[Lucifer] Ch: 25 [Trust the Devil] (Patreon)

[Outside Ty Huntley's House] [One Block Away] [1:00 AM]

The Corvette sat beneath a row of trees one block away from Ty Huntley's mansion, its engine off and headlights dark. From where they were parked, Chloe could see the main gate, though nothing remotely suspicious had happened since they left the party.

She leaned back in the passenger seat and checked the time on her phone again.

1:03 AM.

Lucifer sat beside her with one hand resting against the steering wheel, looking annoyingly relaxed as he watched the street ahead.

They'd eaten enough at the party that hunger wasn't an issue, and Chloe had already finished the bottle of water Lucifer tossed her before they left. At this point, exhaustion had become the bigger problem.

That and the growing suspicion that Lucifer had completely wasted her night.

Chloe looked toward him with a heavy sigh. "Please tell me you didn't bring me here just because you want to spend time with me."

Lucifer slowly turned toward her, visibly offended by the accusation. "Detective, if I wanted to ask you out or spend time alone with you, I'd simply ask you upfront. I have absolutely no need to invent an imaginary murder merely to enjoy your company."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "You told Dan we were going on a date before I even agreed to anything."

"Yes, because watching his face collapse into jealous misery was tremendously entertaining," Lucifer replied with a pleased smile. "Those were entirely separate circumstances."

Chloe shook her head and looked through the windshield again. "We've been sitting here for almost forty minutes, and nobody's screaming or bleeding."

"Patience, Detective," Lucifer said as his attention remained on the street. "Murderers rarely operate according to your preferred schedule."

"You said someone was going to kill Ali tonight."

"And she's still alive, which means we're doing exceptionally well."

Chloe turned toward him. "That's some impressive logic."

"I thought so myself."

She stared at him for another moment before checking her phone again. Lucifer could practically feel her patience dying beside him, and some deeply irritating part of Karl found the whole situation amusing.

A black sedan rolled slowly down the street from the other end of the street. It continued toward Ty's block and stopped across the road from the mansion.

Lucifer straightened slightly.

The driver's door opened.

A man wearing dark trousers, a dress shirt, and an expensive jacket stepped onto the sidewalk. He closed the door quietly and looked toward Ty's property before checking both directions along the street.

Lucifer smiled.

"And there he is."

Chloe immediately became alert. She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at the man standing beneath the streetlight. "Who is he?"

"Joe Hanson," Lucifer replied. "Ty's manager."

Chloe looked toward him sharply. "His manager?"

"The very same," Lucifer said while watching Joe open the rear door of the sedan and remove a small black bag. "Agent, manager, professional babysitter, and apparently a man who believes his client's career belongs to him."

Chloe's eyes moved toward the bag. "What's inside?"

"I haven't the faintest clue."

She stared at Lucifer. "You know he's coming here at one in the morning, you somehow knew Ali was in danger, and now you're telling me you don't know what's in the bag?"

"I know the important parts," Lucifer replied. "The smaller details have become rather unreliable lately."

Chloe frowned at that answer, though Joe's movement pulled her attention away before she could question him further.

He crossed the street.

Instead of walking toward Ty's front gate, Joe continued along the wall surrounding the property until he reached a narrow service entrance partly hidden behind several trees.

Chloe immediately reached for the door handle.

Lucifer caught her wrist before she could open it.

She looked at his hand, then at his face. "Let go."

"Going in now ruins the fun," Lucifer said quietly.

"This isn't fun."

"Poor choice of words," Lucifer admitted before releasing her wrist. "Going in now ruins our chance to catch him doing whatever he came here to do. At the moment, he's simply a manager visiting his client at an admittedly suspicious hour."

Chloe hated that he had a point.

She watched Joe enter a code into the side gate.

The lock opened.

Joe slipped inside and disappeared behind the wall.

Chloe immediately opened her door. "That's enough for me."

Lucifer smiled and climbed out from the driver's side. "Now you're speaking my language."

They crossed the street quickly and reached the same service gate. Chloe examined the keypad for half a second before Lucifer casually pushed against the metal door.

The lock clicked.

Chloe stopped.

"How did you open that?"

Lucifer gave her an innocent smile. "Supernatural strength has many practical applications."

Chloe stared at him. "I'm adding breaking and entering to the list."

