Contents
Part Four — Chapter Sixteen
Overview
Theo escalates his surveillance of Kathy, follows her lover, and nearly kills him in a moment of blind rage. An interruption stops Theo, leading him to discover the man has a partner at home. Recognizing he isn’t a murderer, Theo resolves to pursue a more calculated response.
Summary
After work, Theo trails Kathy to the park, confirming her ongoing affair as she meets and kisses her lover. He notes the man’s familiar build but can’t see his face clearly. They head to a Camden pub; Theo waits, stewing in jealousy and hatred.
When Kathy and the man part, Theo chooses to follow the lover instead of Kathy. The man changes buses repeatedly, stops at an East End warehouse, and makes low-voiced, frequent phone calls, which Theo suspects might be to Kathy. Despite frustration, Theo persists.
On a quiet, tree-lined street, rage overtakes Theo. He picks up a rock from a garden, creeps up behind the man, and prepares to smash his skull. A sudden burst of voices from a nearby doorway jolts Theo out of his murderous trance; the rock drops, and the man remains unaware.
Theo then watches as the lover enters his own home. From the street, Theo sees him in the kitchen with a woman—likely his partner—sharing wine and a meal, kissing casually, as if nothing were amiss. Theo recognizes the parallel betrayal and feels compelled to act.
Accepting he is not a killer despite his violent impulse, Theo abandons the idea of murder. Instead, he resolves to devise a smarter, more calculated way to respond to Kathy’s infidelity and the lover’s duplicity.
Who Appears
- Theo FaberNarrator; stalks Kathy and her lover, nearly commits murder, then resolves to pursue a subtler revenge.
- KathyTheo’s wife; openly affectionate with her lover, then parts from him after their date.
- Kathy’s loverUnidentified man; followed across London, almost attacked, returns to a home where he has a partner.
- Unidentified woman at the lover’s homeAppears to be the lover’s partner; shares wine and a meal with him.