Page 75 of When We Burn

“For a five-hour, at the max, event,” someone else reminds me. “The concert will run about two hours, and we’re factoring in ample time for people coming in and out.”

“Where are these people going to park?” Jones asks. “We don’t have public transportation in Bitterroot Valley, and the ranch is a twenty-minute drive from town.”

“We’ll be busing some of them in,” comes the answer. “And the Wild family has assured us that they can clear out one of their pastures for some parking.”

I shake my head and run my hand down my face. “Look, I love that Ms. Sterling wants to help our community and that she wants to put on a show for us.We don’t get opportunities like that here, and the town will go nuts. Hell, all of Montana will be clamoring to buy tickets when word gets out.”

“We’ll be controlling that, too. This concert is only open to this specific community and the surrounding areas.”

I shake my head. “You guys, this is the age of social media. Do you think it won’t spread like wildfire? This is Sidney Sterling we’re talking about. The world can’t get enough of her.”

We spend the next hour going back and forth on logistics. I appreciate that they’re bringing in plenty of medical and security help. They’re doing everything for this concert so there’s less burden on our community.

And yet, there are still logistics that sound impossible to me.

By the time we’re finished, I’m still not convinced that the event will be pulled off without a hitch, but time will tell.

Just as I’m leaving the conference room, my phone rings, and I frown at Dani’s name. She should be in class.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Bridger, I need to let you know”—my heart starts to gallop—“that Birdie is okay now, but she did have an asthma attack and needed her inhaler. I’ve calmed her down.”

Dani’s voice sounds a little shaky, and I’m already hot-footing it to my truck.

“Okay, baby, take a breath.” She does as I ask.

“It’s in her file that I should call you, even if she’sokay. Do you want to come and get her, or let her finish the day?”

It’s past lunchtime, with only a couple of hours of school left. “I’ll come get her. I’m on my way right now.”

“Okay, we’re in the nurse’s office. I have an aid taking care of the class right now, but I can’t leave.”

“I know. It’s okay, Dani. I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.”

I should have kept Birdie home today. I knew this was a possibility, and she’s been under the weather since Sunday night. Before I reach the school, I call my brother’s office. Blake spends a lot of time in the ER these days, but he also works two days a week at a family practice, and this is one of the days he’s there.

“Hey, Marsha, it’s Bridger Blackwell. Birdie’s having some asthma trouble today. Can Blake fit her in this afternoon?”

“Sure, he can squeeze her in, in about forty-five minutes. If you bring her on in, we’ll get her roomed and he’ll pop over to see you.”

“Appreciate it. I’ll bring her over as soon as I pick her up from school.”

“See you soon.”

After parking, I stride into the school and to the nurse’s office, which is near the main office, and see that Birdie and Dani are sitting side by side, talking.

“I don’t want to go home,” Birdie says when she sees me, her little face screwed up in a scowl. “I’m fine now, Daddy, and I won’t run anymore.”

“You wererunning?”

Birdie looks guilty and sneaks a look at Dani, but she nods. “Miss Dani told me not to when I went outside, but we were playing tag, and I didn’t want to sit out.”

“I turned my back for five seconds to check on another student who fell,” Dani says, shaking her head and looking so guilty, it makes me feel bad for her. I want to scoop her up and hold her, and I’ll do that later.

First, I have to deal with Birdie.

“Hey, not your fault,” I say to her as I press my hand to her shoulder. “Birdie, we’re going to see Uncle Blake, just to make sure you’re okay.”

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