"And there it is: the house of the bitch Margot," announced Lucifer, when on the next day they arrived at the address of Jeremy Mitchell's exotic toxins provider. "Just how disappointing, it does not look bitchy at all."
It was a modest house with a nicely trimmed lawn and few pink flowers at the porch, rows of other identical houses stretched as far as they could see. Chloe thought it must be one of these communities, where the representatives of the neighbours visit you asking to order the yard or change the curtains if you chose too extravagant ones.
She was already halfway to the door when she noticed that her partner was not following her, only looking around with unusual concentration.
"There is something about this place I do not like," he stated.
Chloe chuckled. "I cannot imagine you could actually like anything about it. Such a tidy suburb nest is contradictory to your nature."
"Oh, no," her partner replied pensively. "What troubles me is that…foul stench of home-sweet-home I feel in the air."
Chloe furrowed her eyebrows. The air was fresh and brisk, she definitely felt no smell. She shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to walk toward the door. However, Lucifer outmarched her in a flash, using this special speed of his, and rang the doorbell himself. Once they waited for the answer, he didn't budge from the door, forcing her to wait behind his back.
"Hey," she reminded him quietly. "In case of troubles, you can do the talking, but I do the fighting, right?"
He didn't answer, only impatiently rang again.
"Come in! It is open!" called sing-song woman's voice inside the house.
Lucifer reached for the door handle and opened the door, still not letting Chloe step ahead of him. The detective tiptoed, trying to see over his shoulder.
Once the door opened, she saw a homely corridor and, in a distance of few steps, a middle-age, sleek dark-haired woman. She smiled at them friendily, but then her sight transfixed to Lucifer, the eyes widening with sudden horror.
"Oh, no," she gasped and fell on her knees. "My Lord!..."
"Bloody hell!" yelled Lucifer and stepped into the house, slamming the doors behind himself inches from Chloe's face.
"Fuck!" hissed Chloe. "No kidding. Not again!" She struggled with the doors, but of course, they were locked now.
There were many things she disapproved about Lucifer and a few that literally drove her mad, but the worst of the worst was his habit to leave her out of the scene now and then.
She looked around. The windows were securely curtained. She could try the backdoor, but so far she had no reason to break into the house of this woman. She rang the bell again, a few times, muttering silent curses at Lucifer. She was about to yell when the door opened and Lucifer invited her inside as if nothing happened.
"I am sorry, Detective. It turned out that our Margot is an old friend of mine. I was surprised," he said only.
"You cannot behave like this," she replied angrily, but left the reprimand for later, not wanting to quarrel in front of Margot Jensen.
While following their hostess to the living room, Chloe observed her discreetly. Mrs Jensen was slim and elegant and moved with grace and charm. There was something unsettling, but alluring in her bearing. All in all, she was a kind of women against whom someone like Dorothy Mitchell could not stand a chance.
Apart from that, at the moment Margot Jensen looked terrified, her face ashen pale and voice stuttering, far from the merry greeting they heard through the door. She invited them to sit but didn't join them, only kept standing in some distance.
Was it because of Lucifer? Chloe cast a quick glance at her partner. They used to meet his ex-friends here and there before, but they always seemed to remain on good terms and behave with undisturbed ease. And here – Margot Jensen was scared to death and Lucifer was obviously sulking, sitting down on the armchair with folded hands and crossed legs, irritated, as if he was reminded of something very unpleasant.
"I know that Jeremy is dead," started Ms Jensen quietly. "His wife called me. However, I do not know who could have done it.
"Could you tell us about your relations?" asked Chloe. "The wares you imported?"
"I imported for him vegetable extracts and animal venoms from South America," replied Margot with a gentle, but shivering voice. She kept her sight transfixed to Lucifer, who, on his side, had he eyes only for his cufflinks, correcting them to perfection. "He used them to produce cosmetics and medical supplements. Apart from that, we were friends."
"Friends?" repeated Chloe, observing the women carefully. Having difficulties with catching eye contact while Margot kept standing on the other side of the room, she proposed: "Ms Jensen, would you please sit down with us?"
"I… I am not..." stuttered the women unsurely.
"Just sit," snarled Lucifer and Margot cautiously sat on the couch in front of them, her pose far from relaxed.
For a moment Chloe wanted to address the situation and claim explanations, but there was something so discouraging in Lucifer's demeanour at the moment that she decided to postpone it.
"We were friends. I knew that his wife was jealous of the time he spent with me, but I found it amusing. He… was interested in me and my life. He liked to hear about my travels," said Margot. At her last words, Lucifer shifted, raising his eyebrow, and Mrs Jensen added hastily: "My travels to South America and China, only that, I swear."
