Extra Information

Synopsis

Lt. Columbo investigates the death of Adam Evans, a popular actor.. It is
presumed that his car went over a cliff after he suffered a heart attack.
Columbo takes note that the car is set in neutral, and quickly he pockets a
book of matches with Lydia and Wesley Corman's names embos-sed on it. When Columbo meets Wesley Corman, a junior associate in his father-in-law's
dental practice, Wesley expresses shock at Adam's death, explaining that
Adam was a patient and a friend. Dr. Johnson, the medi-cal examiner, informs
Columbo that Adam died from an overdose of digita-us, a heart medicine
which prevents heart attacks. The problem is that Adam had a healthy
heart! Lt. Columbo returns to the Corman home and meets Dr. Horace Sherwin,
Wesley's father-in-law and dentist to the stars. Horace Sherwin and Wesley
Corman insist that Lydia should be left out of the matter because she is
sedated due to her heart condi-tion. However, Lydia admits that Adam was
at the house the night of his death and had been drinking margaritas. The
police lab technician finds traces of digitalis in the blender and the
glass, pointing the finger of suspicion at Lydia.

Columbo then visits John Valentine's apartment to confirm Wesley's
whereabouts at the time of Adam's death. It is confirmed that Wesley and
David Sherwin, his brother-in-law, were involved in a card game with
Dodger Ron Cey, actress Nancy Walker, actor Dick Sargent, and Ted Slate
who is an impressionist. David and Wesley left after receiving a phone call
from Lydia, who was screaming something about a heart attack, and Columbo
confronts Wesley and David about Lydia's phone call. Finally, Wesley has
to admit that he and David moved the body, but is was only to protect
Lydia. Apparently, her first husband dropped dead from a heart attack
on their wedding night, and the police suspected foul play because in
her panic, Lydia tried to give him heart medicine. When Columbo questions
Lydia about the oddity of calling her husband because her lover suffered a
heart attack, she becomes confused. Lydia is certain she dialed 911.
Lt. Columbo also determines that Lydia is missing thirty digitalis pills,
and when Columbo finds Wesley at the

race track, he informs him that Lydia did not kill Adam. If she put the
digitalis in the blender, Adam would have died within seconds. Also, the
emergency direct dial button at his residence was re-programmed to reach
Valentine's number. The only piece of the puzzle missing is how Wesley
murdered Adam? Columbo is aware of the fact that Lydia had filed for
divorce and Horace demanded that Wesley must move out of the dental office
and repay $200,000 in I.O.U.s. While reviewing the case with
Horace and David, they realize that Wesley probably coated the digitalis with
a time-release gel. Horace pulls the x-rays of Adam's teeth and Columbo has
the body exhumed. Horace is ready to pull the crown, but Columbo already has
the problem solved, and in the end, Wesley is led away by the police.