SYNOPSIS: Kate has thrown Masters over her shoulder. Coke has grabbed his pistol and has told Masters he will kill him if he does not answer his questions. Coke is going to count up to five before he shoots.
"But I know nothing!" Masters protested. Coke had already raised
the pistol and simply said, "One!1' Masters said nothing.
"Two!" Coke brought the pistol nearer.
"You can't frighten me!" Masters shouted.
"Three!" Masters saw Coke had already taken aim.
"How can I tell you something I don't know?" Masters demanded.
"Four!" Masters watched Coke's finger beginning to press the trigger.
"All right, all right, I'll tell you anything you want, but for God's sake,
put that pistol down!" Masters gasped.
Coke's mind went back to the time, five years earlier, when both he and Masters had been officers in the same Army Intelligence unit. Masters had been Coke's superior. Several important military secrets had disappeared and they were both trying to find out who had taken them.
One evening. Coke had gone, on Masters' orders, to a lonely place in Epping Forest. Masters had told him he would meet a possible informer there. While he was waiting, three men had grabbed him from behind. They had poured whisky all over him and down his throat and then hit him over the head.
3 When he came to, he was back in his car, but it had crashed into a tree. The police had already arrived. It appeared that Coke had got [bad word] and lost control of his car. The police had found several files marked Top Secret' in his car. Coke swore he had never seen them before. The police also found Coke had apparently deposited more than £2,000 in his bank account a few weeks before. Coke had known nothing of the money. The bank said the cheques had arrived by post, drawn on a Swiss bank, with Coke's countersignature. Nobody believed Coke's story. It appeared he had sold secrets for money and was going to do so again the night he had crashed. Masters denied he had ever told Coke to go to Epping Forest. This is what Coke wanted to ask questions about now.