Page 136 of When We Burn

Oh, God, the smoke alarm. Birdie and I run out to find smoke coming out of the oven.

“Oh, crap!”

Blake is already pulling the burned cookies out of the oven, and I hurry to open windows to help get the smoke out.

“We were a little distracted,” Blake says with a laugh. “Oops.”

“I shouldn’t have put that last pan in there. This really stinks. It’s just some cookies; it shouldn’t smell thisbad.” As annoyed as I feel about them, I’m thankful Blake was here to help with Birdie. I’d still be cleaning up vomit from the carpets and furniture if he wasn’t here.

I hope Bridger is doing okay up on the mountain. It must be terrible if Chase was called at the same time?—

“Why are there lights outside?” Birdie asks, pointing to the front window, and Blake and I turn to see what she’s looking at.

“You two stay here,” Blake says as he marches for the front door, but when he opens it, there’s no mistaking what’s going on out there.

My rental is on fire.

“What the hell?” I reply as I march outside and down to the sidewalk. There’s a lone police car, and Rod’s standing nearby, speaking into his radio.

“The blaze has enveloped the whole house,” he says, and all I can do is stare, zoning him out.

Everything I own is in that house.

Sure, I was going to donate most of it, but it wasmine.My photos, my books, the dress I wore when Millie and Holden got married. I hadn’t pulled out the sentimental things yet.

Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I turn and find Blake standing behind me, Birdie in his arms.

“I’m sorry, honey,” he says.

“I guess we didn’t just smell the cookies.” I shake my head, taking it in. “Blake, I didn’t leave anything on. Just the lights, but not the oven or anything over there.”

“It’s not your fault,” he replies.

“Oh, God. Everyone’s up at the resort, fightingthe fire up there.” Frantically, I turn to Rod. “No one can come fight this.”

“They’re on their way down,” he says grimly. “But it’s going to take a little time. This house is a loss, but I hope they’re down in time to make sure the other houses around it don’t ignite.”

I cover my mouth and shake my head.

What if Birdie and I had still been inside it? What happens if it spreads before they get here?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

BRIDGER

“The condos, the rental building, and the lodge are all out,” Jones says as he gives me the status update. “The pub is the last still burning, but it was the most extensive. He probably started there first and then made his way from there. It’s a hot fucker.”

“And the surrounding homes and trees?”

“No damage,” he replies. “The resort is a mess and will likely need to be leveled and rebuilt, but that’s a problem for someone else.”

I nod, but I feel sick. This will have a huge impact on our economy and on people’s livelihoods. It could be devastating for some, and that asshole did it on purpose.

“Where is he?” Jones asks me.

“I assume he’s at the hospital by now. Ambulance took him an hour ago.”

Jones shakes his head. “What a twisted motherfucker.He did all of this because he was throwing a goddamn fit?”

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