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“Would anyone like a picture taken with this zombie?”
    Benny raised his hand. “I would!” he said.
    Benny stood beside the zombie with a great big smile on his face. He looked very small next to the big zombie.
    The photographer snapped several pictures. When she was done, she handed Jessie her card. “My name is Donna Mancini,” she said. “I work for the local paper taking shots for stories. But I also have my own shop.
    Jessie looked down at the card. “Thank you very much,” she said.
    A man wearing a red baseball cap came to admire the zombie with his children. “Is it safe at Hanson’s pier?” he asked. “I have heard rumors that they are having lots of trouble with their amusements.”
    “It is perfectly safe!” Jessie said. “Those rumors are false.”
    “Mr. Hanson is my dad,” Wendy said. “He is a great mechanic and he loves the amusement pier. He would never let anyone get on one of his rides unless it was perfectly safe.”
    The man folded his arms across his chest. “That is good to know,” he said. “But I heard that the roller coaster was broken twice this week.”
    “It wasn’t really broken.” Will looked down at his feet before continuing. His face was very red. “Someone accidentally turned off the power. That is all. It is a very fun ride and a great amusement pier. You should come and see for yourself.”
    “Can we, Dad?” asked the man’s children.
    The man smiled. “I suppose we can. We’ll stop by tonight after dinner.”
    The children clapped their hands and ran away toward the ocean.
    Violet looked up just in time to see Benny racing toward the water as well.
    “Benny! Wait!” she called. “Where are you going?”

CHAPTER 7
A Mysterious Find in the Ocean
    H unter waved at the Aldens and at Will and Wendy with his one free hand. He was walking at the edge of the ocean. He had a surfboard and a boogie board under his right arm.
    Hunter set his things down in the sand. When Benny reached him, he gave Benny a high five. “Ready to ride the waves?” he asked.
    “I sure am!” Benny said.
    Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny waded into the ocean. The water was cold, but it was refreshing on such a hot day.
    Hunter held the boogie board still. He showed Benny how to grip the front of the board with his hands and wait for a good wave.

    “How about this one?” Benny called over the roar as a big whitecap came crashing toward him.
    “Go for it!” Hunter yelled.
    The wave pushed under Benny’s boogie board and shot him toward the beach. He had a very long ride. When it was over, he jumped up and splashed back to Hunter.
    “Great job, Benny!” Henry said.
    After a long swim, everyone rested in the sand. Wendy had brought a blanket and a cooler full of sandwiches and cold drinks. Hunter’s friends joined them.
    “Will and Wendy surfed for the first time today,” Hunter told his friends. “And they already can catch waves.”
    Wendy smiled. “We had a good teacher,” she said.
    “You two should hang out with us,” said a boy named Zach. “We come to the beach a lot. And tonight, I am having friends over to my house. Would you like to join us?”
    “That sounds like fun,” said Will. “But we may have to work. We help out at Hanson’s Amusement Pier.”
    “You work there?” Zach looked down the beach toward the amusement pier. “I heard that place isn’t safe. They have been having lots of problems since the new owner took over.”
    “Who told you that?” asked Jessie.
    Zach shrugged. “I don’t know. Just people talking. I suppose they are only rumors.”
    “They are only rumors!” Wendy said. “Hanson’s is a great amusement pier. It is very safe.”
    “I agree with Wendy and Will,” said Hunter. The pier is safe. And they should know. Their dad is the owner.”
    Zach’s face turned red. “I’m sorry,” he said to Wendy and Will. “I didn’t know that your dad was the owner. I didn’t mean to say anything against him.”
    “It’s