Page 61 of The Final Vow (Washington Poe #7)

They returned to hear the back end of Bradshaw explaining why force majeure , a concept that originated in French civil law, was used in the United Kingdom.

‘It’s an accepted standard for countries that have developed their legal systems from the Napoleonic Code,’ Bradshaw said. ‘And while it obviously clashes with the concept of pacta sunt servanda —’

‘I don’t know what that is, lassie,’ Addy said, her mouth half open, her eyes glazed over. It was a look Poe knew well. It said: I’m ready to swap my cigarettes for a crack pipe.

‘It’s Latin for “agreements must be kept”,’ Bradshaw said. ‘Essentially it means—’

‘Why did you and Raymond split up, Mrs Addy?’ Poe cut in.

She glowered at him. ‘Is that no a bit personal?’

Poe said, ‘Yes, but I need to know.’

‘Why?’

Poe waited her out.

‘Fine,’ she said after a small pause. ‘Raymond used to play mind games with me. I don’t think he could help it.

He would do things like leave the fridge open then say he’d watched me do it, that kind of thing.

I used to bite for the first few years of our marriage, but eventually I got bored of it.

I stopped reacting. If he said I’d left the bathroom light on, even if I knew I hadn’t, I’d just apologise and go and switch it off.

He stopped doing it after a bit. It was no fun if I didn’t flip my lid.

It was the drama he craved. In the end, I think he got bored of me.

One morning over breakfast he said, “You’re no fun any more, Joanne. ” He left the same day.’

‘You said you saw him a couple of years ago?’

‘Yeah, he just turned up one night. Said he was in the area. He asked if that damn virus had finished off the Smithy’s Forge, but I told him I’d got everyone through it. He seemed disappointed. Like he hadn’t wanted me to succeed without him.’

Poe glanced at Mathers and nodded.

‘We think the sniper is your ex-husband,’ Mathers said. ‘Furthermore, we think he’s doing all this with one goal in mind – to crash Gretna Green’s wedding economy.’

‘But . . . but why?’

‘To ruin your business, Mrs Addy. Ezekiel Puck wants to see you destitute and homeless. You were right – he didn’t like that you were succeeding without him. Every person he’s shot, every bullet he’s fired, has brought him one step closer to this singular goal.’

‘The bank seizing the Smithy’s Forge?’

‘That’s not his goal. The bank seizing the Smithy’s Forge and your home is only a stepping stone. His ultimate goal is you taking your own life.’

Joanne Addy stared at Mathers for a long time. Eventually she shook her head and said, ‘That’s sick as fuck. And my Raymond wouldn’t do something like that.’

‘It is sick, Mrs Addy,’ Poe agreed. ‘But I’m afraid Raymond would do something like that. He’s done it before.’ He waited a couple of heartbeats. ‘Several times. I know this to be a fact.’

‘ How do you know?’

‘I just do. I can’t tell you how. But I can tell you your exhusband was never in the SAS.’

‘What was he in?’

‘Something worse, Mrs Addy,’ Poe said. ‘Something much worse.’

‘And if I don’t kill myself?’

Poe shrugged. ‘He has a sniper’s rifle and he never misses.’

‘I’m in danger then.’

‘You are.’

‘We’ll have overt and covert police officers watching your house from now until he’s been caught, Mrs Addy,’ Mathers said. ‘And with your permission I’d like to put armed officers in your home.’

‘In here? With me? Where will they sleep?’

‘They won’t be sleeping, Mrs Addy.’

Mathers and Joanne Addy began discussing the logistics of having police officers in her home.

She seemed more concerned about them blocking her toilet than she was about them saving her life.

Poe didn’t blame her. He’d never been on a stakeout that hadn’t involved a blocked toilet at some point.

He blamed the national shortfall in trained plumbers.

Bradshaw blamed all the curry and pickled eggs.

Poe’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He’d put it on silent while they delivered what was obviously upsetting news.

He didn’t know why he’d bothered. Like all mobile phones on silent, the vibration mode was loud enough to startle crows.

It was a text from Ailsa McCloud, the chief superintendent leading the Police Scotland investigation.

The words on his screen were: POE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Poe unlocked his phone and read the complete text.

Shit.

That really was a problem.