All language subtitles for 1 - Columbo Goes To College-eng

Yo, dude.
Hey, dude. Hi.

Hey, man.

Hey, man.

Man.

Cooper, my hero!
Phillips in straight sets?

With the sun in my eyes
and a ding in my racket.

My man!

Mighty Coop! Major party coming up.
Black tie and shorts.

Give a guy time to wax his legs,
will you?

Nice car, Coop.

Did you get it?
Boy, you're ugly on television.

Never mind that.
Come on, did you get it?

All right!

Where would I be without you?

You kidding?
You'd still have to study.

I'll break it. I'm gonna break it
right now. Right now! Get off!

Cooper!

Cooper.

Cooper!

Something wrong, Dad?

Trish Mir's father just called me.
He's threatening to sue!

You know, Dad, getting that abortion
was Trish's idea, not mine.

While you were doing what, Cooper?
Encouraging her to have your baby?

Maybe not. But we'd have worked it out, Dad.
Others have. You know, we could've been the first.

The first?! This is the third girl
in the past 18 months.

For God's sake, man, you're almost 22 years old!
When are you gonna start behaving responsibly?

How long do you expect me
to keep bailing you out?!

Dad, it takes two to...
Get it together, Cooper!

I'm giving you fair warning, pal.

One more mess, one more screw-up
and you're on your own.

You understand me? I'm not
threatening you, I'm just telling you.

One more screw-up and you're out.

OK, that's...that's it for tonight.

Who's gonna be the guest lecturer
this semester, Professor?

A homicide detective.
A... what is his name, a...

Lieutenant Columbo.

All right! That sounds terrific.
An actual homicide detective.

Good night, Professor.
Justin, Cooper.

I'd like to see you both
in my office, now.

Come in.

Close the door.

You blew it, boys.
Excuse me?

Don't toy with me, Justin.
Not you, of all people.

I know about the test.

That you took the test.
Stole the test.

What?!
Not a word! You hear me.

Not one more word!

The two of you
are an absolute disgrace.

All the privilege, all the potential,
all the smarts, and what do you do with it?

You waste it, squander it,
drag it under your feet.

You know, you guys don't deserve what you have.
You probably never did.

And you don't have any respect
for anyone!

Let me tell you something else.

I don't trust myself
to make a proper decision right now...

as to what action I'm gonna take,
but I'll tell you this much.

When I'm ready to make a decision...

it'll either be to
flunk the two of you...

or go to the dean and ask him
to throw you out of this university!

You got it?

Professor?

Professor, maybe we should go for a beer,
you know, talk things over.

Save it.

Talk to him, Jus.

Professor... Professor...

Brings it out, pulls up, makes the shot...
it's good! And Freemont pulls back...

Sir? Sir?

Professor... Professor Rusk, I...

Look, it was just kind of
a crazy prank. It was a stupid...

We're not in church, Justin.
And I don't take confession anyway.

Professor, can't we
just talk about this?

Who the hell
does this jerk think he is?!

Hi, guys. How you doin'?

Kind of in a hurry tonight, Joe, hot date.
Could you raise the gate?

Yeah, where the hell are my Laker tickets?
I thought we had a deal.

Next week, guys. Word of honor, man.
I'm sorry as hell.

Hey, Joe, trust us.

You trying to run him off the road?

Yeah, right. We're the ones
getting killed, Justin.

You know, between him and my old man, I'm
smelling dead meat right in this truck!

Where the hell is he going anyway?
He lives the other way, doesn't he?

Yeah. You don't think
he's going to meet her?

No, I thought they broke that up
a few months ago.

Did they?

It's Thursday night...

the team's out of town,
Coach Clark's with the team.

Let's go see.

Well, it can't just be
that he's hungry.

Isn't that her car?

Let's take a look.

Thanks, Jim.

Recognize her?

Yeah.

Damn you!

If looks could kill.

Jus?

Yeah?
What do you think he's gonna do?

About us,
or about Coach Clark's wife?

Come on.

I don't know, Coop.

I don't know.

I think he's pretty unpredictable
right now.

I think there's things
going on in his life...

that most people aren't aware of.

But we are?

I am.
Like what?

Things.

Things I... heard, or overheard.

Overheard how?
From who?

Well, I listen in on my father's phone.
How do you think?

You listen in on his calls?

Yeah. I read his mail, too. How else
am I supposed to learn anything?

Right. So what did you learn
about Professor Rusk?

That he's got enemies.

I don't mean just you and me.

There's people that wouldn't cry
at an early funeral, Coop.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about his new book...

where he names names,
where he gets right up into people's faces.

Big people.
Dangerous people.

He's like
an equal-opportunity annihilator.

Defense contractors, savings and
loan execs, senators, congressmen...

And you figure that some of
these people could be out to get him?

There have been threats made
on this man's life.

And they told it to my father.

Now, these people are playing for real.

Interesting.

Interesting.

And that lady last night, June Clark...

you know, she looked like she could kill.

That's what I mean.

Jus, if Rusk talks to the dean
it's all over for me.

I'm aware, Coop.

I'm aware. I mean, you think
I got anything less to lose?

If I don't get into Harvard Law School,
my father is gonna skin me alive.

Now I would say,
at the rate we're going...

our futures are gonna
last about a week.

We really don't have
a lot of options here, do we?

I don't think we got any at all.

It's either him or it's us.

Us?

Us.

I'll be right down.

Try the key.

Joe sure lives in style.

Jus?

I think I got it.

Sorry, guy, faculty parking only.

Does Professor Rusk
teach his criminology class here?

Right building, wrong lot.

Well, you see, I'm the guest speaker
in Professor Rusk's criminology class.

I'm from the L.A.P.D.
Lieutenant Columbo.

Sorry, Lieutenant.
They don't tell me anything.

Park anywhere you want.
Stairs are on the right.

Come in.

What is it, Justin?

I spoke to my father about
what happened. What we did.

I'm listening.

Well, he was not happy.

And he said a lot of things.
We both did.

There were certain threats
and certain promises.

Anyway, he'd like to speak with you.
Have him call.

No, sir, he would like
to meet you in person. Tonight.

Tonight?

He's got to go to Washington
in a few hours.

But he's gonna be having dinner
over at the Cafe Barotto at eight o'clock...

just across the campus.

He's gonna be by himself,
and he'd like to meet with you.

