Mankind has vanished; but Womankind hasn't.
Deep underground, men are being harvested for reproduction purposes only, whilst women dominate and maintain order above.
Samuel, a 16 year old boy with no clue of the world, has been living in the dark for as long as he can remember.
The basement is his home; new supplies are sent through the chute in the wall, and no woman has ever found him- nothing that's alive has, for that matter.
Now, tired of living without light, Sam breaks out, only to find himself running from what he dreamed of.
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.
***
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.