The Most Important Question
Two years have passed since Frank Columbo's wife passed away suddenly. Surrounded by death is something the intellegent detective was accustomed to but not death this close to home.
"She was my world." Were the only words he could choke out at her funeral. He finally managed to move on but dating seemed out of the question.
"I think you killed your wife then planted the murder on your buddy here, hoping he would take the blame." Columbo said in a convinced voice.
"That is a complete LIE!" The man said as he was cuffed and taken away. Columbo wiped his brow and finished up another case, quickly getting in his car and driving away only to break down a few blocks from his house. Too tired to deal with another car issue he decided to walk the rest of the way to his house. He hated going home. He hated all the reminders that came with it. He worked even more than before. Almost never home. As he walked the LA breeze blew his dark hair and seemed refreshing.
A young woman with beautiful black hair was walking in his direction softly sobbing. Her hair short and curly. Her dark eyes glistened in the moonlight with tears. Both not paying very much attention Columbo runs into the young woman as a bottle of wine crashes to the ground she cries and reaches to pick it up.
"I am so sorry ma'am, here let me..." Columbo says in a kind voice.
"Please..." The young woman's hands reach for the broken glass and Columbo quickly stops her. "Hey there...be careful."
The young woman looks at him. She has noticeably been drinking. "It's fine." She speaks soft and in a defeated tone. Columbo helps the young girl up. To his estimation she must be 30 years old and strikingly pretty. "Thank you sir." She says as she gets to her feet. Columbo reaches out to shake her hand. "My name is Columbo."
"I'm Cassie." The young woman says. "Well Cassie I'm a police officer and I wouldn't want you wondering the streets in your condition...would you mind camping out in my guest room?" He offers his badge to her. Cassie nods and without a word goes with him, reaching out to grab his arm for support, she's so quiet that Columbo just looks over at her and smiles. "Ma'am.." He starts. "Please call me Cassie." She states which makes him smile. "Alright Cassie, I promise you I am just offering you a place tonight. I uh, well you know I always believed it's a man's job to protect a woman and I just wanna see that you are alright." She nods and smiles. "I just needed a break you know? I am so tired of living." He's taken back by her remark. "Hey now, don't say that."
They arrive back at his house and he lets her in. Shyly she sits on the couch. Columbo grabs himself a scotch and her a glass of water and sits beside her. "So uh..." He looks at her starting to feel surprisingly nervous in the presence of her. "My head is killing me!" After immediately saying the words he appears back at her side with asprin and a smile.
"You are a gentleman. Columbo...I've never heard of a name like that." He chuckles "Well I'm Frank."
She holds out her hand seemingly taken back by his kindness. "Nice to meet you. I don't usually do things like this but I've just, I had to get away and there you were. Can I see your badge again?" Cassie says as she looks around scared. He places it in her hands and sees her smile brighter than he's seen a woman smile in his presence since his wife.
"You can take the guest room, the couch or even my room. Anywhere you are comfortable. I uh...just want you to sleep off all that alcohol, you know that's bad for you, especially you being so pretty you don't need that garbage in your body."
After Columbo's compliment she looks at him closely. "Pretty?" She dries her eyes. "That means a lot to me...but you shouldn't be so modest."
Columbo smiles. "Well thanks, I mean it. I haven't gotten such a flattering compliment since my wife's passing."
Cassie quickly backs off. "I'm so sorry I didn't know." Shaking his head. "I've learned to live with it. I know she would want me to be happy." The two stay up for a few hours getting to know each other. Learning about what makes each other tick, where each other are from, and share a few tears before they fall asleep both on the couch.