04x05 - Playback

[bunniefuu]

Evening, Mr. Van Wyck.

Hello, Baxter,
anything new?

Your brother-in-law
just arrived.

Another family meeting.

I think he has
a new invention.

He's been
very mysterious recently.

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?
Hello, Harold.

I didn't know
you were here.

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 b*ating.

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.
Good night, dear.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Don't go.

But I have to.

Yes?

You just caught me
on my way out.

No, I didn't hear anything.

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.

Won't be late.

Baxter...

you can reach me
under this number.

Okay?

: , I'm late already.

Thank you, go right ahead.

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.

: .

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.

Well, it's both.
Come on inside.

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

Nice, new young girl
you've got.

Grant Galleries.

What?

Oh! Just a moment.

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.

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.

You're getting a cold.

You want to see something?
Watch this.

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?

: .

How do you open this?

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 sh*t?

No.

Why?

Why did he
have to k*ll her?

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

I know.

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 sh*t her.

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.

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?

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

: .

Thirteen, sir, not : , or...
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 : .

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.

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 g*n.

Excuse me, after you.

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

to check the tape, if we
have a picture of the k*ller.

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.

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.

And he sh**t.

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 m*rder scene on
the television screen in there?

That's right.

What time was that?

That's about : ,
more or less.

Right.

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

That's about right.

Cold is k*lling 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 : ...

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.

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 g*n...

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 m*rder*r.

Of course.

Yes, I see your point.

Sorry to have disturbed
you, sir. Good night.

All right, now listen to me...

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

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

and I want you
to behave yourself.

All right.

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

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

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.

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?

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 sh*t 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.

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?

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?

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.

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 : 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.

Oh. Yeah.

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

That's all right.

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 sh*t.

Did you notice
anything unusual?

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

What did you do exactly,
say from : 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 : .

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.

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.

$ ?

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 s.

What does this go for?

That particular piece,
somebody will pay $ , for.

$ , ?
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.

$ , .

$ , ?
That's right.

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.

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.

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 m*rder of Margaret Midas.

Oh.

I see.

Terrible thing.

Awful, yes.

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

somebody breaks in
and commits a m*rder.

Exactly.

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

Oh, yes, he was.
Of course.

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...

It was : .

I met him when he came in,
Lieutenant.

: .
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 m*rder.

God bless you.

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

Fine.

You can tell her.

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.

I called your board meeting
for tomorrow morning...

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.

Are you expecting someone?

No.

No further discussions.

I need these papers signed
by tomorrow morning.

I know you will not
disappoint me.

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.

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.

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.

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

May I have the g*n?

Is this loaded?
It's loaded, Lieutenant.

Is the safety catch on or off? On.

Would you take it off?

I hate g*ns.

Would you go up
on the stairs and watch?

Am I...

to assume that you're going to
sh**t the g*n in the sandbox?

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

I've tried this before.

Why don't you use
a blank cartridge?

Wouldn't sound the same.
It never does.

All set out there?

All set.

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?

It wasn't very loud...

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

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 g*n 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.

You saw it.
What's your point?

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

the night of the m*rder,
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 : ?

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 sh**ting occurred around
: , give or take a moment.

But if the noise that your
wife heard was a g*nsh*t...

that means the sh**ting
took place before : .

How can my wife say
that it was a g*nsh*t?

What are you talking about,
Lieutenant?

If it would have been a g*nsh*t,
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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

I assume, according to
the little experiment...

you made before, you believe
it must've been a g*nsh*t.

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
g*nsh*t, 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?

Yes.

Closing and opening
the whole time.

That's right.

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

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.

Come on, baby, come on.

Come on.

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.

He fumbles it.

Picked up by number ,
Jefferson.

He's going to get caught
from behind.

Hold everything. There's a
flag down on the -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 , 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 yards
for tripping.

And that's a real break
for the Cougars.

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.

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 m*rder.

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

the security guard
after the sh**ting.

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 sh**ting would be
on your left monitor.

Would you start them up,
please?

Now the one on the right
is after the m*rder.

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.

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 m*rder.

Well...

Baxter said it was : ...

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?

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?

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 sh**ting
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.

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 sh*t your mother-in-law.

Then you set the machine
to feed the m*rder 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 a*t*matic 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 m*rder.

The problem is, it was on the desk
immediately after the sh**ting.

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 sh*t
before you left the house.

And you sh*t her.

This is insane.

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.

This won't be necessary.