Stone was toting in their bags when he heard a crash, followed by a scream. He rushed into the kitchen, ready for a fight. Gala was cowering by the pantry door, and the place was a mess.

“It was a bear!” Gala shouted. “I saw him rush around the corner when I screamed.”

Dino ran into the kitchen, his gun drawn. “What is it?”

“A visit from Papa Bear,” Stone said. “He stayed for lunch.” He waved a hand.

“Jesus,” Dino said. “He wasn’t very neat, was he?”

“Can you take a look outside and see if he’s gone? You’re the one with the weapon.”

“Sure.” Dino trod carefully through the mess and had a look outside. “Gone,” he said, holstering his gun.

Stone hung up the phone. “I talked with Ed Eagle. He’s calling somebody from the state wildlife service, and he gave me the name of a commercial cleaning business.”

—

Finally, they were able to sit down for a drink, while the cleaners did their work. One of them came in, carrying a bucket. “Here’s the problem,” he said, holding up a broken bottle bearing a label. “A quart of honey.”

“I buy honey in little jars,” Gala said. “I like a spoonful in my tea, but I’ve never bought a quart.”

“It was smeared on your back door,” the cleaner said, “then the jar was broken outside. That brought the bear.”

Gala put her face in her hands. “It’s Boris,” she said.

—

Later, an official of the wildlife service arrived and took a report. Stone showed him the remains of the broken honey jar.

“That would do it,” he said. “She loves her honey.”

“She?”

“And two cubs,” the man said. “I found their tracks outside. We’re going to have to organize a hunt. She’s got a den somewhere up in the hills, and we’ll have to anesthetize her and the cubs and take them up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for resettlement.”

“She won’t come back?”

“There’s no telling,” the man said. “We do the best we can. She’ll remember where she found the honey, though.” He gave Stone his card and left.

“I didn’t hear you volunteering for the hunt,” Dino said.

“I’m a city boy. What do I know about bear hunting? I’d just be in the way.”

“Problem is, nobody’s hunting Boris,” Gala said.

“Once we get the house secured, you come back to New York with us,” Stone said. “You deserve a rest from that guy.”

“Invitation gratefully accepted,” she replied.

—

They spent the following day getting the kitchen door replaced and the alarm system repaired, then took off for New York.