We've got a guest tonight,
you know that.

Now, I can't walk out
in the middle of class.

But you could be back
before the class was over, Professor.

Look, I hope you don't think
my father is trying to throw...

his weight around here.

But in consideration for
all the things...

that he's done for this university...

he's hoping that
you'll agree to meet with him.

I'll, uh...
I'll think about it, Justin.

That's all I can ask.
Thank you.

Professor?
Hm?

I am sorry.

Uh, Lieutenant, in, uh, in trying
to solve a murder case...

do the police ever make up evidence
that in fact they... they don't really have?

Well, that's been known to happen.

Well, have you ever done it?

Well, recently
I was in an attorney's office...

and he wasn't there.

And it turns out that the secretary
was in the ladies' room.

So I took advantage of
this moment of privacy to go...

into his inner office
and go through his wastepaper basket.

I was looking for a piece of gum.
And I found it.

I wonder who his tailor is.

And I wanted to match the bite marks
in that piece of gum...

with the bite marks
on a piece of cheese...

that I found
at the scene of the crime.

Yeah, but... excuse me though, Lieutenant,
that's different.

See, in that case, you didn't make up anything,
any evidence. That isn't really what I was asking.

I know what you asked
and I'm trying to avoid the question.

Let me put it this way.

I follow my nose...

and when I get the scent...

there's very little that I wouldn't do
in order to solve the case.

Do you have any advice
for a young detective?

I would say
don't talk too much.

Don't talk too much?

Well, sometimes when you know something
it's better you keep it to yourself.

You don't have to blab everything
right away. Wait.

Who knows what will happen?
Timing. That's important.

And luck.
You gotta be lucky.

Hey, Lieutenant, why don't you
come and have a beer with us.

Every Thursday night we go out and try and gross
each other out with different mystery stories.

Wow, that's a nice offer, thank you very much.
But I don't think I can.

Oh, come on, Lieutenant.

I feel kinda bad I didn't get a chance to
say goodbye to Professor Rusk.

You'll see him next week.

Was the Devlin case the only time
you were involved with the FBI, Lieutenant?

Well, you know, I don't even remember
the Devlin case.

Oh, well, the Devlin case was the one where
the jockey got strangled by the girlfriend...

who was in cahoots
with the stable owner...

and they were skimming of the track...

Is he dead, Lieutenant?
I'm afraid so.

Lieutenant, should I go get
some help? I can call 911.

Yeah. Tell them a homicide detective
is already on the scene...

and it appears to be murder.

Joe!
What?

Joe, there's been a murder!
A what?!

Downstairs in the garage. Professor Rusk is dead.
What the hell are you talking about?

I gotta call 911.
Yeah, go ahead.

I gotta get down there.
Wait a minute.

Joe, wait a second, wait a second.
What about the security tapes?

Don't you wanna save them?
There might be something on it.

Right, right, that's a good idea.
Listen, you do it. Save it, will you?

I gotta get down there.

What do you have, George?

Single gunshot wound to the head,
probably a large-caliber bullet.

What about this?
Fragments from the slug that killed him.

Oh, yeah. It broke apart.
I'm guessing it was supposed to.

Looks like a hollow-point, so the bullet
would do maximum damage.

All right.

I wonder where he was going?
Who?

The professor. You know he left
right in the middle of the class?

Beats me.

Hey, John.
Lieutenant.

Oh. Uh...

Excuse me, may I ask you a question?
Sure, Lieutenant.

These cameras I think there are three
of them here in the garage...

they all look alike to me.

Are they the kind of cameras
that record, like on a videotape...

or do you think they're the kind of
cameras that show what they're seeing...

you know, like on a TV screen
in some other room someplace?

It's hard to tell, Lieutenant.
They might be either kind.

But you could probably find out
by talking to the campus police.

Right, that's what I gotta do.

Hey, John.
Hey, Lieutenant.

Looks like we can rule out robbery
as a motive here. Look.

Oh, yeah. Right.

A comb, a handkerchief, credit card,
nail clippers, keys....

What's this?

You found this?

It was in his pocket, uh,
just like that, all by itself.

Hm.

Huh.

Yeah...

What pocket was it in?
Uh, shirt pocket.

Lieutenant?
Wanna take a look up here?

Up where?
Up on the street, sir.

All right.

I wonder where the hell
he was going?

What is going on?

Stay behind the line, please.

A .45?
Yes, sir.

You got a pencil?
Pen all right?

Yeah.

If you're thinking what I'm thinking,
Lieutenant...

that this shell belongs to the slug
that killed the guy in the garage...

what's it doing up here on the street?

That's an excellent question.
A really excellent question.

Hey, Lieutenant. They got a videotape
from one of those security cameras inside.

It's about set up
if you want to take a look at it.

Absolutely.

Lieutenant, if you get a chance...

we're gonna be over at
Darlene's Bar and Grill.

Let me ask you a question.

Did the professor usually
leave the building right after class?

We almost always walked out together.
Well, tonight he left early.

Does anybody have any idea
where he might be going?

No.

Sorry, Lieutenant. Beats me.
Oh, well.

Maybe we'll see you there.

I'll try my best.

Is that Professor Rusk's office?
Yeah.

Is that his briefcase?

I guess so.

Fellas go set up the tape.
I'll be right with you.

OK.

Oh, John?
Yeah?

There's a janitor in the corridor,
bring him down, would you?

You got it.

Yeah, what can I do for you?

Did you know Professor Rusk?
Enough to say hello and goodbye.

Were you aware
of his comings and goings?

I didn't always know when he came in,
but I usually knew when he left.

Did he usually
take this briefcase with him?

I never knew him to leave it behind
if that's what you mean.

So he always took it home?
That's right.

So tonight he probably planned
to come back and get it?

Yeah, I would think so.

What time do you usually
lock up the building?

It's all locked up by 9:30.
And he left around 8:10.

So wherever he was going
he had to be back in an hour twenty.

That's right.

Thank you very much.
You're welcome.

Well, that's a beginning.

Let's see what we got.
Papers and books.

Some pills.
Oh, he took pills for cholesterol.

You know, these things work.
Yeah?

Yeah. I was up to 310. Two a day
before meals, I'm down to 220.

That's great.

Let me see that pill
that you found in his shirt pocket.

Look at that.

Maybe he was gonna eat
and he remembered to take his pill.

