Jack

The church is all darkened and deserted when we get there.

"Father Anthony?" Nikki calls – but she gets no answer. She stops and waits, but I don't and when sees sees that, she struts past me purposefully. I follow her to the back of the church, where she removes a dust cover and reveals some of the lamps in the picture Clarissa sent us. Nikki drops the dust cover and examines the lamps, then she moves onto the other lamps – again removing the dust cover to examine them. For a minute, I think she's going to give me the dust cover and I hold out my hand ready.

"Lamps are intact." She comments, before throwing the dust cover on the floor in frustration and walking off.

As usual, on the rare occasions I get a glimpse of her hot temper, I'm in awe of her. It doesn't happen very often – but it is certainly a sight to behold when she smoulders.

"Father Anthony?" She calls again.

I'm calmly picking up the dust covers she's thrown on the floor and replacing them carefully, when Nikki calls me impatiently.

"Jack!"

I obediently follow her, and for a moment I'm surprised by the situation I've found myself in – I'm the calm one and she's the volatile one for a change, but then she has just spent the night in a cell. Anyway, she's definitely in charge here.

I hurry after her.

"Max Walsh's support group met on Thursdays, right?" It's more of a statement than a question.

"Aye." I agree with a nod.

"I've seen him before." She points at a man in the next room. The man appears to be running some sort of support group. "Here, with Father Dawes." She adds.

We smile politely as the group leave.

When the man in question appears, I hold up my ID. "Can we have a word?"

The three of us sit in the main church to chat.

"When I heard about Max Walsh's suicide, I was shocked." The man – who's name turns out to be Daniel, tells us.

"Because he was in remission?" Nikki interjects.

"And he was a fighter." Daniel adds. "Is there a question mark over Max's suicide?"

"Did you know Father Dawes's mother?" Nikki asks – ignoring the question.

"Irene? Of course."

"She had cancer too."

Up to now, Nikki has been leading this – totally leading it. I mean, since we came back into the main part of the church, I haven't been able to get a word in edgeways. Finally, I do – mind, only one question and then Nikki jumps back in.

"Did she attend your group, Daniel?"

"No, sadly." He answers. "Her last months were taken up fighting a lawsuit against a chemical plant."

"Father Dawes told you that?" Nikki asks.

He nods. "He didn't give the case much credit. Said Irene was the victim of Lawyers looking for easy pickings. Why are you asking about Irene?" At this point his phone rings, so we avoid having to answer the question. "Just got to take care of this, sorry." He walks off to answer the call and Nikki turns to me excitedly.

"It's got to be how the victims were selected. Both victims had Cancer, and both took morphine."

I feel for her – I really do. She's desperate to prove her innocence to those who are still sceptical – namely DI Rankin, but there are massive loopholes in her theory. Horribly, I feel it's my job to point them out – if only to save her from getting into another mess.

"But were treated in different hospitals by different doctors." I point out. "And they didn't meet at a support group."

"Doesn't matter." She answers. "The connection is the killer – how he found them. Attending a support group is a unique chance to befriend someone." She points out enthusiastically.

"But Irene didn't attend a support group." I remind her gently.

"How do you know?" She responds, undeterred. "She may have met up with other plaintiffs in the lawsuit."

I suppose she could have. His call now ended, Daniel comes back.

"Sorry about that."

Before I can stop her, Nikki puts her theory to him. "We're looking for another member of your group. Someone who befriended Max Walsh.

Here we go, but in for a penny – in for a pound. "Likely male, tall, physically strong." I suggest.

"He probably didn't attend for very long." Nikki continues. "And he may have been vague about the type of Cancer he had."

"He almost certainly missed the last few sessions..." I add.

"Brendan." Daniel states. "Brendan Dalglish. I remember he and Max went over to the pub after a meeting."

Holy shit, it looks like Nikki's theory might be right.