"I see," sighed Chloe. Margot Jensen seemed to be an egoistic woman, who turned Jeremy's head and found entertainment in his wife's despair, but did she have the motive to kill him? "What have you been doing in the night two days ago?"
"I was on a plane, returning from Manaus."
Chloe mentally crossed Ms Jensen from the suspects' list. Flight alibi was unquestionable, could be confirmed by flight details, boarding card and airport monitoring.
"Let's return to your business," she tried the last thread. "You and Mitchell were dealing with dangerous substances. Was it all legal?"
"Yes," came the immediate answer. A bit too quick. Chloe looked at Lucifer searching his opinion.
"If Margot says so, it is true," the man observed casually. "Margot wouldn't like to lie to us, would you, my Dear?"
Margot somehow got even paler than before.
"Whatever I am importing and selling is legal," she replied quickly "However, I know that Jeremy sold some of it off the books. Have you heard about Campu? It is the venom of the Amazonian frog."
"It is illegal?" surprised Lucifer. "It kicks just fine… or so I heard," he added seeing Chloe's face.
"Depends on how you use it," replied Margot. "Jeremy got contacted by the group off… they said they were practising alternative medicine, but in fact, they were just a bunch of quacks. They gave Campu to the people searching for… oh, you know, regaining inner equilibrium, clearing of minds and bodies… the kind of the New Age talk for the overworked uptowns. It sells well. Campu is said to help. To regain energy, purge organism. So, it does kick. But, you have to be careful, it is a toxin after all. It can kill when used carelessly. And these people bought really huge quantities. I am sure they didn't observe safety procedures."
"Why?"
"Because they insisted on keeping everything off the books. No records of the transaction. Jeremy just gave them the wares and received payment in cash."
"Right," nodded Chloe. Well, that was finally something. Chloe's mind quickly worked on the hypothesis. Perhaps the quacks were greedy and overdid, perhaps someone died, Jeremy got scared, wanted to report it… "What's the name of this company?"
"I do not know, really," Margot shook her head, looking at Lucifer quite pitifully. "They never told. When we had the fresh shipment, Jeremy contacted them and handed it over."
Chloe considered it for a moment when a certain idea struck her. "You have just returned from Manaus, so it means that they may expect a new shipment."
"Yes," Margot nodded.
"Do you know how Jeremy contacted them?"
"I have a phone number," Margot checked her phone and noted the number on the piece of paper.
"Great," smiled Chloe. Well, whatever was between this woman and Lucifer, it clearly helped. People involved in shady deals rarely were so helpful and Margot didn't utter even one word about the lawyer.
"Well thank you, Ms Jensen," Chloe nodded, standing up. "I may call you later, to ask further questions."
Ms Jensen also stood up and straightened, all uptight again.
"I told you I am on vacation," Lucifer shrugged his shoulders. " Just behave, my Dear."
Once they left the house, Chloe threw a quick glance back and saw Margot slumping down on the couch with immense relief washing down her face.
"Are you sure that she was not lying?" asked Chloe when they were heading toward the car. "Or that she won't warn these Campu traders that we are searching for them?"
"Oh, no. Rest assured she was honest with us," nodded Lucifer.
"Fine. Because I am thinking about going undercover."
"Lovely!" pleased Lucifer. "Do I get to be uptown overworked businessman searching for inner equilibrium?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. She could not imagine Lucifer looking overworked. "No. We will take a more forward approach. I will be pretending to speak in the name of Jeremy Mitchell and make an appointment to hand over the new shipment. Now, would you explain, what was this all about?" once they got into the car, the detective turned to her partner to address the issue of his strange behaviour. "You leaving me off the scene – again, this woman so terrified that she didn't want to sit in your presence? Why? I thought you part with you ex'es on good terms."
"I am sorry," sighed Lucifer. "She just reminded me of things I do not like to think about. You see… I knew Margot before I came to Los Angeles. Margot is not my ex. She was… working for me but left. I guess I wasn't the only one who was fed up with that place," he snorted mockingly. "Anyway, in those days I didn't… approve of desertion and in fact, I have been searching for her for a while. So," he hesitated slightly and grimaced, "she might have had reasons to be scared. However, in the meantime, as you know – I had enough and went on vacation. And Margot behaves, so I just let her be."