Sounds reasonable to me.
It's worth a shot.

Excuse me, officer?
Grab a Yellow Pages.

Make a list of all the restaurants
within 15 minutes of the campus.

But no fast-food places.

The kinda place where you go in,
you sit down, they got a menu.

If you want something light... pasta,
fish... you can get it.

Take me about 10 minutes.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Oh, is that the videotape
from the security camera?

This is it, yeah.

How much does a tape like this hold?
Oh, right around an hour.

Then what?
You put in another one?

Oh, no, no. The tape records for an hour
and then, unless you stop it...

it automatically
records over itself again.

I see. So if you don't stop it...

it automatically erases
the previous hour...

and starts recording the new hour?

Yeah that's right. That way
one tape can last for months.

I see.

OK, let's see what we've got.

OK, here we go, Lieutenant.

Eight o'clock.
Well, we were up in the class then.

That car there is
Professor Gerard using it.

That's yours there, Lieutenant.

That one over there
belongs to the professor.

If this is just for faculty parking...

how come one of the students was
parked there in a truck?

Well, uh... Cooper...
he's the blond-haired kid...

his old man has season tickets
to the Laker home games.

It, uh, was a trade-off.

Mm-hm. I see.

Going to fast-forward through this,
Lieutenant?

That's a good idea, yeah.

Hold it.

That's the professor.

God____

I should've seen it.
I should've been watching.

Well, sir, I really don't think
it would've changed much that happened.

All right, Malloy,
let's fast-forward it.

Yeah.

Oh, there's me and the kids.

But I don't understand.

From the time
that the professor was shot...

until the time that I arrived...

we saw everything,
but we didn't see anybody leave.

Nobody left.

Either by foot or car
or via the ramp.

Did somebody go up the stairs?
Did you see anybody?

No, no, no. I would've seen that.

Well, this is a mystery.

It is a mystery.
This is a mystery.

Lieutenant?
Got your restaurant list.

Good.

Bonsoir, monsieur.

Do you have a reservation for Professor Rusk?
No. No, sir.

You're sure?
Oh yes, I'm positive. Yes, yes. Goodbye.

Oh, here it is. The call came in
at 8:10 from a Professor Rusk.

His instructions were to inform Mr. Rowe
that he was on his way...

but running just a few minutes late.

May I see that, sir?
Of course.

Thank you so much. The food was delicious.
It's been too long.

Excellent, as usual.
Thank you for coming in.

Did you know this Professor Rusk?
I'm afraid not.

Just a name, a voice on the phone,
that was all.

And when Mr. Rowe came in and you gave
him this message, what did Mr. Rowe say?

There was no Mr. Rowe

You see?
No Mr. Rowe at all.

No Mr. Rowe?
No Mr. Rowe.

Lieutenant?

Hi, Lieutenant.
Really glad you could make it. Thanks.

Nice to see you again, Lieutenant.

We haven't stopped talking about
what happened since we left.

Well, that's good.

That's probably the best thing
you could've been doing right now.

How are you feeling?
Any better?

I don't think I'm gonna forget the sight
of him lying there for a while though.

Have you ever seen
a dead body before?

No.

Have you?
Yeah.

But now's not the right time
to talk about it.

Excuse me, Lieutenant?
Did you find out anything?

Did you take a look at the tapes
from the security cameras?

It's a mystery.

We looked at the tape and
we never saw anyone enter or leave...

either on foot or by car.

How can that be?
That's impossible, isn't it?

The murder was on the tape.
We saw that.

But no one going in or out?

No one.

It's baffling.

Could you see the door
that goes to the lobby stairs?

No, that we couldn't.
But that's right. That's a good point.

But if someone had gone in or out that
door going up the stairs to the lobby...

they would've had to pass
the security guard.

And he didn't see anybody?
Joe never saw one person.

Was he awake?
Cooper!

I'm just kidding.

So tell me about the professor.

What was he like?
Was he a good teacher?

Lieutenant, he was very good.
Very good.

He was one of the best teachers
on campus. Right?

He was good. It's true.

But he was also very opinionated.
Everything had to be done his way.

But he was good.

He was real. I think most of all
that's what he was. He was just real.

And he fooled around a lot.
That is not fair!

Sara, it's true.
I mean, he fooled around. Trust me.

Even so, it's pretty poor form to trash
the reputation of the newly dead.

Excuse me. The man fooled around,
and everybody knew it.

Jus, whether he did or whether he didn't,
I think we should drop it.

Sachs is right.
The body, it's not even cold yet.

Lieutenant, any campus is bound to be
something of a rumor mill.

Deciding which ones to believe
or which ones not to believe...

is probably going to be
your biggest problem.

I'm beginning to see that.

Well, you've certainly
come to the right place, Lieutenant.

Mr. Rowe here always seems
to hear more rumors than anyone else.

Mr...?
Rowe. Justin Rowe.

Gossip is his middle name.

On behalf of the Alumni Association...

and of the past and present patrons
of this great university...

I want you to know that the faculty,
staff, students and I personally...

mourn the loss of Professor Rusk
and offer our condolences to Mrs. Rusk.

Do you have any idea who might have had
a reason to kill him, Dean Gillespie?

No.

Do you know if he had any enemies?

No. Thank you,
that's all I can say today.

Any comments on the rumors
about Professor Rusk and Mrs. Clark?

Scandal, that's all I need!
Sir, can't you give us some more information?

You know, there were a lot of rumors
about that guy.

At least he lived a full life.

But was it really worth it?
What a terrible way to die.

The cop's a total crack-up.
He stands about yay high...

and wears a suit I think we donated
to a homeless shelter last year.

Hold it. News flash.
What's up?

Right this way.
Watch. Just watch.

The investigation into last night's
campus murder has taken an unexpected new turn.

According to sources at the university...

Professor D. E. Rusk,
the victim in a brutal slaying...

may have been involved
in an extramarital affair...

Attaboy, Rusk.
Who do you think it was?

That he was playing around with?
Are you serious?

Coach Clark's wife. Who else?

I heard that she and Professor Roberts
used to have a thing.

No, no, no, no. Ancient history, lad.
It was Rusk and June Clark.

...refused to comment.

Funeral services for the slain professor
have not been announced as of this time.

What did you say your name was?

Columbo.

And you're a lieutenant.
Yes, ma'am.

Well, Lieutenant, isn't there something
you can do about all those reporters out there?

