Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of February 23, 2004 on DAYS

Nicole was the prime suspect in Victor's murder and the serial killings. Bo and Hope were unaware that Shawn suspected Marlena of the murders. Sami and Lucas admitted their feelings for each other while Kate kept silent for Will's sake. Nicole and Jan helped each other out of a jam.

Monday, FEBRUARY 23, 2004

by Amanda King

Philip was obviously upset at the news of his father's death. He and Kate entered the Kiriakis mansion and found Bo arresting Nicole for the murder, but Nicole quickly explained that she had an airtight alibi, as she had been handcuffed to Brady. Brady vouched for Nicole's statement, and Kate and Philip were angry that he had been handcuffed to Nicole while with her in bed. With that, Nicole was free to go.

Bo and Hope disappeared to look for new evidence, and Bo realized he had a message on his phone from Victor. The message stated that he wanted Bo to know the combination to his safe, but that it could wait until the following morning. Just then, Mr. Briscoe, Victor's attorney, arrived to pay his respects. He set up an appointment for the next morning to open the safe and read Victor's updated will to his survivors.

When Nicole angrily tried to kick Kate out of the house, Mr. Briscoe responded by saying that after the reading of Victor's will, Nicole would have no authority to make any demands in the Kiriakis mansion. Nicole wandered to another room and wondered what incriminating evidence Victor could have planted in the safe. She tried her hand at opening it, but Bo caught her red-handed. She deterred him by stating that she was only making sure the safe was secure, but Bo was still suspicious.

Meanwhile, Philip and Brady threw punches after Philip insulted Brady for making out with his step-grandmother. Marlena and John broke up the fight and insisted that the two apologize to each other. Later, John found Marlena outside, worrying about whether Shawn would tell his accusations to his parents. John reassured her that he thought she was innocent but then asked her if she felt she had any reason to feel guilty.

Marlena listened as Bo and Hope asked Shawn what he had to tell them about the killer, but Shawn dodged the question and said he had had a theory but was sure that his theory was wrong. Marlena turned to John and explained her thoughts that if he thought she was guilty, then Celeste's premonition might happen, after all -- that John would kill her. John denied it and reaffirmed his trust in her, but when Marlena walked away John whispered, "It couldn't be her."

Jan hid in Nicole's room and dreamed of Shawn making love to her. Her dream was happy until she thought to confess to Shawn about murdering Victor. Shawn yelled that he had never loved her, anyway, and left the dream angrily. Jan returned to reality and vowed that Shawn would never know the truth. She remembered electrocuting Victor and decided that when she killed Belle, she would make Belle suffer even more. When Nicole returned to the room, Jan was anxious to leave to find Shawn, but Nicole informed her that their whole secret would unravel unless they quickly found a way into the safe.

Julie was angry that Bonnie had taken over Tuscany for a countrified party on Valentine's Day. Doug humored her but then questioned his wife when she stated that she was angry enough to have killed Bonnie. As they cleaned up the restaurant, Doug begged her not to even joke about killing someone. Julie exclaimed that she was disgusted by Mickey and Bonnie's relationship.

Doug and Julie left and headed home for bed. As they lay down, Doug had a vivid image of the killer's mask. He dreamed of seeing the hooded figure at the circus and then of later catching Marlena in a lie regarding her whereabouts. He startled awake and whispered that he'd seen the killer. As he drifted back to sleep, he saw Marlena entering Tony's treatment bay at the hospital, and as he put the facts together, Doug woke up and realized that Marlena was the killer.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Belle wanted Shawn to admit that he had been wrong in accusing her mother of being the Salem Serial Killer. After hearing all the details of Victor's "accidental death," Shawn agreed that Marlena couldn't have killed Victor, but he remained suspicious. Belle dragged Shawn upstairs to continue their argument, in case she wanted to yell, she told him. They coincidentally ended up in the room Jan was hiding in.

Shawn then offered to take Belle home to discuss the situation in bed, but Belle informed him that she didn't want to be with him that night. Jan smiled secretly to herself. Belle then stated that the situation had already broken up her parents, and she realized what it was doing to her and Shawn's relationship. Shawn asked her if that meant they were breaking up, but Belle dodged the question and told him she didn't want him staying at her loft anymore and that she was glad they hadn't slept together after all.

A few minutes later, Shawn tried to apologize to Belle downstairs, but she was still icy toward him. As Belle bid Marlena goodbye, Marlena thought to herself, "No one is ever going to catch me. Anyone who tries is dead."

Tuesday, FEBRUARY 24, 2004

by Joan

At the Deveraux home, Patrick was secretly researching Jennifer's computer on whatever he could find about Jack and Jennifer. While suspicious at times, Jennifer said she was glad to have Patrick there with the serial killer at large.

As Jan was sneaking out of the Kiriakis Mansion, Nicole warned her to get out of Salem, threatening that she should not link Nicole to Victor's death. Brady was curious when he found Nicole going through Victor's desk. Realizing the evidence against her was in the safe, Nicole tried to figure out what the new combination could be. Accessing both Victor's date book and computer, she tried Bo's, Brady's, and Isabella's birth dates without success. Fantasizing that she had gained entry or gotten caught, Nicole imagined traps Victor had set and her ultimate imprisonment.

