After deciding to help Amy Wheeler, Steve prepares to leave for America at short notice. He takes a call from his former colleague Linda, who says she can quietly update him on the blood results from the Hollands Wood scene, then awkwardly avoids accepting her invitation for a drink before realizing he really does have plans. Steve tells Margaret he will be away for a couple of days, asks her to remember Trouble's eye drops, and packs lightly because he does not know the luggage rules for a private plane. Before leaving, he prints the documents Amy sent him, including material on Bella Sanchez, Mark Gooch, Andrew Fairbanks, and Francois Loubet.

Steve rides to Farnborough with a driver called Ken, choosing the front seat and chatting with him on the way. At the airport, Ken drives him directly to the aircraft steps, where Steve is met by a passport officer and by Brad, who offers him champagne. On board, Steve discovers he is the only passenger. Pilot Saskia invites Steve to sit on the flight deck for take-off, and the experience briefly lifts his mood.

Once the plane reaches cruising altitude, Steve settles into the strange luxury of the private jet. Brad offers sushi, vodka, and an elaborate beer selection, while Steve asks instead for ordinary comfort food such as sausage rolls, crisps, or even bolognese. Looking out over the English coast and thinking about an old holiday with Debbie, Steve turns to Amy's papers to focus on the case rather than the unsettling glamour of the flight.

Steve reads about Andrew Fairbanks's murder and the arrangements that brought Andrew to America: a media agency booking, an unnamed driver from the airport, and an unnamed yacht and photographer in Lowesport. Because those missing identities may matter, Steve records questions into his Dictaphone, including checking airport CCTV to identify who met Andrew. Steve also notes two names Amy has flagged from Jeff Nolan's information, Francois Loubet and Joe Blow, showing that his role is already shifting from concerned friend to active investigator. After getting Saskia's permission for Brad to drink with him, Steve jokingly leaves Debs a message about the private jet's gold toilet and cocaine, then begins a beer tasting as the flight continues toward America.