Paradox

Chapter 3: Fire-and-brimstone

The next day, Chloe called Lucifer, and an attempt had been made to grab a child. He met her at a local playground.

They interviewed the frightened mother who clutched her young child. "He just grabbed her off the swing and ran into that forest," she pointed, "luckily that man's dog over there, chased after him and he dropped Abby."

"Can you describe what he looked like?" Chloe asked.

"Tall thin dirty blonde hair in his 30's I would guess."

"He had a drawing on his arm." The little girl piped up.

Chloe crouched down to her. "Do you remember what it looked like?" She asked softly.

"A devil, it had horns."

Lucifer groaned. Chloe threw him a stern look.

"Thank you, Abby." She looked at the mother. "Don't worry we will find him."

After interviewing the man with the dog and a number of the parents they went back to the car.

"Another miscreant blaming me for all the horrific deeds that he commits," Lucifer complained angrily.

"The important thing is that the little girl got away." Chloe pointed out.

"Yes, yes bravo." He looked bored.

Chloe's cell rang and she passed the info on to Lucifer. "A child sex offender used to live in this neighborhood. He had been locked away but was on parole and missed checking in this morning. His name is Desmond and he fits the description."

"Why would a man who had committed these obscenities to be allowed out and about?" Lucifer asked puzzled.

"I don't know. That's our court system though, we put them away and they let them back out."

"They should be punished for all of eternity," Lucifer said venomously.

"I thought you didn't care about kids?" She asked surprised.

"I don't but I care about evildoers and ensuring they are punished accordingly," he responded smugly.

"Let's go to his former address and see if we can find him or clues to where he might be," Chloe suggested.

"Lead on Detective."

After a short drive, Chloe knocked on the door of the small blue stucco house. No one answered and no sounds could be heard. She turned to Lucifer only to find him gone. She raced around the house and found an open door. Lucifer strikes again she thought. She drew her gun and went in after him checking her surroundings carefully. She heard Lucifer snarling. Following the sounds, she saw that he had a man fitting the description of the child predator against the wall by the throat.

"You enjoy abusing the young -- taking away their innocence then you blame your depravity on me? As if I made you do these despicable things?"

The man gasped. "I've never even met you."

"Yet you have a woeful caricature of me on your arm." Lucifer had his back to Chloe but she saw the man's eyes suddenly widen and he screamed. She didn't know what else Lucifer had said to him but he had him under control. She pulled out her cell and called for backup as she quickly searched the other rooms to ensure they didn't have company.

She heard an ear-piercing scream followed by whimpering sounds.

She quickly ran back. The man now lay on the floor screaming, sobbing, and writhing in pain. Lucifer stood over him and growled. "Where are they? What did you do to them?"