They rode in silence. Lucifer looked straight out the front window. He was tense. He was having a hard time believing the DNA results. Hoping against hope it had been a misunderstanding. They had always argued. Joanie was not an easy person to get along with at times. She had been headstrong and independent. Selfish for the most part. Lucifer looked at the folder again. Over and over he looked at it. The words didn't change. He felt a reassuring hand on his arm. Glancing over blue eyes read sympathy. He smiled weakly but didn't say anything.
Chloe could feel her partner's tension. She could see him looking at the folder again and again. The science was true. The facts were laid out in front of them. There wasn't much more they could do but question the suspect. But the evidence was piling up. Chloe was heartbroken for him and his daughter. She placed her hand on his arm. Garnering as much sympathy as she could muster.
The palm trees fell away as they drove towards their destination. Both lost in their thoughts. Soon they found themselves in front of a tall office building. It contained the law offices of Phillips and Williams. Lucifer got out of the car and looks up at the building. He had been here before. Sighing he buttoned his jacket and silently followed Detective Decker inside.
They got on the elevator and headed to the correct floor. The young receptionist looked up as they approached. She pushed back her glasses and smiled at them. Her eyes especially on Lucifer. He wasn't exuding his usual charm but it didn't matter. Chloe held up her badge. "I am Detective Chloe Decker and this is my associate Mr. Morningstar. We would like to speak with Karen Phillips."
The receptionist sighed. "She is in a meeting now I'm afraid." She looked up at them
"We'll wait then." Lucifer declared.
"Okay then. I don't know how long it will be but you can have a seat and I'll let her know you are here." The receptionist gestured to the waiting area. "There is coffee and donuts if you wish."
"Nice." Lucifer smiled to her. "Thank you." He headed to the coffee with Chloe close behind. He picked up a Styrofoam cup and poured coffee into it. He poured sugar in and handed it to his partner. "That's how you like it isn't it?" He asked her.
Chloe took the cup and sipped. "Yes, it is." She smiled and chose a seat to sit in.
Lucifer proceeded to make a cup for himself. He winced when he sipped it. It wasn't the best. Surely a high-end attorney office could afford better coffee. Sighing he sat near the detective. His eyes staring straight ahead. He set the cup down on an end table and rested his hands on his knees.
"I know this is difficult for you. But thank you for being calm." Chloe reached out her hand to him again. He seemed to like it when she touched him.
"I just hate to think what Persephone will do. She so adored her aunt." Lucifer mused quietly. He took a deep breath and picked up the coffee and took another sip. It was still disgusting but the rush of caffeine was soothing. "I knew they had their problems. But what family doesn't. I have problems with my family all the time. But to think of doing something so horrible to them." He paused. "I just can't bear the thought."
"I know what you mean Lucifer." Chloe sat back in her seat.
They waited for nearly an hour. Finally, Karen approached them. She looked nicer in her blue pant suit. Her blonde hair tied up in a professional bun. Her blue eyes sparkled. The resemblance to her sister was uncanny. "Lucifer." She smiled at them.
Lucifer stood up and glared at the woman. He could feel the rage within him welling up. "How could you do this to her, Karen? How?" He nearly shouted. He took a step towards her.
Chloe stood up and put a restraining hand on the Devil to calm him. "Lucifer." She tried in vain.
"What are you talking about?" Karen's blue eye's narrowed and she took a step back.
"You killed her." Lucifer said loudly. "She trusted you. Loved you." His voice lowered into a dangerous tone. Karen knew the truth about him. He was using that fear to get a confession.
"Come again?" Karen glanced at Chloe. "What is he going on about?"
Chloe pulled on Lucifer's arm. "Lucifer. Stop!"
Taking a deep breath, he looked at his partner. "Right." He stopped his approach and kept the glare on Karen.
Karen folded her arms and looked at Chloe. "What is this all about?"
"We found new evidence in the case. A new lead into who may have killed Joanie. May we talk in private?" Chloe used a calming voice.
Lucifer was fuming. He wanted to just do things his way. Pull the truth from Karen's lips and then punish her for all eternity. Sighing he followed the women into a conference room and sat down. He had to let the detective take the lead. He didn't want to do anything to compromise the case.
Chloe opened the folder and set it on the table. "We found your DNA under Joanie's nails. Also, some of your hair in the stab wounds. Would you care to explain what that is all about?"
Karen smirked. "Am I going to need a lawyer?"
