Kiss Her Goodbye Chapter 23: Riddles Within Riddles
⚠️ Spoiler Notice
This summary and analysis contains key plot details from Chapter 23 of Kiss Her Goodbye. If you haven't read the chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
D.D. Warren and Daryl meet retired army captain Sanders Kurtz and former first sergeant Tim Westwig at the Tucson office of No One Left Behind, a nonprofit that helps Afghan allies obtain Special Immigrant Visas. The men explain that Sabera Ahmadi approached them months ago asking for the name of her late mother Maryam Shinwari’s MI6 handler. Maryam, an Afghan-British woman, worked as an MI6 asset in Kabul after the fall of the Taliban. Sabera herself later served as a cryptanalyst for US military intelligence but was dismissed when decoding errors raised suspicions of intentional misconduct. She claimed to have valuable intelligence to pass only to her mother’s original contact. D.D. reveals that someone with a “British-adjacent” accent (possibly South African, given the country’s interest in Afghanistan’s mineral wealth) tried to kidnap Sabera’s daughter, Zahra. Kurtz and Westwig agree to put D.D. in touch with the handler. D.D. concludes that Sabera has become an unsolvable riddle herself.
Key Events
- D.D. and Daryl meet Kurtz and Westwig at the new Tucson satellite office of No One Left Behind.
- Kurtz explains the organization’s mission to support SIV applicants left behind after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- D.D. presses for details about Sabera Ahmadi’s visit; the men reluctantly disclose what they know.
- They reveal that Sabera’s mother, Maryam Shinwari, was recruited by MI6 and collected intelligence on corruption among Afghan elites.
- Sabera later worked for US military intelligence as a natural-born cryptanalyst but was dismissed after suspected intentional errors in her decodings.
- Sabera sought her mother’s handler in order to pass along “valuable intel” she allegedly discovered after Maryam’s death.
- D.D. describes the attempted kidnapping of Zahra Ahmadi by a man with a British-adjacent accent; Westwig and Kurtz suggest the accent could be South African.
- South Africa’s interest in Afghanistan’s rare earth elements and mining potential is raised as a possible motive.
- Kurtz and Westwig agree to relay D.D.’s request to speak with Maryam’s handler.
- D.D. reflects that Sabera has become a riddle she cannot decode.
Character Development
D.D. Warren shows persistence and mounting frustration as she pieces together contradictory information. Her impulse to knock the men’s heads together reveals her impatience with being kept in the dark.
Daryl acts as the calming influence, noting with dry humor that when an ex-con becomes the peacemaker, “you’re definitely in trouble.”
Kurtz and Westwig emerge as principled but cautious gatekeepers. They clearly hold deep respect for Afghan allies and are wary of sharing sensitive intelligence, yet they eventually cooperate when the danger to Zahra becomes clear.
Sabera Ahmadi is developed indirectly: a brilliant code breaker who may have been a double agent, a daughter who knew her mother’s secret life, and a woman who has become a puzzle herself.
Maryam Shinwari receives a posthumous portrait as a courageous MI6 asset who sacrificed family ties for duty.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Secrets and layered identities – Every character holds back information: Sabera omitted her military intelligence work; Kurtz and Westwig initially refuse client details; Maryam hid her spy career. The chapter itself is structured like a decryption exercise.
Betrayal and trust – Sabera’s dismissal for suspected intentional errors introduces the theme of misplaced trust within intelligence agencies. The question of whether she was a double agent hangs over the narrative.
The cost of war – Kurtz’s vivid descriptions of unarmed interpreters rushing toward burning vehicles underscore the human price of abandonment after the US withdrawal. The SIV program is portrayed as both urgent and painfully slow.
Riddles and codes – Sabera’s skill as a cryptanalyst and the metaphorical “riddle” she has become mirror the investigative process: D.D. must decode not only a crime but a person.
Afghanistan’s mineral wealth – The discussion of rare earth elements introduces a geopolitical motive that may explain the involvement of South African mercenaries.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 23 dramatically expands the novel’s scope from a missing-persons case to international intrigue. By revealing Sabera’s mother as an MI6 asset and Sabera herself as a suspected double agent, it deepens the mystery and raises the stakes. The mention of South African mercenaries and rare earth elements hints at a conspiracy far larger than a family dispute. This chapter also solidifies D.D.’s role as a detective who must learn to interpret not just clues but the people who leave them.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why did Sabera Ahmadi approach No One Left Behind, and what did she want?
She wanted the name of her late mother’s MI6 handler. Sabera claimed to have discovered valuable intelligence after her mother’s death and was willing to share it only with that specific person. Kurtz and Westwig agreed to make inquiries on her behalf.
2. What was Sabera’s role in US military intelligence, and why was she dismissed?
Sabera worked as a cryptanalyst, creating and cracking ciphers. She was praised as a natural talent, but later a colleague found errors in her decodings. Additional mistakes appeared, leading to suspicion that she was intentionally sabotaging messages—possibly acting as a double agent. She was dismissed from her position.
3. What possible connection between the attempted kidnapping and South Africa is suggested in this chapter?
The kidnapper had a “British-adjacent” accent that Kurtz and Westwig identified as possibly South African. They note that South African mercenaries are among the best in the world and that South African companies have long been interested in Afghanistan’s vast mineral deposits, including rare earth elements. This suggests a mercenary force might be involved in tracking Sabera for unknown reasons related to mining or resource extraction.