Original subtitles

♪ In the heat of the night ♪

♪ I've got troubles wall-to-wall ♪

♪ In the heat of the night ♪

♪ Yeah

♪ Must be an ending to it all ♪

♪ Oh

♪ But hold on

♪ It won't be long

♪ Just you be strong

♪ And it'll be all right

♪ In the heat of the night ♪

♪ In the heat of the night ♪

♪ Whoa whoa whoa

[insects and birds chirping]

[panting]

[horn honking]

I don't believe I've ever seen a pack as big as this.

That's a kilo, Chief.

How many guys were in that swamp?

Uh, two, I think.

I didn't see any more.

Wallace kept talking about, "They."

They shot Eddie Lee.

They shot John, they were trying to kill him.

But it's all tied to this cocaine.

See that's been opened and resealed.

And what's missing from this batch is identical to what Rattler had.

You can count on that.

And it's certainly part of a larger haul.

So, you're back to the smuggling notion.

Notion? Chief, look at that stuff. It's obvious, isn't?

So you think somebody's bringing raw stuff into Sparta?

No, not into Sparta, through Sparta.

[telephone rings]

You take that, and you lock it up.

Yes, sir.

[dog barking]

How you doing, Jim-Jim?

What's up? What's up?

Hi, Rattler.

Well, well, well...

This is beginning to be a bad habit falling on you, Chief.

Why?

Why shouldn't I come down

and visit a fine human being like yourself?

[chuckles]

Must be time for me to call lawyer Montrose again.

No, no.

This isn't official.

You, know, I just come down to see you on something personal.

Now why don't I like the sound of that?

I don't know, unless you're scared of me.

[laughs]

In your dreams, white man.

I'd like you to take a spin with me.

I got a little piece of property

I want to show you.

Then I'm going to ask you for a favor. You hear what I say?

And remember...

Any favor anybody does me,

they always get a favor in return.

Hey, dig this.

I'm going for a little spin with the Chief.

The chief wanna ask a favor of his main man Rattler.

-Come on. -[man 1] You crazy nut!

Don't bite him, man.

All right.

Rattler crazy.

Smile, gents.

It isn't as if you haven't seen me before.

[man 2] Hey, catch you later, Rattler.

[indistinct chatter]

[birds chirping]

That's the way it is, you know, Chief?

You quit school 'cause you need money.

But you can't get no good job

unless you leave Sparta.

You don't want to leave,

but you want to live good.

So you stick around

and find out what it is you got to do, see?

Now, I can't cook,

I don't do computers,

and I don't know nothing about Wall Street.

So I got to sell something

to sell the white man.

[chuckles] Yeah, Rattler, uh...

Yeah.

Now, this property I was telling about...

Do you know this little shack here?

Seen it. What's it got to do with a favor?

Well...

This is where they found John Reeve.

Why are you showing me this?

I thought you could tell me about it.

Tell you what?

I didn't have nothing to do with it.

You had something to do with that cocaine found on you.

That sure had something to do with it.

That John Reeve, they tell me, is dying.

And you know what John means to me.

I'll tell you again, Chief...

I don't know nothing about John.

Wallace is dead. Eddie Lee's dead.

I had to tell Wallace's mama last night, and Eddie Lee's sister.

Hey, man, what is your problem?

My problem is there's two people dead.

And John Reeve...

Is lying over in that hospital dying.

And someone gonna have to pay for that.

Not me, man.

Sit down before I kill you.

Kill me for what?

For self-defense.

Self-defense. Chief, everybody knows I don't carry nothing.

Yeah, that's why everyone gonna believe me

when I say you come at me with that ax over there,

which they're gonna find in your hand.

Now the favor I'm gonna do you is let you live...

If you'll do me the favor...

Of telling me some things I got to know.

[cocks gun]

You hear?

I hear you, Chief.

I hear you.

Yeah, so what time did they call?

Uh, that's it.

Two sets, one ID

Yes, sir. We'll have a full report tomorrow.

All right, thanks.

They, uh, found Rattler's prints

on that cocaine envelope.

