Keating regarded him with a questioning stare. "What do you think we should do with you?" he asked bluntly.
Spero patted his pockets and came up with a cigarette. After it had been lighted, he blew the smoke in Carl's direction. "If you were smart, you'd kill me," he said. "Only you're not smart. You know you won't, and I know you won't. So suppose we all relax and stop trying to build up suspense."
Carl dropped his hand inside his pocket, allowing his grip to tighten around the butt of the needle gun. "What makes you so sure I won't kill you?" he said. "I could, you know. The fact you know where Edgerton and his cronies are wouldn't stop me. I could probably find them myself if I wanted to. And I'm not even sure that I want to."
Spero took a drag on the cigarette and derricked himself to his feet. "I wasn't thinking of that," he said quietly. "I just happen to know that you haven't got it in you to kill a man in cold blood, Keating. I could do it but not you. You got too many principles. The worst you could bring yourself to do, Keating, would be to put it up to a vote. And if it came to that, everyone here—probably you included—would vote to let me off on the promise that I wouldn't do it again. Go ahead, put it to a vote. See if I'm not right."
Keating let his eyes wander across the cabin.... To Stewart Ferguson, white-looking, and curiously without comment.... To Diane, outraged amazement on her face—but still a woman. And to Norman Hamlin, wondering what made the man tick—but still a doctor. He looked back at Spero, blowing small curls of smoke at the ceiling.
No, he didn't have to take a vote.
Impulsively, he waved the gun in the direction of the cubbyhole where Diane had been sleeping. "Get in there," he said tightly.
Spero stubbed out the cigarette, swiveled a tight-lipped smile across each member of the party, then shrugged his shoulders and shuffled into the room.
Carl locked the door and stuck the key in his pocket along with the key to the gun case. While neither of the locks were built for durability, at least Spero would have to make a noise opening them.
To the others he said: "I'd suggest we make our future plans without figuring on Spero's cooperation."