All language subtitles for Columbo S04E05 Playback 1080p AMZN WEB-DL DD+2 0 H 264-playWEB (1)_track3_[eng]

You're incredibly evil,
Margaret.

You want to put your fingers
in your ear? This thing
could make a lot of noise.

I can handle it.

I wish I could say the same.

I think it would be best
if I took over chairmanship
of the company.

You think I would remain
with the company...

in a subservient position
to my wife?

But I don't understand why
you went to all this trouble
to put in this system....

We expected a thief,
not a murderer.

[crickets chirping]

[dog barking]

[glass clinking]

[car approaching]

[Baxter]
Evening, Mr. Van Wyck.

Hello, Baxter,
anything new?

Your brother-in-law
just arrived.

Another family meeting.

[people chattering]

[door closing]

[woman chattering on monitor]

[Elizabeth]
I think he has
a new invention.

He's been
very mysterious recently.

[Margaret]
You've heard that
somewhere?

You just have
no judgment about him.

I'm afraid it's you
who doesn't understand him.

I mean, in business.
I don't know about him
in bed, thank God.

Really, Mother,
that just isn't funny.

Bravo, Margaret...

let out all of
your secret frustrations.
It's good for the soul.

If you still have one.

Hello, darling.Good evening, my love.

You look beautiful. Thank you.

Margaret, dear...

have you done something
to your hair?

No.

Just what I thought.

Arthur, how are you? [Arthur]
Hello, Harold.

[Van Wyck]
I didn't know
you were here.

[Margaret]
Why shouldn't he be here?
This is my house...

he's my son,
he doesn't need a pass
from you.

Is there any special hostility
in the air,
or is it just the usual one?

It's the brandy.

No, it isn't.
It's the time of year,
actually.

I've just seen the profits
for the last quarter.

Under your brilliant
management...

my electronics company
has shown a remarkable drop
in profits.

Did you hear, Margaret,
that we are in a recession?

Does your own newspaper
not inform anymore?

Harold's right, Mother,
the market's taking
a terrible beating.

[Margaret]
The market be damned.

Midas Electronics
has fallen victim...

to your obsessive
preoccupation with gadgetry...

to which this house
is a living monument.

These gadgets,
as you call it...

fulfill a very serious need...

especially for someone...

who is incapable,
like Elizabeth--

Don't you dare
call my daughter incapable.

Come on, Mother.

Look, if this is going to
turn into one of those...

darling group analysis
sessions, I think
I'll go upstairs, okay?

And I'll bring you up.

No. No, you stay, Harold.
Stay please.

Oh, Ma.

It's just business,
darling, just business.

Harold, I asked you to stay.

Please stay a few minutes,
I'll see you upstairs.

Night, everyone. [Margaret]
Good night, dear.

[Arthur]
Good night.

Good night, Harold.

Good night.

Tomorrow,
if you have some time...

I'd like to discuss the photos
for the new brochure.

Maybe we could
spitball it
for an hour or so.

Yeah, maybe make it
after lunch.

[Margaret]
Good night, Arthur.

Good night, Mother.

Good night, Harold. Good night.

Would you
close the door, please?

I don't want what we say
picked up...

on one of those ridiculous
candid cameras of yours.

It won't pick up in here...

they're a security measure,
not a spy system.

But if it makes you happy.

[clicking]

[door closing]

Sit down, Harold.

Thank you.

I thought for a moment
I ought to kneel.

You can stand on your head,
dear boy...

whatever position
braces you best for a shock.

Oh...

another lecture, thank you.

[Margaret]
You'll recall,
I'm sure...

a conversation we had
a few weeks ago
in this very room.

I think I made it
quite clear...

that Midas Electronics
would have to show a profit...

or it would get
another president.
You do recall that, don't you?

Of course, madam.

Very well. I'm putting Arthur
in your place...

effective immediately.

I'll accept your resignation
the first thing
in the morning.

Arthur?

Arthur, who can't find his way
to the commissary
without a written order.

Arthur won't fritter away
hundreds of thousands
of dollars...

on idiotic systems,
and inventions.

My assets
are not unlimited, Harold.

I don't intend to go bankrupt,
supporting your idle dreams.

Elizabeth knows about this?

No, not this time, Harold.

Don't throw my daughter at me,
it won't work.

You see...

I've retained
a private detective
to observe your activities...

these past few weeks.

He's come up with
some very interesting data
on several women...

notably one in Malibu,
and another in Beverly Hills.

Your comings and goings
are all
very carefully documented.

Need I go on?

You're incredibly evil,
Margaret.

Don't delude yourself.

If it weren't for
my daughter's
blind devotion to you...

I'd give you nothing.

Your resignation
by breakfast.

Don't disappoint me.

[crickets chirping]

♪[Chopin playing]

What are you doing?

Well, I made a test
on that special tape.

Little homework.

I was afraid
you were still dueling
with Mother.

