Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN “SHE SAID WHAT?” Professor Diomedes stared at me with a look of stunned amazement. We were outside, smoking. I could tell he was excited because he had dropped his cigar on the ground without even noticing. “She spoke? Alicia really spoke?” “She did.” “Incredible. So you were right. You were right. And I […]
Chapter Nine
CHAPTER NINE I SAT WITH ALICIA IN SILENCE. I was getting better at these silences, better at enduring them, settling into them and toughing it out; it had become almost comfortable, sitting in that small room with her, keeping quiet. Alicia held her hands in her lap, clenching and unclenching them rhythmically, like a heartbeat. […]
Chapter Eight
CHAPTER EIGHT THE HOUSE WAS IN DARKNESS as we approached. “Here it is,” Paul said. “Follow me.” An iron ladder was attached to the side of the house. We made our way over to it. The mud was frozen beneath our feet, sculpted into hard ripples and ridges. Without waiting for me, Paul started climbing […]
Chapter Seven
CHAPTER SEVEN AS THE TRAIN APPROACHED CAMBRIDGE, the landscape flattened and the temperature dropped. I did up my coat as I left the station. The wind cut into my face like a volley of icy razor blades. I made my way to the pub to meet Paul. The White Bear was a ramshackle old place—it […]
Chapter Six
CHAPTER SIX “JEAN-FELIX?” No one was at the reception desk, and no one came when I called. I hesitated for a moment, then went into the gallery. I walked along the corridor to where the Alcestis was hanging. Once again, I looked at the painting. Once again, I tried to read it, and again I […]
Chapter Five
CHAPTER FIVE KATHY WAS GETTING CARELESS. It was inevitable, I suppose. Having gotten away with her infidelity for so long, she started getting lazy. I returned home to find her about to go out. “I’m going for a walk,” she said, pulling on her trainers. “I won’t be long.” “I could use some exercise. Fancy […]
Chapter Four
CHAPTER FOUR I WAITED UNTIL AFTER DIOMEDES DISAPPEARED into his office and Stephanie was in a meeting with the Trust. Then I slipped into the goldfish bowl and found Yuri. “I need to see Alicia.” “Oh, yes?” Yuri gave me an odd look. “But—I thought the therapy was discontinued?” “It was. I need to have […]
Chapter Three
CHAPTER THREE CHRISTIAN STARED AT ME, playing with his chopsticks. He deliberated for a few seconds before he spoke. “There’s not much to tell. I don’t know what you want to hear—or where you want me to start.” “Start at the beginning. You saw her over a number of years?” “No—I mean, yes—but I told […]
Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO CHRISTIAN WAS SITTING BEHIND HIS DESK, eating takeaway sushi with chopsticks. He looked up and frowned. “Don’t you know how to knock?” “I need a word.” “Not now, I’m in the middle of lunch.” “This won’t take long. Just a quick question. Did you ever treat Alicia Berenson?” Christian swallowed a mouthful of […]
Chapter One
CHAPTER ONE I CLOSED ALICIA’S DIARY and placed it on my desk. I sat there, not moving, listening to the rain pelting outside the window. I tried to make sense of what I had just read. There was obviously a great deal more to Alicia Berenson than I had supposed. She had been like a […]