This post contains spoilers from Black Rabbit episode 3 on Netflix from this point forward.
Black Rabbit episode 3 opens with another flashback. Jake bails Vince out of jail and asks him what he was thinking. Apparently, Vince almost caused another man's death, but he's paralyzed. Rather than suing, Jake and the team convinced this mystery man to take a half-million dollar payout. In order for that to happen, Vince was bought out of the restaurant. Vince is furious and Jake doesn't say another word or look at his brother. All Vince can do is sign the papers.
Back in the present two years later, Vince suggests "scraping a little off the top" from the restaurant, but Jake won't consider that as an option since people will look at the books (the people he held off in the previous episode). Adding more to Jake's plate, Roxie brings Anna's admission about Jules to him and he insists that he "missed it" and "slipped." He agrees with Roxie that they will take care of the staff and no longer allow Jules Zablonski (John Ales) at the restaurant.
Ironically, Wes and Estelle meet with Jules, an artist, about buying a painting. He's very full of himself (shocker). Jake meets with Andy (Steve Witting) about getting a loan, but Andy won't give Jake an off-the-books $200K loan without putting the Black Rabbit up as collateral. Jake pawns of clothes and accessories to make their next payment. Junior and Babbit can tell that they scraped that payment together and plan on getting an insurance policy to light a fire under them.
Jake and Vince's scam nearly causes another employee's death at the Black Rabbit
Naveen (Amir Malaklou) finally steals Jake away for a minute of his time. Much to Jake's anxiety, Naveen already took a look at the books and noticed that $100,000 is missing from the total. Clearly, Jake has already dipped into the restaurants funds to help with his own money issues, but he insists everything is okay. While waiting outside, Vince has a memory of a man falling from the roof and gets an idea from a teen selling candy bars to have a fake event benefitting charity at the Black Rabbit.
Pulling the benefit event together with a quick turnover requires a good menu item and some entertainment. Wes works with the singer Raye, who agrees to perform at the event. While going over more numbers later, Jake gets a visit from Estelle and their personal connection appears get more and more romantic intrigue. Vince also grabs some supplies, but his daughter tattoos a lily on a mystery man who is revealed to be Babbit. She's officially marked by her dad's enemy.
Roxie knows that the upcoming party is a scam that's meant to pay off Vince's debts. She gives him the ultimatum that if they're going to work together in the future, Vince has to be gone and not involved anymore. Jake agrees. When the party begins, Wes ignores Jake's instruction not to bring Jules. Jake puts Vince in charge of keeping an eye on him. Trevor (Michael Patrick Thornton) also arrives. He's the former employee who Vince nearly killed by jumping off the roof.
Vince hears from Roxie that Jake wants to talk to him, but when they celebrate outside about making $115K, Jake doesn't tell his brother to leave after Vince profusely thanks him and suggests coming back for real. Jake and Estelle talk about The Pool Room and the ideas she has, which leads them to making out. Roxie isn't thrilled to hear from Vince that he's "back" and on her way out, she catches Jake kissing Estelle. Vince catches Mel (Gus Birney) snorting something on Jules' lap.
As Trevor approaches Vince about meeting him on the roof, Mel passes out and vomits. Vince and Tony (Robin de Jesús) save her with Narcan. While everything's in chaos, Jules rushes away from the restaurant in an SUV and takes Wes and Estelle with him. Jake calls Naveen and assures him the money will be back in the morning just before finding out what happened to Mel. Jake checks the security footage and sees both Jules incidents with Mel and Anna, which he considers deleting.