In the Heat of the Night (1988) s01e07 Episode Script

1
In the heat of the night
I got trouble wall to wall
in the heat of the night, yeah ♪
must be an ending to it all ♪
oh-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
oh-oh
[breaking glass and siren]
You still living with your sister, henley?
Well, poor old Charlie.
Arguing religion again, huh?
Yeah! So I could kill you!
You're not killing anybody.
Drop that stool leg.
I refuse ow!
Now come on with me.
Henley, stop!
Don't make me run after you!
It's about time you got here.
Go on. Arrest him.
I'm liable to arrest you
because you're keeping a drinking establishment
open after hours.
I was just closing when the fight started.
Then do it!
File a complaint in the morning.
Go on about your business.
Oh, henley, come on.
When I think of your fine upbringing,
it makes me so sad.
No, never mind the handcuffs.
Get in the car.
[Gillespie] I don't know what I can do.
It's not healthy for him to stay jailed!
When can my brother come home?
Miss huget, I can't tell you yet.
We haven't totaled the damages.
Ask detective tibbs.
He's in charge of the case.
When the judge sets bail
and you pay it,
we'll release him.
It wasn't henley's fault!
He told you that!
Why you got to keep him here?
If you want to visit your brother, do it now.
Take her, Bubba.
Right this way, ma'am.
Virgil, can't you ask the judge
if we can't release her brother
on his own recognizance?
Tell him I'll vouch for henley.
Who do I see about getting some worm arrested?
What's the trouble, ma'am?
He's the trouble!
This says his wife is Lucille.
Well, my name is Bea.
I don't quite see.
Mrs. Bea jeffson. We've been married six months,
and I'm pregnant.
Well, he can't have two wives! That's illegal!
Are you going to do something about it?
I'm not moving until you do!
I knew it was bad news
the minute you walked through that door.
I'm sorry about that church supper.
Did you mention it?
I told you a week ago!
You sure?
I told you I was making potato salad.
It starts at 6:30.
Just show up late.
The chief and I have to drive out to, uh
That county.
At least I came home
to kiss you good-bye.
No. You came home
because you forgot your wallet
this morning.
I said I was sorry.
It's an investigation.
I have to go.
Something important?
Yeah.
Somebody got murdered?
No. It's a bigamy case.
Really?
Let me see him when you bring him in.
Why?
I'd like to see what man can handle two wives
when you don't have enough time for one.
He's out on the road now.
He's a Bible salesman.
Been with the company for almost 20 years.
I take it, Mrs. Jeffson,
that all these are your family over here.
Yes, that's prudy and cricket,
and that's Jimmy ii.
We're both guilty of pride
when it comes to them.
You didn't say why you wanted Mr. Jeffson.
Can I help you with something?
Chief.
Uh, detective tibbs took the complaint.
What complaint?
Well
It's been alleged, and at this point,
it's only an allegation.
It seems Mr. Jeffson has a second wife.
Ha ha ha!
What kind of crazy persons
y'all been talking to?
Mr. Jeffson's a Bible salesman.
We've been married for 22 years.
Well, could you tell us
where we could find him now?
I can give you one of his cards.
The regional office always knows where he is.
Would you have him call me
when you find him?
Yes, ma'am, we will.
Thank you for your help, ma'am.
Thank you.
Let me just get claudette settled down here.
Poor woman. How will you tell her?
I'm not.
You are.
I know. I took the complaint.
You're the chief of detectives.
And you're the chief of police.
All the cases are yours.
Well, what can I do for y'all today?
Your husband's home office
told us we might find him
at the motel on front street.
They told us there
he might be here.
At the motel?
James hasn't stayed there
since we married four years ago.
The manager tells us
he still gets his messages there.
It seems your husband has been down the aisle
and said, 'I do'
more than once.
A lot of people marry more than once.
But not all at the same time.
It appears your husband's married
to a couple other women, too, and
One of them's filed a complaint.
I
I don't understand.
Hey, baby.
What's going on?
James, they said you got another wife.
