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She grinned and switched to English. “Because that’s all you’ve spoken since you were hit on the head. That’s why they asked me to be here at all. So that I could translate.”

“Is that so?” he asked in Italian. “How very strange.”

“The paramedics say head injuries can do that sometimes.” She kept speaking in English, hoping it would prompt him to switch languages, but he glanced over at James and the other officers, and she saw distrust flicker in his eyes before he gestured her closer.

“Do they understand Italian?” Alessandro asked.

“No,” she responded in kind. “They are honest police, though. You can speak to them.”

He tilted his head from side to side as if that was debatable, then winced as his head injury made itself known.

“I will talk to you in Italian. I am too badly hurt to think well in English now.”

“What’s being said, Miss Farnsworth?” DI Layman sounded annoyed.

“He tells me that his head injury is so painful, it’s difficult for him to think in English and that he would prefer to speak in Italian until he feels better.” Gabriella glanced back and saw James’s eyes narrow at Layman.

“Does he understand English? Can I question him directly and you translate his answers?” Layman dialed back his irritation.

“Si, si.” Alessandro waved a hand as if asking them to get on with it.

“Did you recognize your attacker?” Layman asked.

Alessandro thought about it, and his Italian was measured and slow when he answered. “I thought initially it was a delivery driver I see sometimes in the back alley, delivering clothes to the boutique next door, but that’s only because of his height. When he spoke, I realized it wasn’t the same man. This voice was from someone from a rough neighborhood, you understand? A slang English and very angry. When I wouldn’t show him to a safe, he hit me.”

Gabriella relayed what he’d said and James turned to Hartridge. “Did you find a safe?”

“No.” Hartridge looked aghast.

“Is your safe very well hidden?” Gabriella asked Alessandro.

“If I had one, it would be,” he answered, suddenly sly. “No one would find it. But alas, there is no safe. I don’t have one.”

“He says there isn’t a safe.” Gabriella said, but she honestly didn’t know if that was true, or not. It sounded to her like there was one, but he wasn’t going to share any information about it.

Hartridge took a step forward. “So the robber thought there was one, like someone told him about it, or he just guessed?”

“Well, if I did have one, I would not have admitted it, anyway, but it’s possible he was guessing, because most jewelers have a safe,” Alessandro conceded. “No one can know about something that doesn’t exist, so he was just assuming, I’m sure.”

“He thinks he was guessing, because it’s more likely than not that a jeweler will have a safe,” Gabriella translated.

Layman gave a nod. “What time did the attack occur?”

“As I was leaving. It is very stupid of me. I should have been more wary. I leave out the back way, and that is a very secure door, so as I opened it to step out, boom, he was there. Shoving me back inside, shouting at me, hitting me.” Alessandro gestured to his head, then paused. “Did I hear a shot?”

“I’m sorry, yes. He shot at the detective who was coming to speak to you. Right through your front window.”

As she explained, Alessandro started trying to get off the bed.

“My shop! My pieces!”

“What’s happening, Miss Farnsworth?” Layman’s tone was sharp.

“He only just recalled the sound of the gun shot. He wanted to know if he was right in thinking a shot was fired and I told him his front window was shot out. He’s very distressed.” Gabriella gently pressed him back into bed. “The police have secured all the pieces. They were right there when the shot was fired. I was there, too. Your pieces are safe.”

While Alessandro made himself comfortable again, although he looked far from convinced, Gabriella turned to face the men.

“He says he was ambushed as he left the shop via the back door. The moment he opened it the man shoved him back inside, shouting at him, then he hit him.”