J. about the letter. Will shook his head, and he told Sonny that the worst scenario would have involved Lucas taking the letter to the police. Will abruptly exited the pub.

At the police station, Lucas announced that he had figured out E.J.'s true motive for killing Stefano. Lucas told Rafe to prepare an arrest warrant, and he teased that Rafe might want to add fraud to E.J.'s list of charges. Lucas handed the letter to Rafe.

"What? E.J.'s not Stefano's son?" Rafe asked incredulously, as Will rushed into the room.

Friday, July 20, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

At Andrew's house, Bo and Hope talked to Andrew's landlady, Mrs. Perez -- although Mrs. Perez knew Andrew as George Compton, and she was horrified to hear that George might have kidnapped someone. She produced a file on George for Bo and Hope, and Hope took the information to call it in to the police station.

Mrs. Perez was gone when Hope returned with the information about George Compton: he had died two years prior at the age of 92. Hope added that the database was still searching for a match for the fingerprints on the note the kidnapper had left behind. Hope and Bo acknowledged that kidnapping cases always evoked unpleasant memories for them. Bo confessed that he kind of felt responsible, because he'd promised Carly to look out for Melanie. Hope reassured him that Melanie's kidnapping wasn't his fault, and that she would be with him every step of the way in the search.

Soon Hope got a call from the station. As she hung up, she informed Bo that the prints were a match for Corey Oliveri, who had been arrested at age eighteen and sentenced to a mental institution in Boston -- from which he had escaped the previous year. Bo and Hope worriedly concurred that Corey could be capable of almost anything.

In Horton Square, Gabi, Abigail, Cameron, and Sonny tried to convince Chad to take a break, but he wanted to continue putting up fliers. They pointed out that Chad needed fuel and hydration, or he wouldn't do Melanie any good. Chad reluctantly agreed to break for a moment at the caf, but he was determined to find -- and destroy -- whoever was responsible for kidnapping Melanie.

As the five sat at a table together, they wondered why, if the kidnapper and Gabi's stalker were the same person, he had left Gabi at the house. Abigail didn't understand why the stalker would kidnap Melanie if he were obsessed with Gabi. A defensive Gabi flew off the handle, but the others assured her that they were only trying to put the pieces together. Sonny theorized that Melanie had caught the stalker in the process of planning to do something bad to Gabi.

Chad asked if Gabi remembered anything else about the stalker, but Gabi said that she didn't. Abigail asked about the doll that the stalker had left, and Gabi explained that she'd thrown it away because she didn't want the reminder. Abigail was incredulous, and Gabi blew up. "This is so unfair! You guys are acting like this is all my fault, and it's not!" Gabi insisted. Taken aback, Abigail reassured Gabi that no one thought it was her fault. Gabi wasn't convinced, and flew off the handle again.

"I never wanted Melanie to get hurt! I never wanted her to get kidnapped!" Gabi insisted, flouncing angrily away from the table. Chad went after her. Sonny noticed the smell of gas in the air, although neither Cameron nor Abigail smelled it. To be on the safe side, Sonny headed inside the caf to warn them to check for a gas leak in the kitchen.

Abigail tearfully insisted to Cameron that she hadn't meant to be so hard on Gabi. "I'm scared. I'm really scared about Melanie. I hate to think about what she could be going through right now," Abigail admitted anxiously. Cameron encouraged Abigail to tell him about her friend, and Abigail did so very affectionately. Cameron hugged her comfortingly.

As Gabi and Chad spoke privately, she seemed on the verge of telling him the truth when Bo and Hope arrived. The Bradys quickly filled them in that they'd learned the kidnapper's identity, and produced a mug shot of Corey. Gabi said that she didn't recognize the name or the man's picture. When Chad took a look, he recognized the man as Andrew, the photographer's assistant from a Countess Wilhelmina photo shoot.

Cameron and Abigail soon joined them. Chad thought that Gabi should remember Andrew, but she only shrugged and admitted that the guy looked a little familiar. A suspicious Abigail watched Gabi's reactions to the police's questions. Hope said that she would call Sami to ask about the photographer. Chad asked if any other prints had been found on the note.

