Columbo matches his skills against Brimmer, a former cop turned private investigator with a quick temper who tries to blackmail a client's wife. When she refuses, he accidentally kills her and it's up to Columbo to nail him.
The CEO of a private detective agency requests assistance and information from the wife of a publisher in return for concealing information he has found out about their marriage.
The publisher retains Bremer's detective agency to investigate his wife's murder to "help" Columbo.