converse waited in the taxi , his eyes scanning thestreet concentrating on stationary automobiles andthose pedestrians walking too slowly or not at all , oranyone whose glances even seemingly strayed to theamerican express office.. johann went inside andjoel swallowed repeatedly , a tightness in his throat ; the waiting was awful , made worse by the knowledgethat he was using the student in a high-risk situationthen he thought briefly of avery fowler-hallidayand connal fitzpatrick ; they had lost .