Chapter five: All but one

The file was only three pages, so Chloe had finished it before Lucifer arrived. He managed to enter again without the reception warning her she had a visitor. He greeted several officers on his way to her desk and was greeted back by most of them. Chloe shook her head; those colleagues looked as if they were pleased he addressed them.

"Detective," he said loud enough to be heard by everyone. "I'm so happy to see you. You look gorgeous this morning."

"Not so loudly," she whispered, thanking God Dan was not in, then with normal voice: "Morning, Lucifer. I think I look just as yesterday.

He took the second chair at her desk, grinned and said less loudly: "Then you now know you looked gorgeous yesterday. You were the star of the Lux."

"Did I?" She opened the case file. "Our case." She didn't want to hear more about yesterday evening. She and Ella had left the Lux a quarter past midnight. She and Lucifer had danced, talked and laughed and all time he had been with her. But she didn't want to hear, didn't want to know, what he had done after she had left.

"A woman, Francis Odegaard, died four days ago. A doctor diagnosed it as a heart attack, so no one checked the place, cared about saving traces. But Francis had chosen for a Whole body donation…"

"A what donation?" Lucifer interrupted her.

"In her will she donated her body for research or medical education. Yesterday a researcher made a detailed study of her liver and noticed some signs that according to him pointed at poisoning. So the body was checked much better and the researcher was right. She was poisoned."

"How and when was she poisoned?" Lucifer asked.

"She died at nine in the evening, sitting in a bar. Most likely the poison was in some food and it might have taken hours to kill her. Up to ten hours."

"Food, hours…" Lucifer mused. "Can be diner, can be lunch."

"Indeed, or any snack in between. I… We? will have to find out."

"We," he confirmed with a grin. "Where do we start?"

"Find out where she had diner, where she had lunch. Who were with her. Then the normal things: what relations did she have, anyone who has a motive to kill her."

"Shall we go?"

"Give me some more moments," Chloe said. "To see what I can find about her."

Ella came to her desk while Chloe was reading parts and pieces to Lucifer. "You have a case?"

"I have, but no crime scene." Chloe explained to Ella the new case. "… if Francis had not chosen for body donation, the crime would never have been discovered," Chloe ended.

Lucifer and Chloe started with the victim's relatives: a brother and a sister both living in LA. Both were shocked by the news. They couldn't think of a reason why anyone might have killed their sister, but they did have Francis' wallet, phone and laptop.

"According to this receipt she bought a hamburger and a salad at six thirty a few hours before she died," Chloe said, inspecting the wallet.

They visited the fast food restaurant, looked how food went over the counter and concluded it was unlikely the poisoning happened there.

"We go to the shop were she worked," Chloe decided.

"She worked full days?" Lucifer asked.

"Yes. So it's the place where she had lunch."

Just as Francis' relatives, the shop owner was shocked when he was told Francis was murdered. "She worked here for… a lot of years, at least seven years. Or more… I can check if you want. Never problems. Never heard someone had issues with her."

"Where did she eat lunch?" Chloe asked.

The owner walked with them to a room in the back. "Next to the delivery area."

In the room were a few tables, chairs, a rack with coats and a pile of lunchboxes on one of the tables. A window gave a view of the indoor delivery area next to the room. The owner gestured at the boxes. "Francis' box no doubt was somewhere among those."

Chloe looked. Nine boxes, some with standing out colors, some with a name tag. "Any employee can enter this room?"

The owner nodded. "All day, the door doesn't have a lock."

"So anyone that was here could have opened Francis' box?" Lucifer checked.

The owner shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "Yes. Well… I can't imagine anyone would do."

Through the window they saw the outside door of the delivery area being opened. Bright daylight came in together with a van. The driver parked the van and left it. He walked to a large doorway to the left.

"Is that door not locked?" Chloe asked.

"It is, but all our regular suppliers know the code to open it."

"Now it is open and no one is overseeing this area," Lucifer said.

"He should first close the door," the owner muttered. "Before going to the stockroom for someone to help him."

"But he didn't," Lucifer said. "And at this moment anyone can come in from outside and mess with the lunches."

"Who would do so?" the shop owner asked.

Lucifer smiled at him. "That is exactly the question the detective wants to have answered."

"So every worker in the shop and anyone from outside can come in," Chloe concluded. "We first would like to talk with your employees one by one."

They talked with all nine workers, although only six had worked in the shop the day Francis was killed. Lucifer used his skill to let them tell there desires, but no motive was found that could give them a reason to kill Francis.

They talked with two friends of Francis, but neither could think of a reason Francis was poisoned. They ended at half past five on a boulevard along one of LA's beaches. "No-one has a motive," Chloe summarized.

"There is a long list of contacts in Francis' phone, detective."

"Yes, Lucifer. But I have Trixie waiting at home with a sitter I pay per hour." Chloe grinned. "So we will continue tomorrow."

