Dan is speaking to the parole board and talks about how he came about killing Alex Forrest in his attempt to get out of prison early. He takes accountability with a passionate speech about atonement.

His daughter, Ellen, was there to see his parole hearing. She returns home to write about it. She's into true crime podcasts and other such things. And she's studying psychology.

She had previously lied t her therapist about Dan being dead when he was really in prison. Her father emailed her to come to his parole hearing when he hadn't emailed her before.

Flashes back to Dan chatting with his friend and employee, Frank, during their lunch hour who is into seedy things and also seeing other women.

Dan is a popular prosecutor on the path toward becoming a judge and one of the youngest. He's also seemingly tough on crime.

Beth reminds Dan that he doesn't have tobe a judge if he doesn't wantn to since it's not something he appears to be passionate about even though the hours are better and he likes the perks.

Alex shows up to replace another victim services advocate whose out and starts working with Dan.

Dan's father-in-law doesn't seem impressed by him becoming a judge and feels it's not profitable or a sign of his money and power.

Dan gets the call to the top floor for news on his judge appointment, but he learns that he didn't get it and it's going to someone else whose father-in-law bought the appointment with all his money.

Dan also feels like he's in his dead father's shadow.

Dan makes the rounds at a mixer to show he's fine with losing the appointment, and Alex appears after making eyes at him on and off for a few days.

He and Alex chat, and she inquires if he's okay because she knows that he lost the appointment and feels he seems a bit off.

Dan meets Alex on an elevator when he's drunk after the mixer. She talks him into pulling the red lever in the elevator and getting stuck inside but someone comes into the elevator before she does.

Dan is driving home when someting impedes his vision and he crashes. He calls his friend and walks home and has Mike, his friend, take him home to avoid getting breathalyzed.

Dan gets his new car from the company and hen goes to see Alex.

Ellen tells her mother that Dan wants to see her and that he's in a halfway house. Beth doesn't want to discuss things further while her new husband and Ellen's "dad" is there. 

Dan meets up with Ellen for the first time. He tells her that he didn't kill Alex but had to lie about it in order to get out. And he wants to prove that he's innocent.

Dan has a drink and Alex is at the restaurant he always frequents, so h e sits down with her and they talk.

They talk about his case. His fear that they won't find a body and that his case can go to hell.