Chapter three: One more victim

For some minutes Chloe and Lucifer watched Ella typing and reading on her computer. Then Chloe turned to Lucifer. "The DPD called back. They found a dead person at the address you gave us."

"Paul Rice," he said.

"They did not yet identify the victim."

"Paul Rice," he said again.

"How did you know Paul was killed?"

He sighed, then grinned. "I told you. Why can't you believe me?"

She shook her head. "Keep your sources secret."

"The phone is registered to a ninety-six year old lady," Ella said. "Living in Newark in the Bay Area, no children. But the phone is here, I mean in LA."

"It's powered up?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. Wait a moment." Ella continued searching on her computer.

"Did your source know how Paul Rice got Chopin's letter?" Chloe asked Lucifer.

"Of course I asked my source," Lucifer said with emphasis on the word source and an eye roll. "Paul got it from his grandfather who first told him one of his mother's ancestors was a lady-in-waiting of empress Maria Feodorowna. Later that same grandfather told him another story: during the revolution of 1917 one of their ancestors plundered the palace of the czar." Lucifer shrugged. "Whatever is true. I was more amazed there was a letter. When I spoke with the empress in 1820 she told me Chopin played that polonaise for her while she visited Warsaw two years before. She didn't mention a letter."

"You spoke with the empress about Chopin." Now Chloe rolled her eyes.

"After waking up, before breakfast."

"So you slept with the empress."

"Of course. Her husband died almost twenty years before and the poor widow had her needs."

Ella turned for a second to Chloe with a grin and a wink.

"I don't lie, miss Lopez."

"It's hard to believe, Lucifer," Ella said.

"Is it? Be careful. Would you like to be brought more coffee in the future, miss Lopez?"

"I suddenly do believe you, Lucifer," Ella said with a laugh. "But enough jokes. Chloe, that phone is in this small shopping area." She pointed at the map on her screen. "And guess what. One of those shops is a piano and music shop, owned by a Carl Bailey."

"Carl, piano, music," Lucifer said. "Chopin. Come, detective. Let's arrest him."

"For what, Lucifer? There is no case. Not yet. We don't even have confirmation the dead person in Dallas is Paul Rice." She gave that a thought and then called Nancy Page.

"Hi, Chloe," Nancy said. "I just wanted to call you. It is indeed Paul Rice and the killer was looking for something. Two bookcases are half emptied, papers and books around on the floor."

"My tipster thought Paul Rice owned a letter from the composer Chopin written in 1818 that the Carl from LA wanted to buy and Paul didn't want to sell."

"Possible," Nancy said. "Can you try to find that Carl?"

"We are doing already. But remember we don't have a case on our side in LA," Chloe said.

"I will call my lieutenant now," Nancy said. "And ask him to contact the LAPD to request for your help."

"You are going to wait for that, detective?" Lucifer asked. He raised from his chair.

"We will use that time to see what we can find of this Carl Bailey. We have at this moment no prove he is the Carl that called Paul Rise," Chloe answered.

Slowly Lucifer sank back. "What do you want to find?"

"I do not yet know. Give me some moments, Lucifer."

Chloe had no idea what to look for, but searching bought her some time, for there was indeed no case yet. She used one of the computers in Ella's lab and within a minute had a police file on Carl Bailey. "This Carl Bailey is convicted for trafficking in property obtained by crime."

"What?" Lucifer asked.

"He bought and sold stuff that someone else had stolen. An antique violin, that was six years ago, a golden transverse flute nine years ago." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Golden flute?" Ella asked.

"The kind of metal changes the timbre of the flute, miss Lopez," Lucifer said. "Many people say a flute of gold or silver has the most warm timbre." He turned to Chloe. "But no murder?"

"Burglary without any violence," Chloe admitted. "Done when the owners were not at home." Her phone rang. "The lieutenant."

"I got a request from the DPD to support them with a case," Olivia Monroe told Chloe. She glanced at Lucifer that had come with Chloe.

"Mr Morningstar got an anonymous tip on a burglary and he came to warn me."

Olivia nodded. "And you contacted the DPD. I understand. Do you have an active case at the moment?"

"No, lieutenant."

"What do you learn so far?"

Chloe gave Olivia a summary of what they knew.

"Take this one, but keep me informed," the lieutenant said. "If it takes more than two or three days I will talk with the DPD about how much we can help."

Dan was waiting for her when Chloe left the lieutenant's office. "Chlo'?" He gave Lucifer an angry look.

"Sorry, Dan. I have a case."

