Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 17, 2017 on DAYS

John left town again to help Paul clear Sonny's name. Chad and Abigail were on each other's minds. Dario blackmailed Abigail and told her that Chad had murdered Deimos. Adrienne and Jennifer saved the paper. Angelica and Hattie worked on their plan. Kate told Abigail that Dario had tricked her into marrying him. Hope and Rafe arrested Dario.

Marlena agrees to hypnotize Sonny

Monday, July 17, 2017

by Mike

After paying for a cup of coffee at the Brady Pub, Lani turned away from the bar and bumped into Eli, who was also holding a cup of coffee. Their collision left them each with an empty cup and coffee-stained clothes.

While trading profuse apologies, Lani and Eli realized just how much things had changed since their early encounters, back when they had often clashed and would have been quick to angrily blame each other for the mishap. After joking that wearing coffee wasn't nearly as bad as wearing garbage, Lani filled a confused Eli in on her recent Dumpster-diving expedition. Eli guessed that Lani was relieved that J.J. had regained his freedom. Lani confirmed that she was; she wished, however, that Sonny hadn't lost his in the process. When Lani added that she and J.J. had grown closer during his ordeal, Eli hesitantly stated that he was glad to hear that.

After Eli left, Lani stepped into the bathroom to finish working on getting the coffee stain out of her shirt. Later, she emerged from the bathroom and found Abe standing at the bar. When he proudly revealed that he had heard about the crucial piece of evidence she had found at the Martin mansion, she insisted that it wasn't a big deal; she admitted, however, that she was hopeful that her discovery would strengthen her bid for a promotion. "I have a lot to live up to, being Abe Carver's daughter, and I plan on doing big things [someday], like you have," she told her father, who had no doubt that she would.

Eli was standing in the middle of the Horton Town Square, rubbing his shirt with a napkin, when Valerie approached and reminded him that it was better to dab wet spots. After explaining what had happened, he assured her that, aside from the wet clothes, he was doing well. She admitted that she was glad to hear that because she often worried that he might be having regrets about his decision to stay in Salem. He wasn't sure it was the wisest decision he had ever made, but that was only because he was having trouble finding a woman in Salem who wasn't hung up on an ex-boyfriend.

Thrilled that Eli was confiding in her, Valerie admitted that she had missed hearing about his life, and he, in turn, admitted that he had missed telling her about it. He then stepped aside to take a phone call, during which she heard him accept a new assignment that would be starting immediately. She was relieved when he informed her, after ending the call, that the new assignment wouldn't require a relocation.

Later, Eli ran into Lani in a secluded section of the town square. Joking that he had been hoping to bump into her again, he revealed, "I just got a very interesting call from my boss at the Bureau. The FBI has discovered counterfeit bills showing up in circulation locally, [and] they believe that [the bills] could be traceable to one of the crime families here." Adding that he had been asked to investigate the matter and had been given his pick of staff within the Salem Police Department to enlist for assistance, he wondered if she would like to be his partner. She happily confirmed that she was very interested.

Eli offered Lani a chance to discuss the matter with J.J. before making any sort of commitment, but she declined, certain that J.J., who knew about her desire to move on from things like Dumpster-diving expeditions, would be supportive. As they sealed the deal with a handshake, Eli told Lani, "I guess we have come a long way."

During a private meeting with Andre at the DiMera mansion, Abigail revealed that she had concerns about her husband. "Which one?" Andre jokingly asked. Unamused, Abigail pointed out that she only had one husband -- Dario. Andre couldn't resist repeating his issues with Abigail's decision to divorce Chad, but after briefly arguing with her about the matter, he decided to drop the subject, realizing that she was getting annoyed.

Andre wasn't particularly surprised when Abigail revealed, after swearing him to secrecy, that Dario had been counterfeiting money. Andre agreed to help Abigail figure out what else Dario had been up to lately. When Abigail explained that she needed to break into Dario's computer so she could do some snooping, Andre assured her that he knew the perfect man for the job. While waiting for the person to arrive, Andre tried to convince Abigail to turn Dario in to the police, but she refused, insisting that she was going to stand by her new husband.

Theo eventually entered the mansion and wondered why Andre had asked to see him. Abigail pulled Andre aside and quietly insisted that she didn't want Theo involved in the investigation. Andre argued that Theo really was the perfect man for the job because he was a computer expert and was also the most trustworthy employee who had ever been on the DiMera payroll. "Yeah, but this could get messy [and] dangerous," Abigail protested.

Theo interrupted, stating that he didn't like it when people whispered in his presence because that was usually a sign that they were keeping secrets -- another thing he didn't like. Andre apologetically explained that he was simply trying to work out a few kinks with Abigail. With kinks being yet another thing Theo disliked, he started to suggest that it might be best for Andre and Abigail to enlist another person's help, but Andre assured Theo that no one was more qualified for the job. "But you've got to be discreet about this," Andre stressed.

"I don't even know what 'this' is -- and if we can't talk about it, it's probably not a good idea," Theo pointed out. Chuckling, Andre innocently asked Theo, "Do you think I would lead you down a place that was morally questionable?" Suddenly realizing that was a silly question, Andre gestured toward Abigail and continued, "Do you think she would?"

Andre explained that he wanted Theo to break into GDR's computer system. When Theo pointed out that "breaking into" a computer system was essentially the same as "hacking" a computer system -- and was therefore illegal -- Andre countered that, as Dario's wife, Abigail had the power to grant Theo access to the computer system, making Theo's subsequent actions perfectly legal. Theo was quick to stress that he had preferred Abigail as Chad's wife. "Yes, well, we all did," Andre agreed. Theo continued that if Abigail needed his help, she could count on him to provide it.

After confirming that Dario and Myron were going to be gone for a while, Abigail took Theo to Club TBD and sneaked him into the back office so he'd have access to a GDR computer. While standing guard at the door, Abigail suddenly realized that the computer was probably password-protected. "I'm in," Theo announced before Abigail managed to think of even a single password to try.

When Theo wondered what he was supposed to be looking for, Abigail admitted that she wasn't sure. "Financial records, I guess?" she suggested with a shrug. He retrieved a flash drive from his backpack and started to save the financial records to it so they could be closely inspected later. He found something interesting in the process, and when she asked him to tell her what it was, he insisted, "Come look for yourself."

At Justin's request, Marlena agreed to hypnotize Sonny, who was in the middle of a visit with Paul when Justin and Marlena arrived at the police station. Marlena warned Sonny that although nothing he remembered while under hypnosis would be admissible in court, she would still have to record the session because it was being conducted as part of an official police investigation. Sonny gave Marlena his consent and agreed to let Justin and Paul observe the session. Paul's faith in Sonny's innocence seemed to waver when, during the session, Sonny recalled moving Deimos' body and explained, "I was scared I would be in trouble [if anyone found it]."

