In May of 1932, the toddler son of the famous pilot, Charles Lindbergh was found dead not far from his home. He'd been kidnapped two months before, and a ransom had been demanded and paid, but the child had never been returned to his parents. From the badly decomposed state of his little body, it was clear he'd been killed almost immediately after being taken from his crib.

Hearing the news of the murder, Margaret Blackwell was even more terrified than she'd already been since the kidnapping. Her two young boys were heirs to a sizeable fortune, as well as Blackwell Iron and Mining, the largest company in the area. Like the Lindbergh's, the Blackwell's lived in a house far from town in a wooded area. Margaret feared her sons, Jonathon, only eleven years old, and William, just seven, were easy prey for criminals looking to make a quick fortune.

When Joseph Blackwell came home from work that night, Margaret presented him with a sketch for an iron fence she demanded be built surrounding the family estate. Ten foot high with spikes at the top, it was the only way she could be sure their precious sons were protected. The fence was commissioned from the local iron works, and within days, construction began.

Margaret checked on the progress as the fence slowly wound its way around the property, but when the gate for the single entrance arrived, she halted the workmen. Her husband had ordered a copy of the gate used at the mining company, but that would not do for the entrance to the Blackwell estate. She insisted another one be commissioned, one that was more fitting with the status of the family.

Unlike the first one, the new gate was decorated with elaborate scrolling and brass details. As the workmen installed it, they grumbled - well out of Margaret's earshot - that for a family concerned about being targets of kidnapping, having such an ornate gate would only draw the attention of the sort of people who might be tempted to try.

However, on this midsummer day, all the effort Margaret had made to ensure the gate to her property would be held in awe didn't work. The young woman who drove past it and continued down the winding drive didn't even notice it. Instead, she was thinking of more important things, like the new baby that was coming. After parking her Chevrolet alongside the garage, she honked twice.

"Oh, my goodness!" Annie said as she came around the back of the house. "Look at your new car!"

"Do you like it?" Jess asked, going to give Annie a hug.

When she let go, Annie admired it. "It's so little! Cars seem to be getting smaller and smaller these days."

"Well, it didn't cost a lot, and that was the important thing. After two years of spending money on bus fare going back and forth from the university, it made more sense if Marty and I had a car."

"Come inside! Are you hungry? I made us some sandwiches."

"Starving!" Jess said. She wrapped her arm around Annie's waist while they walked to the kitchen. "How is Donna doing?"

"She's tired most of the time, but she's doing well. She's shopping with her mother. I let her mother and Doug know what we were up to, so after they shop, she's going to have dinner with Doug in town. We don't need to worry about being disturbed."

"Good!" Jess had taken the day off from the drugstore to work on her baby gift with Annie, and she didn't want the surprise ruined by Donna coming home early.

In the kitchen, Annie's sewing machine was on the little table next to the window. On the larger table she used to prepare meals, brightly colored fabric was laid out.

"I thought we could eat in the dining room," Annie said.

"That sounds nice."

Annie had set out plates holding egg salad sandwiches, jellied salad, and cookies. They took seats opposite each other. "Are you still happy with your apartment?" Annie said. She was concentrating on serving the salad without letting any of it jiggle off onto the tablecloth, but Jess had caught the tone in her voice.

"Yes. You know I couldn't stay here," Jess said gently.

"Doug and Donna didn't mind!" Annie said, and then a look of regret crossed her face that she'd spoken so forcefully.

"I know they said that, but... a couple needs their privacy."

It was true that Doug had assured Jess he didn't want her to move out after he and Donna married the previous summer. But after their wedding, the weeks before Jess went back to her sophomore year at college had been awkward. She didn't want to intrude on the young couple's honeymoon. Knowing her presence kept them from being able to enjoy it fully, she'd spent a good portion of the summer working at the drugstore, or spending time with Marty when they weren't working.

When she'd returned home at the beginning of the summer, she'd found a one room studio apartment in town close to the drugstore where Marty was now living with Mr. Dwyer. She loved the freedom of living on her own, but the move had been hard on Annie. Even now, a whole month later, it was obvious she was hoping Jess would change her mind and come back. Jess was counting on the fact that once the baby came, Annie would be too busy helping Donna to miss her as much.

