In the Heat of the Night Page #4

on your staff, after 11?

No.

Maybe the elevator boy

can tell us what time he went out.

They put it on self-service after ten.

Did your husband use a car here?

Find anything?

- Whoever killed Colbert drove this car.

- How do you know?

Where you goin'?

I'd drive up there, but I'm sure you don't

want me running up there by myself.

- Up where?

- Eric Endicott's.

Endicott's?! Come on, now!

(? "In the Heat of the Night" instrumental)

None of that for you, huh, Virgil?

? In the heat of the night

? Mm-hm, ain't a woman yet been born

? Yeah

? Knows how to make the mornin' come

? It's so hard to keep control

? Yes, it is

? When I could sell my soul

? For just a little light

? In the heat of the night

Listen. You know

something I don't know?

I found a piece of osmunda

in Colbert's car.

- A piece of what?

- On the brake pedal. Osmunda. Fern root.

Fern root? Oh, is Mr Endicott here?

Yes, sir. He's out in the greenhouse.

Would you follow me, please?

- Gillespie.

- Mr Endicott.

This here's Virgil.

- Mr Tibbs.

- How do you do, sir?

Oh, may I have Henry fetch you

somethin'? Some light refreshment?

- No, thank you. We're all right...

- I'll have something cold, soft. Anything.

Henry, bring in a pitcher of lemonade.

I'll have one, too.

Yes, sir.

I didn't know it was possible

to grow this species locally.

- Oh, you like flowers?

- I do.

Mr Tibbs, do you know

anything about orchids?

- Not very much, but I do like them.

- Well, let me show you.

Endicott's folly.

- What do you think?

- It's beautiful. It's breathtaking.

- Have you a favourite, Mr Tibbs?

- Well, I'm partial to any of the epiphytics.

Why, isn't that remarkable!

That of all the orchids in this place,

you should prefer the epiphytics.

I wonder if you know why.

Maybe it would be helpful if you'd tell me.

Because, like the Negro,

they need care and feedin' and cultivatin'.

And that takes time.

That's somethin' you can't make

some people understand.

That's somethin'

Mr Colbert didn't realise.

Is this what the epiphytics root in?

My point! They thrive on it.

Take it away from them, they do poorly.

- What do you call this material?

- That's osmunda. Fern root.

Well, we don't wanna take

any more of your time, Mr Endicott.

Why'd you two come here?

To ask you about Mr Colbert.

Let me understand this.

You two came here... to question me?

Well, your...

your attitudes, Mr Endicott,

your points of view,

are a matter of record.

Some people - let us say

the people who work for Mr Colbert -

might reasonably regard you as the

person least likely to mourn his passing.

We were just trying

to clarify some of the evidence.

Was Mr Colbert ever in this greenhouse?

Say, last night, about midnight?

Gillespie?

Yeah?

- You saw it.

- Oh, I saw it.

What are you gonna do about it?

I don't know.

I'll remember that.

There was a time...

when I could have had you shot.

- You better clear out. And I mean fast!

- What about that speech you gave me?

I didn't know you'd slap any white man!

Least of all Endicott!

All right. Give me another day.

Two days. I'm close.

I can pull that fat cat down.

I can bring him right off this hill!

Oh, boy.

Man, you're just like the rest of us.

Ain't ya?

It's all my fault.

But there's no point in ducking it.

It's gonna be tough

to keep you in your job now.

Now look here, Bill. I don't have to tell you

how urgent it is to get Tibbs outta town.

- No. I already told him to go.

- All right.

Now, Miz Colbert

is not gonna be back till Thursday.

You catch your guilty party by then,

she won't hold it against us we had

to send Tibbs home for his own good.

But you gotta do it, you hear?

I hear.

Bill?

What's made you change

your mind about Tibbs?

Who says I have?

Last chief we had,

he'd have shot Tibbs one second after he

slapped Endicott, claimed self-defence.

- Gillespie here.

- Courtney here, sir.

- Did you take Virgil down the depot?

- No, sir. He just plain wouldn't go.

- Shagbag saw him headin' to River Road.

- Check.

(car horn)

(car horn)

(car horn)

Hey! C'mon! C'mon!

(car horn)

(car horn)

Hey! C'mon!

(car horn)

OK, black boy. We come here

to teach you some manners.

We told you about them bad manners,

boy. You better put that down.

(Virgil) Why don't you

come and get it, baby?

(thug) C'mon, man. You ain't nothin'.

C'mon. Let's get him.

We'll put that round your neck.

Hit him, man! Get him from the side!

Get behind him!

All right, hold it!

All right, boys.

You've had your fun.

Now go on, you just run along home.

N*gger-lover.

- I didn't catch what you said.

- Get rid of the n*gger.

You don't... we will.

Now, is that a suggestion,

or is that an order?

That's a warnin'!

I see.

I see.

Shut up and take this trash outta here!

Come on, move it and go!

Well, you finally get the message, Virgil?!

May I get in?

- Thought you left town.

- Not yet.

Could you follow the same route you

followed Tuesday night, same speed?

- Why?

- Why not?

- Maybe I better check with the chief.

- I wouldn't want him to slap you down

for steppin' outta line,

makin' decisions on your own,

and all that.

He don't knock me outta my socks.

Let's get rollin', Virgil.

? All you little birds better lock up tight

? Cos there's a foul owl

on the prowl tonight

? Hey, little lark, get outta the dark

? Foul owl on the prowl

? Cute little jay, stay outta his way

? Foul owl on the prowl

? You just might be the quail he'll tail

? Foul owl on the prowl

? You just might be

the swallow he'll follow

? Foul owl on the prowl

? If you hear him hoot - scoot

? If you pass his tree - flee

? If you catch his eye - fly

? Don't wait to say goodbye

Take ten minutes to get myself

a king-sized Coke and a wedge of pie.

That is, if that peckerwood

ain't sold out again.

- Can I bring you anything?

- No. I'm coming in.

I thought I told you to get outta here.

- I'm not ready to leave.

- I was gonna tell you, Chief.

- You forget about those four maniacs?

- I need more time.

- Do I have to put you on the train myself?!

- I guess so!

Whoa.

All right, Virgil.

Just what the hell do you want?

I wanna know exactly where Sam was

at all times on the night of the murder.

? If you pass his tree - flee

? If you catch his eye - fly

Virgil, if you get killed, we'll have one hell

of a mess in this town. You know that?

I know.

Got some real luscious cream pie

for you tonight, Sam.

I mean Officer Wood.

Just like you always order.

You know I don't eat that stuff. The chief

likes his boys streamlined. Right, Chief?

Why don't you shut up, Sam?

- All right, what'll you have, Virgil?

- I ain't servin' him!

Tuesday night you walked

out of here at 2.40. Right?

Right on the button.

Two minutes from now.

That's for him.

Now, what'd you do

when you came out that night?

Well, I picked up the radio and called in.

Do it, please.

Go ahead. Go ahead.

Uh... Wood to radio.

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