Columbo

Do you really think I didn't know?

Three, two, one, bingo!

Did he leave a note?

No, ma'am. Nothing to write with.

But he took off his belt.

I'm Lieutenant Columbo and I'm looking for a Miss Veronica Bryce.

Me!

Do you think Veronica did it, Lieutenant?

But she could've got an idea who did kill him.

All right, Veronica, this one's for the Ladies' Club.

Just a rough copy to play with.

I come before you as the author of 32 books on the same subject.

In other words, I have one of the most limited minds in the world.

That's bad enough, but to limit myself to writing about murder seems to...

Veronica dear, you still here?

Just winding up. I'll be right in.

Oh.

Galleys ready, Abigail?

- This much, anyway. - Good.

I should have sent you home hours ago.

Oh!

Something wrong?

Don't you hear it?

No.

I think it's a nightingale. We haven't had any for years.

I don't hear anything.

I'll be sure these get off in the morning.

Just one small thing. Would you call Edmund for me?

Ask him to stop by tomorrow.

Phone your nephew.

Well, he's not my nephew. He was merely married to my niece.

That's an entirely different thing, my dear.

Perhaps he would like to take me for a walk on the beach.

2:30 would be nice.

Okay.

Wait a minute. I do hear something.

What?

A nightingale.

What a clever girl you are.

Good night, Abby.

Manage an escape from my own particular pathology.

I have, heaven help me, made attempts at humor,

romance, a children's novel,

and one perfectly detestable essay on the deterioration of the British royal family...

since the American Revolution.

As for the broad Pacific,

I find that rather an effeminate body of water.

Nobody but you could put down a whole ocean.

Oh.

Down on the Cape,

when I was a girl, I watched the Atlantic day and night.

How it churned and boiled and roared.

Did it roar the night Phyllis was drowned?

Abby, please don't.

I loved my niece. With all my heart.

With all the love that I could ever give anyone.

You loved her, too, didn't you, Edmund?

She was my wife.

And you loved her?

Yes, I loved her.

It must've been terrible for you.

Alone in a sailboat, coming up from the cabin and Phyllis gone.

Disappeared in the darkness and we never had even...

the comfort of finding the body, of knowing she was safely buried.

The Coast Guard tried.

And you tried.

I know what you did.

Everything you did.

She was only five years old when I gave her the rights to the play Birthday Present.

I would have left her everything.

Now, there's no one but you. We're all that's left of her.

So, when I die, I intend to make you my principal heir.

- Abby, I can't. - Don't comment.

I detest being edited.

I'm not gonna stand here and discuss your death.

Just accept the fact you'll inherit a great deal of money.

Don't pretend that doesn't please you.

There.

Life is short, life is fleeting.

I'm glad you're not going to protest because, you see, Edmund,

I really have made up my mind about you...

and about me.

Annie, my bags are ready.

Anything in this document to the contrary...

notwithstanding, being of sound mind...

Oh, Miss Mitchell, your nephew finished with his dinner.

- Edmund? Did he eat well? - Oh, very well, ma'am.

Isn't that nice?

I always like to hear a young man has a good appetite.

Edmund, how nice you look.

Oh.

Dressed for the occasion.

I didn't realize there was an occasion.

I want to sign my new will in your presence. Give you a lovely sense of security.

Abby, I want you to understand. I hope you live forever.

I don't want anything from you.

It's not a question of what you want. It's what I want.

And I do not intend to live forever.

If I did, I wouldn't go flying around in airplanes.

I wouldn't sleep a wink...

if I don't settle all this business before we take off.

Murder of the Year closes, you know, tomorrow night.

I wanna be there for the last performance.

After 19 years, you've had a pretty good run.

Well, the rights belonged to Phyllis, you know.

And to you now, since the accident. I understand they'll be doing it in Warsaw.

Oh, Edmund, would you bring me my jewel case. It's in the safe.

Certainly.

Large leather box, rather flossy-looking. You'll find it.

Martin is coming with me. He speaks very sternly to my publishers.

Abby, the light doesn't work.

Oh. It hasn't worked for months.

I'll have to speak to Veronica about it.

Now, this comes...

Well, that goes with me.

Oh, I'll need some cash.

Those metal boxes, third one from the top.

There you are.

My God, Abby.

Somebody's God, I suppose.

Back it goes.

Respectfully.

All right, Abby.

Edmund.

Nice to see you again, sir.

Thank you.

Could we gather here, please?

Abby, this is your new will.

Your signature is here.

Edmund, this is your will.

Mine?

I took the liberty of asking Martin...

to draw up your will, too.

You're my heir, I'll be your heir.

If you should predecease me,

a most unlikely event,

then the rights to Murder of the Year...

would come back to where they started. Is that all right?

I should have thought of that myself.

As you said, Abby, we have nobody but each other now.

May I have a pen, please?

Aren't you going to read it?

Why?

Don't you think I trust her?

Now, Martin, would you ask Veronica to witness these?

Abby, that plane is not going to wait for us.

They might if I ask them.

It might at that.

There. The deed is done.

Edmund, there's just one more thing.

Only three people know the combination.

My attorney, Veronica and myself.

Now I want you to have it, too.

Abby, I'd rather I didn't.

Well, Martin would also rather you didn't.

But this is my safe.

We'll sneak around Martin and do as I wish.

I want you...

to drive away,

then come back the service road.

Wait for me by the side door...

and I'll see Martin doesn't disturb us for a few minutes.

Whatever you say, Abby.

Have a fine trip, Abby. Mr. Hammond.

We will, dear.

Abby, we're cutting it awfully close.

I'll just get my coat.

Martin, I have to show you something.

- Not now, Abby. - Now!

- I'll say goodbye, now, ma'am. - Goodbye, Annie.

Abigail, you are the most exasperating woman I have ever met.

I accept all superlatives.

It's this switch. It hisses.

And the lamps don't go on. There could be a fire.

For Pete's sake, Abby.

Well, you're so clever with these things.

I won't sleep a wink if you don't fix it.

- With what? - This.

Anything, Abby, anything to get us out of here.

Oh, I love you.

This is the alarm. It has to be off, as it is now.

Okay.

Now, the combination.

Write it down, dear.

You have to turn it to the right three times,

then start it in this position, on the 12.

Right.

No trick at all.

Now you must memorize it.

We've forgotten the wills. These have to go in the safe.

Where do they go?

- Those metal boxes on the top. - Okay.

Edmund,

you murdered my Phyllis.

Do you really think I didn't know?

Madam, your switch is fixed.

Of course, it is.

Thank you, Martin.

Don't dawdle, Martin.

Remember, we do have a plane to catch.