E.J. grabbed and shook Gabi while demanding to know why Nicole had gone to the hospital -- and Stefan entered the DiMera mansion during the interrogation.
Stefan ordered E.J. to release Gabi, but the command was ignored. Gabi glanced at E.J.'s right hand and noticed the telltale aftermath of a fistfight, prompting Stefan to tease that acts of violence would look bad on a performance review. E.J. chastised Gabi and Stefan for being insensitive then rushed off to the hospital to check on Nicole. "If she is sick, I hope it's serious!" Gabi spat.
Gabi soon remembered that Nicole had been in the process of logging into a tablet computer to submit Stefan's performance review when the medical emergency had occurred. Gabi had made a mental note of Nicole's keystrokes at that time and was still able to recall them, and the device had been left behind in the living room, so Stefan seized the opportunity to sneak a peek at the performance review -- which described E.J.'s co-CEO as a "possibly brain-damaged" man who, among other offenses, always refused to use inclusive language like "Latinx" and the singular form of "they" in both formal and informal conversations. "'They' is plural!" Stefan argued before encouraging Gabi to turn the negative review into a positive one.
Gabi and Stefan submitted the tweaked review -- along with their own review of E.J.'s performance. "Given the board's endless dysfunction, they'll probably ignore both," Stefan predicted.
Marlena wrapped up a phone conversation with Roman then entered the Brady Pub and spotted Eric.
Marlena claimed the extra chair at Eric's table then began to report that Kate was still alive. "Look at me," Marlena demanded after finishing the tale, having realized that Eric was avoiding eye contact for some reason.
Eric sighed then turned to face Marlena. "That is not gonna close without stitches," Marlena warned.
Eric didn't want to talk about the gruesome facial injury, but Marlena refused to drop the matter. "I was high as a kite, Mom, and so was Nicole -- what happened was the last thing either of us wanted," Eric stressed after telling Marlena the whole story. "I've been researching the ingredients in those biscuits, and I should tell you...there's nothing in them that would increase libido," Marlena countered, annoying Eric, who agreed to get medical treatment in the hope of putting an end to the conversation.
E.J. tracked down Nicole and Kayla at the hospital. "You can't just barge in here!" Kayla protested. "I thought you were in Greece!" E.J. countered.
Kayla sighed then rushed off so Nicole could have some time alone with E.J. -- and ran into Marlena and Eric near the nurses' station.
Kayla tucked Nicole's chart under an arm then squirmed while answering Marlena and Eric's questions about the situation in Greece, having just found out about the mystery surrounding the unborn Walker child's paternity. Marlena eventually seized a hug from Kayla, causing Nicole's chart to fall to the floor. Eric knelt down to retrieve the document, but Kayla firmly objected that it was confidential material. Kayla directed Eric to an examination room then picked up the file once the coast was clear.
Nicole tried to blame the earlier stomach cramps on a bad case of indigestion, prompting E.J. to wonder why Kayla would want to schedule follow-up care for such a trivial matter. "Are you saying I'm lying?" Nicole sputtered. "You lied to me about sleeping with Eric," E.J. responded. "Because I knew how upset you'd get, given my history with Eric -- and your history with Eric," Nicole explained after realizing that E.J. already knew everything and therefore couldn't be fooled with yet another lie. "I got it out of my system when I punched Eric," E.J. admitted. "Did you hurt him?" Nicole fretted. "Eh, he's fine -- more or less," E.J. insisted. "What about you?" Nicole wondered.
E.J. protested that Nicole's well-being was the bigger concern at that time. "Kayla thinks that I'm...in the early stages of menopause," Nicole claimed, drawing a sigh of relief from E.J. "There is nothing that will make you less beautiful or desirable to me," E.J. assured Nicole. "Right...until you're fanning me with magazines because I'm having hot flashes," Nicole countered, but E.J. maintained that everything was going to be okay.
E.J. offered to drive Nicole home then rushed off to the parking lot -- and ran into Eric on the way.
E.J. acknowledged Eric's stitches then claimed to have just finished talking to a doctor about the potential consequences of punching someone -- and also seized the opportunity to brag about having just patched things up with Nicole.
Nicole confided in Kayla about having just sold the menopause story to E.J. -- then insisted on having a paternity test performed as soon as possible and keeping the pregnancy a secret until the mystery was solved.
Roman visited Chad in Greece and expressed concerns about Harris' loyalties then conceded that it would be best to give the Navy SEAL the benefit of the doubt for the time being because no one was more qualified to track down Kate.
Kate was stunned to see that the owner of the fishing boat was Dimitri von Leuschner -- the man who had infiltrated the ISA as Agent Kyle Graham in an effort to seize a priceless and powerful artifact that had once belonged to the House of von Leuschner but had been given to the Kingdom of Alamainia as part of a dowry when the marriage of Katerina von Leuschner and Lawrence Alamain had united the two sides decades earlier.
Kate teased that Dimitri was the "fancy" cousin of Katerina and another notable member of the House of von Leuschner, François -- "lowlifes" who preferred the names Carly Manning and Frankie Brady, respectively. "Billie told me you had an accent," Kate protested, having not yet detected one. "Yes -- but Kyle Graham doesn't, and I find myself reverting to his voice whenever I speak to Americans," Dimitri explained.
Dimitri wondered how Billie had been doing since they had last seen each other a couple years earlier, prompting Kate to recall that the two agents had grown close while traveling the world together in search of the missing pieces of the coveted artifact. "She's forgotten all about you," Kate declared. "I guess I had that coming," Dimitri conceded. "Why aren't you in prison?" Kate wondered. "That's my business," Dimitri responded.
