If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

Dave believes everything Shelly tells him about himself—namely, that he is a horrible husband and she’s made a mistake marrying him. He works 16-hour days, only returning home from the weekends. His exhaustion from the physical toll of his work contributes to him feeling like a lousy husband. Lara Watson later reflects that she worried he had a drinking problem, but he had a much easier time quitting booze than he did quitting Shelly’s erratic behavior. At times, Dave is not welcome in the house with Shelly, and she forces him to sleep in his truck.

Shelly forces him to quit his construction job, believing he can make more money at a closer construction site. He wants to be a better, more present father, but Shelly’s medical bills to treat her cancer keep rolling in. Unable to work more overtime hours, Dave flounders trying to find a way to make more money. Desperate for help, Dave asks his sister for some money to help with the cancer bills. When she sends a mere $30 via check, Shelly is enraged.

As with Kathy, Shelly creates a vicious, abusive relationship cycle with Dave. His love for her means he always supports her behavior, as evidenced in romantic notes he sends to her that read like

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