"And he?"

"Lucifer came with a tip. The tip. Sorry, Dan," she said again.

Dan stepped aside, clearly confused. Chloe walked to the elevator, Lucifer close behind her asked: "Who is that?"

"Dan."

The elevator arrived. Lucifer repeated. "Dan?"

She waited for the elevator doors to close before she said. "He is my husband."

"Him? Detective, what a terrible taste in the opposite sex."

"A rude and impolite comment, Lucifer."

"I never lie, so it is true." He looked discontented. "You deserve better, detective. You deserve only the best."

"And who is the best? You?" She hoped that would let him forget Dan, but he frowned as giving it a serious thought.

"As much as I would like to say yes, I am the devil, detective. While your soul is pure and you are good and selfless, I'm the incarnation of evil."

"I never found anything evil in you."

"Then you're blinded by my charms." He scratched his cheek. "Although you seem to be immune for my charms."

She grinned and wanted to say she had never seen those charms, but than she realized how every other woman reacted when she first met Lucifer. They all looked eyes wide at him, blushing, nervous, giggling as a thirteen year old falling in love for the first time when he talks to them. "Maybe your charms would work better if you just drop that devil character for an hour or so and show me who you really are. Lucifer can't be your real name." They had reached her car.

He studied her for a moment. "So you would consider a night together if I wouldn't play the devil?"

"I don't do one-night stands. But you just admitted you only play the devil."

"If I wouldn't play doesn't admit anything, detective. It is only a what-if question."

She rolled her eyes and that made him laugh. "Enough serious talk, detective. May I make a suggestion on how we should deal with Carl Bailey? I can ask his desire, just as you see me doing with Bobby B. He will tell and there is a good change his desire will be related to Chopin's letter."

"Why would he tell you his desire?"

"People always do… Well apart from you." He looked at her, eyes half closed. "You're freaky, detective."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. Roberta Beliard's reaction was weird. You can't expect other people to react the same way."

He smiled. "You wanna bet?"

"No one-night stands, Lucifer."

"No, no. Just diner together. Wait, I'll come to your house and make you diner tonight if Carl just spills us his desires as I predict."

"And if Carl does not?" Chloe asked.

"Whatever you want, detective."

"The corvette?" That was a joke. Of course he wouldn't risk his expensive antique car.

"Deal," Lucifer said.

"What? No. I wasn't serious. I can't take your car for some bet."

"But I'm serious, detective. You just made a deal with the devil."

"I won't accept the car," she insisted.

"That won't be an issue. What would you fancy for diner tonight?"

Carl's shop was not really a busy place. Or more precise: apart from a single sales man the shop was empty, no customers. Some pianos were displayed, some bookshelves filled with music books. The man showed them a standard sales smile. "Welcome, welcome. How can I help you?"

"You're Carl Bailey?" Lucifer asked.

The man looked surprised. "I am, yes. Should I know you?"

Lucifer came closer, smiled and almost whispered. "Carl, my friend. What do you wish. Image you can ask, what would you desire? More than anything else."

Carl stared in Lucifer's eyes. "Me? I want to be rich."

"Many humans want to be rich, Carl. And what is your next step to become rich?"

"I want the letter Chopin has written to Empress Maria Feodorowna."

"Ah," Lucifer chuckled. "The letter for which you killed Paul Rice."

Carl blinked his eyes and made a step back. "I didn't kill anyone. I have never met Paul."

"But Paul is murdered," Chloe said. "And you threatened to kill him."

"Paul is dead?" Carl seemed honestly surprised. Either he was a great actor or he was not the killer.

"He is, Carl," Lucifer said. "And you offered him twenty grand for that letter and when he refused to sell you said, I quote, you will be in hell before next month."

"I… I…" Carl looked around as if looking for a way to escape. "How do you know?"

"We know," Chloe said, although Lucifer never told them the exact words of Carl's threats. She showed him her badge. "LAPD. We have enough to arrest you for the murder of Paul Rice." That was a bit of bluff, but it worked.

"I didn't kill Paul. I never was in Dallas. I asked Jan Kopec to get the letter for me."

"And how should he get that letter," Chloe asked.

Carl hesitated for a few seconds.

"You prefer to be arrested for murder?" she asked.

"Jan knows some people. Thieves. They steal the items I want."

"And you pay him to steal?"

With his head down he nodded.

"And how much did you pay Jan to steal Chopin's letter?" Chloe asked.

"Seven grand plus travel costs."

"To murder Paul," Lucifer said.