No, actually, we had
a nice talk.
Come, let's go up.

[Elizabeth]
I'm afraid she can be
impossible sometimes...

especially when
she's been at the brandy.

She's jealous
that you're not
her little baby anymore.

I'm afraid I'm nobody's
little baby anymore. Yes, you're my baby.

Francine is opening
a new exhibition tonight.

I promised to come,
I won't be late.

Good, I'll go with you.

No, it's much too crowded,
and all these...

gossiping people.

I will look,
if I find something for us,
we go there tomorrow...

during daytime.

And afterwards...

I'm going to invite you
for lunch at the beach.

It's a deal.

I love you.

Huh?

I love you.

How can I go
if you say you love me?

[Elizabeth]
Don't go.

[Van Wyck]
But I have to.

[claps]

[door opening]

[clicking]

[clicking]

[music stops]

[thudding]

[thudding]

[telephone buzzing]

Yes?

[panting]

You just caught me
on my way out.

No, I didn't hear anything.

[yawning]
I don't know, I just was...

I was just sleeping
and then I thought
I heard something.

You were probably dreaming.

She's in the sitting room...

with Chopin and her brandy.

Okay...

I'll see you later.

[kissing]

Won't be late.

[door closing]

Baxter...

you can reach me
under this number.

Okay?

9:13, I'm late already.

[woman]
Thank you, go right ahead.

[people chattering]

Good evening, sir.

Good evening.

You're new here.

Marcy Hubbard. Hello, Marcy.

Oh, Mr. Van Wyck.

Francine's been
looking for you.I'm a little late.

9:28.

That's super.

You like it?Mmm.

I designed it.
Midastar it's called.

Harold, darling. Oh, hello, dear.

I'm so glad
you could come.
No Elizabeth?

She's a little bit tired,
maybe tomorrow.

Looks more like
a cocktail party
than an art showing.

[chuckling]
Well, it's both.
Come on inside.

The champagne is free,
everything else
you're going to pay for.

[Van Wyck]
Nice, new young girl
you've got.

[crashing]

[gun firing]

Grant Galleries.

What?

Oh! Just a moment.

[people chattering]

Can I see
some identification,
please?

Don't get too close,
you'll get my cold.

Okay, Lieutenant.
Straight ahead.

Thank you very much.

All right, hold it.

Was she dead
when you got here? Yeah, very.

[blowing nose]

[men chattering]

Lieutenant, we found
the point of entry.

Want to take a look?
It's in the back.

You see, he jumped
the burglar alarm wire...

and on the left
the pane is removed.

[dog barking]

[sneezing]

You're getting a cold.

You want to see something?
Watch this.

[door closing]

They got a bunch of
these trick doors
all over the place.

Nice.

You sure got a break
in this one, Lieutenant.

What do you mean "break"?

Well, I mean
TV cameras, monitors.

What about them?

They got a bunch of
TV cameras.

This whole house
is rigged up with
closed circuit television.

They got a bunch of
those monitors down
at the gatehouse.

Want to know something?
The guard
saw the whole thing.

No kidding.
The whole thing? That's what I hear.

What time was that?

9:30.

How do you open this?

[door opening]

Excuse me,
Mrs. Van Wyck...

I'm Lieutenant Columbo.
I'm with the LAPD.

I'm terribly sorry
for your loss.

Thank you.

I know it's
a difficult time for you...

I'd like to ask
one or two questions,
unless you'd rather wait.

I'm sorry,
I don't know anything.

I'd like to go
to my room, please.

May I help?

Yes, thank you.

Where were you
when it happened?

In my room.

Where is that?

It's upstairs,
on the other side
of the house.

Are there any other members
of the family,
except your husband?

Just Arthur.

Arthur's my brother,
he was here earlier
this evening.

But he left.

We haven't been able
to get in touch with him yet.

No servants?

No, just Martha, our cook.

She left after dinner,
she doesn't live in.

How did you find out
how it happened?

Well, I was sleeping...

and the security guard
came in...

and he told me.

So, you didn't
hear anything
like a shot?

No.

Why?

Why did he
have to kill her?

He could have just run away,
why did he have to do that?

I know.

[Van Wyck]
I'm only guessing...

but it seems to me
that the prowler came in
this way...

and he knocked over
the flower pots...

and when Mother came in...

he was hiding
in the shadows...

and when she saw him,
he shot her.

[Columbo sneezing]

What's going on
back there?

Who are you?

Lieutenant Columbo, sir,
Homicide.

Excuse me,
I was just checking out
the window.

Oh, yes,
I'm Harold Van Wyck.

I've got a cold, sir,
I don't want to get
too close.

Forgive me
for not shaking hands.

Mister.... Van Wyck.

[Columbo]
It's a pleasure to meet you.

Forgive me.

You were talking
to the officer,
I don't want to interrupt.

Are you finished? Yes.

If you are, I'd like to
ask a few questions.

I know it's a difficult time
for you.