[Skinner] Yeah?

It's always nice to have a little bit evidence

when you go into court.

Oh. Oh, yeah, yeah.

What, the Chief ask you to meet him here, too?

Yeah, yeah.

Now, Bubba, I'm putting a 24-hour guard on John Reeve.

You take the first shift and then Junior pick ya up.

You think old Rattler gonna try something up here?

It isn't Rattler I'm worried about.

Go ahead.

[Tibbs] They found Rattler's prints on that envelope.

No ID on the others.

Yeah, well, the other prints are gonna be Wallace's.

The night you picked up Rattler,

he wasn't sellin', he was buyin'.

That little sample was all he sold. He never did see the big pack.

-Who says? -He says.

I nearly killed him today.

Anyway, you were right. We're looking for somebody bigger than him,

and that's why I'm not gonna take any chances with John.

What's wrong with you?

There.

He's alive.

Hey, you know, I have this real nice skirt and blouse

that I got in Jackson about a year ago.

I'm sure it would be good for traveling.

It's still in style.

Hey, I am gonna show you off in New York.

You are gonna dazzle them.

Steve, I'm not a dazzler.

You will be.

All right. Now, uh...

Where haven't we been?

There's this bargain boutique I like--

Sweetheart, we're not bargain hunting.

You keep looking.

I'll be back in a second.

What the hell are you doing here?

I think we missed him.

[Steve] What do you mean, you missed him?

I'll tell you one thing. There's no way he saw us last night.

All right. Be right back.

Look, uh, something's come up.

Here.

You take this.

You know what I have in mind.

Steve, wait a minute. I can't take this.

[man] Yeah, I like those little redheads, too.

Hi.

I know you think I'm following you,

but I'm not.

It's my mama's birthday.

Oh, Lord, it is, isn't it?

Oh, what did you get her?

Some perfume and...

-S... Stupid little bag. -[chuckles]

So, I'm glad I ran into you

'cause I wanted to say something.

I been acting like a fool,

and I hope you like New York.

Thank you, Buddy.

So, when you leaving?

I don't know.

I don't even know if I am going.

I knew it. I knew you'd get wise to that guy.

There you go again, always putting words in my mouth.

I'm sick of it.

I care abut you. Is that such a crime?

Well, maybe you care too much.

Well, maybe I do.

Buddy...

I... I saw a real pretty green scarf in Wal-Mart.

Think your mama would like it?

-Maybe. -[both chuckle]

You enjoy doing detail work on old vans?

Yeah. Synthetic fur our specialty.

You know, I got some strong suspicions

about where we should be concentrating our efforts.

I mean...

I'm not saying it's Richie Epman.

I'm not saying it's Steve Vincent.

But it is tied to the Chamberlain place.

You mean you think it's tied

to the Chamberlain place.

Well, I mean, that speech about, "It's not the most expensive place.

It's just all tied up with his childhood memories."

Yeah. It's also the only place with a helipad,

a boat dock,

and its own private airstrip.

It doesn't tell me anything special.

The man's a businessman.

He's got wide traveling interests.

Yeah, I know. The savior of Sparta's economy.

Chief, you can't do this one

without stepping on some toes.

I mean, we're looking at a drug-related homicide.

You get all sensitive about the bank

and Richie Epman's money,

-the Mayor, and the city council-- -Wait. Wait.

Let me tell you something.

Don't put down being sensitive.

Being sensitive to all kinds of people and all kinds of things

may be the main part of a policeman's job in a place like Sparta.

Now, please remember that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

[woman over intercom] Respiratory tech to inhalation therapy.

Respiratory tech to inhalation therapy, please.

[John] Oh.

Oh.

Wallace...

Oh.

[Althea] John?

Oh.

[woman over intercom] Dr. Robinson, line 217.

John is waking up.

I'm gonna get the doctor and then call the Chief.

He deserves to hear some good news.

John Reeve is regaining consciousness.

-Is the doctor around? -Yes, I'll go find her.

Okay.

How you doing?