Hope said that the prints weren't in the criminal database, but Corey's were because he'd served time in a mental hospital and had escaped the year before. Chad and Abigail were obviously shaken. As Hope left to call Daniel, Gabi asked about the second set of fingerprints. Bo divulged that they had sent the prints to the passport agency. "We're not going to stop until Melanie is home safe and sound, and everyone -- I mean everyone -- who was involved in this kidnapping is brought to justice." Gabi fought to hide her panic.

In the tunnels under Salem, Melanie, handcuffed to a pipe by one wrist, asked Andrew how much longer they had to stay underground. Andrew replied that he was trying to find a place to move her to, but since everyone was out looking for her, he had to be careful. Melanie complained that it was dark, she was scared, and there was a gas leak.

Andrew produced a gift that he hoped would help soothe Melanie's fears: a stuffed bear, and explained that he'd remembered how she'd told him that a bear had been her favorite toy when she was a kid and Trent had been mean to her. Melanie was stunned that Andrew had listened to everything she'd said, and noted that Chad had never done that kind of thing. Andrew was surprised to hear her talking that way, since she had seemed so in love with Chad.

Melanie said that she'd had a lot of time to think, and she wondered why Chad hadn't noticed sooner that she was missing -- and why he hadn't called her mom to check in on Melanie. "I don't think he ever really loved me. I think you know me better than he ever did," Melanie said quietly with as much sincerity as she could muster. She hoped that the new place that Andrew found was warm and sunny -- and someplace that the two of them could stay at together.

Suddenly part of the ceiling caved in, and Melanie pulled Andrew out of the way. "We have to get out of here now! This whole place is going to cave in! Please!" Melanie shouted. She insisted that she was worried that she could die -- and so could Andrew. Touched, he thanked her for pulling him out of the way, and said that he was going to look for a new place for them to hide.

"But you're going to take me with you?" Melanie asked pleadingly. Andrew refused, and promised not to be long. As he left, Melanie shrieked after him, "Please don't leave me alone!" Desperate, she began yanking at the handcuff that bound her wrist to the pipe -- when suddenly a bunch of dirt caved in on her, knocking her unconscious.

At the police station, Rafe was stunned when he read Alice's letter and learned that E.J. was not Stefano's son. Will burst into the room, while Lucas explained that Alice had written the letter to Stefano, and Alice would not have lied about something like that. "How the hell did you get a hold of this?" Rafe asked Lucas. "My dad stole it from me," Will interjected, and explained that he had found the letter at the DiMera mansion. Concluding that they finally knew why Stefano had been about to disinherit E.J., Rafe declared, "This could be the final nail in E.J.'s coffin."

Soon, Roman and Spencer had read the letter, as well. They wondered when E.J. had learned that he wasn't Stefano's son. Although Will tried to claim that he'd found the letter in a place that he didn't think E.J. had known about, Roman guessed that it had been in the safe deposit box that Bo and Hope had opened with Stefano months before.

Roman deduced that E.J. had learned about the letter and Stefano's plan to cut him out of the will and had killed Stefano before Stefano could carry it out. Rafe reminded the others that E.J. had freaked out when they'd asked him if Stefano were his father. The cops planned to have the letter tested to see if E.J.'s fingerprints were on it, and to run Stefano and E.J.'s blood types to see if they were compatible.

As soon as everyone else left the room, a furious Will accused Lucas of betraying him and of going through Will's things. Lucas said that he'd found the letter by accident when it had fallen out of Will's backpack. Will argued that Lucas should have talked to him about it before taking the letter to the police. Lucas asserted that Will had been blackmailing E.J. with the letter, and that was why Will had insisted that things with E.J. were going to be different.

Will maintained that it had been going fine until Lucas had stepped in and ruined everything. Will complained that he expected that kind of behavior from Sami, not from Lucas. "I am your father, and this isn't about you. This is about me protecting our family from E.J. If he did kill Stefano, do you really want your brother and sister anywhere near that guy?" Lucas asked. Will insisted that E.J. was innocent. Lucas pointed out that the evidence was piling up against E.J. -- and if nothing else, people needed to know that E.J. was lying about who he was.

