Nathan drops in on Lulu with the news that Charlotte ditched school hours ago! He then has to calm Lulu with the news that she’s just at the Quartermaines’. She’s just been lying about where she’s going and what she’s doing.

 

 

Charlotte gets home and Lulu reads her the riot act for ditching Officer Jeffers at the Quartermaines’ and lying to her mom. It was no biggie, she just wanted to visit Danny, but Charlotte totally gets worrying about someone you love. It’s actually kind of a masterful pivot into Lulu comforting her and getting out of trouble.

Carly lays down the law with Valentin. “I’m not gonna let you take Charlotte.” But he’s not trying. He just has to leave after Charlotte’s visit. She’s taking too many risks and his enemies could go after her. Like Jack. And Sidwell. He threatened Ace and he’ll do the same to Charlotte if he thinks it’ll work.

Actually, Carly agrees. She came to tell Valentin he should leave. She’s risking everything to help him. But now everything’s changed. He has to stay. Wait, what?

Has Alexis Tricked Tracy?
Trina gets to the courthouse to check things out with Kai, just as Alexis demands answers from Jacinda on the stand. “I remember I had such a great time with Michael, that I lost track of time.” Suuure. Alexis helps her correct her memory. After Ezra’s testimony, there’s not a whole lot to do but admit she wasn’t with Michael.

Next up: Tracy! This time, Alexis has a folder in hand as she checks with Tracy to clarify if she saw Michael outside Drew’s house the night of the shooting. Tracy glares at Alexis, stares at the folder clearly marked as “Home Security Footage” and says… “Yes.” And Alexis is done with her, too!

What Was Michael Doing At Drew’s?
Now, Alexis calls Michael himself. He insists he was just on the street, and never at Drew’s house. Nor did he take Edward’s gun. Though he does hate, Drew. But then, that’s just the most logical reaction to his uncle… Heck, even Alexis understands! Which probably isn’t a good thing. She gets him to admit that he thinks Drew is a danger to his kids. While Drew smirks away from the peanut gallery.

Turner does her best to do damage control, and has Michael explain what happened. He went to Drew’s to ask him to back off of Willow, but never went in. Wiley called. He has a special ringtone, and it stopped Michael in his tracks. He reconsidered a confrontation, didn’t want to make things worse for him and his kids, and just went home. Brook Lynn told him at home that Wiley had woken up and wanted him. He insists he did not shoot Drew Cain.

They recess and Drew celebrates that Alexis introduced enough reasonable doubt.

Is This Dante’s Fault
Dante has to sign a warrant back at the station. Nathan shows up and Dante drags him into the interrogation room to wonder how they never knew Michael was on Crestview Lane. He has to face facts that Michael may have shot Drew.

Dante blames his time in prison and rape for hurting him and making him a man capable of murder, and Dante was the one who convinced him to turn himself in after killing Claudia. That’s hogwash, Nathan says. And Nathan will help him go through everything again.

In the Show’s Final Moments
Tracy rushes over to Lulu to tell her the Michael news. Alexis cornered her on the stand and Lulu points out that it was probably a bluff. Oops. Tracy! You’re smarter than that! But Lulu wants to know how Alexis found out Tracy saw Michael that night.

Carly suggests Valentin figure out how to approach Sidwell before he makes a move. He’s safer in her attic than anywhere else for now. Charlotte texts Danny thanks for helping and flashes back to her dad’s warning.

In the midst of Nathan’s reassuring, Dante realizes that his partner just mishandled evidence and broke the chain of custody when he stopped by Lulu’s. That’s so unlike him. Yes. Yes it is.