Rory’s Tragic Death Provides a New Clue to the Hook Killer’s Identity — and Elizabeth Stuns Nikolas

At the hospital, Trina rushes to Rory, who is wheeled into the hall on a gurney. Rory tells her it was too soon to tell her how he feels, but he’s not sorry she knows. Suddenly, Rory codes. Finn and Portia get Rory back into a room and use the defibrillator on him as Joss, Cam and Curtis support Trina. Soon, Portia comes out and tells Trina that she’s so sorry. Trina breaks down as Portia holds her.

In the ER, Liz tells Finn that he and Portia did everything they could for him. Finn laments it wasn’t enough. Liz puts Rory’s belongings into an envelope and finds an earring in his coat pocket.

In the halls, Trina asks her mom to see Rory and say goodbye. Curtis reminds her this is now a police investigation. Jordan allows it and sends Dante in with her to see him.

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Dante brings Trina in to see Rory. Liz tells her how sorry she is, and shows her the hoop earring in Rory’s pocket. She asks if it is hers. Trina shakes her head, so Dante bags it as evidence. Trina tells Rory how sorry she is that she couldn’t say the words back to him, and cries now she’ll never get to.

After she leaves Rory, Portia asks if Trina wants her to take her home. Trina needs to be alone and walks off as Spencer watches. Trina goes to the chapel and asks how any of this makes sense. She cries all Rory wanted to do was help people. She asks why God took him. Elsewhere, Cam asks Joss if they can go someplace private to talk. Joss tells him Trina needs her now and walks off.

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Laura runs into Nikolas on the pier. She was headed to Wyndemere to see him and Spencer. Nikolas explains his son isn’t there. She asks how Spencer got out so early. Nikolas bets she can guess who pulled some strings. She doesn’t understand why Victor would go to the trouble to get him out three weeks early. Nikolas explains Victor thinks forcing them to live together over the holidays will help mend their relationship.

Laura admits Spencer told her something happened, but to talk to Nikolas as it was his story. Nikolas admits he’s betrayed everyone he loves. She asks if this is about Ava, or something else. Suddenly they’re interrupted by a call from Jordan, who breaks the news about Rory to Laura. Laura tells Nikolas an officer died tonight, and she has to go to the hospital. She asks Nikolas to promise her not to forget what matters the most.

Back at the hospital, Dante shows Jordan the earring, which may be a lead. Jordan calls Liz, Finn and Portia over. She tells them Rory’s bloodwork was run, and they found traces of snake venom. Dante says that means Esme’s at it again. Liz blurts out, “That’s impossible.” Jordan asks why she thinks Esme isn’t the hook. Liz just doesn’t and says even Cam doesn’t believe it’s her either. Curtis points out that Cam isn’t the only one who doesn’t believe this is Esme’s work.

Laura arrives, and she tells Jordan how sorry she is about Rory. Liz asks Laura if she’s spoken to Nikolas. Laura says he was just headed back to Wyndemere. Liz asks someone to see Cam home safely — she has something to take care of — then quickly takes off.

Joss goes to the chapel to support Trina. Trina cries it’s too late to tell Rory what she should have said when he told her that he loved her. Joss reminds her that she wasn’t ready, and it doesn’t make her a bad person. Joss says it makes her honest. Trina sobs that honesty hurts, which Joss knows.

Joss lights a candle for Rory, and Trina tells Joss that Ava believes Esme isn’t the hook killer. Joss says they’ll have to trust the police to figure it out. Curtis interrupts and tells Trina that his mother wants him to take her home, so she leaves with him.

In the hall, Laura embraces Cam and Spencer. Cam excuses himself, and Spencer tells his grandmother that he was going to call her about his release when all this went down. Spencer blames himself for what happened to Rory because he’s the one who brought Esme to town. Laura tells him that he’s not responsible for Esme, and she doesn’t blame him. He doesn’t know what he’s ever done to make her have faith in him. She says when he testified at Trina’s trial, even knowing he’d go to prison, he turned his life around at that moment. Before then, he was headed down a dark path.

Dante offers to take Joss home, but Cam asks to speak with Joss first. Dante gives them space. Cam says she had something important to tell him earlier. She thinks it can wait as she can’t think about anything other than Rory. Joss leaves, and Spencer asks Cam what that was about. He doesn’t know. Spencer asks his cousin if he told their grandma about his plans to leave town. Spencer declares he’s not leaving because everything has changed.

On the pier, Liz tries to call Nikolas, but it goes to voicemail. She leaves him a message that she’s worried he’s about to walk into a trap.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas unlocks the door to Esme’s room. He finds she’s decorated tree. She says all it needs is the angel. Suddenly Liz walks in.

Nikola and Liz step out, and Liz asks Nikolas if Esme could have gotten out tonight. He says it’s impossible. She informs Nikolas that the hook killed a cop tonight. She cries this means they sacrificed everything to protect everyone from Esme, who isn’t the killer.

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At the gallery, Ava listens to the recording on her computer that she made of Nikolas confessing to murdering Esme. She places a call to someone and tells them to listen as she plays the confession. She orders them to come to her gallery immediately

Victor arrives shortly and finds Ava enjoying a martini. She offers him one and he asks what they are drinking to. She says his wish has come true, and Nikolas is divorcing her. She surprises him with the news that Nikolas and Liz have been carrying on, and she is carrying his child. She notes they both know divorces can be easy, or bloody. She plays the confession she still has, and promises it will come out in divorce court.

Victor reminds her that Esme is alive, so Nikolas confessed to a crime he didn’t commit. He cautions people will ask why, and deduce it was to protect her when Esme fell from the parapet. Ava says it will still shine a light on his duplicitous family. Victor asks what she wants. She shows him Nikolas’ offer and tells him that he needs to sweeten the pot. He assures her he can come up with a better offer and will be in touch. He leaves, and Ava smashes her glass against the wall.

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In the Netherlands, Valentin and Anna hide out in a windmill. Anna vents they still have no evidence that Lucy is alive, or any idea where to find her. Valentin says they won’t find her tonight, so they should enjoy the setting. He’s found everything in the cellar to make them a romantic dinner.

Anna and Valentin sit by the fire, and Valentin explains he chose this location to hide in for a reason. They are not far from Amsterdam, and there is a very well-known diamond dealer there that Victor has had dealings with. He suspects this jeweler could lead them to Lucy. Anna is ecstatic. Later they make love and relax on the couch in front of the fire.

On the next General Hospital: Alexis tells someone, “You had me at Harmony.” Chase tells Brook Lynn he’ll do whatever it takes not to be tethered to her. Drew confronts Denise and feels she’s not telling him everything. Nina worries Ava will do something she’ll regret. Joss is stunned that Carly wants her to leave Port Charles. At the hospital, Michael tells Willow that he’s not sure they should go through with this.

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