Chapter 12
Lucifer's Pov
At the precinct, I stood by the detective's desk and watched from a long distance of the detective in one of those glass rooms with that Jed guy talking with her. Seeing the detective with Jed questioned my thoughts on the detective's taste in men during her youth. After knowing her for so long, I always imagine the detective was the type who always put her nose into her books and think of work instead of going out with dashing boys and endlessly planning their dates. At the time when the detective confessed to me how she never went to her own prom, afterwards I never wonder what the detective's dating life was like. All I knew was that she married Daniel and had a child together.
Speaking of the pathetic moron, the Douche was sitting alone at his desk by the stairs, and it give me an idea. Since I didn't know much about this Jed character and what's his secret intentions that involve the detective, then perhaps the Douche may know and would happily spread those details to my ears.
"Daniel, do you, by any chance, know of that vexing, little leech?" Daniel at first developed a careless look when his ears caught the sound of my exotic voice. But he quickly became perplexed when he followed my stare as my eyes targeted DJ Jed in the glass room.
"Jed?" he gasped in shock when he spotted Jed standing by the detective.
"Oh, so you know him" I smiled hoping that Dan might spill some dirt on the slippery human.
"Yeah, I hate that guy" Daniel confessed as he loathed the sight of Jed. Soon, he began explaining the unknown past to me, "They broke up right around the time I met Chloe. When she entered the force. I always kind of felt like I was living in his shadow. I don't know if it's the whole 'first love' thing or what."
"I swear, there's a part of Chloe that will never get over his stupid face. He even tried to get back together with Chloe when we first split up" he snarled when he stared back at the DJ. I remembered in the last couple of days Daniel has been acting extremely cold towards me, but now since Jed's here it's like his bitter feelings towards have suddenly drawn back like the ocean away. But then, the waves come in.
"Why you asked?" Daniel questioned.
"Well, I just want what sort of man the detective sadly put up with before you" I answered while keeping my focus on the detective as she acted so friendly towards Jed.
"You're so worried? Afraid you got competition?" he happily chuckled.
"Don't be preposterous" I strongly denied as I took a step away intending to walk off.
"Hey, now you're here. I want to talk to you" Douche's words cut in and they draw my attention back to him. He stood up and commence in a sedating yet insulting tone, "We all know that you can be a slutty prick who like to piss off people for fun. But, now you knocked up Chloe, I want to make sure that you have secured her with enough for Chloe to raise her baby."
"Correction, it is our baby" I rectified Douche's declaration.
"Yeah, until when?" the Douche argued back, more incensed, "When you'll go off abandoning them and then marry the next twenty strippers and knock them up as well until you go off on an abandoning spree."
"How dare you" I growled in the lowest tone of my voice. How dare the Douche compare me to do one of the most cruellest actions that any parent could commit, like what my father did to me. I strongly denied, "I'd be a good father thank you very much. I won't abandon them, or at least distance them or let the mother of my child believe she was mad for seeing a dirty cop that you lie about for a year."
"Oh, you know what!" a volcano of wrath erupted as sir Douche stepped forward close to me as though he was ready to start a fight. However, there were no arguments from me as I would happily like to give this irritated, little human a few hits for what he commented about me earlier.
"Hey! Hey!" the detective's voice interrupted us as she jumped in between, she turns her head back and forth to me then to Douche, "What's going on?"
"Nothing" sir Docuhe answered first before he gave one final death stare to me and storms out of our presence, she quietly snarled "Screw you."
"What happened?" the detective eyed at me with a bemused stare.
"He just took the pissed at me that's all" I truthfully replied.
"Okay, so we got a lead. Jed's been receiving threatening emails from a man named Raul Blanco" she caught me up with the murder case.
Sadly, DJ Karnal followed behind the detective like a lost but cringy puppy desperately searching for attention, he added, "Yeah, some ass-hat who's pissed about my foundation building low-income housing at the marina."
"Of course, he has a foundation" I mumbled to myself.
That very moment, I caught Jed gazing his eyes at the detective scanning her body up and down. If I know desire, and I think I do, I gazed through the black pupils of his dreamy eyes and unmasked a spark of an old flame burning inside the JD. I recognise that burning flame because I have that same flame for my detective. But now, I am disdainfully not sure if she had one for me anymore.