I wish I could, ma'am, but I can't.
I'm sorry about that.

What did you want to ask me,
Lieutenant?

Well, ma'am, there's been talk...
I'm sure you've probably heard it...

that Professor Rusk was
having an affair.

These things are delicate. I'm aware of that.
I don't want to offend you...

I'm a married woman, Lieutenant. My
husband is coach of the basketball team.

Yes ma'am, I'm aware of that.

Professor Rusk was a married man.
Yes, ma'am, I'm aware of that.

Then why would I tell you I was
having an affair, even if it were true?

Well, because if it were true,
maybe you'd help us find a murderer.

Who would be who, Lieutenant?

Me? My husband?
Professor Rusk's wife?

Are there any other questions?

Just one, ma'am.

Where were you last night,
say between seven and nine?

At home.

And your husband, ma'am?
Was he at home too?

No, he was with the team
in Washington, in Seattle.

But I'm sure you already knew that, Lieutenant.
Is there anything else?

No, ma'am, not at this time.

Thank you, ma'am.

Lieutenant?

Whatever D.E.Rusk and I had together,
it ended several months ago.

My husband is aware of that.
I never saw Professor Rusk again.

Thank you for that, ma'am.

Sir? Sir?
Stay back.

Hey, Lieutenant.
Hey! Whaddaya say, fellas?

How you feeling today?
All right.

Did you manage to get any sleep?
Oh, a couple of hours.

I know what you mean.

So that must've been
pretty tawdry stuff in there, huh?

The professor and the coach's wife?

Well, actually that's been over for some
time. She hasn't seen him for months.

She hasn't?
No.

Did she tell you that?
Yeah. Just now.

You believe her?
Why wouldn't he believe her?

Coop! People don't always
tell the truth.

Well, that's true, Jus, but I know June and
she's a pretty decent gal.

What do you think?

Well, I believed her.
But, fellas, what do I know?

I don't know if this means anything,
Lieutenant...

but the campus hotline knows
where they used to meet.

The Lieutenant just said this was old news.
Why are you still looking for dirt?

Excuse me.
It's a place in the Valley.

I don't know the name of it
and I don't know the address...

but I've got some directions.
We could probably lead you there.

I think you're right.
I think we've gotta check it out.

This is lousy, Justin.
This stinks.

I keep trying to tell him
life's not a peppermint candy.

He doesn't listen to me, Lieutenant.

"I know June
and she's a pretty decent gal"?!

Too much?
Oh, no, no.

This is perfect.
This guy's gonna swallow anything.

Listen, when we get to the bar,
you've gotta tell him that you love his car.

You gotta.
All right. Just don't make me laugh.

Lieutenant, we were just talking
about your car. It's really nice.

Is it European?
Yeah, it's a French car.

That's a Peugeot, Coop.
This is a classic.

This car's worth a lot of money... today.
Bet you get a lot of offers, huh?

Are you kiddin'? You know, there's not a day
goes by somebody don't wanna buy it.

But I don't wanna make a killing
on a car. What for?

Oh, if you're comfortable with it,
you know, why sell it?

Money's not everything.

How about your suit?
Get a lot of offers on that too?

Oh, you guys! You're pulling my leg,
for crying out loud.

You know what the wife says? She's gonna
send it out to be cleaned and burned.

He's got a good sense of humor.

Oh, he's good.

Well, I like to laugh.

Can I help you, gentlemen?
Lieutenant Columbo, Homicide.

Uh-huh.... Well, can't say
I haven't expected you.

What makes you say that, sir?

You wanna talk about that
dead professor, didn't you?

How did you know that?
I saw his face all over the news last night.

Him and his girlfriend used to come in here just
about once a week for a year.

He always came in
with the same woman, sir?

A blonde. In the thirties.
Real good-looking.

And they haven't been in here recently...

not in the last two or three months,
isn't that right, sir?

They were in last week.
What?

Last week?
Yeah.

Are you sure?
Yeah.

Sat right over there.
They had quite a blow-out.

You mean they had a fight?

Yeah. She was hotter than
a pistol about something.

He tried to calm her down,
but couldn't do it. So she split.

She left alone?
As far as I know.

The professor stayed another hour,
crying in his beer.

So how do you figure?
She plugged him?

Well, what do you think, Lieutenant?
You think she did plug him?

Oh, come on, Justin,
give us a break.

All right.
Let me ask you a serious question.

Does June Clark
have an alibi for Thursday night?

She said she was at home.

She's... alone, right? Cos her husband
was with the team in Seattle.

Oh, get off it, Justin.
June Clark did not murder Professor Rusk.

Well, maybe not, Coop.
But we do know this.

She has been lying to
the Lieutenant, hasn't she.

I think we'd just like to know why.

You know what I should do?

I should go talk
to the professor's wife.

Right. Right, that would
probably be useful.

Listen, thanks for all your help.

I gotta go inside,
I gotta make a couple of calls.

Hey, Lieutenant... uh, will you keep us
informed and let us know what's going on?

Oh, sure.
We're in this together.

I'm waiting for Detective Malloy.

Malloy?
Hold on, I'll get him.

All right, I'll hold.
Thank you.

Very funny.

"You know what I gotta do?
I gotta go see the coach's wife."

I can't believe
he's making this so easy.

This is just the beginning.
Wait till we set him on my father.

Malloy? Columbo.

Listen, do you have the inventory of all the
items that were in Professor Rusk's briefcase?

You mean the list I made?
The list, yeah.

Yeah, Lieutenant.
You got it in front of you?

Yeah.
Good.

Confirm this for me, will you?

There were no airline tickets
in that briefcase, were there?

No, we didn't find any airline tickets.
I didn't think there were.

Pills, books, papers.
That's it.

No airline tickets.
No tickets.

Just wanted to make sure.
That's all there was.

Thanks.

No problem.

Thank you for seeing me,
Mrs. Rusk.

I realize this is
a very painful time for you.

What would you like to know, Lieutenant?

I just have a few questions...
About June Clark?

Yes, ma'am.

She and my husband had an affair
that lasted almost an entire year.

It wasn't D.E.'s first.

I found out about this one
three months ago.

And I told him that I would leave him
if he didn't end it.

But he didn't end it.
She wouldn't let him.

And when did you find out
about that, ma'am?

Ten days ago, when D. E. told me.