All times are difficult,
Lieutenant...

but I shall answer
as good as I can.

What I wanted to
ask you, sir, is....

You know, you got
some place here.

I noticed electronic locks
on the door and
a closed circuit television.

I've never seen
a house like it.

And the way
the doors open and close....

It's also
a very beautiful home.

Oh, yes, I'm confused
about one thing.

Just now you were describing
to the officer
what happened...

but a few moments ago,
when I spoke to your wife...

she said she was home alone
in the house.

Yes, this is correct,
she was alone.

Then this stuff
about the flower pot.

It was only guessing, I mean,
it seemed to me obvious...

but, of course,
I can be wrong.

No, sir,
that's a very good theory,
that's the way it looks.

So you went out?
What time was that, sir?

9:13, I went to an art gallery
in Beverly Hills.

9:13.

Thirteen, sir, not 9:15, or-- [Van Wyck]
No, no, no.

I know it sounds odd,
Lieutenant, but I have
this special watch...

you see, it brings out
the numbers.

I looked at it
to see if I was late.

It's funny
how you'll remember time
when you see it printed.

You know, I've seen
those watches advertised.

Do you?

Oh, that is some watch. Yeah, but my company's
making it.

I designed it.
It's called Midastar.Remarkable.

So, according to that watch,
you left at 9:13.

That's correct.
You can check
with my gate man.

No, that's not necessary,
sir, no.

You know, Mr. Van Wyck,
that theory of yours
is very interesting.

Now, according to you...

the person who did it was
standing, where did you say,
right over there?

Yes, because otherwise...

I would have him
on the videotape.

[Columbo]
Tape?

What do you mean?

Let me explain to you.

This is the place
we have the safe, in here.

Now, let's explain the tape.

We have three sensors
in the room.

They respond to light, sound,
and the warmth
of the human body.

When the system is turned on,
and a person
enters the room...

it activates
a videotape machine.

The person can be seen
on the monitor
by the guard...

and we also have the person
on tape, may I show you?

I'll be a son of a gun.

Excuse me, after you.

[machines whirring]

The first thing I did
when I came home tonight
was...

to check the tape,
if we have a picture
of the killer.

Unfortunately,
he walked far enough
into the room.

You mean to say,
you have this terrific system,
but it didn't work?

No, the camera
just doesn't cover
the whole room.

But I show you.

[clicks]

That's where he came in.

Where? I mean,
I don't see anything.

No, he must have come in,
he activated the tape.

Now the flowers.

There she is.
Here she comes. Here.

Now she sees him.

[gun firing] And he shoots.

That's fantastic,
absolutely fantastic.

But I don't understand,
Mr. Van Wyck,
where did he come in?

I assume the rear door
in the study.

So, he came in that door...

and walked down here...

presses against
the pedestal...

he's not on the camera.

Of all the dumb luck.

Pardon me.

Three feet, sir.

If he'd come another
three feet into the room...

we'd had a perfect picture
of him.

Do you think he knew
where the camera was?

I doubt it.

I think when he...

knocked over the pedestal,
he just froze.

Hmm.

Would you do me a favor, sir? Of course.

May I take that videotape
down to headquarters?

Now, I know it really
doesn't tell us anything...

but as soon as they hear
about this down there...

they're going to
want to see it.

Of course, Lieutenant,
I'll just rewind it for you.

You have a machine down there
at your headquarters?

Oh, yeah, we must have.

It's not my department,
you understand...

but we're a very modern
police force,
generally speaking.

You can use my equipment,
any time you like, Lieutenant.

May I go up to
my wife now, please?

Oh, certainly, sir.

I'm sorry,
I should have been
thinking about that.

Yes, you go right ahead.

And as a matter of fact,
I'll be able to clear out
these people very shortly.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Mr. Baxter?Yes, sir.

I want to double-check
a few things with you.

You saw the murder scene
on the television screen
in there?

[Baxter]
That's right.

[Columbo]
What time was that?

That's about 9:30,
more or less.

Right.

Mr. Van Wyck, he says
he left around 9:13.

That's about right.

[sneezes]

Cold is killing me.

"Grant Galleries."

Is that where you contacted
Mr. Van Wyck?

Yeah, that's where he was,
that's where I called him.

Does he usually leave word
when he goes out?

Most of the time, yes.

Strange place to leave it.

Do you have a log?

Right on the wall
behind you.

I notice yesterday,
he went to his office
at 3:00...

and you entered it here.
How come tonight
you entered it here?

Well, I didn't write it,
Lieutenant, you see, he did...

said he was in
some kind of a hurry...

so he handed me the magazine,
said if I needed him,
that's where he'd be.

So, ordinarily,
he'd pull up in a car, and
tell you where he's going...

and you would come in here,
and you'd record it
on the log...

but tonight he wrote it
on the magazine
and in advance.

I've got this funny habit.

You know, when a person
does something one way...

and he suddenly does something
another way,
I immediately think.