I'm chief Gillespie.
This is detective tibbs of sparta police.
One Bea jeffson has filed
a complaint against you,
bigamy in Mississippi.
We'd like you to come answer some questions,
see if we can't resolve this.
Right now?
Yes.
Why, sure!
Be happy to!
Don't worry, baby.
Must be some kind of computer mistake.
Some computer probably got me
mixed up with another man.
Here.
I bought these for you.
I'll be back before long.
Don't worry.
I'll call you from sparta.
I'm ready.
The sooner we go, the sooner I can be back home.
It's an outrage.
If my brother, who is sick,
is going to suffer another night
of this unfortunate incarceration,
the least y'all can do
is to see he's provided
the comforts required by any human being.
It is freezing back there!
Junior, turn up that thermostat.
All right, come in here.
You no-good, two-timing
Hey!
Everything's going to be all right.
After I kill you! Let go!
I've got things that need your immediate attention.
This situation needs my immediate attention.
Give that to this officer. Jamison.
Bea, I can explain!
You lied to me!
He said I need approval!
Let her talk to her brother.
Visiting hours are over.
Well, start them up again!
Will you please take your arms off of me?
Bea, think of the baby!
It's no good getting upset,
not in your delicate condition!
Now take a deep breath.
Come on, now, like I taught you,
take a deep breath.
Good. Now, you been waiting here
all day for me?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, you must be tired.
Here.
Take this and get yourself
a deluxe room
and something good to eat
and come back tomorrow.
You need to take care of yourself.
You know how much I love you, hmm?
Good.
Now you go on,
and I'll see you in the morning tomorrow.
O.k.
Is there a phone I might use?
I told Ellie Anne I'd call.
I'll make it collect.
I need to call Lucille, too.
The phone's in the office.
Thank you, chief.
Bubba. Bubba, go in there.
Keep an eye on him.
He's pretty cool, isn't he,
for a man who's been
ruining innocent women's lives?
Who said he is ruining lives?
He committed bigamy, didn't he?
No.
Actually, it's polygamy,
and what I meant was, they all seem happy.
Not that I approve
happy?
You call this thing
a happy event?
Chief, I did not say I approved.
Well, I'm certainly glad
you feel that way about it
because then I can assume
you do approve of the laws of Mississippi.
Well, I miss you, too.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Of course I like red beans and rice.
Cert
yeah, mm-hmm.
O.k., well, I'll call you tomorrow.
Uh, y-yeah.
Tomorrow.
O.k.
Sweet dreams.
Bye
love you, love you, love you.
Bye-bye, baby.
Lucille has a hard time sleeping
unless I call her every night.
You know, Mr. Jeffson,
I don't believe I've ever met
anybody like you before.
Me, either.
I have enough trouble
keeping one wife happy.
How did you end up with three?
Well, you know what the Bible says
'be fruitful and multiply
and fill the earth.'
But I don't think the lord meant
for you to do that by yourself.
I think we'd better lock you up now.
The judge will set bail tomorrow.
You should be out by noon.
I don't mind spending the night.
I could use the rest.
Jamison, would you put Mr. Jeffson
in cell number 2, please?
Oh, j.J.!
Sudie!
Oh, baby!
Sudie!
Oh, you!
Everything's going to be fine.
[Sudie crying]
But henley Davenport assaulted two people
and destroyed property.
Even if he pleads self-defense,
that's not going to make any difference.
Even though you were born here,
you don't understand some things.
Like what? And I'm not arguing, I'm asking.
The judge was a great friend of henley's daddy.
If the judge believes henley was defending himself,
he might reduce bail.
Then we can turn henley loose.
And you can get rid of miss huget.
Yes. You should run over
to sparta lounge
and see if rumley can remember
how it got started.
Morning.
Good morning, Mrs. Jeffson.
I made j.J.'S lunch, all right?
Yeah, but last night
last night, I was acting crazy.
That man saved my life.
He did?
He turned me around
when I was headed for hell.
He's the most wonderful human being ever!
