Gray Ghost (The Bill Dix Detective Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

day of fishing tomorrow.”
    Petersen stared at Dix and replied, “I know buddy, I know. Thank you.”
    Dix walked his friend to their cottage. They discussed how eager they were to go fishing, but each secretly wondered what happened to their original guides.
    No matter where I go, I seem to get into some sort of mess , thought Dix.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    At seven forty-five, Dix shook Petersen until he woke up.
    Petersen felt sick, and his head was pounding. Every second or so, Petersen felt his heartbeat at the center of his brain. He realized the glass of whiskey hadn’t done him in. It was the damn cigar.
    “ Man, take it easy on me. I feel like throwing up.”
    Dix chuckled. “I warned you about the cigar. Now hurry and get up. I took our gear and food to the dock already.”
    “ Okay, okay, but could you stop yelling?” Petersen popped several aspirin and drank two bottles of water to try to accelerate the healing process. He threw on a flats fishing shirt, grabbed his hat and sunglasses, and followed Dix to the dock.
    Two idling Maverick flats fishing boats waited for them at the dock. Petersen grabbed his head and gave Dix a God help me look.
    “ Don’t look at me, buddy. I thought maybe you’d learned your lesson about smoking cigars from the last trip. I guess not.”
    Bubba stood next to the larger boat. He was wearing khaki pants, a long sleeve shirt and had an obviously too small, large-brimmed hat perched on his head. His shadow nearly covered the dock.
    Wilfred stood with one foot on the dock and one on the smaller boat, motioning for Dix and Petersen to hurry. Dix noticed he wore the same clothes from the night before.
    Dix whistled. He loved boats. “Man, is that a Maverick?”
    “ Sure is,” replied Wilfred.
    “ What kind of engine does she have? It looks huge.”
    “ It’s a four stroke Yamaha. Two hundred horsepower. Just came out last year. She gets up and goes,” said Wilfred.
    Dix was impressed. He couldn’t wait to head out and see what the boat could do at top speed.
    “ Now don’t be bashful, Mr. Dix. Bubba promised to take it easy on you,” said Wilfred.
    “ That’s reassuring,” said Dix as he boarded the boat. “That leaves the drunken sailor with me.” Wilfred motioned for Petersen to board his boat.
    All he was able to muster was, “Okay.”
    Bubba grinned. “Mon, you’re a wreck. Let’s go look for some fish.” Dix shot Petersen a look of concern.
    “ I’ll be okay.” Petersen was lying, but he didn’t want any of the guys to give him crap about not being able to handle a glass of whiskey and a single cigar.
    The flats boats began the hour-long journey through Elliott Creek to Joulters Cays in the search of trophy fish. Due to their design, the boats could easily maneuver over the emerald green, shallow water on the myriad of flats in the area. Yet, they were sturdy enough to take on some chop from the deep, blue Atlantic Ocean.
    As soon as Wilfred guided the boat into the open water of the Atlantic Ocean, Petersen promptly vomited. That’s much better .
    * * * *
    Dix enjoyed the trip out to the fishing grounds. He saw small, colorful homes dotting the island and watched as a large stingray jumped out of the water near his boat. The trees and bushes seemed brilliantly green and the various island birds stalked the water along the shore looking for prey. The maze of shallow flats, intertwined by channels and into the open sea, looked like a jigsaw puzzle. Occasionally, Dix smelled cooked food in the air when the island jutted out closer to the channels. His stomach growled. When he envisioned Andros Island back in Miami, he couldn’t recall it being this amazing.
    Bubba pulled the power back on the engine and the boat coasted onto a large flat. Dix thought he saw a sea turtle and was impressed with the abundance of wildlife and sea creatures in the area.
    When Bubba grabbed his push pole from the inside railing of the boat, he labored to get up on the poling