Lawrence and his family pulled into the church parking lot around one o'clock three days later. The parking lot was forebodingly empty. He ushered Allison and Diana into the foyer and made sure they were seated. Allison noticed that Larry wasn't ready to sit down.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to find the minister. I'll be right back."
Four caskets were lined up at the front of the room, all closed, and his heart sank. Lawrence left the sanctuary and went off to the pastor's office. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," said the voice.
Lawrence found Reverend Mason behind his desk, looking over his glasses as prepared notes. He was a thin, elderly man with a kind face.
"Hello, Dr. Gordon."
"Hi. Um…I just got here, and I'm a little concerned about the…attendance of this service."
"Oh?"
"Yes, there are no more than thirty people out there. What's going on?"
Reverend Mason removed his spectacles and set them on the desk. "I know this probably isn't going to be easy for you to hear, considering that you were part of this, but those four men have…this isn't easy to say, I'm sorry."
"What are you talking about?" Lawrence asked.
Mason paused, assessing his choice of words. "Well, this is a funeral service for a crooked cop, a drug dealer with more enemies than he can count, an orderly with no family or friends, and a spy with a family who has disowned his and no friends. It's not the kind of group that's bound to stir up much sympathy in the city."
Lawrence was shocked at the words Reverend Mason spoke. Could it be true? Had Adam really been alone in the world?
This knowledge only served to deepen his guilt.
"I'm really sorry, Lawrence," Reverend Mason repeated.
Lawrence quickly turned and left the office as a flood of tears threatened to overcome him. He disappeared into the men's restroom. He didn't want Allison and Diana to see him this way.
If he felt rotten before, it couldn't compare to how he felt now. Lawrence really had been his only friend, his only hope, and he had left him to die. He braced himself against the wall and forced himself to stay upright.
"Lawrence Gordon?"
He jumped at the sound of the voice. He looked up to see a young man standing near the sinks that he didn't recognize. Then again, after all the interviews he had done, people who had never met him knew his name.
"Who are you?"
"My name's Scott Tibbs."
Scott Tibbs. He recognized the name. But from where?
"I used to be a friend of Adam's," he said.
Of course, he thought. Finally, someone that knew Adam. "I'm glad you're here," Lawrence said.
"You know who I am?" asked Scott, clearly surprised.
"Yes," Lawrence said as he wiped his eyes and composed himself. "Adam mentioned you. Something about a rusty nail."
Scott smiled at the memory. "Yeah, still can't believe I did that."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Lawrence asked, hoping that maybe Adam had had some companionship in the days before he was pulled into hell.
Scott sighed and rubbed his face. "Oh, it's been years. At least seven. We had a fight and well, we went our separate ways."
It wasn't encouraging news.
Scott chuckled nervously and said, "It's a shame though, to think that something so stupid ruined our friendship. And now, well…" his voice began to break.
Lawrence moved to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Scott said as he reached for a tissue.
"We all have regrets," Lawrence said darkly.
The sound of organ music began to play in the sanctuary.
"We'd better go," Lawrence said. "Are you here with anyone?"
Scott shook his head.
What was it about people being alone? Didn't they realize just how precious friends and family are? "You're welcome to sit with us."
Scott eyed him curiously as the music continued to play in the background. "I couldn't impose."
"Don't be ridiculous, I insist."
Scott conceded and they made their way to their seat. And judging by the emptiness that filled the sanctuary, no one else had come in, and no one else would.
"Where have you been?" Allison asked.
"Sorry honey. I ran into a friend of Adam's," Lawrence explained.
Allison shifted her gaze to Scott, who smiled. Allison simply nodded and took Lawrence's hand as he sat beside her.
Reverend Mason took stage and began the service.
