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“It’s a real honor to have you visiting Gotham Lieutenant. I’m only sorry we missed you at the airport.” “You know Detective Montoya, it happens to me all the time. I had a mishap in London where my luggage, well my wife’s luggage, got mixed up with someone else’s and the police there… they thought I was trying to steal someone else’s bags. My wife says it’s because I don’t pay enough attention to the world around me.” The frumpy Columbo struggled with his lighter before asking Detective Montoya “Does the lighter in this car work?” “No lighter here Lieutenant. They find the police in Gotham have enough vices without-” Detective Montoya was cut off by an APB. “All units in the vicinity, there has been a murder at Wayne Manor. Sergeant Bullock is on scene, Commissioner Gordon is en route.” “Well I hope you don’t mind a little detour Lieutenant. It looks like you are going to get a firsthand look at policing in Gotham.” “No one’s going anywhere Jeeves. That includes you rich boy.” Sergeant Bullock had already forced all the guests into one room and was ordering the Butler and the host of the party to stay put. “Now… Mr. Wayne… the name of the deceased?” “Doctor Thomas Elliot Sergeant. Really there’s no need to…” “I don’t tell you how to sit around and waste money all day Wayne. Don’t tell me how to do my job. None of ya’s leavin’ this room till the coroner gets done in there.” Bullock produced a zippo and lit up a foul cigar. “Now then…” Before Bullock could continue badgering his captive audience Detective Montoya and Lieutenant Columbo entered the scene. “Boy Sergeant, that is a terrific smelling cigar. I smoke them myself. Do you mind?” Columbo held out his own cigar. Bullock was disarmed by the disheveled looking detective. As Bullock offered the lighter to Columbo, Detective Montoya spoke up. “Bullock, this is Lieutenant Columbo from the LAPD. I was picking him up to meet with the commissioner when the APB went out.” Columbo offered his hand to Sergeant Bullock who took it. “Very nice to meet you Sergeant. Don’t mind me. This is your crime scene. I’m just going to look around.” Columbo ambled towards the guests gathered there. “Are you… are you Bruce Wayne? The billionaire who does all that charity work? I have to tell you my wife loves to talk about you. She clips just about every Newspaper article about you she can.” Bruce Wayne took Columbo’s hand and offered him a firm shake. “It’s very nice to meet you Lieutenant, but I can’t say under the circumstances…” “Of course sir. You’ve been through a terrible shock.” Columbo raised his hands. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I’m just going to help them look over the scene. You don’t mind if I come back and ask you a few questions later?” “No, I always am at the disposal of the police.” Columbo exited. Alfred and Bruce exchanged a worried glance at one another. The murder had taken place in the study. The room in the house with the most for them to lose. Columbo entered the scene as the body was loaded onto the gurney by the coroner. “Boy this never gets easier does it?” He asked to Montaya as they began surveying the scene. “Cause of death is definitely blunt trauma to the back of the head. We will have to dust this whole place for fingerprints.” Columbo listened to the coroner giving the report to Sergeant Bullock. Columbo looked about the room for potential spots where a blunt object could have been acquired. A bust of Shakespeare jumped out to him as a possibility, a huge grandfather clock piqued his interest as well. The room held many books, a grand piano, an elegant desk, and a massive portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne as well. He took a puff on his cigar and noted some carpet patterns by the clock. It clearly had been moved a few times by the impression on the carpet. “Perp could have come in through the window, run into Dr. Elliot and whacked him. Some whackjob looking to score a quick buck.” Bullock posited his theory to Detective Montoya. “If that’s the reason Sergeant than why is Dr. Elliot still wearing his watch?” Columbo interjected. “I’m sorry for interrupting. It just seems strange to me, that someone looking for cash would come in, commit the murder and leave a terrific watch like this behind. I mean this thing’s got to be worth a couple hundred bucks.” “That’s a Rolex GMT Master II. They can fetch up to 400,000 dollars at auction.” The spectacled figure to the left of Commissioner Gordon said as they entered the room. “Ah Lieutenant Columbo, this is Temple Fugate, an efficiency consultant for the police force. I’m Commissioner Gordon, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Columbo took the commissioner’s hand shifting his cigar to his free hand. “It’s very nice to meet you too Commissioner… Mr. Fugate you mean that? That much? For a watch?” Columbo shifted his attention to the man in the brown suit who entered with Gordon. “Oh yes, some people are willing to pay quite a lot for a quality timepiece. “Gee isn’t that something. I forget to wind the watch I have, but it gets the job done.” Columbo put his watch to his ear. “When I remember that is. You got the time?” As Fugate informed Columbo of the time, the Detective put his mind back to the scene. “You know a lot about clocks Mr. Fugate?” “Clocks and time are my passions, Lieutenant.” “Gee that’s terrific. Me, I like to go bowling. Only I never find the time. I’m always running late for something.” “Well an organized life is the only way to live, Lieutenant.” Temple Fugate clearly took a little disgust at the disorganized Detective. “Could you maybe tell me something about this clock?” "Well, it's an antique for sure. Not the sort of thing many people can afford. Phenomenal condition, for the most part..." Fugate was cut off by Commisioner Gordon “I don’t mind deputizing you on this Lieutenant. Mr. Wayne is a friend to the Gotham PD, and I would like every hand I can get moving towards solving this crime.” Commissioner Gordon had invited Lieutenant Columbo out to Gotham to help train some of his detectives, but he was going to use every resource at his disposal. “Commissioner, it would be my honor. I just have a few more questions for some of the guests.” Can Bruce Wayne keep the secrets of Wayne Manor under wraps with Lieutenant Columbo sleuthing around? As it is he is trapped in a room with his guests and Alfred while under police surveillance while the room with access to the Batcave is an active crime scene.