Chapter summaries Kills Well with Others Deanna Raybourn

Chapter 25: Interrogating Wolfgang and the Balkan Connection

⚠️ 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

After rescuing Wolfgang from Galina’s assassins, the women debrief him at Taverner’s safe house. Wolfgang reveals Galina is secretive, travels frequently, and is unhappy with her brother Pasha’s laziness. He knows nothing about her business but mentions she is taking over a “very important deal” in Montenegro, using the phrase “pick up,” suggesting a handover. Taverner admits he tailed Galina to Trieste, confirming she left Venice. Minka hacks Galina’s email and finds a train itinerary booked by Pasha from Podgorica to Athens. The women deduce Galina is after whatever asset Jovan Murić—a Montenegrin art collector and arms dealer—possessed, which the Museum recently assassinated. They suspect a mole inside the Museum sold information. Deciding to intercept Galina, the group prepares to travel to Montenegro.

Key Events

  • Wolfgang (Wolfie) provides intel during a food-fueled interrogation; he knows Galina is stressed about a Balkan deal.
  • Taverner confesses he followed Galina to the Trieste train, against Billie’s wishes.
  • Minka cracks Galina’s email and uncovers Pasha’s train booking to Athens via Podgorica, with only a ten-minute stop.
  • Discussion reveals the Museum killed Jovan Murić, an arms dealer posing as an art collector.
  • Helen connects art theft’s low priority for law enforcement, making it a perfect cover for underworld transactions.
  • The women realize the Lazarovs accessed Murić’s file, tying the assassination to their revenge plot.
  • A mole inside Provenance (the Museum’s intelligence arm) is suspected.
  • Billie calls Naomi to learn the second compromised file was Murić’s.
  • Helen decides they will take the train to Montenegro to stop Galina before she completes the deal.

Character Development

  • Billie : Demonstrates leadership by managing the interrogation, restraining Natalie from extreme methods, and synthesizing clues (the Murić-Lazarov connection). Her Texas drawl resurfaces when she calls Naomi, showing her ability to pivot from aggression to charm.
  • Helen : Acts as the group’s moral compass, gently correcting Akiko (“He doesn’t think he does”) and advocating for a softer approach to Wolfgang. She is the first to agree to the Montenegro plan.
  • Natalie : Proposes using psychological torture (“make him think we are”) and casually lists kitchen tools as weapons. Her dark humor (laughing at “stern brunch daddy”) masks her deadly competence.
  • Mary Alice : Sharp and direct, she asks the smart question about how Wolfgang knows so much about Galina’s deal. She quickly sides with Billie’s theory that the Balkan asset is the key.
  • Minka : Tech expert who cracks Galina’s email and navigates the Montenegrin rail site. Her quips (“I am the queen of the rodeo”) show her confidence.
  • Akiko : Still the newcomer; she asks clarifying questions and parrots others’ opinions, showing she is learning the group’s dynamics.
  • Taverner : Takes initiative to follow Galina, defying Billie’s orders. His calm demeanor and information extraction from Wolfgang (including the comic “stern brunch daddy” remark) show his resourcefulness.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Secrecy and Trust : Every character has hidden layers. Wolfgang believes he knows nothing, but Helen points out people often know more than they think. Taverner’s secret tailing echoes the theme that even allies keep secrets.
  • Art as a Cover : The chapter explains how art theft is under-investigated and how paintings can be used as collateral or transport for criminal wealth. Murić’s art dealership was a front for arms dealing, and the Museum’s assassination of him ties art to deadly purpose.
  • Intergenerational Conflict : Galina is burdened by Pasha’s incompetence and death, forced to complete his deal. The Lazarov siblings’ dynamic mirrors the women’s own struggles with legacy and family (the Museum as a surrogate family).
  • The Cost of Revenge : Galina prioritizes the Balkan deal over immediate vengeance, suggesting that profit and power matter more to her than blood feuds. This shift sets up the final confrontation.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the turning point where the women transition from reactive survivors to proactive hunters. The discovery of the Balkan deal reframes Galina’s motive: she is not just avenging her father and brother but also securing a major underworld transaction. The revelation of a mole inside the Museum raises the stakes and forces the group to question whom they can trust. The decision to take the train to Montenegro propels the plot toward the climax, combining the assassination plot with a high-stakes heist.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Wolfgang initially think he knows nothing useful? He thinks his relationship with Galina was purely personal—she was his patron—and that she never discussed business. However, his offhand remarks about her travel, phone calls, and complaints about Pasha provide the crucial clues (the Balkan deal, the “pick up” phrase, and her nervousness about Montenegro).

2. How does the chapter suggest the Museum has been compromised? Naomi’s security breach investigation reveals that the file on Jovan Murić was accessed alongside the Lazarov file. Since only the Museum would target Murić, the leak must come from inside Provenance. Naomi’s hesitation when Billie asks about Lyndsay implies an internal mole is possible.

3. What is the significance of Pasha’s train itinerary (Podgorica to Athens with a ten-minute stop)? The short stop suggests the asset is either handed over on the train or loaded as cargo at the station. The route through Montenegro, where there are no passenger trains to Tirana, indicates a carefully planned smuggling corridor. Galina’s travel to Trieste (on the way to Montenegro) confirms she is completing Pasha’s deal.

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