"No! The steal the letter."

They brought Carl to the precinct and went to look for Jan Kopec. "You didn't win the corvette, detective," Lucifer said during the ride.

"How did you make him talk?"

"I'm willing to explain once more, detective, but again you are not going to believe me."

"That you are the devil and I'm the only one that can resist your powers?"

He nodded.

"No. I want to hear the truth."

"The truth is I'm gonna cook for you tonight. What do you like?"

"Tonight… I have a daughter, Lucifer."

"I know, detective."

"And she is with me tonight."

He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath and said: "Then I cook for the two of you."

"And Ella expects to eat with us."

"Miss Lopez?" He grinned. "Oh, I cook for the three of you. A diner with four."

When they arrived at the address Carl Bailey gave them, they found Jan Kopec was not at home. "I didn't see him for two days," one of neighbors told them, so Chloe put out a bolo for Jan.

Back home Trixie hugged Lucifer as soon as Chloe had introduced him. Lucifer froze, held his hands high and looked as if he was terrified. Chloe looked amazed at his reaction, Ella giggled.

"This is not funny, miss Lopez, Detective, please take her away."

Trixie lookup at him and laughed. "You're funny. Are you the devil?"

"Yes. I am the devil."

Trixie let him go, did a step back and took a good look at him. "Mommy and Ella don't believe you're the devil. You're too kind and they think you're just a magician knowing some very good tricks. But I believe you."

"You do?" Lucifer gave her a thoughtful look. "And you are not afraid?"

"No. Are you staying tonight with my mommy?"

"I come to make dinner for your mommy and for you and Ella."

Trixie grabbed his hand and jumped up and down. "May I help you?"

Lucifer's reaction had been a blunt "Never" but to Chloe's and Ella's amusement he ended up with Trixie around and the girl doing small tasks as cutting vegetables, stirring some sauce and peeling apples. While chatting non stop with Chloe and Ella, who were watching his work, he made them a salad as starter, hamburger with home made sauce and fried potatoes as main meal and self made apple pie as desert. And all from fresh ingredients. It was simple but tasted better than anything Chloe had eaten before.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Ella asked after finishing a third – and extra large – piece of the apple pie.

"I visited lots of chefs during the centuries, miss Lopez. Italian, Japanese, French, Chinese, you name it."

"During the centuries? Be serious, Lucifer. I really want to know."

"I told you." He grinned while putting things in the dishwasher and collecting the waist.

Chloe and Ella looked at each other and shrugged. "You cooked," Chloe said. "We will clean up."

"Then you have to hurry, detective. For cleaning up is already in progress."

Around ten o'clock Lucifer emptied his wine glass and said: "Well, I will leave you ladies and go home."

Ella raised. "You don't have to go. I go to my room and leave the living room to the two of you."

"No, miss Lopez. Just diner, I promised the detective. Nothing more."

Chloe got a kiss on both cheeks and Ella a short hug before he left with a last smile at both.

"Chloe!" Ella almost shouted as soon as the door was closed. "You let him go. Are you insane?"

"That was our deal, Ella. Just diner."

"Girl! If only ten percent of what I heard is true, dozens of women and men come to the Lux each night, hoping for a night with Lucifer Morningstar. You had him in your house. One word from you and you had him all night for just you alone."

"Ella. Hush. Don't wake up Trixie. I… Listen, I like working with Lucifer, but… No. I can't have a relation with someone who twenty-four seven acts as if he is the devil. No."

"Relation," Ella sputtered. "Just one night. When you look at him, who cares about tomorrow."

"Well. It's too late now. He is gone and he doesn't have a mobile, so I can't call him back."

"To the Lux, no doubt," Ella grumbled. "To pick up some bimbo with silicone breasts and injected lips."

"Well. Lucifer and I only worked together on two cases. You can't even say we're friends…"

"Come on, Chloe," Ella interrupted her.

"… so he can pick up any woman he wants," Chloe finished. That was true, it was. Why did she feel jealous? Almost as if she was angry at the 'bimbo' he was going to pick up… They were not even friends. Not at all.

"Will he come tomorrow to help you find Jan Kopec?"

"We…" Chloe hesitated. "We didn't discuss that."

"And he doesn't have a mobile, so you can't call him." Ella dropped her head in her hands, elbows on her knees, shaking her head.