Your husband told you
that he was still seeing her?

No, Lieutenant. He told me
that he had seen her for the last time...

and that it was over for good.

I see.

Did you believe him?

How could I?

I wanted to hear it from Mrs. Clark,

and I wanted to be able to see her eyes
when she told me.

So I went to meet her
for the first time.

We talked...

and in a little while we cried.

It was over.

When was that, ma'am,
when you went to visit June Clark?

That was Thursday night, Lieutenant.
The night my husband... was killed.

You and June Clark were together
at the time of the murder?

That's correct, Lieutenant.
In her home.

Thank you very much, ma'am.

Oh, one more question.

We found an airline ticket to Phoenix,
Arizona, in your husband's briefcase.

He was scheduled to fly there
this past weekend.

Would you have any idea
why he might be going there?

He never mentioned it,
Lieutenant.

Thank you, ma'am.

Come in, Lieutenant.

Ma'am?
Just one more thing.

We found an airplane ticket to Phoenix,
Arizona, in the professor's briefcase.

He was scheduled to fly there
this past weekend.

Do you have any knowledge of that?

Or any idea who
he might've been planning to see?

No, I'm afraid not.

Thank you very much, ma'am.

Ah, he's there.

He's a charmer.

I wanna ask you a question.
Yeah, we can't hear a word you're saying.

About airplane tickets.

He's a piece of work, isn't he?
Tell him to go to the kitchen.

Just go through to the kitchen.
Straight through. We'll meet you there.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.
Couldn't hear what you were saying. What's up?

I meant to ask you earlier,
but I forgot.

Listen, maybe you fellas
can help me with this.

Yeah, sure.

We found an airplane ticket
in Professor Rusk's briefcase.

Round trip to Phoenix. He was scheduled
to leave this past weekend.

Did he happen
to mention this trip in class?

Or would you guys have any idea
why he might be going there?

A trip?
A trip.

This past weekend?
This past weekend.

Nope.
No, huh?

OK. Thanks a million, fellas.
Sure.

Lieutenant?

You said Phoenix?
Uh, yeah.

Coop, do you remember we were walking
out of class, standing in the corridor...

and he said something about...

meeting a guy from the FBI
or the attorney general's office?

He was talking about fraud
in the savings and loan and how the...

Was that Phoenix?
Phoenix____

It was Phoenix.
It was Phoenix, Lieutenant.

This investigator was in Phoenix?

He was and the savings and loan was.

And the professor had information...
The investigator wanted.

Inside stuff, damaging stuff.
Oh, man.

What if he went there to see that guy?

What if he had some
new information to give him?

And what if somebody knew about it
and wanted to shut him up?

This is... pretty scary stuff.

Well, I tell you, sometimes
it can be a pretty scary world.

OK, fellas, I gotta go check this out.

Hey, Lieutenant, I've got a thought.
Yeah?

Maybe you should meet my father.

Your father?
Yeah.

He's a criminal attorney, but he's also a
and legal counsel to the university.

Which means he hears more rumors
than Justin does.

I don't know whether or not it'd do any good,
but it might be worth your time.

What do you think?
Should I try and set something up?

Absolutely.
And the quicker the better.

What about tonight, if I can?
Tonight? Tonight would be perfect.

I don't wanna drag you outta your party.
No, not at all. Listen.

Murder cases get real cold real fast.
That's what Professor Rusk taught us.

Well, Professor Rusk was right.

Let me see what I can do.
Hey, thanks.

Boy, sometimes I wonder
what I'd do without you guys.

Oh....

Well, we're doing
everything we can, Mother.

But you know,
at the rate we're going...

I'm afraid this is gonna turn out to be more
of a class project than a homicide investigation.

Oh, what a sad, terrible thought.
Poor Professor Rusk.

First he's murdered, then they assign this
rumpled little dumbbell to find his killer.

Dear me. Poor Mrs. Rusk.

Then you'll talk to Father?
Oh, yes, I will. Tonight.

You look gorgeous.

Yes, tonight.
He's gonna be here in about an hour.

Well, I'm coming over. I gotta be
there for this. This is too much.

No, Coop, what this is perfect.

I still can't stop laughing over that Phoenix
routine. Was that luck or what?!

When somebody hands you the baton
you run like hell.

It was pure inspiration.

I'm leaving right now.

Good evening, sir.

Lieutenant, this way.

It's this way. Come on.

I understand you wanted
to talk to me about Professor Rusk?

Well, actually it was your son
that suggested it, sir

Yes. More specifically,
about his books.

That could've been
what your son had in mind, sir.

You're not sure?

About what your son had in mind?
No, sir, I'm not.

Have you read his books?
I didn't know he wrote books, sir.

You're investigating
the murder of Professor Rusk...

and you're unaware that the man wrote
a series of highly incendiary profiles...

exposing major crime figures
in the United States?

Well, let me tell you what happened.
I was going out to lunch...

and the captain come up, uh, and he asked me
do I wanna go speak to these college students?

I said, "Yeah, sure."

He handed me a piece of paper.
"Call Professor Rusk."

That's the first time I ever heard his name.

But that was before he was murdered.

Yes, sir.

After he was murdered and you were
trying to find out who did it...

did you have any curiosity
about the man's life?

You mean llike going out
and reading his books, sir?

I mean like finding out that...

there were a whole lot of people out
there who wanted to see him dead.

Well, he was having an affair.
I don't know if you know this, sir.

With the coach's wife. She's a married
woman. It's a very emotional...

And this is how
you've been spending your time?

Yes, sir.
And talking with the kids.

And talking to the kids.

It is perfectly clear that you haven't
the faintest idea which end is up here.

That's not an insult.
It's just a statement of fact.

I can't do your homework for you.

But I can point you
in the right direction.

This is Rusk's first book
on organized crime in New Orleans.

Read it.

And this one is a galley
of his second book...

on white-collar crime
in Southern California.

He ties it to the mob
and to the laundering of drug money.

And it names names.
Read it.

The bottom line here
is that some very dangerous men...

made actual threats
on the professor's life.

What you need to do is stop worrying
so much about whose wife is screwing whom...

and get to the heart of the matter.

This man was shot
because he had a big mouth.

Well, I certainly appreciate
your telling me this.

It's gonna make my life a lot easier.

Because now I'm pointed in the right direction.
Good.

I can't believe how perfect this is.

