Jack wasn't interested when I tried to talk to him earlier, he just said he was too busy. I told Clarissa I was going to see Sasha and she's aware of my suspicions about Oliver, but no one else seemed to share my view and as far as I know, they all still think Oliver is in the hospital, so there's no one to help us.

They all still suspect poor Bennett. Only Sasha, her mum, Max and I know who the killer really is – and this could end badly.

For all of us.

"Shall we just talk about this, Oliver?" I say, stepping in front of Sasha – though she does her best to stop me. "You're a good man – you didn't want to hurt those people, did you? Charles Moore started this, not you."

"He shouldn't have hurt my mum." Oliver mutters, gripping the knife tightly.

"No. He shouldn't have." I agree. "But you shouldn't have killed those other people either." I add firmly.

I catch my breath as he gives me another menacing look. Maybe that last comment was a mistake.

Anyone would think I had a death wish.

I can only hope that when it's discovered that Oliver has disappeared from hospital, Clarissa will mention my suspicions about him and where I've gone – and that Jack will figure the whole thing out in time – otherwise we're all done for.

Once again, My life – our lives are in the hands of the Lyell. Jack's hands. They've never let me down.

"You're a good man, Oliver." I repeat, hoping to calm the volatile situation. "Even good men make mistakes."

"Yes." He eventually nods. "Killing the others was a mistake."

"Yes, that's right. You don't need to hurt anyone else, do you?" I say. I just need him to put the knife down.

Jack is going to be furious with me.

Meanwhile at the Lyell...

"What the hell is she doing?"

"I don't know, Jack." Thomas answered, turning to Clarissa. "You said she suspected Oliver Bright before he disappeared from hospital?"

"Yes. I mean she must have known he would go after Sasha, surely?" Clariissa nodded.

Jack laughed bitterly. "Of course, she bloody did!" He retorted furiously. "That's why she went!"

"But that's insane!" Clarissa was indignant.

Thomas sighed. "No. That's Nikki!"

Jack suddenly spun around angrily to face the older woman. "Why the hell didn't you stop her?!"

"w...what?" She looked completely taken aback.

He jabbed his finger at her accusingly. "You knew that Nikki suspected Oliver Bright – and you knew she was going to Sasha's house. You could have stopped her, then she'd be here – safe!"

"Jack...I'm sorry...I..."

Thomas stepped between the two of them, facing the raging man. "Whoa. Jack, just stop, ok? It's not Clarissa's fault. Besides, have you ever managed to stop Nikki from doing what she wants? You know better than anyone, how stubborn she can be!"

Jack dropped into his desk chair, his chest still heaving from his anger. "Sorry." He muttered to Clarissa.

"It's ok." She moved around Thomas and comfortingly put her hand on Jack's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stop her, but Jack, I didn't believe her about Oliver Bright. I didn't take her seriously – and neither did you."

"No" He muttered in agreement. He had overheard her voicing her suspicions to Clarissa earlier and had been extremely sceptical – scoffing when Clarissa had mentioned it to him. He hadn't taken Nikki seriously, but she was right – as so often was the case, and now she had undoubtedly put herself in danger – again! Actually, now he came to think of it, Nikki had been trying to tell him herself at one point – but he had been so wrapped up in what he was doing and had told her to 'go away' because he was too busy. She had gone away, all right.

Straight into the Lion's Den.

"But why would she go to Sasha's house if she knew that Sasha could be in danger?" Thomas interjected, breaking into Jack's misery. It was a very 'Nikki' thing to do – but he still didn't understand why she would do that.

"Maybe she wanted to warn Sasha?" Clarissa shrugged.

Jack groaned loudly, covering his face with his hands. "She could have done that over the phone!"

"Then why didn't she?" Thomas retorted.

"Because, that's not how Nikki does things, is it?" Jack exclaimed throwing his hands up in despair. "Heaven forbid, she should take the easy option – the one that won't get her killed!" Standing up abruptly, he yanked his coat off the back of his chair – knocking the chair over in the process. "I'm going down there."

Thomas touched the younger man's arm. "Jack, how will that help..."

"I'm going down there." Jack snapped back, his Irish accent coming across thick and fast – as it often did when he was in a highly emotional state.

"Ok, Jack. Ok." Thomas sighed, picking the chair up and replacing it behind Jack's desk. "I'm coming with you. Just try and calm down though – it won't help Nikki if you charge in there like a bull in a china shop!"

When the two of them got there, the armed police were swarming – ready to charge into the house. They knew there was an officer down which added to chaotic order of things – and the frenzied atmosphere was none too quiet.

No doubt Oliver Bright had already been alerted to their presence. It was a shambles, Jack thought bitterly, if anything happened to Nikki, he would make damn sure that none of them ever worked again.

He would. As sure as the day he was born.

"Ah, Dr Chamberlain. Jack." DS Mitchell commented, crouching down beside them behind their car. "I'm glad you're here..."

"Nikki better be ok. You better hope she is – your men are making far to much noise...!" Jack interrupted through gritted teeth.

"Jack!" Thomas said warningly.

"Jack, I understand you are worried about your friend..." Mitchell began, "But there is a child in there..."

"Then why are you making so much bloody noise?!" Jack interrupted again – receiving a second warning from his boss.

"Jack!"

He grunted irritably in response and turned away. Thomas turned to Mitchell. "What's the situation?"

"The last communication we received from our officer inside the house before the radio silence was when Dr Alexander arrived. It suggested there were four other people in the house at the time. Obviously, we now know Oliver Bright is also in the house and he has injured our officer – we don't know how badly. As it stands, we have Bright in the house with our officer and four other hostages – Sasha Blackburn, her mother, her little boy and Dr Alexander. As of yet we don't know whether Bright has hurt anyone else in there..." He trailed off...

The front door had opened.