All Dressed in White

72

Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer James Jackson had been eager to respond to the call about someone ghost surfing off Delray Beach. After eight years patrolling the beaches, he knew that speed on the water brought out the crazy in people, but he’d never actually seen ghost surfing in progress. According to rumors, some idiots out there thought it was a good idea to set a boat on throttle, then jump on a surfboard to ride the wake without a driver at the helm. Jackson was convinced the whole thing was a myth, but tonight there’d been a 911 call.

But when he arrived, there were no ghost surfers to be found, only a kid wakeboarding with his dad at the steering wheel and the extremely night-blind tourist who had called in the report.

Oh well, Jackson thought, just another night on the water. This job sure beat his old one with the Miami Police Department. Now the roughest criminals he dealt with were vacationers who underestimated the interactive effects of rum and sun. He warned the father and son about the dangers of water sports at night and suggested that they lower their speed and enjoy the stars.

Up ahead, he saw a good-sized yacht heading his way.