"You'll need a considerably longer list."

They slipped through the gate and moved quietly along the side of the mansion.

The party had ended. A few lights remained on inside, though the pounding music from earlier had disappeared. Empty glasses covered several outdoor tables while discarded towels and bottles surrounded the pool area.

Chloe stayed close to the wall as they approached the back patio.

Voices reached them from somewhere ahead.

A woman's voice came first.

Ali.

"I'm not letting you destroy Ty's career."

Chloe immediately slowed and raised one hand toward Lucifer, signaling for him to stay quiet. They moved closer to the corner of the mansion, keeping themselves hidden behind the outer wall while looking toward the pool area. She took out her phone and began to record.

Ali stood near one of the outdoor tables with her arms folded across her chest.

Joe Hanson faced her several feet away, and the black bag was on the floor beside his feet. He looked really angry.

Ali shook her head firmly. "Ty's a good person. He doesn't deserve this."

Joe stared at her before letting out a short, bitter laugh.

"Oh, give me a fucking break."

Joe stepped closer and looked her over with open disgust. "What happened to you? You suddenly grew a conscience after opening your legs for him?"

Ali raised her voice. "Watch your fucking mouth."

"Oh, what?" Joe asked as he spread his hands. "Did I hurt your feelings? You're a cheap whore with emotions now?"

Lucifer's expression changed instantly. The amusement disappeared from his face while something colder settled behind his eyes.

Chloe noticed it beside her and quietly touched his arm.

"Don't," she whispered.

Lucifer kept staring at Joe. "I haven't done anything."

"Keep it that way."

They turned their attention back toward the argument.

Ali stepped closer to Joe, anger burning through whatever fear she might have felt earlier. "I did what you asked because I needed the money. I'm not proud of it, but I did it. Then I actually talked to Ty and got to know him, and he is a good guy. I'm still not helping you ruin him. "

Joe's face tightened. "Helping me?"

"Yes, helping you," Ali snapped. "That tape could destroy everything he worked for."

Joe scoffed and shook his head. "Jesus Christ, listen to yourself."

"I'm serious."

"So am I," Joe replied as he pointed toward her. "Business is business. I paid you to do a job, and now it's time to deliver what I paid for."

Ali glared at him. "You're not getting the tape."

Joe took a step forward toward her.

"The sex tape, Ali," he said slowly. "Give it to me."

"No. I'll tell him everything."

"Don't be a stupid fool," Joe pointed toward the mansion behind her. "Do you have any idea what that kid is worth? Do you have any idea how much money is sitting on the table once he gets drafted?"

Ali stared at him with growing disgust. "So that's what this is about. You're scared you're going to lose your golden goose."

Joe's eyes narrowed.

Ali continued before he could answer. "Ty told me about you. How everything has to go through you. His parties, interviews, sponsors, appearances, his whole fucking life. He even broke up with his girlfriend because of you. You don't give a shit about him. You care about what he can make for you."

Joe's mouth twisted. "Without me, he'd still be some nobody throwing a football around in his backyard."

Ali shook her head. "You really believe that bullshit, don't you?"

Joe stepped closer until only a small gap remained between them. "Watch your mouth."

"Why?" Ali asked, refusing to move. "Because the truth hurts? Ty's the one people pay to see. You're just the asshole standing behind him with your hand out."

Lucifer's eyebrows rose slightly.

"Rather like her," he whispered.

Chloe kept recording. "Quiet."

Joe looked furious now. "You're forgetting who you're talking to."

"No, I know exactly who I'm talking to," Ali snapped. "A greedy piece of shit who wants to destroy someone's life because he's scared of losing money."

Joe clenched his fists.

Ali saw it and gave him a cold look. "What? You gonna threaten me now?"

"I'm giving you one last chance."

"And I'm giving you the same answer."

Joe moved another step closer.

Ali didn't retreat.

Joe punched her across the face.

Ali's head snapped sideways as the blow knocked her off balance. She stumbled into the edge of the outdoor table, sending a champagne glass crashing onto the stone beside her.

Chloe put her phone back into her purse and immediately moved from behind the wall.

Lucifer moved with her. 

Ali touched her mouth and stared at the blood across her fingers before looking back at Joe in stunned anger.

"You fucking asshole!"

