If you think Bold & Beautiful‘s Heather Tom is having a blast during the scenes in which Katie and Poppy butt heads, you’re right. “They’re written in a way that allows Katie’s snarky side to come out,” she laughs, “and that’s always fun.”

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There’s also, however, some deadly serious drama playing just beneath the surface, given that Katie is flat-out accusing Bill’s live-in lover of murder! “You definitely get the sense that Katie is in peril,” admits Tom. “If she’s right, Katie might be next on Poppy’s list!”

Despite the potential danger she’s wading into, Katie isn’t about to put aside her suspicions. “She’s like a dog with a bone,” says Tom. “She assumes this role a lot, where she’s determined to find out what someone else is trying to keep hidden. And when she does, it’s not like she can keep a secret. Things just come flying out of her mouth!”

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In this particular case, there may be more going on than meets the eye. Sure, Katie is worried that there’s a murderer in their midst. But might this also be about Katie, on some level, wanting Bill back? “He will always be family,” demurs her portrayer. “Especially now that Will is back in the picture. She wants to keep both of them safe. Anything that threatens them brings out her protective nature.”

This isn’t new territory for the couple, who’ve been a fan-favorite pairing since first they crossed paths. It wasn’t that long ago that Katie kinda sorta offered to reunite with Bill if he would break things off with then “girlfriend” Sheila. (Of course, she — like the rest of us — was relieved to later discover that her favorite ex was only pretending to have fallen for the psycho.)

At the moment, it’s looking as if Katie’s barking up the right tree, with an ever-growing mountain of evidence — circumstantial though it may be — pointing in Poppy’s direction. But what if it turns out that she’s innocent? “I don’t see Katie backing off,” admits Tom. “The thing  with Katie and Bill is that even when they can’t or don’t want to be together, they don’t necessarily want to see one another move on with someone else. So given the complicated history, I can see Katie not wanting Bill to move on with Poppy, no matter how this plays out!”