The Silent Patient

The narrative jumps back to the subplot of Kathy’s affair. Theo describes following her as she meets her lover. He then follows Kathy’s lover home. He picks up a rock, planning to bash the man over the head with it from behind. In this moment, Theo dissociates his mind from his body: “My hands knew what to do: they had decided to kill him” (302). Theo raises the rock but, but he stops when a neighboring house opens the door and people come out. Instead, he follows the man all the way to his home—where he sees him greet his wife. “So I wasn’t the only one being betrayed […] I had to do something. But what? Despite my best homicidal fantasies, I wasn’t a murderer. I couldn’t kill him. I’d have to think of something cleverer than that” (303).

Back at The Grove the morning after Theo’s conversation with Lazarus, Theo arrives preparing to confront Alicia. He’s met by Yuri, who tells him that Alicia is in a coma, having overdosed. Theo goes to see her, along with Indira, Christian, and Yuri. Theo notices one detail that has escaped everybody else’s notice. Alicia has a pinprick on her wrist. He realizes, “she was injected with a massive dose of morphine. This wasn’t an overdose. It was an attempted murder” (307). 

Lazarus, who was mysteriously absent, arrives. Theo meets him and Stephanie. They are wondering how Alicia got the hydrocodone, which they believe was the cause of her overdose. Theo tells them that he believes Alicia’s state is not the result of an attempted suicide but an attempted murder. Theo tells Stephanie and Lazarus that Christian had been treating Alicia privately before she came to The Grove and notes that this secret would explain why Christian was so set against trying to get Alicia to talk. Lazarus asks where Alicia’s diary is and Theo tells him it must be in her room. Lazarus instructs Theo to find it—and says he will call the police. 

Police officers arrive at The Grove. Chief Inspector Steven Allen listens to Theo’s story. The Inspector says he will later want a formal statement from Theo. Theo leaves and heads to the goldfish bowl, where he sees Yuri dealing Elif drugs in exchange for cash. He doesn't address the situation. Yuri asks what they should do about Jean-Felix, who has been waiting to see Alicia. Wondering what Jean-Felix is doing there, Theo goes down to the reception to find him—but he’s gone. 

Theo leaves The Grove and lights a cigarette. A car pulls up with Max and Tanya inside. Max is hysterical and starts shouting at Theo. He has heard about Alicia’s state. Max is angry and crying, and it becomes clear that he cared for Alicia. Max keeps shouting but Theo walks away in silence. 

The narrative jumps back to the subplot of Kathy’s affair. Theo describes standing outside of her lover’s house and watching the man’s wife through the windows. He then puts on a black balaclava to cover his face, takes a knife, and enters the house. The wife sees Theo and is frozen with fear. Part 4 concludes with Theo’s words: “This was the first time I came face to face with Alicia Berenson. The rest, as they say, is history” (318).