The Naked Face Read Online Free PDF Page A

were looking for, Doctor?” asked McGreavy. 'I have no idea,' Judd said. He walked to the inner door and opened it, McGreavy close behind him. In his office two end tables had been overturned, a smashed lamp lay on the floor, and blood soaked the Fields rug. In the far corner of the room, grotesquely spread out, was the body of Carol Roberts. She was nude. Her hands were tied behind her back with piano wire, and acid had been splashed on her face and breasts and between her thighs. The fingers of her right hand were broken. Her face was battered and swollen. A wadded handkerchief was stuffed in her mouth. The two detectives watched Judd as he stared at the body. 'You look pale,' Angeli said. 'Sit down.' Judd shook his head and took several deep breaths. When he spoke, his voice was shaking with rage. 'Who - who could have done this?' That's what you're going to tell us, Dr. Stevens,' said McGreavy. Judd looked up at him. “No one could have wanted to do this to Carol. She never hurt anyone in her life' 'I think it's about time you started singing another tune,' McGreavy said. 'No one wanted to hurt Hanson, but they stuck a knife in his back. No one wanted to hurt Carol, but they poured acid all over her and tortured her to death.' His voice became hard. 'And you stand there and tell me no one would want to hurt them. What the hell are you - deaf, dumb, and blind? The girl worked for you for four years. You're a psychoanalyst. Are you trying to tell me you didn't know or care about her personal life?' 'Of course I cared,' Judd said tightly. ”She had a boyfriend she was going to marry�' 'Chick. We've talked to him.' 'But he could never have done this. He's a decent boy and he loved Carol.' 'When was the last time you saw Carol alive?' asked Angeli. 'I told you. When I left here to go to see Mrs. Hanson. I asked Carol to close up the office.' His voice broke and he swallowed and took a deep breath. 'Were you scheduled to see any more patients today?' 'No.' 'Do you think this could have been done by a maniac?' Angeli asked. 'It must have been a maniac.' but � even a maniac has to have some motivation.' 'That's what I think,' McGreavy said. Judd looked over to where Carol's body lay. It had the sad appearance o� a disfigured rag doll, useless and discarded. 'How long are you going to leave her like this?' Judd asked angrily. 'They'll take her away now,' said Angeli. The coroner and the Homicide boys have already finished.' Judd turned to McGreavy. 'You left her like this for me?' Teah,' McGreavy said. 'I'm going to ask you again. Is there anything in this office that someone could want badly enough to' - he Indicated Carol - 'do that?' 'No.' “What about the records of your patients?' Judd shook his head. 'Nothing.' 'You're not being very cooperative, Doctor, are you?' asked McGreavy.� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 'Don't you think I want to see you find whoever did this?' Judd snapped. 'If there was anything in my files that would help, I would tell you. I know my patients. There isn't any one among them who could have killed her. This was done by an outsider.' 'How do you know it wasn't someone after your files?' 'My files weren't touched.' McGreavy looked at him with quickened interest. ”How do you know that?' he asked. 'You haven't even looked.' Judd walked over to the far wall. As the two men watched, he pressed the lower section of the panelling and the wall slid open, revealing racks of built-in shelves. They were filled with tapes. I record every session with my patients.' Judd said. 'I keep the tapes here.' 'Couldn't they have tortured Carol to try to force her to tell where those tapes were?' There is nothing in any of these tapes worth anything to anyone. There was some other motive for her murder.' Judd looked at Carol's scarred body again, and he was filled with helpless, blind rage. 'You've got to find whoever did this!' 'I intend to," McGreavy said. He was looking at