Coop, I got a question for you.
Yeah?

Do you think Columbo's parents
were related?

I found out one thing for sure tonight.
I know where your son gets his brains.

This is better than sex.

My son has the best mind
of anybody I have ever met.

But he still couldn't get into
Harvard Law School without my help.

His ability, they should've
sent a limousine for him.

But it didn't work that way.
I had to push a lot of buttons.

I don't know what was wrong. His mind's
someplace else I wish I knew where.

In any case, he's gonna wind up
the best criminal attorney in this country...

or I'm gonna break every bone in his body.

Oh, I wouldn't worry, sir.
He'll go far.

He better.

Your father's pretty wacky.

Yeah, he's a sick man.
I hate him.

His friend Cooper is another one.
Get this.

Kid's got brains, but he thinks
he's gonna be a tennis pro.

The kid's a B player,
but in his mind he's John McEnroe.

What does that say for his judgement.
I'll tell you what he's good for.

He can get little girls pregnant,
that's what he's good for.

Lieutenant,
we at the university would appreciate it...

if you could wrap this up
as quickly as possible.

Oh, I understand, sir,
and I'll do my best.

Oh, one more thing, sir.

Did you happen to have dinner
Thursday night at the Cafe Barotto?

In fact, I had dinner at a restaurant
called Fredo, Lieutenant...

in San Francisco.

With the district attorney
and the lieutenant governor.

Thank you very much.
Good night.

Your car, sir.

How'd you know it was mine?
Oh, just a lucky guess.

Hey, you! Hold it!

Joe?

Lieutenant?

Yeah.

I saw somebody poking around down here
on the monitors. I didn't know who it was.

Well, I should've let you know
I was down here. I apologize.

Anything I can help you with?

Well, I'm just working
a few things out.

You know, that videotape,
that was a tremendous help.

This is just about as close
as the killer could get.

If he was any closer, even one step...

we would've seen him on that tape.

Which came from that camera back there
by the gate, isn't that correct?

Uh-huh.

So if he was back here, or at any point
from here back to the wall...

wouldn't he have been seen
by that camera?

That's right, he would have.
And you might've seen him too.

Like you said, I couldn't
have kept the professor alive,

but, damn, at least I might've been able
to identify the killer.

Why, when you thought
to save the videotape from that camera,

you didn't think
to save it from this camera?

Because if you had...

we would've been able
to make that identification.

I didn't save it at all, Lieutenant.

Sir?

It was Justin
who remembered about the tape.

Justin?
Yeah.

Truth is, if it hadn't been for him,
we wouldn't have that one tape we do.

Justin turned off the machine
and saved the tape.

Yeah. Damn lucky
he thought of it too, right?

Damn lucky.

Oh, Lieutenant?
This way, please.

I'm Dean Gillespie, Lieutenant.

Oh, how do you do, sir?
It's a pleasure to meet you.

Uh...

Mr. Rowe?

Hi, Lieutenant.
Justin!

I didn't even know
your father was gonna be here.

The reason I called Chief Wayland
and requested this meeting with you...

is because Mr. Rowe and Justin as well have
some exceedingly pertinent new information...

which we think will impact heavily on your
investigation into Professor Rusk's murder.

Is that so? Well, I'm very anxious
to hear that. Sure.

Jordan?

Yes, thank you, Howard.
Lieutenant.

You and I are in the same game
the pursuit of justice.

You're a cop, I'm an attorney.
You catch 'em, I try 'em, right?

Yes, sir.

I am assuming you've talked
to the security guard Joseph Doyle?

As a matter of fact,
I just left him, sir. Nice man.

Is this the same security guard...

who failed to save
any of the security tapes?

Yes, sir, it is. But we got one.
One survived and we have it.

Uh-huh.

Have you ever met his brother Dominic?

No, sir, I haven't had the pleasure.
Oh, I see.

Are you aware of this?

Hm...

Well, this is quite a record.
Yeah.

23 arrests,
from assault to extortion to murder.

Two murder charges, one dismissed.

On the other, he was convicted
and sentenced to nine years to life.

He did 6 and a half years and
was released on parole a month ago.

Well, I wish I had known this.
I just didn't know it, sir.

My 22-year-old son knew it.

Have you even begun
a background check on Joe Doyle?

No, I haven't.

Why not? Because you thought
he was a nice man?

You do not have to answer that,
Lieutenant.

Isn't this the second time
you and I have met? It is, isn't it?

It is, sir. Yes.

And what did I tell you
the first time we met?

That there had been actual threats made
on Professor Rusk's life.

Mm-hm. And you now have in your hand
the record of a hired killer...

who was hanging around that garage...

visiting with his brother
the security guard.

Son, you did say that's the first time
you saw Dominic Doyle?

Visiting with his brother
at the school?

Yes, sir. I saw them together.

That's when Joe told me
that Dom had just got out of prison...

and that he was looking for a job.

Where was Dominic Doyle on the night?
Was he in the area? Was he out of town?

Does he have an alibi?
Or is he in fact the trigger man?

These are the questions that
we have to have answered.

Lieutenant, Chief Wayland was good enough
to messenger us that copy of Doyle's file.

You'll find his current address
in there I believe.

Well, there's not much I can say.

When you're wrong, you're wrong.
And when you're right, you're right.

I'm gonna read this file.
I'll read it immediately.

And I'll probably be making contact
with Doyle sometime tonight.

Well, that'll be excellent, Lieutenant.

Justin, are you coming?

Thanks, Lieutenant.

You watch out for this guy. Please.

He looks dangerous.

Afternoon, sir.
You Dominic Doyle?

I'm Lieutenant Columbo, Homicide.

I haven't done one of them recently.

I'd like to talk to you.
Can I come up?

Talk's cheap. Come on up.

Nothing for me.
Suit yourself.

I wanna talk to you
about Professor Rusk.

You wanna talk to me?

Where were you last Thursday night?

Billy's bar, on the beach.

Were you alone?
Unless you consider this a friend.

Is there some reason
I'd want to see this professor dead?

Well, there are people
who are saying that it was a hit.

A hit?

A hit.

So when do you make your arrest?
Do you own a gun?

You know, I was beginning to like you.

But I'm a three-time loser,
and you know it.

See, I can't join the marines and
I can't vote and... I can't own a gun.

Well, your brother Joe owns one.
It's a .38 caliber. It's a revolver.