Don't let anybody in there.

Yes, sir.

Parker, it's Althea.

Has he?

Um, after a few seconds,

I heard him say something.

But his eyes opened... Slowly,

and then he mumbled something again

that I didn't understand.

But I thought it had to be a good sign of something.

[indistinct chattering]

Excuse me, sir.

I'm going to have to see some identification.

Sure.

[grunts]

[machines beeping]

[nurse] Cheryl, go check in on Mr. Reeve.

[beeping continues]

[gasps]

Ahhh!

Ahhh!

Oh! No!

No! Ahhh!

You all right?

[woman] Ahhh!

Ahhh!

Hold it!

[gunshot]

[gunshot]

[beeping]

Reception, this is Chief Gillespie here.

If there's one of my men down there, tell him to stay there.

There's a police car out front. Tell him don't leave.

Just stay right where he is.

Listen, get a doctor to look after this officer here.

Now, stay out of this hallway.

Clear out the way.

[woman] Ahhh!

Get back in there.

[man] Get us a doctor!

Mary Beth, look out!

Get out of the way.

Stand back.

[indistinct shouting]

Come on, get out of the way.

Get back there now.

Drop it!

[people screaming] Ahhh! Ahhh!

Ahhh!

[sobbing]

[car engine starts]

[woman] I'll be okay.

[officer] Is that man dead?

[doctor] Yeah.

[Althea] Virgil!

Virgil!

[doctor] It just all happened so fast.

I was just, my heart was...

[man] Yes, yes he was.

Yes, ma'am, he sure was.

It's all right now, y'all go on back in.

[coughing]

[John breathing heavily]

That big guy that was in here

is the one who shot me.

Yeah, I know.

Don't try to talk too much now.

But Wallace...

Did... Did they shoot him?

Yeah, they shot him.

[sighs]

It's got me a little worried, Jim.

A drug smuggler? Epman?

We don't know how far up it goes.

Maybe it's just those two security guys hanging around.

There you are, Jim.

I talked to Congressman Roshto.

He's coming to the ground-breaking ceremony.

Lots of big money

showing real interest in Sparta these days

now that Epman's taking the lead.

Yes, indeed. Good to see you. [laughs]

Hey, look, what we gotta do is go out there and put it to Richie straight out.

I wouldn't advise it. If he isn't a part of it you'll only offend him.

If he is, maybe you'll tell him too much.

Look, I know how to handle him. Now, come on. We're goin'.

Come with me.

No.

No.

It... It's not possible.

That's what I told' em.

It's more than possible.

It's fact.

What? Right under my nose?

What... What am I, blind?

Am I brain dead? I would have known.

It seems that way to me, too.

You'll understand if I resent the hell out of what you're implying.

Calm down, Richie. Now, everybody knows you didn't do it.

That's not a lot of comfort, Jim. I already know I didn't do it.

Gentlemen.

Do you know what these men have been telling me?

What?

Logan and Bass. You hired killers.

Didn't you check references?

Of course I checked them.

They were both highly recommended by Paul Innis,

head of security at Belk Petroleum.

Did you check their records?

What?

Stop sayin', "What?" and answer me!

Their records. They're criminals.

They've been in and out of the prisons on the east coast

You know what they been doing?

Smuggling cocaine in my planes, killing people!

I didn't know.

It's your damn job to know!

I'm sorry, Mr. Epman.

Sorry don't feed the bulldog, boy.

You'll have my resignation on your desk right away.

Wait a minute. Let's not be too hasty here.

We'll talk about it later, Steve.

Yes, sir.

Um, oh, Mr. Vincent.

Uh, your employee Bass is dead,

but we don't know where Mr. Logan is.

Where is he?

I don't know. I haven't seen either of them since yesterday.

Well, I may want to talk to you again.

So, before you leave Sparta...

Um, how shall I put it?

Uh, don't leave Sparta.

Yes, sir.

Coming here...

Coming home...

That's all I've been dreaming about for years.

Life sure has a way of getting you back, don't it?

Well, goodbye, Mr. Epman.