Next day Chloe finished the paperwork on Carl Bailey, who had signed the confession he had hired Jan Kopec to steal Chopin's letter from Paul Rice two days before Paul was killed. The bolo on Jan Kopec was out and the only thing left was searching the police files for more information on Kopec. He was convicted several times for burglary and for organizing burglary, but – as Carl had said – never with violence, no shot was ever fired, not even a punch with a fist. Two times she picked up the phone to call the Lux and to ask for Lucifer, but both times she hesitated and then decided she had nothing to tell or to ask him.

At noon someone came walking to her desk. She looked up and felt she blushed.

"Detective."

"Lucifer. Hi…"

"I came to ask you to have lunch together."

"Oh…" She was stunned and just looked at him.

"Well. I mean. I had hoped…" He lowered his eyes. "If you don't want…"

"I do love to have lunch together," she said softly.

He looked up and beamed a smile at her.

He suggested Mexican but Chloe preferred just coffee and a sandwich.

"No Jan Kopec yet?" he asked after they ordered.

"No. I had a patrol car check his home this morning, but he hasn't been there. No family. I…" Could she ask him to help? "I plan to go this afternoon and ask in bars in the neighborhood whether they know him."

"But you still have no partner."

"No." She looked at him, didn't dare to ask him to go with her. He looked at her and she couldn't guess what he was thinking. The food arrived.

He cleared his throat, smiled and said: "Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks. You too."

Half way his sandwich, he coughed, breathed deeply. "I could… go with you?"

Again she felt she blushed. "That would be nice. Well, I mean. If you have time. I know you have a nightclub to run."

"And hell," he added and grinned when she rolled her eyes. "But if I wouldn't have time, I wouldn't have offered."

They were interrupted by her phone ringing. "Decker."

"Detective Decker. Jan Kopec is found. Dead."

She didn't ask and he didn't offer, but Lucifer went with her to the crime scene and she enjoyed their banter during the ride. Jan Kopec was found in a parking garage behind one of the cars. "… I went to the back of my car," the owned of the car told Chloe. "To put that box in and then I saw him

"When did you park your car in here?"

"Last weekend. I rent an apartment on the other side of the street and the parking spot comes with it."

"Do you know the victim?"

"I swear I have never seen him before.

"You have no idea what he was doing around your car?"

"No. No."

Ella had come and had looked at the dead Jan Kopec while Chloe talked with the car owner.

"What can you tell me, Ella?"

"Stabbed in the breast and belly with a knife. I already took some pictures and made some measurements. I just mailed them to my colleague in Dallas to compare with the stabs that killed Paul Rice."

"Phone, wallet, anything in his pockets?"

"No phone, no wallet, nothing. If Carl Bailey hadn't mentioned his name, we would just classify it as a robbery gone wrong," Ella said.

"And you would never have related it to the murder of Paul in Dallas," Lucifer mused.

"Indeed," Ella said. Her phone beeped. "Yeah… Possible the same knife… A hundred?" Ella grinned. "Not with me… Ok… Or at least same size… Of course… You inform your detective Page, I will inform our detective Decker." Ella ended the cal and said to Chloe: "My colleague says he willing to bet a hundred dollar it's the same knife."

"But this Jan Kopec is stabbed in the breast," Lucifer said. "Not in the back as Paul."

"Yeah," Chloe said. "What do you mean?"

"Jan must have seen his attacker. He might know him," Lucifer explained.

"Yes." Chloe shrugged. "That's not going to help us Lucifer. He is dead."

One of the uni called: "Detective Decker." He was standing with a tablet in his hand and pointed at the license plate of one of the cars. "This car belongs to Jan Kopec. It is locked."

"Let me help you," Lucifer said. He walked to the car. Just before his hand reached the door, the locks clicked, he grabbed the door handle and opened the door.

Ella and Chloe looked at each other, frowned and shrugged. "How does he do those tricks?" Ella whispered. Apparently Lucifer heard it, for he grinned at Ella. "Do I have to explain again?"

Chloe shook her head. "Let me see what's in the car."

Lucifer stepped back. "Go ahead, detective. In the meanwhile I will ask Jan who killed him."

"Ask him? He is dead, Lucifer."

"Most likely with his track record his soul is in hell. So I fly down and ask him." He started to walk away.

"Lucifer! Where are you going?"

"A place where I can spread my wing and fly away without being seen," he said. "Be back in less then an hour, detective."

He disappeared in the stairwell. Chloe and Ella looked at each other eyes wide open. "How can he be so insane?" Chloe muttered. She stared for minutes in the direction where Lucifer went. He just walked away and left her alone. She dropped her head and turned to Jan Kopec's car.