Good god, almighty!
So much for the ruined-life theory.
I don't know
if I can get a grip on this.
Chief! Chief!
Chief!
What?
You better return to the station.
I just left five minutes ago.
Huget Davenport and elmira caraway?
They're about to trade blows over visiting henley.
He is too upset for visitors.
Then why are you here, huget?
Any visitors outside of immediate family!
I'm going to be family when we're married.
This soup's getting cold.
That will give him indigestion!
It never has before!
I'll decide what he eats!
Not for long, you won't!
Good morning.
I hope there isn't a problem here.
I decide what henley eats!
She will not
why don't we step inside and discuss all this?
People are gathering out here.
I feel we can get this thing straight.
Junior!
I was here first.
You weren't.
Henley can only have one visitor a day,
and that will be me because blood relatives
take precedence over non-relations.
Isn't that right, chief Gillespie?
Well, but I suppose miss caraway,
since she's soon to be blood,
has the right to see him.
Miss huget, being blood already,
is entitled to say which goes in first.
You got 30 minutes each.
Well, I'll go first.
That was nicely settled.
Now, miss caraway,
I'm going to ask you to sit down
and make yourself comfortable
until your half hour comes.
I am not happy about this at all.
Chief, can I see you?
If you'll excuse me, miss caraway,
that's police business.
Damn!
Chief?
The women out there
are driving me crazy.
What did you find out?
Forget self-defense.
Henley took the first swings,
but if the judge is interested in provocation
Was there provocation?
And then some.
The bartender overheard a couple of men
teasing henley about his relationship
with his sister.
They suggested in certain terms
that henley and huget were, um
Closer than they should be.
[Knock on door]
What?
Mrs. Jeffson to see you.
You've got to be more specific.
We got Bea, Lucille, Ellie Anne, and sudie.
We got Arlene.
Mrs. Jeffson?
How do you do?
You're in charge here?
Yeah, I'm chief Gillespie.
This is detective tibbs.
How do you do?
Has bail been set?
Bail?
We've been trying,
but this escalating bigamy
Chief Gillespie
elmira, just a minute, please.
I'd like to see my husband.
Somebody's with him now.
I insist. I'm representing him at the trial.
You're an attorney?
I believe that legal counsel
takes precedent over a visitor.
I have had it
with precedence!
If she goes, I do.
Elmira, just step over this way.
Make yourself comfortable.
You'll go in there directly,
I promise.
[Telephone rings]
Aren't you on those phones?
I would hate to tell the judge
that you interfered with the exchange of information
between the accused and his attorney.
The visitor in there
is more than an ordinary visitor.
J.j. Ate the whole plate.
Never knew anyone who could eat like my j.J.
You might as well
go in now, Mrs. Jeffson.
If you just step this way,
just step right on in,
turn left.
The cell's in here.
The light back there is bad.
You need another window.
Jamison, take this lady
to see j.J. Jeffson.
You done?
I'm splitting my time into two periods.
That's my prerogative being blood kin
as opposed to a non-relation.
She can go in.
When her half hour's up,
I'll continue my visit.
I'm going in now.
I'm going out.
Chief of police.
I feel like the matron
of some institution for difficult females!
I'm leaving!
Not without me, you ain't!
Bubba, I'm going to give you your orders.
I don't want anything happening
that wouldn't happen
if I was here.
[Door slams]
Hey, chief.
Chief.
Oh, thank you.
The man has got a harem.
Did you see that little girl
when she saw the latest Mrs. Jeffson?
What little girl?
Bea, with the fried chicken.
That look of pain
I hope I never see again.
Yeah. Arlene looked like she was ready to kill.
Uh-oh.
Now what are they doing here?
I guess they called the regional office,
found out what was going on.
Do you think Bubba and junior can handle them?
Those two don't seem angry.
They both came in the same car,
but they might need a little help.
Oh, lord.
Thank you, ma'am.
I don't believe this is happening
right here in sparta.
Don't feel embarrassed.
