Rafe Appeals to EJ to Reopen Gabi’s Case — and Nicole Discovers Abby’s Incriminating Notes

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Rafe meets Ava at Wendy and Tripp’s place (they left her a key while they’re in Hong Kong). He tells her the working assumption is that Gil killed Li. Can she help them prove it? She insists she doesn’t know anything, but ultimately agrees to do what she can to help.

Eric comes to The Spectator and finds Thomas there for Take Your Kid to Work Day. Thomas wants to be a reporter like his mom. Chad joins them proudly grinning. After Eric sends Thomas to check out the photo room, he notes what a great kid he is. Chad credits Abigail. Eric is sure she’s smiling down on them.

EJ storms into the mansion, surprised to see Nicole. She’s there on break from work. She wanted to try to mend fences with Holly, but she’s out. EJ apologizes for his role in their fight, but Nicole knows he was just trying to help — like he always does. Recounting that Chloe gave birth to Holly and a custody battle ensued, she wonders if things would be different had she raised her from the very beginning. She was hoping to have that chance with their son. EJ bristles.

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At the Bistro, Stefan and Kristen toast to finding Li’s real killer and Gabi finally coming home. Despite not understanding Stefan’s love for Gabi, she genuinely hopes they get a real chance to be together. “Just keep that bitch away from me.” Stefan reminds her that Gabi’s not out yet. Plus, that lead fell into her lap because he found the black book. Kristen warns him not to go back on their deal. Stefan reaffirms that the mission is to oust EJ and insert her as CEO, but getting Gabi out of prison is the priority. Stefan wants to compel EJ to reopen Gabi’s case, but Kristen convinces him to wait for Rafe to find more evidence.

Sloan finds a drunken Leo on the park bench with a liquor bottle in a brown paper bag. She yells at him for blowing up her life by telling EJ about Jude. Leo points out he was drunk and wasn’t thinking. He genuinely apologizes, but Eric cut him off financially. Plus, he believes Jude should be with his biological mom. “Jude is never going back to Nicole,” Sloan declares. “Ever.”

More: Doubts over Gil’s guilt

At the apartment, Rafe brings up Ava’s criminal past while trying to figure out why Stefan took the fall for her with the drugs. Was there something going on between them? Ava assures him the only woman Stefan loves is Gabi. Rafe presents his theory that Gil came to the apartment looking for her, but ran into Li. Why else would he come there? Ava tears up, reminding Rafe that Gil was a sexual predator who she killed in self-defense. She grows more emotional, thinking Li died because of her. She would tell him if she knew anything, but she doesn’t. Rafe warns he won’t stop digging while his sister’s freedom is on the line.

At the mansion, EJ asks Nicole to attend an upcoming city hall fundraiser with him. Nicole is always proud to be on his arm, but also, she might be able to pick up something for her and Eric’s article on Salem’s unhoused. After a lot of schmoopiness, Nicole goes to work. EJ’s carefree expression tenses.

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When Nicole comes to the paper, she gives Chad a notebook she found in her desk’s false bottom. Chad pages through it, recognizing Abigail’s handwriting. The book is filled with stats on ODs and drug arrests. She must have been working on the story just before she died. Chad calls Jack, who confirms Abby was about to break a heavy story wide open. Nothing ever came from it, so he assumed she dropped it. Chad muses that she didn’t, and that it was about Salem’s increased drug traffic. Chad realizes that Abby was onto Clyde, but did he know about it?

More: Serena Scott Thomas’ mystery role

Confused by Sloan’s declaration, Leo wonders why EJ wouldn’t want his kid. She tells him not to ask questions. Leo is having a hard time living with the guilt and asks how she does it. Sloan has come to terms with it and urges Leo to put it behind them. Outraged, Leo says it’s not like they forgot to feed the cat or killed a plant. Sloan warns him to stay quiet.

In the room above the pub, a distraught Ava leaves Harris a message. To herself, she worries she’ll have to tell Wendy that her brother is dead because of her. She prays Rafe is wrong.

Stefan and Kristen find EJ drinking alone at the mansion. As the siblings verbally spar over DiMera Enterprises, Stefan feigns accepting that EJ has the CEO position buttoned up. Rafe stops by to present EJ with evidence that suggests Gabi is innocent. EJ refuses to reopen the case.