“The usually quiet population had turned out in droves, augmented by diversion-seekers from elsewhere, until the streets, taverns, stores, alleys, and parking spots were jammed, anything was allowed, and the illegal was ignored.”

The opening pages of the novel set the stage for the town of Ashton experiencing an identity crisis. While the rest of the story narrates two warring sides that have explicitly opposed worldviews, beginning the novel with a lawless crowd demonstrates that Ashton is in a state where it could be easily influenced by a powerful person or group. This introduces the theme of Personal Responsibility and Moral Corruption. In addition, this seeds the idea that local law enforcement isn’t very concerned with law and order.

“My arrest! I was trying to explain who I was to the cop, I was trying to show him my press card, he only took my purse and camera away from me and handcuffed me, and I looked over toward the dart throwing booth again and I saw Brummel watching. He ducked out of sight right away, but I swear I saw him watching the whole thing! Marshall, I went over this all last night, I replayed it and replayed it, and I think…well, I don’t know what to think, but it has to mean something.”

Bernice is new in town, but she is already beginning to get a feel for the local characters. As a journalist, she is used to working with law enforcement, and so her assessment of Brummel is evidence of her being a good judge of character. Her false imprisonment is the first domino in the investigation that will lead to the discovery of the plot to take over Ashton. It also functions as a frame for the narrative structure since the novel begins and ends with people being falsely imprisoned and eventually set free.