4

"I don't understand why you didn't come to the station right away, Lieutenant. We would have been more than happy to help you search. You should know that in kidnapping cases, the first few hours are the most critical…" Sergeant Coleman said as he poured coffee for both of them.

"I know, I know…but he's a robust fella, you know? Not very agile. I figured he couldn't have gotten very far. It wasn't until now when I realized…."

"That you needed help?" The Sergeant finished. Columbo nodded reluctantly.

"Well, don't you worry, we're sending reports out as we speak. Someone has seen your dog, Lieutenant. And whoever that is, they'll come forward for the reward money, I'm sure of it."

"If someone's seen my Dog…I'll gladly pay them the reward money out of my own pocket," Columbo said as he took a sip. This news ought to have lifted his spirits, but instead, he felt just the opposite.

"I just can't stop thinking about those three minutes…it was only three minutes, Sergeant, I swear. Maybe even two. How could someone have taken my dog in less than two minutes while I had my back turned? How could I have let a thing like this happen?"

"You can't blame yourself, Lieutenant. This kind of thing happens all the time. Children, pets…we can't be expected to keep an eye on them all the time."

"I swear if I find him…I'm never taking my eyes off of that dog again. Never." Columbo muttered as he took another sip.

"Poor Dog…you know, I'll….I'll never forgive myself if something happens to him. And my poor Wife…she'll never forgive me for it either. She loves that dog even more than I do, and that's saying something."

"Don't worry, Lieutenant. I'm sure something will come up. We'll find him."

Columbo sighed deeply and lit another cigar, this time if only to calm his nerves. He was fresh out of ideas, and couldn't think any longer. He'd been thinking all day…until he couldn't think anymore.

"Why don't you get some rest? I'll call you if we get anything."

"Fine…thank you, Sergeant," Columbo mumbled wearily as he stood up and wandered over a sitting area in the next room. There, he collapsed down onto a couch and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the fabric.

Sergeant Coleman smiled faintly before going back to his work.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant!" Coleman cried. Not even an hour later, after vigilantly monitoring the phone, a call had come in.

Coleman rushed into the room almost as fast as Columbo had sprung up from his nap.

"Whash…whatsit?" Columbo groaned sleepily. "They found him?"

"Not quite, Lieutenant, but we do have a lead on the vehicle. A witness did recall seeing a Basset Hound riding in a car with a woman and they also identified the car. We're running the license plate right now."

"A woman? Did they describe her?"

"Yes, I wrote that down too, Lieutenant. They said she was an older woman, in her 50s or 60s maybe. She had short, curly grey hair, Caucasian, and they guessed her height to be around 5'5."

Columbo brushed his dark hair back with a sigh. It was a promising lead, but it still didn't narrow down the suspect. After all the hundreds of cases he had done…it was still only a needle in a Los Angeles-sized haystack.

"That's…that's very good work, Sergeant. You keep running the plate number, and I…I need to call my Wife."

"Hello?"

"Frank! Have you found him? I called all the neighbours but I haven't heard back from any of them."

"No, and I don't think you will. We now know for a fact that Dog was kidnapped."

"Oh my god..."

"But we also know what kind of vehicle the kidnapper used…Sergeant Coleman is running the plate right now."

"Oh…well, that's some good news at least, right? That's something you can work with?"

"Yeah. But what worries me is that the kidnapper could be miles away by now…what good does it do to have the plate number if she's in another state?"

"She? The kidnapper is a woman?"

"Yes, two witnesses confirmed that. She's an elderly woman…but I can't figure out for the life of me who it might be…or why they would want to steal Dog."

"Frank…I know you've made your share of enemies over the years. That's just the nature of your job…but can you think of anyone who would have a real vendetta against you? I mean, someone who would want you to suffer?"

"Yeah, at least a dozen of them, but as far as I know, they're all behind bars."

"What about any of your suspects who weren't convicted?"

"I can't think of a single one. My mind is blank."

"Well, whoever did this…she must have been someone who hated you…and not just that, but hated you enough to take away what you love most…"

"Aside from you, you mean?" Columbo said, smiling weakly. He could almost hear his Wife smiling on the other end.

"Yes, of course. Aside from me."

"Oh geez…if something happened to you too…I could never forgive myself."

"Don't worry about me. You just go out there and find our Dog. If anyone can find him, it's you!"

"Thanks, honey. I needed to hear that."

"I'll stay up late by the phone tonight, and I won't fall asleep until I know you have him…and that you're both safe."

"You're the best."

"I love you."

"I love you too."