Dear Reader, Sometimes, if you're very lucky, you cango home again. An earlier version of thisbook was titled The Diamond Tiger andcame out in 1993 under the nameAnn Maxwell. When my present publisheroffered me the opportunity of going back tothe novel under the name Elizabeth Lowell,I admit that I hesitated. In the years sincefirst publication, the diamond trade haschanged so greatly that it would beimpossible to update the facts in the book without destroying the very story that hadcompelled me to write in the first place. But like the diamond trade, my style oftelling a story has also changed over theyears. I decided to revisit the novel becauseI loved it and hoped my new readers wouldas well. Death Is Forever is my favorite kind of story, combining elements of danger, greed, trust, secrets, passions, and death. Enjoy! “Lowell joins Nora Roberts in the celebration of lusty heroes with large, loving families. . .Strong, interesting, and sexy characters. . .” - Kirkus Reviews on Pearl Cove “. . .delicious tale of romantic suspense. . .” - Booklist on Jade Island “Elizabeth Lowell’s keen ear for dialogue and intuitive characterizations consistently place her a cut above most writers in this. . .genre.” - Raleigh News & Observer “The fabulous talent of Elizabeth Lowell dazzles the imagination and bewitches the heart.” - Rave Reviews “Nothing is quite as it seems in this intricate story, which is as finely woven as the wondrous scarf Serena inherits, granting Lowell fans everything they want and have come to expect from her enormously popular romances.” - Booklist on Moving Target “Romantic suspense is her true forte.” - Minneapolis Star Tribune “Elizabeth Lowell’s keen ear for dialogue and intuitive characterizations consistently place her a cut above most writers in this genre.” - Charlotte News & Observer “. . .a riveting mix of suspense and romance, sure to increase Lowell’s popularity.” - Booklist on Pearl Cove Dear Reader, Sometimes, if you're very lucky, you cango home again. An earlier version of thisbook was titled The Diamond Tiger andcame out in 1993 under the nameAnn Maxwell. When my present publisheroffered me the opportunity of going back tothe novel under the name Elizabeth Lowell,I admit that I hesitated. In the years sincefirst publication, the diamond trade haschanged so greatly that it would beimpossible to update the facts in the book without destroying the very story that hadcompelled me to write in the first place. But like the diamond trade, my style oftelling a story has also changed over theyears. I decided to revisit the novel becauseI loved it and hoped my new readers wouldas well. Death Is Forever is my favorite kind of story, combining elements of danger, greed, trust, secrets, passions, and death. Enjoy! New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell has more than eighty titles published to date with over twenty-four million copies of her books in print. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband, with whom she writes novels under a pseudonym. Her favorite activity is exploring the Western United States to find the landscapes that speak to her soul and inspire her writing. Death Is Forever By Lowell, Elizabeth Avon Books ISBN: 0060511095 Chatper One Northern Territory, Australia October "Two people died getting this to me." Cole Blackburn looked at the small worn velvet bag inChen Wing's hand and asked, "Was it worth it?" "You tell me." With a swift motion Wing emptied the contents of thebag onto the ebony surface of his desk. Light rippled andshifted as nine translucent stones tumbled over one anotherwith tiny crystalline sounds. The first impressionwas of large, very roughly made marbles that had beenchipped and pitted by use. Nine of the thirteen stoneswere colorless. Three were pink. One was the intensegreen of a deep river pool. Cole's hand closed over the green marble. It was asbig as the tip of his thumb and surprisingly heavy forits size. He rubbed it between his fingers. The surfacehad an almost slippery feel, as though it had been burnishedwith precious oils. He turned the stone until hefound a flat, cleanly chipped face. He bathed it with hisbreath. No moisture collected on the smooth green surface. Excitement stabbed through Cole. Without a word hewalked to a liquor cart that stood against a nearby wall.He picked up a heavy leaded crystal glass and glanced atWing, who nodded. Cole brought the green stone downthe side of the glass in a single swift stroke. The stone scratched the glass easily and deeply. Thestone itself wasn't marked. At random Cole picked up other stones from the deskand drew them down the crystal surface. New scratchesformed. The stones themselves remained untouched. Hepulled a well-worn jeweler's loupe from his pocket, angledthe desk light to his satisfaction, picked up the deepgreen stone, and examined it. The sensation was like falling into a pool of intenseemerald light. Yet this was no