In the Heat of the Night (1988) s01e08 Episode Script

1
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
This is the best stuff you got, huh?
That don't say much for your customers.
We're closed.
You hear that, audine? She's closed.
I need a quarter, honey.
Oops!
She wants us out of here.
Isn't that what that means?
No, sir. But it's after 1:00.
The law is the law.
Nice size place here. Lot of tables.
I'll bet you do good business.
I got a long way to go to get rich.
[Rock-'n'-roll music plays]
You dance real good, audine.
Lipstick on his collar
perfume in his hair
now, we got to go. You unplug that thing.
Sneaking up the stairs
4:00 ♪
[Music stops]
I want two bottles of bourbon to go.
Give me something better
than that slop you gave me.
And the money.
[Cash register rings]
I hope I'm not going to be disappointed.
Get that drawer out of there.
You see, I don't take disappointment real well.
It ain't much.
Well, it's better than nothing.
Me and audine want to thank you for your hospitality.
[Gunshot]
Oh!
Come here, baby.
Come here.
Now, you know I don't like to shoot women.
I had no choice.
She was looking at you
like you was dirt, baby.
I had to do it.
Come on. Give me a smile.
Come on.
[Telephone rings]
[Ring]
Detective?
Parker, what time is it?
3:20 in the am.
You better come on in.
We got us a killing.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Where's the chief?
Well, I didn't call him.
Why not?
Call him.
People shoot each other at those honky-Tonks
all the time.
Call the chief and call him now!
Yes, sir, detective.
Okay, folks, give us some room. Stand back.
Got all you need? Yes, sir.
You-all with the stretcher,
do what you have to.
Kid said it was a man and a woman.
He didn't see them, but he heard them.
They sounded white.
Where was the boy at the time?
Behind the bar.
Apparently, miss elnora hid him.
You run a joint like this,
expect this to happen.
Getting shot is a hell of a price to pay
for trying to make a living.
Let's get down to business, huh?
I want to find out what's missing here.
I'll call the day bartender,
get a look at his cash register tapes.
About the boy.
I'll take him over to the reverend stoner's house.
What for?
This woman was his only relative in sparta.
We can't leave him here by himself.
The reverend knows exactly how to do it.
Bubba, call Dr. Stoner.
Tell him we're coming over.
Hello.
I want you to come see a friend of mine.
He's a friend of yours, too.
Will you?
Come on.
There can't be too many people named audine.
What you got?
Nametag. Probably off some uniform.
Waitress, maybe. A clerk. Something.
You know anybody named audine?
No. Never heard of her.
Thank you, chief.
Virgil, I believe you know the reverend Dr. Stoner.
I've known Virgil
since his mama first brought him to church.
And much as we miss his mama,
it's a comfort having Virgil back.
Jesus remembers the kind at heart. Bless you.
Bless me for what?
For keeping scooter until we find his uncle Billy.
[Door opens and closes]
Well, take your blessings where you find them.
He hasn't cried. Shock, I guess.
I got to get through to him.
Is he, uh, sleeping?
He's pretending to be.
Oh.
I'll find whoever did this.
I promise.
The tape on miss elnora's register
reads $145.12,
and the bartender said half was in change.
[Loads gun]
We're looking for somebody named audine
who jingles when she walks.
I'm tired of you, Bubba.
This isn't a joke.
No, sir.
We also found prints on her cash drawer.
Two sets other than miss elnora's.
Audine has a friend.
Neither are bright.
Audine.
Looks like it fell off a waitress' uniform
or dropped from her purse.
Where'd you find this?
On the floor, near the jukebox.
[Knock on door]
Yeah, what?
Chief, you ought to see this.
Well, well.
Parker, junior!
We're looking for Lester sproles.
Escaped from Kentucky state pen.
Armed and dangerous
and believed to be traveling with his girl friend
Audine higgs.
What are they doing down here?
Well, let's find him, junior.
Then we can ask them.
'When last seen, they were traveling
'in a 1982 blue Chevrolet Camaro
'with Kentucky license plate number abf 212.'
Lester,
can I please have some potato chips?
Hey, you!
What the hell
[Cocks gun]
I want to thank you for those potato chips.
[Gunshot]
We talked about this.
We agreed if it ever happened, we'd give them money.
They didn't have to kill him.
No, ma'am.
How much did they take?
We sell worms and colas,
rent a few boats, fishing gear.
How much do you think?
How much is enough to die for?
Now, where were you when it happened?
I was in the back.
I heard the shot.
When I came out,
they were walking to their car,
laughing and talking.
They weren't even running.
Walking, like they hadn't done a thing.
We're looking for a white couple in a blue Camaro.
