By the Kidnapped Roleplay Crew
In New York City, crime is more common than most would like to admit. For years, a certain small group of kidnappers have been abducting children and keeping them locked inside a house. The house looks unassuming from the outside, but the inside tells a different story; the walls are thick, so no sound may escape. Every window is barred from the inside and there's no visibility to see the inside from the outside.
Rumors have spread since then about the house, but none can be confirmed. The only man who lives there appears to be a middle-aged man with a bit of a gambling problem. Little do the people know, within those walls, there are 17 children who are desperate, malnourished, and scared. They are willing to escape even if it means at the cost of their lives. And not all lives may be spared.
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.