Walking along Dubai Marina toward an Irish pub, Steve falls into a reflective mood. Far from Axley, his house, and the routines that once defined him, Steve feels a physical longing for home, but he also questions what that longing really means.

Inside the loud, artificial pub, Steve decides that “enjoyment” is the wrong way to measure this trip. Since Debbie died, he has not thought about life in terms of enjoyment. Instead, Steve asks whether he is glad, and he realizes that he is glad to have spent time with Amy, to have protected her and been protected by her, and to have met Rosie.

Steve also recognizes that the journey has reminded him he is still good at his job. Although he wants to return to his quieter old life, he is proud that he has done something meaningful and expanded his world, even briefly. That realization matters because the investigation is nearing its end, and Steve understands he still has an active part to play.

As Steve spots the person he has been searching for, he reaches a deeper truth about his grief. What pulls Steve back is not really Axley or the familiar groove in his sofa, but Debbie, and the vanished second groove beside him. Carrying that understanding with him, Steve sits down next to François Loubet.