"Riight," nodded slowly Chloe. She didn't get it. They what, 'worked' together? Before he came to Los Angeles? "But you say that before the LUX you were…"
"Yes, in Hell, right," sighed Lucifer impatiently. "Margot is a demon, like Maze. But I told you, she behaves well and from now she will be even more cautious knowing I am near, so…"
"Ok. Don't want, don't tell," replied angrily Chloe. She could have understood his reluctance to tell her about his past if it was connected to some mafia-type organization, but she was getting tired of these supernatural stories. Did they involve other people than Lucifer and his bodyguard barmaid? Maze at least looked somehow… demonic, whereas Margot was neat and sleek even if a bit unsettlingly attractive, just like… like Lucifer.
Chloe shook her head, dismissing this notion. She already followed this thread of thoughts once, it ended in her shooting her partner to check his immortality. Never again.
The rest of their way to the precinct Chloe drove in silence. She intended to ask Lucifer about this blues evening that was to take place in the LUX that evening, but, irritated at the scene in Margot Jensen's house and the vague explanations she received from Lucifer, she decided not to mention it. He had his secrets, she could have her life. And this time it meant she was going to have a date with her half-ex husband, who had his vices, but people didn't get ashen-face and fall on their knees at the sight of him.
Maze didn't lie, at least not about the Blues Evening in the LUX. For a while, Chloe feared that the barmaid wanted to mock her and after arriving at the club she and Dan would come across some extremely loud and obscene party. However, that was not the case. The place was not as crowded as usual, lights – dimmed and the dancing girls, clothed in sequin dresses that covered much more than usual, were simply sitting at the bar.
The singer, a small woman with an amazing voice was accompanied by some young pianist Chloe didn't recognize. She felt a sting of disappointment. Why did Lucifer let someone else touch his piano?
"Hi," she said to Dan, who was already waiting for her on their table, with a glass of water in the hand. Maze booked them a really nice place, a booth, where they could watch the show but still enjoy the privacy. "How was the day?"
"I am glad you could make it," replied Dan, smiling to her. "You look lovely."
Well, she did took some time this evening in front of the mirror. However, Dan's compliment helped little to ease the disappointment she still felt… no matter. Chloe shook her head and, as usual, decided to address frankly the issue.
"Dan, why are we doing this? I mean…" she got interrupted by Maze, who approached them with two lovely looking cocktails on a tray.
"On the house. Have fun," she said, evidently trying to sound less curt than usual, but then left before Chloe managed to reply. The detective looked behind her with surprise. Apparently, the barmaid was trying to be nice. This invitation, the drinks – that was probably the closest thing to apology Maze could offer. Perhaps she really wanted to clear the air.
Chloe sipped her cocktail and it tasted divine.
"Anyway," she looked at Dan again, "I'd like to know why are we doing this," she repeated. "If we are just meeting to have a drink and talk, that's fine. It is nice. But if we are to… try to mend… something between us… I need to think it over."
Dan for a moment started at his nails and when he raised the eyes to her again, he looked utterly vulnerable. Chloe knew it was one these moments when he opened up, putting his pride and resentment aside.
"I think I got jealous," he confessed.
"Jealous? Really?" laughed Chloe and sipped the drink again. It was wonderful, not too sweet, not too dry and she felt as it warmed her in a very pleasurable way.
"Yes," sighed Dan. "When I thought you would be now meeting with the other guys…"
Chloe shook her head in protest. "I am not meeting anyone… yet," she added with a chuckle. Her fingertips brushed the surface of the table, drawing a small circle. She shook her head again, this time to regain the clarity of thought. Was she flirty? With Dan? But she felt so nice and warm…
"But you could. It has already been some time since we separated… So I thought that before you meeting someone that turns your head and sweeps you off your feet," Dan smirked unsurely, "we should at least try… whether we learnt anything. We had ups and downs, but there was a time when it used to be good, wasn't it, Chlo?" He looked at her shyly and Chloe thought, that if he had more often been like this, so open and caring, things indeed could be better between them.
But he hadn't, whispered her voice of reason, trying to get through that warm haze she was drifting in, he was self-centred, presuming and always putting his career first, and so he will be until he gets a serious kick from life that would finally teach him something the hard way… but do I want to wait until then?
Hesitating, Chloe sipped more of her drink. Well, perhaps it all made no sense, but still… it was such a nice evening. She felt so good. Dan was ok. Why shouldn't they spend some time together?
"Tell me about your new case," she said, knowing that this is exactly what he wanted to hear. "Any progress?"
Dan beamed and started to talk.
Chloe would lie saying she listened to his every word. To tell the truth, she barely paid attention. However, Dan was so excited, so eager to share… For once, she didn't mind smiling to him and nodding, if he enjoyed it so much. The haze around her was like a snug blanket wrapped over her shoulders, making her feel warm and safe.
