Cajun Magic 02 - Voodoo for Two by Elle James Page B

kicked in to his bloodstream. He ran to the window, flattening his back to the wall beside it, then eased around the frame to stare out into the night.
    Across the open lawn, a figure sped past, his legs exposed by accent lights, his face in the shadows of the giant oak trees. The man disappeared into the bushes leading toward the boat ramp where Ben and Eric had played during the summers growing up.
    He jerked open the double doors leading out to the garden and leaped over the low porch railing. When his feet hit the grass, he threw every ounce of energy into gaining ground on the vandal.
    Before he cleared the bushes blocking the view of the private pier beyond, a motor revved, blasting through the raucous noises of the frogs and insects serenading one another in the still night air.
    A few more steps and Ben moved out into the open, charging to the end of the short wooden dock. A small skiff left a V-shaped wake as it disappeared into the dark.
    “Damn.” He leaped into the nearest high-powered boat and fumbled for the ignition . “Double-damn.” No key. How was a person supposed to chase the bad guys when they took the keys out?
    His only other choice was a rowboat flipped upside down on the shore . He’d never catch him in that.
    Angry for not moving faster to begin with, he walked back to the house and stepped through the double French doors he’d exited moments before.
    “Look at this,” Jason Littington shoved a crumpled paper into Ben’s hands before he cleared the threshold.
    As his eyes adjusted to the glare of the lights, he stared down at the block lettering.
    “ Go away! ”
    Holding the paper by the corner, he flipped the page over but it was blank on the other side . “That’s it?”
    A grin spread across Eric’s face. “Got to give the guy credit. He’s concise in what he wants.
    “Unlike, say, a politician?” Ben returned the smile until the elder Littington’s creased forehead caught his attention.
    “My property has just been attacked and you two are making jokes? I fail to see the humor in the situation.”
    “Lighten up, Dad.” Eric draped an arm around his father’s shoulders. “It was just a rock, thrown by someone with a bone to pick.”
    “A rock today, a bullet tomorrow.” Jason strode across to the shattered window. “This time I only lost a window—”
    “And a vase.” Ben interjected.
    “Yes, and an expensive vase.” Mr. Littington paused as if to remember where he was in his tirade. “What if this person starts shooting? Lives may be lost.”
    “Dad, it was only a rock.” Eric glanced down at the offending stone. “But you’re right. I’d like to know who threw it.”
    Ben grabbed a tissue from a box on Littington’s desk, scooped the rock up with it, and stuffed it into his pocket. “I’ll see if I can lift prints off it and the paper.”
    “Do you suppose it was the man who’s been following Eric?” Eric’s father asked Ben.
    “Could be. Could also be the protesters.” Ben frowned. “But since the guy got away clean into the swamp, I’d say he’s someone local who knows his way around the tributaries well enough to navigate in the dark.”
    “Great.” Mr. Littington waved his hand in the air. “Campaign crashers, protesters, and local goons. Want to add something else to that list?”
    How about a very determined woman intent on marrying your son ? Ben added silently to himself. No, he couldn’t say that to Mr. Littington. The man was probably an alligator’s hair away from running Lucie out of town, as it was. “Look, there’s not much we can do tonight. I’ll take the paper and see if there’s anything I can glean from it. And tomorrow, we’ll install additional security cameras that will take in more of the yard. In the meantime, get this window boarded up before you call it a night, if you don’t want another one of these crashing through.”
    Jason and Eric Littington nodded.
    “I’ll see Mr. Boyette to the door and have the