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Ayala gasped and clutched the sheet. “This is crazy. You should get out of this city, Hailey. We both should.”
“I’m planning on it, but not before the fund-raiser. You’ll be safe at my place for now. How are you feeling?”
“A little weak, but fine. They did pump my stomach, so if it was some kind of stealth poison, it’s out now.” Ayala closed her eyes. “Hailey.”
“Yes?” Hailey shot a sidelong glance at Joe.
“I can’t do that gala now. I’m sorry. I just want to get back to Florida.”
“Of course. Don’t even think about it.”
A nurse bustled into the area, clutching paperwork to her chest. “Ms. Khan, you just need to sign a few forms and you’re on your way.” Ayala scribbled her signature a couple of times, and the nurse left some papers with her. “Hope you’re feeling better.”
Ayala swung her legs off the bed. “I’ll feel better when I get out of this hospital gown and away from the guy hacking up his guts next to me.”
Hailey stood up and retrieved Ayala’s neatly folded clothes from a shelf. “Will you be okay if we leave you at my place on your own for a while?”
“Sure. Why?” Ayala took the bundle of clothing from Hailey.
Joe gritted his back teeth. Why did Hailey feel the need to spill the beans to everyone? That key was need to know, and Ayala Khan didn’t need to know.
“We think we might’ve found out what Marten’s key unlocks.”
“Oh?”
“By chance, I ran into a friend of mine who runs Mission Hope in the Mission District, and he had a key on him that looks just like Marten’s.”
“Be careful, Hailey. I still think you should let this go. I’m not sure the doc knows what he’s talking about. That was poison coursing through my veins.” She held out one hand to Joe. “Tell her, Joe.”
“You know Hailey better than I do.”
Ayala sighed. “You’re right. Just take care of her. Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m going to get out of this ugly gown.”
“We’ll be in the waiting room.” Hailey patted Ayala’s hand. “Take it easy.”
Joe kept quiet down the corridor, which buzzed with new arrivals, a crying baby and nurses weaving in and out of the rooms. When they got back to the waiting room, he plopped down in a plastic chair that wobbled beneath him.
“That was strange.”
“Ayala? I know. Why was she so sure it was poison?”
“Maybe she lied to get out of the speech at the fund-raiser.”
Hailey punched his thigh as she sat down. “Be serious. It could’ve been poison that the doctor didn’t or couldn’t detect.”
“That’s a possibility.” Joe nibbled on a rough cuticle on the side of his thumb.
“Are you biting your nails over this?” Hailey grabbed his wrist and folded both of her hands around his.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to send me in for a manicure before the big event.” He splayed his free hand in front of him. “Delta Force don’t do manicures.”
“I prefer your rugged hands to a pair of soft, polished ones.”
“Good.”
“Whatever got Ayala, it spooked her.”
“Shh.” Joe tipped his head toward the double doors as the subject of their conversation walked into the waiting room.
Hailey tilted her head at him. “I don’t know why you want to keep her in the dark about everything.”
“I don’t know why, either. Habit.” But the words fell on deaf ears as Hailey launched herself toward her friend.
Joe stayed put, rising from his chair when the women approached. He pasted on a concerned expression. “All ready?”
“So ready to get out of here.” Ayala hooked her hand through Hailey’s arm. “It totally slipped my mind, but an Agent Porter from the FBI visited me right before you showed up.”
Hailey whipped her head around. “He did? I met with him this morning about the shooting and told him about you. That was fast. What did he say? He didn’t tell you about the shooting?”
“He didn’t mention it, and he didn’t have much to say about anything else once he saw my toxicology report. There was nothing in my system except alcohol.”