Dimitri refused to let Kate leave the boat. "You escaping that island and winding up in this little fishing boat with yours truly is all part of a much larger plan," Dimitri teased. "Why can't I be in on that 'much larger plan'? I mean, who am I gonna tell? The fish?" Kate argued. "All in good time...but for now, how 'bout a tango? Let's see how you measure up to your lovely daughter!" Dimitri countered before reaching for Kate. "I wouldn't dance with you if you were the last person on earth," Kate spat after raising a knife to keep Dimitri at bay. "Then back to the fish you go," Dimitri responded before chasing Kate off to the bowels of the boat.
Xander was eating a doughnut in his new apartment when Chloe exited her bedroom. "I can't believe I slept so late," Chloe said. Chloe complimented Xander on his choice of mattresses for the apartment.
"Time for a hearty breakfast. So, what's on the menu?" Xander said with a grin. "Did you just ask me what's for breakfast?" Chloe asked. Xander admitted that he had believed that Chloe would cook breakfast. "You assumed wrong," Chloe said. Confused, Xander said he assumed breakfast had been part of their agreement.
"When we decided to move in, I said I would pick up some of the slack of the household chores. I didn't sign up to be your full-time housekeeper and cook!" Chloe said. "I never said full-time," Xander countered. With a groan, Chloe grumbled that it had been a bad idea to move in together.
"Where are you going?" Xander asked. "To pack!" Chloe yelled. Xander jumped to his feet, and he apologized. Chloe noted that they needed to hash out what was included in their arrangement. "We can hash it out over breakfast, which I will happily prepare for us both right now," Xander offered. "Oh, so you cook now?" Chloe asked. Xander admitted that he would dazzle Chloe with Scottish food at a later time. When Xander opened the fridge, he realized it was empty.
"I don't suppose you went to the grocery store, did you?" Xander asked. Chloe glowered at Xander. Xander suggested that they add grocery shopping to the agreement, and Chloe stared in angry silence. "Or not. We can just order online delivery," Xander suggested. Xander added that since Chloe had more free time, he thought she could handle more chores.
"I'm going to get my suitcase," Chloe announced. "Fine! We'll both do it. We'll alternate" Xander said. Xander told Chloe that he wanted to work out the agreement, but he needed to eat first. "How about I take you out for breakfast?" Xander asked. Chloe accepted. "In the meantime, can you dust those blinds?" Chloe asked. Xander noted that they didn't have any cleaning rags, but on Chloe's withering glance, Xander offered to use his T-shirt to dust.
In Seattle, Tripp cooked breakfast for Wendy. "A girl could get used to this," Wendy said. After breakfast, Wendy refused to let Tripp wash the dishes. "You have been a great host in every way," Wendy said. "Well, hey, we're...friends," Tripp said tentatively. Wendy took a step closer to Tripp. "Well, you've been a great...friend," Wendy said.
"I really enjoyed you being here," Tripp whispered. As Tripp and Wendy leaned in to kiss, her phone rang. "It's Johnny," Wendy said. Wendy confirmed with Johnny that she was still in Seattle. "Are you avoiding me?" Johnny asked. Wendy stressed that she believed Johnny's explanation about the biscuits, but she had been reluctant to leave Seattle because of Joey.
"I stuck around to help out," Wendy explained. "Good to know. So, when are you coming back?" Johnny asked. Johnny explained that DiMera Enterprises was falling apart without her. "I doubt that," Wendy said with a chuckle. Wendy promised that she would return soon. "I'm glad, because I really miss you," Johnny said.
After Wendy ended her call, she told Tripp that Johnny had asked about her return date. "Maybe I should go back today?" Wendy said. "That seems kind of sudden," Tripp countered. Wendy reminded Tripp that Joey was better and that she needed to get back to work. "But you can work remotely, right?" Tripp asked. Wendy said yes, she had been working remotely from Seattle already.
"We said that we'd go on one date, and if there was nothing between us, then we'd just be friends. But I felt something on our one date. Something well, great, actually. And it seemed like you did, too. I don't want you to leave," Tripp said. Tripp asked Wendy to stay. Confused, Wendy asked Tripp if he planned to move back to Seattle.
"No, I'll be back in Salem soon. I just promised my dad and Kayla that I would look after Joey until he got back on his feet," Tripp explained. Tripp said he would return home in a few weeks. "If you did stay, we could see where this thing goes," Tripp said. Tripp told Wendy that he wanted to spend time alone with her, but Wendy said she could not work remotely for that long.
"Also, my brother's been kind of lost lately. Now that he's given up on Gabi, I need to be there for him," Wendy said. "And for Johnny," Tripp countered. Tripp noted that Wendy had appeared anxious to return home after her phone call from Johnny. "You're choosing him," Tripp said. Wendy said no.
"It's weird to even think of it like that, like I have to make a choice," Wendy said. Wendy stressed that she liked Johnny and Tripp in different ways. Tripp asked Wendy if he still had a chance with her when he returned to Salem. "Unless you meet someone else," Wendy teased. "Not gonna happen," Tripp said. Wendy told Tripp that she hoped he met someone else.
"Because then we'd be even, you know?" Wendy said. "How would we be even?" Tripp asked with a grin. "Because then you'd have to make a choice, too," Wendy said. Tripp noted that he had already made a choice. "I choose to hope that the girl that I find great in every way, that I feel really comfortable with, who I also find very funny, smart, beautiful, I choose to have hope that she'll come round to see that she and I are right for each other," Tripp said. "Maybe she will come around to see that," Wendy whispered. Wendy noted that Tripp still had a chance.
In Abe and Paulina's apartment, Paulina asked Chanel about her date. "Date?" Abe said. Paulina complimented Chanel on dating again. "Who was this date with, Chanel? Who's the lucky guy? Or gal?" Abe asked. Chanel explained that she had gone out with Talia, and Abe frowned.
"Don't give me that look. Unlike you, I don't have a policy against coworkers fraternizing. As long as it's consensual," Chanel said. Abe reminded Chanel that it was the town council's policy for the local government, not his policy. "I don't know if it even matters, since my business is still shut down," Chanel muttered. Paulina asked if the health department had given Chanel a timeline to reopen.