"Of course, detective." Lucifer pointed at a food car. "Edgar's. I know him. He has the best ice cream of LA. Let me at least treat you to an ice cream before you leave me alone and lonely."

Lonely? Chloe gave him a quick glance. He smiled at her. Well, that alone and lonely wouldn't last long. As soon as he would be back in the Lux, he could pick up as much women as he wanted. "Ok, one ice cream before we call it a day."

"Shall I pick you up tomorrow morning, detective?"

"You want to carry on with me, Lucifer? I would expect you would find all this resultless interviewing boring."

"Of course I want to be with you. Walking with you is never boring."

She glanced again at him while he ordered the ice. He sounded sincere.

"I will pick you up at the Lux," Chloe said. "Early tomorrow morning I have to be in the precinct for a speech of commander MacPherson. All detectives and officers have to come."

"A commander? Gives commands?"

She grinned, accepted the ice cream from him. "Something like that. Rank above captain. She is coming to inform us about some changes. Nothing important. Nothing that will change the daily routine."

Ella was not yet home, so Chloe had diner with Trixie and she told her daughter about her day with Lucifer. "… and it was really the best ice cream I ever tasted, monkey."

"Did they also have chocolate ice, mommy?"

"They did. But neither me nor Lucifer tried the chocolate ice."

"Can we go there once?" Trixie begged. "With Lucifer. I want to try the chocolate ice."

"Well, the two of us can go. I don't know whether Lucifer wants to join us. That is his own decision."

"Can I call him to ask?" Trixie was almost bumping up and down on her chair.

Chloe looked at the clock. Half past seven. Lucifer could be anywhere; in that penthouse in which he seemed to live, in the Lux, either alone or with some bimbo's, drinking, eating, playing the piano. She had no idea. She couldn't predict whether Trixie's call would annoy him or not.

"Please, mommy. Let me call him to ask," Trixie pressed on.

"Do you have his number?"

"No. Do you?"

Chloe hesitated. Then shrugged. "Wait a second, monkey."

She typed a whatsapp for Lucifer: 'Trixie wants to call you to ask something. Is that ok?'

It was read within seconds. Three dots appeared and then: 'If she wants to make a deal with the devil, let her call. I will ask a favor in return.'

Chloe frowned: 'She is an eight years old. No stupid things, Lucifer!'

'As favor in return she will have to give me her blessing when I ask her mother on a date.'

Chloe rolled her eyes and showed Trixie the messages.

Trixie laughed. "He likes you, mommy. I have seen how he looks at you."

"How does he look at me?"

"As boys do when they look at girls they want to kiss."

"You can call him, but you're not going to say anything about kissing! Lucifer and I are just a bit of friends and he only helps me with the case."

Trixie gave her a look that made clear she didn't believe her, but nodded. She made the call that ended in Lucifer and Trixie making the arrangement Lucifer would take Chloe and Trixie to Edgar's food car tomorrow evening and Trixie would give her blessing for all dates Lucifer and Chloe would ever have.

Short after ten – Trixie was brought to bed before – Ella came home. "I've been to father Frank. Confession."

"Ten o'clock. You had a lot to confess?" Chloe asked with a small laugh.

"Also," Ella admitted. "But I stayed after and we had a talk. He would like to hear that polonaise of Chopin of the last case."

"We can ask Lucifer. But the letter is in the evidence room at the moment."

Ella nodded. "Father Frank will have to wait. Did Lucifer stay all afternoon with you?"

"Yes." Chloe smiled and told Ella about the ice cream car and Lucifer's deal with Trixie.

"Really?" Ella laughed. "How romantic. He asked your daughter's blessing for dating you. He must be so serious about this."

"Come on, Ella," Chloe muttered. "He will be in the Lux by now. You've seen the kind of women that gets his attention."

"He came to us."

"But he would have taken those bimbo's to his penthouse if we hadn't come." It felt as a pain in her stomach.

"Are you fair to him?" Ella asked. "He helped you all afternoon."

That was true, Chloe had to admit to herself, but she had to be prepared for the moment he would get bored and would look for something else, for someone else.

The next morning, on her way to the precinct, she gave first Francis' sister and than Francis' brother a call. "So you have your sister's lunchbox… Yes. I want our forensic scientist to have a look at it… Can I pick it up later this morning, I have to be in some internal meeting first."

"I can even bring Francis' lunchbox to the police station now, if you need it," Francis' brother offered.

"That would be nice."

So Francis' lunch box was waiting for her at the reception when the meeting was done. It was a dull, brown, plastic box with a name tag on it, reading 'Francis'. Chloe brought the box to Ella to have it searched for traces and left to pick up Lucifer at the Lux.

