It is six o'clock on a very cold winter evening. All over England people are sitting down in their living-rooms and are watching the news on television or are listening to it on the radio. There is one very important piece of news this evening. It is this.
"In the West of England this evening, hundreds of policemen are looking for a man who escaped from Princeville Prison early this . morning. The man's name is Edward Coke. He is 30 years old. six feet tall, and has black hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a dark blue prison uniform. The police do not think he can stay free very long. It is only a few degrees above zero and it is snowing."
The radio is on in an expensive pub in Soho. in the centre of London. Most of the people there are not very interested in the news programme, but one man is. His name is Eric Masters. He is about 45 and is wearing very expensive clothes. He is looking very afraid of something. There is another man standing next to him at the bar. Masters is asking him a question.
"Did they say the man's name was Coke?"
"Yes. that's right. Coke .. . Edward Coke. Why? Do you know him?"
"Pardon?"
"Do you know him?"
"No . . . no. I don't know him ... I ... I just wanted to know the man's name, that's all."
In another part of London, a young detective is standing in the office of his chief at Scotland Yard. The young detective's name is Richard Baxter.
"You knew Coke, didn't you. Baxter?" "Yes. sir. I arrested him four years ago." Baxter's chief is nodding his head.
"Yes. I know that. Baxter. That's why I'm giving you this order, now. Find Coke again! You must find him immediately!"