The prison official who checked my passport as ID told us: "This is a horrible event but we're going to make it as pleasant as possible. We have cookies and coffee for you."
And with that, three official witnesses to an execution were waved into Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
I was in a car along with Sister Helen Prejean, the author of Dead Man Walking and Richard Glossip's best friend, Kim Van Atta.
Behind us were the two other witnesses who the death row inmate had requested, Crystal Martinez, another friend, and Kim Bellware from the Huffington Post.
So two friends, two journalists and a nun.
Though the official briefing from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections had listed Kim Bellware and me as "friends" too.
I may be a reporter but I now consider Richard Glossip to be a friend.
It was 11.30am and Richard Glossip was due to die in three-and-a-half hours.
Sister Helen was optimistic.
She felt that the attorneys who filed a motion for a stay of execution with the Court of Criminal Appeals had done a good job.
I didn't believe her.The speed with which the Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin had rejected the new evidence had convinced me the execution would go ahead.
We were shown to a room with water and coffee, though not yet any cookies.
We chatted.
The mood was reasonably upbeat, given that was how Richard Glossip had been the night before.
Sister Helen asked to use the bathroom.
I was about to broach the tentative subject of funeral arrangements with Crystal and Kim Van Atta when half a dozen men in suits walked into the room.