"They said that until the police find out who's behind those tainted biscuits, they won't even consider it," Chanel said. "The hell with that! Come on, Abe. Let's go and light a fire under that commissioner of yours," Paulina said. Abe asked to finish his pancakes first, but Paulina scowled at him. Abe kissed Chanel goodbye, and he followed Paulina out of the apartment.
In the Brady Pub, Talia took a call from Colin as she ate breakfast. "How was the date?" Colin asked. Talia thought about when Chanel had walked into the restaurant, and Talia had been taken aback. "It was fine," Talia told Colin. "Is she in love with you yet?" Colin asked. Talia noted that it was too soon for love. Colin asked Talia to keep working on Chanel.
"I'm going to focus on my plan for her mother," Colin said. "What are you planning to do to Paulina?" Talia asked as Jada walked into the pub behind her. Colin refused to share details yet, and Talia saw Jada out of the corner of her eye. Talia hurriedly ended her call. "Who were you just talking to?" Jada asked as she sat at Talia's table. Talia lied and said she had been checking in with Chanel about Paulina's health.
"Any other questions? Or should I just get a lawyer because you're so interested in my private phone conversations?" Talia asked. "I just asked you who you were talking to. A very simple question, and yet, you get all defensive. Why?" Jada noted. Talia walked out.
As Jada ate breakfast, Chloe and Xander walked into the pub and said hello. "This is a happy coincidence," Xander said. When Jada asked why, Xander and Chloe took a seat at Jada's table. "Because you can update us on your investigation. Have you arrested Sloan?" Xander asked. Jada sighed. "I think we're interrupting," Chloe noted. Xander told Jada that Chloe had almost eaten one of the biscuits.
"Luckily, I came along in time. Otherwise, things could have gotten ugly," Xander said. "Actually, things did get ugly for a lot of people," Jada said. Jada apologized to Chloe, and she noted that she could not discuss the investigation. "I would think that you would want to solve this sooner rather than later, right?" Xander countered. With a smirk, Jada noted that Xander was awfully interested in a case that did not seem to concern him. Xander argued that he was a concerned citizen.
"Chanel Dupree's bakery was shut down by the health department. It's terribly sad for Chanel. And her employee, poor thing, is shacked up at the same seedy motel I used to call home," Xander said. "Wait, which employee?" Jada asked. Xander looked at Chloe for help, and after a moment, Chloe said Talia's name.
"You saw Talia at a motel?" Jada asked. "The White Dove," Xander confirmed. Chloe said they had run into Talia when Talia had exited her room. "But [Talia] doesn't live at a motel," Jada said. Jada explained that Talia was her sister and that she was living with Jada in a room above the pub.
"My mistake. Ugh. That means she must be just hooking up with that obnoxious Brit," Xander said with disgust. Confused, Chloe and Jada asked Xander what he was talking about. Xander explained that when he had gone to pack up his room, he had run into a man in the hallway. "When I mentioned to him that I'd seen Talia coming out of his room, he denied even knowing her," Xander said. Xander admitted that he did not know the man's name. Jada asked for the room number.
"I never should have brought this up. I mean, it's your sister's business, isn't it?" Xander said. "You're right. It is. But I'd really appreciate it if you can make it my business," Jada said. Jada flashed her badge. "Room 106," Xander said. Jada hurriedly rushed out of the pub. Xander reached across the table and took food from Jada's plate.
After Xander and Chloe ordered food, Xander commented on the large breakfast Chloe had ordered. "Well, in the spirit of our new arrangement, I'd be happy to share," Chloe said. Xander grabbed bacon off of Chloe's plate as Chloe asked him if he thought Jada went to the motel. "She doesn't strike me as the overprotective type, but she did seem awfully interested in that guy her sister's been spending time with," Xander said.
When Talia arrived at the motel, Colin asked Talia if Jada had overheard their phone conversation. "She heard me talking about Paulina," Talia admitted. Talia informed Colin that she had told her sister that she had been talking to Chanel on the phone. Curious, Talia pushed Colin for details about his plans for Paulina. Colin asked Talia if she knew how to trigger Paulina's panic attacks.
"You're not planning on hurting Paulina, are you?" Talia asked. "You don't need to worry about that. You just focus on turning up the heat level on Chanel," Colin said. Colin put his arm around Talia and pulled her close. Colin nuzzled Talia's neck as he gave her advice on seducing Chanel. "Don't worry. It's not going to be much longer, all right?" Colin whispered. Colin said that they could move on with their lives once Chanel and Paulina paid for what they had done to his mother. Colin kissed Talia passionately.
Johnny stopped by Paulina's apartment to ask Chanel for advice. "I feel like I'm losing [Wendy]," Johnny said. When Chanel asked why, Johnny explained that Wendy had been in no hurry to leave Seattle. Chanel asked if Wendy was still upset about the proposal, but Johnny said no.
"I'm pretty sure that the reason is Tripp," Johnny admitted. "Is that what she told you?" Chanel asked. Johnny admitted that Wendy had said the reason for the delay was to take care of Joey. "That sounds reasonable," Chanel argued. Johnny countered that the situation was the perfect way for "boy scout" Tripp to win over Wendy's heart. When Johnny suggested that he should fly to Seattle to woo Wendy, Chanel warned Johnny not to smother Wendy.
"If you don't come off as needy and desperate, then I promise you that if you lie low that Wendy will be much happier when she does get back," Chanel advised. Johnny admitted that Chanel was right, and he thanked her for the advice. Johnny apologized for having bothered Chanel. "I could use the distraction right now," Chanel admitted. With a grin, Chanel told Johnny that she had some good news. Chanel told Johnny that she had gone on a date. Johnny appeared dismayed.