Suddenly, brainstormed a theory considering Jed's intentions of drawing in the detective to his innocent persona. I saw how his fame and fortune captivate the love of his female fans like the ones like those who were by the crime scene at the large, green park earlier today. It reminds me of how both women and men throw themselves at me just for me to make their desires come true. But, now Jed was reconnecting with the detective, who both had a fling, perhaps there's a part of him that wants to get back the detective. And he killed another DJ to bring the detective to the case so he could see her again and relit their old flame again. THAT'S IT!
My hand reached out to hold onto the side of the detective's arm so I could gently pull her aside, and by that, I mean away from Jed so we could have some privacy as I wanted to talk to her, "Detective, I've been thinking perhaps we dismissed DJ Dum-Dum a little bit too quickly as the killer."
"Lucifer, he has an alibi, no motive, and trust me, I know him" the detective suddenly stood up for her ex-flame.
"Do you trust him?" I repeated her own words back at her face. It's not like I trust the detective, but she has made some wrong decisions when it comes to trusting someone who she liked in the past. Sir Douche lied to the detective for a year, Cain used her to get back what he wants, and now I'm worried about what this wimpy DJ wants with the detective.
"Yeah. He's not killer material" the detective sticks with her answer before turning away.
"All right, Lucifer will go question Blanco, and you just stay here at the precinct where it's safe" she instructed as the detective faces Jed.
"Thanks, Cherry Jane. What would I do without you?" he revealed an amorous grin, however I expressed an exasperated frown while curiously wondering about why he keeps on naming the detective 'Cherry Jane.'
I jumped in between so I could talk to the detective's face to face, and also to block Jed's view which could hopefully push him away. I debated, "Detective, I told you, I understand if you're still mad at me and want space. But, it does seem unreasonable for sending me off alone to do the inquiry."
"Lucifer, I'm not coming because of that" the detective refuted my statement while she held an annoyed look, "The Lieutenant has told me that I have to do less fieldwork because of my pregnancy."
"So, you'll be staying with Jed?" the detective could obviously sense the disapproval printed in my voice.
"Yes, I'll be staying with Jed" she crosses her arms over her chest, "Is there a problem?"
I wanted to say 'no' however I knew the detective would have wanted an explanation from me. So, I kept myself quiet and she slowly nodded, "Thought so. Besides, Dan will come with you."
I released a fake chuckle, "The Docuhe is already walking down the green mile just to keep our distance."
"Fine, asked Ella? But, I have to stay" the detective repeated herself before she walked away putting an end to our conversation. Leaving me hopeless about what to do or say.
"Shit" I cursed myself. I was feeling like I was losing her more.
And, there I was journeying alone with Miss Lopez by my side, while she does give me good company, I felt a cold shadow mark over my sure heart because I didn't have the detective with me anymore. The more I spend away from the detective, the more I feel like she's slipping away from me. I am still struggling to wrap my mind with the whole pregnancy, but I still want to rebound our tangled relationship, even if it includes bringing me into the aspects of fatherhood.
We were walking down a street which was based closely to seas side as I could smell the salty air driving up through my nose. Miss Lopez noticed how tight I have sealed his lips as she could sense my troubles increasing like black smoke rising from an erupted volcano. So, she softly broke the silence, "Hey, you okay?"
"Not really. The detective is using Jed to keep her distance" I answered.
"I'm sure it's not that" Ella replied in a light-hearted toe, trying to cheer me up but it was no use as I was still feeling blue.
"I'm just not sure what to do?" "I'm not sure what I want."
"Perhaps you could you talk to someone who has kids. Understand their experience of being a parent" she advice and an idea popped in my head. My brother, Amenadiel has an urchin of his own so maybe I could gain some clear understanding of what fatherhood really likes.
While I was lost in my thoughts, my eyes looked back at Miss Lopez and I peculiarly didn't see a small, silver chain necklace that she used to wears all the time. I asked, "Missing some jewellery?"
"Hmm?" she hummed in bewilderment.
"Your cross" I Indicated at the emptiness printed on her chest.
Darted her baffled gaze down at her chest and smiley puffed, "Oh, I don't wear it anymore."
"Why not?" I was particularly surprised that Miss Lopez, who is the most spiritual person I know, gives up her necklace that held a symbol of her greatest belief.
