PLAYERS: Kristen Blake, Susan Banks, Edmund Crumb, Penelope Kent, Laura Horton, Celeste, Stefano DiMera, Sister Mary Moira, John Black, Marlena Evans, Violet, Elvis Banks, Roman Brady, Abe Carver

Minor Characters: Jack Deveraux, Jennifer Horton, Mickey Horton, The Turban Man.

The year began with Susan and Elvis leaving Salem with John's help in order to escape Stefano and Kristen. Susan made a new life for herself and Elvis in England where she met the love of her life (besides Elvis), Edmund Crumb, and his mother, pub-owner Violet.

Meanwhile back in Salem, Kristen (delusional as ever) was determined to get, "her" baby back to reunite her family with John. Despite hitting rock bottom, Kristen broke into Marlena's penthouse to search for clue as to their whereabouts. While hiding from Marlena, Kristen discovered a fax with a picture of Susan and Edmund and the information that showed that they were in England.

While Edmund planned to propose to Susan, Kristen developed her plan to get Elvis back. She kidnapped Sister Mary Moira and locked her in a secret room at the Blake House.

Meanwhile, Susan receives a phone call first from a mysterious woman and then shockingly from Kristen who yells, "SURPRISE," into the phone. Kristen demanded that Susan return to Salem and bring little Elvis or she'd never see her Sissy again. Edmund was shocked to discover Susan had returned to Salem. Dressed like Kristen in a white dress Susan entered the Blake house. Kristen had been downing the booze and she'd also been taking the Laura's Placedin that she'd found on the ground in Salem Place. Susan demanded that her Sissy be released and she came at Kristen with a letter opener. Kristen had drugged Susan's soda can.

Meanwhile, Laura left Jennifer's "funeral" in a rage, with a gun and the intention of seeking revenge on the DiMeras. Stefano figured Kristen must have left town and Billie wonders why Kristen didn't go to the funeral. While on her way to the airport, a woozy Susan calls the police leaving a tip as to where her sister is. Abe, John, Roman and Stefano free Sister Mary and learn Kristen is gone. They think that Kristen is probably trying to skip town and they then find Susan trying to dash onto a plane back to England.

Meanwhile, Kristen's body is seen in the pool. Susan claims she hasn't seen Kristen and before Abe can question her further he learns that Kristen's body has been found in the pool at the Blake house. John has jumped in the pool and Marlena and him work to revive Kristen but it is no use, she has died. Marlena breaks the news to a distraught Stefano while Laura wakes up screaming. Abe found the letter opener covered with Susan's finger-prints and the police question Susan who says she saw Kristen but never hurt her. Edmund then burst into the police station claiming he is Susan's fiancee.

Meanwhile Laura learns from Jennifer that Kristen is dead. When asked by her friends and family where she went during Jen's funeral she says that she just went out for some air. Celeste wakes up in a snowbank to discover that she is bleeding. Because of the jungle madness she also has recurring visions involving Susan, Kristen and Laura. The news breaks that the coroner has shockingly ruled the death as a suicide. John is plagued with guilt when he hears a message from Kristen asking for his forgiveness. Stefano also feels guilty. Susan avoids Edmund's proposal. Later when she's alone at the station, Susan takes off her glasses and removes some false teeth and KRISTEN is revealed. Kristen has been posing as Susan all along. Susan has been kidnapped by the Turban Man and is seen somewhere in a room.

Kristen decides to accept Edmund's proposal and she manges to pull off being Susan in front of everyone, including Mary Moira. Kristen wants to return to England in hopes of ditching Edmund and getting Elvis but Edmund insists on staying for Kristen's funeral. Susan, who is forced to belly dance for the Sultan, vows to make it back to Edmund and Elvis. Laura recalls going to the Blake House and seeing Kristen by the pool and Celeste has visions of something terrible happening at the funeral. Stefano suspects Laura of being involved in the murder.

At the funeral John upsets Stefano when he pulls on Kristen's face to make sure that this is not another DiMera trick. Kristen sees that John is a wreck over the issue and is convinced that he still loves her. She also realizes that maybe everyone didn't hate her since they showed up for her funeral. Laura however, has opted to wear a bright red dress and hat since she's celebrating Kristen's death. When no one gets up to speak about Kristen, Stefano decides to and he chastises the crowd for how they treated her. He works himself up so much that he begins to cough and grabs his chest and collapses. Lexie rushes to him manages to revive him. Stefano is admitted to the hospital. The funeral ends and the group heads to the Brady Pub. Laura openly admits that she hopes Stefano joins his daughter in hell.

