[ If there was a reason he'd decided to run and tattle to Arthur this is it — he'd been aiming to whip someone up into a frenzy over Smith. This is dangerous territory, though. Treading the apparently fine line between believability and self-preservation isn't a place he wanted to go right now.

One thing at a time. First he just needs to make it out of this room confident that he's sold the scam. ]

That's — no. I can't do that. No way, [ he says, because he knows Steve would advocate for a more palatable option. Even when what Arthur's suggesting makes the most sense, Steve wouldn't want to go there. ] If that happens — and that's if — there has to be another way. We could tie you up or lock you in here or something until we figure it out.