▁makes ▁the ▁connection ▁between ▁the ▁disapp earance ▁of ▁But ts ▁and ▁the ▁long - un sol ved ▁mur ders . ▁ ▁Running ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁the ▁contin ual ▁investigation ▁is ▁that ▁of ▁Chief ▁Lee ' s ▁son , ▁Billy . ▁ ▁A ▁young ▁boy ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁father ' s ▁death , ▁Billy ▁Lee ▁comes ▁home ▁from ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁an ▁officer ▁and ▁war ▁hero . ▁ ▁He ▁becomes ▁a ▁lawyer ▁and , ▁bold ly ▁for ▁the ▁time ▁and ▁place , ▁a ▁liberal . ▁ ▁He ▁enters ▁politics ▁and ▁becomes ▁first ▁a ▁state ▁sen ator , ▁then ▁lieutenant ▁governor , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁talk ▁of ▁his ▁elev ation ▁to ▁national ▁office . ▁Ar ound ▁that ▁time , ▁Ty ler ▁W att s , ▁a ▁retired , ▁decor ated ▁military ▁officer ▁and ▁experienced ▁criminal ▁investig ator , ▁takes ▁the ▁bold ▁step ▁for ▁a ▁black ▁man ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁of ▁applying ▁for ▁the ▁vac ant ▁position ▁of ▁police ▁chief ▁in ▁a ▁southern ▁town . ▁With ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Billy ▁Lee ▁and ▁Mayor ▁Hol mes , ▁W att s ▁is ▁appointed ▁police ▁chief ▁of ▁Del ano , ▁however ▁much ▁to ▁the ▁silent ▁disapp ro val ▁of ▁the ▁all - white ▁council ▁whose ▁members ▁were ▁not ▁initially ▁aware ▁of ▁W att s ' s ▁eth nic ▁background ▁when ▁Billy ▁Lee ▁read ▁out ▁W att s ' s ▁rés um é ▁to ▁them . ▁In ▁these ▁respect s , ▁Chief ▁Lee ' s ▁son , ▁Billy , ▁is ▁acting ▁in ▁a