A few years ago, seven white women
up in Georgia married a traveling veterinarian.
Did you ever run across this in Philadelphia?
I once arrested a guy who married two.
And what color where they?
One of each.
See, it proves foolishness
has no color.
Virgil,
I just can't go in there.
We are due at the D.A.'s office.
Let's go there.
Let's see here
Evening, chief.
What you doing back?
I wanted to see henley.
Is he feeling any better?
He was coughing, but huget come by.
Must have calmed him down. He's asleep now.
Wasn't there some sweet potato pie whozitz made?
Miss Ellie Anne?
Bubba just walked off with the last piece.
Sorry.
Oh, he did, huh?
I suppose that would be
the last of the pecan pie.
I'm afraid it is, chief.
There is half a pineapple upside-down cake
in the cell block.
That big lady, uh
Raynette jeffson made it.
Looked pretty good.
Boy, howdy.
Give me the keys.
[Snoring]
Hey, j.J.
J.j.
Hey, j.J.
Oh, my god, he's dead.
I don't remember hearing anything.
Did he complain about headache, chest pain?
He just said good night.
I fell asleep quick after I took that pill.
What pill?
Sleeping pill huget gave me.
You let his sister in with pills?
She's got a prescription.
Let me tell you something about your sister.
I'm fed up with her, right up to here!
She can be trying at times.
[Door opens]
Well?
Wasn't a heart attack.
Looked like poison.
Poison?
In the food he ate tonight.
I ate some of that food.
I did, too.
Does that mean I'm going to die?
No. I ate some, too. We would have died by now.
Whatever it was was fast-acting.
Chief, they're through taking pictures.
An ambulance will pick up the body.
Something wrong here?
Uh, how you feeling, Bubba?
Feel fine.
Mr. Jeffson was probably poisoned
with some of the food his wives brought in.
Wrap up what's left and have it tested.
You can probably get a coroner's report
with the stomach contents in about two days.
Yeah, yeah. See you.
Uh, Bubba.
You and junior get in touch with those jeffson wives.
I want them here first thing in the morning.
I suppose I have every right in the world to be angry.
But somehow, I just don't feel that way.
I had 22 good years with him.
We raised a family.
He sure had a big appetite
For everything.
I didn't mind when he was gone so much
'Cause when he was with me,
he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world.
Hadn't been for him,
I'd have never started my own business.
He believed in me.
And I know he loved me
Just as much as I loved him.
Respect.
He treated me as an equal.
He valued the intimacy of our relationship.
That's rare in a man.
They don't like sharing their secrets.
They, um, have a hard time expressing their feelings,
but not James.
He'd let you look right into his heart.
He used to say,
'as long as you can laugh, there's hope.
'Life's too short to be moping around,
feeling sorry for yourself.'
That's what I was doing when he met me.
You know
I wouldn't have mind sharing him with those other women.
There was more than enough to go around.
You plan on staying up all night, honey?
Mm-hmm.
You in favor of the 24-hour workday?
Mm-hmm.
Reverend stoner asked me to go skinny-dipping
with him in Earl's creek.
Is that all right?
Mm-hmm.
Althea
How could they all feel the same way?
I mean
Is that possible?
What's the question?
J.j.'s wives
All claim they love him.
Maybe they all do.
How?
Each one knows he's married to five other women.
I mean, they got to feel
I don't know betrayed, angry, something.
The woman scorned?
Somebody killed him.
They're either all telling the truth
Or they're damn fine actresses.
They had access. They had motive.
Any one of them could have done it.
I'm sure you'll figure it out.
Wait.
Where are you going?
To bed.
Virgil, just for the record,
I love you,
and I don't intend to kill you.
Each of those women shared j.J. With five other women.
I'm sharing you with six.
Chief Gillespie!
I want to talk to you.
Uhh
We're going to a funeral.
Is my brother being released this morning?
Yes, ma'am. Officer Skinner's doing the paperwork.
It's about time!
What my henley's been through!
He could have died!
He ate that man's food.
We all did.