Outdoors, Marlena mumbled, "Shawn is definitely a problem, and problems need to be eliminated. The only question is, what is the best method of disposal?" Recalling her past murder weapons, Marlena looked at the carving knife in her hand as a police officer approached. Suggesting she go home with a killer on the loose, the officer was surprised when Marlena laughingly replied that she could take care of herself. But she later added, "No, not until I take care of Shawn Brady."

At the loft, Belle surprised Marlena as she headed for Shawn's apartment. Belle told her mother it was the end for them, as Marlena thought, "Well, it's the end for Shawn, that's for sure." As Shawn slept next door, Jan gained access through a window. Shawn dreamed of kissing Belle, but woke unaware of Jan kissing him. While Jan hid, Shawn investigated, asking Belle if she had been there. "In your dreams is the only place I'd be kissing you," was her reply.

At the Bradys', Bo blamed himself, as a cop, for not preventing Victor's death. Fearful for family members, he worried how far the serial killer would go to not get caught. Shawn stopped by and confided in Bo about his argument with Belle. Confused over his suspicions, but withholding Marlena's name, Shawn took Bo's advice to apologize to Belle.

Meanwhile, at the loft, Belle complained of a cold. Searching for remedies, Marlena found a key to Shawn's apartment in a cabinet, saying, "Well, now all Belle's problems with Shawn are about to be over." Giving Belle tea with honey, Marlena stood outside, echoing some of her daughter's words, saying, "No, I wouldn't hurt a fly." But she added, "I'm just going to kill your boyfriend. That'll teach him to point a finger at me."

While Nicole was determined there would be no reading of the will the next day, Bo told Hope he was confident in Victor's evidence inside the safe. At the loft, Belle put down the distasteful tea, while Marlena was approaching Shawn's bedside. The blade glistened as she said, "You shouldn't have guessed I was the killer, Shawn. Now, you've left me no choice."

With six to seven savage blows, Marlena attacked the sleeping body, leaving a pool of blood. Catching her breath, she stepped back, holding the bloody knife upright and saying, "All right. That is the end of Shawn Brady."

Wednesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2004

by Melissa S

Brady called Chloe to let her know that Victor had been killed. Nicole interrupted the call when she had a dream that Victor dropped a radio in the bathtub as she was bathing. Brady went in and found Nicole passed out in the tub. She woke up and told him what had happened and how Victor had done the same thing to her as he had suffered.

Nicole was bleeding. She had cut her hand on a razor. Brady fixed her up with the first aid kit. Nicole told him that she was very sorry for Brady's loss of his grandfather. Nicole told Brady that she should be blamed for Victor's death, but Brady would not have it. Nicole took her pajamas off, and Brady said that he was going to call Chloe.

Later, Nicole believed that Victor was trying to ruin lives from the grave. She took a bath again and saw a bloody hand reach up from behind her. It was Jan, who was all bloody. There was a flashback of Jan getting into Shawn's bed and Marlena stabbing her.

Sami had another dream about making love to Lucas. She woke up to Lucas. He was there to check up on her because he had heard her moaning in her sleep. Lucas figured out that she'd had a dream about him.

Sami wanted to be happy. She started talking about what had happened a year earlier with Brandon. She spoke about love and how she needed more people to love and be loved by in her life. She believed that it was too late for her to love. Lucas held her.

Belle had a dream that she and Shawn were not going to ever speak to each other again because of him saying Marlena was the serial killer. She called to talk to him, but he was not home. Later on, Shawn showed up at Belle's apartment. He had not been able to sleep. Shawn said that he had hurt her and that he was sorry because he had known Marlena ever since he was little and knew that she was not capable. He said that he wanted to be part of the family if Marlena would have him.

Shawn decided to spend the night with Belle, but he had to go home to get a few things. Belle went over to see if Shawn had any aspirin. The door to his apartment was open. She went in. Someone had broken into his apartment, and he thought it was Marlena because whoever it had been had cut his sheets and bloodied them too.

Shawn told Belle that he would give up his theory of Marlena being the one if his key was in Belle's apartment. The key was at Belle's place. Marlena stopped at Belle's to visit. She was very shocked to find a very-much-alive Shawn there. Marlena had thought she had killed him -- and then wondered who it could have been that she had stabbed.

Marlena was in Shawn's apartment with a bloody knife. She heard Belle's message on the answering machine, and Marlena said that she'd had no choice but to kill him. Later, Marlena said that Belle would one day understand why Marlena had done what she had to Shawn.

Thursday, FEBRUARY 26, 2004

by Joan

During the night at the Kiriakis Mansion, John checked in on Brady, concerned that his son had found Victor dead. Referring to Nicole, John asked, "Where's his murderer?" Convinced of her innocence, Brady listened to John speculate that Nicole's handcuffs were a deliberate plan while a hired killer had murdered Victor.

