Danny nodded. “It’s how I found Federico Ficara.”

McKenna shrugged. “Justice leaks like a freshly failed virgin, Dan. Always has.”

“Fuck.” Danny slapped the side of a leather chair.

“As far as Commissioner Curtis sees it right now,” Thomas said, “it’s vendetta hour. Payback, gentlemen. For every time he took it up the behind from Lomasney and the ward bosses when he was mayor. For every lowly position he was farmed out to across the Commonwealth since 1897. For all the dinners he wasn’t invited to, all the parties he found out about after the fact. For every time his missus looked embarrassed to be seen with him. He is a Brahmin, gents, through and through. And until a week ago, he was a Brahmin in disgrace.” His father swirled the brandy in his glass and reached into the ashtray for his cigar. “That would give any man an unfortunate sense of the epic when it came to settling his accounts.”

“So what do we do, Thomas?”

“You bide your time. Keep your head down.”

“Same advice I gave the boy just last week.” Eddie smiled at Danny.

“I’m serious. You, Eddie, you will have to swallow a lot of pride in the coming months. I’m a captain—he can call me on the carpet for a few things but my ship is tight and my precinct has seen a six percent drop in violent crime since I took over. That’s here,” he said and pointed at the floor, “at the Twelfth, historically the most crime-ridden nonwop district in the city. He can’t do much to me unless I give him ammunition, and I will be resolute in my refusal to do so. But you’re a lieutenant and you don’t keep open books. He’s going to put the screws to you, boy, something hard. Twist them tight, he will.”

“So…?”

“So, if he wants you warming up the horses and keeping your men standing at parade rest until the return of the Christ, you hop to. And you,” he said to Danny, “you steer clear of the BSC.”

“No.” Danny drained his drink and stood to refill it.

“Did you just hear what I—”

“I’ll do his strikebreaking for him and I won’t complain. I’ll polish my buttons and shine my shoes, but I’m not turning tail on the BSC.”

“He’ll crucify you then.”

There was a soft knock on the door. “Thomas?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Dinner in five minutes.”

“Thank you, love.”

Ellen Coughlin’s footfalls receded as Eddie took his coat from the stand. “Looks to be a hell of a New Year, gents.”

“Buck up, Eddie,” Thomas said. “We are the wards and the wards control this city. Don’t forget it.”

“I won’t, Tom, thanks. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“To you as well, Dan.”

“Merry Christmas, Eddie. Our best to Mary Pat.”

“Sure, she’ll be glad to hear that, she will.”

He let himself out of the office and Danny found his father’s gaze on him again as he took another pull from his drink.