Chapter - Mrs. Sternson

	Chapter - Mrs. Sternson
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"Constable Robertson! I'm so glad you came early! One of my neighbours, Mrs. Sternson, came over an hour ago." Mr. Ellsley looked flustered as he let Constable Robertson in. "She said she wants to help, somehow, and she says she must talk to you, and she won't leave!"

"It's OK, Mr. Ellsley. Mrs. Sternson and I know each other. I'll talk to her."

His boots off, Constable Robertson walked in, somewhat unsure how to react to Mrs. Sternson.

Mrs. Sternson was knitting. Age had slowed her down, but it hadn't dimmed her smile. "Constable Robertson, I'll say my piece and then go. I'm here to apologize. I've been a source of bad rumours, and no help to you at all, or to my grandson."

Mr. Ellsley tried to smile and just stood there wringing his hands. Constable Robertson smiled blankly at Mrs. Sternson, and spoke tentatively. "Oh, I'm sure you didn't ..."

"Oh, hush, and let me say my piece." Mrs. Sternson said irritably, then smiled benevolently at Constable Robertson. "Fred's Mom is my daughter. She asked me to keep an eye out when Fred came visiting over to this area. Yesterday I told her how funny you looked running up and down the street by Mrs. Simpson's the other night, not like the dignified way you walked up to the Ellsley's with your official shoulder bag."

"Really? That's all you said?"

"That's all it takes for my daughter. I should have known better." Mrs. Sternson sounded sad, not bitter.

"Of course she jumped to the wrong conclusions! Wailing about youth today, getting in trouble on a simple visit to their friend's house. And then she hung up on me! She won't listen to my corrections, either. She 'knows' what really happened, better than I do."

"No wonder young Fred wasn't sure how his Mom would handle this."

"Young Fred is a good lad. I shall apologize to him next chance I get, when his mother isn't around."

"I'm glad to hear your side of the story. My sergeant gave me a story that sounds like your daughter's version."

"Oh, I was that upset. I babbled about it to the first person I talked to this morning in the market. Turned out to be your sergeant, and it also turns out that he listens as well, or as badly, as my daughter."

"Yes, I know, although he sometimes listens to corrections."

"So I called Marge Simpson next, since her boy is one of Fred's friends, and tried to be careful how I expressed myself. Though I needn't have worried. She understood right way! She also told me about your meeting with the boys, and with their parents here tonight, though she wouldn't say why, except to assure me that the boys aren't in trouble. And suggested I talk to you before the meeting."

"Well, thank you very much for coming. I appreciate you taking the time."

"Oh, I'm just a lazy old knitter with nothing else to do. It's no trouble at all."

Constable Robertson grew thoughtful. "Would you stay for the meeting? If you talk to Mrs. Simpson first, she can give you all the details she left out. and maybe the two of you can figure out a way to keep Fred's Mom from panicking, and taking it out on Fred."

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