14 parts Complete A bloody crime scene. A missing collection of rare coins worth over $20 million. And the DNA evidence points to a former Army Ranger, who has been dead for over four years...
These are the clues Detective Richard Trotter is stuck with after the disappearance of Woodrow Reed, a retired wealthy investor, and his wife Cynthia, from their mansion. The forensic scientists conclude that most of the blood in the house came from Cynthia. When Woodrow is found alive in a remote area in the mountains, he confirms that his wife was killed in the house by masked assailants, who then kidnapped him and stole the coin collection.
As the police is trying to find the remote mountain location where Woodrow was held captive, Trotter is looking into the background of the Army Ranger whose DNA was found at the crime scene. Meanwhile, the FBI monitors international black markets for signs that the stolen coins are being offered for sale. It turns out a few of them were ... several months before they were taken.
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I have been plotting this short story for a while, and decided to write it specifically for the #Wattys2016. Hope you enjoy!