He could have died of shock.
What are you doing here?
I'm taking my fianc home.
He's coming home with me!
We got to Bury this man.
He's coming home with me!
You don't expect my brother
to ride in that?
Why not?
You'd expose him to the elements,
jeopardize his health?
[Coughing]
He's coughing.
Come home with me.
I'll let you know when he can have visitors.
Visitors? I am not a visitor.
I am going to be his wife.
He is coming with me.
Huget. Huget.
Please.
was blind
but now
sing it, sister!
I see
yes.
[Crying]
Hallelujah!
Which one's Mrs. Jeffson?
The whole first row.
James jeffson was a much-loved man.
I see that as I look out over this room
filled with his friends and loved ones.
I know that has to be something of a comfort
to Mrs. Jeffson
In this time of sadness.
I know James had a close and loving relationship
with his wife.
The memory of their time together
will surely help lighten her burden
in the difficult days to come.
Amen! Amen!
[Playing organ]
Rock of ages, cleft for me ♪
let me hide myself in thee ♪
Hi.
Mary, can I get a cup of coffee, please?
Chief
Got the analysis of j.J.'S stomach contents.
Thanks.
You're not going to read that now.
I thought you'd be interested.
Yeah, all right. I'm interested. Go ahead.
J.j. Died from arsenic poisoning.
Small amounts of butter beans
and chicken parts were in his stomach,
Chocolate?
Remember seeing any of the wives
bringing in a chocolate cake?
No.
I remember a pineapple upside-down cake.
I wasn't there all the time.
Who knows what Bubba and junior put away
before we even saw any of it.
We should make a list of which wife
brought in which delicacy.
Why didn't j.J. Taste that stuff in there?
Arsenic has a metallic, garlic-like taste.
You wouldn't taste it
with a strong flavor like chocolate covering it.
Maybe j.J. Was lucky
to take a massive dose and get it over with.
You call that lucky?
In small amounts, you can just linger on and on.
You get weaker,
get a cough you can't get rid of,
start losing your hair.
I don't think he would have liked that.
Well, I don't imagine he much likes being dead, either,
especially
If it was an accident.
Accident?
Nobody puts arsenic in food by mistake.
That was murder.
Oh, yeah, yeah. It was murder, all right.
It was murder.
The accident Was maybe killing the wrong person.
What are you talking about?
I think old j.J. Got himself killed by mistake.
I think that arsenic was meant for henley Davenport.
That's what I think.
Bea made that fried chicken,
and raynette,
she made the pineapple upside-down cake.
Ellie Anne made sweet potato pie.
Good as I've tasted.
Sudie made the cookies.
They was kind of soggy.
Lucille made the casserole
and the jell-o salad.
Arlene, the pecan pie.
Only chocolate that came in
was that fudge huget made.
It was pretty good.
Why didn't I get sick eating that?
You probably didn't have enough of it.
I think j.J. Died because he ate the whole bunch.
You know, I don't get it.
Huget fussed over her brother.
Why would she want to murder him?
We'll have to ask her.
I got my own idea about that.
Are we picking her up now?
Yeah. With one stop along the way.
Honey, I think we can get a better look
Ladies and gentlemen,
the express for Jackson,
which stops at clear water and natchez,
is now boarding
Well, uh
I'm sorry we had to keep y'all
waiting here so long,
but I think y'all understand.
It gave us a chance to get to know each other.
Now that we've become friends,
I think we'll stay in touch.
Our children are related.
I guess we are, too.
It would be a shame to let our new family break up.
Will you all be, um
Be all right Fi-financially?
James bought insurance policies with the money he saved
by staying with us when he was on the road.
We'll be well-provided for.
That's wonderful to hear.
Bea's going to stay with me till the baby's born.
Maybe even longer.
She needs looking after.
Sudie's going to work in my mail-order business.
Even though we lost the man we loved,
James would have been pleased the way things ended.
Yeah, I'm sure he would Be pleased.
Yeah. Oh, yeah. He was some kind of man.
