Goons

So let's recap here. Chloe, one of Salem's... um... less intelligent citizens, so much so she thinks of her hair as being dark blonde, has just outsmarted Lucas and gotten him to admit he was down at the docks. Still giddy from the fact there is someone in Salem with less brainpower than she has, Chloe continues the conversation. Lucas wants her to keep his secret. He claims he was just out trying to get some fresh air. Chloe thinks he was doing more than that. She thinks he was reaching out to her. She tells Lucas she was crying because of Phillip.

"I'm sorry about that," says Lucas, still trying to recover from the embarrassment of being outsmarted by someone with the IQ of Plymouth rock.

"It was just a misunderstanding," says Chloe, "I won't turn you in. I wouldn't do that to a friend."

Bo and Hope arrive at the pub. John says he thinks they know who's behind things at the docks, "I'm talking about you... protecting your little brother, detective. Why hasn't he been arrested for torching my goods?"

Nick is on the phone, "Come on, Max, pick up."

Stephanie tells Patch she and Max are working through their problems. Patch thinks Stephanie should give Max some space.

Max sneaks and hides in Robbins' hotel room.

Outside, Robbins tells Nicole he hasn't found a house yet, so that's why he's living in a hotel. He can't wait for them to reconnect. Nicole wants to reconnect another time. Robbins thinks they have a lot to catch up on.

Hope tells John there is no proof that Phillip did anything. John reminds them they arrested him on bogus charges. The remind him drugs were found on his ship. Bo says, "If Phillip was involved he will be arrested, but right now we have nothing on Phillip or Paul."

John doesn't buy it, "You won't find proof sitting here on your butts and drinking coffee. I'll get the proof myself."

Nick wonders, "Where the hell are you, Max."

Stephanie thinks Patch wants her to give up on Max. Patch says that's not what he is suggesting. Kayla interrupts. Stephanie tells her she thinks Patch is overreacting. Patch doesn't agree, "I'm just saying you have to give a guy a little room to make some mistakes."

"Not Max," says Stephanie, "He can make mistakes without any room at all."

The father in Patch comes out, "You didn't come home last night. In case you're forgettin' it wasn't long ago when your life was in danger."

Stephanie hurls back, "Yeah, because of you!"

"Hey," says Patch, "Lay off. Nobody's perfect."

Robbins and Nicole walk into his room and discover the mess. Robbins immediately calls security and asks them to call the police. He hangs up and surveys the damage, "Somebody was looking for something here, but what?" He turns to find Nicole is gone. Max watches.

Lucas says, "Thanks for keeping my secret."

"What," says Chloe, "That you broke the rules of your house arrest?"

"No," says Lucas, "That you outsmarted me. If that gets out I'll be the laughing stock of Salem." She asks him not to try to escape again. He agrees. She asks about his relationship with Sami. Lucas tells her things aren't good, and that he has demanded either Sami or EJ move out. Chloe asks what if neither of them moves out.

"Then I will know it's over with Sami."

Chloe licks her chops, "Sami's a fool to let you go."

Lucas says, "I could say the same thing for my brother." He hesitates, "Did you just outsmart me again?"

Chloe tells Lucas about Bo questioning Phillip, He says he's innocent and I have to believe that."

John barges in, "You have to believe what? That he's innocent? Tell him he's already made too many mistakes."

"Tell him yourself."

"I intend to," says John. Chloe leaves. Lucas says he thinks John was rude. John says he will be as rude as he pleases in his house, "Is there anyone else in the house I should know about?"

"No," says Lucas, "Sami and EJ are both away."

"What about the twins," asks John.

"They both gave me the slip this time," says Lucas. He leaves.

John calls Ava, "I'm gonna take you up on your offer."

Bo says he wants to talk to Phillip again, so Phillip will be stopping by. Phillip pops into the scene. Bo asks about the fire and the drugs. Phillip denies everything. Hope wonders if Hollingsworth has an alibi.

Bo gets a call. He listens and whines, "Can't you get someone else to do it? OoooooKaaaayyyy.... I'm on it." He hangs up and announces there was a B&E at the Salem inn, "I'm filing a grievance. I've already done my hour of work today." Phillip assures him he's telling the truth as Bo leaves.

Ava has arrived at John's mansion. Ava says she will help him prove Hollingsworth torched his goods. He wonders how. "First," says Ava, "I make a simple phone call. She dials, "Angelo, I need you and Eddie to do a little job for a friend of mine. Pick up Paul Hollingsworth and bring him to the DiMera mansion immediately. We'll be waiting."

Angelo hangs up and turns to Eddie, "Who the hell is Paul Hollingsworth? "

John tells Ava he is the one who struck the first blow in the Kiriakis war. He says he bribed Paul to hold up a few ships. Paul betrayed him. Ava says, "In my family that's grounds for... Well, let's just say it's frowned upon. We'll make Phillip pay. I'll see to it." John thinks Ava's father reminds her of Stefano. She thinks Martino and Stefano stayed out of each other's way. John wonders if he and Ava shouldn't do the same. He tells her he's inherited Stefano's interests, "Blondie thinks I should use it to do good. What do you think?"

