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Justin laughed. “I guess you should start locking your doors.”

“Now what?” The bear lay on its side, mouth half open, drool pooling on the floor.

“We drag his ass out of here.”

“He must weigh two, three hundred pounds.”

“Call Abe.”

“Abe is strong, but he’s not that strong.”

“He has a winch on his truck.”

“Right. I’ll call Abe.”

Abe’s response to the late night call was much the same as Justin’s. “Damn, Milo, it’s two-thirty.”

“Sorry, but I need some help.”

“Now?”

“Yeah.”

Abe yawned loudly into the phone. “What’s up?”

“There’s a bear in my kitchen.”

Once again, a moment of silence. “Are you drunk?”

“No. I’m serious. There’s a bear in my kitchen. Justin just shot it with a dart.”

“Holy shit.”

“I know.”

“What do you need me for?”

“We need your truck. It’s pretty big, and we thought we could winch it out through the door.”

Abe laughed. “Oh, man. This could only happen to you, brother.”

“Will you come or not?”

“I wouldn’t miss it. I’m on my way.”

Milo ended the call, then started to put the phone in his pocket. He stopped and turned on his camera. “I guess I need a picture of this or no one will believe me.”

“Would you like me to get one with you and the bear?”

“I think the bear drooling on the antique marble floor should do it.”

When Abe arrived, he came through the kitchen door and whistled. “Wow. That’s a damn bear, alright.” He grinned. “This is so cool.”

Milo turned to him. “Seriously?”

“So, we’re just going to drag his ass out of here?”

Justin nodded. “Yeah, then load him in the back and drive him into Forest Service land.”