Run Like Hell

Run Like Hell is the sixth episode of Season 1 of NBC's The Black Donnellys.

Synopsis
Tommy is once again in trouble because of the actions of his brothers. Jimmy and Kevin's bookmaking action are putting everyone in jeopardy and tommy must fix the errors again. He must track down the money who is supposed to pay his friend Maxwell. Meanwhile, Kevin toss Louie Downtown's phone but he will need the help of Whitey, who helps him transfer the numbers.

In the meantime, Jenny discovers that her father is in a bad shape because of a medical condition.

Plot
Tommy drops by the diner just as the meat delivery arrives. The delivery guy insists Jenny pay the invoice in cash, stunning Jenny with news that the diner is three months behind on payment. Tommy offers to help, but Jenny politely declines.

Joey Ice Cream recounts Kevin and Jimmy's attempt to capitalize on Louie's booking racket. The brothers demand payment from one of Louie’s clients, printer Eddie Maxwell, who is in debt for $5,000. Eddie refuses - he’s only going to pay Louie.

Scouring the diner's ledgers, Jenny asks her father why there’s no sign of any bank deposits for the last six weeks. He denies there's a problem, and Jenny soothes him by saying the bank must have a made a mistake. Meanwhile, Eddie fills Tommy in on Jimmy's strong-arm tactics, claiming he owes Louie $500, not $5000.

Jimmy confirms he's poaching Louie's books and collecting debts, and proves that Eddie lied to Tommy - he really does owe five grand. Jimmy thinks Eddie's screwing with Tommy because he’s soft on Mary Ann, his ex-girlfriend, now Eddie’s wife. Jimmy swears he'll kill Eddie if he doesn't pay up, and Tommy offers to recover Eddie’s debt.

Kevin worries that the Italians will discover his and Jimmy's ploy to siphon Louie's business, so they decide to set up their own book. Kevin suggests Whitey, a known sleazebag, as someone with the smarts to help them start up. Joey warns that this union will result in the most gruesome death the neighborhood has ever seen, but the deal begins agreeably enough.

Nicky visits Dokey, hoping to reinstate the deal he had with Huey: Dokey pays 20% of his revenue in exchange for the Italians' clout with the unions, cops and judges. Dokey’s inclination is to say no, but he doesn’t. Back at the Donnelly's, Sean, bruised and bed-ridden, tries to contact girlfriend Kim, much to the chagrin of his mother.

Tommy squares off with Eddie, who agrees to pay half the $5,000 he owes later that night. Jimmy, Whitey and Kevin lift people's laptops in order to set up shop in Joanie's apartment. Joanie can't stand Whitey, accusing him of staring at her inappropriately and calling Jimmy a gimp behind his back.

That night, Jenny intercepts her father putting the bank deposit envelope into a mailbox next to the bank, thinking he’s mailing a letter. Eddie’s scared of Jimmy, so Mary Ann shows up in his place to pay the debt, which she thinks is only $500. The next morning, Tommy is incensed to see Eddie arriving at the shop driving an expensive new car.

Whitey goes over the do's and don'ts of the newly minted booking system: no gambling, and always pay winners. Jimmy warns Kevin not to bet, then threatens to rough up Whitey if he ever dares instruct him on what's right and wrong again. Meanwhile, Dokey meets powerful Councilman Jack Trevor, who’s upset with front-page news of three slain Irishmen. Huey would never have let this happen. Jack demands that Dokey reinstate the truce between the Irish and Italian mobsters.

To lure potential gamblers to their book, Jimmy, Kevin and Whitey scavenge the local Gamblers Anonymous meeting to hustle vulnerable addicts - the gamblers can’t resist. Tommy charges into Eddie's shop, demanding the rest of the money. When Eddie pulls his gun, Tommy overpowers him with a few punches and drags him to the safe. Eddie opens the safe, and hands Tommy the rest of the five G's just as Mary Ann enters.

Jenny confronts the mailman who services the mailbox where her father has been depositing their money. He must have found the money, but claims to have no clue. Nicky and Vinny arrive at an abandoned lot where Alo and his goons administer a surprise beat-down. Alo calls Nicky’s attention to the dead Irishmen on the front page of the paper - is Nicky trying to start a war?

Tommy takes the money recovered from Eddie to Jimmy, demanding a 50% cut. Tommy takes his half to Jenny, claiming he found the money stashed in the diner's bathroom. Jenny knows that it’s some kind of blood money, and asks how he got it. Tommy shrugs off the question, leaves Jenny with the dough and splits.

Quotes
[first lines]

Joey Ice Cream: [narrating] Okay, you remember Jenny Riley right? She found something interesting, frozen hamburgers in the oven. Mr. Riley said he didn't do it. Strange.

Joey Ice Cream: [narrating] Me, I've always believed honesty is best served cold.

Joey Ice Cream: [narrating] See, here's the problem. Always trying to help people? It'll kill you. I mean it's worse than a disease. Tommy Donnelly was just beginning to figure that out.

Jimmy Donnelly: [about Eddie Maxwell] Ten bets. Five hundred dollars a pop. Lost every bet. Guy makes Kevin look lucky.

Tommy Donnelly: What do you gotta say that for?

Jimmy Donnelly: Do you know anything about setting up books?

Joey Ice Cream: About the same as Kevin, except I won a bet once.

Kevin Donnelly: What do you want, a smack!

Joey Ice Cream: I'm just saying.

Jimmy Donnelly: Does anybody know anybody?

Kevin Donnelly: This guy Whitey I used to bet with.

Joey Ice Cream: Oh, Whitey's a sleazebag.

Jimmy Donnelly: Worse than you?

Joey Ice Cream: Yeah, maybe.

Jimmy Donnelly: [to Whitey] Me and my three brothers are the only partners I'm ever gonna have.

Joey Ice Cream: [voice over narrating] Kevin introducing Jimmy to Whitey was gonna result in one of the most gruesome and violent deaths the neighborhood had ever seen. I mean what did Kevin know. He was only trying to help. Was Whitey gonna kill Jimmy or was Jimmy gonna kill Whitey?

Man Questioning Joey: [voice over] So who killed who?

Joey Ice Cream: [voice over] When?

Man Questioning Joey: [voice over] In the knife fight!

Joey Ice Cream: [voice over] Oh. That was later.

Helen Donnelly: Get your brother.

Kevin Donnelly: [shouting] Yo, Seany! Dinner!

Helen Donnelly: I could've done that.

Joey Ice Cream: [narrating voice over] And even though Jenny had told Tommy she didn't need his help, when it came to Jenny, Tommy just didn't know how not to try.

Jimmy Donnelly: [About the recovering gamblers story] Does this remind you of anybody?

Kevin Donnelly: No.

Jimmy Donnelly: He doesn't remind you of anybody?

Kevin Donnelly: You're making a point right?

Jenny Reilly: That's a lot of money.

Tommy Donnelly: Yeah.

Jenny Reilly: Where'd you get it?

Tommy Donnelly: I already said in the bathroom.

Jenny Reilly: Yeah, sure. I don't want your money.

Tommy Donnelly: It's not my money.

Jenny Reilly: What did you do? What did you do to get that money? Something terrible, right?

Tommy Donnelly: If you don't want the money, Jenny, you can burn it.

[last lines]

Joey Ice Cream: [after closing credits] So guys anything else I can help you guys with? I'm here to serve.

Man Leaving Cell: You got that right.

Joey Ice Cream: Yeah.