"I know that it seems soon since I broke up with Allie," Chanel admitted. Chanel told Johnny that Allie had started to date someone in New Zealand. "So, if she's moving on, then why shouldn't I?" Chanel asked. Johnny admitted that he had not heard from Allie, so he had not known about her new love interest. With a grin, Johnny asked Chanel about her date. Chanel explained that the date had started well, but it had turned awkward.
"And then, I haven't heard from her since, which is driving me crazy," Chanel admitted. Johnny advised Chanel to take her own advice and play it cool. Chanel laughed. "I think I'm in my head about it because Talia had only ever dated guys before, and I just keep wondering if maybe she's just not that into me," Chanel said. Johnny asked Chanel if she was into Talia.
"I definitely find her attractive, but I don't know," Chanel confessed. "You don't want to get hurt again. I get that," Johnny said. Johnny argued that if Talia did not understand how lucky she would be to date Chanel, then Talia did not deserve Chanel.
After Johnny left, Chanel called Talia and left a voicemail thanking her for the date. "But no pressure if you're not into it. We can just go back to being friends," Chanel said. Talia knocked at the door, and she gave Chanel flowers.
In Seattle, Wendy finished packing. Tripp offered to take Wendy to the airport, but she declined. Disappointed, Tripp admitted he had planned a romantic airport scene goodbye like in Casablanca. With a grin, Wendy asked why their romantic goodbye needed to be at the airport. Tripp kissed Wendy. "See you soon. I hope," Tripp whispered. "We'll always have Seattle," Wendy countered.
At the police station, Abe and Paulina walked into Rafe's office. Paulina demanded to know why the police had not arrested Sloan. "Sweetheart, Rafe can't arrest Sloan just because she has an animosity toward you and Chanel," Abe said. Paulina argued that the evidence pointed to Sloan. When Rafe remained silent, Paulina asked if the evidence pointed to someone else.
"Not exactly," Rafe said. "What do you mean?" Paulina pressed. Rafe said he could not talk about the investigation. "As the mayor of Salem and your boss, I'm granting you that liberty [to say who the other suspect is]," Abe said. Rafe scoffed, then he admitted that Jada had suspected Talia. "But that's her sister! How could Jada even think that?" Paulina said. Rafe explained about the discrepancy in Talia's alibi.
"Talia later said that she misspoke," Rafe added. "So, you suspect Talia because she lost track of a couple hours?" Abe countered. Rafe noted that Talia had also been in the square when Paulina's keys had been stolen. Paulina argued that she would have noticed if Talia had stolen her keys.
"Well, you didn't notice when Sloan did it," Abe pointed out. "Talia also had a key made that day," Rafe said. As Abe raised an eyebrow, Rafe added that Talia had also been the one that had failed to turn on the security camera at the bakery. "And as a doctor, Talia would have had access to the drugs that were used," Rafe said. Rafe explained that when he and Jada had questioned Talia, Talia had been able to offer an explanation for everything.
"Well, of course she did! Talia couldn't have had anything to do with something so sinister," Paulina said. Paulina noted that Talia had a good heart, and Rafe agreed. "We couldn't understand why she would have had anything to do with it, either, especially with no motive," Rafe said. With a shake of her head, Paulina said she did not understand why the police had suspected Talia.
"Rafe is simply conducting a thorough investigation," Abe stressed. "I understand that! But it would just be so awful if Talia had something to do with this, especially now," Paulina said. Curious, Rafe asked why. Paulina told Rafe that Talia and Chanel were dating.
At the motel, Colin was sitting on his bed, texting, when Jada knocked on the door. "Who's there?" Colin said. "The police," Jada shouted through the door.
After their meeting with Rafe, Abe and Paulina talked in the bullpen of the police station. "With any luck, that snake Sloan slipped up and left some DNA evidence behind," Paulina said. Abe kissed Paulina goodbye, and he left. As Paulina checked her phone, Rafe returned to tell Paulina that forensics had not found any DNA evidence. Paulina gasped as she looked at a text message that read, "WATCH YOUR BACK, BECAUSE I'M STILL COMING FOR YOU."
Upstairs in the DiMera mansion, Nicole dreamed that Eric had told her that he knew she was pregnant. Nicole awoke to find that E.J. had brought her breakfast in bed. E.J. recalled that Nicole had said she was experiencing early symptoms of menopause, and he asked if she had been honest with him.
Nicole said she was being honest but that she was concerned about her condition. E.J. tried to lift Nicole's spirits, and he said that Nicole was as "radiant and illuminating" as ever. Nicole thanked E.J. for being "cool" with the fact that she had slept with Eric when she had been under the influence of the tainted biscuits.
After E.J. left, Anna entered to check on Nicole. Nicole shared that E.J. had seemed okay with the fact that Nicole and Eric had slept together while under the influence. Anna surmised that Nicole was still worried about something. Nicole said that she was pregnant and that she wasn't sure who the baby's father was.
Nicole worried that she might not be able to carry the baby to its full term because of her past. Anna asked who Nicole hoped was the father of the child -- assuming that Nicole could carry the baby to full term. Nicole said she didn't know and that she only wanted the baby to be healthy.
Anna held Nicole's hands, and she said she was there for her. Nicole thanked Anna for her support, and she asked Anna to keep her pregnancy a secret. Anna assured Nicole that she would keep the secret, and the two women hugged.
Downstairs in the mansion, Tony was happy to find E.J. in a good mood. Tony recalled that E.J. had told him that Nicole had a secret, and he asked what the secret had been. "Did she book a romantic getaway for the two of you? Or did she buy you that timepiece you had your eye on?" Tony said with a chuckle. "Nope. She slept with Eric Brady!" E.J. replied. Tony's chuckle faded.
Tony said that E.J. was being surprisingly calm about the news. E.J. said that he had moved past being angered by the incident. Tony learned that E.J. had punched Eric and that he had gone to confront Nicole. E.J. said that his anger had turned to fear once he had learned that Nicole had been taken to the hospital. E.J. added that his only concern had been whether Nicole had been okay.
