Johnny Confesses What Really Happened the Night EJ Was Shot, While Philip Continues to Hold His Tongue About Xander

Roman finds Marlena outside the Brady Pub and asks how the wedding was. She said it was terrific, and John would have been so proud of his son. Roman is sorry he couldn’t be there, but she said she wanted to talk to him about something. Marlena wants to talk about Johnny and that he might be the person who shot EJ. She gathers he already knew that.

They head inside to talk privately, and Roman asks what she knows. Marlena tells him about Rachel’s nightmare and that she remembered hearing Johnny and EJ arguing that night. When she investigated, she saw Johnny pointing a gun at EJ. Roman feels for the kid and isn’t surprised to have this confirmed. Roman tells her about his gun from behind the bar going missing around the time Johnny found out the truth about how he was conceived. Marlena asks, “Are you saying Johnny used your gun to shoot his father?”

Roman explains that when he found out the gun was missing and Johnny had taken off, he made a beeline to the mansion to stop Johnny, only to find his gun was stashed in a planter outside. Then he heard the sirens and realized something had already happened. He took the gun and came clean with Johnny about his suspicions, but Johnny denied shooting his father. However, there was one bullet missing from the weapon.

Marlena says Rachel’s talked to Kristen about her dream, and her mother told her to keep quiet or her other grandmother could go to jail. She assumes one of them has told Brady by now. Roman confesses he also told Kate. Roman asks what she suggests they do. Marlena says they have to talk to Johnny before doing anything. Roman says that can be arranged and texts him.

Sophia Hires Melinda

Sophia meets with Melinda in Horton Square. She tells the lawyer her mom still hasn’t come around to the idea of hiring her, and neither has Tate. However, she wants to hire her, as she’s desperate and running out of time. She needs to find someone to adopt her baby before she gives birth. Melinda won’t let her suffer through this alone and will help her. She assumes Tate doesn’t know they are meeting. Sophia says he doesn’t, but she doesn’t care, as she needs her. Melinda suggests they get to work.

Sophia tells Melinda she doesn’t have a lot of money to pay her right now. Melinda is waving her fee as she’s been in a similar situation to hers. She had an unwanted pregnancy as a teen, too.

Sarah Asks for a Favor

At the hospital, Stephanie chats with Sarah about Philip’s forged letter. Sarah says Xander knows about it and that she kept it from him. She doesn’t know who ratted her out and destroyed her marriage. Stephanie is so sorry and insists she didn’t tell anyone. Sarah doesn’t think it was her or Alex. She says Philip denies telling Xander, but she doesn’t believe him, just like she doesn’t believe Philip denying Xander was his attacker. Stephanie says it’s possible that Xander used Philip’s loss of his inheritance to keep him quiet. Sarah notes that the problem is that there is no proof. The doctor suggests that Stephanie could get the truth out of Philip. Stephanie says if Philip admits it, Xander could go to prison for a long time. Sarah says if Xander did it, then he belongs in prison.

In his hospital bed, Philip wakes up from a nightmare about Xander beating him. He looks at his tablet and reads an article that Xander has been exonerated in the incident.

Brady stops by to see Philip. Philip gives him his condolences about John. He also got a visit from Bo before he left town. Despite his bungling that back alley deal for the drug, he’s glad Bo got what he needed. Brady says Bo wasn’t the only good news the family got, as they all thought Xander beat him, and it’s hard to think a member of your own family could do something so barbaric. He just lost his dad, and they’ve all done so much to hurt one another, but at the end of the day, they are family. Brady can’t bear to lose anyone else.

Philip understands, as he lost his dad not long ago, and he’s right, Xander is family. Stephanie appears, and Brady heads back to work.

Philip asks what brings Stephanie by. She admits that Sarah wanted her to come by and… Philip knows this is about who attacked him, and if he lied about it not being Xander. He asks why he’d lie? She suggests to keep half of his inheritance. Philip says he does have some pride. Stephanie asks if he was the one who told Xander about the forgery. Philip insists he didn’t, and he promised Sarah that he wouldn’t.

Stephanie returns to Sarah and says Philip stuck to his story. Sarah thanks her for trying. Sarah leaves to check on a patient, and as Stephanie’s headed out, she notices something that shocks her.

Brady Warns Melinda

Back in Horton Square, Sophia runs to the bathroom to take a break, and Brady appears and spots Melinda. The lawyer tells him that she’s sorry about his father. He says he knows she’s trying to involve herself in Tate’s child’s adoption. She explains that Sophia came to her, but Brady doesn’t care. He is glad Tate stopped it, as his family doesn’t trust her regarding babies. He won’t forget what she did to Eric and Nicole, so stay away from his family. Brady storms off.

Titan-DiMera In In Trouble

At Titan, Alex focuses on his tablet as Johnny comes into his office and rambles about the hours of training he’s just gone through. Johnny tells Alex just to point him at a job and tell him what needs to be done. Alex informs him that, according to the latest numbers, they may not be able to point him in a direction at all.

