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“Yes. Don’t bring it up with her again. We can talk about it later—”
Jerking upright, I demanded, “You know who they are?”
“Of course. Anyone involved in banking does.”
I heaved an annoyed breath. “This isn’t—”
“The bank is a front,” he dismissed. “A very powerful front.”
“I’ve never heard of a bank called that.”
Hell, after Star had first mentioned the United Brotherhood, I’d searched for it on Google. Nothing had come up.Nothing.Certainly no mentions of a fucking bank in Manhattan.
“They’re investment bankers. Very niche. We don’t come into contact with them as Five Pointers, and as vast as your knowledge base is, Conor, you have to admit that you can cut out things you’re not interested in.”
I had to concede that point. “Why bother to retain something that isn’t important?”
“How do you decide which knowledge is or isn’t important at a given time in the future? It’s important now, isn’t it?”
Another point I had to concede. “Have they approached you?”
“In the early days. Before my association with the O’Donnellys became more known.”
“They didn’t realize you were Irish Mob?”
“No. After I moved in, your… I mean, Da kept my profile low. Do you remember?”
“I do,” I confirmed. "You worked your way up but it was on the down-low, wasn’t it? Out of sight, out of mind.”
Finn nodded. “He kept me busy with the bookies, only letting me get my hands dirty when he was around, and no one said dick about what happened if he was there.
“My affiliation with the Five Points was undesirable once the United Brotherhood figured out who I was.”
“Why?”
“They’re pious.”
“Pious?” I repeated. “They go to church?”
Finn snorted. “Doubtful. I just mean they consider themselves white hats.”
That doubled the ache in my head—I was sure my ears were ringing. In my world,Iwas considered a white hat—I went in and found security flaws.
Blowing out a breath, I rumbled, “Didn’t Da believe he wore a white hat?”
“I doubt it. I think Da was many things, but I don’t think he’d consider himself as pure as the driven snow.”
My hand balled into a fist. “Did you… When they approached you, what did they want?”
“It’s like the Freemasons. You scratch my back, I scratch yours.”
That made me think of Star. “Quid pro quo.”
He hummed. “They’re harmless, but they’re everywhere in the world of investment banking. It’s a shame they realized my affiliation. Would have been a great networking opportunity.”
“If they’re such good guys, why don’t you want Aoife to know about them?”
“Because when you mentioned them, you looked like you could puke. Just because they wore white hats in the past doesn’t mean they do now. Aoife’s been through enough these past twelve months. I don’t want to add to her burden.