And then the music changed. Chloe was now sitting with her back to the piano and didn't see the new pianist, but she immediately knew that it was him. The performance of the previous guy was good, but now the music was simply… haunting. As if someone was playing on emotions, instead of the keys of the piano. She sighed and closed her eyes, wanting this moment to last as long as possible, this 'knowing' it was him just by his music, without actually seeing him…
"Hey, your consultant is doing a performance," observed casually Dan and for a second Chloe hated him for breaking the spell. "The guy is actually pretty good with the piano."
"Yes," replied Chloe only. Something in her expression must have unsettled Dan because he leant toward her and said:
"Chloe, I wanted to speak with you about him too. I need to warn you. Do you know that this guy literally didn't exist five years ago? He appeared just like that, from nowhere. Be careful."
"Oh, that's pretty obvious he changed his name," bridled Chloe, the warm haze around her dispersed a little, "it is not illegal. He must have simply started then to build this story of his, that's all."
"If someone changes the name, it is usually easy to trace the previous one," Dan shook his head. "Look, I know that we checked him and everything seems fine, but there is no previous trace of him. No schools, no accounts, even no medical care."
"From what I heard his family was a bit strange. Perhaps they stayed out of the system and didn't use standard medical care, you know, like Amish…"
"Yeah," Dan snorted sceptically. "because he is so Amishy…"
Chloe finally moved and turned to look at the piano. Lucifer was now accompanying the new singer, her dark red dress matching the burgundy of his shirt. The girl stood much closer to the piano than usual, leaning over the black shiny wood. They looked perfect together. Impressive. Like sin and temptation in one.
Then Lucifer raised his head looking around the room and for a second their eyes met. Chloe suddenly felt very unsure, the snug haze turning into something dark and cold. She tried to smile to him and waved in a greeting, but he didn't smile back.
Discouraged, she reached for the remains of her cocktail.
"Have you seen Trixie's ecology project?" asked Dan, unaware of Chloe's emotions. "The compost container?"
"Seen? I smelled it first!" chuckled Chloe. Her thoughts run to her daughter and all things were becoming safe and simple again. "I almost threw it away, before I realized it was a school project."
For a moment they talked about Trixie. It was nice to simply enjoy being parents again. In the last weeks, they only quarrelled about her, throwing accusations at each other. Now they agreeably talked about their little girl, recalling all these witty and cute things she said, and praising how clever she was and Chloe felt so warm inside…
It helped, that the haunting music stopped as Lucifer quite quickly made a break from playing. Chloe thought he would come and greet them, but he didn't, engaging instead in some heated discussion with Maze at the bar counter. Whatever, thought Chloe and reached for her glass again, with disappointment noticing it was empty.
"You can take mine if you want," Dan pushed his glass toward her. Chloe saw with surprise it was still full and Dan was sipping only water all the time.
"You are not drinking?"
"I cannot," Dan shook his head. "I told you I have an appointment with Benitez tonight," he looked at his watch. "In fact, I should soon be going."
Did he really tell her he had a meeting tonight? Chloe rubbed her forehead. Perhaps he did. She didn't listen much, giving herself to the snug mood of the evening.
"Can't you stay a bit longer?" she asked. "I know, it is Benitez, but…"
"No," Dan shook his head. "You know, Chlo, we are meeting undercover. He is still working with the dealers. It is not safe and easy for him. If he wanted to speak with me, it must be important. But I will drive you back home."
Chloe considered it for a moment, swallowing another disappointment. At some point during this evening, she was ready to let Dan drive her home… and stay there till morning. Yet if he was not going to stay…
"Thank you, but that's not necessary. Perhaps I will stay here a bit longer. Trixie is sleeping out with Maggie anyway, so I do not have to hurry," she said trying to sound oblivious. However, when Dan already stood up, something forced her to touch his hand. "Dan… Are you sure that you have to go?..."
Somehow she felt it is very important that he would stay. That this could change something. Start or prevent. What's happening to me? Chloe rubbed her forehead again, trying to concentrate. This warm haze around her…
Whatever it was, Dan didn't get it. "I am sorry," he said only. "But it was a good evening, wasn't it? See you tomorrow."
Once she was alone, Chloe for a moment hid the face in her hands to calm herself before leaving. She should understand. Benitez was important. If there was a need, Dan had to meet him. During her relationship with Dan dozens of their meetings were interrupted by their duties, both his and her. And still, somehow, she hoped that this evening would turn out differently.