[door closes]

Now, you see, I knew there was a logical explanation.

I think anybody can see how something like this could happen.

I mean, you hire people to do a job, you trust them,

they turn around and stab you in the back. Happens every day.

I feel sorry for Epman is all. He's taking it real hard.

I tell you what though, I sure feel a hell of a lot better.

How about you?

Well, I feel I know a little more than I did.

[laughs] We'll see you later.

[Tibbs] Thanks a lot, Litsinger.

Next time I'm in the market for non-information,

I'll know who to call.

Who's Litsinger?

Mort Litsinger, DEA, Dallas. I met him when I was at a seminar in Houston.

He tell you anything about Epman?

Yeah. They got nothing on him.

Well, I expect that breaks your heart.

No. I hope he's clean.

-Oh. -I don't believe it.

I think he's still the same greedy,

slippery little rascal I knew 20 years ago.

But I hope I'm wrong.

Oh.

Chief, I live here, too.

I know what that plant could do for people in Sparta...

Lot of people I like, some I don't.

I'm not against prosperity.

Detective, you got a call.

Oh, thanks.

It's a man.

He wouldn't give his name. I don't know why.

Maybe 'cause he didn't want you to know it.

[chuckles]

Oh, it sounds like it's long distance.

Oh.

Yeah, this is Tibbs.

The woods at the state park in Yalobusha?

Yeah, I know where that is.

Sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, I can do that.

Come on.

Come on? Where we going?

[Tibbs] To the state park.

No, listen, I got to see a dentist at Tupelo.

Chief, this is important.

Come on.

All right.

All right...

I'll go with you.

I'm in pain here, though, I tell you.

What the hell's he waiting for?

[Tibbs] Feds are weird, Chief.

You know that.

Maybe we should have worn trench coats.

Tibbs?

Who's this?

I'm his Uncle Chester.

I'm Agent Brack, DEA.

Agent Litsinger interfaced with me

prior to my contacting you.

So I gathered.

Agent Litsinger requested that I address several points.

He feels he may have inadvertently left you with a misconception or two.

Well, all he said was he had no information on Epman.

That's all he wanted to say.

Why?

Phone lines can be compromised, Chester.

Why don't you talk English?

Chief!

We're here. We might as well listen.

So you're saying you have something

on Epman after all?

No, but we're always interested

in people with large sums of untraceable cash.

We've been following his career for some time.

But you've never sourced the money?

[Agent Brack] He's covered it.

It's like one day he was just there with all that money.

And everything he's done with it is perfectly legitimate.

A plastics factory here, a textile mill there,

investment firms, merchandising outlets.

Sounds like a businessman to me.

What's wrong with all that?

With that kind of money, there's always rumors.

Like what?

The usual,

rackets, drugs.

Frankly, we can't document it.

So what are you saying to us, that Epman is dirty?

I'm saying he's interesting.

We'd sure like to know

what Richie Epman built his empire on.

But you've got zip.

Let's just say,

you come up with anything, we'd appreciate it if you'd pass it on.

How the hell did a couple of locksmiths get a hold of that coke in the first place?

And what idiot stashed it in this house?

Bass.

And where is it now?

Where's the rest of the shipment, the part the cops don't have?

It's gone. New York.

It's hit the streets. We're out of it.

You better hope that's true.

This is your mess, Steve.

Clean it up.

Take a long drive, we bring back nothing,

and we end up working for the feds.

We ended up with confirmation

that we were both thinking the same thing, right?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,

but I thought you were out of line, you were making

something personal out of it.

Well, it was personal.

It was also instinct.

I know that man.

How can a guy in times like these

do something like this to his own hometown,

his own people?

You're looking for conscience

from a drug dealer?

Listen, I expected some kind of conscience

from a poor boy from Milltown who went away from here to made good!

Yeah, well, you're gonna be hearing a lot about that when we nail him.

Lawyers love that kind of stuff.

"Poor boy from the wrong side of town,

everybody, everything against him,

went wrong when he was just trying to do right."