As the days went by, Laura continued to remember the night at the Blake House. Marlena who was somewhat suspicious of Laura, began to piece things together and realized that the drugs in "Kristen's" body were the same that Laura had been taking. Before revealing this news to Abe, Marlena questions Laura herself and Laura cracks and admits that she was in fact at the Blake House that night. Laura tells Marlena to leave her home when she realizes that her best friend doesn't believe that she didn't kill Kristen.

Meanwhile, Kristen and John are at the Penthouse and she asks John to teach her how to dance. She kisses him but then covers by saying she just got caught up in the moment. Later Marlena tells Kristen of the new evidence about Laura and Kristen is shocked and puzzled about her Laura could have been involved since she never saw her. Abe reopens the case as a homicide with Laura as the prime suspect. Celeste's visions continued and she wondered if she had killed Kristen. Edmund began to feel that, "Susan" no longer loved him since she had been acting so differently. John returned to the Blake House hoping to find something new. His search led him to a button. Stefano was released from the hospital and he accused Laura of killing Kristen. Laura remembered shooting her gun at the Blake House. She then discovered a missing button from the coat she had worn the night of the murder and quickly sewed a new one on just as Abe and Roman searched her house and began to question her. Laura's glove turns up in the river and they discover that the button was indeed Laura's. The glove is then analyzed at the police station. At the graveyard, Stefano talks to Kristen's grave and apologizes for how he treated her in his final days. "Susan" hears this and she reveals herself to Stefano. He is shocked to see that Kristen is alive and has been posing as Susan. She tells him that she's leaving to go get Elvis and to ditch Edmund. He convinces her to stay a while longer since people will become suspicious if she leaves. She does however attempt to leave but Edmund surprises her with Violet and Elvis who have come to Salem. Through all this Edmund continues to make wedding plans with Caroline and Maggie's help. Susan still belly dances for the Sultan and she makes plans on how to get home to Edmund and her sweet pea Elvis.

Things were just beginning to heat up. Kristen attempted to leave Salem with Elvis but John stopped her at the airport. She then learned from Stefano and John that Edmund had a wedding planned for them and with no other alternative she agreed to the marriage. Before Abe and Roman arrested Laura she was in a car accident and was taken to the hospital. Upon being released Laura lays into Marlena about what a good friend she's been. As the pressure builds Laura yells, "I shot Kristen." Meanwhile, Celeste's visions continued to torment her and she began to wonder if Kristen was posing as Susan. She headed to the wedding planning to expose Kristen but Stefano stopped her and later at the convent he cured her of her jungle madness. At the wedding Kristen hid her disgust as she married and kissed Edmund.

At the Sultan's palace Susan is ordered to be executed but she manages to save the Sultan's life and then winds up being his personal concubine.

At the hospital, Laura confessed to firing three shots at "Kristen" at the Blake house. Therefore, she was certain she played no part in her death, since "Kristen" didn't die of a bullet wound. Laura was then arrested for attempted murder. In captivity, Susan also remembered that night. Through flashbacks, Penelope Kent was revealed. Susan remembered getting a phone call from Kristen and picturing Kristen dressed as a wicked witch. The doorbell rang and a stunning women dressed in yellow was at the door. She removed her glasses and hat and was the spitting image of Kristen. Susan began to freak out but Penelope, an English movie queen revealed that she was Susan, Mary and Thomas' sister. Penelope had a picture of their mother and revealed that their mother couldn't take care of the four of them so she had been adopted by a wealthy family who fixed her teeth and everything. Susan believed her and said, "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY SISSY!" Susan shared her story with Penelope and the pair concocted a scheme to confront Kristen and head to Salem together. Susan continued to remember the night at the Blake House and wondered what had become of Penelope.

Across town at the DiMera mansion, Celeste began to piece things together and she told Stefano of her recollections of the night "Kristen" died. Suffering from jungle madness, she stumbled into the house and witnessed Laura's shooting spree. One of the bullets had skimmed Celeste and that is why she woke up in the snow bank bleeding. Celeste saw a drunk and drugged up "Kristen" get up unharmed. She later did recall seeing gloved hands hold "Kristen's" head underwater, however. Celeste didn't kill "Kristen" and they knew Laura tried but failed so Stefano posed the question, "who did?" In his hotel room Edmund also remembered the night. Edmund had just arrived in Salem and had heard the gunshots up the hill at the Blake House and he rushed inside.

