Janice Greene

The

Dark Lady

SERIES 1Black Widow BeautyDanger on IceEmpty EyesThe ExperimentKula‘i Street KnightsThe Mystery QuiltNo Way to RunThe RitualThe 75-Cent SonThe Very Bad Dream

SERIES 2The AccuserBen Cody’s TreasureBlackoutThe Eye of the HurricaneThe House on the HillLook to the Light!Ring of FearTiger Lily CodeTug-of-WarThe White Room

Development and Production: Laurel Associates, Inc.Cover Art: Black Eagle Productions

Three WatsonIrvine, CA 92618-2767Website: www.sdlback.com

Copyright ©2005 by Saddleback Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any formor by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 1-56254-741-0

Printed in the United States of America

10 09 08 07 06 05 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

SERIES 3The Bad Luck PlayBreaking PointDeath GripFat BoyNo ExitNo Place Like HomeThe PlotSomething Dreadful Down BelowSounds of TerrorThe Woman Who Loved a Ghost

SERIES 4The Barge GhostBeastsBlood and BasketballBus 99The Dark LadyDimes to DollarsRead My LipsRuby’s Terrible SecretStudent BodiesTough Girl

3

Andrew hurried down thenarrow aisle of the crowded plane.“How are we doing, Jenny?”

His pretty assistant bent over herclipboard. “All the musicians are onboard,” she reported.

“Even the viola players?” Andrewinterrupted her nervously.

“Yes, even the viola players,” sheassured him. “They caught that lasttaxi, remember?”

“And the crew?” Andrew went on.Jenny nodded. “The crew’s on

board. All the husbands and wives andkids are here. The whole symphonyorchestra’s here—all 152 of us! So sitdown and relax.”

Andrew sank back in his seat and

4

snapped on his seatbelt. “This tour’s adisaster already,” he muttered.

“This tour is not a disaster,” Jennysaid consolingly.

“We barely made it out of SanFrancisco on time,” he groaned. “Wehave to be in Jerusalem in just 20hours. I have no idea how we’re goingto manage nine cities.”

“Don’t be such a worrywart. You’vegot me, remember?” Jenny chirped.

Andrew managed a little smile.“I know. But for some reason I justhave a bad feeling about this tour.”

“You always have bad feelings,”Jenny reminded him. “And right nowyou’re wound up tighter than a yo-yo.Want a neck rub?”

“Please,” Andrew sighed. He leanedforward and moaned as he felt Jenny’ssmall, strong fingers on his neck.

Then his cell phone rang.“Arrrgh!” he cried out as he pulled

the phone from his pocket.

5

“Andrew? It’s Ken,” a voice said.It was Andrew’s roommate.“Hey, someone left a weird phone

message for you,” Ken went on.“What? What did the message say?”

Andrew asked.“The guy said that The Dark Lady

belongs to him,” Ken said.“You’re kidding!” Andrew wailed.Just then a small, plump man

clutching a violin case appeared infront of Andrew. Next to him stood anexasperated flight attendant.

Andrew looked up and gritted histeeth. “Phillip,” he said. “I’m on thephone. Jenny can help you.”

“I don’t want your assistant. I wantyou,” Phillip insisted.

“Can’t it wait?” Andrew asked.“No, it cannot,” Phillip snapped.“Ken,” Andrew said into the phone,

“I’ll call you back in five minutes.”Then he turned to Phillip.

“This woman,” Phillip sputtered,

6

“says I can’t hold my violin in my lap.”He glared at the flight attendant.

“If he won’t use the overhead bin,”she explained, “he can just slip itunder the seat in front of him.”

“Listen to her!” Phillip hissed. “Shewants me to put my violin on the floor.She obviously doesn’t know that thisviolin is The Dark Lady.”

The flight attendant looked blank.Phillip shook his head in disgust.

“It’s only one of the most famousviolins in the world!” He glowered atthe attendant until she shrugged andwalked away.

“Can you believe this?” Phillip cried.“Phillip, it’s for your own safety,”

Andrew said. “If the plane crashed, itcould fly out of your hands.”

