The precinct was under a state review for corruption. Lucifer went to drop off some files from Chloe and found a few people giving him angry looks.
"What's wrong?" he asked a young file clerk.
"I know you are doing the right thing, but I'm going to be homeless because they are sending us home without pay." She sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm just scared."
Lucifer was shocked, "You don't get paid when you are forced on leave?"
Her eyes welled with tears and she angrily wiped her face, "No only the officers in the union."
"I'm utterly appalled." he said. "I have recently purchased the entire Lux property and finished restoration and I have 2 whole floors of apartments that I'm not really using." He looked thoughtfully around at all the people and then did his typical Lucifer thing,
"Everyone, gather round, chop chop." And because it was Lucifer, everyone showed up. Some looked a bit more sulky than usual, but they still came because Lucifer was interesting."
"Raise your hand if you are going without pay and may be homeless." he commanded.
Five people raised their hands.
"You can come and stay at the Lux for the duration of the investigation," he said. He handed out business cards. The latest Lieutenant walked out of his office. "Can I speak with you, Mr. Morningstar."
Lucifer nodded, and followed him into this office. He really hated that office. It reminded him of Cain. But the new Lieutenant was rather nice.
"Mr. Morningstar," he said, "does it occur to you that some of these people might be part of the corruption?"
Lucifer grinned, "Lovely, Lieutenant, and I appreciate your concern for my family's safety, but we will be safe and so will the employees who avail themselves of my offer."
"How the hell can you tell?"
Lucifer thought about telling him about being the devil but that never worked well. He just hated lying. Then he remembered he could do magic, real magic. He smiled, "Call in someone you think is dirty, Lieutenant."
"What?" said the Lieutenant.
."Trust me," said the Devil.
The Lieutenant stared at him for a few moments, then shrugged and called in one of the older detectives who was involved with the Palmetto crowd. Lucifer smiled at him, this was the group that had made life hell for his darling Chloe.
"Take a seat, Arellano," he said, "The Lieutenant and I have a few questions."
Arellano sat and looked skeptical.
"Tell me Detective," what do you think of the investigation we're going through?"
Arellano leaned back and looked surprised, "Um, I think it's a waste of time, Sir," he said respectfully.
Lucifer smiled pleasantly, held up a hand, and a red flame shot from the center of his hand to the ceiling. "Ding, Ding, Ding, Liar, liar, uniform on fire."
Then he banished the flame and looked at Arellano, who was now curled up in his chair shaking like a leaf.
"Let's try that again," Lucifer said sweetly.
"Um, I wish you weren't doing it," said the man.
"Very political answer," said Lucifer, "Have you done anything to hurt Detective Dan Espinoza or Detective Chloe Decker?"
Arellano shuddered, "Yes," he said.
Lucifer checked his hand and now a blue flame shot up toward the ceiling,
Lucifer grinned, "The truth, lovely. Now have you used your position as an officer of the law to take bribes?"
"No," said Arellano. This time the flame burned the hair off the top of his head. He screamed and hid behind the Lieutenant's chair.
The Lieutenant seemed a little shaken but pretty interested.
"Naughty, naughty, "said Lucifer, "And we were doing so well."
By the time their meeting was over, the man had peed his pants and given them a list of 15 employees at all levels, including the Lieutenant's direct report.
"So sorry about the chair," said Lucifer while Arellano was drug out weeping and the Lieutenant got off the phone with the Senator's special state commission.
"No, getting him where he belongs is worth the chair. I may keep it as a souvenir once we have it properly cleaned up." The Lieutenant was staring at him. "I know there are rumors about you being wonderful at getting confessions, but this was a bit beyond that."
"I've improved," said Lucifer. "So as you can see, I have no fears about the staff members I have invited into my home. My security clearance methodology is superlative."
The Lieutenant shook his hands and Lucifer went to Chloe's desk. The employees he had promised help to were all gathered there with more people. Lucifer noted some of the traffic cops who had kids were looking hopeful.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please tell me what you desire."
They wanted loans. Some of them were having to go on unemployment until the case special state investigation was over and it took many weeks to get the unemployment funding.
Lucifer gazed at all of them and suddenly knew how his Harry felt. He wanted to take care of all of them. Harry wanted to save everyone in the world and got upset when he couldn't do it. The thought of his son and daughter and all the light they had brought into the Lightbringer's life made him give all of them a smile they rarely saw, but one they instinctively recognized.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't want to loan out money." Faces fell, but he sensed no anger, "Instead, I will give you all credit cards with a certain limit that you can bring into me within a month. This can be used to pay for food, gasoline, clothing and all the things a family needs. At the end of the month, we will look over the current situation and refill the cards. If house payments become necessary, you will call me for preauthorization so I can make sure the cards have sufficient funding. When this situation is resolved, if you want to make any kind of payment back, then I leave it you." One of the older traffic cops, a grandmother who was raising her grandchildren, burst into tears and Lucifer did one of the strangest things he had ever done. He hugged her. He gave everyone his phone number.
Then he sat at Chloe's desk and called his lawyer in charge of finances and set things up with the woman's administrative assistant. One of the clerks realized what he was doing, and got names, addresses and phone numbers of all the people getting help and typed it up. She got everyone to sign on signature cards. Another officer provided identification photos of all the people getting help. Lucifer was impressed.
He noted that he felt almost as happy as he did when he was with Chloe and the children. He had slept with many of these people, but he felt closer to them now. He knew their concerns as parents or just people struggling to stay honest or make a living, because he knew Dan and his struggles to change.
They scanned all the information to the attorney. He was able to determine budgets for different people with the help of the intake clerk who knew excel and he set the limits for the month appropriately.
Then a special courier showed up and he gave everyone their cards. Then he went home and made pasta for the children and Chloe.
Chloe came in with the children after a day of fun at the beach and they surrounded him and gave him a group hug.
"What's this?" he asked. This was more than adorable affection that he craved.
"Vicente in Traffic called me and told me what you did. Oh Lucifer, you are so wonderful. This is much better than buying Disneyland."
Lucifer looked down at the children. Harry's eyes were shining, "We can visit Disney but all those families will have food and shelter they need."
Trixie hugged him fiercely, "My Lucifer is the best Dad in the world."
"Trixie," he said softly, "Your dad would do the same if he could," he said, thinking of Dan's love for his little girl.'
Trixie waggled a finger at him, "Don't try to get out of it, you are cool."
Then she proceeded to dance around him singing, "My Daddy rocks, my Daddy is the best."
Lucifer blushed.
Lucifer Harry Lucifer Harry Lucifer Harry
From a corner, his little sister invisibly stood with Azrael and watched Lucifer as she had all day.
They popped to the roof of the building and she stormed circles around the angel of death. "I'm so beating up our older brothers. Lucifer is kind and wise and, and, and." she burst into angelic tears and felt her sister hugging her in sympathy.
(Note - Author taking suggestions for the name of a small angel who is in charge of musical sounds in nature, such as burbling brooks, ocean waves on the shore, and bird songs.)