I received a phone message from BB’s mentor at the halfway house. He said BB had been a model citizen, quiet and reserved and doing everything he asked to help out around the buildings and grounds. I’ve been considering ways I could try to (safely) evaluate what BB said over the phone in order to decide whether he ought to be reported to law enforcement as dangerous. I have contacted a detective I recently heard about who is also from Europe. I thought he might be able to get some information on my patient and find out if there’s any chance he really committed these crimes. For my part, I believe I’ve settled on the idea of hypnotism to get at the truth. Although its usefulness hasn’t been completely proven, I believe that even the illusion might be helpful in getting this patient to open up about the violent anguish he clearly feels – without running the risk of his exhibiting actual violence.