“And we don’t know what’s become of the ligature she was strangled with,” Benton said. “It appears the killer removed it from her neck after she was dead and left with it. Police suspect it was another flex-cuff.”

“Based on?”

“Would be unusual to bring two different types of ligatures to the scene,” Benton said.

He worked the straightened paper clip back and forth until it broke.

“And of course it’s assumed the killer brought the flex-cuff—or cuffs—with him. Not exactly the sort of thing most people have lying around the house.”

“Why remove the flex-cuff from her neck and leave with it, and not bother with the one around her wrists? If that’s what happened,” she said.

“We don’t know this person’s mind. Not much to go on except circumstances. I suspect it comes as no surprise to you they think Oscar did it.”

“Based on?”

“Either the killer had a key or she must have let him in, and as you pointed out, she was wearing a bathrobe, not much else. So let’s talk about that. Why was she so comfortable, so trusting? How did she know who was buzzing the outer door? There’s no camera, no intercom. The implication, in my opinion, is she was expecting someone. She unlocked the outer door after dark when the building was empty, then she unlocked her apartment door. Or someone did. Violent offenders love holidays. Lots of symbolism, and nobody’s around. If Oscar killed her, last night was an ideal time to do it and stage it as something else.”

“That’s what the police believe happened, I assume you’re saying.”

She’s making comparisons again, Benton thought. What does she know?

“To them it makes the most sense,” he replied.

“When the police arrived, was her apartment door locked or unlocked?”

“Locked. Oscar locked the apartment door at some point after he was inside. What’s a little peculiar is after he called nine-one- one, he didn’t unlock the apartment building’s outer door, maybe prop it open. And he didn’t unlock the apartment door. I don’t know how he thought the police would get in.”

“I don’t find that peculiar in the least. No matter what he did or didn’t do, he probably was afraid.”

“Of what?”

“If he didn’t kill her, he was likely afraid the killer might come back.”

“How would the killer get back into the building? If he didn’t have a key?”

“People don’t always think about every detail when they’re afraid. Your first impulse when you’re afraid is to lock the doors.”

She’s checking out Oscar’s story. He must have told her he locked Terri’s apartment door because he was afraid.

“What did he say when he called nine-one- one?” she asked.

“I’ll let you listen for yourself,” Benton said.