"It doesn't really matter" she lied while trying to make the conversation sound botherless, however I could sense some sorrows hidden in her friendly voice.
"It does to me" I friendly replied. I didn't want to pressure Miss Lopez, didn't give up quite yet as I wanted to show her my support as a good friend. Ever since I left for Hell, I know that I have left a big hole in Miss Lopez's heart, especially after Charlotte's death which grew a wider crack in her heart.
"Ever since Charlotte's death… I've sort of lost contact with the big guy" she started. I caught a similar shame printed on her face, it matches the same expression of when my father abandoned me and banished me to Hell. Not only did I feel angry, but I was consumed with loneliness and sorrow.
She continued as her voice breaks "I used to think I was never alone because he was always there for me, for everyone. But now… now I feel he's gone."
I've never seen Miss Lopez this depression before because I've always known her as a very positive, bright and pleasant human. At that moment, I try something comforting to say, "If it's any consolation, she's in a better place now."
"But, how do you know?" Miss Lopez stopped and gave me a cold stare she challenged my knowledge. She believed in my sympathetic words and, of course, I couldn't persuade Miss Lopez anymore that Charlotte is living in rest at the Silver City. Her level of distrust in me was the same as her distrust in God.
"Because I do" I answered, pure and simple. I can't force Miss Lopez to believe in something that she doesn't have faith in anymore, but I want her to know that she can have faith in me. I added, "And, as your friend, you have my word."
Miss Lopez didn't seem entirely convinced but she smiley nodded which was enough for me. We continued walking along as we reached a protest crowd led by Raul Blanco, our new suspect who send threatening emails to Jed.
Raul notice us walking over so he faced us in a straight and professional position, "If you're here to protest, there are more signs around back."
"No, we're here to ask you about Jed, D.J Karnal, and the lengths you're willing to go to stop this community outreach program" Miss Lopez corrected him.
"Look, I'm all for helping the homeless, but I bring my kids here. The last thing this community needs is drug addicts and mental cases roaming around" he stated.
"So, you were minding your own business, when some musical interloper comes into your life under false pretences, getting his grubby little DJ hands all over it" I compared to Raul's situation to mine when DJ Jed walked into my life and squirmed his way in my unbalance relationship with the detective.
"Exactly. And all these people feel the same way" Raul turned to the protest crowd and they all loudly cheered straight afterwards. Hypocritically raising his hands and consuming the support and hurrahs from his loud and active protesters.
"Really? Because we've looked into you, Mr Blanco. Your youngest kid is 23 years old" Miss Lopez clearly caught Raul in his lie.
He gave a short pause as we could tell that Raul was quickly thinking of an excuse, "Kids her age like coming here. Making memories. Enjoying their moments here."
"Well, I'm not enjoying this conversation, so tell me" I stepped forward as Raul was trapped in my enchanting trace. I stared into this mortal soul and asked my favourite question, "What is it you really desire?"
"I… I…" Raul was stammering his words while I grin at the close feeling of him finally releasing his secret, "I want to protect the reputation of my yacht club."
"Oh, I see" I purred while nodding my head.
"But, we also know that you sent threatening emails to Jed right before you tried to electrocute him on stage last night" Miss Lopez cuts in again.
Last night I was here, protesting. I'd never hurt anyone. I just need Jed to move the shelter" he explains himself, and I smiled at the fact that Raul might possibly isn't the killer and it will lead back to Jed. He continued, "You know he works here, right? The guy should be thanking me for protecting this neighbourhood. Just last weekend, I caught a homeless woman breaking into his place. Chased her out of that gate."
I felt Miss Lopez's gentle hand tugging me as a silent request for us to talk alone away from Raul and the crowd. A few steps away, we stood by the corner and she started, "Okay, so according to Jed, the last time he saw his headphones was last weekend."
"Well, why would a homeless woman want to kill Jed?" I curiously asked.
Miss Lopez theorised, "Maybe she wasn't homeless? Maybe she broke in to tamper with the headphones? She could be the one who wanted to murder Jed"
I hummed to myself in a light tone, "Assuming anyone wanted to murder Jed…"
The end of my sentence was slightly interrupted when a huge explosion detonated from the building. Explosion rumbled the ground below our feet like it vibrated a big earthquake, while Miss Lopez and I kneed down to the floor. I leaned in closer to Miss Lopez as I know she is still a vulnerable human being, so I tried to cover her back with my own so Miss Lopez wouldn't be harmed from the explosion.