"Well...so much for thinking I'm not capable of murder," Sonny said with a sigh after Marlena ended the session. Paul hesitantly pointed out that there still wasn't definitive proof that Sonny had killed Deimos. Justin added that, in any case, Sonny would never kill anyone unless acting in self-defense. "I'm just not sure," Sonny muttered, shaking his head.

Hope and Rafe were in the midst of celebrating Adriana's acceptance of their engagement when Marlena emerged from the conference room and noticed Hope's new ring. "What, are you landing planes around that thing?" Marlena teasingly asked before congratulating the couple.

Later, while passing through the town square, Marlena noticed that Abe and Valerie were sharing a meal at a table outside one of the restaurants. After a quick chat with the couple, Marlena started to excuse herself, not wanting to interfere with their date. Remembering that she had a phone call to return, Valerie encouraged Marlena to stick around for a few more minutes and keep Abe company.

Abe remarked that, from what he had heard, it seemed like Valerie, Marlena, Kayla, and Kate had really enjoyed their recent ladies' night. Marlena confirmed that it had been a great success and was, in fact, going to be a monthly thing. Abe was pleased to hear that Valerie was forging a close circle of friends, since he wanted her to feel at home in Salem. Marlena pointed out that Abe was one of the main reasons Salem felt like home to Valerie. Abe admitted with a sigh that although he was glad to be reconnecting with Valerie, he sometimes worried that he was betraying Lexie in the process. Marlena assured Abe that Lexie would want him to move on.

At the police station, Paul overheard Rafe telling Hope that he was sorry her theory about Xander murdering Deimos hadn't panned out. Stunned, Paul demanded to know what Rafe and Hope were talking about.

Hope told Paul about the two items that had been found in the mystery guest's hotel room at the Salem Inn. "We didn't want to get anyone's hopes up until we got the results back from the lab," Hope continued, adding with a sigh that the forensics team had failed to find even a single usable fingerprint on either item. Rafe added that even if Xander seemed like the most likely suspect, the fact of the matter was that he had been in a prison cell in Athens at the time of Deimos' murder, and no one could be in two places at once. As soon as Rafe and Hope walked away, Paul contacted someone and told the person, "I need your help."

Meanwhile, Xander was lounging on a cot in a prison cell, reading an issue of Busty Broads Monthly.

Adrienne and Jennifer foil Anjelica's plan

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

by Spalding

In the Brady Pub, Steve confided to Tripp that he believed that nurse Shelley had set up Kayla. When Tripp asked why, Steve said that Kayla had disciplined Shelley in the past and that Shelley had been the one that had almost administered the fatal dose of medication to Hope. When Steve asked Tripp if he hadnoticed anything suspicious during his time around Shelley, Tripp said he remembered that Shelley had badmouthed Kayla. Steve vowed to make the responsible party pay.

In the square, Adrienne and Jennifer met with a banker named Helms. Adrienne and Jennifer pleaded their case to Helms, and they promised never to give up on the paper. With a smile, Helms said that, based on their passion, he was willing to take a risk and buy up the loan for Adrienne and Jennifer. Thrilled, the women thanked Helms for his time, and they returned to the paper to work.

Justin walked over to Helms and thanked him for his help with the loan. With a shrug, Helms noted that Justin was floating the loan. Helms marveled at the fact that Justin was extending himself to such lengths for his ex-wife. Justin noted that his divorce with Adrienne was "beyond amicable." Chuckling, Justin added that he also found the maneuver satisfying because it screwed over Anjelica.

In the park, Steve ran into Anjelica, who accused him of running into her on purpose. Anjelica stressed that she would not change her mind about taking over the paper. Steve asked why she wanted the paper. With a wicked grin, Anjelica said she wanted to take something that Adrienne loved from her in retaliation for Adrienne's part in taking away Anjelica's son, Alexander. "It really is about petty revenge," Anjelica confirmed.

At Club TBD, J.J. and Lani sipped drinks at the bar and celebrated time off from work. With a nervous smile, Lani told J.J. that she had been assigned to work with Eli and the FBI on a task force investigating the crime families in Salem. J.J. congratulated Lani on the news. When she pointed out that J.J. seemed less than thrilled by the news, he stressed that he was happy for Lani but sad to lose her as his partner. Lani asked if he was concerned that she was working with Eli.

Shaking his head no, J.J. said he understood that Lani and Eli's kiss had happened while they had been under the influence of Halo. J.J. pointed out his own behavior with Gabi at the party. J.J. assured Lani that he was fine with her assignment. J.J. then changed the subject to his new room at the Martin house. As Lani and J.J. toasted their mutual good news, they noticed Tripp walk in and sit alone at the bar. J.J. invited Tripp over to join them.

J.J. asked Tripp about his work at the hospital. Tripp admitted that Kayla had been suspended. With a grunt, J.J. said he did not believe that Kayla was capable of hurting a patient. Tripp thought about when he had switched the dosages on Kayla's tablet, and he smiled to himself.

After Tripp left, J.J. and Lani talked about him, and they agreed that he appeared to be preoccupied. J.J. changed the subject back to his new living quarters, and he waggled his eyebrow at Lani. "I'd like to add a woman to the decor if you want to come up and see my etchings," J.J. said. After a passionate kiss, J.J. escorted Lani back to his room, and the two made love.

In the park, Dario called out to Chad as they passed one another. Dario asked about Gabi, and Chad bristled. Chad growled that Dario should ask his sister. As Chad started to walk away, Dario accused Chad of being jealous. Dario added that Chad was angry because Dario could make Abigail happy when Chad had been unable to do so. Annoyed, Chad called Dario a petty crook and a bad influence on Thomas. "You're jealous I won and you lost," Dario said as he walked away. "You're a fool," Chad muttered.

In Dario's office at Club TBD, Theo hacked into Dario's laptop and learned that Dario had been counterfeiting money and stealing real money from various businesses. With a gasp, Theo noted that Dario had drained all the bank accounts of Countess W. When Theo pointed out the complexity of the hacking, Abigail realized that Myron had done the work on Dario's behalf. Theo copied all the digital evidence onto a thumb drive. As Theo and Abigail waited for the files to finish copying, they heard Dario talking in the hallway outside.

When Dario entered his office, Theo and Abigail had already ducked into the closet to hide. Dario grabbed a pile of papers and left. Alone again, Theo and Abigail rushed over to the computer to check on the files. With the evidence copied, Theo and Abigail hurriedly left and retreated to the park to discuss what they had found.

Theo and Abigail reviewed the evidence on Theo's computer as they sat on the park bench. Abigail refused to call the police. When Theo demanded to know why, Abigail explained that she wanted to give Dario a chance to fix his mess. Abigail begged Theo not to tell his father. Theo reluctantly agreed not to tell Abe. Instead, Theo went directly to the DiMera mansion and told Chad everything. Theo justified his actions by saying that he had only promised not to tell his father. When Chad wanted to act, Theo begged Chad to help Abigail because he was worried that she was in trouble.

