<P> Wood takes him into the Sparta police station, where he presents him to Gillespie . Prejudiced against blacks, Gillespie jumps to the conclusion that he has his culprit and attempts to get Tibbs to confess . However, he is embarrassed to learn that Tibbs is a police officer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who happens to make more money in a week than Gillespie does in a month . </P> <P> Gillespie phones Tibbs' chief to confirm the story . The chief informs Gillespie that Tibbs is his top homicide investigator and recommends that Tibbs stay and assist the investigation . Tibbs wants nothing more than to leave as quickly as possible, and Gillespie politely tells the chief that Tibbs' assistance won't be necessary . But as Tibbs prepares to head back to the train station, Gillespie swallows his pride and asks for help . Tibbs relents . </P> <P> Leslie Colbert, the victim's widow, already frustrated by the ineptitude of the local police, is impressed by Tibbs' expertise when he clears another wrongly accused suspect whom Gillespie has arrested on circumstantial evidence . She threatens to stop construction on the much needed factory unless Tibbs leads the investigation . Unwilling to accept help, but under orders from the town's mayor, Gillespie talks a reluctant Tibbs into working on the case . </P> <P> Despite the rocky start to their relationship, the two policemen are compelled to respect each other as they are forced to work together to solve the crime . Tibbs initially suspects wealthy plantation owner Eric Endicott, a racist who publicly opposes the new factory, as its workforce will consist primarily of black people . When Tibbs attempts to interrogate Endicott about Colbert, Endicott slaps him in the face, but Tibbs instantly slaps him back ("the slap heard round the world"), which leads to Endicott sending a gang of hooligans after Tibbs . Gillespie rescues him from the fight and orders him to leave town for his own safety, but Tibbs is convinced he is on the trail of the murderer, and refuses to leave until he has solved the case . </P>

Who played on in the heat of the night