It's dawn at a construction site, and Ray Galardi, a tough-looking gangster, is meeting with Steve Marriot, an environmental activist. Galardi wants Marriot to withdraw a lawsuit that's holding up Galardi's plans for a strip mall. When Marriot refuses, Galardi smashes him in the head with a lead pipe, killing him. Later that day, Natalie is driving Monk and Julie down the highway on their way back from one of Julie's field hockey games. A truck cuts Natalie off, and Monk reports it to the trucking company. Minutes later, Natalie is passed by a dump truck driven by the killer, Ray Galardi.