At the Martin house, Abigail called Dario and asked him to meet her at their home. Chad knocked on the door. When Abigail let Chad into her room, he unloaded on her for involving Theo in her scheme. Abigail begged Chad not to confront Dario or tell the police what he had learned about the stolen money. Chad said he was worried about Abigail, and she countered that Dario would not hurt her because he loved her. "So did Ben," Chad snapped.

As Abigail groaned, Chad apologized. Abigail said he knew that Chad believed her choice in men was terrible, but she asked Chad to trust her. Abigail asked for time to convince Dario to return the money. Abigail added that if Chad turned Dario in to the police, she would never forgive him. With a grunt, Chad stormed out. When Dario returned home, Abigail confronted him about the stolen and counterfeit money.

At the pub, Jennifer and Adrienne laughed about ruining Anjelica's plan to steal the paper from them. When Anjelica walked in, the women happily told her that she no longer controlled the loan or the paper. Anjelica was in disbelief. As Adrienne and Jennifer chattered about how they were more than capable of running the paper, Anjelica icily noted that Jennifer was no Jack Deveraux and would flounder. While Anjelica talked to her contacts on the phone in the corner, Jennifer crowed about how fun it was to win. On her way out, Anjelica vowed to have the last laugh.

At the hospital, Steve talked to an orderly about Shelley. The orderly admitted that Shelley had disputes with many people at the hospital, but he had overheard Shelley say about Kayla that "that cow should be put out to pasture." The orderly said that no one at the hospital believed that Kayla had made those mistakes. With a raised eyebrow, Steve said he did not believe they were mistakes but instead a plot to harm Kayla's career.

On his way back to the pub, Steve called Tripp and told him what he had learned from the orderly and another nurse. Another nurse had told Steve that Shelley had "been gunning" for Kayla. Steve reiterated that he would not stop until he found the culprit. When Steve reached the pub, Justin walked in at the same time. The two men sat down with Adrienne and Jennifer, and the women told them about their good news. Justin feigned surprise when Adrienne announced that they had secured a loan to save the paper.

Worried about Anjelica's reaction, Steve asked for details about Adrienne and Jennifer's conversation with her. Steve added that he and Kayla had broken into Anjelica's room and had overheard her talking to someone about doing their homework. Alarmed, Adrienne stepped away to call Alexander and ask him if he had been in contact with his mother.

Jennifer confided to Steve that she had felt like she would have let Jack down if she had not saved the paper. Steve patted Jennifer's hand reassuringly. When Adrienne returned to the table, she said that Alexander had not heard from Anjelica. Although Justin and Jennifer chose to believe that their troubles with the paper were in the past, Adrienne and Steve were worried what Anjelica had up her sleeve. When Anjelica returned to her office, she found Marlena waiting for her.

Dario stuns Abigail with an unexpected claim

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

by Mike

Kate ran into John in the Horton Town Square and asked him for a quarter, explaining that the time on her parking meter was about to expire.

While fishing coins out of a pocket, John sarcastically thanked Kate for giving him such a warm welcome back to Salem. "You've been gone?" she asked sincerely. He confirmed that he had actually been gone for quite a while. "I hadn't noticed," she admitted with a shrug. "Because it didn't directly concern you," he guessed, adding that it was nice to know that she hadn't changed during his absence.

Kate wondered if there was a reason for John's foul mood. John glanced around the town square as he explained with a sigh that he was worried about Marlena because she was late for their dinner date. Uninterested, Kate rushed off with John's spare change. A short time later, Kate returned with a seventy-five-dollar parking ticket and complained to John, "You know, it's times like this that I really miss Stefano. Cops used to know their place in this town." John laughed at Kate's misfortune and asked her to return his quarter.

"So, [Marlena] stood you up," Kate observed, ignoring John's request. John doubted that was the case, but Kate reasoned, "You have left her high and dry, John, more than once, so maybe she's heard the clock ticking. Maybe she found someone else to spend her golden years with. And if that's true, that's all on you. The cat's been away for a long time."

When Anjelica revealed that Adrienne and Jennifer had somehow managed to secure enough money to pay off their loan, Marlena observed that Anjelica had clearly underestimated them. "So [Adrienne] gets to keep her crummy paper. So what? There are many far more satisfying ways to bring her to her knees," Anjelica dismissively insisted, prompting Marlena to point out that Anjelica had an almost pathological obsession with Adrienne.

Anjelica asked Marlena to refrain from psychoanalyzing her. "Isn't that why you brought me into the plan -- for my expertise?" Marlena countered. Anjelica grudgingly conceded that her plan wouldn't succeed without Marlena's help. Changing the subject, Anjelica added, "I would love to take a selfie of the two of us together and send it to John. I mean, how do you think he would react to [seeing] the two of us working together, plotting and scheming?" Marlena guessed that it would be difficult for John to process that image. Anjelica promised that John would be kept in the dark until she got exactly what she wanted.

Marlena was quick to remind Anjelica that she wanted something, too. Anjelica confirmed that if Marlena held up her end of the bargain, she would be rewarded accordingly. "But don't ever forget who's really running the show here," Anjelica added. Scoffing, Marlena countered, "Nice job doing that. The first round goes to Adrienne."

Anjelica irritably repeated that losing the Spectator wasn't a big deal, prompting Marlena to warn that Anjelica's mood swings could jeopardize the plan. "I do not have mood swings!" Anjelica insisted. Scoffing again, Marlena tauntingly continued, "Anjelica -- cool and calm in one moment and frothing at the mouth in the next. People are gonna think you've got some sort of a bisexual disorder." Groaning, Anjelica clarified, "That's bipolar disorder, you ninny! Ugh, you are never gonna be able to fool anyone -- especially John Black -- if you keep making stupid mistakes like that!"

When Anjelica's partner warned her to watch her tone, Anjelica mockingly countered, "Oh, well, I am so sorry. Did I offend you? You know, I just thought -- or assumed -- that a trashy ex-con like you would have a little thicker skin, Hattie." Annoyed, Hattie stripped off her suit jacket and tossed it across Anjelica's office, complaining that being trapped in such uncomfortable clothing was almost worse than being trapped behind bars. "Want some chew?" Hattie asked Anjelica, producing a pack of gum. Anjelica declined the offer and irritably insisted that Hattie didn't have time to get comfortable or chew gum. "You have to be Marlena Evans twenty-four-seven, all right? And believe me, you're gonna need all the practice you can get," Anjelica continued.

"Hey, you know what? Go find somebody else to play this part! Why don't you do that? Go on -- go on MarlenaEvansGoppeldanger.com [and] see what that shows you!" Hattie challenged Anjelica. Groaning again, Anjelica clarified that the word Hattie was looking for was doppelgnger. Anjelica reiterated that in order for the plan to work, Hattie would need to convincingly play the role of Marlena Evans every second of every day. After confirming that she understood, Hattie began looking around the office, hoping that Anjelica had a stash of booze hidden somewhere. Anjelica slowly counted to ten then calmly apologized for snapping at Hattie.