"I agree," says Ava, "And the most good you can do is to get rid of Blondie."

"I'll think about it," says John.

"Take all the time you need."

Phillip is back home. He remembers the conversation where Paul demanded payment. Nicole rushes in looking for Victor.

Angelo and Eddie show up at the DiMera mansion dragging Paul like a sack of potatoes. Paul asks, "What's this all about, John?"

"I want to have a little chat," says John.

"Haven't you ever heard of a telephone," asks Paul.

"I thought you might need a little extra persuasion," says John. John says he will forgive his betrayal if Paul tells the truth, "You started that fire, didn't you, Paul?"

Stephanie tells Patch he can't tell her what to do, "I'm not going to let anyone treat me like garbage except Max." She leaves.

Patch stares, "That's true – I have no right." He turns to Kayla, "I didn't raise her, you did."

"Oh no," says Kayla, "You're not pinning the blame on me."

Robbins picks things up in the room. Max stands behind the door, watches and makes enough noise to wake the dead. Robbins grabs a lamp base and goes into the bedroom. Of course, the room is empty. Robbins runs to the open window and looks out. Twenty-seven stories below he sees a splat on the sidewalk.

Phillip says Victor is at the hospital. Nicole says she needs a favor. Phillip says she's better off going through him, "Tell me what you need."

Nicole says, "What I need is... protection."

Bo comes into the hotel room and finds Robbins.

Nick asks Hope about Max. She says she hasn't seen him and asks what's up. "He's kinda missing," says Nick.

"I'll notify the Kinda Missing Persons Bureau immediately," says Hope.

Stephanie comes in whining, "Where could he be?"

Magic Max materializes, "Where could who be?"

Stephanie snorts, "Where have you been?"

Nicole tells Phillip someone from her past has showed up. Phillip needs a name if she wants his help. Nicole wants to drop it. She bumps into Chloe on the way out.

Bo tells Robbins, "I'll file a report, but unless someone saw the intruder there is nothing I can do. Our policy at the SPD is that we have to walk in on a crime while it is being committed. Otherwise we have to mess around with irritating things like looking for clues and fingerprints."

Max plays dumb. It's not a stretch. Nick joins them and together he and Stephanie grill Max about his mysterious disappearance. Max says he went for a run. He tells them he can take care of himself.

Paul thinks John is threatening him. "I don't do threats," says John

"But we do," says Eddie.

Paul insists he and John are on the same side. He denies everything. Angelo and Eddie rough him up. Paul continues to deny everything. Angelo gets in his face, "You can do this the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice. Did you set that fire?" Paul insists he didn't. Angelo slaps him. Another denial. Another slap.

Paul appeals to John, "Call your boys off."

Angelo pulls out a pistol and points it to Paul's temple, "You have five seconds."

"Or what," asks Paul.

"Or I'm turnin' on DOOL."

Lucas sneaks down the stairs and listens.

Phillip tells Chloe Nicole seemed scared. "What," says Chloe, "Is she afraid of running out of vodka?"

Phillip gets a call. The guy informs him a couple of goons picked up Paul and took him to the DiMera mansion, "They were Vitali goons." Phillip hangs up and gets ideas. He moves in on Chloe.

Bo returns to the pub. He tells Hope the victim was Trent Robbins. Nick overhears. Bo asks Nick if he knows of anyone who might want to do this to Robbins. In the background, a big neon arrow points to Max and blinks.

Chloe breaks it off, "Victor could come home." She tells Phillip she finally has a friend in Salem.

"I hope that friend is me," says Phillip.

"You know you are," says Chloe. Friendly Phillip gets friendlier.

Angelo shoves his pistol into Paul's face. "Go ahead and do it," says Paul, "I'm not admitting to something I didn't do." Angelo prepares to pull the trigger. John stops him. Paul says, "I didn't betray you, John. I swear." John tells them to go throw him out into the street.

Angelo is dumbfounded, "You mean alive?"

John drones, "Let him think about what could happen if he doesn't wise up."

Ava says, "I think Paul got the message." Angelo and Eddie drag Paul out as Lucas watches. He remembers bumping into Paul.

Kayla says, "Stop beating yourself up. She's a grown woman and in love. I don't think Max would want to hurt Stephanie." The nurse comes up and tells them they can go back in and see L'il Joe.

Patch tells her he will back off, "But I don't think we know the half of it."

Robbins sits and drinks. He dials his phone. Nicole answers. "You ran out on me," he says. Nicole says she didn't want to get in the way. Robbins tells her nothing at all was taken and asks to see her again.

Nicole doesn't want to do this, "Is this necessary?"

"It's not to only necessary," says Robbins, "It's long overdue. Wouldn't you say so?"

Nick says he doesn't know of anyone who would have a grudge against Robbins.

Hope and Stephanie talk about L'il Joe as Max looks at the picture he found.


Previews
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