She barely managed to straighten before Joe lunged toward her.

His hand closed around her throat.

Ali grabbed his wrist with both hands as he shoved her backward. Her heel slipped against the stone, and Joe forced her down hard onto the patio floor.

Her back struck first.

A frightened gasp escaped her before Joe dropped over her and tightened his grip around her neck.

Ali kicked beneath him and clawed desperately at his hand while he pressed harder. 

"Should've just given me the fucking tape!" Joe spat.

Ali clawed desperately at his wrists while her legs kicked against the stone. Her face tightened as she struggled to breathe, and whatever anger had been there seconds earlier turned into panic as Joe continued choking her against the floor.

Chloe stepped out from behind the wall.

"LAPD! LET HER GO!"

Joe's head snapped toward her.

His hand remained around Ali's throat. 

Lucifer walked over, grabbed Joe's throat and pulled him up in the air. His fingers tightened slightly around Joe's throat while the man hung several feet above the stone patio, his shoes kicking uselessly through empty air.

"You know, it would be incredibly easy for me to crush your throat right now," Lucifer said as he looked up at him with cold disgust. "Barely any effort at all, really. One little squeeze, a pleasant crunch, and the world becomes permanently free of one greedy little parasite who hires women to destroy people and then tries to murder them when they develop a conscience."

Joe's face turned red as he clawed desperately at Lucifer's wrist. His legs kicked harder, though Lucifer's arm didn't move even slightly under the struggle.

Chloe stared at them for half a second longer than she should have.

Joe wasn't a small man. Yet Lucifer had grabbed him with one hand and lifted him into the air as easily as Chloe might pick up Trixie's backpack. There was no strain across Lucifer's face. His arm wasn't shaking, his posture hadn't shifted, and he wasn't even using his other hand.

'How the hell is he doing that?'

The question crashed through Chloe's mind before training finally took over.

"Lucifer, don't do anything stupid," she said as she quickly moved closer, keeping her voice firm while her eyes stayed on his hand around Joe's throat. "We caught him attacking her, and I recorded enough of their conversation to bury him. Put him down before you turn an easy arrest into a homicide investigation."

Lucifer looked toward Chloe while Joe continued choking above him.

"He was going to kill her, Detective."

"I know exactly what he was doing, and he's going to answer for it," Chloe replied as she stepped closer. "You wanted us to catch him red-handed, and congratulations, we did exactly that. Now put him down and let me arrest the asshole."

Lucifer stared at her for several seconds.

The anger in his eyes remained sharp enough to make Chloe uncomfortable. She had seen flashes of this side of him before, especially with Jimmy Barnes, though this time there was something even colder beneath it.

Then Lucifer sighed.

"Oh, very well. You're terribly good at ruining perfectly satisfying moments."

He lowered Joe until the manager's shoes touched the ground, though he kept one hand around his throat for another second.

Joe immediately gasped for air.

Lucifer leaned closer to his face and smiled without any warmth. "Consider yourself extraordinarily fortunate that she's here."

Then he released him.

Joe collapsed onto his knees, coughing violently while both hands went toward his throat.

Chloe immediately moved forward, grabbed one of his arms, twisted it behind his back, and forced him flat against the patio before he could recover enough to attempt anything else.

"Joseph Hanson, you're under arrest for assault and attempted murder," Chloe said as she pulled a pair of cuffs from the small purse she had brought to the party. She then read him his rights.

Joe coughed again as the cuffs locked around his wrists. "You don't understand anything. That bitch was trying to screw me over."

Lucifer crouched beside him, resting one forearm casually across his knee. "Calling the woman you were strangling a bitch is a remarkably poor strategy when attempting to appear sympathetic."

"Lucifer," Chloe warned while checking the cuffs.

"I'm simply offering legal advice."

"You're the last person who should offer anyone legal advice."

Lucifer smiled faintly as he stood again. "And yet mine tends to be wonderfully memorable."

A rough cough came from behind them.

Both turned immediately.

Ali remained on the patio near the overturned table, one hand pressed against her throat while the other supported her weight against the stone. Her eyes were wet, her breathing shaky, and a red mark was already beginning to spread beneath Joe's fingerprints.

Lucifer's expression changed instantly.

