My mom clenched my shoulder as she told me, looking me dead in the eyes. "You- Sweetheart, you don't remember the car accident?"
"What about my friends-" I asked, shaking my head in refusal as I struggled to recite their names, "-Kira, Tyler, Drake, Lauren, Clare, a-and Jude?" My eyes began to swell with tears, my chest heaving for air as a monotonous beeping sound from behind me increased in pace.
"They were- they were in the car with you, and they didn't make it, sweetheart, and I'm so, so sorry." I stared at my mom. She's lying. That can't be true. It's not true.
A criminal mastermind makes a bold move against a wealthy client to put himself in a position to retire in comfort. He has no idea what he's up against when a young widow, desperate to make ends meet, sets her eyes on earning the bounty set on his head.
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Newly widowed housewife Melody Scott needs to earn some major cash, fast. When her bright and busy children learn that a priceless ruby bracelet has been stolen and a six-figure reward is being offered, they convince her to try to do what the police, museum security, and the best private investigators have failed to do. Working against them is a notorious thief who has met people from around the world, but who has never once encountered a woman like Melody Scott. When the sweet innocence of the Scott family clashes against criminal forces more dangerous than they ever imagined, Melody is all too aware that a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do to protect her family.
The Widow, Melody Scott is a 2021 Watty Award Winner!
Content Warning: This story does contain depictions of stalking behavior.