Willem Gobrecht is known as "that spoiled European bastard." In a way, that was true. He was well over fifty, he was raised rich, he acquired an enormous income, had three wives, divorced twice, had dozens of affairs, and loved women.
His third wife is everything to him. He worships the ground she walks and, and pampers their kids.
Then everthing is lost when they dissapear into thin air. He suspect that she had run off with another man, that God was punishing him for his adultries. Drowining in his sorrows, he reluctantly hires a cynical and sarcastic Chicago reporter to snoop around to raise his family from the abyss back to his presence.
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.