Alex Kotlowitz

Because she had held on to this knowledge about her father's probable involvement in Christy Ringler's death, someone had been sent to prison.

The very next morning, she called Larry's lawyer and spoke with his associate.

They did, in fact, worry she might be a crazy person.

No one had ever seen anything from the police indicating that they'd interviewed Carla.

So the attorneys quickly filed a Freedom of Information Act request, and in a stack of police reports they received, they found the very note that Carla had left for Detective Foster, as well as half a page of nearly indecipherable notes the detectives took from an apparent phone interview with her father.

One thing led to another, and within two months, Larry Souter got word that the authorities finally believed him.

His conviction was vacated, and after 13 years and 18 days in prison, on April 1st of last year, he walked out a free man.

Carla at first asked the attorneys to keep her identity hidden, though that was impossible because it was such a public case.

Mostly, she felt she completely failed this man, this stranger, Larry Souter.

About two months after being released from prison, Larry told his lawyer that he wanted to meet Carla.

So they agreed to have lunch at a local Applebee's, and Carla prepared herself for Larry's fury.

On a recent afternoon, Larry came by to see Carla.

Somewhat surprisingly, they've become friends.

And in an odd twist of fate, they're both battling cancer and have helped each other out during their respective treatments.

On this rainy afternoon, the two stood in the kitchen in a tight embrace.

And as they held each other, Carla became overwhelmed with guilt and began to cry.

It's going to be all right.

Carla can't help herself.

Whenever she sees Larry, she breaks down and apologizes.

There was even a period of two months when Carla wouldn't return Larry's phone calls.