“The house belongs to Andrew Jakes.”
Jakes. The name was familiar.
“He’s an art dealer.”
“And the girl?”
“Angela Jakes.”
“His daughter?”
The cop laughed.
“Granddaughter?”
“No, sir. She’s his wife.”
Stupid, thought Danny. Of course she’s his wife. This is Hollywood, after all. Old Man Jakes must have been worth a fortune.
At last the ropes gave way. Till death us do part, thought Danny as Angela Jakes literally tumbled free from her husband’s corpse into his arms. Slipping off his overcoat, Danny draped it over her shoulders, covering her nakedness. She was conscious again and shivering.
“It’s all right,” he told her. “You’re safe now. Angela, isn’t it?”
The girl nodded mutely.
“Can you tell me what happened, sweetheart?”
She looked up at him and for the first time Danny saw the full extent of her injuries. Two black eyes, one so swollen that it had closed completely, and lacerations all over her upper body. Scratch marks. Danny thought, She must have fought like hell.
“He hurt me.”
Her voice was barely a whisper. The effort of speaking seemed to exhaust her.
“Take your time.”
She paused. Danny waited.
“He said he would let Andrew go if…if I…” Catching sight of her husband’s bloodied corpse, she broke into uncontrollable sobs.
“Someone cover him up, for Christ’s sake,” Danny snapped. How was he supposed to get any sense out of the girl with that horror show lying right next to her?
“We can’t, sir. Not yet. Forensics isn’t finished with the body.”
Danny flashed his sergeant a withering look. “I said cover him.”
The sergeant blanched. “Sir.”
A blanket was draped over Andrew Jakes’s body, but it was too late. His wife was already in deep shock, rocking back and forth, eyes glazed, muttering to herself. Danny wasn’t sure what she was saying. It sounded like: “I have no life.”
“Is the ambulance here yet?”
“Yes, sir. Just arrived.”
“Good.”
Detective Danny McGuire moved away out of the victim’s earshot, beckoning his men around him in a tight huddle. “She needs a doctor and a psych evaluation. Officer Menendez, you go with her. Make sure the medical examiner sees her first and we get a full rape kit, swabs, blood tests, the lot.”
“Of course, sir.”