Hailies Song

Chapter Nine

Rated R

An hour later, Hailies room was full of people. Kim was sitting in a chair against the wall, a doctor was in the corner going over paperwork with a nurse, Hailie was laying in bed, Marshall sitting beside her, holding her hand. There was a knock on the door, and Kim stood up, opening it, knowing exactly who it was.

"Hey," Aaron said, stepping into the room as Kim closed the door behind him.

"Hi." Kim said, licking her lips.

Marshall looked up from his daughter, at Aaron, standing in front of the door. He was still wearing his police uniform, Marshall assumed he had come straight from work. He nodded his greeting as Aaron glanced at him and Hailie.

"Hey man," Aaron said, shaking Marshalls hand, and then looking to Hailie, sympathetically. "How you doing sweetheart?"

"Ive been better." Hailie smiled at him.

"Marshall, Aaron wanted to be here, when we talk to you, and I think its best if the doctors were here for this too." Kim said, glancing at Hailie, who nodded her approval.

"Okay..." Marshall raised his eyebrows. "Whats up?"

"Um..." Kim looked at the doctor, who walked closer to them all, to hear what was going to be said, since Kim had asked him to hear what they had to say. "We want to talk to you about Diane... Hailie?"

"Um, dad," Hailie cleared her throat and took a deep breath, summing up all her courage. How the hell would she tell her dad this? Did she really believe Kim? Truth be told, she believed Kim, and she knew her father needed to know. She just didnt want this to be real. "Dianes been giving me medication, pills and stuff, to make me feel better, and it hasnt been working."

"So she doesnt have a PHD, Shes trying to help." Marshall said, with attitude, looking to Kim and glaring. What the hell was Kim trying to do?

"Well, its not that I dont appreciate it," Hailie rethought that sentence. "Actually, it IS that I dont appreciate it, dad."

"What?" Marshall raised both eyebrows.

"Well, Um... Remember when Diane sent me up that orange juice? And I didnt want it? So Mom drank it?" Hailie asked, not noticing the look that the doctor sent Kims way. "Remember how sick Mom got?"

"Yeah, but....?" Marshall looked confused, and Hailie bit her lip.

"Dad, she took me to burger king, and we were going to eat in the parkinglot, and I needed a straw? So I went to get one, and when I came back, it looked like she was doing something to my food. I asked what she was doing and she said she was just stealing a fry, but dad she had her own fries." Hailie swallowed the lump in her throat. He wasnt getting it. "The next day, I was sick!"

Marshall looked to Kim. "What the fuck are you putting into her head?"

"Marshall, its true. Remember what I told you before? About the poisoning? And plus, why would I get sick, and not you or Diane? Hailie doesnt have a virus, right Doctor?" Kim looked to the doctor, who shook his head.

"Diane wouldnt poison Hailie." Marshall said, glaring at his ex wife.

"Uh, Marshall," Aaron spoke up, and Marshall looked to him.

"What?" Marshall glared at him.

"I was going through Dianes files... her records... and I-"

"Who gives you the right to do that?" Marshall said pointedly.

"Well, Im a cop. I have access to that. And I think you would be interested in what I found out." Aaron said, glancing from Marshall, to the doctor. "About 10 years ago, Diane had a husband, who died. From Methomyl poisoning. Now, Diane was a suspect in the case, they didnt find out he was poisoned until after they did the autopsy. They put her on trial, but because of a lack of evidence, they let her go and she was cleared of the charges."

"Cleared of the charges." Marshall stared at Aaron as he said it. "Key word there."

"Dianes late husband, had the same symptoms as Hailie, before he died. I know you dont want to believe this, but think of your daughter. If it is true, and you do nothing about it, would you wanna risk losing her?" Aaron said, watching Marshall take a deep breath and look at Hailie, who was staring at him.

"And you believe this?" Marshall asked Hailie. Hailie nodded and he looked at the doctor, "What do you think?"

"I think that, its very likely. Now that I realize, the symptoms Hailie has are identical to if she was poisoned." He answered.

"But, wouldnt it show up in a blood test? Shes had like 20 of them, wouldnt you think they would find it by now?" Marshall sighed.

"Well," The nurse spoke for the first time that day, "Sir, they havent found anything else, and Methomyl is very hard to detect, but after its found, its relatively easy to cure. But if we dont test for it now, and she does have it, it could be fatal."

Marshall looked down. He couldnt believe they thought Diane would do this. He had to admit, the things they were saying seemed to come together, and it was sketchy how Kim randomly got sick. "And, what if she doesnt have it?"

"Then, thank god, and your wife is innocent, and trustworthy." Aaron explained.

"If she does?" Marshall bit his lip as he said that.

"Well, thats a little more complicated." Aaron licked his lips.

"Cant we like, have her arrested? Since we know shes doing this?" Kim looked to Aaron.

"No, there would have to be some SERIOUS evidence. We cant just have her arrested. We could file a police report, but as in taking her to court, we would need some evidence. Hard evidence." Aaron replied.

"If I may..." The doctor spoke. "Id like to do some methomyl tests, on Ms. Scott and Ms. Mathers. If they have the same thing, then it might be a good idea to think about your options, and what you want to do with your wife, Mr Mathers. Curing it as soon as possible will make things alot easier to deal with."

"Yeah, of course." Marshall nodded. "Um... What about Diane?"

"Personally, I think you should keep it to this room. I dont think she should know about this, I know I wouldnt tell her, and I think she might try to do something to ruin this, or something. Lets catch her before this gets out." Aaron advised. Marshall nodded.

"So, we are gonna do this?" Kim asked, looking to the doctor, who nodded, and Hailie, who looked down at the blankets.

"I guess," Marshall looked at Hailie. "Your okay with this?"

"Yeah," Hailie said, nodding. And that was the truth. She was more than okay with this. She actually hoped they found something, so she could get out of this hospital, go home, go to school, hang out with her friends like a normal 17 year old did. She wanted to be able to drive her car, and not be driven everywhere. She wanted to stay away for more than three hours at a time, and feel healthy.

"Alright." Marshall sighed. "Lets do it."