Diary Entry: Sam Wood - Ch 1-8 In the Heat of the Night.

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Diary Entry: Sam Wood

Ch  1-8 In the Heat of the Night

August 17. 1962

Sam Wood here. Its not always easy, my job. Especially tonight. The heat is becoming worse every second and there’s no telling how much longer I could last. As usual, I took my nightly route, and it just so happened that Delores Purdy could be seen in the window. Such a nice girl, it would be so embarrassing to tell her she was quite visible through the window. So instead I drove on. I really am a careful driver, or so I have been  ever since my experience with that little pup sleeping on the road a year or two ago. Anyways as I continued, you wouldn’t believe what I saw! A man, lying there in the middle of the street, barely breathing. I was trained in these situations so I knew what I had to do. I picked up my car phone and dialed for police and ambulance. Soon they would arrive. I felt worried and hoped that the man would be alright. I thought that since this man looked like he was recently hurt, it could have been a hit-and-run accident. I patrolled around, my gun held high, prepared for the slightest movement in which to give me an idea of where our murderer might have ran off to. Then, a Negro appeared to be sitting outside waiting for the subway, I wasn’t going to take any chances on this guy, especially after I retrieved a whole handful of money from his wallet. This had to be our killer, he was the only one awake at a time like this, and besides, he was black.

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I brought him in to my boss, Chief Gillespie. He seemed to be pleased with me, and appeared to have  no mercy for the suspect, except when I showed him the man’s wallet. He was an officer, and officer in Pasadena California. Boy, was I embarrassed. I didn’t like this man, Virgil was his name. It seemed he thought he was too good for us, not even wincing when the Chief barked out demanding things. After out little conversation with officer Virgil, Gillespie told me to keep an eye on him. I wondered how much longer he would be staying ...

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