In the Arms of Justice

Chapter Thirteen

Previously:

The man was on the phone with his face turned away. Steve knocked on the open door quietly to alert him and he turned your direction, nodding in acknowledgement. The Captain was in his 40s with expertly-quaffed dark hair, lightly tinted glasses and a carefully sculpted goatee.

Hanging up the phone, he spoke to you, "Ms. (Y/L/N). I'm so sorry about what happened to you, but glad to see you're okay."

Walking around his desk, he offered his hand to you, "I'm Captain Anthony Stark."

_____________

"Y/N," you said, accepting his hand. "Captain Stark, it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. How have my boys been treating you?" he asked with a smirk, offering a cheeky smile to the two detectives beside you.

"They've been...great. Very kind and attentive," you answered, attempting to avoid the blush rising in your neck.

"Glad you hear it. Especially since RoboCop dropped the ball by not walking you upstairs and the perp ended up getting away," the Captain spoke with a sarcastic smile, eyeing the mentioned detective.

Bucky clenched his jaw, arms crossed over his chest.

You spoke up. "It really wasn't his fault, he didn't know. And he came to my rescue just in time," you said in Bucky's defense.

"Well, it'd be better if you hadn't actually needed rescuing, but I'm sure he'll be more on top of things in the future, right Barnes?" he inquired, peeking at the man over his tinted glasses.

The detective shifted his weight, avoiding the Captain's accusatory gaze, "Yes, sir."

"Glad that's settled," Stark said, shoving his hands into both pants pockets with a relaxed posture. "Now. That was Philly PD on the phone, they have some possible linked cases to our guy. I'm having their DNA samples retested to see if they match. Barnes and Rogers, check for similarities in M.O. and victims. Y/N, I'm sure you're sick of being stuck at a police station so, if you want to go..."

"No," you interrupted the man. "I want to help. There's no way I can sit around waiting for news. I need to be proactive. I'm great at research and familiar with most computer software. Detective Rogers said he was looking into the victims more closely, maybe I could help there? Use their social media and known areas they frequent to see if there's overlap?"

Captain Stark held your gaze, silent for a moment before he blurted toward the detectives, "I like her."

He walked back around his desk, the gears turning in his head.

"I'm fine with that. But only if her access is restricted to that information. No case files."

"Absolutely."

"Understood, sir."

The detectives were quick to agree, aware of how much you knew already but keeping that info to themselves.

"Alright. Dismissed," he said with clear finality in his tone.

The three of you left the office, Steve walking ahead. You stopped Bucky with a hand on his arm.

"I don't blame you," you whispered, meeting his pained blue eyes.

He let out a tight smile, "I do. But thank you." He squeezed your hand for a moment before dropping it as you walked side my side back to the conference room.

___________

After countless cups of coffee, 4 bathroom breaks, 2 pizzas, 3 paper cuts and 7 hours of work, you had a significantly narrowed field of focus. By cross-referencing social media, credit card statements, and documented schedules of the victims, an overlap emerged. Those first three victims were regular visitors at the same yoga studio, not at the same time but over a period of 4 months they occasionally crossed paths. Four years ago there was an office building under construction across the street from the studio. Rumlow just happened to be on the crew working there for 6 months.