Anna appeared, and she said that she had known about Nicole and Eric because Nicole had confided in her. Anna apologized for having lied to E.J. "All is well now that everything is out in the open," E.J. said as Anna smiled awkwardly.
At the same time, Nicole stood outside the Brady Pub and phoned Kayla. In a voice message, Nicole said that she wanted to know who the father of her baby was as soon as possible. Nicole hung up, and she turned around and saw Eric.
At Abe and Paulina's place, Talia brought flowers to Chanel. Talia suggested that she wanted to be more than friends. Chanel recalled that Talia had seemed distant the previous night, and she wondered what had changed. Talia flashed back to Colin having asked her to break Chanel's heart out of revenge.
Talia said that she had been uncomfortable because she hadn't had much experience with either men or women. Talia claimed that she had always been too preoccupied with grades to focus on dating. Chanel said that she was surprised by Talia's revelation, given how well Talia had kissed her at Sweet Bits.
Talia recalled having met a man in New York, and she said that she had fallen hard for the man. "I swear. I'd do anything for that man," Talia said.
Chanel noted that Talia had spoken of the man in the present tense. Talia corrected herself to say that she wasn't with the man and that they had broken up. Chanel said she was fine with her and Talia being "just friends." Talia flashed back to Colin saying that it was time to "turn up the heat" on Chanel and Paulina. Talia told Chanel that she wanted her, and she kissed Chanel.
Chanel asked if Talia was sure about what she wanted. Talia indicated that she was, and she and Chanel continued to kiss before falling onto the sofa.
At the Salem Police Station, Paulina received another threatening text. Paulina assumed the text had been from Sloan, but it had been sent by Colin.
Paulina demanded that Rafe arrest Sloan. Rafe said that he didn't have evidence that would incriminate Sloan, and he suggested that someone else could be behind the threats. "Are you really going to waste more of my time and your breath trying to tell me the threat is coming from that sweet girl Talia?" Paulina said.
Rafe said he didn't truly suspect Talia. Rafe called Sloan to tell her about the threatening text and to ask Sloan to meet him at the station for an official visit.
Sloan appeared, and Rafe asked if Sloan had sent Paulina the text from a burner phone. Sloan said she hadn't, but she added that it was clear that someone else in Salem had a vendetta against Paulina. Sloan warned Paulina to watch her back. Afterwards, Rafe pleaded with Paulina to be patient, and Paulina reluctantly agreed.
In Colin and Talia's motel room, Jada introduced herself to Colin as a detective. Jada said that Colin knew Talia because Chloe and Xander had seen Talia leave his room earlier. Jada asked for Colin's name. Colin replied that his name was Colin Firth. Jada demanded to see Colin's identification.
Jada said she was worried about her sister, and she asked how Colin knew Talia. Colin lied when he said he didn't know Talia. Jada vowed to find out who Colin was as well as how he knew Talia. Jada left, but she said that she and Colin would talk again.
Back at the police station, Rafe told Jada about the latest threatening text that Paulina had received. Rafe added that Sloan had denied responsibility. Jada quipped that perhaps Colin Firth had been behind the text. "What? The actor?" a confused Rafe asked. "No, the lying swine I just had a little talk with," Jada clarified.
Jada told Rafe about her encounter with Colin. Just then, Sloan reappeared after having left something behind at the station. Sloan overheard Jada say that Colin was saying in Room 106 at the motel. Sloan left, and Jada pulled out her phone to call Talia.
Back at the motel room, Colin heard a loud pounding at the door. Colin opened the door to Sloan. "Hello, Sis. Long time, no see," Colin said with a smirk. Sloan shook her head.
Outside the Brady Pub, Eric approached Nicole, who asked why Sloan had told E.J. that Eric and Nicole had slept together. Eric said that Sloan had made an honest mistake. Eric recalled that Nicole had been on the phone with Kayla when he had approached her. "Is everything okay?" a concerned Eric asked.
Eric pleaded for Nicole to tell him what was bothering her. Nicole said that Kayla believed Nicole was in the early stages of menopause. E.J. called, and Eric wished Nicole a good day. Afterwards, E.J. asked Nicole to meet him at the DiMera office.
At DiMera Enterprises, Stefan and Gabi read aloud Gabi's scathing review of E.J.'s performance as CEO. E.J. entered, and Stefan said that Nicole had been a "total pro" about her review of Stefan's performance with the company.
E.J. was startled to read a glowing, overindulgent review of Stefan's performance, and he realized that Nicole hadn't written the review because she had been in the hospital. E.J. lashed out at Stefan and Gabi for submitting phony reports.
E.J.'s phone rang, and he received a call from Wei Shin. Stefan and Gabi smirked when Wei said he wanted E.J. to take anger management classes. "I'll show you anger management!" E.J. bellowed into the phone before throwing his phone against the wall.
E.J. tried to call Wei back, but he was told that Wei was unavailable. Gabi and Stefan left with smug looks on their faces. Later, Nicole entered. Nicole stared wide-eyed at the review that had been written about Stefan. Nicole believed that Gabi had hacked Nicole's laptop to write the glowing review about Stefan after Nicole had left her laptop at the mansion when she had gone to the hospital the previous night.
E.J. said he was worried because the board had two reports from Nicole. "One true and one a lie. How will they determine which one is real?" E.J. wondered. As E.J. finished his question, Nicole stared down and touched her stomach.
In Colin's room at the White Dove Motel, Sloan realized that Colin had been behind the harassment of Chanel and Paulina. Colin said that he was willing to go to "extreme measures." Sloan said that Colin's actions had made her the top suspect in the attacks on Paulina and Chanel, and she added that she could lose her license, her practice, and her freedom.