That's them.
Kentucky plates?
My husband was lying there bleeding,
and you want to know if I saw the plates?
Chief!
We got another one.
Shot Monroe at the one-stop.
He's going to live. He got a look at them.
Same car.
Well, let's go find that car.
Tibbs: Your daughter should be here soon, Mrs. Randall.
We're going to be here, here.
We'll get a circle.
We'll keep moving in closer.
Now, Dyson
Parker, you call Dyson?
He's in bay St. Louis. Back tomorrow.
All right, munger, you're up.
So you set up your roadblock
one over here
One here And one here.
Where I made those circles,
all right?
Pick up those fliers on the way out.
Know who you're looking for.
Just keep alert. Go on.
Uh, uh, chief.
Cappy froelick called again. He's still hopping mad.
Yeah, all right. I'll talk to him.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
All right. Thank you.
Thanks for putting a rush
on those prints, captain shube.
Oh, yeah. They were his.
Yeah. I'm sorry, too.
Yeah. We'll keep you posted.
Bye.
It's Lester sproles, all right.
The prints on the cash drawer were his.
I wish they could tell us where to find him.
Man: Junior, stop it!
All right! All right! What's all the fuss?
I come in here with important information!
He was yelling and waving a loaded rifle.
Which I used on that wild animal you been hunting.
Junior, let him go.
Chief, it happened about a half-hour ago
down by Morris crossroad.
I ain't sure. I think I winged him.
You shot out the rear tire
of cappy froelick's blue sedan.
Be glad your aim wasn't better.
You had the boys sitting in the back.
Give him back his rifle.
I'll call cappy
and tell him you'll settle up the damages.
But, chief
that's enough.
Get out before I arrest you!
All right, all right.
The man is just scared.
Yeah.
With people like that
walking around with loaded rifles,
so am I.
Let's just put our minds
to catching this Lester sproles
before everybody starts shooting their neighbors.
Yeah.
Hey, Lester.
They're going to catch us, aren't they?
Look at this mess! I can't fix this!
It's a practically brand-new automobile.
No, they ain't gonna catch us, audine.
A couple more days, we'll be in Mexico.
We just got to find us another car is all.
We could stay here awhile.
We can't do that, sweetheart.
Can't hang around anywhere.
You got to keep moving in this life.
Otherwise, they'll get you.
Who will get me?
All the tiny little people
with tiny little brains in tiny little towns.
Come on.
I was scared.
I know.
But I should have done something anyway.
I should have.
What?
I don't know.
Scooter, you mustn't think this was your fault,
because it wasn't.
Your grandmother would be very proud of you.
I should have done something.
You wouldn't think people here would lock their cars.
No.
[Sighs]
You know, things happen in life
that we have no control over
And this was one.
I think you're a very brave young man.
I could have jumped up from behind the bar
there was nothing you could do.
I could have tried.
Come here.
That your car up on the road back there?
Beige compact?
That's the one.
Yeah. Is there a problem?
Yeah. It's locked,
and the keys ain't in it.
No. I don't generally
leave the keys in the ignition.
[Cocks gun]
I don't generally ask twice for what I want.
Good choice.
Toss them to audine here.
They're looking for the two of us, sweetheart.
They won't look for three people and a kid.
What do you mean, take them with us?
Yeah. We may need them.
And if we don't,
we'll just let them go.
O.k.
Come on!
Can I see your license, please?
Yeah. What's going on?
How are you, ma'am?
Just fine.
We're looking for this person.
I haven't seen him.
Damn, Lester!
Turn off.
Turn off. Turn off here.
Stop the car.
Where does this road go? I don't know.
I don't know! I'm not from around here.
It don't go nowhere.
It runs out past that next bend.
Head on back to the cabin.
What for?
I got to figure out how to outsmart them.
We got one up on them
because they don't know we got hostages.
Ha ha ha ha!
We need more men.
We haven't got any more.
I've got 46 reported sightings.
We need the national guard.
Have munger give us some men from his roadblocks.
Who was 47?
Old miss Pierce. She heard something
she saw 200 black guys
with beards and Russian flags.
Yeah, Bubba. I'm here.
I checked out the reports from north sparta.
Four of them looked like maybes.
Bad news.
What is it?
Bubba's got another victim.
Well, I don't know him.
You recognize him, doctor?
No.
Wallet's gone.
So is his watch.
He was wearing one.
Clothes were bought in Memphis.
We'll identify him in due course.
[Police radio]
I wish I knew what he was driving
'cause we know it wasn't this one.
Yeah, Parker.
Police radio: Hugo bates has sproles and his girl friend.
He's holding them at the wilmot cutoff.
