Matthew Pogue, Virgil Tibbs' former partner in Philadelphia, arrives in Sparta. Now a private investigator, Matt tries to entice Virgil to work with him in their old mode of "hammer and glove." At the station, FBI agent McGraw asks Chief Gillespie for cooperation in protecting an important witness. At the Tibbs' dinner party, Althea tells Joanne that she had a history with Matt before Virgil came along.