He carries it when he works.
Do you happen to know if he owns a .45 automatic?

Is that what they used?
That's right.

Yeah, it was a head shot from
about 60 feet Joe, he told me that.

Some shot.

The guys that I know, from that distance
they probably woulda used maybe...

six sticks of dynamite, huh?

So is there anything else
you wanna ask me?

Cos if not, I was kinda looking forward
to... making up some popcorn,

catching up on the wrestling on TV.

Do you mind, sir?

...exclusive new information
on the death of Professor D.E. Rusk.

This station has been able to obtain a videotape
which appears to be the actual murder.

We're going to show you that footage, but we're
strongly advising that it may be upsetting.

And parents of young children
may not want them to watch.

The murder of Professor D.E. Rusk.

Where did that come from?

How the hell did they get that film?

The well-known criminology professor's body
was discovered shortly thereafter...

by a group of his own students.

How the hell did they get it?!

Lieutenant Columbo?
Yes. And you must be...?

Phyllis Diefendorfer. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you ma'am.

This videotape of the murder
of Professor Rusk...

that's a very unusual thing.

If I understand it correctly,
you got it from a man named Muldoon?

Right. The station
bought it for $2500.

Just like that?

Well, it wasn't
quite that fast actually.

We wanted to know
where he got it, of course.

Where did he get it? Did you ask him?
Yes.

Last Thursday night he recorded a movie
off some obscure channel.

He has a dish antenna in his yard and
he gets close to 100 different channels.

Is that so?
Yes.

Well, anyway, today,
when he decided to watch the movie...

right there in the middle of it
he saw the shooting in the garage.

See, that's where you lose me.

Well, it's really not all
that complicated, Lieutenant.

Whoever killed Professor Rusk
televised it.

Excuse me? What?

Well, somebody had to have been televising
the murder, Lieutenant. Broadcasting it.

Sending a signal
from a camera to a receiver.

Look, all television signals
travel through the air.

Now, this particular signal,
purely by chance...

was picked up by Mr. Muldoon's dish antenna
while he was recording the movie.

So it ended up on his cassette.

Somebody was televising
Professor Rusk's murder?

There's no question about it.

Look, Lieutenant, I don't have a clue
as to how this was done or why it was done...

or whether it was done
by one person or an entire crew...

or where they were broadcasting it to.
But there is one thing I will tell you for sure.

Somebody did shoot it
the gun and the moment.

Excuse me, can I ask you a question?
Yeah, sure.

The camera that took this picture,
was that a television camera?

Yeah, you bet. They had
about 50 of them at Indy this year.

Well, I watch the race on television.

How come I don't see 'em?
Where are they?

They're all over the place.

Where's the camera
that took this picture?

Well, it sits right here
on the roll bar behind the driver.

How come I don't see it?
Well, it's only about that big.

A television camera? That small?

Is that a fact?

That's nothing. Nowadays, you know,
in the hospitals...

they make 'em so small
they can stick 'em right up your...

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Door's open, Lieutenant.

Oh. Hiya, fellas.

I gave your number to a detective.
I'm waiting for some information.

And I told him if he got it
before 10:30 he could call me here.

Was that all right?

Sure, yeah. That's fine.
You want something, Lieutenant? Brewski?

Oh... Yeah. Thanks.

So what's going on, Lieutenant?

I spoke to Joe's brother.
I spoke to him last night.

Oh, yeah? So how'd it go?

Well, first, I want you to thank
your father for me, Justin. And the dean.

That was a good, solid lead.
So what did he say?

And I wanna thank you guys.

I know the lead came from you in the first place,
and credit where credit's due.

What did he say, Lieutenant?
Could he prove where he was last Thursday night?

Oh, there's no problem there.
He was out drinking.

Place called Billy's near the beach.
That's his favorite hangout.

The only thing is...

on this particular night
his only witness was his bottle.

So he really doesn't have an alibi?

Not unless Scotch can talk.
Did you bring him in?

Well, I don't think I'm quite ready to do that yet.
Got a few loose ends, you know.

Say, did you fellas happen to see
that videotape on the TV news last night?

Yeah, everybody saw it.

I guess somebody bootlegged a copy
of one of those security-camera tapes, right?

Oh, no, it wasn't that. No.

It wasn't?

No.

That's the thing I wanted to tell you.
That's the thing that's been bothering me.

That tape we've had
for almost an entire week.

No, this tape,
the one we saw last night...

that came from a whole different angle,
a whole different part of the garage,

where there is no security camera.

Don't ask me how they did it.

It's probably your call.

Hello?
Lieutenant there?

Yeah, he's here.
Hang on a minute.

Malloy?
Yeah. Columbo?

Yeah.
OK, 1 got what you want.

Yeah? Oh, you got it.
We got all the details.

Oh, that's terrific.

Want me to feed 'em to you?
Yeah. Hold on just a second.

Lieutenant.
Thanks.

OK, shoot.
OK, it's a 1976 Ford two-door, green.

'76 Ford, two-door, green. Got it.

License number 2SBI...
2SBI...

653.
653. Got it.

OK, that should do it, huh?
All right. Yeah, that's good.

Thank you, Malloy.

Hm... It's the car that he bought
the last time that he was paroled.

Joe's brother?
Yeah, Joe's brother.

Nice to pick that up,
know what I mean?

That's one of those loose ends,
right, Lieutenant?

You got that right.

OK, I gotta run.

Uh, listen fellas, think about that second tape,
will you? If you could help me on that.

That's very, very puzzling.
Sure.

And... Oh, don't forget
to thank your father for me, OK?

I won't.

See you later.

I'll see you in class Thursday night.

OK.

I don't understand what this... detective
is doing, I truly don't.

Why didn't he make an arrest? Why didn't he
at least bring the suspect in for questioning?

Why not order a search?
Why was he even permitted to take the case?

Every day that goes by without something
substantial to report to the media...

forces the attention of the entire
community back onto the university.

We're in the headlines every morning.

The damage this is going to do to next
year's alumni fundraising campaign is...

...well, it's incalculable.

Darling, isn't there something more that
you and your friends can do to help?

We're doing what we can, Mother.
Excuse me.

It's for you, Mr. Justin.
He said it's very important.

Coop?

It's a green sedan...

it's outside Billy's bar
and we just hit the jackpot.

