“So look at all unsolved strangulations in the region. Call up the detectives on the open cases you find and ask if there was any missing jewelry associated with any of the victims. Since this one was found in Ventura County, direct the search up and down from L.A. If we find that Tinsley has another piece of jewelry that’s linked to another murder victim, we’ll talk to the D.A. and I’m betting that would be enough for us to hold him for a while. Tinsley could explain away one necklace as a coincidence. But it would be hard for him to explain away two.”

“Do you want me to call up Oxnard?”

“Yeah. Ask them if we can get the file and a DNA profile of the victim. Tell them we’re investigating a strangulation—a hanging specifically—and we’re going up and down the coast. Don’t tell them about the necklace yet. I want to keep a tight lid on this.”

Wanda wrote down his instructions. “You know the business card that Marge and Oliver found in his apartment? That could have been the trophy.”

“Maybe.” Decker tried to organize his thoughts. “Let’s send the necklace to the techs. If Tinsley yanked it off Roxanne’s neck, he could have broken her skin and there may be blood on it. Also, let’s swab the chain for DNA. The neck area is a prime sweat location. Skin cells slough especially in the heat and Oxnard can get very hot in the summer. If, by luck, the victim’s DNA happened to be on the jewelry, Chuck would have some major explaining to do.”

“I’M IN THE lobby.”

Silver’s voice. He had called just as Marge was toweling off her chlorine-saturated hair. “Be right down.”

“See you then.”

Marge checked her watch. It was close to five. She knocked on the door that joined her room with Oliver’s. “You there?”

She heard muffled footsteps and then the door opened. There was a wide smile on Scott’s face. “I’m here.”

“Silver’s downstairs, waiting for us.” She regarded her partner’s face. “You won?”

Oliver stuffed a wad of money in her hand. “In keeping with what we did before, this is half of it.”

Marge fanned the bills. “There’s over a thousand dollars.”

“One thousand two hundred seventy-eight, to be exact. How about dinner tonight, Ms. Dunn? I’m nothing if not a gentleman.”

“Sure.” Her smile was genuine. “Good for you, Scott. If I keep what you gave me, even if you spend the rest, you’ll still leave with a profit in your pocket.”

“Too late. I blew it all.”

She laughed. “On what?”

“Two premium tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s O and a new pair of Gucci loafers. Plus, we are going out to dinner and it’s all on the house.” He pointed to himself.