Sloan asked if Colin had already done enough damage to Chanel by getting Sweet Bits closed. Colin replied that closing the bakery was "just the beginning." Sloan was alarmed by Colin's actions, and she shared that she had found something good in Salem -- a reference to her relationship with Eric. "I know you think you are honoring Mom and Dad's memory, but the only thing you're doing is ruining my life. It stops here, Colin. It's over," Sloan said firmly.
Sloan sympathized with Colin's feelings about their mother, but she said she had found something that made her want more than just revenge. "I've been there. But it is a lonely place. I didn't even realize how lonely it was until I found somebody that showed me there was so much more to live for. I want that for you, too," Sloan said.
Before she left, Sloan said that if the police questioned her again, she would tell them that Colin was responsible for the harassment of Chanel and Paulina.
At the Salem Police Station, Rafe asked Jada about Colin. Jada described Colin as "evasive and uncooperative." Jada added that Colin had refused to admit to having met Talia -- despite two witnesses that had watched Talia leave Colin's motel room. Jada vowed to find out everything she could about Colin.
Talia appeared. Jada said she wanted to know who Colin was and what Talia had been doing with him. Talia admitted that Chloe and Xander had seen her leave Colin's room. Talia said that she had lied about her whereabouts on the night the biscuits had been tainted and that she had slept with Colin that same night.
Talia told Jada that Colin was her ex-boyfriend from New York, and she implied that she hadn't known that Colin had been in Salem. Talia started to sob, and she grew animated when she spoke of feeling "humiliation" for having slept with Colin. Talia left in a hurry.
Afterwards, Rafe brought coffee to Jada, who said she hoped that Talia had been telling the truth about Colin. "Because everything about that guy screamed bad news," Jada said.
Earlier, at Abe and Paulina's apartment, Talia and Chanel made out on the sofa. Chanel and Talia agreed to go to Chanel's bedroom, and just then, Paulina appeared at the door. Paulina apologized for having interrupted Chanel and Talia.
Paulina offered to leave, but Talia left instead. Paulina apologized to Chanel, who shared that her and Talia's moment of intimacy had been sudden. "Then maybe it's a good thing I interrupted," Paulina said.
Chanel asked what Paulina meant, but Paulina said she couldn't give an answer because her mind was still on Sloan. Paulina revealed that she had received another threatening message, and she recalled how Rafe had refused to charge Sloan because the police had other suspects. "Wait. Are you saying the police suspect Talia?" Chanel asked.
Paulina said that the police had only briefly suspected Talia and that there had been a slight discrepancy in Talia's statement to the police. Chanel thought it was "ridiculous" that Talia could be a suspect. Paulina showed Chanel the latest threatening text she had received, and Chanel remarked that the text was awful.
Paulina asked Chanel to tell her where Chanel and Talia stood. Chanel said that she had been surprised when Talia had said she didn't have much experience with either men or women. Chanel recalled that Talia had mentioned having her heart broken by a man in New York, and she said that Talia had a big heart. "So, the idea that she could hurt anyone, let alone us? The cops have to be barking up the wrong tree," Chanel surmised.
Back in Colin's motel room, Talia gloated that she and Chanel had grown closer. Colin hugged Talia, and he said that Talia had no idea how happy she had just made him.
In the Greek hospital waiting room, Roman hugged Maggie. "I'm still trying to get my head around this," Maggie admitted. Roman agreed that it was hard to believe that Bo was alive. "[Hope] said Bo squeezed her hand," Maggie said. "But unfortunately, there has been no progress since then, so we're making plans to move him to a long-term care facility," Roman said.
"Don't give up hope, Roman. You brother is so strong. I just know it in my heart that he is going to be just fine. So is Kate," Maggie said. Roman admitted he had been too busy worrying about Bo and Kate to sleep. "You know it's only a matter of time before [Kate] is found," Maggie assured Roman.
After a moment, Roman told Maggie that he did not understand why Kate had not reached out to him if she was alive. "Why in the hell hasn't she contacted anyone? I mean, that's not a good sign, is it?" Roman asked. Maggie reminded Roman that Kate had overcome many obstacles.
"You're pretty tough yourself. I hear you're kicking butt at Titan," Roman said. Maggie shrugged. "I don't know about that, but I'm enjoying the challenge," Maggie admitted. Maggie told Roman that Victor had attempted to persuade her to stay behind in Salem at the office. "But there was no way. So, I had to leave Alex in charge while I was gone. I hope that wasn't a mistake," Maggie said.
As Alex waited for his meeting in the Bistro, he talked to Maggie on the phone. Maggie informed Alex that there had been no change in Bo's condition. "I'm sorry to hear that, Auntie. But rest assured, I have everything under control here," Alex said. Maggie asked Alex if he was meeting with Yuri Kasnov. Alex confirmed that he expected to be in business with Yuri's tech company by the end of the night.
"Remember what I said before I left. The deal is all laid out. You don't have to do anything except close it," Maggie stressed. "Get Yuri to sign on the dotted line. That is my one and only job tonight," Alex confirmed. Alex told Maggie that he had asked Stephanie to join him for the meeting to make sure it went well.
After Alex ended his call, he greeted Stephanie, and he admitted that he was nervous for the meeting. "You'll be fine. We've gone over everything. You're totally prepared," Stephanie assured Alex. "I've just never closed a deal this big before," Alex said. Alex reminded Stephanie that it was his last chance to prove himself to Maggie. "You got this," Stephanie said.
When Yuri arrived, he was surprised to see Stephanie at the table. "Is there an image problem that I'm not aware of?" Yuri asked. Alex explained that because it was an important deal, he wanted to make sure that all hands were on deck. "So, where's Mags?" Yuri asked as he sat down. Alex explained that he had sent an email about the family emergency.
"Maybe we should reschedule?" Yuri suggested. Alex said it was not necessary. "With all due respect, I'm used to dealing only with the top dog," Yuri said. With a nod, Alex explained that because the terms had been finalized, Maggie had believed that Yuri would be okay with Alex formally closing the deal. Alex handed the papers to Yuri to sign.
