In the Heat of the Night

It’s four in the morning now. Bill Gillespie, the chief of police, wakes up to his phone ringing, knowing it must be bad news. The desk clerk, Pete, tells Bill about Enrico. Bill gives some commands and leaves for the crime scene. Originally from Texas, Bill’s only been chief for nine weeks, but he’s a self-assured police officer: “Despite the fact that he was only thirty-two, Bill Gillespie had abundant confidence in his own ability to meet whatever challengers were thrown at him” (10). Bill realizes he doesn’t know where the crime scene is and angrily calls Pete back.

Bill arrives at the crime scene and asserts himself as the leader of the investigation. Enrico’s wallet is missing. His body is still warm, and the doctor on site believes he died less than an hour ago. Bill sends Sam to the railroad station to look for people trying to leave town. Sam obeys. He secretly wishes for Gillespie to fail in his investigation, but he forces the thought away. He’ll do everything he can to help Gillespie find the killer, even if he doesn’t like Bill. Sam searches the station: He checks the baggage room segregated for white people and finds nothing. He checks the segregated baggage room for black people next and finds a Black man sitting inside. The man is clearly not local: “Sam sized him up at a glance, and knew at once that he did not belong in Wells. He was fairly slender and dressed up in city clothes, including a white shirt and a tie. Sam guessed that he might be about thirty, but it was always hard to tell about blacks” (13).

Sam restrains the man, puts him into a chokehold, searches him, and finds a wallet full of money. Sam barks, ordering the man into the back of his police cruiser. The man obeys without saying a word. Sam takes the suspect to the police station, proud of himself for his swiftness and toughness. Sam and Bill interrogate the man in Bill’s office. The Black man’s name is Virgil Tibbs. Virgil is clearly urbane and cultured, and Sam worries that this will complicate the case: “The idea forced itself on Sam that this was an educated black, one of the sort that hung around the United Nations in New York, according to the newsreels. That might make it a little harder for Gillespie” (16). Virgil says he was waiting for the train to Washington to visit his mother. When Sam shows Bill the wallet full of money, Bill decides no Black man could earn that kind of cash. Virgil insists he earned his money in Pasadena, California, where he himself is a police officer. 

Sam feels conflicted about Virgil. He doesn’t like Black people, but he also doesn’t like Bill’s demanding and aggressive behavior—plus Virgil makes Bill’s life difficult. Bill berates Sam’s police skills: Why didn’t he question Virgil before bringing him in? Sam defends himself and almost lets out a racist slur: “When I found this n*— this man in the railroad station, I brought him in immediately so I could carry out the rest of your orders” (18-19). Bill doubts the validity of Virgil’s police credentials: There are no Black police officers in the South.

Sam takes Virgil to a holding cell, where Virgil passes the time reading a book. Sam goes to the bathroom segregated for white people and fills Pete in on the latest: The Pasadena Police Department spoke with Bill, confirming that Virgil is a homicide detective with an excellent record. They offered Virgil’s services if Bill needs help. If Bill botches the investigation, he’ll likely be fired. He doesn’t want to ask Virgil for guidance because he’s Black, even though Virgil has more experience and expertise.

Enrico’s body arrives from the hospital. Bill, reluctantly, asks Virgil to examine the body. While Virgil examines Enrico, Bill gets food at the all-night diner and is blunt and assertive with the staff. Driving back to the station, he worries about how to proceed with the investigation. He decides he’ll get Virgil to leave as soon as possible; he refuses to believe a Black man has expertise: “Nobody could tell him that a colored man could do anything he couldn’t do” (24). Bill returns to the police station and is frustrated Virgil is still examining the body—what more is there to learn? Bill finds Sam in his office, and they talk about Virgil. Sam appreciates Virgil’s confidence, but he avoids sounding too admirable. Virgil enters the office and asks where he can wash his hands. Bill directs him to the washroom for Black people, knowing there’s no soap or towels. After, Virgil offers to give his findings from his examination, but Bill declares he knows everything he needs to. Bill doesn’t need Virgil’s help, and Virgil can leave town soon. Pete comes in next, with more news. They’ve arrested Harvey Oberst, a man with a troubled past. They found him with Enrico’s wallet.