Family

Jefferson City, Missouri

"It was self-defense." 

"If she had not sliced the man who was pulling her into the truck, she would have become a lonely victim in a far-from-home pile of bodies in another state. This was no crime; this was a do-or-die action of a young woman who had to save her own life."

The state of Missouri court system was coming to a conclusion on whether they should charge Natalie with murder regarding Steve Falter, the man who was in the back of the truck while Natalie dozed up front. The state was given testimony from the FBI about the predatory natures of the two truck drivers and serial killers in general.

Both men were deceased, and before he died, Brad Falter left a detailed account of the events of that night in Missouri. When asked whether it was their intent to kill Natalie when they were done with her, Brad answered, "Of course, she was a slut."

The celebrity aspect of the victim was weighed.

Would the state be considered too lenient because the charged person was a celebrity?

The governor wanted to know.

Natalie's future was being discussed, and she did not want to be charged with murder.

Then, a new pressing question was presented to the court, and it was this.

Did Natalie know the person she stabbed?

Ashland, Kentucky - The early 70's

The young man, seeking immediate comfort, had heard from other truckers that this girl was nice, smart, and reasonable. She offered truckers a night out of the cab, sparkling conversation, a shower, and breakfast. It cost much more than a standard lot lizard encounter, but it was nice, like a date with a real person. 

Steve Falter was new to trucking and was learning the trade. All the time on the road did not leave him much time for dating.

He and his brother were going to buy their own rig soon. 

This was Steve's last week as a solo driver, and soon, he would be driving with his brother Brad full-time.

She was nice. They laughed, and she seemed to understand him. They spoke about many things during the evening, and she took the time to be silly and somewhat worldly. Steve liked her, and he felt like she liked him.

If the young girl played a role, she played it very well. She was about the same age as Steve, and maybe that was why they seemed to click. 

The night was a bit of happiness snatched from another day of eking out a living.

She was smart for her age and had created a world for herself that would offer her more. 

She was sure she would "get out of the game" someday, but for now, the money was much more than working in a supermarket or movie theater.

When the evening was over, she stayed in her bed, and Steve took one last look at her after a shower. She was soft and kind, and now that he saw her again, very beautiful. He kissed her forehead and headed out for his rig, which was parked up the road a piece on the side of the road.

Natalie's Legal Firm - Boston, Massachusetts

The conference room was filled with attorneys and experts on a video call with Natalie. What they had to discuss was explosive and relevant to her potential case in Missouri, where the state was trying to determine whether to charge Natalie with manslaughter at the very least.

It was attorney Samuel V. Glittenhouse that told Natalie... "We got a match from the two sources of DNA on the hunting knife you used to extract yourself from a truck in Missouri."

"The man who attempted to rape you and kill you is a relative of yours with all certainty, and we ran it twice to be sure."

TEXT NATALIE: Allston, I need to speak with you. Can you come to Maine, please? TEXT ALLSTON: I need a few hours first.

"A relative?" Natalie's only relative while growing up was her grandmother in Texas, who sent her birthday cards every year.

We have an important question for you. "Did you know your father while growing up?"

Natalie started to shake uncontrollably. She always wondered about who her father was. 

Her mother was honest. "I'm not sure she told young Nat."

"What are you saying?" Natalie asked

"The man you defended yourself against, in all probability, was your father."

"The question that the court has to address is whether you knew he was your father when you stabbed him?"

Natalie was too stunned to answer the question, so she asked to be excused so they could all revisit this tomorrow.

They agreed, of course.

The amount of billable hours in the conference room would reappear to make this a twofer.

Natalie cried and went to bed to think about this.