Oleander - Bucky BarnesxOC

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: OBSESSION

A/N: Shorter chapter. I'm setting some stuff up. No smut in this one.

James drives toward St. Patrick's. He has sins to confess, and advice to seek. He mouths along with a playlist that Dahlia sent him. She has excellent taste in music. God, he loves her so much. As he's driving, the playlist cuts out and his phone rings. James taps his bluetooth.

"Yeah."

"Jamie? It's me."

Her voice sounds heavy, but James treats it as a normal conversation.

"Hey, Becs."

"I looked into Steve's emails."

His heart begins to pound.

"And?"

"He's been communicating with Wilson Fisk through a dummy account, and getting massive amounts of cash from him. Wires from offshore accounts. Anywhere Fisk has money stashed. Steve's raking in millions just giving information about Walker. He paid Walker's debts, too."

"Why?"

"No idea. Turns out sr0704 at gmail dot com is kind of a stupid thing to name your sock puppet email account because your best friend's sister can find it in a flash. Can you ask Steve what his IQ is, because I think it's about the same as a fucking carrot."

James frowns. He had a feeling. The second Pierce dropped out of the race, James had a sneaking suspicion that there was a much bigger reason for it.

"Son of a bitch. How long were they communicating?"

"Since around the time you and Dahlia started dating. I don't know why the fuck you trust that guy after what we're all sure happened. Hell, even mom's dead and I'm pretty sure her ghost knows what Steve did."

James feels his jaw clench and he steps on the gas, peeling down the highway toward St. Patrick's.

"Rebecca... tread lightly."

"I am! You're the one who's going to end up hurt, and Dahlia. You know what he's like, Jamie. You know how he handles this kind of perceived rejection or being pushed out of something. The guy needs serious psychiatric help! I just don't want you to get caught in the crossfire."

"Why is he emailing Fisk?" James asks.

"Because Fisk is paying him under the table to feed information to the mayor to help his campaign."

"It's why Pierce threatened to drop out."

Fuck.

"James, Steve has been a thorn in your side for a long time. I know he's your best friend, but I think this shit is starting again, and now that he has money and power, I don't know how well this is going to go for you."

It'll be fine. It's always fine. They have a discussion, Steve backs off, and everything is okay.

Except the time when it wasn't, but that didn't involve him. James knew how to salvage things.

His guts twist and Rebecca keeps talking.

"I'm still tapping his phone. He's texting Dahlia's friend a lot. Probing questions. About her, and you. Be careful, Jamie. I think he's starting to go off the deep end again."

"I will be, Becs. Thanks."

James solves one problem, and another emerges like magic. But he has to admit, he's been battling this one for a while. He tries to clear his head after Rebecca hangs up and keeps driving toward the church. When he gets there, the lights are off in the main building. Father Paul must be having lunch again. James walks around the building and pulls open the door to the back of the church that Father Paul always leaves open. He walks up the stairs and knocks on the door to Father Paul's apartment.