I'm sure
it doesn't mean anything.

[doorbell chiming]

It's you, Lieutenant.
I thought you left.

I'm sorry, sir, I did.

But then I realized,
I forgot to ask...

what may be
the most important question
of all.

This prowler,
did he take anything?

No, nothing.

Nothing?Nothing at all.

Hmm.

All that work to get in here,
you think he'd try
and take something.

Well, after he fired
the gun...

he got panicked.

Yes, that makes sense.

Yeah, a man like this,
there's no telling
how his mind might work.

Thank you very much.

Just one more thing, sir.

I was thinking...

in banks,
they always have two cameras
to cover any area.

No offense,
but I don't understand...

why you went
to all this trouble
to put in this system...

but you only put in
one camera, leaving
part of the room uncovered.

We only wanted
to cover the safe.

We expected a thief,
not a murderer.

Of course.

Yes, I see your point.

Sorry to have
disturbed you, sir. Good night.

[birds chirping]

All right, now listen to me...

this is only going to take
10 minutes, you hear me?

So I want you
to keep your trap shut...

and I want you
to behave yourself.

All right.

[dog barking]

Hey, never mind that,
there's people
sleeping here...

and you are going to
wake them up.
Now knock that off.

[dog whining]

Now you are going to
have to be quiet.

If you are not quiet...

when I take you to the vet's,
I am going to
leave you there.

Now lie down, go ahead.

No, lie down.
That's right, lie down.

Attaboy.
Now you just stay there.

[dog barking]

[dog whining]

[dog barking]

Good morning,
Mr. Van Wyck. Morning.

Excuse me, I'm just
looking around.
I hope you don't mind.

That's all right.

You know
what this stuff is?

What?

This black stuff that
they sprinkle on the soil.No.

It's mulch. Pardon me.

Mulch.Oh, I didn't know that.

Keeps the moisture
in the soil.

Have you found anything,
Lieutenant?

No, I....

I was just checking
on something
in the police report.

Excuse me.

My dog, he didn't bother you
or anything like that, did he?

[chuckling]
Your dog? Oh, no.

Because once he starts
barking, you know,
he never shuts up.

You said something
about a police report?

It says here...

"Prowler apparently entered
the premises by cutting
the pane in the window."

That window.Mmm-hmm.

And it says, "The prowler
apparently exited the premises
by the same window."

That's the way they talk,
you know.

Prowlers don't go in and out,
they exit and enter premises.

And, apparently,
that's what he did.

Yeah, sir.
But it hit me that...

after he shot
your mother-in-law,
he must've been in a hurry...

and he would've
jumped out of the window.

But if he jumped,
he would've left deep prints
where his foot landed.

And did he?There's not a sign of them.

His footsteps
left impressions...

I mean, you can see
where he went in...

you can see
where he came out...

but they're all
the same depth.

I mean, the ones
immediately
under the window...

are no deeper
than the ones further away.

Nothing to indicate
that he jumped.

Maybe, he eased himself out
to avoid any noise.

That's a thought, sir.

Well, I'll just continue
looking around
if you don't mind.

Be my guest.

[birds chirping]

[Columbo]
Wait a minute,
Mr. Van Wyck.

That's impossible.

What is impossible?

This mulch and soil
sticks to your shoes.

If that prowler
went through the window...

he'd have this stuff
on his feet...

and there'd be mulch
on the floor inside.

But this report
doesn't say anything
about it.

I don't understand
how those guys could
overlook a thing like this.

You don't mind
if we just take
a quick look inside?

[dog barking]Not at all. Come.

Why don't you let your dog
run around a bit?

No sense cooping him up.

I don't want him
to get into anything.

No, but the property
is fenced in.
Nothing can happen.

Oh, thank you, sir.
He'd like that.

I'm sure
he won't be a bother.

All right, come on,
you're gonna run around now.

Go run around.

Wonderful. Why don't you
do that at home?

[whining]

At home
he's always chasing
the neighbor's cats.

I'm afraid
there are no cats
around here, Lieutenant.

Oh, would you mind...

doing something
about your shoes?

My wife
is a little bit fussy
with her carpets.

Here it is.

Has the maid come in? No. Not yet. No.

So this hasn't been cleaned? No.

I don't understand.

There's nothing here.

How can a man walk through
seven feet of soil
covered in mulch...

climb through the window
and not leave any traces?

Maybe he took his shoes off.

Stupid, huh?

Thank you. You're very welcome.

I'm embarrassed.Not at all.

[chuckling]

[Columbo]
One more thing...

this place
where you were
last night....

Grant Galleries. Grant Galleries.

I checked with the guard,
Baxter, and he told me...

that he got you there
a short time after
the body was discovered.

But he wasn't sure
of the time.

It was 9:42 exactly.

You checked your watch.

Force of habit.
I'm a meticulous man,
Lieutenant.