Satisfied, Hattie changed the subject, trying to argue -- apparently not for the first time -- that she didn't really need to pose as Marlena Evans in order for the plan to work. Anjelica disagreed then urged Hattie to embrace the plan, reasoning that it would be impossible for Hattie to get revenge against Andre because he would always have his guard up around her -- but Marlena, on the other hand, was such an unexpected threat that she would easily be able to get close enough to hit Andre where it'd hurt. "Yeah -- right in the DiMera family jewels!" Hattie eagerly exclaimed.

Anjelica added that Hattie would need to pose as Marlena to stand a chance of winning Roman's heart because he had never truly gotten over his ex-wife -- but since Marlena was committed to John, Hattie would need to end that relationship first. "[That will be] your first significant test," Anjelica continued. Hattie joked that breaking up with John would be easy enough because she could simply march up to him and tell him to hit the road, but Anjelica took the comment seriously and started to get annoyed again. Hattie clarified that she understood what needed to be done and had only been messing with Anjelica; she added, however, that what she didn't understand was why Anjelica was so desperate to ensure that the plan would be successful. "Well, if [it is], I'll get a chance at love again, too -- with Justin," Anjelica explained.

"You know, even after all these years, I've never loved another man the way I love Justin. I want him back! But first I have to get Adrienne out of the way," Anjelica continued, adding that Justin was still hung up on Adrienne even though they were no longer together. "He's a wonderful man, but he has terrible taste in women," Anjelica grumbled. "Yeah, well, you would know," Hattie countered.

Hattie still didn't understand how her impending stint as Marlena would help Anjelica get back together with Justin. Anjelica assured Hattie that she was getting to that part.

Marlena joined John in the town square and apologized for her tardiness, explaining that she had gotten delayed at the hospital. She was thrilled when he revealed that he was done with his mission and wouldn't be leaving her again anytime soon -- except to plan surprises for their wedding, of course.

Paul soon interrupted and revealed that he needed John's help with a lead that might prove that Sonny wasn't the person who had murdered Deimos. Somewhat annoyed, Marlena wondered why Paul couldn't enlist Steve's help instead. Paul explained that Steve was busy trying to clear Kayla's name. Confused, John wondered what Paul was talking about. Marlena promised to fill John in later.

"Look, I am really sorry, but I need Dad to go to Greece with me," Paul told Marlena, adding that he was in over his head and couldn't prove his theory about Xander without John's help. Turning to John, Paul continued, "I know that this couldn't have come at a worse possible time, [and] I would understand if you said no." Realizing that Paul was in love with Sonny, John decided that he couldn't possibly refuse the request.

Paul stepped aside so John and Marlena could have some privacy. Marlena assured John that she understood why he had to help Paul, and she added that she wanted Sonny cleared just as much as everyone else did, since Arianna had already lost one father. "I do think it's rather bad timing...but I've enjoyed these two minutes with you," Marlena joked. John gave Marlena a goodbye kiss and promised to return as soon as possible.

Lucas entered the DiMera mansion and found Chad in the living room, staring at a ring. Lucas assumed that Chad was planning to propose to Gabi soon, but Chad clarified that the ring had belonged to Abigail, who had returned it when she had backed out of their vow renewal ceremony. Pointing out that a couple months had passed since then, Lucas advised Chad, "Mooning over her ring isn't gonna help you move on with your life."

Chad defensively insisted that he wasn't mooning over the ring; he had simply found it while searching for Countess Wilhelmina documents. Changing the subject, Chad continued that he had asked to see Lucas because he had learned who was behind the Countess Wilhelmina hack. Lucas tried to get Chad to reveal the culprit, but Chad refused to do so, explaining that he was sworn to secrecy.

Chad instructed Lucas to draft a press release that would ensure the public that the security breach was being addressed and that nothing similar would ever happen again. Chad added that the task could wait until the following day, but Lucas grumbled that although he appreciated the gesture, he was actually free for the night because Adrienne was where she had often been lately -- with Justin.

Kate entered the mansion as Lucas was on his way out of it. When Lucas informed Kate that Chad knew who was behind the Countess Wilhelmina hack, she breathed a sigh of relief and admitted that she had actually been in desperate need of some good news. Kate was eager to start plotting a suitable revenge scheme right away, but Lucas clarified that Chad wasn't willing to reveal the culprit's identity and, in fact, wanted to drop the matter.

Kate was certain that Chad was protecting someone, but Chad insisted that wasn't the case. Chad refused to tell Kate who the hacker was, even after she reminded him that he owed her because she had married Andre, of all people, to save DiMera Enterprises. Lucas rushed off, fearing that things were about to get ugly. Kate kept pushing Chad to reveal the culprit's identity, and when he explained that he wasn't willing to do so because he had promised his source the opportunity to make things right in his or her own way, she deduced that he was talking about Abigail -- and that Dario was therefore the hacker.

"[That] makes perfect sense -- like father, like son. [And that goes for] you, too, 'cause you have that look on your face that Stefano used to get when he [wasn't] gonna say another word. But take a little advice from someone who's been there: it's one thing to put your marriage before business, but you're no longer married to Abigail, and I am not going to let this company suffer because you're pining for your ex-wife," Kate warned Chad before exiting the living room. Once the coast was clear, Chad contacted Abigail and left her a voicemail message, letting her know that he was thinking about her and was worried about her.

At the Brady Pub, Adrienne suggested to Justin that a "knight in shining armor" might have somehow helped her secure the money to pay off the Spectator loan. Justin assured Adrienne that he'd had nothing to do with the matter, prompting her to clarify that she had been talking about Lucas. "Ego? A little bit?" Adrienne teasingly added. "Pardon me if your reference to a knight-errant didn't conjure up a picture of Lucas," Justin replied.

Changing the subject, Adrienne fretted that she was worried about Sonny. Justin tried to assure Adrienne that he would get Sonny's charges dismissed, but she reluctantly suggested, "[Even if you do], we both know how much [Sonny] hated Deimos -- and how ambitious he was. What if he really is guilty?" Justin gave Adrienne a hug and urged her to try not to worry too much, adding that he was going to take good care of Sonny.

Lucas arrived in time to witness the embrace. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lucas jealously asked Justin. Innocently explaining that he had simply been having a cup of coffee with Adrienne, Justin asked Lucas, "Do you have a problem with that?" Lucas confirmed that he did indeed have a problem with Justin's attempts to use Sonny's ordeal as a way of getting close to Adrienne again.

