 Tony Goodland s wife is straying. He believes that money will bring her back to him, but while he leads a comfortable life, most of his massive inheritance is in a trust fund that can only be accessed in extraordinary circumstances. Tony s uncle Jarvis, an expert in orchids, proposes a plan: he will help Tony fake his own kidnapping, which will allow Tony to gain a good portion of his trust fund unsuspected. What Tony doesn t realize is that Jarvis wants that money for himself, and is willing to kill to get it. What Jarvis doesn t realize is that all his careful planning will fall apart under the watchful eye of Lieutenant Columbo, who quickly finds holes in the kidnapping scenario.