Bill Gillie - Surfer girl

"Arsonists," he said. "Bastards. I tell you the world is going to hell."

"That it is," Biff admitted. He decided not to tell Derk that he knew a kid named Duke who lived not far from Derk's house had set the fire. It would only ruin what he had planned. Besides, the fire had solved a lot of knotty problems that otherwise would have stood in the way.

"Like to come inside?" Derk asked.

Derk's wife was cleaning house in her shorts and bra and she blushed when they walked in unannounced. "Damn that woman," said Derk. "I got her in Tahiti. Wonderful place. I've got plenty of stories to tell about Tahiti. But they can wait for another time. Anyway, I met Judy on the beach. Beautiful woman. Heavy bones and lots of muscle and there is no better lover in the world."

He laughed when Janet blushed. Damn, she was a fine-looking woman, he thought.

Judy came back with beers for the three of them and settled down Indian-style on the floor. She looked at her master's new friend Biff and saw that his penis was rising up in his pants and she looked away. It was not right to be too eager for a new man. Besides, he might go away and never see her again. She averted his staring gaze and probing eyes.

"How's your luck?" said Biff.

"Neither here nor there," he answered. "I'm making ends meet like always."

"Still have the schooner?" asked Janet.

He laughed. "You mean the bank, don't you?" he said. "Yup, still in San Diego harbor. Understand there was a couple of buyers out there not long ago. Friends on a boat told me that." He waved a fly away from his face.

"Wrong," interrupted Biff. "She has been bought!"

"What!"

Then Janet got to smile. She had waited a long time for this moment. "We bought her. The Wandering Mistress."

Derk was astounded.

"Plenty of fire insurance," said Biff. "It covered the loan and we still got plenty to spare for a voyage."

"Providing you and your wife show us how to sail," Janet said.

Derk sat still for a minute, then let out a whoop. "Where to?" he asked, hugging his wife. His eyes were on Janet, however.

"To Tahiti," Janet answered. "Back to that magic island."

"Oh, that's a long trip," said Derk. "You don't know what you're getting into."

Janet licked her lips and smiled. "I think I can handle whatever comes up."

She was looking straight at Derk. He saw her eyes and knew that she was right.

Janet could handle any emergency.