Chapter Twenty: Pigeon Shooting and a Trap

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens an hour after the team lost track of their target, the opera singer Wolfgang Praetorius. Billie is furious that Mary Alice and Natalie failed to keep him under surveillance. She storms off to her room and sulks by the window, watching a Venetian market from the safe house balcony. Helen joins her, and they share a candid conversation. Billie apologizes for burning down Helen’s house, Benscombe, and Helen accepts the apology but admits she is still angry because now she must figure out what to do next. Helen confesses her fear of calling Benoit, uncertain if he wants a future with her. Billie points out that Helen is more afraid of a “yes” than a “no,” because a yes would force her to rebuild her life. Billie admits she does something that terrifies her every single day.

Dinner that evening is tense, with everyone sniping at each other. Taverner abruptly decides to take the group out. He leads them to a private water taxi and then to the Donà Palace, a boutique hotel with a secluded terrace garden. There, the team discovers water pistols on the table. Taverner has arranged a pigeon‑shooting contest to relieve stress. During the game, Wolfgang calls Billie. He says Galina’s bodyguard, a woman named Tamara, followed him. He evaded her by taking a water taxi and did not go to his apartment. Wolfgang refuses to share information over the phone and agrees to meet the next morning at the Scala Contarini del Bovolo at 6 a.m. The group quickly sketches a plan. Taverner warns that the rendezvous is likely a trap, but Billie grins and says she is counting on it.

Key Events

Billie scolds Mary Alice and Natalie for losing Wolfgang.
Helen and Billie have a heart‑to‑heart on the balcony about Benscombe and Helen’s future.
Helen admits she is afraid to call Benoit.
Billie reveals she does something scary every day.
The team’s tense dinner leads Taverner to propose a night outing.
The group goes to the Donà Palace for pigeon shooting with water pistols.
Wolfgang calls Billie; he reports being followed by Galina’s bodyguard Tamara.
Wolfgang arranges a meeting at the Scala Contarini del Bovolo for 6 a.m.
The team drafts a plan; Taverner suspects a trap, and Billie embraces the possibility.

Character Development

Billie shows vulnerability by apologizing for Benscombe and admitting she feels daily fear, revealing depth beyond her hardened exterior.
Helen grapples with the loss of her home and the uncertainty of retirement; her fear of calling Benoit underscores her struggle to embrace a new chapter.
Taverner takes initiative to diffuse tension, and his warning about the trap shows his cautious, strategic mind.
Wolfgang grows more paranoid and panicky, which solidifies his defection to Billie’s side.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Fear of change: Helen’s hesitation to call Benoit mirrors Billie’s earlier admission of daily fear. Both women confront the daunting prospect of redefining themselves after a lifetime of action.
Guilt and forgiveness: Billie’s apology for Benscombe is accepted, but Helen’s lingering anger shows that forgiveness is a process, not a single event.
Pigeon shooting as tension release: The absurd water‑pistol game serves as a literal and symbolic pressure valve, allowing the team to laugh together before facing a dangerous mission.
Trap versus opportunity: The planned meeting at the Scala Contarini del Bovolo is openly acknowledged as likely a trap, yet Billie chooses to walk into it, highlighting the theme of controlled risk.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Twenty is a pivotal emotional and plot transition. It resolves the lingering tension between Billie and Helen over the destruction of Benscombe, strengthening their friendship before the final operation. Helen’s personal doubts about her future with Benoit add a layer of human vulnerability to a character usually depicted as steady and maternal. The chapter also sets up the climactic confrontation: Wolfgang’s panicked call and Billie’s cheerful acceptance of the trap raise the stakes and propel the story into its endgame. The lighthearted pigeon‑shooting sequence provides necessary comic relief and reinforces the team’s bond under stress.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Helen’s hesitation to call Benoit reveal about her character?
Helen is accustomed to decisive action in her professional life, but personal relationships terrify her. Her fear of being rejected—or accepted—shows that she is unsure how to build a life outside her career, especially after losing her home.
Why does Billie say she does something scary “every damned day”?
Billie references her life with Taverner on the Greek island; living with someone who sees her flaws and loves her anyway is a daily act of vulnerability for a woman who spent decades hiding her true self.
How does the pigeon‑shooting contest function in the chapter?
It serves as a team‑building exercise that breaks the tension from the failed surveillance and the heated dinner. It also foreshadows the precision and luck needed for the impending operation against Galina.