Kristen almost died when Marlena tells her that the body is going to be exhumed. The mystery surrounding Kristen's death builds as a gun and bullet are found from the supposed crime scene. Later, it is determined the bullet has blood on it but it's clearly not Kristen's. Laura is upset after the request to exhume Kristen's body is denied and the judge announces if she pleas temporary insanity, she will be sent to a mental institution. Celeste is desperate to get to Abe to tell him she saw Kristen alive after Laura supposedly shot her. Kristen attempts to leave town with Elvis and she hugs Stefano goodbye at the airport which Edmund notices. Edmund catches up with her and he tells Stefano to leave her alone. Kristen is forced to take off for her honeymoon with Edmund.

Meanwhile, Celeste and Stefano enter the courtroom and announce they can prove Laura didn't kill Kristen. Celeste gives her account of what happened the night Kristen was supposedly murdered and her testimony gives Laura a strong alibi. Later, after reevaluating the case, the judge returns to announce his decision for Laura. Susan recalls the plane ride to Salem with Penelope. The two got to know each other as Penelope downed Placedin and liquor to calm her fear of flying. After the judge agrees to drop the murder charges in exchange for Laura pleading guilty to attempted murder, he orders her to return to the sanitarium. Jack and Jen were devastated that going back to a sanitarium could destroy Laura. A horrified Laura decided to go on the run. Meanwhile on their plane, EDMUND CONFESSES THAT HE KILLED KRISTEN!

While in flight, Kristen is horrified as Edmund recounts what happened the night of Kristen's murder and how he accidentally drowned her. However, what he didn't realize is that he really killed Penelope. Susan finally escaped from the Sultan and made it back to Salem. She convinces Violet she is the real Susan. Later, she finds out Edmund and Kristen are on their way to Bermuda and vows to follow them to get her baby back. Kristen and baby Elvis attempt to ditch Edmund and start a new life.

Stefano realizes Edmund is the killer and he hopes he doesn't discover Kristen is posing as Susan, fearing if he knew, he'd attempt to kill her again. In a dramatic moment, Susan and Edmund are reunited and it is revealed Edmund really killed Penelope, thinking she was Kristen. She had died so quickly because of the Placedin and liquor.

Later, Susan tells Edmund she forgives him and together, the two hold a horrified Kristen captive. Using her best Kristen imitation, Susan phones Stefano claiming she ditched Edmund and she and Elvis are on their own and fine.

Edmund and Susan marry, turn Kristen over to the turban man and head to England.

The mystery was solved but the story wasn't quite over. Kristen had left a box of chocolates for Marlena coated in penicillin. An allergic Marlena almost ate them but instead little Belle did. Roman and Marlena rushed Belle to the hospital. Belle survived but the tragedy caused Marlena to make a decision about Roman and John. She let Roman down gently and she and John finally reunited.

In captivity a delusional Kristen had visions of Marlena being dead and her and John reuniting. Susan had Kristen receive a message that Marlena was alive and well and that she and John were together. Kristen was last seen screaming in the sultan's dungeon. The charges were later dropped against Laura Horton when Marlena wrote a letter to the judge on Laura's behalf. The two are friends again. Stefano thinks Kristen is living a life on an island with Elvis. All of Salem thinks Kristen killed herself. Susan and Edmund sent Stefano photographs of Elvis and "Kristen" by a beach setting to keep him off track. They are happily married in England. Will these fascinating characters ever return and will the residents of Salem ever really learn the truth of what happened in The Killing Pool?!?! Stay tuned.

Magazine Coverage of the Story

from SOD, May 1998

In these days of VCRs, every fan fast-forwards through less exciting scenes of a favorite soap. The real sign of a blockbuster episode is when you don't feel compelled to push that button - not even once. Days of Our Lives aired such an episode Friday, April 10.

The episode exploded with information, disclosures and clues surrounding the killing pool mystery. At police headquarters, Laura confessed to firing three shots at "Kristen" at the Blake house. Therefore, she was certain she played no part in her death, since "Kristen" didn't die of a bullet wound. Across town, Celeste told Stefano her recollections of the night "Kristen" died. Suffering from jungle madness, she stumbled into the house and witnessed Laura's shooting spree. But Celeste saw "Kristen" get up unharmed. Celeste did recall seeing gloved hands hold "Kristen's" head underwater, however. Somewhere in captivity, Susan also remembered that night. Through flashbacks, viewers saw Susan's hilarious introduction to her long-lost sister Penelope in England, and saw the pair concoct a scheme to confront Kristen and head to Salem together. Just when it seemed there wasn't one iota of information left to squeeze into the episode, there was Edmund's startling admission. He was not only in Salem the night "Kristen" died, but also right outside the Blake house - and, hearing gunshots, he rushed inside.

It was one full hour of intricately woven daytime drama at its finest.

Thanks to Jimmy for writing this story. Thanks to Ken for the pic of Susan and "Turban Man."

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