Adrienne intervened, telling Lucas, "Justin just spent the last half hour talking me down off the ledge, telling me that he was sure that he could get Sonny cleared. And I hugged him. I hugged him. Now, if you can't deal with that, you need to tell me now." Lucas grudgingly assured Adrienne that he could deal with that, but he added that he couldn't trust Justin anymore. Sighing, Adrienne tiredly told Lucas and Justin, "Honestly, fellas, I can hardly wait 'til the two of you grow up." Adrienne then exited the pub. Lucas chased after Adrienne after pointing out that Justin hadn't exactly denied using Sonny's ordeal as a way of getting close to Adrienne again.

Dario tried to deny Abigail's accusations about his criminal activities, even after she showed him the proof she had obtained, but when he finally realized that he couldn't talk his way out of the matter, he told her, "I did this for you." She angrily slapped him and warned him never to try pinning his crimes on her again. "I thought you were so much better than this," she spat.

"I wanna be, okay? Let me make this up to you, all right?" Dario begged Abigail, who clarified that he needed to make things up to Chad, not her. Abigail added that she would get the cops involved if Dario didn't return all the money he had stolen. "You can't do that," Dario insisted. "Oh, the hell I can't," Abigail countered.

"No, what I mean is...if you do go to the cops with this, it's your precious Chad who's gonna end up behind bars," Dario clarified. Scoffing, Abigail insisted that no one was going to buy that Chad had embezzled money from his own company, especially since there was plenty of evidence that Dario was the true culprit. Explaining that he wasn't talking about embezzlement, Dario continued, "You know, you and everyone else here thinks that Chad is this stand-up guy, but from where I'm standing, it's a pretty crappy thing to let a good friend of yours go down for something that you did."

Abigail was stunned when Dario insisted that Chad, not Sonny, had killed Deimos. Abigail claimed that Dario had to be mistaken because Chad had never left her side on the night of the party, but Dario knew that she was lying. "You're not the only one with proof," Dario revealed, holding up his cell phone to show Abigail a picture in which Chad appeared to be kneeling over Deimos' body, wiping fingerprints off the murder weapon with a napkin. Dario explained that he had caught Chad in the act when he had returned to the party that night to spend more time with Abigail.

Certain that Abigail was still in love with Chad, Dario warned her, "It would be best for everyone concerned if you just forgot about what you uncovered here, because it would be a damn shame if [your evidence] made its way over to the police. Chad DiMera would go down in flames [with me], and I wouldn't think twice about lighting that fire." Dario added that he didn't just expect Abigail to let him off the hook; he also expected her to let Chad go for good so Gabi could be happy with him. "[And] give me a chance to make you happy," Dario continued, more as a command than a suggestion.

After reminding Abigail that Chad's future was in her hands, Dario exited the room so she could have some time to think about her next move.

Abigail goes to Andre for help

Thursday, July 20, 2017

by Mike

J.J. was rolling around in bed with Lani when she suddenly asked for a moment to catch her breath.

While waiting, J.J. complimented Lani, raving that he was lucky to be with such a beautiful and "badass" woman who was also incredibly fun to be around. "Keep going. I'm getting my wind back," she told him. Grinning, he leaned in to give her a kiss. She started to respond to the kiss then suddenly gasped and exclaimed, "I'm late!"

J.J. watched appreciatively as Lani scrambled to get dressed so she could rush over to the police station and start her first day as Eli's partner. "You know, I prefer watching you get undressed, but there is something sexy about this, too," J.J. joked as Lani searched the room for one of her shoes. "You want me to write you a note? 'Dear Agent Grant, I'm sorry Lani was late for work today; I just couldn't keep my hands off her. I know you'll understand this because I've seen the way you look at her,'" J.J. continued. Chuckling, Lani assured J.J. that Eli's interest in her was strictly professional.

As Lani continued searching for her missing shoe, a wide grin stretched across J.J.'s face. "Maybe you need to hone your detective skills," he teasingly suggested, revealing that he'd had the shoe hidden under his blanket all along. She guessed that he had hidden it to delay her departure. "I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation," he replied, pulling her in for one last kiss. "Tell Eli I said hi," he added as he watched her rush off.

Meanwhile, Abigail received a visit from Chad, who wanted to know if she had confronted Dario yet. Abigail reluctantly confirmed that she had; she added, however, that it was going to take a while for Chad to get his money back because it was tied up in offshore accounts. Sensing that Abigail was hiding something, Chad wondered why she was keeping secrets for Dario, even after everything he had done. When Abigail didn't respond right away, Chad started to head off to the police station so he could talk to someone who would take the matter more seriously. "Do you really want to do that to the woman that you love?" Abigail asked.

Chad seemed to think Abigail was talking about herself until she added, after a brief pause, "Because we all know how much Gabi means to you." Chad insisted that the situation had nothing to do with Gabi, but Abigail disagreed, guessing that Gabi would be devastated if her brother was forced to join her father in prison. Chad refused to take responsibility for any pain Gabi might have to endure as a result of Dario's criminal activities, arguing that Dario should have thought about such things before he had decided to follow in Eduardo's footsteps. Chad added that he had a business to run and employees to think about.

Undeterred, Abigail pointed out that Chad was very protective of his loved ones. "We have both always had that in common," she added. As they stared at each other, they began recalling moments from their Halo-induced vow renewal ceremony. They agreed that the room was making the memories flood back to them -- and that there was still a vague feeling of memories yet to be recalled.

Getting back to the original subject, Chad insisted that he couldn't wait forever for Abigail to resolve things on her own. "Eventually, I'll have to make [a] call to Rafe, and when I do, it's gonna be out of my control, so whatever you're protecting, I hope it's worth it," Chad added before exiting the room. Once the coast was clear, Abigail removed a bouquet of flowers from a vase and tossed them across the room in frustration.

Downstairs, Chad ran into J.J., who wondered what Chad was doing at the Martin mansion. "Just having a conversation with your sister," Chad answered, adding, when asked, that everything was fine. "Would Abigail say the same thing if I asked her?" J.J. wondered. Sighing, Chad admitted that his encounters with Abigail were never easy anymore, since there were always unresolved issues hanging in the air.

"You mean feelings?" J.J. guessed. "We've moved on," Chad evasively replied. "That's not what I asked," J.J. countered. J.J. added that although he didn't like Abigail's new husband, he didn't want Chad "jerking her around," either -- or jerking Gabi around, for that matter. Chad wondered how Lani would feel about J.J. being protective of an ex-girlfriend. J.J. insisted that as far as his relationship with Lani was concerned, everything was cool. "Well, you and Lani are cool, me and Gabi are great, and Abby is... Yeah, cool, we've all moved on," Chad mused. "Seems like it," J.J. skeptically replied.

"We should do this again soon, J.J.," Chad sarcastically suggested as he stood to leave. "Hope we understand each other," J.J. countered while shaking Chad's hand.

