[TigersEye]

You're right, I do feel differently about this story. Thank you for answering though.

I note that the cops did not volunteer to tell him what it was. Why not?

Because he didn't ask them. Their first question to him was the perfect opening to ask it. "We hear you've been asking curious questions, ... Why are you doing that?" But his response was "Why are you asking me that?".

[Henrietta]

"But his response was "Why are you asking me that?""

That would have been my response, too. Why would they care what he was asking? Doesn't he have a right to know why they want to know? What harm was his question?