They just finished having the overnight inspection, and lo and behold the cider appears. Seems a little convenient that it happened on the same day. I know that Columbo wants to catch his Killers ASAP, but if I was Rumford, I would be very suspicious of that fact.
Even though it doesn't ruin the episode for me, I think "smelling a rat" is even more true of Brimmer in DEATH LENDS A HAND. Columbo goes out of his way to make him start searching for that contact lens, which of course leads to him searching the car trunk.
Columbo even goes so far as to say: “I just wish the murderer knew that we were looking for that contact lens”, or something to that effect. It was obvious that he suspected Brimmer, but why make it so obvious?
I think Brimmer would have been on his guard when Columbo told him word for word what he thought happened while they were having lunch in Brimmer's office.
That’s true. “Our killer has a bad temper”, and “we’re looking for a left-handed man with a ring...as a matter of fact just like yours” weren’t subtle hints. He was challenging Brimmer. But why tell Brimmer that he wanted the killer to look for the lens. He DID actually want the killer to look for the lens. He knew Brimmer was the killer and Brimmer knew about the missing lens already. So why state it out loud to Kennicut?
“Troubled Waters” is another example where the murderer was well aware of Columbo’s suspicions and should have seen through Columbo’s obvious statement about how finding the gloves with the powder burns would close the case.
These are all excellent examples. That's why I love this forum so much. Because things that I don't remember or don't think of you guys remind me of. It's great.