Monday, Two DaysEarlier

A man and a woman were each driven to a complex of buildings in Metamora. Metamora is just northeast of Peoria, in the heart of the state. A few miles to the east is where the ‘Mother Road, Route 66’rolls thru central Illinois .The village is home for one of the regional offices of the Illinois State Police. There areseveral towns that make up the greater Peoria area. It was late on an early September day, the weather was a mild 70 degrees.

The building was part of a sprawling group of offices and garages. Dozens of cruisers filled the parking lots. The pair was ushered into the office of Captain August Swanson. They sat quietly, sizing each other up while trying not to stare. They barely nodded an acknowledgement of the other.

She wore a black business suit and heels. There was a black fedora in her lap. The shoes were polished and probably new. She took pride in her clothes. But he thought they were out of place on her. Of the two, she looked very professional. She looked comfortable wearing a suit but the man thought it was for appearances only. She looked like a woman who didn’t take guff from anyone. She wouldn’t seem to mind getting her hands dirty if needed. He found her attractive, not in a traditional sense of beauty, but one where she exuded confidence as a woman. He wondered if she had a sense of humor or was all business. He found something enticing about her but couldn’t tell why.

He wore an old brown sport coatthat didn’t quite fit. He couldn’t button the jacket and it was out of place, covering a denim work shirt. The mismatched clothes, khaki slacks, and boots made her think he might be a maintenance worker. She wondered why she didn’t she see a work cap. He wore a newsboy cap that seemed out of place. He clearly worked with his hands; they were rough with broken nails. He looked as if he lived a rough life. His face showed some damage. His days of being a youthful pretty boy had evolved into a rough and ready working man look. For now, he was someone to ignore, they had to be together for differentreasons.

If he was there for a maintenance issue, why was she here? She wondered if he had any other clothes. Her small statureand suit made him wonder if she was here fo