According to the recent stock report, Alex explains that Titan-DiMera is in trouble. Also, Xander sold many assets to try to buy University Hospital, only for EJ to purchase it, so the company is in a vulnerable spot. Johnny asks if he’s saying this company could go under.

Xander appears and states, “Like hell! It will be EJ DiMera going under, you can count on that!” Xander believes he can get the first vote on the hospital ownership nullified because his false arrest influenced it. Alex is onboard, and Johnny says if it’s what’s good for Titan, then he’s in.

Alex explains that he was considering putting Johnny on PR for Gabi Chic and giving him a spot on the publishing board where he could pump out some TV ads for them. Xander approves, but since when are they back in publishing? Alex says he’s found a lucrative new opportunity for them.

Johnny gets a text from Roman, and asks to take an early lunch, and then he’ll get started on the new projects. Johnny takes off, and Xander tells Alex that he appreciates his loyalty and trusts him. He considers Alex “The Hand of the King.” Alex asks about Philip. Xander says he is family, so he’ll be back, and they must clean up the colossal mess he made of the Versitex deal. This time, they’ll keep him on a short leash.

Stephanie Confronts Alex

Stephanie meets Alex at The Bistro for lunch, and she’s in a mood. She says she was at the hospital, where she found a copy of her manuscript at the front desk. According to a nurse she talked to, it made the rounds through the entire staff. She told him that she didn’t want anyone to read it, and she was embarrassed by it, so how did this happen?

Xander and Sarah Confer With Their Lawyers

Back in Salem Place, Xander thanks Melinda for taking a minute to see him. She says she only has a minute, as she’s meeting with another client. He asks if she can get him full custody of his daughter. Melinda tells him that any decent judge will suggest that he and Sarah work out a co-parenting agreement and that there is no way he’ll get full custody. Xander thinks there has to be something outside the box she can do, a Melina Trask special. She asks if he’s asking her to go outside the bounds of the law. Xander knows Sarah wouldn’t do it, so maybe?

At the hospital, Sarah is on the phone with Justin, who tells her the same co-parenting advice Melinda gives Xander. Sarah wants full custody, but Justin says that won’t happen.

Back over to Salem Place, Brady runs into Xander and wants to update him on Basic Black. Xander doesn’t have time, as he is focused on contesting EJ’s purchase of the hospital. He knows Brady is on the board, so would anyone change their mind on how they voted? Brady admits he would.

Johnny Comes Clean

Johnny meets with Roman and Marlena in a room at the pub. Marlena says they want to help him, but they need the truth. Roman demands that he tell them everything that happened the night EJ was shot, starting with how his gun disappeared. Johnny admits he took the gun.

Roman asks why he didn’t say something before. Johnny wasn’t ready to admit what he did. He’s shocked that Roman found the gun in a planter by the mansion front door. Johnny is confused as he didn’t leave it there. Marlena asks what happened.

Johnny says it’s all a daze, and he was just so angry with his dad. He remembers making it to the mansion, confronting his dad, and pointing the gun at him. EJ asked what he was doing, and he didn’t even know. He felt as if he wanted to explode, and he could feel his hand on the trigger, and it felt like he wanted to pull it. He remembers EJ telling him not to, and that he never meant to hurt him. EJ told him all he could do was stop his son from becoming like him. EJ asked for the gun, so he gave it to him, and that’s the last Johnny saw of it. He breaks down that he feels horrible for wanting to shoot his father, and his grandparents comfort him.

In the Show’s Final Moments

In the hospital, Philip takes a call from Vivian, and says she’s the reason he’s in this bed, and he’ll never forgive her. He tells her that she started all of this, and he’s done with her forever and never wants to see or hear from her again.

In Horton Square, Xander is shocked that Brady would support him if there were another vote. Brady says he would have his vote, and he’ll see him around. Brady walks off, and Sarah appears and stares down Xander.

Melinda tells Sophia that she can’t help her, as Tate and his family won’t stand for it. However, she’ll try to find her another lawyer to work for her pro bono and to call her if she needs anything else.

At The Bistro, Stephanie can’t believe Alex gave her manuscript to Kate. Alex explains Kate must have left it behind by accident, and nobody knows who the author is, including Kate. He says Kate loved it and thinks it could be a best seller. Stephanie says, “Really? A best seller?”

At the pub, Roman tells Johnny that they believe him, and Marlena is sorry he’s going through this. Johnny is just glad he could finally tell someone about it all. Roman is still confused as to how the gun got in the planter. Marlena says perhaps EJ stashed it, but Roman says it doesn’t explain the missing bullet. Johnny hadn’t heard of a missing bullet, and he never pulled the trigger. Roman says someone else shot EJ after Johnny left. Marlena asks, But who?