How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
"Put down all your weapons," Gerald confirmed, in his mild patient way. "Or we cut Jamie's throat."
He'd never liked Jamie all that much anyway.
That was Nick's first thought. His second thought was that Alan did like Jamie […]. Alan would want Jamie safe.
Besides, Jamie was Mae's brother. (13.12-124)
The logic here is a little bit like a flow chart. First Nick assesses his feelings about Jamie, then he moves on to Alan's, and finally to Mae's. And since he gets a yes at the second and third stops on the chart (as in yes, they like Jamie), he decides he needs to act to protect him. Nick's methods of determining right and wrong might vary from other people's methods, but we're not sure that makes them any less moral. Just different.