I felt the rain of strip pieces of burnt steel dropping in our direction, thankfully they weren't too big nor too sharp to cut through mortal skins. After a minute later, I raised my head and noticed Raul and all the protesters have dashed out of the area in fear. I darted my eyes down to see Miss Lopez has her hands hovering over her head while I felt her body shivering.
"Are you okay, Ella?" I breathed out concerned about her wellbeing. Scanning her pure face and caught no sign of scratches or scars on her skin.
"Yeah. Thanks" she breathlessly rustled with a gentle smile as I gratefully grin that she was okay and unharmed from the explosion.
We gradually raised back up on our feet as I gave her a helping hand to lift her up before we stare at how the front part of the building was destroyed. Straps of steel walls split apart and everywhere, most of them had burnt parts on them and were painted in black stains. The air was quickly intoxicated the sensitive, sea air with the burnt steel and the dark smoke which grows out from the destroyed building.
"Well, this is not good" Ella commented.
Once the area was taken care of by the police, Miss Lopez and I travelled back to the precinct where on our journey in my car, I could still sense the fear shivering down Miss Lopez's back and her arms slightly trembling. When we reached the precinct, the detective rushed over to us, but she kept her eyes focused on me as her face was swollen with fear.
Her hands reached out to touch the side of my arms as the detective could feel my warmth through my arms. I didn't hitch but I felt the shivering vibrating from her hands making me feel her deep anxiousness growing. She quietly exclaimed as her pale face was painted in horror, "Hey, are you okay? I heard the place blew up."
"I'm fine, detective" I gave an honest smile and the detective sighed in relief in a gentle grim. There was a short moment between us where it felt like all of the little problems that we were dealing have suddenly vanished in the thick air.
"Yeah. I'm great too. No need to get worried" Miss Lopez added herself in the conversation, even though she sounded unbothered that the detective and I have slightly forgotten her for a second.
"Sorry, Ella" the detective faced the scientist as we both felt bad as we completely forgot that Miss Lopez was standing there beside us.
After a while of setting in after the exploration, the detective and I began working in a lab as we were trying to dig deeper in Raul Blanco because now, they're thinking that he might innocent. Sometimes I drifted my gaze through the window and spotted the detective's deck which was infested with large gift baskets, I wondered why until I caught Jed's face hidden behind the gifts.
Miss Lopez soon rejoin us and the detective asked her, "Is there any chance there could be some parts from the studio that can help us?"
"Sorry amiga but no can do, basically everything from the inside has been destroyed" Miss Lopez sadly answered.
"Well... isn't this convenient for Jed" I growled in a hostile tone. I still believe that Jed might have something to do with the murder and now with the exploration.
"What?" the detective was appalled by my comment. She faced me in pure indignation and huffed, "His place blowing up? How?"
"Well, first someone tries to electrocute him on stage, yet 'accidentally' kills someone else. Now someone tries to blow him up, yet fails again?" I complained, "Either Jed is the luckiest target alive, or he's behind all this."
"You know, I think Jose needs a hand with the parcels, so I better give him a helping hand" Miss Lopez quickly interrupts us as she could sense some awkwardness misting between us. Within a second, Miss Lopez dashed out of the room leaving the detective and me alone in the lab.
Straightaway, the detective still glued her death stare at me back in a mad look as she wondered why I was being insolent to her ex-boyfriend, however I was feeling deeply piqued that she was still defending Jed. The detective continued, "You do realise Jed died in his studio if we hadn't kept him here at the precinct."
"Well, technically you wanted to keep him here at the precinct" I corrected her the detective didn't look amused.
She continued, "He could have been blown to bits."
"What a view that would be" I cheeky smirked.
"Why do you think he's behind all this?" she asked.
"Well, clearly he's orchestrating all this to get close to you again" I revealed my theory.
My answer left the detective flabbergasted as she was completely speechless for a few seconds. The detective replied with an unbelievable stare as though my words were nothing but claptraps, "That's completely ridiculous."
"Is it?" I narrowed, annoyed that the detective still believed that her ex-boyfriend is innocent and isn't very ambiguous to my theory.