“Nonsense,” Phillip said. “I’d neverlet go of The Dark Lady.”

“Then put your coat over your lapand hide it,” Andrew whispered.

“That awful woman’s going to be

7

very suspicious,” Phillip whined.“No. That woman is tired of you,

Phillip. She’ll leave you alone—trustme,” Andrew said as Phillip huffed off.

Andrew punched in Ken’s number.“Can you remember exactly what themessage was?” he asked.

Ken paused a moment. “He said,‘The Dark Lady is mine.’ That’s it. Thenhe hung up,” he said. “You’re takingThe Dark Lady on the tour, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Andrew said.“Phillip insisted.”

“You better keep an eye on it,” Kensuggested before he hung up.

Jenny was curious. “What was thatall about?” she asked.

Andrew glanced around thecrowded airplane. “I don’t want to talkhere,” he whispered.

Suddenly two slim fingers tappedAndrew on the shoulder. He looked upimpatiently, but smiled when he sawNineve, Phillip’s wife.

8

Andrew took her hand. “You lookwonderful, as always,” he said,admiring her elegant dress.

“Thank you, dear,” Nineve said. “Ihope Phillip wasn’t too difficult. Hegets so anxious, you know.”

“No problem,” Andrew shrugged.Nineve shook her head, smiling.

“He won’t set that violin down for aninstant,” she said. “If he gets up foranything, I have to hold it. Travelingwith a baby would be easier.”

“I could hold it,” Andrew offered.Nineve smiled warmly. “Thank you,

dear. Isaac volunteered, too. But forsome reason it has to be me.”

All passengers must take their seats as we prepare for takeoff, a voiceannounced over the P.A. system .

Nineve waved a graceful goodbye.“I’d better go,” she said.

Jenny looked at Andrew. “You havea crush on her, don’t you?”

Andrew smiled. “We’re all in love

9

with Nineve—every guy in the wholesymphony. How on earth does Phillipdeserve her?”

“No justice?” Jenny suggested.Andrew nodded. “If there was any

justice, Isaac would be the star, andPhillip would be number two.”

“In your dreams,” Jenny laughed.“Dealing with Phillip is half your job.Want a pillow? You should sleep. In afew hours we arrive in Jerusalem.”

“I am wiped out,” Andrew admittedas he took a pillow from Jenny.

Andrew was just drifting off whenhe remembered the e-mail he haddownloaded just before getting on theplane. He got out his laptop and founda few messages from friends, and a lot of spam. Then he noticed onesubject line: Dark Lady. The senderwas SmarterThanU. He opened themessage and read:

Before you leave Jerusalem,The Dark Lady will be mine.

10

Andrew was anxious to talk toJenny, but she was sleeping. More thanan assistant, she was a friend. And heneeded a friend right now. He didn’treally trust anyone but Jenny.

For the next several hours, Andrewstared into space. Who had sent himthe message? What in the world was hegoing to do about it?

His mind went around in circles.Finally, his eyelids drooped, and hesank into the pillow. Then he heard theannouncement: the airplane would belanding in 15 minutes.

“Wake up, Jenny. We’re in Paris,”Andrew said.

“How long before we catch the nextplane?” she yawned. “I want to hearabout that phone call.”

“We’ll have an hour there,” he said.“Let’s take a walk in the airport andI’ll tell you about it.”

But just as the plane landed, a

11

worried-looking trombone playerhurried over. He’d left some music athome. Could he have the fax number ofthe hotel, so his daughter could faxhim the music? Then Phillip andNineve appeared. Phillip couldn’t bearairplane food. Could Andrew helpthem find something decent to eat inthe airport? His talk with Jenny wouldhave to wait.

They looked at seven restaurants.Phillip rejected every one. Finally,Jenny grumbled, “We better find ourgate or we’ll miss our connection.”

To get to their gate, they had topass through security once more.There they joined a long, slow-movingline of people waiting to be checked.

“All this security is insane!” Phillipcomplained angrily.

People in uniform were nowchecking purses and jackets and bags.“Open, please,” a man said, pointing toPhillip’s violin case.