Virgil, they think they got them.
[Siren]
How's the boy scooter doing?
O.k., I guess.
I just hope we can find his uncle Billy.
Oh, we'll find him, all right.
Oh, lord, look at this.
Take it easy, now.
Stay put, hoss.
We got them, chief. Arrest them.
I ought to arrest you.
These aren't the people we're looking for.
Just some tourists driving through.
You stupid idiot. I said that wasn't him.
I hope you'll accept my apology, folks.
Enjoy yourselves in Mississippi.
I thought paducah was in Idaho.
Chief, I found this near the body.
The guy was from Memphis.
Look at that, Virgil.
I'll let the Memphis pd. Check it out.
How long will it take them
with their 20th-century equipment?
They'll move fast.
They know we need a little 20th century here.
Parker, would you call my home?
I just did. No answer.
Damn.
Your boy don't talk much, does he?
What do you want him to say, Lester?
Nothing.
I got to find a tree.
Don't go nowhere, sweetheart,
'cause the party ain't over yet.
I can pick you off at 60 yards.
You want to remember that.
So, you work?
No, not right now.
You got somebody taking care of you.
Lester's gonna take care of me.
I'm never gonna need a job again.
You know what Lester calls working?
Nine-to-five at the five-and-dime. Ain't that cute?
Do they have different make-up for black people?
I guess 'flesh tone'
don't mean the same thing for everybody.
Does it?
You don't talk southern. Where are you from?
Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania?
Boy, that must be great
coming from a place so
Big.
Where are you from?
Slater.
It's right outside paducah.
It's awful.
You keep on seeing the same old
seven stupid people every day.
I thought I'd be stuck there forever
till Lester came along.
I guess a good man's hard to find in slater.
Yeah.
That's it.
[Twig breaks]
[Footsteps]
A 1986 lebaron, junior.
Silver.
Tennessee tags, Shelby county,
dsg 412.
Damn!
Where are those two?
We've done everything but a house-to-house.
How about a computer or a fax machine
or that metal detector?
Which gadget is going to help you now?
A helicopter.
One is on the way.
A helicopter? Yeah.
National guard is lending us one.
Be here in a couple hours.
Well, welcome to 1988.
Wait a minute.
Wait till you see this chopper.
It's around 1951.
At least it's the right century.
Where you going?
Home for dinner.
We'd all like to go home for dinner,
but three people have been killed.
One of the dead is scooter's grandmother.
Althea wants to keep things
as normal as possible for him.
Yeah, okay.
Did you find uncle Billy yet?
All I know so far is he went north.
Althea!
Althea!
'Back before dark.
Get ready for catfish, whiskers and all.'
Chief!
Chief, I can't find althea and scooter.
They're not home. They're gone.
There's a note in the kitchen
saying they'd be home before dark.
Now, Virgil, just
chief, don't tell me to calm down.
We're in the middle of a manhunt here.
We're looking for a man
who's been killing from county to county.
Maybe they went by to see reverend stoner.
No, they didn't.
Or they could've went by the funeral home.
I checked.
I've checked everywhere.
Nobody's seen them for hours either one of them.
Well, you must have missed something.
I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation.
[Laughing]
Don't.
[Laughing]
What's so funny?
What's the matter, baby?
You feel left out?
Want to play, too?
You think I don't know what you're doing.
You think I'm stupid?
Getting on audine's good side gets you nothing.
I'm the one with the gun.
Try to remember that.
Lester, I like her.
I said I like her.
I ain't never had a girlfriend.
I'm all the friend you'll need.
I'm your best friend.
That hurts me to think that you might forget that.
Don't get chummy
'cause I don't think she's got a real rosy future.
He's never been mean to me before.
Think about it, audine.
If he acts that way
just because you were talking to me,
what will he do when you talk to another man?
He's got a real short fuse, audine.
Lester's the first person that's ever stood up for me.
He probably did that
just because it makes him feel good.
Do you know how many towns we've been to?
But you couldn't stay in any of them.
You had to keep moving.
Well, that's o.K. There were so many.
He kills people, audine.
He didn't want to shoot those people.
Why did he? 'Cause he had to.
Did he tell you that?
I was there.
Exactly.
What?
You were there.
Audine, you're an accessory.
I didn't shoot anybody.
Legally, you're guilty, too.
But that's not fair! I didn't shoot anybody!
Then maybe you can do something about it.
How?
If you help us escape the boy and me
I'll speak up for you.
You mean, you'll get me off?
No, honey, but I can help you.
We were going to go to Mexico.
He's not worth it, audine.
If you help us,
I swear to god I'll help you, audine.
You can't help me.