Rafe found Hope in a conference room at the police station, reading Stefano's case file. Sighing, Hope admitted that Deimos' murder had stirred up a lot of bad memories, and she added that she was lucky she hadn't lost everything after shooting Stefano. Changing the subject, Hope wondered if Rafe wanted to take a trip to Greece with her. Chuckling, Rafe insisted that Commissioner Raines would never approve such a trip because, as far as he was concerned, Sonny was the person who had killed Deimos. Certain that Sonny was innocent, Hope refused to abandon her efforts to tie Xander to the murder, with or without Raines's approval.

Alone at Club TBD, Dario and Myron raved, while inspecting a new batch of counterfeit bills, that it was practically impossible to tell that they weren't real. Dario soon received a phone call he couldn't ignore, so Myron retreated to the back office. Once the coast was clear, Dario told the caller, "You can't keep calling me! You're a silent partner; [that] means you stay silent."

"Yeah, of course I'm gonna deliver on the promise. You just make sure you do the same," Dario added before realizing that Gabi was standing behind him. He abruptly ended the call then greeted his sister, who sensed that he was trying to hide something from her. He dismissively claimed that he had simply been arguing with a liquor vendor who was trying to overcharge him.

Gabi apologized for interrogating Dario, explaining that she was simply tense because nightmares had prevented Arianna from getting much sleep the previous night -- meaning, of course, that she hadn't gotten much sleep, either. Sighing, Gabi added that taking Arianna to visit Sonny at the police station had apparently done more harm than good. Dario assured Gabi that Sonny would eventually be proven innocent.

Stunned, Gabi wondered why Dario seemed so sure of Sonny's innocence. Dario stammered that he was simply convinced that Sonny wasn't capable of murder. Gabi agreed that Sonny was, generally speaking, a good guy; she added, however, that he was also proving to be a ruthless businessman -- and he had seen Deimos as a threat to Titan as well as the Kiriakis family in general.

Dario pointed out that Sonny wasn't the only person who'd had a grudge against Deimos and been at the Martin mansion at the time of the murder. When Gabi observed that it seemed like Dario had another suspect in mind, he was forced to name J.J., causing her to leap to her ex-boyfriend's defense. Intrigued, Dario wondered if Gabi still had feelings for J.J. Gabi insisted that J.J. was just a friend and that she was committed to Chad. "How committed?" Dario asked. Before Gabi could respond, Rafe entered the club and apologized for being late for a Hernandez family breakfast.

Rafe explained that he had been at the police station, looking into a potential new suspect in Deimos' murder investigation; however, he regretfully added, for Gabi's benefit, that the lead hadn't panned out. Dario tried to get Rafe to identify the suspect, but Rafe insisted that he couldn't share such details. Changing the subject, Rafe wondered if Dario and Gabi were ready to eat.

Later, after Gabi left, Rafe expressed concerns about Dario, fearing that Abigail might end up hurting him because, after all, he loved her, and she didn't love him. "Not yet. But she will," Dario insisted.

At the police station, Eli informed Hope that the FBI's cybercrime team had deciphered a code in the Countess Wilhelmina hack that had ultimately led them to an account that someone named Myron Raditz had created. Sighing, Hope admitted that, unfortunately, she knew exactly who Myron Raditz was. Lani soon arrived and apologized to Eli for her tardiness. Eli was upset, believing that Lani wasn't taking their partnership seriously, but she insisted that wasn't the case. When Eli filled Lani in on the Myron Raditz lead, Hope sadly revealed that it was probably going to end up taking them right to Rafe's brother's doorstep.

Later, after interrogating Myron, Eli and Lani regretfully informed Hope that the hacker was indeed working for Dario -- and was willing to testify against him in exchange for immunity, a deal the district attorney had already signed off on. J.J. soon arrived and made it clear to Eli that it was his fault that Lani had been late for work that day. "I know you think that she's just some small-town cop that you can replace with anybody else, but [she's actually] the best young detective on the Salem P.D. She's smart, she's tough, and, um -- well, I hope you know how lucky you are to be working with her," J.J. continued as Lani beamed at him.

When Rafe returned to the police station, Hope asked him to join her in one of the conference rooms, explaining, "There's something I need to tell you." Meanwhile, at Club TBD, Dario revealed that he had heard about Myron's visit to the police station. "It was just a fishing expedition. They were talking to a bunch of IT guys about the hacks," Myron claimed. Myron assured Dario that the police had no idea that they were working together.

Gabi ran into Chad in the Horton Town Square and wondered why he wasn't at the hospital, where a board meeting was supposed to be in progress. Chad vaguely explained that he had been forced to skip it so he could talk to Abigail about something. When Gabi probed for more details, Chad stammered that the conversation had been about Dario's role in Thomas' life, adding, when asked, that nothing had been resolved yet.

Kate entered the DiMera mansion and found Andre in the living room, talking to Thomas about Stefano. "You know, when we first got married, I had no idea that one of your special skills was babysitting," Kate joked. Andre explained that the nanny was dealing with some sort of family emergency; he added that, in any case, it was never too early to start educating the newest DiMera about his legacy.

Changing the subject, Andre grumbled that it was troubling to know that an unknown entity was out there somewhere, posing a threat to the DiMera clan. Kate clarified that Chad actually knew exactly who was responsible for the Countess Wilhelmina hack. Kate added that although Chad wasn't willing to identify the culprit, she was fairly certain that she had figured out who it was during her most recent conversation with him.

As Kate started to feed a fussy Thomas, Andre impatiently demanded, "Well, spit it out, woman!" When Kate glared at Andre, he dismissively pointed out, "Oh, you've been called worse." Kate insisted that regardless of whether that was true or not, Andre would have to treat her with respect for the duration of their marriage. Kate flicked a spoonful of applesauce at Andre to punctuate her point then turned her attention back to Thomas. After cleaning his stained glasses, Andre took the bowl of applesauce from Kate and launched a retaliatory shot at her blouse. "You're gonna regret that," Kate vowed as Andre laughed at her.

Abigail soon entered the mansion and interrupted Kate and Andre's food fight. Kate soon rushed off with Thomas to finish feeding him. Alone with Abigail, Andre started to apologize for what she had walked in on, but she assured him that she wasn't trying to police his babysitting skills. "I need your help with Chad," Abigail continued, adding that she was worried that Chad might have killed Deimos.

Andre refused to believe that, certain that Chad wouldn't let Sonny take the fall for a crime he had committed, but Abigail pointed out that Chad might not even know that he had killed Deimos. Abigail added that Dario had proof that Chad was the guilty party. "It's enough to send [him] to prison for the rest of his life," Abigail continued with a sigh. "No!" Kate shouted as she reentered the living room.

Hope gives Rafe some bad news

Friday, July 21, 2017

by Mike

Anjelica summoned Hattie to her office so they could discuss the next phase of their operation. "I'm gonna need an operation if I gotta dress like this twenty-four-seven!" Hattie grumbled as she tugged at her restrictive business attire. Anjelica approvingly remarked that no one would ever be able to guess, at a cursory glance, that Hattie wasn't Marlena. "Yeah, well, no wonder she's such a tight-ass!" Hattie replied.

