they believe they can control the game

"Pierre..."

"What's that, Louis?"

LeBeau very steadily does not look at Newkirk, and also does not work his hands in his gloves. The latter is a bit disquieting, since LeBeau is just as compulsed to the continued faculty and further facility of his digits as Newkirk is (if such a thing ever could be said), but the former is recognizable a dozen metres away.

He hadn't called Newkirk's name consciously; now that he's realized what he's done, as evidenced by the flinch at Newkirk's response, he's afraid. Terribly afraid.

What if he looks, one time, and dear Pierre isn't there?