The wind picked up the leaves and tossed them into the air, playing with them like a toddler might do with its toys. It blew them around the solitary legs of the girl on the park bench, tickling her with the whispers of the secrets it knew. The girl awoke from her slumber, and grimaced in pain. Hours spent in the cold autumn night had not pleased her, nor did it please the bench who had spent the cold night with her, bearing her weight as she twisted and turned, waiting for the one who would never arrive.
Shauna and Gabriel. Oh, and Juliet- the murderous, scorned ex-lover of many. Enter their world of life and lies. Gabriel loves Shauna, Juliet loves Gabriel, and Shauna doesn't care about anyone but herself. Or so it seems. Three years before our characters arrive in the same town again, someone went missing, and never came back.
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.