12

Keeping the case very close to him,Phillip slowly opened it.

People around him went silent asthey saw the violin. Its finish wasunusual—a brown so dark that it wasnearly black. It reminded Andrew of adeep pool, so deep it went on forever.

“Tres belle,” murmured the man inuniform. Very beautiful.

Phillip snapped the case shut andimmediately hugged it to his chest.

As they boarded their flight, Jennyurged Andrew to get some sleep. “We’llbe very busy when we land.”

Jenny dozed off almost immediately.Andrew closed his eyes and worriedabout herding 152 people to the hotel.Then he worried about the secondplane. Its cargo included 36 trunks ofclothes and 72 trunks of instruments.These, too, had to get to the hotel.Andrew stayed awake and fretted.

When they landed in Jerusalem,Andrew couldn’t stop yawning. He was

13

hoping to share a taxi with Jenny. ButPhillip insisted that he ride to thehotel with him and Nineve.

Nineve looked around. “Where’syour sweetheart, Andrew?” she asked,as they stepped outside.

Andrew blushed. “Jenny? We’re justfriends,” he said.

“I think you could be more thanjust friends,” Nineve said with a smile.

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “She’sprobably got a boyfriend back in SanFrancisco.”

“Well, don’t you sell yourself short!”Nineve exclaimed. “You’re a great guy,and any girl would be lucky to haveyou in her life.”

Hmmm, I wonder if she’s right?Andrew thought to himself. Then he said aloud, “So, Nineve, do youthink—”

Then, impatient at being ignored,Phillip interrupted him. “Just howsecure is this hotel, Andrew?” he

14

fussed. “I’m concerned about the safetyof my violin.”

Andred sighed. “I’m told it’s verysafe,” he assured Phillip. “The Israelisare famous for their security, youknow.”

But Andrew felt a knot of worry inhis stomach. The threatening words ofthe e-mail came back to him:

Before you leave Jerusalem,The Dark Lady will be mine.

By the time they checked intothe hotel, Andrew was so tired hishand shook as he signed his name.

There was no time for him to rest. A viola player had brought hiswife and two sons. But the hotel had given him a room with a singlebed. A trombone was delivered to a percussionist’s room. And Phillipwouldn’t leave him alone. “My roomisn’t next to yours!” he whined. “I want

15

you close by in case I need you.”You want me close by so you can

drive me crazy, Andrew thought.“I’ll take care of it as soon as I can,”he said. He tried to speak pleasantly,but he could hear the sharpness in his voice. Andrew was relieved whenNineve took Phillip’s arm. “Let’s justgive Andrew a little peace now, dear,”she murmured.

Finally, he was alone in his room.Andrew flopped down on the bed

and closed his eyes. He had to get somerest before tomorrow’s rehearsal.

Hearing a knock on the door, heflew upright. If it was Phillip, he wasready to punch him. It was Isaac.

Isaac was young, blond, and movie-star handsome. He smiledapologetically. “Sorry to bother you,Andrew. I just wanted you to know I’ve switched rooms with Phillip.So he’s next to you now.”

“Thanks, Isaac,” Andrew said.

16

“That will sure be a big help.”Isaac smiled sympathetically, “Well,”

he said, “when Phillip’s happy, we’re allhappy, right?”

“Right,” Andrew agreed.Just then, Jenny appeared in the

doorway. “Hey, guys,” she said.“Hey, cutie,” Isaac said. He put an

arm around Jenny’s shoulders andkissed the top of her head.

Andrew felt a twinge of jealousy,which surprised him. “Jenny and Ihave to go out now,” he said to Isaac.“See you in the morning, okay?”

Andrew and Jenny stopped ata falafel stand down the street fromthe hotel. Andrew had always enjoyedthe fried balls of garbanzo beanswrapped in pita bread. But falafel inJerusalem was something else! Thestand had more than a dozen itemsone could put in a falafel—cabbage, all

17

kinds of peppers, fried eggplant,radish, spicy pickles, and so on.