Changing the subject, Anjelica wondered if Hattie had even bothered to study at all yet. "Not exactly a page-turner, you know!" Hattie complained as she retrieved a psychology textbook from her purse. "[But] I think I got the first page memorized," Hattie continued. Anjelica took the textbook from Hattie, flipped to a random page near the front, and asked Hattie to explain what the amygdala was. "Oh, uh... Uh... That, uh... Oh, no, no, no -- that's the part of the brain that controls being hungry and being horny!" Hattie answered. Sighing, Anjelica clarified that the amygdala was responsible for processing emotions. "Exactly! That's what I said," Hattie insisted.

Forging ahead, Anjelica wondered how Hattie would treat a patient with acute anxiety. "Well, that's easy! I -- I mean, I'd -- I'd... I'd zap the 'dala with a gargantuan dose of diazepam!" Hattie answered. Groaning, Anjelica declared that Hattie definitely wasn't "ready for primetime" yet -- but that was okay because, luckily, the next phase of the plan didn't involve Hattie impersonating Marlena at all. "[Instead], you are going to renew your very special relationship with the citizens of Statesville," Anjelica continued. Pleased to hear that, Hattie excitedly revealed, "There's somebody there I'd like to look up again."

Anjelica -- who apparently knew exactly which prisoner Hattie was referring to -- stressed, "Recruiting this particular individual is crucial to the plan." Anjelica wondered just how confident Hattie felt about being able to enlist the prisoner's help. "Oh, honey, it's in the bag!" Hattie promised. After Hattie left, Anjelica stared longingly at a photograph of Justin. "Oh, my darling...soon you'll be back in my arms again -- if only Hattie doesn't screw this up!" Anjelica muttered, shaking her head skeptically.

When Hattie arrived at Statesville later that day, wearing more casual clothes, a guard greeted her warmly and said that it was good to see her out of her convict uniform. "Yeah, I'm never gonna be locked up in this dump again!" Hattie vowed, adding that she was simply visiting a friend. Nodding, the guard assured Hattie that the prisoner would be arriving shortly.

Hattie took a seat in the visitor's lounge and adjusted herself then watched the entrance expectantly. Someone soon stepped into the room and shouted, "Oh, my God, if it ain't my sister from another mister!" Squealing excitedly, Hattie declared, "Bonnie [Lockhart]! Girlfriend, let me tell you -- you are a sight for sore eyes!"

Theo ran into Claire at the hospital and noted that she had sneaked out of their apartment really early that morning. "Was that so you wouldn't see me?" Theo guessed. Ignoring the question, Claire insisted that Theo shouldn't have bothered trekking over to her workplace to talk to her, since she had nothing new to say to him. Theo clarified that he was actually on his way to Valerie's office because they were going to eat lunch together.

Claire, who seemed disappointed to learn the real reason for Theo's visit to the hospital, complained, "So, Valerie can lie to you and your dad about having a son, but she's okay, and I'm not?" Theo reminded Claire that he still wanted to be her friend. Claire reiterated that she wasn't interested in just being Theo's friend. "All right. Sorry, um, if I bothered you," Theo replied before starting to walk away.

Claire stopped Theo and asked him to explain why he wasn't willing to give their romantic relationship another chance. "I know that you still care about me," Claire insisted, certain that Theo, not Joey, was the roommate who had covered her with a blanket when she had fallen asleep on the couch a few nights earlier. "I didn't want you to be cold," Theo claimed. "It's summertime," Claire countered.

Theo reminded Claire that he wasn't like "normal" guys. As Claire started to stress that she loved that about Theo, he continued, "I feel differently, okay? Different things bother me. [I don't want to] get hurt again, okay? And if we're just friends, then I won't get hurt." Claire argued that friends hurt each other all the time. "It's different when you love someone," Theo insisted.

Claire struggled to understand how Theo could just move her from one category to another to make everything okay again in his mind. "I'm not like that, Theo. I can't just flip a switch in my mind [and] say that I don't love you anymore, and I can't just [go back to being] your friend [again]," Claire continued. "I'm gonna be late," Theo replied after a few seconds of silence.

Theo passed Marlena as he walked away from Claire, who rushed over to seize a comforting hug from her grandmother. After giving Marlena an update on the situation with Theo, Claire braced herself for a scolding, but Marlena insisted that Claire's interception of the love letter that Ciara had written to Theo was nothing compared to some of the things Sami had done over the years.

"[I just] hope you learned your lesson -- that lying just doesn't ever work," Marlena continued. Claire explained that she had lied to Theo because she had been worried that she would lose him if he read the letter. "Honey, you are going to be enough for the right man -- just as you are," Marlena assured Claire, who insisted that she couldn't even think about being with anyone other than Theo yet.

Pointing out that Theo had already made it clear that he was only interested in being Claire's friend, Marlena advised that Claire would either have to do things his way or break things off with him entirely. "[But maybe he] just wants a break from all the intensity," Marlena suggested before excusing herself. Claire seemed to find that idea particularly encouraging.

Theo soon rejoined Claire, who wondered why he wasn't with Valerie. Theo explained that his lunch with Valerie had been cut short because she had been called in to perform an emergency surgery. Nodding, Claire admitted that she might have been a bit too stubborn during her earlier conversation with Theo, adding, "It probably wouldn't hurt to give the whole 'friends' thing a try." Smiling, Theo agreed, "If we could, um, I'd really like that."

At the police station, Hope regretfully informed Rafe that the FBI had connected Dario's IT guru, Myron, to the Countess Wilhelmina hack -- and that Myron had already agreed to testify against Dario in exchange for immunity. Disappointed but not particularly surprised, Rafe guessed that Dario had been calling the shots all along and that Myron had simply been following orders. "When my old man went away, I prayed [it] would be a wake-up call for Dario, but...damn it, people don't change," Rafe mused with a sigh. "I should have realized [that] when he pulled that damn stunt on Abigail," Rafe continued.

Hope was shocked to learn that Dario had convinced Abigail to marry him so he could avoid deportation -- and that Rafe had known the truth all along. Rafe explained that he had kept Hope in the dark to protect her from Commissioner Raines, who was still watching her like a hawk for any sign of involvement in shady activity. "I certainly didn't want to lie to you," Rafe assured Hope.

Hope eventually softened and assured Rafe that she believed him. "[But] this is a mess!" Hope fretted. Chuckling mirthlessly, Rafe pointed out that, on the bright side, Abigail's fake marriage would soon be over, since Dario was likely on his way to prison. "Or he could be deported," Hope reminded Rafe, who nodded grimly, knowing that Dario's life could be in danger in Mexico. "Either way, it looks like all his dirty little secrets will be out soon," Rafe mused with a sigh. Hope soon received a phone call from Eli, who reported that the district attorney was ready to move forward with Dario's arrest. Rafe insisted on helping Hope handle the matter.

