In the Heat of the Night

Where you keepin' the pie tonight?

A man ate the last piece just before you come in.

What's that little old orphan sittin' right up there?

Marble cake.

Tell you what, Sam. Bein' she's in there by her little old lonesome,

I'll let you have her for free.

I told you 'bout that "Sam" business, didn't I? Hm?

Sorry, Mr. Wood. I mean, uh... Officer Wood.

It's Colbert, all right. Skull's caved in.

You ever take a homicide picture before, son?

Well, at least he won't be movin' on me.

That's for sure. I want you to cover every angle. Do you hear me? Every angle.

Uh, you boys, move on back now, OK?

Came all this way to build us a factory,

make somethin' outta this town.

Look what it got him.

Yeah.

Sam, did he have a wallet, identification, anything like that?

That's the first thing I looked for. Whoever fixed him musta took 'em.

Nothin', huh?

- Any witnesses? - I mean, not even a cat.

- How long's he been dead? - Oh, less than an hour.

- Less than an hour. - Maybe half that.

Maybe half.

Could have been a hitchhiker.

Check both ends of town, check the depot, and check the pool hall. OK?

- Pool hall closes at one o'clock, Chief. - I said check it, Sam.

Yes, sir.

On your feet, boy.

I mean now!

Get against that wall. Get them hands high!

You spread them fingers. I wanna count all ten.

You move before I tell you to, boy, by God, I'm gonna clean your plow.

That's pretty fat there, ain't it, boy? Huh?

Now, outside there's a police car. You're gonna pick up that bag.

You're gonna walk out, and you're gonna plant yourself in the back.

And you're gonna be a real nice quiet boy all the way in.

You hear?!

C'mon, boy.

Move it!

Chief here?

- Hey, what's up, Sam? - Chief?

What's goin' on?

Sam?

- Wood? - Yes, sir?

When's the last time I asked Courtney to get oil for this damn thing?

Uh, last Wednesday.

Would you be kind enough to go outside and remind him what day it is today?

Well, uh... how about the prisoner here?

Don't you worry about him.

Got a name, boy?

Virgil Tibbs.

Virgil?

Well, I don't think we're gonna have any trouble, are we, Virgil?

No trouble at all.

Oh, you can go now, Sam.

Yes, sir.

- What did you hit him with? - Hit whom?

"Whom"? Whom?

You a Northern boy? What's a Northern boy like you doin' all the way down here?

I was waiting for the train.

There ain't no trains this time of mornin'.

- Tuesdays only. 4:05 to Memphis. - You say.

Well... All right, you say right.

All right... Virgil.

Oh!

Now look.

I try to run a nice, clean, safe town here.

A town where a man can sneeze and not get his brains beat out. You follow me?

Yes.

Why don't you tell me how you killed Mr. Colbert? You'll feel a whole lot better.

Not now!

I was visiting my mother.

I came in on the 12:35 from Brownsville.

I was waiting to go out on the 4:05.

Mm-hm.

Yeah.

And meanwhile, you killed yourself a white man and picked yourself up $200!

I earned that money, ten hours a day, seven days a week.

Colored can't earn that. It's more than I make in a month! Where did you earn it?!

- Philadelphia. - Mississippi?

- Pennsylvania. - Just how do you earn that kinda money?

I'm a police officer.

Oh, yeah.

- Wood! - Yes, sir!

- Did you question this man? - No, sir.

Would you mind taking a look at that?

Yeah! Oh, yeah!

I'll check on this wise city boy. You take him outside and hold him.

Yes, sir.

May I suggest that you call my chief rather than send a wire or anything?

I mean, it would be quicker. And I'll pay for the call.

Did you hear? Did you hear him say he'd pay for the call?

How much do they pay you to do their police work?

$162.39 per week.

$162.39 a week!

Well, boy! Take him outside, Wood. But treat him easy,

because a man that makes $162.39 a week...

man, we do not wanna ruffle him!

No, sir!

Courtney... would you try and get me long-distance?

Police business, honey. Chief's on the line.

No. He catch you listenin' in, he'll run your butt around the block.

- He don't panic me none. - No?

- Where's the chief? - You got the pictures of the dead man?

Sure do. I got him top, bottom, sideways... you name it.

- Good. I'll take 'em, son. - No, I wanna give 'em to the chief.

- I said I'd take 'em, Charlie. - Do like he tells you, Charlie.

Somebody owes me some money for those.

I had to buy paper and film and developin'.

That's all right. Just bill the department. Everything will be taken care of.

God Almighty. He sure looks bad.

May I see the man I am supposed to have killed?

Sure. I don't know why not.

Hey, Sam. He's finished talkin'.

- Here's the photos of the dead man. - OK.

Got your chief on the phone. He wants to talk to you.

Hello? Yes, sir. I'm sorry to have gotten you involved in this.

I really had no choice.

Yes, sir.

You can't be serious, sir. I mean, even if I could be of help, they wouldn't want it.

No, sir. I'm not prejudiced.

Yes, sir. I am a police officer and they're police officers, but...

Hello. This is Gillespie. Yes, sir. Yep, well...

You don't say?

He's your number one homicide expert?

Well, my, my, my.

I don't think we need any help. We can wrap this up ourselves.

Yes, sir. But I do want to thank you

for offering me such a powerful piece of manpower as Virgil Tibbs.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Yeah. Goodbye, now.

Oh, it's all there. We paid for the phone call ourselves.

Now, you are the number one homicide expert.

- That's right. - I bet you look at a lot of dead bodies.

Lots.

Well?

- Well, what? - Well...

I just thought maybe, uh... Maybe you wouldn't mind takin' a look at this one?

No, thanks.

- Why not, expert? - Because I've got a train to catch.

Wait a minute. That train don't leave till noon.

They pay you $162.39 a week just to look at bodies. Why can't you look at this one?

- Why can't you look at it for yourself? - Because I'm not an expert...

Officer!

Ten cents, ten million dollars... just doesn't matter when a man's time comes.

Mm-hm.

I could give him a nicer service right here in Sparta

than he could ever get up there in Chicago. And at half the price, too.

I got a rosewood casket out there...

Ted Ulam, Chief. We haven't had the pleasure.

That's for sure.

He's with me.

Hello, Doc.

Yep.

Well...

Uh...

Do you wanna look at it?

New manicure. That's good.

That's very good.

- I'll need a few things. - Such as?

Ammonium hydrosulfide, benzidine, superoxide of hydrogen.

Copper powder, distilled water.

A six-inch celluloid scale.

Thermometer.

Some tweezers.

Calipers. And some toothpicks.

Toothpicks?! Copper...? What's goin' on here, Chief?

Who is this boy anyway?

I asked him to look at the body. That's who he is.

It's 4:45. What time was this man killed?

Sam found him at 3 a.m. The doctor says it's he was killed an hour earlier.

- At two? - Maybe a little later.

2115... 2:30?

Would you feel the face and jaw, please?

Am I mistaken, or has rigor begun?