"Actually, I'd like to speak to you about a few things," Yuri said. "What do you want to discuss?" Alex asked. Yuri pointed out that the expansion plan was too conservative. Alex countered that his researchers at Titan had determined that the plan outlined in the papers was the optimal route to success for all parties.
"I don't really care about research. I care about my gut, and what my gut says is we need to be aggressive," Yuri said. "It's fine that you feel that way, it's just that my Aunt Maggie believes that if we just have a little bit more patience," Alex noted. Yuri argued that Maggie was out of touch.
"How old is Aunt Maggie?" Yuri asked. "How is that relevant?" Stephanie interjected. "I promise you this is not about women," Yuri assured Stephanie. Yuri explained that he did not believe that Maggie could keep up with him. "That's where you're wrong. She can definitely keep up with you, trust me. That woman is super shrewd, which is amazing, given how new she is to the business," Alex said.
"New to the business? She's the CEO. I assumed that she had a lot of experience," Yuri said. "She does. She ran a lot of successful restaurants," Alex said. Unimpressed, Yuri said he did not want to make a billion-dollar deal with a "newbie." "Alex didn't mean to give you the impression that Maggie isn't qualified. Not only is she extremely capable, savvy, and smart, she is highly respected among her peers," Stephanie said.
"I need a CEO who's immersed and who's in it," Yuri said. "You know what? You're right. Yuri right. Maybe Maggie isn't completely in touch, but don't get me wrong. What she outlined in this deal is rock solid. But yes, it is possible that given her demo, maybe she doesn't have a full appreciation for the tech space and your goals within it, but I do," Alex said. Alex said that he understood that Yuri wanted "to inspire and disrupt."
"Exactly!" Yuri said. "All we got to do is sign that contract. And then we'll tweak a few things," Alex said. Worried, Stephanie said, "I think we should stick to the original terms." Yuri disagreed. "You totally get it, bro. But now we need to change it up a little bit. But first, I need an energy boost," Yuri said. Alex started to order more drinks, but Alex insisted that he needed something stronger.
While Yuri hustled off to the bathroom, Stephanie reminded Alex that Maggie had ordered him to stick to the plan. "I had to do something. He was gonna walk out of the deal," Alex argued. "Because you were undermining Maggie!" Stephanie countered. "It was an accident," Alex said. Stephanie reminded Alex that he was not authorized to make changes.
"All that matters is that that jerk signs the deal, and I'm gonna get it done," Alex said. "This is a great deal. Remind Yuri how excited he was about it," Stephanie said. "He's not excited right now. He's ready to walk," Alex grumbled. Stephanie advised Alex to sell Maggie's vision to Yuri.
"Believe in it, be confident in it, because the truth is, Yuri would be damn lucky to be in business with Titan," Stephanie said. When Yuri returned to the table, he asked for the papers. Alex argued that the current terms were "pretty awesome."
"You got me pretty pumped up for something a little more in your face," Yuri countered. Alex noted that the risky approach was not always the best one. "You know better than anybody, you start too hot, you flame out," Alex said. Alex told Yuri that if they took Maggie's approach, he believed it would pay off in the long run.
"I promise you, I'm talking about sustained, substantial profitability for the long term," Alex said. With a nod, Yuri announced that he would sleep on it. "No, I think we need to close it up tonight, my guy," Alex said. "I dig you, Alex K, but you made me realize something very important. I don't have enough information on Mags, and I can't make this decision yet," Yuri said. Yuri walked out.
"I cannot believe this! Damn it, Steph, I blew it," Alex yelled. "Don't freak out. Yuri didn't say no," Stephanie said. Stephanie advised Alex to convince Yuri to return to the table and accept the deal. "This is a temporary setback," Stephanie assured Alex. Stephanie argued that it was a normal reaction for someone to second guess a deal that big. "This is not over," Stephanie said. With a nod, Alex agreed that he would press Yuri until he convinced him to sign the deal.
"And I will help you. I promise, we will find a way to spin this," Stephanie said. Alex thanked Stephanie for her help. "Well, hopefully tomorrow, we get this whole thing wrapped up, and Maggie never finds out about this little blip," Alex said. Maggie called Alex. After a deep breath, Alex answered his phone.
"He didn't sign right now, but like I said, everything went great, and I have no doubt that he will be on board tomorrow," Alex said. "I just spoke to Mr. Kasnov, and he decided that Titan is not a good fit, after all. The deal is off," Maggie said. "What?" Alex said. Alex promised to fix things.
"No, I think you said enough already. Yuri told me that he had some doubts about my terms, but you got him all excited with a vision that was more in your face, and he doesn't think that I'm the right person to see it through," Maggie said. Alex argued that Yuri was wrong.
"No, Alex. This is the last straw," Maggie said. Alex begged Maggie not to be angry with him. "I'm not angry. I'm just disappointed. You told me that I wouldn't regret trusting you. You promised you wouldn't let me down. And you did. So, I'm sorry to say that you're fired," Maggie said.
In Greece, Steve and Harris met up in Chad's room to inform Chad that the Coast Guard had found a small motorboat. "So, what about Kate?" Chad asked. Harris explained that the Coast Guard had not found Kate. "The Coast Guard said they don't think Kate could have survived," Steve said. Chad refused to give up.
"We promised Roman we would find his wife, and that is exactly what we are going to do. There was no report of a body being found, so as far as I'm concerned, Kate is out there, alive," Steve said. Harris suggested that they check the ships that had passed through the sea lanes in the area. After Harris pulled up the shipping data, Steve pointed out a cargo ship that appeared immobile. Harris discovered that the ship had been anchored off the coast for several weeks.
"It says the owner of the ship is Dmitri Von Leuschner," Harris said. "You're kidding me," Chad muttered. "You know this guy?" Harris asked. Chad explained that he had met Dimitri in Phoenix. Chad suggested that Dimitri had found Kate and taken her hostage as a way to get revenge on Billie.
