Killers of a Certain Age

In this flashback to November 1981, Billie is in a bar, nervously anticipating a mission. When a man joins her, they are both so stunned by their mutual attraction they forget to exchange passphrases to verify they are both with the Museum. He introduces himself as Christopher Taverner, and Billie, picking up on his accent, immediately nicknames him “English” (179). They joke about their chemistry, and Taverner offers to be the stay-at-home parent to their children. More seriously, he reminds Billie fraternization is forbidden. Billie, in turn, reminds him that as a woman, she would be more compromised than he would be by their affair. They exchange mission details and successfully carry out their assassination. That night, Billie thinks about the urge to affirm life in the face of death and goes to Taverner’s door. They have a passionate night together, and he gives her his St. Christopher’s medal before they part.

Returning to the present, Billie says that their next stop must be Europe as two board members, Paar and Carapaz, are known to reside there. Helen suggests they make Benscombe estate, previously owned by the Hallidays, their base. She explains that her husband, Kenneth, bought her Benscombe before his death. As the others discuss logistics, Billie notices Natalie leaving and follows her to the church in the nearby Ursuline convent. Natalie mistakes a statue of a saint for Mary, to whom she is attempting to talk as a fellow Jewish woman. When pressed, Natalie finally explains, “the nearest synagogue is an hour walk, so I came here. Catholics understand community, you know? And they get guilt too” (186). The two of them reflect that the world loves to make women feel guilty for every choice from parenthood to work to their sex lives. Natalie says she envies Billie for seeming untouched by their work, and Billie reminds her that their work has likely helped people they have never met. Natalie admits she has regrets about Sweeney’s death, and Billie points to a statue of St. Michael fighting a giant serpent and uses it to remind Natalie of their goal: “Get in, kill the bastard, get out alive” (189).

Before the group leaves New Orleans, Minka reveals that she has created an app that looks like a menopause tracker, complete with a hidden messaging feature that will facilitate secure communication. The app relies on the fact that most pursuers will be cisgender men, who would avoid any data involving menstruation. Billie reflects that they used similar tactics during their active assassination careers. When the group reaches Benscombe, Helen confesses she has no key, so Natalie breaks a window and lets them in. When they enter, they see the house is dusty and in poor repair. When Mary Alice asks Billie if she thinks the house is “haunted” Billie replies, “Well, if it is, at least we know the ghost” (197).