Lea Cavanaugh walked into the coffee shop. She was running late for work already, but the day wasn't going to get any better without starting it right. That included stopping for a cup of coffee and a newspaper every morning. Besides, the coffee shop was just across the street, it would only take a minute or two extra. As she stepped through the door, she inhaled the familiar rich scent and was surprised that the shop was more crowded than usual. She glanced back, wondering if she should skip the coffee, but then stepped into line.

The morning had been unusually cool for early September and there was a threat of rain. Lea wondered, as she looked around, if that was the reason for the line she now stood in. Perhaps the shop was normally this busy five, she looked at her watch, ten minutes after she walked out the door.