Reading List: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Summary:
AU where Bucky is part of the white collar crime division of the Brooklyn police and you're a well known thief that he's had in his sights for years but has never caught. What happens when you get in too deep and have to turn to the one person who's been longing to lock you away for as long as he's been after you?
Word Count: 2,107-ish
Warning: Â Angst, violence and language.
A/N: I decided to try a little something new with this chapter and toss in Buckyâs POV. Not sure if Iâll continue to that do that the chapters to come. Let me know what you think! Next chapter things will really start to heat up!
Previous tonight when you made an exodus from your loft you had been too worried about the fact that pissed off Irishmen were trying to break down your door then why they were there in the first place. You had done nothing to get on the wrong side of the Irish so why had they given you such a rude awakening? Going to one of the few places you trusted you sat in a booth at a local diner with the hood pulled up over your head to cover your hair and obscure your features. You knew it was unlikely they would look for you here but you werenât that far from the loft so there was that small chance they would increase their search radius.
While in the diner having a cup of far too strong coffee was when you saw it. The news was showing a scene from a local card game, the door of the building was broken and there were bodies covered with black police tarps. It was the same card game Dimitri had wanted you to rob but you hadnât been anywhere near that building, you had turned down the job. âWeâve gotten word that this is the work of a local thief known as The Phoenix. A calling card was left on the scene which is the same as what has been found at many other robberies but this is the first time there is a body count. Weâre told the BPD will be releasing a sketch of the woman in question later today. If you have any information please call our toll free number listed at the bottom of the screen.â Your blood ran cold and time seemed to slow down as your brain fought to process the information which had just been placed before you.
Killing people was never part of your MO and you always did your best to avoid unnecessary risks on a job. Every life mattered and no one should loss theirs over something someone wanted more than they did. On occasion you had to knock people out but never had you killed anyone, you might be a thief but you werenât a murder, everyone knew that. Everyone other than the Irish and the BPD anyway. Pulling your cell phone from your pocket you hit redial on the number Dimitri had called you from the other day but your world came crashing down at the tone which came back to you, the automated voice informing you that your call could not be completed as dialed, please hang up, check the number and try again. If you were anyone else you would worry about someone tracking your phone but you were smarter than that and had a friend write a program to keep anyone from being able to track you.
The feeling of being numb quickly wore off as anger took over, you had refused to do a job and Dimitri had framed you for it anyway. He had to have known you would say no because the card game was a day earlier than he originally said and he had your calling card. Why would the Russianâs do something that could start a mob war? And then you realized the answer, if the blame fell on you there would be no war because the Irish would think you had acted alone. Though you always had a benefactor and everyone you worked with knew that, there were very few jobs you ever did for yourself and the one in question was not one of them.
âCan I get you anything else sweetie?â The grandma like waitress asked you as she stopped by your table. A small smile pulled at your lips for the first time tonight, you were grateful for her kindness and she seemed to radiate warmth.
âA slice of apple pie please and then Iâll get out of your hair.â The older woman patted you on the arm as if she knew that was something you needed right now and you were so appreciative for the small amount of human contact. As she walked away to get your pie you looked up the number for the BPD precinct knowing if it was a case involving you Detective Barnes was either at the scene or at the station and you hadnât seen him in the short news clip so it was likely he was at the station. The Chief of Police was probably grilling him on how he allowed this to happen since he was the Detective assigned to your case.
As you wait for your pie you canât help but drum your fingers against the vinyl covered table top, you werenât impatient by any means you were just very nervous and wound up. The feeling of safety that the dinner possessed seemed to be slipping farther and farther away by the minute. There were very limited people you could turn to since most that ran in your circle wouldnât hesitate to hand you over to the Irish no matter what you had done for them in the past, not that you could really blame them. Loyalty had itâs limits in this line of work.
The plate of pie was placed on your table and your waitress gave you another warm smile before she moved to check on another table. After a night like tonight you really needed a slice of pie and that sort of friendly smile because you werenât sure when the next time you were going to see such a smile would be. Digging into the sugary concoction there was an explosion of flavor which came with your first bite. Not knowing when you next meal would be, you probably should have opted for something with more protein and sustenance but you needed comfort food right now.
It wasnât long before the pie was completely devoured and you were staring at one contact in your phone. A contact you shouldnât even have and yet you did. After Detective Barnes had so rudely began grilling people in your life, you had become snooping into his and gained his personal cell number thanks to a techy friend. Pressing the little phone button and initiating the call would change everything, were you ready for the fall out it could cause? What if didnât believe you? Those were chances you were going to have to take because you had no other options and very few friends and alliances now. Licking the last bit of apple pie filling from the fork you finally bit the bullet and pressed the called button.
