"We can’t have our men chasing cats when there are more important cases that need our attention"

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Mr. Krankowitz decided to get up early one morning, and go shopping before the fish shop got busy.

And so it was that at seven a.m., Mr. Krankowitz was already shuffling around getting dressed. He put on his coat, hat, and scarf. It was true the sun was shining in a cloudless blue sky. But you never knew when the weather would change.

Finally, Mr. Krankowitz was ready. Grabbing his walking stick, he tap-tapped up Sunny Lane on his way to the fish shop. The street was empty at that time of morning. There was a prowling orange cat out. Mr. Krankowitz, who had no time for cats, scowled at it.

When Mr. Krankowitz got to the fish shop, there was one other customer there. Mr. Krankowitz fixed him with a glare. Soon enough, it was his turn to be served. A few minutes later, the old man was on his way back home.

As he turned into Sunny Lane, the orange cat reappeared. It could smell the delicious kippers. It followed Mr. Krankowitz, sniffing enthusiastically.

“Get away!” growled the old man.

The cat just kept following him. What a delightful fishy smell!

The old man tried to escape by walking faster. Oops! He stumbled — and accidentally dropped the precious package of fish!

The cat pounced. Before Mr. Krankowitz could react, it had snatched up the kippers and dashed off with them.

The old man yelled and ranted. People came running out of their houses to see what was going on. It was hard to make heads or tails of what he was saying, but at the words “stole” and “ran off with it,” one neighbor called the police. He assumed there had been a robbery.