Thank you,
you've been very helpful.Not at all.

Hey, what a good puppy
you are.
What a fine fellow.

Whose doggy are you, huh?
Who takes care of you?

Good morning, Lieutenant. Mrs. Van Wyck.

This your dog?

Yes, ma'am,
I'm afraid it is.

He's always
jumping up on people.
I'm sorry.

Don't apologize,
he's adorable.

I wish you wouldn't say that
in front of him.
He's conceited already.

All right, come on.
Go play. Come on.

Go find a cat.

I hope he didn't hurt you.

You don't have to be afraid
that I'll break into pieces,
Lieutenant.

Everyone always thinks
they have to
tiptoe around me.

[Columbo]
Oh. Yeah.

You're right.
That's just stupid. Sorry.

That's all right.

[sneezing]Bless you.

Boy, I thought
I got rid of this thing.

Have you tried
that honey and lemon?

Does that work?

I don't know.
It's what everyone
always suggests.

Would your wife
like a few flowers?

That's very nice of you,
ma'am. Thank you.
Yeah, she loves flowers.

Let me ask you...

I know last night you said
you didn't hear the shot.

Did you notice
anything unusual?

No, I'm sorry, I didn't.

What did you do exactly,
say from 8:00 on?

Nothing. I....
I just went up to bed.

My husband took me upstairs
and he kissed me good night
and he left.

He had to go that showing
at the art gallery, you know.

I took a sleeping pill,
just a little one...

and I started to read.

I guess I dozed off.

And that was the last thing
you remember?

Yes. Oh...

I did wake up once.
I thought I heard a sound.

But I was just dreaming.

Now what makes you think
you were just dreaming?

Well, I called
my mother's room...

she didn't answer
so I called down
to the study...

and Harold was still home.

He told me that...

my mother
was in the sitting room
listening to some Chopin.

She used to do that
quite a lot.

Anyway...

since neither of them
heard it,
I just went back to sleep.

About what time was that?

I looked at the clock
when I woke up...

it was just about 9:00.

You remember what it was
you were dreaming?

No, I don't.

I remember it was a bad dream.

I was very relieved
to wake up...

to see everything
right in its normal place.

I mean, my dressing gown
on the bed...

the clown in the chair,
but nothing else.

Would you mind
if we went upstairs...

and we took a look
at the bedroom?

Oh, yes. Certainly.

[sighing]

Marcy... Huh?

...have you been smoking
something awful?

We have a customer
with a cigar.

Well, you...

finish your coffee.

Good morning, sir. Morning.

May I show you something?

Could you explain this?

Well...

you see, we don't explain art,
I mean, that's just sort of
something you feel.

You see,
you look at a picture
or a piece of sculpture...

and that either does
something for you
or it doesn't, you know.

Uh-huh.

This doesn't
do anything for me.

It's too bad.

"Intensity"? Mmm-hmm.

That's the title.

I see.

Well, it's all subjective,
you know.

How much is it? Seven.

Hundred. Dollars.

$700?

You see, this is
one of our newer artists.

We believe that
if you buy his work today...

it'd be just like
investing in a van Gogh
in the 1880s.

What does this go for?

That particular piece,
somebody will pay
$1,200 for.

$1,200? Mmm-hmm.

What's this called?

"Esprit d'un chien mort."Mmm-hmm.

That means
ghost of a dead dog.

And that's the dead dog. Mmm-hmm.

Uh-huh.

Well, in the
right setting... I see.

...that will be
very effective.

And this is....

This is
"The Parking Lot." Mmm-hmm.

$4,700.

$4,700? That's right.

[sighs]

That's for the house, huh?No.

Well, yes.
It's a very unique piece
as you can see.

Of course, we have others
that are more reasonable.

I see.

Now, this here...

I see it doesn't
have a title.

That?Yes.

That, sir, is the ventilator
for the air conditioning.

That's the ventilator? Yeah.

Oh.

I'm embarrassed. Oh, no.

You won't tell anybody.Of course not.

You know, I think that
you would appreciate
the more traditional things.

If you would come with me,
we have some
beautiful landscapes upstairs.

If you'd like to come-- Well, I'll tell you
the truth about that, ma'am.

I've got plenty of landscapes.
Thank you very much.

You see, my wife,
she paints a little.

Does she?

Yeah. She buys those canvases
with the numbers on them.

You seen them around?

Yeah, you fill in the spaces
with the paints that have
the corresponding numbers.

They turn out pretty good.

[telephone ringing]

Yes.

Francine.

Would you excuse me
for just one minute, please.

It's Everett for you. Thank you, Marcy.

Hello? Ma'am, I'm Lieutenant Columbo.
I'm from the police.

The police? Yes.

Just one minute,
please.

Everett, look,
why don't you
just order four orders...

of Moo Goo Guy Pan?
That'll be enough.

I thought I could
pick up something for
our foyer while I was here.

[Francine]
No, well, dear,
that'll be all right.

