But no one knew that Jeff had fired the shot that killed his dad because, to protect the boy, Charlie had convinced the police it was him. The investigation ruled it an accident. Charlie died of a heart attack the next year, leaving Jeff to live with the truth and a lifetime of guilt.

The therapist told Jeff to recognize his age, his emotions and the context of that morning. “You never intended to hurt your father,” she said. “This was an accident, a terrible tragedy. Charlie’s attempt to help you was heartfelt but misguided. You have to accommodate the pain, but don’t let it control your life. You have to realize that now you have a chance to start over. You have a baby coming—you need to heal for your child.”

The therapist acknowledged that Jeff was facing more immediate, profound forces, and she urged him to address them.

He did—he explained how guilty he felt for not protecting Lisa. How sick he felt that he couldn’t undo what had been done to her. And how afraid he was of what might be growing inside her.

Dillard was standing naked in the corner of their bedroom.

Step by step, he approached Lisa’s side of the bed.

Slowly he peeled back the sheets, reaching for her—

Until she woke. Screaming.

“The nightmares come almost every night,” Lisa told her therapist. “Sometimes…sometimes—” Lisa sobbed “—I can feel him inside me.”

In her sessions, Lisa bared the truth: that she feared that she had inadvertently sent Roland Dillard the wrong signal.

“I’m to blame because I set it all in motion. It’s my fault,” Lisa said. “I think of those other women he killed and wonder why I survived when they didn’t. But then I realize my punishment is the evil thing he did to me.”

The therapist discussed the randomness of life’s tragedies, that Lisa’s survivor guilt and self-directed blame were natural responses, much like what she’d grappled with after surviving the childhood tragedy that claimed the life of her friend.

“You could never have known what intentions were writhing inside Roland Dillard,” the therapist said. “He deceived everyone, even his wife. He lived behind a mask, covering the fact that he was extremely disturbed and depraved.”

The therapist advised Lisa to accept that she was not to blame.

“But on a more immediate level,” the therapist began, “you must come to a decision before you get too far along in your pregnancy.”

Niki Tanaka had agreed to conduct the prenatal paternity test and booked an appointment for Jeff and Lisa.

During the drive, Lisa held Jeff’s hand.

“We won’t decide anything until we know the results, okay?” he said.

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes.

The visit was short; all that was required was a blood sample drawn from Lisa’s arm and a mouth swab from Jeff.