"Electrocuting a colleague? Blowing up his own studio? No one would go that far just to be near me" she chuckled to myself.
"Well, I did go to Hell and back for you three times now, but hey, who's counting?" those words slipped out without thinking what I actually said, making my eyes widen in shock and shame.
Shifty tried to shape my face back to a normal look but I watched the detective's face fall in deep confusion as she was taken back by my unexpected words. Rapidly blinked a few times before she gasped, "Sorry, what?"
"Nevermind" I shook my head and broke our eye contact. I didn't intend on saying those things, so I prayed that my words won't get stuck in her head. But, she's a detective so she would definitely try to figure out as though she was solving a puzzling case. Thankfully, the detective changes the subject.
"Okay, Lucifer, are you jealous?" she questions which I laughed it off like she said a joke.
"Jealous? Of a man-boy who scratches records for a living? Now, who's being absurd" I denied the thought of me being jealous and worse the detective believes I was jealous of her puny ex. What exactly did I have to feel envy about, I'm more successful than Jed and not to mention I'm more handsome. And at least, I got my own special charm.
Although, the detective didn't agree with me so I expanded, "I'm simply saying how convenient it is for DJ Dingus that any and all evidence that could have been in that studio is now completely destroyed."
"Good because first of all, Jed would never go out with me since I am…" the detective paused before she darted her gaze down her stomach as she was referring to the baby, she stared back at me, "…you know."
"I'm not talking about the baby…"
"Hola Amigas!" Miss Lopez's cheerful voice jumps in the middle of my sentence which slightly irritates me but I happily ignore it, "We found some fingers prints on the gates that match with this woman, Belinda Roberts."
"Good, we got a lead" the detective grew a small smile.
Unfortunately, Miss Lopez saved the bad news to last as she added, "However, according to her phone trace, she was out of town since a few days ago so…"
"So, we still have a killer to arrest" I ended her sentence as I glanced through and darted my death stare at Jed.
I felt the disapproval look grow on the detective's face as she walked out of the lab without warning, leaving me alone only to notice her appearance through the glass so I quickly dashed out to follow the detective. She headed towards her crowded desk where Jed was still sitting behind a large gift basket.
Finally reached the detective when she revealed the same facts to Jed, "Hey. Good news. We found prints of a woman who might have broken into your studio and planted some secret recording devices last week."
"That's good news?" the puzzled DJ questioned.
"You heard of a woman called Belinda Roberts?" she asked.
"Yeah. She used to help me with my records until she walks away doing he own records" Jed answered.
"Well, we're hoping that Belinda's recordings might identify the killer" she explained.
"Whoever he may be" I added, trying to point out the suspiciousness from the old flame, then my curious eyes darted to all the gift baskets that surround the desk, "What's with all the gift baskets?"
"Oh, they're from my fans. They wanted to wish me their sympathies after finding out that DJ Matt Pexxa was murdered today" Jed picked one of them up and unwrapped it. The gift basket held a pyramid of golden muffins, so Jed grabbed one out and took a bite off of it, "They've been sending me stuff from all around the entire country. It's crazy how devoted they are."
"Devoted to you? Yes, that is crazy" I sarcastically commented as for once I actually agree for Jed.
"Crazy?" the detective repeated the word to herself until she brainstormed a theory, "Wait, do you think one of your fans could be behind all this?
"Oh, I doubt it. They're harmless. Though I have heard of a few really obsessed ones chatting on a message board, I've never had a problem" he carelessly answered.
"That you know of. I'm gonna look into it. You stay put" the detective softly ordered
"Speaking of, I am getting a little stir-crazy here" Jed stood
"Oh, Well, you still have to be safe. So, perhaps you could stay..."
"My place. Yes. Yes, that's exactly what she's suggesting" I briskly barge in the conversation while standing closer to the detective's side, I kindly applauded, "Excellent idea, Detective."
Nevertheless, the detective put up a fake grin as I guessed she would have wanted to discuss further plans instead of me guiltily blurting ideas out and instantly convincing the detective to concur. Thankfully, the detective didn't agree and silently concurred as I was courteously offering my service to help Jed through the case. "Come on" I firmly commanded, not letting him out of my sight now and it would hopefully suppress his interference between the detective and I.