Look, I'll have to
call you back, okay?But the prices.

Thank you.

What can I do for you, sir?

I'm investigating
the murder of Margaret Midas.

Oh.

I see.

[Columbo]
Terrible thing.

[Francine]
Awful, yes.

You know, a man goes out
of the house two hours...

somebody breaks in
and commits a murder.

[Francine]
Exactly.

Mr. Van Wyck, he said
he was here when it happened.

Oh, yes, he was.
Of course.

[Columbo]
I'm just checking.

You see, we have to
check everything out. Of course.

What time was that?
Do you know?

Well, I'm not sure exactly,
but--

[Marcy]
It was 9:28.

I met him when he came in,
Lieutenant.

9:28. [Marcy]
Mmm-hmm.

You're pretty sure
about that time?

I'm positive.

He had a super watch
that printed the time
in red letters.

He showed it to me.

You know him by sight.
Is he a friend?

No, I knew him by his name
on his special invitation.

Here it is.

Now, Lieutenant,
if you're thinking...

that maybe somebody
used his invitation.
You're wrong.

You see, I've known him
for over a year
and it was Harold Van Wyck.

He was here all the time. Absolutely, all the time.

Yes. Until the phone call came
about the murder.

[sneezes]

God bless you.

Well, thank you very much,
both of you.
You've been a big help.

Fine.

You can tell her.

[laughing] I looked at the ventilator,
I thought it was a painting.

Well, we'll sell that, too,
of course.

Thank you very much. Anytime, Lieutenant.

[sighing]

then I realized
I need your proxy.

Why don't I just go
to the meeting with you?

But you know
how boring they are. I know but....

I've been doing
a lot of thinking.

Bravo.

I think it would be best
if I took over chairmanship
of the company.

Just for a while.

Do you think I would remain
with the company...

in a subservient position
to my wife.

No. Not subservient.

Elizabeth,
you don't understand anything
about business.

The jackals rip you apart.

Here you're safe,
in the house I built for you.

Oh, Harold, I love you.

And I know
that you love me...

but I can't stay locked up
here in this house
the rest of my life.

Surely you can
understand that.

[doorbell chiming]

Are you expecting someone?

No.

No further discussions.

I need these papers signed
by tomorrow morning.

I know you will not
disappoint me.

[doorbell chiming]

Mr. Van Wyck,
I'm sorry to disturb you...

but your wife said
it was all right
to come back anytime.

Any progress, Lieutenant?

Well, we're inching along.
Look, you know
these things take time.

Can we come in? Of course, come in.

Good evening,
Mrs. Van Wyck.

[Elizabeth]
Good evening.

I hope you don't mind us
barging in like this.

Oh, no.
Of course not.

This is Officer Banks,
he's come to assist me.

Officer, why don't you
put the box right down there.

I was thinking, ma'am, about
what you said this morning.

That you woke up last night
because you thought
you heard a noise.

Yes.

[Van Wyck]
What is this?

That's an experiment, sir.
A test.

I'm afraid I'm gonna need
your assistance.
I hope you don't mind?

Certainly, I'd be happy
to help. But what
would you like me to do?

I'd like you to go upstairs
to your bedroom
and after the test...

tell us what you saw
and what you heard.

We're going to remain
down here.

Buzz us on the telephone
when you're ready.

All right.

I'll bring you up. No, I can do it.

What are you trying to prove,
Lieutenant?

Why are you putting my wife
through all these things?

I'm terrible sorry, sir.
But I just have to
start somewhere on this thing.

[stuttering]
You see, I can't seem
to get a handle on it.

May I have the gun?

Is this loaded? [Banks]
It's loaded, Lieutenant.

Is the safety catch
on or off? On.

Would you take it off?

I hate guns.

[safety clicks]

Would you go up
on the stairs and watch?

Am I...

to assume that
you're going to shoot the gun
in the sandbox?

Yes, sir. But you don't
have to worry about the bullet
going through to the floor.

I've tried this before.

[Van Wyck]
Why don't you use
a blank cartridge?

Wouldn't sound the same.
It never does.

All set out there?

All set.

[telephone buzzing]

All right, Mrs. Van Wyck,
thank you.

You want to put your fingers
in your ears? This thing
could make a lot of noise.

I can handle it.

I wish I could say the same.

Officer?

Yes?

Would you ask Mrs. Van Wyck
what she saw
and what she heard?

Mrs. Van Wyck, did you see
or hear anything?

[Elizabeth]
It wasn't very loud...

but I heard it. And the door
to my room opened.

[Banks]
She said it wasn't very loud
but she heard it.

And her door opened.

What are you looking for,
Lieutenant?

What are you going to prove?
Maybe I can help you.

I wanted to know
if you fired the gun here
in the study...

whether the noise
would open the door
to the bedroom.

Yeah, you wouldn't have needed
this foolish experiment.

I could've told you.
You only need to ask.