"And who would say this evening would turn out so lovely?..." sounded a well-known British accent over her head. Chloe raised her head to see Lucifer with the glass of amber liquid in his hand.
Now he comes, she thought almost reluctantly, but she couldn't deny the wave of excitement that washed over her at his sight. The colours around her suddenly became more bright. The sounds more clear. No, she wasn't feeling safe anymore. But she felt so… alive.
"Your evening perhaps," she replied, trying to sound casual. "My date didn't, despite the good beginning."
"That's what I am speaking about," Lucifer grinned merrily. "So, tell me," he asked, sitting by her side.
Usually, if Chloe was searching for the supportive soul to confide her marriage problems, Lucifer would be the last choice, but now, despite her better judgement, the haze encouraged her to be open.
"Dan left for work," she shrugged her shoulders. "Our marriage failed because work was more important. Here we are, in one last try…. And he goes to work…" she chuckled, because suddenly she found it not sad, but amusing.
"Well, they say that third time is a charm, but I do not think it is worth giving Detective Douche the third chance. The man is impressively consistent," observed Lucifer casually and looked at Dan's cocktail. "The Douche didn't drink it?"
Something in his voice put Chloe at alert, ripping through this warm curtain of comfort that seemed to vail her mind.
"Did Maze put something into my drink?" she asked sharply, standing up. "Because if she did, I swear…"
"Oh, no, no, nothing," calmed her Lucifer, quickly reaching for her to sat her back at the sofa. "At least nothing you would believe in," he added after the moment of hesitation. "You do not believe in spells, Detective, right?"
"What? No," snapped Chloe, still angry, but somehow distracted, because when he touched her shoulder the snug curtain of haze turned into flames.
"So, you see… Maze was only trying to… enhance the mood so that you would have a good time together," Lucifer stated serenely.
"So what did she think she was doing, some fucking love potion?" snorted Chloe. "She thought that if Dan drank it he would love me again?"
Lucifer's expression became serious, even a bit solemn when he replied. "There is no force either in this world or in other dimensions, no matter below or under it, that could force one being to love another. However, Maze knows means to… well, build the atmosphere, at least for a few hours," he smirked but his smile faded when he added: "I guess that if your Douche drank it, he wouldn't want to leave this place without you."
"You do not know him," Chloe shook her head, trying not to laugh. "There is no force in any dimension that could make him put something ahead of his job," she mimicked Lucifer's serious expression. There really must have been something in her drink, because after the first outburst she didn't feel angry at the barmaid anymore, only slightly irritated. What a stupid idea, that an hour or two of the 'good mood' could build the relationship. It requires years of good and bad, day by day standing by each other's side in the daily routine and sometimes even this is not enough, she thought hazily, or it happens just like that when someone promises you that he won't let you die, and it is done, the choice is made… She felt a little dizzy and struggled to concentrate and think soberly.
"Well, tell Maze to stop playing at the marriage counsellor. This evening was nice but I am afraid that there are not enough shards left from my marriage to glue them together into something whole again."
If she expected some understanding – or compassion – after this confession, she chose the wrong interlocutor. Lucifer only smiled, flashing his white teeth.
"Lovely," he commented with satisfaction, but after a while added more seriously. "But for the sake of the full honesty, I must explain that Maze doesn't care a bit about your marriage. Her…joke was on me. For you and Dan to have fun and for me – to show me, what I won't have. And where I do not belong. To show me my place," he stressed and for a moment a frown twisted his features.
Though Chloe was not certain, what he was referring to, she felt sting of sympathy that must have shown on her face, because Lucifer added quickly with laughter: "Oh, but don't worry for me, Detective. I am the rebel, I never used to stay long in my place," he grinned, sending her the most rakish smile, that made that invisible, but perceptible haze around her swirl like flames again.
"I could now turn the joke on Maze and drink it myself," he added lightly, playing with Dan's drink. "However, it would last no more than a few hours, and a few hours is definitely too little to consort with such unique women, like you, Detective. Besides, I feel obliged to treat the matter of the free will as the unquestionable imperative," he sighed almost with regret.
Chloe shook her head. He switched too quickly between bitterness and amusement, between metaphors and confessions. She was getting lost.
"Would you play again tonight?" she asked simply and her question evidently pleased him.
"Yes, with pleasure, if you would be listening," he replied with a smile.
"I'd love to," Chloe smiled back.
The rest of the evening she spent sitting in her lodge unbothered by anyone, listening to him playing, letting her thoughts and emotions float freely carried by the music.
And yes, she had to admit that evening turned out… just lovely.