Okay, Epman's dirty.

But if he is, so is Steve Vincent.

I got to go, Virgil. I got to pay a call.

Chief, what are you doing here?

Why, waiting for you.

Is something wrong?

No...

Well, yeah.

Barbara, you know...

I've been telling everybody I've met

in the last few days

what a fine fellow this Steve Vincent seems to be.

I finally realized what I was trying to do

was get somebody to agree with me.

And... Nobody has.

Well, he hired those two security guards, who turned out to be killers.

One of them tried to kill John Reeve in the hospital today.

I expect you heard that.

Yeah, but Steve couldn't have had anything to do with that.

Well, honey, I don't want to make you mad at me,

but I got to say that,

when it comes to picking young fellas

to be interested in, why, you--

I know, I got a pretty miserable record.

Uh, Chief?

What?

I saw one of those guards today.

Where?

At the mall.

Was he with anybody?

He was with Steve.

Uh-huh.

And well, I heard him say something.

He said something like,

"There's no way he could have saw us last night."

And then Steve just kinda hushed him up.

Hmm.

How, uh...

Close are you with this guy?

It's nothing like that.

But he asked me to go to New York with him.

I certainly hope you're not gonna do any fool thing like that.

I was, but I changed my mind.

Are you telling me you are definitely not going?

Yes, I'm not going.

Chief, I'm not going, okay?

Okay

Bye.

I'll see you.

[sighs]

[knock on door]

-Hi, John. -Evening, Miss Giles.

Mr. Vincent didn't tell me you were expected.

I know I just have to return something. It'll only be a minute.

[knock on door]

Come in.

No, don't. Don't.

I know what you're going to say.

Sit down.

Now look, I just can't go to New York with you, okay?

I can't. It wouldn't be right sneaking off with my folks out of town.

And here.

I can't take that. I can't spend that money.

Like I said, I'm just not a dazzler.

I wouldn't know what to do with a lot of fancy clothes.

Well, I guess that's it then.

I guess it is.

Well, did you do it yet? Steve, did you kill Logan?

[sighs]

You should've called first.

How's old John doing. Chief?

Oh, coming along, coming along.

Um, um...

Mayor Findlay called three times.

He said it's urgent you two get together to work out

the PR aspects of the situation.

He said you'd know what he's talking about.

I never know what our mayor's talking about,

which gives me one thing in common with a billion Chinese.

Anything on Logan?

Not yet, but the alert's gone statewide.

All right.

Buddy, what are you doing here?

I really need to talk to you.

Well, go on inside.

Let's hear it.

I ran into Barbara yesterday.

Buddy, if this is advice to the lovelorn,

I gotta tell you, I got a lot of things on my mind--

No, no, no. We got along great and all.

And I went and saw her last night,

and she was glad to see me. I swear.

She was going to the Chamberlain house

to talk to that Steve Vincent.

And, uh...

Yeah, what?

Well, she said she had to talk to him last night,

and she'd see me this morning.

So I just went over there a little while ago, and she's not there.

Now, I went next door, and talked to Mrs. Givens.

And you know how she has a run on everybody's private life,

know what's goin' on and all.

Well, she hadn't seen Barbara since last night.

What did Barbara have to talk to Vincent about?

I don't know.

But I don't think she came home at all last night,

and I'm... A little worried.

Parker!

Yes, sir.

Get that guy Steve Vincent on the phone for me.

Oh, no. I already called him too.

And he said left for New York last night on a company plane.

Oh, no, she didn't.

No, she didn't.

Oh, Virgil.

You come with me, will you?

You're supposed to be smart guy.

I see you with a little bimbo,

I think, what the hell? He's having himself some fun.

-What's the harm in that? -That's all it was.

It was nothing.

Things have a way of gettin' out of control around you, Steve.

Now, why is that?

Nothing is out of control.

I took care of Logan.

I'll take care of Barbara.

Why haven't you?

I already told the redneck kid that she flew out of here in the company plane.

The flight log's been doctored.

And a ringer check her into a New York hotel under her name.

