Chloe hung up with Ella, and thought about how tonight was going to go. She and Ella would chat about many things, some important and others … less so. Maybe start with the less important stuff first? Yes, that sounded about right. Talk about the case first, then get into the celestial stuff. Then have Lucifer join for the end.

She hugged her mother and Trixie goodbye. Her mom insisted on a long look at the engagement ring before she would let Chloe depart. Chloe saw tears in her eyes. She knew that her mom was happy for her and Trixie. Mom had always approved of Lucifer, mostly because he flattered her unashamedly. Sometimes he can be very Hollywood, Chloe thought.

She and Trixie shared another hug, and Chloe whispered in her ear, "Remember, Monkey. It's our secret." Trixie nodded.

"When will I see you again, Mom?" Trixie asked.

"Soon, Monkey. Soon." Chloe answered. "Remember, next Saturday we're all going house hunting with Lucifer."

"And then to the movies with Eddie," Penelope added, with a twinkle in her eyes.

"With a group, Nana!" Trixie said. "We're going as a group. And the movie starts at 7 pm, so we need to leave here by 6:15."

"You're meeting the group at the theatre?" Chloe asked her daughter. Trixie nodded.

"Okay. We'll do our house hunting in the morning and we'll have lunch along the way. Then we'll have you back here by five or 5:30 so that you can get ready for the movie." Chloe looked at her mom. "Will you be joining us?"

Her mother hesitated. "Chloe, I know I'm not getting any younger …"

"But you still want your privacy and freedom, right?"

"Yes. And I also think I might … cramp … your new family."

"Well, I certainly understand that, Mom," she said. "But I'm thinking that maybe we could get a place with a guest house. You could have your own space, and come and go as you please. How does that sound?"

"Oh, honey. Do you think that's possible?"

"Of course it is, Mom. With Lucifer, most anything is possible. So come with us and let's find a place with a large guest house. One that you like."

"Please Nana! Please come live with us!" Trixie said.

"Well, if we can find a home with a large guest house, I guess that wouldn't cramp—"

"Either of us," Chloe finished. Her Mom nodded. Trixie smiled and hugged them both, again.

"And with that settled, I'll for sure see you next Saturday morning. And I'll call you as often as I can during the week. Okay?"

Trixie nodded and Penelope smiled.

Chloe left.

#

On the way back to Lux, she decided to call Detective Dutton. She pulled over and fished out the card that Linda had left behind last night. Then she dialed the number. The detective answered quickly.

"Hello, Joe Dutton here."

"Hello, Detective. This is Chloe Decker. I got your number from Dr. Martin."

"Chloe Decker? The Chloe Decker?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess. I used to be a Homicide Detective, up until a couple of months ago."

"Of course! You're kind of a legend around here, you know? Highest close rate in history. I'd love to hear how you did that."

"Well, yeah. We can talk about that, if you'd like. But the reason I'm calling is about the Jacobsen investigation."

Chloe could feel his sudden suspicion through the phone, even though she couldn't see him.

"Um, yeah. So how do you know about a confidential, ongoing, investigation, Ms. Decker?"

"Right. Good question. And one I'm happy to answer, but not over the phone. Just accept I have some knowledge of the case. Not all the details, but some knowledge."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And I have a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind."

"Ms. Decker, you know that I mind. I have to mind. You know I can't discuss an ongoing investigation."

"I'm not asking you to discuss it with me. I'm asking you to listen to my questions. What you do after that is up to you."

"Well, on that basis, I'm willing to listen," Dutton said.

"Great. First question: did you clear the fiancée?"

"I cannot discuss details of an ongoing investigation. You know that."

"Okay. Let's move on, then. The anonymous tips. Two of them so far. Did they come from the same source?"

"You're remarkably well-informed, Ms. Decker, for somebody who only claims to have 'some knowledge' but not all the details. Seems to me like you know quite a few of the details."

"Well, you know. I used to do what you do. I still have friends on the Force."

"Friends with loose lips."

"If you want to go there, fine. But these are people who care a lot about solving the case, just like you do. And just like I do, as well."

"Why do you care? You're retired, right?"

Chloe hesitated. How could she explain to a stranger her fascination with this case? How she felt so invested? She said, "Look, Dutton. I care. Just accept that. Maybe I can't let go. Maybe I shouldn't be talking to you. But I think I can help. You said it yourself: highest close rate in history." She paused. "Why not let me help? You close the case; you get the credit. What have you got to lose?"

"Hmm. When you put it that way …"

"Right. You've got nothing to lose. So here's a couple more questions for you."

"Fire away, Decker."

"The house in Bel Air was empty, right? Nobody home. Just some partiers downstairs, and the perp and vic upstairs."

"Right."

"How did they know the house would be empty? How did the bachelor party bros and the perp and the vic all know they'd have an empty house?"

"Oh, wow! That's a great question! I need to know that, for sure."

"Good. Now we're on the same page."

She heard Dutton sigh. "Yeah, I guess we are. What else do you have for me?"

"I heard you got a warrant for Dr. Martin's files on your suspect. Did you learn anything from them?"

"Oh, I see now. You've been talking to her."

"Well, we are good friends. I'll tell you that. But I'm not talking to her now; I'm talking to you. If you learned anything from her files, then she's a witness. I wouldn't talk to her about this stuff the way I'm discussing it with you."

"I'm glad to see that you have some boundaries, at least."

"I do. I know the book, Dutton. I won't jeopardize your case."

"Good to know, Decker."

"Right. Let's wrap this up. I've asked you a couple of questions. You haven't volunteered any information back. So you're clear, right? As I said, what you do with my questions is completely up to you. Only—"

"Only what?"

"Only I want to collaborate. Maybe just as a concerned citizen, if you want to put it that way. I want to sit down with you and review the files and try to help you close the case."

"How do you propose to do that? You want to come down to the station?"

"No. That's too public. I have a better idea," Chloe said. "Why don't you come over to Lux tonight and let's discuss the investigation here. Where we'll have privacy. Nobody needs to know but us."

"Just us?"

"Well, my fiancée might be there. You may have heard of him: Lucifer Morningstar. He was an LAPD consultant for several years. He helped me close many of my cases."

"Yeah, I've heard of him," Dutton said. "Word on the street is that he's cray-cray."

Chloe smiled. "Sure. Cray-cray. Whatever. But he was my consultant and I had the highest close rate in history. You do the math on that."

Dutton hesitated. "Okay. But I'm trusting your discretion on this, Decker. Don't let me down."

"I won't. Neither will Lucifer."

"What time?"

"Maybe seven?"

"All right." He hesitated. "I've never been to Lux before—"

"Don't worry about it," Chloe said. "I'll see that you're let in right away and escorted to where you need to go. If you're on duty, I'll have club soda for you. If you're off duty, then I'll have whatever you're drinking available."

"I'm a Homicide Detective. I'm always on duty."

Chloe nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "Yeah, I get that. I used to be like that, too."

"And now?"

"Now I know that life is too short to drink club soda when there's top shelf available."

"Well, let's start with the club soda. We'll see what happens after that."

"Fair. See you at seven."

Dutton hung up.

Chloe thought about Dutton and his probable reaction to seeing Ella there. He was going to be upset, to say the least. She needed to make sure Ella's back was covered. To do that, she needed something on Dutton. At the least, she needed something sufficient to hold him off until the case closed. After, he would be magnanimous in victory.

Who did she still know in Personnel?