Upstairs, Nicole found a bleeding Jan collapsing next to the tub where Victor had died. While Jan begged to be taken to a hospital, Nicole was more interested in the killer's identity, hoping to clear herself. But listening to Jan's senseless plan of meeting Shawn in his apartment made Nicole consider she was connected with a "loony."

Nicole's refusal to get medical help, which would then expose Jan's cover, made Jan wonder if Nicole wanted her dead, since she had killed Victor. Nicole said she didn't want Jan to die but mentally added the thought, "At least not here in my bathroom." Nicole's "solution" was to stitch Jan's wounds, using a sewing kit to stitch and brandy for the pain and antiseptic. Offering Jan a bullet to bite on, Nicole said the bullet belonged to a "dear, departed friend named Larry."

At the loft, Hope arrived and found Belle in tears. In Shawn's apartment, Hope was stunned by Shawn's bed drenched in blood. Intimidated by Belle's facial expressions, Shawn still said nothing about Marlena. Tek's investigation found evidence of long, dark hairs in Shawn's bed. Evidence of slash mark angles in the mattress indicated the "assailant" was of average strength and between 5'7" and 5'10" in height.

While she accused Shawn of having a girl in his bed, Belle nervously recognized the description was similar to Marlena. As she defended her mother, Shawn was conflicted as to what to do because of Marlena's visit to the loft.

At the Williams house, Doug couldn't sleep. Realizing that he knew who the killer was, Doug recalled seeing Marlena leaving Tony's treatment bay with a syringe. Unable to answer Julie's questions, Doug could only say it was "someone we care about." Agitated, Doug worried about making wrong accusations, but he realized that Julie might be next if she knew, so Doug was determined to go to the police.

Julie's emotions fluctuated from wanting the killer stopped to concern for her husband's safety if he got involved. While Julie suggested telling Hope, Doug decided what woman he had to see. With a kiss, Doug told a tearful Julie, "I'll be back soon. Don't worry."

Back at the Kiriakis Mansion, an intoxicated Jan babbled "safe opening...big trouble for Nicole," recalling Victor's conversation with his attorney. After locking Jan in a closet, Nicole found a locksmith downstairs, drilling the safe at the request of Victor's attorney.

At the loft, Hope believed the victim had gotten away alive but was convinced Shawn was the killer's target. In Shawn's room, Hope felt like someone had walked over her grave, fearing "someone I love will be the next to die."

Julie awoke to see Maggie's ghost warning her that if Doug revealed the killer's identity, "there won't be anything anyone can do to save him." Meanwhile, Doug knocked at a door. Apologizing for the late hour, he said he knew who the killer was, "and you are the only one who can help me."

Friday, FEBRUARY 27, 2004

by Joan

Kate helped Will with a school project while Lucas went to Sami's to find a glue gun. As Will told Kate about the camping trip, Kate's concern was that Sami and Lucas would get back together. Sami was disappointed that Will asked Kate to help Will instead of Sami. While Lucas tried to make Sami see they were dancing around one another's feelings, Sami put him off.

Telling her to have a nice life without him, Lucas left Sami alone, trying to convince herself she didn't care for him. As she confided in a teddy bear that she was in love with Lucas, Lucas was confiding in Kate the one thing she didn't want to hear. "I'm not afraid to admit it. I care about Sami. I care about her a lot. ...There's something going on between Sami and me. Something real."

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Nicole found Bo downstairs and police waiting outside until the safe was opened. When Hope arrived telling Bo about the attack at Shawn's, Bo was quick to tell Nicole that Hope could identify her as the serial killer. Using the evidence they'd gained at Shawn's, Nicole was asked to stand at her bedside over Bo as Marlena had at Shawn`s. Claiming their tactics were illegal, Nicole sent Bo and Hope out of her room.

Too anxious to wait alone for Doug's call, Julie confided in Alice, recounting Maggie's visit and the danger Doug might be in. Meanwhile, Doug went to Celeste for help, only to learn she had been expecting him. Receiving disturbing vibrations, Celeste felt the killer was about to strike again. Doug lit an angel candle, whose white light, according to Celeste, would save his life.

A window blew open as Celeste announced contact with "the dark side." Asking the spirits if his suspicion about the killer was correct, Doug saw Marlena's face appear within a circle of crystals. But just as Doug said he would go to the police, the angel's light flickered out, indicating grave danger.

At the Kiriakis Mansion, Jan emerged from the closet, hearing Nicole's desperation over the safe. Stunning Nicole, she smiled, saying, "I know the combination."

Julie decided to make a call she believed Doug would never make. "...It's a matter of life and death. Doug thinks he knows who the Salem Stalker is, and we need some advice. So, can I please come and see you, Marlena?"

Reading the Tarot cards, Celeste found Doug had chosen an unusual combination of three cards from the deck. The first was the Wheel of Fortune, signifying the circle of life, and the next was the Judgment card, signifying Doug was answerable for his actions and inactions. When Doug turned over the third card, Celeste gasped at the sight of the Death card. At that moment, the window blew open, and the angel candle's light flickered once more.