On the flight from St Lucia to Dublin, Steve had already begun to suspect Max Highfield. Now, as he and Rosie fly to Dubai, Steve watches an old Max Highfield film and finds a fresh piece of evidence: in the first eight minutes, Max’s character, an Army explosives expert, is nicknamed Joe Blow. That discovery strengthens Steve’s case that Max Highfield is the Joe Blow behind the money-laundering operation and the network that used influencers through Maximum Impact.

As the plane continues to Dubai, Steve reflects humorously on how quickly he has become accustomed to luxury travel. Comparing himself to his cat Trouble, who rejected ordinary cat food after tasting roast chicken, Steve realizes private jets have spoiled him too. Even so, Steve’s main focus remains practical: once Max Highfield is trapped, Rob Kenna is questioned, and François Loubet is identified, Steve wants this whole ordeal to end.

Steve and Rosie discuss what they know and how to act on it. They agree that Max is now effectively confirmed as Joe Blow because of the film reference, his role in steering influencers toward Maximum Impact, and his connection to Felicity Woollaston. Their problem is access: Max is such a major celebrity that getting near him will be difficult. Steve suggests Rosie might use her own fame to secure a meeting, perhaps by pitching him an idea.

The conversation then turns more personal and uneasy. Rosie admits that if Eddie Flood or Vasiliy Karpin appear in Dubai, that will mean real danger, and Steve says plainly that he hopes no one kills her. Their joking exchanges about flirting, pub quizzes, and private islands gradually give way to a sadder discussion about age, loss, and loneliness. Rosie speaks about having fewer people left around her, while Steve mentions Debbie and says she would have liked Rosie, which reveals a growing warmth and trust between them.

Looking ahead, Rosie says she will be sad when the case is over, though she still wants to catch Loubet. Steve says Amy and Jeff will stay in London and go through the records to determine when Max became involved and to search for clues to François Loubet’s identity. Rosie questions whether Jeff is fully trustworthy, but Steve dismisses the concern. He then raises another possibility: perhaps Max Highfield is François Loubet himself. Rosie doubts Max is clever enough, so Steve accepts that for now they must keep following the trail from Max and Rob Kenna to the unseen mastermind. By the end of the flight, Steve realizes that despite the danger, he may miss this strange, luxurious adventure.