i truly believe that columbo didnt like what he had to do but this shows that he could definitely be an extremely manipulative and deceptive character when he needs to be...unusual for him in the matter of love and i never thought hed stoop down to it...but there you go!!!
Ditto what Headache said. If Columbo ever meant it, my whole world would collapse!
I do think that Columbo has a bit of the old-fashioned knight in shining armor in him, and he may have had particularly strong feelings about a case in which he becomes increasingly convinced that the murdered man was a user and abuser of women. Having to act the role he did, deceiving Ms. Staten, probably caused some complicated feelings for him