Council member Holly Colmer heatedly insists that Chief Forbes separate Virgil Tibbs from the Sparta Police Department. Virgil is now an attorney in the law firm of Ben Taylor. At a party given by Taylor, Abby Booker fights with her husband Chuck. On their way home Chuck purposely unbuckles Abby's seat belt and drives into a tree, killing his wife. A moonshiner, Goody Tate, witnesses the incident. Virgil is suspicious and, much to Taylor's chagrin, assists the police in their investigation. Virgil refuses to represent Booker and resigns from the firm. He must decide if he is a detective or a lawyer.
—richardann