“Fantastic!” Andrew said happily.“I love this hot sauce,” Jenny said,

wiping away a few tears. “Now, tell mewhat’s going on.”

He did, ending with, “I can’t believeany member of the symphony wouldhave sent those messages.”

“I don’t understand why someonewould steal The Dark Lady,” Jennymused. “It couldn’t be played in public.It’s too famous.”

“Right,” Andrew said. “The thieveswould have to sell it.”

Jenny nodded. “I agree that no onein the symphony would steal The DarkLady. That violin is too special to all ofus. But if it’s not one of the musicians,who could it be?”

Andrew had no answer.They walked back to the hotel and

said goodnight. Andrew tumbled intobed and fell asleep in seconds.

18

When he heard a loud crash,Andrew wondered if he’d beendreaming. But then he heard a heavythud from the room next door—Phillipand Nineve’s room.

He jumped up and ran out to thehallway, and fumbled at the door.“Phillip!” he called out.

“Help me!” Phillip moaned.The door was unlocked. The room

was dark when Andrew stepped inside.Suddenly, someone lunged forwardand wrapped gloved fingers around hisneck. He struggled, gasping.

“Turn on the light! Where’s thelight?” Nineve called out.

“Police! Police!” Phillip shrieked.Finally, Andrew was able to grab

his assailant’s wrist and hold on. Agloved fist struck his face again andagain. But he didn’t let go—until abright light exploded in his head, andthen everything went dark.

19

When he opened his eyes again,Andrew was lying on a bed. He felt athrobbing pain in his head.

Clare, the symphony doctor, smileddown at him. “Poor Andrew! You’regoing to look pretty beat up for thenext few days,” she said.

“I feel beat up,” Andrew groaned.Phillip was sitting on a couch, The

Dark Lady held against his chest.Nineve was beside him, looking tense.A policeman stood nearby.

“This is Officer Kalman. He wantsto talk to you,” the doctor said.

Officer Kalman was tan and fit-looking in a crisp uniform. He lookedat Andrew with a touch of pity. “Canwe speak in private?” he asked.

Andrew nodded. The two menslowly walked back to his room and sat down.

“Please tell me everything thathappened to you,” Officer Kalman said.His pen was poised over a small notepad.

20

Andrew told the story quickly.There wasn’t that much to tell.

At one point, the police officerinterrupted. “You say you had to pullthe assailant’s fingers away from yourthroat? Wasn’t that a terribly difficultthing to do?”

Andrew thought about it. “Not thathard, I guess,” he said.

“Are you a strong person? Do youlift weights?” Officer Kalman asked.

“No,” Andrew said. “So maybe thefellow wasn’t all that strong himself.”

Officer Kalman raised an eyebrow.“Maybe it was someone who didn’twant to strain his fingers,” he said.“Perhaps one of the musicians in yoursymphony. By the way—how much isthe violin worth?” he asked.

Andrew tried to shrug, but a stab of pain stopped him. “Who knows?Millions. I’d say at least six milliondollars.”

“Just one more thing, sir. How long

21

has this famous violin belonged toPhillip?” Officer Kalman asked.

“He’s had it about a year and ahalf,” Andrew estimated. “Actually, theviolin doesn’t belong to Phillip. It’sreally owned by the symphony.”

Again, Officer Kalman’s eyebrowwent up. “Is that so? And who wouldplay this violin if something happenedto Phillip?”

Andrew gasped. “Are you sayingsomeone tried to murder Phillip?” hecried. “That’s hard to believe!”

“I’m just looking at all possiblemotives,” Officer Kalman said quickly.“Theft is surely a possibility. Butmurder is a possibility also. So can youtell me who—?”

“It would be Isaac,” Andrew said.“I will interview him also,” Officer

Kalman said, springing easily to hisfeet. “Obviously, you need some restnow, sir. Good night.”

You mean good morning, Andrew

22

answered silently. The clock said 4:14.He had to be up in three hours. He layback on the bed, groaning.

When someone pounded on thedoor before 7:00, Andrew got up. Hismind was still foggy from painkillers.

It was Phillip, his pudgy face pink.“We must come up with a plan ofaction,” he said. “We can’t have anymore of these—uh, incidents.”