During the ride her mind stayed busy with the lunch box. A box for Francis… But no-one had a reason to kill Francis… no reason. A box with a name tag… Anyone could have come from outside… No reason… and that box. Suddenly she did see it. At the next traffic light she checked her notes and made a call to Francis' employer.

The main floor of the Lux was empty this early in the day. At the bar she saw Maze talking with a blond woman. "Hi? Do you know where Lucifer is?" she asked.

"Penthouse," Maze said with a gesture at the elevator. "Just one moment," Maze added before Chloe could turn away. She came near and sniffed the air close to Chloe. "You didn't have sex for at least two weeks. I can smell." Maze walked around her while studying her. "What is so special about you. You're not an immortal."

"Maze," the blond woman said. "What are you doing?"

"This is Chloe. The Chloe Decker," Maze said. "How did she get the devil on a string?"

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.

"He did sleep alone the last three days, Decker. Didn't take anyone with him to the penthouse."

"He…" Chloe blinked her eyes and then repeated: "What do you mean?"

"Do you see anything special, Linda?" Maze asked the blond woman.

"Maze, you confuse her. Chloe? Let me first introduce myself: Linda Martin."

"Linda Martin," Chloe asked. "Doctor Linda Martin? Lucifer's therapist?"

"Indeed," Linda answered.

"And my therapist," Maze added. "And my friend. And also Lucifer's friend."

"So you know Lucifer well?" Chloe asked. This Linda might be able to help her understand Lucifer, but immediately she realized a therapist wouldn't talk about one of her patients.

But Maze didn't have such a filter. "Oh, yeah. She knows Lucifer well, Decker. Seen my face, seen his face."

What did she mean with that gibberish. Chloe looked at Linda, rolled her eyes and shrugged. Linda smiled and said: "If you are looking for Lucifer, take the elevator to the penthouse, Chloe."

Chloe hesitated for a second, then said goodbye and walked to the elevator.

Chloe had never given this penthouse a thought. A bed and racks with sex toys would have been her guess, but the reality was a luxurious, expensive, tasteful living room with a grand piano in the center of the room and a wall with liquors. Lucifer was sitting at the piano and playing. He looked up when the elevator door opened and smiled. "Detective, welcome. How was your meeting?"

"As usual. The commander explaining what will change in the organization and how it will align the force better with the needs of the public."

"Well, that sound ok?" He looked at her with his head tilted.

"Lucifer, the last five reorganizations were also described as to better line up with the needs of the public."

Lucifer grinned. "Sounds as if before those reorganizations the LAPD was extremely badly lined up with needs of the city."

She shrugged. "Nothing important will change. Just a manager planning change because she is payed to alter things. But let's talk about the case… You still want to work with me on the case?"

"Of course, detective."

"I realized something. Francis Odegaard was poisoned. She had a lunchbox marked with the name Francis."

"Yes." Lucifer frowned. "We know. We expect the poison to have been in her lunch."

"One of her colleagues is named Francis Wallace. She was not working yesterday, she was reported ill three days ago so we didn't see her. But she was working in the shop five days ago."

After a few seconds of silence Lucifer said: "How is the lunchbox of this Francis Wallace marked?"

"She has an orange box with silver stars on it and no name tag."

Slowly he started to grin. "The murderer came from outside, wanted to poison miss Francis Wallace, found a box with the name Francis and poisoned the wrong person."

"It's a possibility," Chloe isaid. "We don't know whether the wrong or the right Francis was killed. But we should investigate."

Francis Wallace didn't answer the door when they rang the bell. Lucifer stretched his hand and the door unlocked.

"Against the protocol," Chloe whispered.

"Then you stay outside, detective. I'm only a civilian, not that there's anything civil about the Devil. What fun would that be?" He grinned and walked a few steps into the house. Two seconds later he turned. "She is dead, detective."

Chloe came forward and looked. A woman was laying on the ground, eyes open without seeing anything.

"She is dead for three days, more or less," Ella concluded. "My two cents, same poison as the other Francis. But I will know for more after some lab tests. I would never have recognized the poison had I not heard of Francis Odegaard."

"Same day as she was reported ill," Lucifer said. "Who did report it?"

Chloe called again with the shop owner. "A man's voice. He didn't say his name, but the shop owner has his phone number."

Lucifer shrugged. "The murderer can't be so stupid to use his own phone."

"Maybe," Ella interrupted. "Maybe not. If Francis Odegaard would not have chosen for whole body donation, no-one would be known it was a murder. This would also be reported as a heart attack. The LAPD would never be involved."

The phone belonged to Justin Latoya, a known member of a drugs gang. "We think he is responsible for a few people that are missing," a colleague from Narcotics told her. "But we never found prove."

"Let's go, detective. Make an arrest," Lucifer said.

"We arrange a SWAT team, Lucifer," she said.

"Why? Detective, I'm the devil, I'm invulnerable."