Lucas continued that Will had to be swept up in the power he had over E.J., otherwise Will would have already taken the letter to the police. Will argued that Lucas should have at least let Will know what he was going to do, and talked to him like an adult instead of like a naughty child. Lucas made another remark about how Will had let the power go to his head.

Will countered, "So you don't like the way E.J.'s been influencing my life. Where were you? Why haven't you been here to influence my life? Did you ever think that...maybe your son needed you? Because I did. I needed you." Will spat that Lucas should have stayed in Hong Kong and never returned. Lucas apologized for the mistakes he'd made, and agreed that he should have been there for Will.

As Rafe, Spencer, and Roman waited in the conference room for the test results, Rafe noted that his gut was telling him that something wasn't right. Roman took a quick phone call, and then informed the others that E.J. and Stefano's blood types were not compatible. "Alice Horton was right: there's no way they can be father and son," Roman declared, noting, "E.J. maintained all along he didn't kill his father." Chuckling, Spencer said, "Leave it to a lawyer to skate on semantics."

Rafe soon informed the others that E.J.'s prints had been all over Alice's letter, so he'd definitely known that he wasn't Stefano's son. "I think it is time to go arrest that lying son of a bitch," Roman declared. The three headed out.

When Will and Lucas learned that the cops were going to arrest E.J., Will tried to follow them. Roman stopped him and ordered Will to hand over his cell phone. He threatened to have an officer guard Will to prevent him from contacting E.J., but Lucas promised to stay with Will. Lucas got a business call a little later, and as he turned his back to grab a pen, Will slipped out. An exasperated Lucas hurried after him.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami worked on a laptop at the desk in the living room, and remembered the sexual tension that had simmered between her and E.J. earlier. E.J. entered the room and demanded to know why she was using his computer. Sami explained that she'd spotted an email that contained the video surveillance footage from the alley on the day that E.J. had thrown the gloves away.

E.J. asked why Sami hadn't just gone and gotten him. "After the conversation we just had, I wasn't exactly in the mood," Sami replied. E.J. sat next to Sami at the computer, and the two looked at the footage together. After a while, they agreed that it was "mind-numbingly boring." E.J. assured Sami that she didn't have to stay, since Lucas would not be pleased to find her there. "I'm doing it for the kids," Sami asserted.

E.J. referenced their earlier conversation, but Sami urged him to focus on what they were doing instead. She softly told E.J. that she hoped they found proof that E.J. hadn't killed Stefano -- for the kids' sake. "There you are!" Sami shouted suddenly, pointing at the screen. The video showed E.J. tossing the gloves in a garbage bin, and just a few minutes after he'd gone, a figure wearing a hooded sweatshirt removed the gloves and walked away with them.

Sami tried to freeze the video so they could get a look at the person's face, but they couldn't even tell what gender he or she was. "It's a step in the right direction. It proves that someone is setting us up," Sami asserted. E.J. caught her slip-up, and pointed out that she'd said "us." Sami insisted that she was just talking about the kids. E.J. was sincerely grateful to have Sami on his side.

Sami was ready to call the police, but E.J. ordered her not to. He maintained that he had to consider all of his options first. Sami argued that the video was proof that someone was messing with the evidence and could keep the police investigation open. E.J. was unconvinced.

Just then, the police rang the doorbell. As soon as E.J. answered the door, Rafe declared, "You're under arrest for the murder of Stefano DiMera." He began to handcuff E.J., who cooperated but noted that the evidence against him was circumstantial at best. Rafe informed E.J. that they'd gained new insight into E.J.'s motives. "We know Stefano wasn't your father," Roman stated.

A horrified Sami, who'd been watching from the living room doorway, demanded to know what her dad was talking about. He explained that Stefano wasn't E.J.'s biological father -- and they had proof that E.J. had known about it. "E.J. killed Stefano to keep him from cutting the impostor son out of the will. Sound about right, Mayor?" Roman asked. Rafe began reading E.J. his Miranda rights, as Will rushed in the open front door with Lucas hot on his heels. Sami tried to sneak out the door, but Lucas spotted her. "Sami? What the hell are you doing here?" Lucas demanded.