Match 19969 Lt. Columbo vs. Batman

[Twogunkid]

“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.

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Lt. Columbo
Read more about Lt. Columbo at Wikipedia
Official Site: NBC Links: Wikipedia Ultimate Columbo Museum of Broadcast

Batman
Read more about Batman at Wikipedia
Official Site: DC Comics Links: Wikipedia Batman Entry The Dark Knight Golden Age Batman Site

[leroypowell3]

It's matches like this that make me want to give Bruce Wayne  his own profile. He is a different person in the same way Electric blue Superman is different from regular Superman.

Bruce really isn't good at keeping his secret from people that want to know. Back in the days when secret identities was that thing, a lot of people knew Bruce Wayne and Batman were one and the same.

Columbo could figure this out. I wouldn't give every detective this benefit but Columbo yeah.

[Pizzaguy2995]

Really glad I took the time to discover Columbo last year. I wouldn’t have voted for him before I saw the show but now I’m thinking he can sus out Bruce’s identity. Hopefully Columbo realizes Bat’s is a force for good and chooses to keep it secret.

[DSkillz]

Been awhile, Twogunkid.  Good set-up. You certainly have the characters down pat. 

As for the match, Columbo just might be smart enough to figure out Bruce's secret, but his focus may shift to Fugate since there's a good chance he may be responsible for the murder. 

[Twogunkid]

7 hours ago, DSkillz said:

Been awhile, Twogunkid.  Good set-up. You certainly have the characters down pat. 

As for the match, Columbo just might be smart enough to figure out Bruce's secret, but his focus may shift to Fugate since there's a good chance he may be responsible for the murder. 

Thank you. I realized I had all the old Columbo episodes with my peacock subscription and have been rewatching them, and yes, I figured Clock King would be a good Batman foe for Columbo to tangle with.

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
4.60 - DSkillz
5.00 - patrickthekid
4.70 - Boratz
4.50 - Pizzaguy2995
4.50 - broadwaybeyonder

FPA Calculation:
5 Total Votes cast
23.30 Total Combined Score
23.30 / 5 = 4.66 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Lt. Columbo: 4
Batman: 5

[Twogunkid]

Comments: Columbo

Results: Batman

[Twogunkid]

"Mr. Pennyworth? Do you have a moment?" Columbo motioned the butler over to the Grandfather clock. "Is that clock really two minutes slow? Mr. Fugate just gave me the time."

"I'm afraid that it's largely a display piece Lieutenant. I have to reset it almost daily. I reset it this morning at around 8 o'clock. It only losing two minutes is honestly impressive for it. Is it of significance to your investigation?"

"It's not important, I'm just trying to get all the details very precisely if I can. Things like that bother me you know. If that clock loses time, why was it so close to the correct time when the murder took place? When did you reset the clock Mr. Pennyworth?"

"Right after bringing Master Wayne his paper and breakfast around 8:30AM. Mr. Wayne was in this room when I did it."

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day Lieutenant." Fugate chimed in checking his own watch. "Do you mind Mr. Pennyworth?" Alfred nodded in assent and Fugate opened the clock face.

"Right you are sir. It's just something that bothered me that's all." Columbo turned back to the rest of the investigation. "Sergeant Bullock, I think you can let the party guests go. We've gotten their statements. Dr. Elliot left around 8:45 and no one saw him till the body was discovered around 9:15. That clock there now reads 10:33 and the time is 10:35." Fugate fixed it as Columbo spoke. "The time was only one minute slow when I got here. That means... that either the victim or the murderer fixed the time in this room, and..." Columbo looked at the picture taken of Dr. Elliot's watch, "We can't tell who yet, because Dr. Elliot's watch is showing the correct time when this photo was taken, but we know our murderer knew the correct time."

"So what conclusion can you draw Lieutenant?"

"I think our murderer was here for Dr. Elliot and it was some sort of pre-arranged meeting."

Commissioner Gordon was dumbfounded. "How can you tell that Lieutenant?"

"A couple things sir, these windows lock from the inside and there's no sign of forced entry, and the window is still unlocked Sir." Columbo demonstrated the window opening. "Not finding prints on the window or in the room is to be expected, but did you notice? Dr. Elliot was also wearing gloves sir. He wasn't wearing them at the party, and his prints weren't on the inside door knob of this room, but they were on the outside door knob. Dr. Elliot must have put his gloves on ... after he entered the room, because there are no prints on the window sill. Mr. Pennyworth has been wearing gloves this whole time..."

"So the butler did it!" Bullock jumped in producing a pair of handcuffs.

"No sir." Bullock dejectedly lowered his handcuffs as Columbo continued. "It would make sense that there would be no prints on the windowsill, but the window wouldn't be unlocked for a party on a dreary night like this with a high chance of rain. Whoever killed Dr. Elliot, planned to meet Dr. Elliot here at a specific time." Columbo walked over to Fugate as he spoke. "That's why guests mentioned Dr. Elliot checked his watch several times during the evening sir. The weapon was probably taken with the killed because look here." Columbo took the party to the windowsill. "See here sir? There are scrape marks that something heavy was dragged along the sill. Mr. Wayne, Mr. Pennyworth, we will need a full inventory of everything in this room and anything that may be missing."

"Of course Lieutenant. We are happy to cooperate with the police." Wayne chimed in. Commissioner Gordon ordered Montaya and Bullock to begin inventorying the room.

"We will get to the bottom of this, but I think the killer knew Dr. Elliot, so I think we should get a search warrant for Dr. Elliot's home and business and see if we can find anything there."

"My consulting firm has worked with Dr. Elliot before; he always kept excellent records. We would be happy to help you go through his records." Temple Fugate offered.

"I'm sure that I can come to you if I need more help sir." Columbo added before taking a drag on his cigar.

 

 

To be continued at a later date.

[DSkillz]

Lol at Bullock having a Clue moment.  

Can't wait for part two of this. 

[JohnnyChany]

Missed this initially. Would have gone for Columbo which would have resulted in a tie.  Nice idea for a setup. Enjoyed it.