For a moment you donât think heâs going to answer, itâs the early hours of the morning, heâs likely at work and itâs an unknown number but all you have left is hope.
The precinct had been a mad house since the call came in. Patrol officers had been the first on the scene and the description they gave was one of vivid and gory detail before homicide had arrived. What he hadnât expected was the calling card that was left at the scene. It didnât make any scene but the moment that evidence had been logged and the chief was back at the station he and Steve were both called into the office the door being slammed closed and the blinds being pulled closed. âHow did this happen? The two of you have been on this case for close to a year, no leads, no capture and now sheâs not only stolen but killed many in the Irish mob! How the hell did you allow this to happen?â
The chiefâs face was blood red a vein in his forehead pulsing under the skin as he glared at James and Steve from across the desk. The business like card with a single lipstick print was flung  across the desk in an evidence baggy, the wrinkles of the print making it look like the card was kissed by fire itself. It didnât make any sense to him that The Phoenix would steal let alone kill someone of any mob, it wasnât her MO and yet this was her calling card. Lifting the bag for a closer inspection something seemed a bit off with it, the lip marks were almost too perfect. âYou told me that you were making head wave on this case! This is not what I call head wave!â Despite the chiefâs words his eyes were glued to the evidence bag and the card within.
âYouâve seen her Barnes and  youâre going to meet with a sketch artist. Iâve allowed the two of you to make enough of a mess of this. Rogers, Barnes, youâre off the case since it seems the two of you had no idea what you were dealing with. Itâs been handed off to homicide along with all your case files.â Jamesâ eyes snapped up at those words, this couldnât be happening? He was just getting a break in the case on The Phoenix and now it was being taken from him? Anger burned within him.
Steve put his hand on Jamesâ arm trying to get him to calm down, âThis has been my case from the start! I was the first person to even tie her robbers together before she started using a calling card! She might be brazen in what she takes but this isnât her style, she avoids hurting people at allâŠâ
âThatâs enough Barnes!â The rage in his chiefâs voice told him he had crossed a line, âOne more word Barnes, just one and instead of being off the case, youâll be suspended! You will not follow any leads, you will not look at any of the files or ask questions of those on the case, youâll give a description for a sketch and that is it. Stay out of the way, both of you or Iâll have your badges. Dismissed.â His voice was final as both James and Steve left the office Steve looking defeated and James looked infuriated.
âBucky I know you well enough to know you donât want to drop this but you need to. This isnât our case anymore, white collar crime is ours, homicide is a whole other department.â That gave James no reassurance as he moved to his desk and fell into the chair his metal fist slamming against the desk causing those around to look towards him.
It took him a few rings before he realized his cell phone was ringing. His brow furrowed not recognizing the number but he answered anyway, âJames Barnes.â
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end until a feminine voice began to speak. The edge of sensuality still clung to it but there was fear as well, âI know what Iâm being accused of and I didnât do it. I donât kill people, nothing is that important to me.â Her voice was low as if she were whispering as she spoke. There was such sincerity in her voice which he hadnât expected.
Glacier like hues roamed over those nearby hoping no one suspected the phone call he had just entered into. Why would anyone suspect such a thing though? The idea of a criminal calling an officer for anything other than a taunt was unheard of. âSomething is that important to someone doll and itâs important enough to drag you into it. Iâve been chasing you for a long time and in that time Iâve never seen a job you pulled where you hurt anyone and Iâve never known you to steal from the mob.â His voice was low keeping his conversation lowkey. âThat doesnât mean that people donât change though and maybe this time it was important enough to kill over.â
Silence once more filled the line, he wanted to trust her but her life and how she lived was built on lies and misdirection. âMeet me tonight and Iâll explain everything I can. I know that you have no reason to trust me but youâre the only person whoâs figured out jobs even I had forgotten that Iâve pulled. You know me better than you can imagine and I know despite your words, you donât believe I did this. Iâll see you at Sin-Sation at nine oâclock. If I see any cops including your partner Iâm gone. The people who are framing me, they have a far reach and even if they didnât we both know the Irish have cops on their payroll and would love to get to me as soon as possible.â There was some sort of sound in the background that he couldnât make out before the line went dead. Now he had a choice, he could trust a criminal or he could turn her in. Police custody wouldnât save her from the Irish and regardless of if she did it or not they thought they did and they would find a way to kill her to send a message.
Tag List: @archerassassin @winter-in-wakanda @voltronmullet
A/N: I have the feeling Iâm missing someone I was supposed to have tagged, Iâm so sorry! Please message me and Iâll get you added to the tag list I promise!!! <3
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