"That would explain why Kate has not reached out to anybody," Harris noted. "Isn't Dimitri locked up in Supermax?" Steve asked. After a few phone calls, Harris confirmed that Dimitri was not in his cell.
"The guy cooling his heels in prison is an imposter," Harris said. "He escaped? How long ago?" Chad asked. Harris argued that it was very possible that Dimitri was on the cargo ship with Kate. Chad wanted to call the Coast Guard, but Steve argued that they might tip off Dimitri.
"Let's surprise him then," Harris said. As Steve and Harris loaded guns, Chad asked about his weapon. Chad argued that Kate was like a mother to him, but Steve countered that Chad was the father to two young children and was a civilian.
"I got a good sense of how [Dimitri] works, okay? Maybe I can pick up on some things that you guys don't," Chad argued. Harris and Steve exchanged a look. "He's got a point," Steve admitted. Steve handed Chad a gun.
On the Leuschner ship, Kate chopped up fish. "The captain wants to see you," the henchman said. When Kate entered the captain's quarters, she asked, "Did you call my husband?" When Dmitri said no, a frustrated Kate asked why Dmitri had summoned her to his room.
"You've been working so hard. I thought you could use a break," Dmitri said. Dmitri asked Kate to join him for dinner. "That is a really lovely invitation, Dmitri. But you can shove it up your ass," Kate said. Kate asked Dimitri what he planned to do with her. Dmitri handed Kate a dress bag. Kate started to object, and Dmitri cut her off.
"I'm well aware that your days and nights as an escort are long gone. No, it's just that I would prefer personally that my dining companion smell a bit less fishy," Dimitri said. Kate snatched the clothing bag, and she ducked into the bathroom. When Kate returned, she was dressed in a dramatic black gown with a diamond fish necklace.
"You look stunning," Dimitri said. Kate sat down at the table. "You certainly clean up nicely. I trust you like the dress," Dimitri said. Kate groaned when she saw the lobster. "I know how you feel. When I left prison, I inhaled my meal in about five seconds flat," Dimitri said. "You never explained how you got out of prison," Kate said. Dimitri noted that he had traded places with someone.
"And now, no one even knows I'm gone," Dimitri said with a chuckle. Kate asked Dimitri why he had not made a ransom request. Dimitri explained that if he asked for money, everyone would know he had escaped prison. "So, you're looking for immunity," Kate guessed. "It's a bit more complicated than that," Dimitri said.
Steve, Harris, and Chad boarded the anchored ship, and they split up to search for Kate. Steve entered the room where Kate had been gutting fish, and he found a piece of her jewelry. "What have we here?" the henchman said. Steve turned and saw the henchman brandishing a gun. In Dimitri's quarters, he started to tell Kate about his plan. Chad kicked in the door, and he pointed a gun at Dimitri.
In Marlena's office in Salem, John estimated that Marlena had worked with 5,000 patients over the years. "That needs to be celebrated. And baby, that's exactly what you and I are going to do," John said. John and Marlena went to the Brady Pub. John asked Marlena what stood out to her the most about her practice. "Probably my very first patient," Marlena said. "That would have to be Mickey Horton," John said. With a nod, Marlena admitted that Mickey had been a lovely man but a tough case.
John mentioned the numerous patients on Marlena's call-in radio show. "It still doesn't amount to 5,000 [patients]," Marlena said. "The point is, you have literally talked people off the ledge," John said. Marlena thought about when she had talked a man named Matt off the ledge of a building. Marlena had stepped out on the ledge in high heels, and she had fallen off the building.
"You know, you almost died helping that kid," John said. Marlena said she would do it again. "You always put your patient first regardless, because that's just who you are," John said. John added that the ledge had not been the only time Marlena had risked her safety.
John mentioned Stella Lombard, who had believed that Marlena was having an affair with her husband. Marlena laughed, and she noted that Stella had thrown her into a pit. "In my attempt to rescue you, I fell right into the pit with you," John said. "Being together in it, that rekindled our love," Marlena said. Marlena and John thought about that memory.
John had told Marlena in the pit that she had always been willing to sacrifice for her family, kids, patients, and Roman. "You changed my life, Doc. Yes, siree, made me whole again," John had said. John had reminded Marlena of what a mess he had been when he had first arrived in Salem.
John smiled at the memory. "It's true, Doc. I would still be in the dark if it weren't for you. And I thank God every day that I met you," John said. John reminded Marlena that she had been a miracle worker with a lot of patients over the years. "I wouldn't say that," Marlena said. "You rehabilitated a serial killer. Thanks to you, Ben Weston overcame his demons, became a real stand-up guy," John said. Marlena smiled, and she noted that Ben had done all the hard work.
"I'm just so proud of the man he has become," Marlena said. Marlena thought about a conversation she had had with Ben after baby Bo had been born. Marlena had told Ben that he had worked hard at a second chance. "Dr. Evans, your guidance, your support, that is what made me into the man I am today," Ben had said. Marlena smiled at the memory.
"I heard from Ben. He is over the moon to be becoming a father again," Marlena said. "You deserve a little credit for that happiness. You gave that young man a whole new life," John insisted. John proposed a toast. "To you, Doc. What an incredible career you have had, continue to have. You have provided so much care and comfort to people in need. And through your hard work and determination, your dignity, your style, your grace, and most importantly, your loving heart, you have made an indelible mark not only on this town, but the entire world. So, here's to you, Dr. Marlena Evans. You are a true legend," John said.
As John and Marlena exited the pub, he noted that he was happy to celebrate his wife. "Maybe 5,000 isn't such a crazy number, after all," Marlena said. "Well, in that case, happy 5,000th, Doc," John said.
This marks actress Deidre Hall's 5,000th Days of our Lives episode.