"Just answer the question." Chloe retorted.
"No, I think I need a lawyer." Karen stood up and started walking out.
Lucifer was quick to cut off her exit. "Just tell us what happened Karen." He looked her in the eyes. "Tell us what happened between you and your sister." He felt her truths on the surface just waiting to get out.
Karen sighed and tears formed in her eyes. "I loved Joanie. She was my sister. My whole life I protected her. From my father. From my brother. From the paparazzi. I did so much for her. I was always there for her." Karen sat down again. She put her head in her hands.
"Oh, spare us the fake tears Karen." Lucifer sat down in front of her. "Why did you do it?"
Chloe watched the scene unfold. She knew this was unconventional. She knew it wasn't completely ethical. Still she stayed quiet and let her partner do his thing.
Karen looked Lucifer in the eye. "All our lives. I did so much for her. And never once did I get a thank you. Nothing. She just demanded. It only got worse when she got famous. I was like a slave to her." Karen stood up and started pacing. "Do this Karen. Do that Karen. Watch my kid, Karen." She paused and looked at Lucifer. "Not that I minded looking after Persephone. But I have my own children. My own life. But Joanie didn't care." She continued her tirade.
"Tell us what happened Karen." Chloe asked in a firmer voice.
Karen sat down again. She looked from Lucifer to Chloe. "I did everything for her. Don't you understand. But that wasn't good enough. No. She had to sleep with my husband."
"David?" Lucifer asked. "Joanie slept with David? Are you joking?" He couldn't believe it. Karen's husband was a nice guy but surely Joanie had no desire to sleep with him.
"No I am not joking, Lucifer. I have it on film if you'd like to see it." Karen's voice replied with anger.
"That's quite alright." Lucifer held up his hand and glanced at Chloe.
Karen licked her lips and sat back. "I couldn't believe it. Joanie had everything. Why did she need to sleep with my husband? She had you to sleep with and any other man she wanted? But no. She had to have David too." Karen's anger rose.
"Tell us what happened Karen." Lucifer leaned towards her. "Surely you didn't desire to kill your sister. She suffered Karen. I saw it on her face. It was brutal. Persephone saw that. She was the one who found her mother in that state. Think about her. She will have to live with that the rest of her life."
Karen burst into tears. "I am so sorry. I was so angry. I found the weeder and I just lost it. Joanie screamed and screamed. She scratched me but I just couldn't stop." She sobbed. She unbuttoned her shirt and rolled us her sleeve revealing the scratches. "She slept with my husband." She continued sobbing.
Chloe sighed and stood up. She walked over to Karen and pulled out handcuffs. "Karen Phillips. You are under arrest for the murder of Joan Collins." She put a hand on Karen's arm. Karen stood up and turned her back allowing herself to be handcuffed while Chloe read her the Miranda rights.
"Tell Persephone I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never wanted her to see that."
Lucifer glared at her. Fuming. Karen was trying to garner sympathy. "Its times like this when I wish I was still in Hell." He said to her. "I have nothing else to say to you." He started out of the room. Chloe was close behind with the handcuffed woman.
All eyes were upon them as they walked through the office. Karen hung her head and sobbed. When they got downstairs they were met with a throng of reporters. How did they find out so fast? Microphones were shoved in their faces as questions spilled out. Lucifer held the door of the cruiser open as Chloe helped Karen into the car. They managed to drive away and head back to the precinct.
Persephone sat in the food court with her friends. She picked at a greasy slice of pizza while her boyfriend and laughed with the other two. Her heart just wasn't in it. She was mostly tuning out the boys. Her mind was on her mother's death. She so wanted to find out who did it.
The image of finding her mother's lifeless body lingered in her mind. She could see her mother had suffered. Had fought for her life. She had tried praying to her grandfather. She hoped he could send her mother back to her. But no answer. Her father could have helped but he arrived too late. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. She barely noticed.
"Persi, what's wrong?" Iain wrapped an arm around her. "Don't cry."
Persephone shook her head and tried to smile at her boyfriend. "I'm sorry. I guess my mind was wandering. The image lingered. She had seen worse scenes before. The images of Hell were seared into her mind. But seeing her own mother was somehow worse. More traumatizing. "I should probably go. I don't want to depress you guys." She stood up from the table.
"No don't go, Persi." Iain said to her while getting up. He looked at Mosh and Freddie. "Right guys?"