Sure, she can.
Her husband's a policeman.
You shh!
Think about it, audine. I can get you a deal.
All Lester's going to do is get you dead.
Look what he did to you.
Is this what you left slater for?
Just shut up!
Where's the damn helicopter?
It hasn't got night vision equipment.
It's no use till morning.
Listen, she might have got stranded somewhere.
Doesn't mean necessarily she's in trouble.
Don't laugh at me. This idea just came to me.
When I was a kid,
the best catfish were in bigger creek.
Still are.
If I knew that as a kid, wouldn't scooter know that?
Yeah.
That isa good idea. Right!
We can't go out there before first light.
You stay here, then.
Wait a minute! Wait a minute!
Now, don't be doing something silly.
Wait! Damn!
[Whimpering]
You got the keys? Got everything.
[Crash]
Run!
Let's go!
Audine!
Audine! Audine!
No!
[Screaming]
Audine!
[Sobbing]
No! No!
This the way they do things up in the big city?
I'm a trained detective.
They train you to go around
stomping all over evidence?
I know what I'm doing, chief.
When the dawn comes, all we'll find
are your footprints.
Another sighting?
Yeah.
Coffee, Bubba?
Uh, no, thanks.
You want some, Parker?
My body weight's 80% caffeine right now.
Thanks anyway.
Parker: Bubba.
Scooter?
Audine?
Come on in here.
Bubba: Parker, find out where the chief is.
Virgil.
Uh-huh?
Come on. We ought to get back to town.
You go on back.
There's no way in the world althea and that kid
would have run across Lester sproles.
Maybe they didn't, chief,
but I'm not taking that chance.
Well, our duty is to get back
in that car and find that man.
Althea's bracelet.
Tell me I don't have anything to worry about.
Scooter!
Althea?
Mr. Tibbs.
You ruined it.
You ruined it.
Say something.
You've got my car.
You can get away.
Wherever I go, you go.
[Car approaching]
Bubba! Bubba!
Hold him back, there.
Hold on, Virgil.
Get up!
No!
[Sobbing]
That boy is loony.
Your man thinks highly of you.
Doesn't he? Yes!
You're both going to die.
Keep down. Get over here!
He's crazy!
Don't let him see that rifle.
I want Bubba to shoot.
It's my wife.
Bubba's very good with this rifle.
He'll come out with a gun on her.
We get one shot.
It's got to be perfect.
Will Bubba take him?
I want Bubba to do this.
She's your wife,
but she's my responsibility.
[Sobbing]
You can get him, can't you?
Yeah, I can get him.
Well, go on.
Sproles?
Lester sproles?
Aaahhh!
Yeah?
You want to talk?
Where's my wife, sproles?
What's his name? What's his name?
Virgil.
Virgil, your wife's dead.
I'm all right, Virgil.
I got a gun, Virgil.
I pull that trigger easy.
It'll be better if you didn't use it.
One more ain't gonna make any difference.
You let her go, we'd take it kindly.
So would the judge.
You think I'm stupid, huh?
You're smart enough to want to make a deal.
Aahh!
Ah! Ah!
All right.
You want a deal? Here it is.
I'm going to that car, and I'm driving off.
You try anything, I'll kill her.
That's your deal.
Either we got a deal or we don't! Huh?
Bubba can't get a clear shot.
I told you he wouldn't kill her.
Come back here.
Lester! You hear me, Lester?
Audine?
That's right. Audine the one you tried to shoot.
That's a lie.
I heard the shots. You almost got me.
I never tried to shoot you.
Who was you aiming at, that little kid?
All these killings, you said it's for me.
It was.
Then let her go.
Let her go right now.
She's my friend, and I don't want her killed.
I can't do that.
What's the matter with you?
All that talk about loving me, taking care of me.
You're a liar, Lester sproles.
You were never taking me to Mexico.
You were never going to take me anywhere.
Aaahhh!
Aaahhh!
Althea!
Althea!
[Crying]
Oh, god!
Oh, god!
[Crying]
Oh, baby!
Bubba
Northbound express for Chicago
Anytime, folks.
Give me two minutes, o.K.?
He's a good kid.
Yeah.
Chicago's a tough place.
He'll get the best I can give.
I'm going to miss you, scooter.
Me, too.
I helped you, didn't I?
You saved my life.
If I did it for you,
why couldn't I for my grand mommy?
Honey, we can only do what we can do.
Sometimes it's not enough.
Come on, scooter.
Let's go, son.
[Sighs]
We're not getting any younger, Virgil.
No.
And life is very precarious.
Yes.
We haven't talked about having children in a long time.
I love you, Virgil.
I love you, too, baby.