Andrew grunted in reply.Nineve peeked around Phillip. “You

must feel awful, Andrew,” she said.“I’m so sorry.” She gave his hand agentle squeeze. “Come to our room andhave some toast and coffee with us.”

She led Andrew into the room. Hecouldn’t help noticing the largebouquet of roses on an end table.

“Isaac sent them,” Nineve said. “Tocheer us up. Aren’t they lovely?”

Andrew felt a twinge of jealousy. He

23

knew that he was good with people.But Isaac had class. Then they heard aknock on the door.

“Hi, it’s me,” Jenny said. Her facewent white when she saw Andrew.“What did Clare say? Are you going tobe all right?”

“It’s not serious,” Andrew said.Phillip was annoyed. “Excuse me,

Jenny,” he said. “Nineve and I havesome important things to discuss withAndrew just now.”

“Phillip . . .!” Jenny objected.“It’s okay, Phillip,” Andrew said. “I’ll

come up with a plan.”“Oh, look at the time!” Nineve said.

“We should leave for the concert hall intwenty minutes.”

Someone else knocked on the dooras Andrew was hungrily wolfing downa piece of toast.

“Andrew! I’ve been looking for you.”It was Michael, one of the violinists.His son had broken a tooth and

24

needed to see a dentist right away.Sarah, one of the bass players, was

with him. She couldn’t find the stoolshe sat on when she played.

Andrew grabbed a second piece oftoast. He and Jenny headed out thedoor. “Thanks for breakfast,” he said toNineve. “See you at rehearsal.”

Before leaving, Andrew checked hiscell phone. Oh, no! There was a textmessage from SmarterThanU:

I m everywhere. But you ll

never see me.

By the time Andrew and Jennyarrived at the concert hall, rehearsalhad already started. So had a fight.

“I do not play duets!” Phillip yelled.Under the stage spotlight, his plumpface looked pink and shiny.

Eric, the orchestra conductor, wasexasperated. “I’m sure you and Isaac willsound wonderful together. Please try

25

it—just once—and see for yourself!”“I do not play with second-rate

violinists!” Phillip fumed.Eric’s voice was acid. “Isaac could

join a number of other symphonies andbe a star, Phillip,” he snarled. “Why heremains with us is a mystery—and ablessing.” With that, he tipped animaginary hat to Isaac.

Isaac smiled modestly. “Oh, let himplay it as a solo,” he said. “It reallydoes sound better that way.”

Eric wasn’t convinced. “Well, if youreally think so,” he finally agreed.

Phillip threw up his hands. “Ofcourse it sounds better,” he crowed.

Andrew turned to Jenny. “How canhe be so agreeable?” he said. “If I wereIsaac, I’d have punched Phillip a longtime ago.”

“Me, too,” Jenny said with a laugh.“Isaac is really amazing, isn’t he!”

Andrew stole a glance at Jenny.Seeing the glow on her face as she

26

looked at Isaac, he’d felt a twinge ofjealousy. “Yeah, just amazing,” hereplied sarcastically.

Jenny studied Andrew’s face,surprised at his tone. She started tosay something, but then Phillipstepped to the front of the stage. Alleyes turned to him when he lifted hisbow to the violin.

Phillip began to play. At first themusic seemed light and carefree. Itreminded Andrew of a spring night.Then it sounded like mighty windsblowing black clouds around. Asalways, Andrew was swept away bythe power of Phillip’s artistry. Or wasit the power of The Dark Lady? Henever knew for sure.

In the violin section, Michael wastrying to control a cough.

Phillip stopped playing. “Stop it!That coughing is driving me insane.”

“Sorry,” Michael said. “Anybodyhave some cough drops?”

27

“I do,” Isaac said. “In my jacket.”Andrew got up to get them. He

trotted backstage and quickly foundIsaac’s jacket. It was a new one—veryexpensive-looking. Part of being classy,Andrew sighed. In one pocket was ahotel key. In the other, Andrew foundcough drops—and a silver earringshaped like a rose.