Well I really wanted to
see for myself.

[Van Wyck]
You saw it.
What's your point?

Well, you know,
that the other night...

the night of the murder,
your wife heard something?

And she didn't know
what it was.

So she called her mother,
who didn't answer...

so then she buzzed the study
and she spoke to you.

That's exactly true.

It was just before
I went to the art show.

And that was around 9:13?

[Van Wyck]
Yes.

That's a very
big problem, sir.

You have to help me,
Lieutenant.

I fail to see
where the problem is.

But, Mr. Baxter,
your security guard,
he said...

that the shooting occurred
around 9:30,
give or take a moment.

But if the noise
that your wife heard
was a gunshot...

that means the shooting
took place before 9:13.

How can my wife say
that it was a gunshot?

What are you talking about,
Lieutenant?

If it would have been
a gunshot, I would
know myself. I was here.

And I assure you,
I heard nothing.

And, as a matter of fact...

she's not sure
if she heard anything either.

She thought
maybe she was dreaming.

She wasn't dreaming, sir,
that's for certain.

Would you come upstairs
with me for a moment?

It had to be a noise.

I mean,
that's the only thing
that would explain it.

Otherwise why would
her door open?

You see,
that's my problem, sir.

What caused
the door to open?
There had to be a noise.

She didn't tell me
the door opened.

She didn't? No.

She didn't tell me either.

What's going on?

I would like to continue this
a step further,
if you don't mind.

Yes, certainly.
Come in.

Last night,
when you thought
you heard a noise...

did the door open?

[Elizabeth]
I wasn't aware of it.

According to your statement,
ma'am, you were lying
in your bed, reading.

Is that correct? Yes, that's right.

Would you turn out
the lights, please?

[Columbo]
Now, as far as you remember...

you were lying on
the right side of your bed...

and you had your book
in your right hand...

and your head
was against the pillow.

And you were facing
your night table.

And you had
your reading lamp on.

That's what
I remember.

I think you'll both
get a better idea
of what I'm talking about...

if you'll position yourselves
in this area.

[wheelchair creaking]

Now, according to
your statement, ma'am...

you then dozed off.

Then you thought
you heard something...

and you sat up.

You thought, "Well, maybe
I'm just dreaming."

And then you said
that you saw your bathrobe
at the foot of the bed...

and you saw the toy clown
in the chair and you remember
having the thought...

"Well, at least
I'm awake now."

And then
you turned to the phone
to call your mother.

Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct.

Where was
your bathrobe, ma'am?
Was it right about there?

Just in here.

Yes, you would've
seen that very clearly.

The problem is, how could
you see the toy clown
in the chair?

That part of the room
is dark.

[clapping]

There is no question
in my mind
that the door was open.

What difference
would it make?

What we're trying
to determine, ma'am, is
whether you were dreaming...

or whether you
really heard something.

The Lieutenant is saying...

there must've been a noise
otherwise the door wouldn't
have opened. Am I correct?

That is exactly right.

[Van Wyck]
I assume, according to
the little experiment...

you made before, you believe
it must've been a gunshot.

That is a possibility.

I only can repeat myself,
Lieutenant...

I still was in the house
at this time.

If it would've been
a gunshot,
I could've heard it.

That's true.

Well, you must've
heard something.

I mean, there had to be
a noise otherwise
the door would not open.

Elizabeth, you remember...

last month, when the Freemans
came over to spend the weekend
with us...

the problem we had
with the rear door?

[Elizabeth]
Yes.

Closing and opening
the whole time.

That's right.

Our back door
kept just popping open
for no apparent reason.

[Van Wyck]
You know, Lieutenant...

my system is very elaborate
and very sensitive.

The more complex a system is,
the more it is exposed...

to malfunctions.

We have to accept
these little problems
from time to time.

I'm afraid, Lieutenant...

the little parlor trick
proved absolutely nothing.

[male announcer chattering
on TV]

Come on, baby, come on.

Come on.

[men chattering]

Hey, is there any ketchup?

On the corner. No, this is empty.

Give me a minute.

Kazmier's got
good protection.

He gets it away,
high and deep.

Lucas is calling for
a fair catch.

[crowd cheering] He fumbles it.

Picked up by number 43,
Jefferson.

He's going to get caught
from behind.

Hold everything.
There's a flag
down on the 42-yard line.

They're going to
bring it back.

Let's play it back
from another angle.

Here's the replay.
Watch Lucas with his arm up,
and watch the feet.

It looks like 65, Romano,
interfered with Lucas.

Well, it looks from here
as if Lucas
never touched the ball.

Yeah, that's what
they're saying.

And that'll be 15 yards
for tripping.

And that's a real break
for the Cougars.

[machines humming]

I appreciate this.
I know how busy you are.

Look, I'm afraid
I'm not much of an expert
on tapes.

If you need
any technical answers
just ask Thompson.

Yes, sir.

[Arthur]
Thompson?