Tomorrow she's history.

She's just another little country girl

who walked down the wrong street in the big city.

It's handled.

It had better be.

I already got a feeling I already made a mistake with you, Steve.

Anything goes wrong this time,

you're gonna be joining your friends Logan and Bass, hmm?

Y'all get over to that airstrip.

If that airplane's there, you keep it there.

Let's go.

I know it was sudden,

but she wanted to do some shopping and I couldn't get away,

so I'm going to meet her as soon as I can.

Yeah, little Barbara always crazy

about shopping in New York.

[chuckles]

Well, the fact is, Chief...

I guess there's no point in keeping it a secret any longer.

Barbara and I are gonna get married in New York,

and she went on ahead to choose a wedding dress.

And that's why she flew out last night.

Where's that airplane at this moment?

On the field.

Get the flight log.

What are you looking at? Go get it.

And where's Barbara supposed to be staying in New York?

[Steve] Danby-Plaza hotel.

Small, but I think she'll like it.

Very central location.

What is the number for information in New York city?

Hey, Richie.

Shovel's losing its glitter.

You got me, Virgil.

The one I ordered from Europe

didn't get here in time for the party.

Thought I had that rigged up.

Some kind of special gold paint.

I thought it looked pretty good.

Does... If you don't look too close.

What did he do to you?

Barbara.

Can you talk to me, please?

Wake up, honey.

The hotel says somebody like Barbara,

with her name, checked in.

But the room doesn't answer.

What do you mean, "Like Barbara"?

What makes you think it isn't her?

I know her.

And everything I know tells me it isn't her.

I'm going to get you home, all right?

[Barbara groaning]

Come here.

Get you on your feet.

Ah.

[thud]

Come on, now.

[groaning continues]

Hey.

Put her down.

You really going to shoot me

with the Chief and Mr. Tibbs out there?

You've been asking for it, punk.

Ain't that the truth.

[grunting]

Sounds like he's trying to bring me back the airplane.

Come on!

[grunting continues]

[Gillespie] Buddy!

Don't stop them this time, Virgil.

I think the home team is winning.

[grunts]

Okay, Barbara. We're here.

Richie!

[grunting and groaning]

[tires screeching]

[Epman grunts]

Ow!

Well, it looks a lot like

self-satisfaction on your face, Virgil.

I don't blame you.

You've spent 20 years hating me.

Not hating you, Richie, just waitin' for everybody to see you

for what you really are. After you.

Here you are, Chief. He's all yours.

[car horn honks]

Hello, Barbara.

She sure is bouncing back.

Where she's going to bounce from here worries me.

My favorite place to have lunch.

Oh, lord.

Speak of bouncing, look.

[mayor] Hi, Chief Gillespie.

Chief of Detectives Tibbs.

Hello, Mr. Grimes. Hello, Mayor.

Hello.

I'd like to introduce you gentlemen to Mr. Hamp Stigler of Brownsville, Texas.

Well, please to meet you.

Same here.

Howdy.

You all really say that?

[mayor] Uh, Mr. Stigler's been looking over

some of our prime commercial real estate.

Are you figuring on locating here, Mr. Stigler?

Well--

[Grimes] We've just been explaining

how much pride that Sparta takes

in catering to the needs

of the businessman.

Well, I'm mighty impressed with the plans they've been showing me,

I'll tell ya that.

Industrial park, new shopping mall.

We're a very ambitious community, Hamp.

Yeah. Some folks are more ambitious than others.

I was telling Hamp,

that if he planned on settling in Sparta,

there's some wonderful old houses

coming on the market right now.

Virgil, Bill.

Gentlemen.

Well, hold on, Mayor.

What you just said

puts me in mind of something.

I got something here I'd like to show you.

What is it?

Only take a second.

This is a memento from one of those fine old houses.

-I thought you might like it. -That is not funny, Gillespie.

[Tibbs laughing]

Well, you know, they say that

those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

It seems I've heard that somewhere before.

I told it to Parker the other day.

Probably all over town by now.

[laughs]