Jenny— Andrew thought. He wassure it belonged to her. He felt a flushof unreasonable anger. It wasn’t thathe was in love with her. But why didshe have to fall for Isaac?

Andrew sat down just as Phillipbegan to play once more. In spite of thecough drop, Michael went on coughing.

Phillip stopped playing. “This isabsolutely intolerable!” he shrieked.

“Everyone—except Phillip—take aten-minute break,” Eric said.

The players got up and headed outinto the warm sunshine.

As they left the building, Andrew

28

asked if Jenny was missing an earring.His voice sounded snide and bitter.

Jenny stared at him, taken abackby his tone. “No,” she said. “Why?”

“There’s a silver earring in Isaac’spocket. It’s shaped like a rose,” Andrewsaid accusingly.

They stared at each other. “I thinkit’s Nineve’s,” Jenny said quietly.

Eric tapped the music stand withhis baton. “All right, Phillip. Here’syour chance. Now you can play for tenminutes in absolute peace.”

As Phillip lifted his bow, Andrewsaw a small cloud of dust drift down onthe little violinist.

Andrew got up and walked towardthe stage. He looked up at the rows oflights hanging from the ceiling.Someone was moving on the catwalkbetween the lights!

“GET BACK!” he yelled to Phillip.Startled, Phillip stepped back.Like a falling tree, a heavy row of

29

lights came crashing to the stage! A cloud of gray dust rose from the floor. Andrew was relieved to see thatPhillip was unhurt.

He glanced at Jenny. “You take theright,” he said as he headed left.

Backstage, Andrew opened the doorto a dressing room. Immediately, hesensed movement behind him! Hestarted to turn when a strong armgripped his neck and the sharp bladeof a knife touched his cheek!

“Sorry, Andrew,” Isaac muttered.Along with a jolt of fear, Andrew

felt a tearing regret that he’d never seeJenny again.

Then Eric and Jenny rushed intothe room. “No!” Jenny cried out.

Isaac froze. Then, suddenly, a dozenor more people were in the room, too—horn players, bass players, andviolinists. They all stared, wide-eyed,at Andrew and Isaac.

“Let us in!” Phillip’s voice piped up

30

as he and Nineve tried to push theirway through the crowd.

Isaac was trembling. The knifeclattered to the floor. “It was Nineve,”he blurted out. “She planned it all.”

Nineve’s face went white.“We’ll check your laptop, Nineve,”

Jenny said. “And your jewelry—for amissing earring.”

“It was all her idea. She’s guilty,believe me!” Isaac cried out.

“I believe you,” Phillip said sadly.The light was gone from his eyes as helooked at his wife. “You were nevermine,” he added mournfully.

“Never!” Nineve hissed. “Of courseIsaac wanted the violin and the fame.But mostly, he wanted me, Phillip.So I played him—just as expertly asyou played The Dark Lady.”

Then Nineve sneered at all of them.Andrew was shocked to see such anugly look on a face he had thought tobe so beautiful.

31

Even hours later, everythingthat had happened seemed unreal toAndrew. Everything except Jenny.

Now he put his hand on her cheek.She smiled and leaned forward

slowly, expectantly. They kissed.Andrew took her in his arms.“I didn’t know you cared,” Jenny

said, half-laughing.“I’m the one who didn’t know

anything,” Andrew whispered.“We need to make up for lost time,”

Jenny said, and they kissed again.

The concert hall was crowdedand humming with voices.

Then the house lights dimmed andthe red velvet curtain rose gracefullyupward. The symphony members wereall seated and ready. Michael was inIsaac’s place.

Phillip came forward for his solo.

32

His puffy eyes made him look older.For once, Andrew felt a stab ofsympathy for the fussy little man. Hereached for Jenny’s hand.

Phillip began to play. The soundwas deep, rich, and almost unbearablysad. A woman in the front row dabbedat her eyes with a tissue.

Then the full symphony joined in.Andrew yawned. Jenny squeezed hishand and smiled. At last he knew thatthey’d make it through the rest of thetour—somehow. He closed his eyes andslept like a child.