“That must be Lucy.” Michelle rose and opened the door, admitting a petite, wiry woman in her sixties, with fluffy gray hair, silver hoop earrings, and steely, wire-rimmed glasses, which she had on with a beige pantsuit, giving her a clinical appearance that was mitigated by a flowery silk scarf.

“Hello, Christine, Marcus,” Lucy said, smiling tightly as she shook both of their hands, then sat down in the last chair next to Michelle.

“Thank you for inviting me into your session. I’m always happy to consult with Michelle, whom I’ve known for twenty years.”

“We walk together,” Michelle added. “Lucy got me into her walking club, and I can barely keep up with them.”

Christine smiled. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Don’t,” Lucy said simply, and the three women laughed.

Marcus shifted impatiently.

Lucy’s smile faded. “Now, I’ve been given your case background, so let’s jump right in, shall we?”

“Fine.” Marcus nodded.

“Yes, please,” Christine said, liking Lucy’s demeanor. The genetics counselor linked her slim fingers in her lap and spoke deliberately, which seemed somehow reliable and comforting.

“I understand that Homestead can’t confirm or deny the donor’s identity for an anonymous donation, so we’ll have to work with the hypothetical, if we can. Can we?”

Marcus frowned. “We have no other choice. Our question is, if our donor has a predilection for violence, is that an inherited trait? Also, our donor could be a sociopath. I read that a lot of serial killers are sociopaths. Or thrill seekers. Is that inherited?”

“First, some background is in order.” Lucy held up a hand. “I don’t get a lot of psychological issues, and I’ve been a genetics counselor for twenty-nine years. The problem with psychological disorders is that there’s no test, such as a blood test or tissue test, that I can perform for them.”

“Really?”

“Unfortunately, yes. So, there is no psychological test or clinically available testing I can perform that can answer your questions. However, I collected and reviewed the current population data and studies, at Dr. Davidow’s request. I would be happy to send them to you, by email, and I can summarize my conclusion from these articles, right now.”

“Please do.”

“The question with psychological disorders is one of nature vs. nurture. The answer is that it depends on the disorder. For example, the data shows that bipolarity is inherited, as is schizophrenia and clinical depression. Likewise, with substance-abuse issues and alcoholism, maternal genes play a role, as in the case of egg donors.”

“We used a sperm donor, not an egg donor.”

“Understood.” Lucy nodded, still deliberate. “With respect to sociopathy, the weight of authority and data is that it’s a matter of environmental factors. In other words, a sociopath isn’t born but made. That’s my conclusion.”

Christine breathed a relieved sigh. She was thinking back to her conversation with Lauren. “So you’re saying that even if our donor is Jeffcoat, this serial killer, that our baby may not have inherited his—well, whatever he has. His psychological disorder.”

“Yes. That’s my conclusion with respect to sociopathy.” Lucy nodded, satisfied. “I have reached the same conclusion with respect to a propensity for violence. I pulled the articles and studies, and the weight of authority is that such a propensity is not inheritable. Environmental factors are determinative, so that children who grow up in families with violence will tend to resort to violence. We see this, anecdotally, in domestic abuse. It’s not hereditary. It’s learned behavior.”

Michelle smiled. “I thought that would put your mind at ease, Christine.”

“It does.” Christine felt her heart lift. “I mean, it’s still a little strange, but it is reassuring.”

“Not to me,” Marcus said, frowning. “Lucy, from what I read online, there are studies that go the other way.”

“Which way?”

“They say a propensity for violence is inherited. I was reading about the ‘warrior gene,’ and it said that people who are thrill seekers or seek high-risk activities inherit that predilection, through their genes. They can become violent adults.”

Christine recoiled. “How do you know?”

“I read it, I can show you the articles,” Marcus answered, his mouth a grim line. “Not all the geneticists think it’s nurture. Some think it’s nature. Thrill seekers have different MAO levels and different levels of hormones like testosterone, which is inherited. The studies show that those people tend to commit crime more often than other people. In other words, a serial killer could be born, not made.”

Lucy frowned, her lined forehead buckling. “Marcus, Christine, I based my opinion on my research and experience. I think you can rely upon that.”

“But there are those who don’t agree with you, isn’t that right?” Marcus asked, coolly.

Lucy opened her palms. “Can you find people on the Internet who have different opinions from mine? Of course. But that’s the nature of the Internet. I wouldn’t rely on the Internet over my opinion.”

Marcus shifted forward. “But there are no guarantees, correct? You’re not about to guarantee that these factors aren’t inherited, are you?”

“Of course not,” Lucy answered, firmly. “There are never guarantees. But I evaluate statistical risk, and it is very low in this case.”

“Okay, thank you,” Christine said, hiding her discomfort. She was willing to go with Lucy’s opinion and she hated that Marcus seemed to be alienating both women. She didn’t know where he was coming from.

“You are free, of course, to seek a second opinion,” Lucy added, glancing at Michelle. “Both Michelle and I know other genetics counselors. We would be happy to supply you with their names.”

“Do they work for Families First, like you?”

“Yes,” Lucy and Michelle answered in unison.

“Do you know any genetics counselors who don’t work for Families First?”

Christine cringed, embarrassed at the implication. “Marcus, seriously? That’s uncalled for.”

Marcus looked over, his blue eyes cold. “It’s a legitimate question.”