Columbo: Now You See Him (1976) 7.4

Columbo, Lt: You know, I could've bet money he wouldn't get out of those handcuffs. Michael Lally: Never bet with Santini. He's the cream of the cream.

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George Thomas

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: Oh, uh, Mr. Jerome was lookin' for you a while back, sir. Santini: Huh? George Thomas: Seemed important. Santini: Uh-huh. Everything's important to him. George Thomas: Could you do me a favor, sir? Santini: Sure, name it. George Thomas: Could you make him disappear? [Santini laughs] George Thomas: Don't tell him I said it. Santini: Oh, trust me, you're safe. Jesse Jerome: Tell me, Santini, last month before you left for New York, you didn't by chance break into this office and search through my effects? Santini: What a silly question. Of course I did. And I stole your Manet, your Picasso, and got a lovely price for your Reubens. You know I didn't . Jesse Jerome: I thought not. It was dreadful of me even to, uh, suggest it. Santini: Thank you. Jesse Jerome: Um, speaking of New York, uh, I take it that, [taking a wad of cash out of an envelope] Jesse Jerome: this too is, uh, some sort of joke? Santini: Five thousand dollars is hardly a joke. Jesse Jerome: Come, come, dear friend, I've assimilated the rudiments of arithmetic. Your recent tour netted 100,000 dollars, fifty percent of which is... Santini: Five percent of which is five thousand dollars. Jesse Jerome: No, no, dear man, we've been over this before. Santini: Jerome, I'm bored with you bleeding me. I'm afraid we're going to have to make a change in our little arrangement. Jesse Jerome: There are no changes... Sergeant Mueller! You see how the very mention of that name renders you completely helpless. You keep forgetting that I know who you are, and where you came from. Santini: I was 21. I was merely a boy. Jesse Jerome: No one in the SS was "merely a boy," Mueller. No one in the camps was just a boy. Unless he was being taken into the oven. Don't misunderstand me. If you push me, I will tell. The newspapers, the immigration service, the Israelis - yes, the Israelis! Oh, how they'd love to get their hands on you! Santini: I think not. I'm far too valuable to you. Jesse Jerome: You call that value? Santini: Mmm-hmmm. Jesse Jerome: I'd do much better turning you in right now, while I still have the chance, before you break in here again, trying to find the old man's letter, and don't deny that it was you! Santini: Jerome, you really are an animal. Jesse Jerome:

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You're lucky! I'm a businessman. When that old man recognized you last year, didn't I give you the money to keep him quiet? That was good business. And when he died and I realized that I was the only one who knew, well, that was very good business, too. That's why we're such a good team, you and I. You know, you do rather well, considering the circumstances. Certainly better than spending the rest of your life in an Israeli prison. I urge you to look at it realistically. Have the other 45,000 for me tonight before the performance, or believe me, it will be your last performance... anywhere.