They just found the creep's car.
Call the police.

Hey, you, get outta here! Get outta here!
Get around the front! Move it!

Sir, he just left. I'm checking the front.
Okay. Good enough.

Hey! I think I got it.

.45 ACP.
Get that to ballistics right away.

You got him?
Lieutenant, we got him out front.

Good. Take him downtown
and hold him for questioning.

Mr. Rowe? We found a gun, sir.
It's a .45.

We're taking it
to ballistics immediately.

Coop! Hey, Coop!

What the hell's going on?

Hey, whaddaya say, fellas?

Do me a favor, will you?

Could you park in exactly the same spot
you did last Thursday?

You remember that? I think
it was that one there, the middle one.

What's happening, Lieutenant?

Oh, we're gonna have
a terrific class tonight.

Just terrific.
It's really gonna be exciting.

What we're gonna do tonight is we're
gonna recreate the murder of Professor Rusk.

It's gonna be sort of
like a class project.

Yeah? Who are these guys?

Oh, they're from the department.
They're just technical guys.

They're gonna help me set it up.

Could you all take
exactly the same seats...

as you did last week, please?

Thank you.

Is it true you're planning to
recreate the murder tonight, Lieutenant?

Well, in a manner of speaking...

This isn't really a whodunit,
it's more of a how-he-did-it.

There's talk that you arrested a suspect.
Is that a fact?

Well, we did bring someone in
for questioning, that's true.

Anybody know who?
I heard it was Joe Doyle's brother.

Do you remember what I said last week?
A detective needs luck.

Well, this case is a classic example.

I was in the dark,
and suddenly Lady Luck showed up.

Because out of the blue, that 15-second
videotape showed up on the TV news program.

And for me,
that turned the whole case around.

Was it the tape that led you
to the murderer, Lieutenant?

Oh, absolutely.

Once I saw that, and once I began
to understand how it was possible...

then the whole thing fell into place.

How did the tape fit in, Lieutenant?

That's what we're going to demonstrate
right now.

Now, what you're seeing is a live picture
from a camera in the garage downstairs.

Like from a closed-circuit camera, right?
Like the security cameras?

No, as a matter of fact
what you're seeing here...

is the same thing
as a television broadcast.

You mean, you have
a television camera downstairs?

That is correct.

And this is just the way things were
last Thursday night...

when Professor Rusk left
the lecture hall...

and walked in the garage
toward his car at 8:16pm.

Now I'm sure you think
this all looks very hi-tech...

but believe me, all these items
are very common, ordinary items...

that some of you probably own
and you don't even know it.

Sachs? Can you read me?

All set, Lieutenant.

Sachs, are you satisfied
with the arrangements?

Yeah, I am, Lieutenant.

Sachs, can you show the class
the object in question?

Now, class, pay attention...

to the gun.

Sachs, whenever you're ready.

There he is.

This is a miniature television set.
Isn't that something?

It's a two-inch screen. You can hold it
right in the palm of your hand.

And this image,
the picture that you're seeing there...

that's the same picture
that the killer saw.

A picture just like that.

Where's the camera, Lieutenant? You said
there was a television camera down here.

That's true, Todd, I did say that,
and I'm gonna get to that.

Oh, say, fellas, do you lock your car
when you park it down here?

Lock it?
Yeah, lock it.

In this day and age? Of course we do, Lieutenant.
Yeah, that's what I would think.

But last Thursday
when you pulled out to call 911...

I don't remember you unlocking your car.
It makes a noise right, doesn't it?

Don't you have one of those gizmos
that opens the locks by remote control...

and makes a loud noise?

Jus, do you think you could do that?
Just click "unlock"?

Cos I wanna try and remember
if I heard that sound last Thursday.

It will work from that distance, won't it?

Sure.

Oh! Jesus!

Where did that shot come from?

That's a good question.

It was a very powerful shot.

Oh, and Todd, I haven't forgotten
your question about the camera.

Here it is.
That tiny thing right there.

That's a genuine television camera.

It's just like the kind they use
in the Indianapolis Raceway...

where they got 'em
stuck all over the racing cars.

And this little gizmo here...

like the one I had upstairs,
which pulled the trigger...

is nothing more
than a car-door locking device.

That's all it is.

It pushes the locks up
and it pulls them down.

And finally, this whole thing...

this is a very, very clever way...

that the whole package
was brought in here last Thursday night...

and away it went out.

And finally this,
just like the cartridge last week...

this one will eventually
fall out the bottom onto the street.

And you can see it even has these
funny little scratch marks on the side.

Same as the one that we found
on the street last Thursday.

This is amazing.

Are you saying... are you saying
that Dominic Doyle, Lieutenant...

did all of this right
underneath our noses?

In our own truck?

Oh, no, not Dominic Doyle.

I don't really think this sort of thing
is Dominic's style.

What do you think, Coop?

But didn't you arrest him
for the murder of Professor Rusk?

Dominic, arrested?
No, we took him down for questioning.

We kept him there while we were waiting
for the ballistic report...

on that gun we found in the car.

Mike? Do we have a copy of that report
down here yet?

And where's the green car
from Billy's bar?

I'll check, Lieutenant.
But arrest him?

Bring him in, Malloy.
No, there was no cause for that.

Lieutenant? You were waiting
for a ballistics report, right?

Yeah. What's the story?

Well, the gun that was found in this car
is registered to Joe Doyle...

brother of the suspect, Dominic Doyle.

It's a .45 auto, has ejector marks
on the cartridge that check out...

so it is definitely the murder weapon.

That's it, right?

I mean, what else do you need?

You've got the murder weapon
and you found it in Dominic Doyle's car.

Well, you're half right, Justin.
It is the murder weapon.

But it is not Dominic Doyle's car.

It's my wife's.

And this is my wife's niece, Annette.
She's 14.

That's our dog,
and that was taken in Griffith Park.

The description of the car, the
license number and the name of the bar-

nobody had that information
except you two.

And after I gave it to you...

nobody could've planted that gun
but you two.

Book 'em.

Suspicion of murder.

Hands behind your back.

One question, fellas.

Why did you do it?

Go ahead, tell him.

We did it, Lieutenant...
because we knew how to do it.

And we came within an inch.
Come on!

And you got lucky.
You caught a fluke.

But don't count us out, Lieutenant...

cos my father
doesn't like to see me fail.

Come on, let's go.