The man beside her was. Elias nodded once, walked back to his chair, sat down and looked at his hands without saying anything. He sat forward slightly, the way you did when you expected to be called any moment, folder on his knee, hat in his hand. He watched the corridor door. From somewhere behind it, just barely audible over the lobby noise, he heard voices.
The distance blurred most of it into tone rather than words. But one word came through clearly enough. Farmer. Then Fitch’s voice, lower, unhurried. A few words Elias couldn’t catch. Then something that sounded very much like waiting and something that sounded very much like busy.