Chapter 13: Getting Lucky
A day of chasing down leads had left Lucifer with an empty flask and low patience. A missing persons case wasn't their normal workload, and the urgency to find the politician's missing teenage niece was bring out the detective's own impatience. Their final lead for the night was an underground cover-band battle of the bands concert outside of city limits.
"I still don't understand why we have to go after some rogue girl. I'm sure she'll return home once she grows bored." Lucifer whined as the detective drove them out of the city.
Despite the bobbing of her head in agreement, the detective spent the rest of the drive reminding him of the importance of all cases, not just the ones he found interesting. As they pulled up to the concert lot, the make shift stage had been lined with lights and a banner for the next group was being setup. Lucifer joyfully made his way to the small bar while the detective flashed their assigned photo to a few of the managers. With a drink finally back in hand, Lucifer turned back to watch the cover band enter the stage, and walking out with them (V.I.P. Badge draped around her neck) was their missing girl. As he made his way toward the stage, the lead singer for the band stepped up to the stage and the crowd around him exploded in a roar.
His focus was torn from the girl as the singer announced the piece the group intended to perform. His eyes darted to the source of the familiar voice. Miss Varquez stood in a pair of distinctive TRIPP pants and a decorative dudou, with a bass guitar strung across her back while she spoke to the crowd. Any doubts to her identity were extinguished as the red wings on her back came into view when she turned to plug in her bass. Behind her, the guitarist ('Is... Is that Evan from this morning?') began the melody and the crowd, along with the missing girl, began their cheers again.
As the bass dropped into the melody, Lucifer watched as Evan snuggled up to the lead, sharing the microphone. A few of the young ladies near him cranked up their screeching in response. The boy crazy comment passed through his mind as the detective's hand landed on his arm.
"There she is!" She shouted next to his ear, and then started making her way to the stage. Lucifer opted to watch the unexpected show as the case of the missing girl seemed solved.
At the height of the song, Evan took a pause and stepped back to allow the small stage to Miss Varquez. With the enthusiasm of someone with a true love of music, she hiked her foot onto the top of the her amp and belted out a bass and vocal solo. Lucifer's eyes followed the heave in her chest and the slight shudder that passed through her has she carried on the last note longer than her well-worked lungs were comfortable with. As the song ended, he downed his drink quickly and began to work his way into the roped off V.I.P. Tent.
A few heated words, soft kisses, and one good lick later, Lucifer found himself outside the tent, running a hand down the front of his suit jacket. Within the tent, the sounds of laughter and easy conversation were interrupted by the ring of a phone. Lucifer's hand paused on its way to push open the flap as he recognized it as the ringtone from this morning.
"Hehehe. Hey what's up? … Are you fucking kidding me?!"
Footfall came toward the entrance of the tent, and a gleaming copper hand yanked aside the entry flap. The sight of Evan and the rest of the band passing about a joint with a familiar box left open on the table in the corner greeted him.
"Those will dry out if you leave your cigar box open." Lucifer commented, pointing to the cigar box of goodies.
Natalie hung up the phone in her hand and motioned for he to enter. "What are you doing here?"
"Your V.I.P. was a missing persons case. Apparently she picked a bad day to skip out on daddy's guards."
"So I did see the little cop-girl in the crowd."
They sat down in the circle of folding chairs, ignoring the curious stares of the others in the room.
"I'd rather you not refer to the detective in such a manner."
One of those perfect eyebrows arched, and Lucifer forgot to blink for a moment. Willfully drowning in those storms before he was nudged and handed the rolled joint.
"Sorry, but it's still Tuesday. I don't work for you, I'll call the trouble-maker what I want." Natalie retorted smugly as she took the joint from him. When their hands passed over each other, Lucifer gently held her hand in his.
"Please." He said softly. With a sense of curiosity, he watched a light flush grace her features as she mumbled her agreement.
She withdrew her hand, took a quick drag, and handed the piece off before excusing herself and fleeing out the back of the tent. Evan, and the other two left in the room, looked to Lucifer with chuckles among them.
"Well, fuckin' hell. Hi there, handsome. I'd celebrate my luck seeing you twice in once day, but anyone who can make the she-devil run must be out of my league." Evan commented jokingly.
The other two were quick to join in with comments of "ice-queen" and "slayer of hearts". The group carried on its regalia of the rejections of Natalie Varquez until the detective found him.
"And I kid you not, she made him walk home like that! Underwear and all!"
"Here you are! I convinced her to come home, so wrap up what ever... this... is and let's go."
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Natalie was grateful that Wednesday's were half days for her. Evan had been relentless in his questions about Lucifer. Even more so than normal for the annoying twit. Although the phone call to ask why she bothered with spending her favor for poor service had gone well. To be fair, neither of them thought he would spend the day running into her.
The view from her rooftop lookout was distracting as she waited for Lucifer and his pet detective to finish their cop stuff. Her casual sunset watching almost covered the movement in the alley behind the pair has they returned to Lucifer's vehicle. The delay cost Natalie the valuable seconds the it took for the group of thugs to surround the pair.
With a satisfying thud, Natalie landed on the poor fool closest to her building edge, before rolling to jab the next in the kidney. As a wind of chaos, she swept through the circle, stopping at the last thug standing. The pale man quivered, swallowing hard as he listened to the groans of his friends on the ground around him.
"Another one of your ninja bartenders?" The detective asked.
"Not quite." Lucifer mumbled back.
Before the two had a chance to begin with their questions, Natalie took the last one by the hand and sprinted off. Lucifer and Chloe stared after them, shocked at the comical exit, standing in a circle of semi-conscious thugs.
"Is that Maze's sister or something?"
A soft chuckle drifted through the street.
"Not quite."