"I don't know. She is kind of harshing the mood." Mosh shrugged. He was never one to beat around the bush.
"Sorry." Persephone said to him. "I'll just call an Uber to come take me back to Lux." She kissed Iain on the cheek. "I'll see you later, okay? You guys have fun."
Iain frowned. He hugged her and then kissed her on the lips. "Sorry babe. I hope it gets better."
Persephone smiled at him. "It will." She returned the kiss.
"Dude, we are eating here." Freddie joked.
Persephone pulled away from Iain and waved. "See ya guys." She then turned and headed out of the mall. She pulled out her phone and ordered an Uber ride. She sat on a bench outside. Her eyes traveled upwards. Wondering if her mother was in Heaven. "Grandfather I hope you are taking care of my mother." She sighed and looked at her phone. She wanted to know who had done it. Folding her arms, she got the crazy idea to go to the precinct instead of Lux.
Her ride arrived and she got into the car. "Umm is it okay if I change the destination?" She asked the driver.
"Whatever. It's your dollar." The man replied.
"Okay." She told him the address of the precinct. She sat back as he drove off. She knew her father would be angry. She hated making him angry. He was the Devil after all. Not someone you wanted to get angry. Still she had the drive to find out the truth. She hated being left in the dark.
The car reached the precinct and Persephone paid the driver and got out. She took a deep breath and headed inside. She reached Chloe's desk but of course it was unoccupied. Sighing she sat down and waited.
She heard a commotion coming from the front and looked over to see her father and Chloe walking with someone in handcuffs. Standing up she walked over to them. Her heart broke when she saw who it was. "Aunt Karen?"
Lucifer saw his daughter walking towards them. He was angry that she had come here. He was angry that she was defying him again. He glared at her. But his angry didn't linger long when he saw the heart break in her eyes.
Persephone looked at her father and then back at her aunt. "You did this?" She felt tears welling up. Anger and hurt welled up as well.
"I'm so sorry Persephone. I didn't mean for it to happen."
"You did this." Persephone cried. "Why? How could you do this?" Tears fell down her cheeks. "You took my mother from me. How could you do this?!" Persephone shouted. "She loved you! How could you do this?" More tears fell. Then the lights flickered as she felt her anger boiling over.
Karen sobbed. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? Really! You are sorry? That's all you have to say!" Persephone shouted. The room shook a bit as she released her anger.
Lucifer put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Calm down." He ordered.
"She did this. Why? How could you?" She repeated. She stepped towards her aunt. "I hate you. You took my mother from me." She made like she was going to strike her fist into her aunt's face only to have her father stop her.
"Stop Persephone. Please." He pleaded with her. He managed to pull Persephone away. They watched as a uniformed officer came to take Karen to a holding cell.
"Why did she do this? How could she? Mom suffered. She suffered, Dad?" Persephone sobbed. She felt her legs go weak and nearly collapsed to the floor but was held up by her father's strength. She buried her face in his chest. "How could she?" she kept repeating.
Lucifer held his sobbing daughter. He kept her from collapsing on the ground. He just rubbed her back as she sobbed into his chest. His shirt was getting wet from her tears. He wanted to break down with her. But he was not about to here in the middle of the precinct. "It's okay, darling."
Chloe felt tears in her eyes as she watched Persephone break down and then sob into her father's arm. She was impressed that Lucifer could maintain his composure. She had expected him to do something outrageous. Something crazy but for the most part he had been true to his word.
"Detective, if you don't mind. I would like to take my daughter home." He was still holding a sobbing child.
Persephone pulled back from him. She wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. She was still shaking. The images in her head were coming at her like a hurricane of pain. She wanted to just crawl into a hole.
"I think we have all we need from you." Chloe replied. "You can go on home. We'll call if we need you."
"Thank you." He smiled weakly to her. He put his arm around Persephone. "Come on darling. Let's go home."
"Okay." She nodded.
"I'll see you tomorrow Detective." Lucifer said while turning to escort Persephone outside.
They walked outside only to be swamped by more reporters. Lucifer held onto his daughter tightly as they did their best to wade through the nosey humans. "No comment." He repeated several times. He leads Persephone his car and held the passenger side door open to let her in. He then waded through the reporters to get to the driver's side. "Move. Step aside, please." He ordered them. He got into his car and started it up and put it into gear. Once out on the road he pointed it towards Lux. It was going to be a long hard night.