Lucifer and Chloe entered the crime scene at the music studio. Ella was crouched down next to a large bloodstain as they approached her.
"What do we have, Ella?" Chloe asked.
"It's what we don't have that's the problem, "she said as she stood up, "See all this blood? Someone definitely died here, but there's no body!".
"Could someone have dumped the body elsewhere?".
Security footage doesn't show anyone hauling anything out," Dan said as he approached them, "and the only person that went into the studio last night was Holla Bae".
"What on Earth was a screaming baby doing in a recording studio?" Lucifer asked.
Ella burst out laughing at the Devil's obvious confusion. "No, dude, Holla Bae is a rapper".
When Lucifer and Chloe still looked confused, Ella and Dan launched into a poor karaoke attempt at one of the rapper's songs.
"Daniel and Miss Lopez's horrendous singing aside," Lucifer said once his ears stopped hurting, "if no one came in or out, then where is the victim?".
"That's a good question," Chloe agreed as she turned to Dan," can you tell the uni's to get some equipment in here to scan the walls? There's no telling where someone could have hidden a body".
"On it, Chlo".
Ella was about to turn away as well, when she noticed the giant rock on Chloe's finger.
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
"What's what? Oh!" Chloe said as she noticed what Ella was looking at, "Well that is…"
"That is a symbol of the Detective's decision to accompany me into unholy matrimony!".
"Oh…my…Go…ooodness! That is awesome! Does this mean I can plan another Bachelorette party for you?".
"As long as it doesn't turn out like the last one," Chloe cringed at the thought of her prior engagement celebration.
"Oooh, do tell, Detective!".
"I'd rather not, Babe,". Chloe had to withhold a snicker at how pouty Lucifer got at that. She could swear he was like a gossipy old lady sometimes.
Dan, having heard the tail end of the conversation on his way back over from the unis, decided to tease his ex-wife a bit.
"So, are we going to need some black candles and a goat for this, since, you're going to be the bride of the Devil?".
"Daniel don't make me regret giving up the theft of your pudding, "Lucifer huffed, "Besides, I have nothing to do with goats…I don't even like their cheese!".
Everyone got a good a laugh at that until a text came through on Chloe's phone.
"I don't believe this!".
"What is it, Detective?" Lucifer asked.
"There's been another murder. The scene is exactly like this one…all blood and no body".
"Hmm," the devil mused, "sounds to me as though we have ourselves an interesting serial killer".
*
Ella hitched a ride with Lucifer and Chloe, on the way to the next crime scene, so she could babble at her friend about wedding plans. The detective listened with only half an ear, too focused on the case at hand.
They went inside of a small apartment, which also contained a large bloodstain on the floor.
"Rental records shows that this place was being paid for by a Sarah Danvers, age 29," Dan told them, "She was a known prostitute and drug-addict but hadn't had any arrests within the last couple months".
"And there is absolutely no trace of the body?".
"None," Dan said, "and no signs of anyone entering or leaving the place, either".
"This is beyond strange".
"I agree Detective," Lucifer told her, "and it appears that things are only getting stranger. Take a look at this".
He held up a flyer for a charity concert that listed their first victim as the headlining performer.
"So then, there's a good chance that whoever killed our two victims was also at this concert".
"Possibly," then Lucifer noticed something else on the paper," Detective, look at where the money for this event was being donated to. Does that name sound familiar to you?".
Chloe's eyes widened. "That's the monastery that Father Kinley is staying at! Do you think the killer could be after him next?".
"Either that, or he's the one doing the killing".
Chloe bit her lip so as not to argue about whether or not the man was capable of such a thing. "I'll get an address for the monastery and we'll head over to investigate".
One way or another, Chloe was going to find some answers.
*
Journal Entry Dated December 12th, 2018
This will most likely be my last entry. I can feel that creature, Dromos, chomping at the bit to take over my body again. I've tried to fight his influence, but the demon's will is too strong. He has caused so many deaths with my hand, including every monk at the monastery. I thought that would be the end of it, but no, every time he kills someone, a demon takes their place. I fear that soon he will have hundreds of his legion on Earth.
Dear God, what have I brought upon this world? I only wanted to rescue my love from the clutches of Evil. Now, I fear that I have put her in even more danger. I have no illusions that she will come to this place, as the murder of so many will not be ignored by the outside world for long. I can only hope she finds this journal, so that there may be a chance to fight.
Chloe, my beloved, when you find this, I hope you will understand. Everything I've done has been for you, because you are the one woman that makes me feel alive. I pray, not only for God's forgiveness, but yours as well.
Farewell, my love
Father William Kinley
