Kay Freestone, passed over for an anticipated promotion by her lover-boss, Mark McAndrews, carries out his perfectly timed execution while supposedly screening a film for New York VIP's. Lt. Columbo suspects Kay as well as the VIP's, until he discovers Kay had the most to gain from Mark's death. As Columbo closes in on her, she tries to pacify the police detective while calming a terrified star (Lainie Kazan), meeting network-programming schedules and covering her tracks to prevent incrimination.