Nucky’s assistant Eddie Kessler enters and announces that Prohibition Agent Nelson Van Alden has come to see Nucky. Van Alden bursts into the office as Eddie is still talking and introduces himself. Nucky offers Van Alden a shoe shine, Boardwalk empire dvd coffee or something stronger. Van Alden does not laugh and Nucky jokes that it is nice that the prohibition agents have a sense of humour. Nucky pays Harlan as Van Alden complains about having to wait to see Nucky. Nucky tells Van Alden that he is his own man keeps unusual hours, like Atlantic City itself. Van Alden has come to discuss the murders in Hammonton. Nucky knows that the murders were committed by Al Capone and Jimmy Darmody when they botched the Hammonton hijacking and covered up the murders by framing Hans Schroeder. Nucky tells Van Alden that they can rest easy now that Schroeder is dead. Van Alden finds Schroeder an unlikely suspect as he worked as a baker’s assistant for 11 years and has no criminal record beyond a citation for public drunkenness in 1912. Nucky remembers writing the summons himself when he was Sheriff. Nucky recommends that Van Alden speak to the current Sheriff and Van Alden points out that the Sheriff is Nucky’s brother Elias Thompson. Nucky recommends the Hottentots show if Van Alden has spare time and offers to find him a date if he has no-one to go with. Van Alden changes the subject to Hans’ widow, Margaret Schroeder. He has been to her house but could not find her. He asks if Nucky knows where she is. Nucky, aware that Margaret is in hospital after being severely beaten by Hans, changes the subject and asks if Van Alden is working outside of his remit by investigating murders. Van Alden says he is also his own man.

Van Alden leaves and Nucky chastises Eddie for letting him in. Nucky instructs Eddie to get Eli on the phone. Nucky sends Eli to visit Margaret in the hospital to feed her the story about Hans involvement in the murders and to give her an envelope of cash.

Van Alden later submits a report on Nucky to his boss, Supervisor Elliot. The report details Nucky’s lifestyle and businesses and as Van Alden recites his findings a montage of scenes involving Nucky unfolds. Nucky and ward boss Damien Fleming make a collection from a bar owned by Abe Klein. Ward boss Jim Neary gives Nucky an envelope full of cash for the ice fund and the fire chief gives Nucky a roll of cash and is jokingly reprimanded for forgetting the envelope. Elliot is surprised that Nucky has managed to win re-election and Van Alden explains that he is popular, particularly among African Americans. Nucky and Alderman Boyd deliver cartons of cigarettes to African American kitchen staff. Sebso tells Elliot that Nucky is involved in casinos. Nucky makes a collection from Lolly Steinman at the Oceanfront Men’s Association casino.

As Nucky departs the Ritz Carlton and is stopped by cutlery salesman George Baxter. Nucky needs Eddie to remind him of Baxter’s name. Baxter introduces his new girlfriend Claudia. Nucky is eager to leave but wishes them well. Claudia tells Baxter she wants to go roller-skating. After Nucky leaves she is suitably impressed with Baxter’s connections.

Nucky meets with Eli at the jail and they discuss Eli’s visit to Margaret. Eli reports that she took the money but was defensive about Hans. Nucky chastises Eli for not leaving Hans on the side of the road to allow an easy identification as Nucky wanted. Eli remembers Nucky’s instructions differently and points out that Hans’ body was both found and identified. Nucky is annoyed at the risks Eli took by dumping the body at sea, explaining that the corpse could have drifted out to sea or been disfigured by sea life. Eli goes outside leaving Nucky to talk to a prisoner, Mickey Doyle. Doyle was arrested after Van Alden raided his moonshine operation.

Nucky tells Mickey he is out and Mickey assumes he means out of jail. Nucky clarifies that he meant that Mickey is out of business and tells Mickey that Chalky White is taking over Mickey’s role as a supplier of alcohol. Mickey wants to know why and Nucky explains that it is because Mickey was caught and is now known to the Department of Prohibition. Mickey claims he was set-up (he was indeed, by Jimmy Darmody in order to create a distraction for the Hammonton hijacking). Mickey asks for Nucky to pay his bail and Nucky refuses, not wanting to leave a link between then. Mickey complains about his Chinese cell mate and Nucky tells him to think of the imprisonment as a way to broaden his horizons.

That afternoon Nucky is back to reading the paper in his suite. Jimmy arrives and pours himself a drink. Nucky asks Jimmy what he is doing and Jimmy says he is clocking in. Nucky becomes increasingly annoyed and says that he thinks their relationship has changed significantly. He asks Jimmy to tell him what happened with the Hammonton hijacking. Jimmy goes to sit down and Nucky stops him. Jimmy begins by saying he was speaking to Al Capone. Nucky interrupts, not sure who Capone is, and learns that he is Torrio’s driver. Nucky asks if Torrio sanctioned the hijacking and Jimmy admits that Torrio was not involved until afterwards. Jimmy claims to have apologised and Nucky asks when that was. Jimmy apologises and claims that they thought the job would be easy with no violence and no connection left to Nucky. Nucky complains that Van Alden has already questioned him. Jimmy goes on to explain that Capone started shooting when startled by a deer. Nucky is disbelieving that four deaths resulted from this. Jimmy remembers that there were five men and Nucky tells him there were four bodies recovered and not to quibble over small details. Jimmy rationalises that they could not leave witnesses and admits that he made mistakes. Nucky calls Jimmy an idiot and Jimmy offers to work extra hours to make it up to Nucky. Nucky tells Jimmy that he no longer works for him because of his actions. Nucky tells Jimmy to go and be a gangster but that he will have to pay if he wants to do it in Atlantic City. Nucky has calculated that Jimmy’s payment to him for the hijacking was 3000 dollars short. Nucky demands the money from Jimmy. Jimmy tries to explain that he has spent most of his share but Nucky is insistent and gives him 48 hours to pay.

Nucky works late into the night. Eddie announces another phone call from Rothstein. Nucky tells Eddie to wear a black suit as he will be driving later. Eddie asks about a chauffeurs cap and insists that he needs one. Nucky takes Rothstein’s call, telling Rothstein it is a pleasant surprise. Rothstein has called several times about his missing shipment. Rothstein says he is willing to call the loss of the shipment a misunderstanding but wants 100,000 dollars to cover it. Nucky is shocked. Rothstein says that Nucky has sold the shipment to Chicago and murdered his men including his sister-in-law’s nephew. Nucky denies having any involvement and tells Rothstein he does not care if his mother was one of the drivers. Boardwalk empire box set Rothstein asks if this is how Nucky does business and Nucky threatens to show him how he does business if he returns to Atlantic City before hanging up.

Similar Posts:

• Eddie Kessler In Boardwalk Empire Season 1
• Jimmy Darmody Boardwalk Empire
• Margaret Schroeder reads The Ivory Tower by Henry James
• Eddie Kessler Of Boardwalk Empire
• Lucy Danziger Of Boardwalk Empire