Virgil's vengeful aunt, Ruda Gibson, is the only eyewitness to a fatal shooting involving Capt. Bubba Skinner and a young black robbery suspect. Bubba insists that he never shot the suspect, but Virgil's Aunt Ruda alleges she didn't see anything but murder. Meanwhile, the Sparta Herald runs a hit piece on this matter in their paper attacking Gillespie's tenure as chief. Bubba asks for Althea's help in talking to Ruda about coming forward about what she witnessed on that fateful night.