Lieutenant Columbo.
The tapes that I sent down
are his.

How do you do, Lieutenant?

Lieutenant, what are
we gonna be looking at?

This maybe difficult for you.

This was recorded
the night of the murder.

It shows
the death of your mother
and the arrival of...

the security guard
after the shooting.

Mr. Thompson, I assume
that you cut the tape
in the place that I marked it.

Yes, I did. The arrival
of the security guard...

would be on
the right monitor...

and the shooting would be
on your left monitor.

Would you start them up,
please?

[machine whirring]

Now the one on the right
is after the murder.

That's when
the security guard came in
and discovered the body.

See, his presence in the room
activated the tape...

that's when
it started up again.

Freeze that.

Freeze this.

Excuse me.

[Arthur]
Lieutenant, exactly what
are you looking for?

I don't know.
A clock on the wall,
a watch, a shadow.

Something that would
definitely establish
the exact time of the murder.

Well...

Baxter said it was 9:30...

he saw the whole thing.
He was an eyewitness.

Not exactly. He saw it
on a monitor, he wasn't
actually in the room.

What do you see?

I'm not sure.

Let me ask you something.

Can you zoom in close
like they do
in the football games?

Can you do that on this tape?

[Thompson]
Oh, sure. That's no problem.

What do you see?

I'm not sure.

I'm not sure.

I'll call you as soon as
the meeting is over.

What kind of a face
is this again?

You know I'm only concerned
what is good for you.

You went through a nightmare,
I know.

We need each other
even more than ever before.

Thank God you went to
the gallery that night.

What do you mean?

If you'd been here
I might have lost you both.

I think I have to go now.

Good afternoon,
Mr. Van Wyck.

What is it?
A new experiment?

[Columbo]
I'm sorry to bother you
again so soon.

Perhaps it's more convenient
for you, Lieutenant...

if you just move in
one of our guest rooms.

I'm a nuisance, I know,
but I do have a problem,
I need your help.

It won't take long.
It's about these tapes.

What about it?

I wonder if you can
run them for me.

I'm sure
you can explain this...

it's a technical question.

This is the last time.

I promise
it will not happen again.

All right, Lieutenant.

I'll take your word for it.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Van Wyck.Hello.

This is Officer Bronson.

How do you do? How do you do?

I think it's better
if you remain out here.

Two tapes?

Yes.What is it?

One is the arrival
of the security guard...

and the other
is the shooting
of your mother-in-law.

You mean
the tape I gave you,
you cut?

Yes, sir.
Would you play them?

Which first? Both at the same time.

You know, I don't know much
about these things.

Is it possible
to take that tape...

and play it into
the closed TV system here...

so that it could be seen
by Baxter on the monitor
in the gatehouse?

Everything is possible
with this equipment.

That's what
Mr. Thompson said.

I just wanted to
confirm it.

Ready. Good.

You can start.

[machine humming]

Freeze that.

Freeze this.

You know, sir, I checked
your alibi with Baxter
and the Grant Galleries...

and for a while there
I accepted your story.

Then I happened to be
watching a football game
on TV...

and they did one of
those tape replays.

That's when it hit me.

What are you talking about?

You've fed a videotape
of the study with no one in it
down to the gatehouse...

an empty room.

While it was playing,
you shot your mother-in-law.

Then you set the machine
to feed the murder tape...

this tape here, into
the closed circuit system...

so that Baxter would see it
after you arrived
at the art show.

All you required
was an automatic timer...

to start the tape
at the right time.

This is amusing theory,
Lieutenant...

but just a theory.

I wouldn't say it
if I couldn't prove it.

You see that? What?

Compare this spot...

with this spot.
Do you see the difference?

No.

You're right,
it's hard to see.
I almost missed it myself.

But if you look
very carefully...

you'll see that this spot
on this monitor...

is lighter in color
than this spot
on this monitor.

And that's what
caught my eye.

And I thought, at first,
it might be a reflection.

But I had to be sure.

Advance button.

Do you see it now?

What?

You still
don't recognize it?No.

Well, then, let's make it
very close.

Harold...

that's your invitation
to the art gallery.

That's what it is.
You can even see your name
written on it.

It's your invitation.

I went back and got this
from the Grant Galleries.

This...

is this.

This is what you presented
at the art show
the night of the murder.

The problem is, it was
on the desk immediately
after the shooting.

How did it get
to the art gallery?

By your own testimony,
you took it there.

But in order to
get it off the desk...

you practically
had to step over the body.

That woman was shot
before you left the house.

And you shot her.

This is insane.

[stuttering]
This is absolutely insane.

Elizabeth...

tell the Lieutenant
before I left the house...

I saw your mother coming up
to the room
to wish you good night.

Tell him.

I saw her, I saw her alive
before I left.

Tell him, Elizabeth!

No.

Officer.

[Van Wyck]
This won't be necessary.

[Van Wyck claps]

[door closing]