[Gunshot]
Looks like she knows why we're here,
and she's not going peacefully.
Maybe she will.
Miss huget.
I just want to talk to you, o.K.?
I think that was 'no.'
I'm coming up on the porch
so you can hear what I got to say.
What's the matter with you? You crazy?
That woman will kill you.
No, she won't.
You stay right where you are.
I'm just coming in
If she wanted to get me,
she'd have got me with that one.
I'm coming in with you.
You got anything to say to her I can't say?
No.
Then stay where you are.
I'm coming in, my dear.
[Car door opens]
Parker! Parker!
Yes, sir, detective.
Send a couple of guys to the Davenport estate, fast.
I'm coming in now, huget.
Can you hear me?
Can I come in?
Thank you for coming down, miss huget.
I'd offer you a cup of tea,
but I'm occupied at the moment.
Oh, I hope not, miss huget.
I
Hey that's your daddy's old gun.
I recognize that fine old weapon.
Could I see it again?
Not just yet.
I have to kill elmira first.
Oh, no. You don't want to do that.
You kill elmira, you'd have to go to jail.
Who'd take care of poor old henley?
You're right.
I'll have to shoot henley, too.
But you can't do that, either.
What happened down at the jail was a mistake.
But if you were to kill two more people,
that would be terrible.
Two more people?
Mr. Jeffson died because he
ate that fudge your sister made.
Miss huget put a bunch of arsenic in it.
[Henley] Huget.
How could you?
You wanted to kill me?
I didn't want to.
I told you to only eat one piece a day
and not to share it.
I've given you a little arsenic every day
since you got engaged.
If you were weak, you'd need me.
You wouldn't marry elmira and throw me out.
I'd never do that. You're living with us
for as long as you want.
I couldn't live in the same house
with that woman for one day.
Won't you even give it a little bit of a try?
It would never work out.
I've got to do what I've got to do.
[Gunshot]
Chief!
Chief! Are you all right?
[Chief] We're all right. Everything's fine.
We're coming out.
No harm done,
except the China clock over the mantel
was fully destroyed.
Elmira fainted, if you want to help henley.
Now we're going to go get in my car.
We're going for a ride?
We're going to take the road
past the beautiful mossy oaks.
Won't that be lovely?
Can henley come, too?
He'll be right along.
Watch the top step. Here we go!
[Typing]
Damn.
Chief, can't I sign that thing in the morning?
I'm almost finished with it.
Oh.
Those davenports used to be a fine,
well-respected family here.
That's why I feel so strange
having her in that cell.
Would you like me to type it?
You in a hurry to go somewhere?
I told althea I'd be home an hour ago.
Well, go on home, then.
Go on!
I'll probably have Parker retype this tomorrow.
I'm getting kind of tired.
[Continues typing]
Chief.
That took a lot of guts
What you did today.
I really admire the way you handled that.
Oh, I expect you were faced
with situations like that in Philadelphia
many times.
Only once.
I lost a guy.
Well, it helps to know who you're dealing with.
People like those davenports,
they only kill family.
I knew she wasn't going to shoot me.
I'm glad she didn't.
Thank you.
[Tibbs] Althea?
I'm cleaning the oven!
You know you really are a beautiful woman.
Compliments, flowers, and champagne?
Virgil, what did you do?
Break it to me fast. It's got to be a biggie.
Mr. Jeffson made me aware of what's important.
You planning on getting another wife?
No.
You're everything I need to make me happy.
You're the most important thing in my life.
You know that?
Would it sound immodest if I said yes?
You
but how can you know unless I tell you?
And it's going to change.
I'm going to be saying it every day.
Sometimes twice a day, maybe.
When I'm with you
I'm going to be with you 100%.
And when you talk
I'm not going to be thinking about
things at the station.
When you talk, I'm going to listen.
What do you say?
Sounds like a very ambitious,
out-of-season new year's Eve resolution.
What you're looking at is a new Virgil tibbs.
There's just one problem.
I'm absolutely crazy about the old one.