EJ and Belle are texting back and forth, flirting, when Rita walks into the DiMera home, memory card in hand. She hands it over, then Tony waltzes in for dinner with EJ, delighted to see Rita. But he knows what she’s doing there, he claims. EJ can’t hide things from him.
After some more pleasantries, Rita heads out, and Tony tells EJ he can confide in him if he’s in trouble. EJ holds out the memory card and says Johnny’s the one in trouble, not him. EJ explains what’s on the card and walks Tony through it all.
Tony can’t believe it, though. He gets why Johnny was so upset learning about EJ’s reprehensible behavior towards Sami, but that doesn’t mean Johnny pulled the trigger. But when EJ vows to protect his son at all costs, Tony says he will, too.
Gabi Wants Chad’s Help
Chad and Gabi are having dinner at The Bistro, though he’s skeptical of why she wanted to get together. He figures it’s there to talk about Gabi Chic and The Spectator, but instead she wants to chat about “Your birthright.”
She thinks Chad is the perfect DiMera to get the family company back. But Chad’s not interested. It’s just been a front for illegal activity. It only existed to fund his family’s schemes. Gabi admits she’s reached her limit with the Kiriakis family in charge and she can’t get out of her contract.
The company’s about to implode, and if it does Chad’s children’s futures will go up in smoke, too. He needs to “step up to the plate.” Chad then takes a call from Leo, much to Gabi’s annoyance, after which talk turns to Chad’s date with Cat and the skydiving accident. Gabi’s also surprised over hearing that.
She’s not judging Cat, but she wants to know what’s really going on between Chad and Cat. He just says the more he learns about her, the more he likes her. “As in like like??” Chad insists they’re just friends, and that’s giving him enough trouble with Jennifer.
As they’re talking over Cat, Tony and EJ show up and Chad greets his eldest brother with a joyful hug. Gabi’s a lot cooler with EJ. Tony asks if they can join. Gabi thanks him for the lovely offer, then says she has to go. Before she leaves, Tony asks if she heard from Stefan lately.
Nothing since he left Salem, Gabi says. Tony mentions reaching out to Stefan when they visited Alamainia, but they never heard back. Chad figures Stefan followed through and cut ties, while EJ says he got a card from Stefan. He’s sure he’s fine. Tony, though, worries that Stefan’s in some kind of trouble.
Jack and Jennifer Plan More Visits
JJ, Jennifer, Jack and Thomas are playing Monopoly in the living room — while Charlotte’s off on a spa day with Julie. Thomas gets sad when he realizes the next family game night won’t be for awhile since Jack and Jen will be heading back to Boston. But it’s OK, they promise they want to visit more often.
“That’s great,” Thomas says, “but why?” He doesn’t think it’s just because they want to visit family more. JJ wonders that, too. Once Thomas heads out to the kitchen, though, Jack admits Jen also wants to keep an eye on Cat.
When Thomas comes back, he nearly wipes his grandmother out of the game, then offers a trade for her to stay in. If they tell him the real reason they’re visiting more. “Is someone sick?” Jack and Jen make up an excuse about wanting to be back more for Julie. She’s been so sad since Doug died.
Jack and JJ head out to talk in the hall, where JJ wonders why his mom is so focused on Cat now. If she is spending more time with Chad, JJ will keep an eye on her, too. They head back in to finish Monopoly, where Thomas drops the news that Gabi dumped JJ, which is the first time an annoyed Jennifer heard her son was dating her.
She lists off Gabi’s crimes and JJ says this is why he never said anything. They start getting into it as Jack hurries Thomas out, then comes back in to try calming everyone. It doesn’t matter, JJ, says. Gabi dumped him and it’s moot. There’s no going back.
Shane Ropes Cat Back In
Out in the square, Cat’s on the phone when someone appears to be following behind her. She gets spooked, but turns around to see no one. She makes it to the park, where Shane sneaks up on her. “What, no hello for your old boss?”
He just wants to be sure his employees stay on their toes. “Former employee,” Cat says, reminding him she was just an analyst, not even a field agent. He wants her back. And she doesn’t have a choice.
But, he clarifies, it just means she’ll come back on her own once he explains the stakes. Cat sits, reluctantly, and goes off, talking about how her investigating Clyde led to her father dying, her mom getting brainwashed, and her almost dying. But her services are done. “I can’t afford to end up like John Black.”
Shane accuses her of a low blow. And the world is more dangerous with John gone. That’s why Cat’s needed. That and her “personal connection with the case.” Since she’s already working at the hospital with Marlena, she’s the perfect person to find new boss EJ’s partner — who must have given him the funds — and take down the “DiMera criminal enterprise.”
Shane is sure EJ’s planning something besides making money off the Versavix drug patent. That’s too far off to be worth the payoff. Cat reluctantly agrees to keep her ears open and to report back only if she hears something useful. “Splendid.” But Cat’s done when this is done. And the ISA will leave her alone for good.
In the Show’s Final Moments
Jack and Jennifer say goodbye to Thomas and JJ, promising they’ll be back soon. After JJ leaves, he runs into Gabi in the square, where he apologizes again. He was wrong to accuse her. Gabi happily asks what changed, and JJ says it was the memory card Rafe planted. “So new evidence,” she declares flatly, then walks off coldly after a few more words.
Chad, Tony and EJ toast to their father, and Tony brings up the DiMera company being swiped. He blames it on the DiMeras being at each other’s throats and says they need to unite to bring back the company. “I’m afraid not,” EJ says. DiMera Enterprises has just given him misery. He thinks the future is on the hospital and his is on repairing his relationship with Johnny.
Tony turns to Chad, who is perfectly happy running The Spectator. Chad says his farewells, though Tony snaps that the conversation isn’t over. Then EJ gets a message from Belle and he, too, leaves a dumbfounded Tony alone.
He calls Anna and says that he brought up his concerns, but neither EJ nor Chad have any interest in helping. “If the family business is to be saved, it seems I am the one who has to do it.”
Shane thanks Cat for her cooperation and wishes her the very best. She heads into the square, where Chad runs into her and they confirm they’re still on for dinner. While a ticked JJ watches from behind a tree.
