Malone takes her freshly rolled cigarette, lights it, and exhales blue smoke. Through it, she notices a stack of papers near her desk, old cases from the force she left long ago.

She begins to question her future as a private investigator and whether the modern world will offer more than thankless adultery cases. She reflects that emancipation still has a long way to go.

As more smoke fills her lungs, she wonders whether this life is worth what she has given up. She also considers helping Green.