At Club TBD, Dario contacted someone and revealed, "The cops pulled Myron in. [He] swore he wasn't gonna turn us in, but I still think we should speed up the plan." Dario then abruptly ended the call, realizing that Chad had just arrived. Chad approached and demanded the return of what Dario had stolen from him. "I didn't steal Abigail from you; she left you out of her own free will," Dario innocently replied.

Chad clarified that he was actually talking about the money that Dario had stolen from Countess Wilhelmina with Myron's help. Chad warned that he wasn't going to give Dario a lot of time to return the money. "I wouldn't threaten me if I were you," Dario countered, reaching for his cell phone. Dario wondered what else Abigail had told Chad. "Just that you're trying to cover your own ass, like you're doing right now," Chad replied.

Realizing that Chad didn't know about the incriminating photograph, Dario instead showed Chad a picture of Abigail and Gabi. "See, as much as you hate my guts, you will never do anything to hurt them," Dario guessed. Dario added that losing a bit of money wasn't the worst thing in the world; after all, at least Chad, unlike Sonny, wasn't sitting in a jail cell. "Gabi's sick about [that, so why don't you] do something about it? Pull a DiMera and get your buddy out of prison," Dario challenged Chad. "If there was something I could have done, I would have [already] done it," Chad insisted.

"Are you sure there isn't something?" Dario asked. Ignoring the question, Chad started to walk away, but he soon turned to face Dario again and vowed, "What you took from me, I will get back. All of it."

At the DiMera mansion, Kate demanded to know why Abigail believed that Chad was in danger of being sent to prison for the rest of his life. "It's useless to stonewall her; I know," Andre advised Abigail. Sighing, Abigail explained to Kate that Dario had a photograph that suggested that Chad, not Sonny, had killed Deimos. "[And when I showed Dario] that I had proof that he had stolen money from Chad --" Abigail began to add. Kate interrupted to tell Andre, "That was exactly what I suspected." Abigail continued, "That's when he showed me the photo." Abigail added that Dario had demanded her silence and her continued commitment to him -- or else.

Kate wondered what Chad had said when Abigail had told him about Dario's blackmail attempt. Abigail admitted that she had no intention of ever telling Chad that particular tidbit of information, and she insisted that Kate and Andre needed to keep him in the dark, too. "What, are you afraid that he's gonna consult Stefano's playbook before he deals with your husband?" Kate asked incredulously. "No, I'm afraid that he's gonna go straight to the police [and] confess," Abigail clarified. Kate pointed out that Chad could have been wiping Sonny's fingerprints off the murder weapon, but Abigail knew that Chad would never tell the police that, even if it was true, because Sonny was like a brother to him. Realizing that Abigail was right, Kate insisted, "We have to do something to neutralize that beast [Dario]."

Andre wondered what kind of marriage Dario expected to have with Abigail while blackmailing her. "Since when have you become an authority on marriage?" Kate teasingly asked Andre, who pointed out that they, unlike Abigail and Dario, had clearly established beforehand that their marriage was nothing more than a business arrangement. Abigail wasn't particularly surprised to learn that Kate and Andre's marriage wasn't real, but she decided not to comment on the matter. "You'd better not, because you have to know that your marriage to Dario is no different than mine," Kate pointed out.

Abigail feigned ignorance, insisting that her marriage to Dario wasn't an arrangement. "Really? Really? You're still going to protect that thieving little blackmailer?" Kate asked incredulously. Confused, Andre wondered what Kate was talking about. Kate explained to Andre that Abigail had only married Dario to help him avoid deportation. "And don't try to deny it, because I heard it straight out of his mouth," Kate preemptively warned Abigail. Stunned, Abigail wondered why Dario had confided in Kate, of all people. "Oh, believe me, he didn't want to, but I have a way of getting people to talk," Kate explained with a shrug.

Kate admitted that she had been supportive of the ruse at first because she had recognized it as a way of keeping Abigail from interfering with Chad and Gabi's relationship. "But now that Dario is posing a threat to Chad, you need to know that your husband isn't some desperate young man [who's] struggling; what he is...is a cold, calculating person," Kate told Abigail. "And that's her talking," Andre interjected.

Abigail was shocked when Kate informed her that Dario could have solved the deportation matter without marrying an American citizen. "So he was lying to me from the beginning?" Abigail asked incredulously. "Makes you wonder what else he's been lying about," Andre mused. Still struggling to process the news, Abigail explained that Dario had convinced her that he was a wanted man in Mexico. Kate agreed with Andre's suspicion that Dario had made up that story. Abigail started to protest that it had to be true because Raines had confirmed it for her, but Andre interrupted, reminding her that they had more important matters to discuss.

"I think I know a way of eliminating Dario's threat permanently," Andre added, dialing a number on his cell phone. A few minutes later, Theo arrived and wondered what Andre wanted to talk to him about. Andre explained that he needed Theo to hack into Dario's phone and delete a photograph. Theo said that wouldn't be a problem, and he added that he'd check the cloud server in the process to make sure that the photograph wasn't also being stored there. "Ooh, I like the way you think," Kate raved. Abigail stressed that Theo couldn't tell anyone about the matter -- including Chad. Theo agreed once he learned that what he was doing would help Chad.

Abigail rushed off to track Dario down and try to steal his cell phone. Theo also left after Andre promised to give him a heads-up as soon as the cell phone was procured. Alone with Kate, Andre thanked her for telling Abigail the truth about Dario. "Well, she was still feeling protective of Dario; I couldn't have that," Kate explained with a shrug. Andre pointed out that what Kate had done had been quite selfless, since it might have complicated her plan to keep Chad and Gabi together. "I have my moments," Kate agreed, adding that, like Andre, she would do anything for Chad. "Might be the only thing that we have in common," Kate told Andre.

Rafe and Hope entered Club TBD and found Dario lounging on a couch, enjoying a celebratory drink. Dario claimed, when asked, that he was celebrating Rafe and Hope's engagement. When Dario invited Rafe and Hope to join him, Rafe pulled out a pair of handcuffs and replied, "'Fraid we can't." Chuckling, Dario wondered if Rafe was trying to mess with him. "Want to add resisting arrest to this?" Rafe asked before cuffing Dario.

Abigail soon arrived and wondered what was going on. Dario assured Abigail that he would be home in time for dinner. "And just so you two know, I can give you a way bigger fish than me," Dario told Rafe and Hope, mainly for Abigail's benefit, as they escorted him out of the club.

In Athens, John and Paul questioned Xander, who insisted that he couldn't have killed Deimos while imprisoned. "I'd have to be bloody Houdini to pull off that move...or Victor Kiriakis," Xander mused suggestively.