Chapter 65 Summary: Eddie Flood’s Secret Plan Revealed
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Eddie Flood telephones Rob and admits he failed to kill Amy Wheeler. Rob has seen the footage of Rosie on An Irish Breakfast and is displeased. Eddie describes being mobbed by crowds who recognised him after the failed hit. Rob relieves him of the assignment but lets him keep £15,000 as a gesture of goodwill. Eddie reveals to himself that he intentionally missed Amy on two occasions: first from the car park and later from the taxi. He needs Amy alive for his own plan, and he needed to be noticed to become someone the public would watch. His photograph now appears on Sky News with the caption “Who is this mystery hero?” — exactly as he intended. He plans to stay close to Amy’s next move while finishing a personal task that requires time and secrecy.
Key Events
- Eddie calls Rob and confesses the missed shot on Amy.
- Rob fires Eddie from the assassination contract but allows him to keep the payment.
- Eddie recounts being chased, photographed, and met by crowds at the airfield in Cork.
- Eddie mentally reveals his true motives: he missed Amy on purpose because he needs her alive.
- He also needed to be seen and photographed; the news is now calling him a mystery hero.
- He decides to keep shadowing Amy while finishing his own secret preparations.
Character Development
- Eddie Flood: Shifts from appearing as a failed assassin to a cunning strategist. His professional pride is intact, but his loyalty is not to Rob. He has a private agenda (a “ghost to worry about”) and is willing to use the media attention to his advantage.
- Rob: Shows a mix of disappointment and grudging loyalty (he keeps the payment). He admits his own life is on the line if Amy survives, and ponders hiring a Scandinavian hitman.
- Amy Wheeler: Remains an off-page target, but her survival is now central to Eddie’s plan.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Deception and Hidden Motives: Eddie’s entire failure is a performance. His ineptitude masks a deliberate strategy.
- Public Perception as a Weapon: Eddie engineers his own media exposure. The “mystery hero” label gives him a new identity that protects and advances his goals.
- The Ghost of the Past: Eddie alludes to a personal “ghost” he must confront, implying unresolved guilt or a mission unrelated to Rob’s contract.
- Mortality and Consequence: Rob’s line “if she doesn’t die, I’m dead” underscores the high stakes for everyone involved.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Eddie Flood’s character arc. It reframes the entire assassination plot: the apparent failures are actually calculated moves. The revelation that Eddie has his own agenda deepens the mystery and reorients the reader’s sympathy. It also raises the stakes for Amy, who is unknowingly being kept alive by one of her would-be killers. The chapter sets up Eddie as a wild card who may either help or hinder Amy and Steve in the final act.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why did Eddie deliberately miss Amy Wheeler? Eddie needs Amy alive for his personal plan, which is separate from Rob’s contract. He also needed to be noticed by the public, which is why he allowed himself to be photographed and chased.
2. What does Rob’s decision to pay Eddie despite firing him reveal about their relationship? Rob is willing to lose money to avoid a confrontation. He values Eddie’s past skill and their friendship, but he is also under pressure from whoever hired him. The payment shows a mix of loyalty and self-preservation.
3. How does Eddie intend to use his new “mystery hero” identity? The public attention gives him cover and access. By becoming a recognised figure, he can move more freely and perhaps win trust from Amy or others. It is a disguise that also feeds his ego and furthers his secret objective.