Emanuele Stefanori & Michela Guida, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 7 – Escape
“Are you all right now, Madam?” asks a concerned Benvenga, “Is there anything you need?” As he turns to her he notices something else: “But your dress is all torn!”
“That was another unfortunate accident, Inspector,” the husband puts in, quickly.
“I imagine so,” breathes the inspector, drily.
“As I was saying,,,,, the restaurant was in chaos. It was the perfect moment to escape but the doors were closed. What to do? I grabbed my wife’s hand and we crossed the room. Although she was reluctant, we went into the kitchen to find another way out.”
“Why was that, Madam?”
“My wife kept telling me to calm down but …..she was in shock, Inspector, and…”
“Wait! Now I want to hear what your wife has to say!”
Somewhat offended, Signor Malintesi goes quiet.
“My dress was torn while we were trying to escape. My husband was running frantically towards the exit, while I was holding back. I was saying ‘But where are you going? Are you mad? Don’t pull me!’ But he carried on running, pulling me with such force that he tore my dress. But this is the real point, Inspector. My husband was in such a state, of shock, confusion, fear, that he hadn’t realised what was really happening in the restaurant…”