Entering Open Novella Contest 2021. Prompt:
"You get a mysterious message on your phone stating, Agent 23, you have been activated. You guess it's a bad time to have amnesia." (54)
This suits perfectly as an idea for a follow-up story of my previous work, Mallory (https://www.thecreativesjournal.com/bookstore/p/mallory).
I will also incorporate an idea inspired by Grimm (TV show) that I have wanted to work on for so long but never got to.
If you know me, you know I enjoyed Grimm, but was a bit disappointed of how it ended. In fact, I was actually hoping for something else completely. And if you know me, you know I love to play with words and have monthly theme. Well, if you don't know me, now you know.
This story was first meant to be first published on the fifth of November, so that it is "Grimmember Grimmember, the Fifth of November." But I never wrote the story! Oh, well. Any time of the month is good too, I guess. Let's do this!
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.