She ignored his delusional idea's and asked for a SWAT team. The SWAT team went, made the arrest and brought Justin Latoya to the precinct.

Two colleagues of Narcotics came and shook their heads. "He will not talk, detective Decker."

"We have his phone," Chloe said.

"He will claim he can't remember the access code and forensics can't open it. We tried for weeks with a few other phones of that gang."

"Really?" Lucifer asked. "Where is Latoya's phone?"

"In the lab," Chloe said. "Ella tries to unlock it."

Without one more word he turned and went to the lab. Minutes later he came back with a phone held high, a big smile and Ella one step behind him.

"His phone, detective. Unlocked."

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"If I tell you, will you believe me?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at Ella.

"He didn't even touch it," Ella said. "He just looked at the phone and it unlocked."

Chloe accepted the phone and together with one of the detectives of Narcotics searched calls, messages and contacts. "We know him, and him and her," her colleague said. "That next one is Antonio Bahamontes, the boss of the gang as far as we now. Started years ago as a hitman for another gang. Sniper. Killed at least eight, but we could never prove it."

Chloe checked messages from and to that boss. "Antonio gave the order to kill Francis Wallace. Let me get Justin for the first interrogation."

Fifteen minutes later Justin Latoya was brought to the interrogation room. Chloe and Lucifer took a sit opposite of him. The two detectives of Narcotics together with lieutenant Monroe were on the other side of the one-way mirror.

"I have nothing to say. You can speak with my lawyer."

Chloe smiled at him. She hold up his phone, backside towards him. "Your phone."

"Good luck with it. I can't remember the access code. Sorry."

She turned the phone so he could see the screen with whatapp open. "Shall we talk about this chat with Antonio?"

He slowly turned pale, eyes wide open, lips trembling. "How…"

"How? Does that matter, Justin?" Lucifer said and bent closer to the man. Justin looked him in the eyes and froze. "Justin, Justin. What is your desire? What do you hope to achieve this year? Next year?"

"I… I want to be one of Antonio's second men. Be a boss."

"Who are at the moment the second men of Antonio?" Lucifer asked.

"Alvaro, his son. And then George and Boris. One day I will kill Boris. I hate Boris. He broke my arm once."

"Isn't it nice to finally talk about what you want?" Lucifer asked. Justin nodded.

"And Antonio ordered you to kill Francis Wallace?"

"Yes."

"But you killed the wrong Francis."

"Who cares. I corrected my mistake."

Lucifer leaned back. "Enough, detective?"

"We will see. You told us a lot, mister Latoya."

Justin seemed to realize what he had said. He trembled, looking eyes wide at the recorder on the table.

"We can just use this recording in court, mister Latoya."

"I…" He swallowed. "I want protection. I will tell you all I know about the drug gang. But I want protection in exchange."

"We will discuss it with the DA," Chloe promised. She had Justin brought back to his cell."

Narcotics and homicide together sent four SWAT teams for boss Antonio and his three seconds Alvaro, George and Boris. Chloe and Lucifer went with the team that was going to arrest Antonio. They found his house burning. "Cleaning traces," Chloe muttered. "And a very prompt response on the arrest of Justin."

Lucifer scratched his ear. "Someone must have warned him Justin talked to us."

Chloe slowly turned to him. "You mean… someone in the precinct must have warned Antonio?"

Lucifer nodded.

The arresting of Alvaro, George and Boris went smoother, all three ended in a cell.

"You did enough, Decker," lieutenant Monroe decided. "You captured all the bad guys but one. Narcotics is going to interview the three that are arrested. Go home, so detective and…" She looked at Lucifer. "What would you be?"

"I'm the detective's consultant, lieutenant," Lucifer said with one of his most charming smiles.

Monroe smiled back. "Maybe we should make that official. How did you open the phone? How did you make Latoya talk?"

"Normal work for a consultant, lieutenant. But the detective made the big break of the case by realizing there was a second Francis!"

Monroe looked at Chloe again: "True. Good work. I suggest you and your consultant can search for Antonio Bahamontes tomorrow."

As Lucifer had promised he took Chloe and Trixie to the beach where Edgar's food car was located. Lucifer had picked them up at Chloe's house with a car with four seats. They strolled through the sand with ice creams in their hands. Trixie asked for their day and Lucifer emphasized how Chloe's idea of looking at the other Francis solved the case.

"My mommy is the best police detective."

"She sure is, spawn. And the most beautiful one."

Before Lucifer could go on on that, Chloe said: "So we captured all but one. Tomorrow we will go on."

Lucifer drove them home and Chloe was at the point of asking him to come in when a shot was fired, the sound echoing through the street. Chloe felt a stab in her back, pain high, just below her shoulder. Blood came out over the front her shirt. The next moment she was wrapped in something white. Huge white wings with glowing feathers. More shots were fired, but she was not hit. All became black for her eyes and she lost consciousness.