The rage disappeared beneath concern as he crossed toward her and crouched several feet away, leaving enough space that she wouldn't feel crowded.

"Easy, darling," he said quietly. "Don't try to stand too quickly. Your evening has already contained far more choking than anyone should reasonably tolerate."

Ali gave a weak, breathless laugh that immediately turned into another cough.

Chloe joined them after pulling out her phone. "I'm calling an ambulance. He had pressure on your airway, and I want you checked out."

"I'm okay," Ali managed as she rubbed her throat carefully.

"You almost got strangled unconscious," Chloe replied while dialing. "You don't get to decide you're okay based on surviving the first thirty seconds afterward."

Ali looked toward Joe, who remained cuffed near the table. Anger slowly replaced some of the fear in her face.

"That fucking psycho."

Lucifer followed her gaze and nodded in agreement. "An unusually accurate diagnosis."

...

...

The police and ambulance arrived.

Chloe handed Joe over along with the recording of his argument with Ali, while Ali gave a short statement. The paramedics checked the bruising around her throat and insisted on taking her to the hospital for observation.

Joe kept insisting everything had gotten out of control, though nobody seemed interested in hearing his excuses as the officers pushed him into the back of a cruiser.

Lucifer watched him leave with a cold smile and muttered, “Enjoy prison, you greedy little parasite.”

Before leaving, Chloe and Lucifer went upstairs to check on Ty. They found him completely passed out across the bed after drinking far more than his inexperienced body could handle. Chloe checked that he was breathing properly before getting one of his security guards to stay with him until morning.

Lucifer looked down at the unconscious quarterback and shook his head. “The poor bastard finally loses his virginity and celebrates by nearly drinking himself into a coma. Humans really do ruin perfectly good victories.”

With Ali safe, Joe arrested, and Ty sleeping under supervision, Chloe finally sighed in relief. She managed to stop another crime, thanks to Lucifer.

...

[Chloe's Apartment]

The Corvette stopped outside Chloe's apartment building sometime after three in the morning.

Chloe looked through the windshield toward the entrance, but she didn't immediately reach for the door. Her silver dress had become slightly wrinkled after everything that happened, and exhaustion was finally starting to settle across her face.

Lucifer switched off the engine and glanced toward her. “Well, Detective, another successful evening. Nobody died, the villain was caught in the act, and you got to spend several delightful hours pretending to be my date.”

Chloe turned toward him. “I wasn't pretending to be your date. I was preventing a murder.”

“Those things aren't mutually exclusive.”

Chloe gave him a tired look before a small smile slipped through anyway. “You really knew something was going to happen tonight.”

Lucifer leaned back against his seat. “I did tell you.”

“You knew Ali was in danger, you knew Ty wasn't the killer, and somehow you also knew Joe would show up after the party.” Chloe studied him for a moment. “Then you picked up a grown man with one hand like he weighed nothing.”

Lucifer smiled. “Supernatural strength. We've covered this. Keep up.”

“Yeah, along with immortality, super-speed, desire powers, and being the literal Devil.”

“Excellent. You're remembering everything.”

Chloe sighed and looked toward the apartment building again. “I still don't believe you.”

Lucifer's eyebrows lifted. “At this point, I'm beginning to think your denial is a medical condition.”

Chloe laughed quietly before her expression became more serious. “You would've killed Joe if I hadn't stopped you.”

Lucifer's smile faded slightly.

“He was strangling her.”

“I know,” Chloe replied. “And I wanted to beat the shit out of him too. But you stopped when I asked.”

Lucifer looked at her for a few seconds before answering. “You had a reasonable argument. Prison should provide him with plenty of unpleasant company.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes slightly. “That's not the only reason.”

Lucifer tilted his head. “Are you analyzing me now, Detective?”

"Can't you read my mind, or did that power not come with your devil package?" She said with a smirk before getting out of the car.

"I can't exactly read minds, atleast not yet. But you already know my power doesn't work on you," Lucifer replied.

Chloe smiled. "Thank you, Lucifer, for trusting me and not doing anything of your own."

"Well, I'm a law-abiding citizen after all... most of the time that is."

"Good night, Lucifer."

"Good night, Detective."

--

AN: This is it for Gold tier at the moment. Next few chs will be for the Platinum tiers. After that, I'll unlock 1 ch whenever I release one.