dirty work at the crossroads

Nefarious activities. He got arrested for being involved in dirty work at the crossroads. The boss will just get one of his thugs to do his dirty work at the crossroads. I'm not surprised that Phil was caught embezzling money from the company—he always seemed to be involved in dirty work at the crossroads.

dirty work at the crossroads

illicit or underhand dealing. humorous

This expression is recorded from the early 20th century and may reflect the fact that crossroads, the traditional burial site for people who had committed suicide, were once viewed as sinister places.

1914 P. G. Wodehouse The Man Upstairs A conviction began to steal over him that some game was afoot which he did not understand, that—in a word—there was dirty work at the crossroads.