Page 48 of Three-Inch Teeth

Jennie Gordon had provided Joe with a compendium of her studies and observations boiled down to bullet points.

Some items he read out loud to Daisy, who appeared to listen to him:

“‘The Ursus arctos horribilis are omnivores that hibernate five to seven months each year and emerge in April or early May …’

“‘Grizzlies are variable colors from blonde to nearly black and they have a pronounced muscular hump on their backs …’

“‘Males weigh from four hundred to seven hundred and fifty pounds, females from two hundred and ninety to four hundred pounds. Males live up to twenty-two years, females up to twenty-six …’

“‘On average,’” he read, “‘females have two cubs per litter, but they can have as many as four. The mother cares for the cubs for two years …’

“‘Grizzles can run up to thirty-five miles per hour …’

“‘The bite force of a grizzly bear is one thousand, one hundred and sixty pounds per inch. That compares to a hippo at one thousand, eight hundred PSI, an alligator at two thousand, one hundred and twenty-five PSI, or a human at a measly one hundred and sixty-two PSI …’

“‘Our best estimates are that there are at least one thousand, one hundred grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and at least seven hundred in the State of Wyoming …’

“‘Bear attacks on regular prey or livestock are unique in that they kill with bites along the spine. Human injuries are usually to the head and face, although there are often defensive wounds on the hands and arms as well if the person fights back.’

“‘Grizzles become quickly “food-conditioned,” meaning that once they enjoy the taste of human food they will actively continue to seek it out …’

“‘The bears “know” they’re not supposed to attack a human and they’ll usually try to steer clear. But once they’ve attacked in a predatory fashion, their natural resistance to doing it again may decrease …’

“‘We average over two hundred confirmed conflicts between grizzly bears and humans annually …’

“‘Bears can smell scents for several miles …’

“‘The home range of a grizzly bear can stretch as far as six hundred square miles, and some are known to roam even farther. Young males tend to be more adventurous …’

“‘Mature grizzlies tend to have two- to four-inch claws and up to three-inch teeth …’”

Joe shook his head and repeated, “Three. Inch. Teeth.”

Then he lowered the study to his lap and shivered.

*

AFTER DEPOSITING THE black bear in a specially designated county landfill, he drove down the promontory to continue his tour of elk camps on the western side of the forest, when the phone in his breast pocket vibrated with an incoming call. The screen read: Nate.

It was rare for Nate to call him, or for Nate to use his phone at all. For reasons Joe didn’t quite understand, Nate was suspicious of cell phones and was convinced that a shadowy federal agency was always listening in. Because of that, Nate tended to be maddeningly vague at times.

“Hey there,” Joe said.

There was a long pause. Nate was prone to them.

“Nate?” Joe finally asked.

“I’m up in the hills looking at a situation develop that you might want to check out.”

“What kind of situation?”

“It’s a distance away. But there’s an older gentleman who appears to be staking out an outdoor toilet in a public campground,” Nate said. “I think you know him.”

“What? What are you talking about? Who is this guy?”

“You’ll probably want to check this out for yourself,” Nate said.

Joe sighed. “Okay, where are you?”

---