"How are things at the mine?" she asked, partly to change the subject, but partly because she wanted to check on how Doug was doing.

"It's going good as always. Your uncle is doing well," Annie said, her face brightening. "He's taking it easy, just like he promised Doug. I can tell it was the best decision for him. He seems stronger, almost like his old self!"

A year and a half after his heart attack, Uncle Jonathon had insisted on going back to the office. Doug had done his best to try to dissuade him for the sake of his health, but in the end, he'd had to let his father make his own decision. Jess had worried Uncle Jonathon would try to take over, push Doug aside and run the business himself, but so far Doug had remained in charge. It was one of the more selfless things her uncle had done, and Jess wondered if it was his way of trying to make it up to Doug for the past.

"That's good to hear," Jess said while Annie beamed with happiness.

After lunch, they went back to the kitchen to get started. Jess was making a quilt for the new baby, but instead of the traditional pastel baby colors, she'd picked out bright, vibrant prints. It seemed more cheerful and welcoming.

Annie showed her how to trace the paper pattern on the fabric with a pencil, and soon she was busy tracing while Annie cut out the pieces. In the silence, Jess thought back to all the years she'd spent with Annie in that same kitchen, helping her with meals, folding laundry while Annie ironed, drying the dishes that Annie washed. They'd had so many good times together.

Then other memories came to her, sadder ones. All the times she'd had to hide things from Annie, the secrets she'd had to keep, the lies she'd told. She straightened and watched Annie, bent over the fabric she was cutting. There had been so many secrets kept by all of them, and it hadn't been healthy. It was the biggest lesson she'd learned growing up in her uncle's home - keeping secrets hurt the people you loved. She was determined to never live that way again.

"Annie?"

"Mh-hm?" Anne said while she continued to cut fabric.

"I've always wondered, why is the cabin off limits?"

Annie's hand stilled, and she looked up. She studied Jess for a long moment. "It holds a lot of painful memories for your uncle."

"But why? What happened there?"

Annie sighed deeply. "I suppose you're old enough to know the whole story," she said quietly. "And maybe you have the right to know. What happened back then changed your uncle. Maybe if it hadn't, he wouldn't have done what he did."

"You mean - to me and Doug?"

"Yes," Annie said, a look of sadness crossing her face. She squared her shoulders. "I should start at the beginning," she said more firmly. "At least where I know it started."

~~~~~~

May 1939

"Mother, Billy and I are having a bonfire at the pond on Saturday," Jonathon said while his breakfast was set in front of him. Ingrid, the Blackwell's elderly housekeeper shuffled to his brother, keeping the tray with the last breakfast plate on it steady with two hands. "You might see a few new faces this time."

"Oh?" his mother said, arching a penciled eyebrow. Then her eyes rested on Ingrid as she set Billy's plate in front of him.

There was silence while they waited for the housekeeper to leave through the swinging door to the butler's pantry. Mother didn't believe in speaking about certain topics in front of Ingrid. She always said that servants loved to gossip about their employers. And the prominence of the Blackwell family meant Ingrid had the juiciest gossip in town.

"What new faces will I be seeing?" she asked when the door had ceased moving.

"We haven't invited anyone yet so we don't know who's coming. We decided it's boring with the same old gang all the time." Billy looked at Jonathon with surprise, but Jonathon kept his eyes on his mother. Don't blow it for me, little brother.

Mother pursed her lips. "I hope they'll be the right sort of people."

"Of course, Mother," Jonathon said with an easy smile. He waited, anxious she would refuse, but then her face relaxed and she returned his smile. She bought it.

"Bored!" Father barked out. "When I was your age, I was too busy to get bored!" He pointed at Jonathon and Billy with his fork. "It seems to me you two need to spend more time at the mine instead of sitting around! Young people with nothing to do," he muttered under his breath while he speared a sausage with the fork. "That's when they start making mischief. I don't like it!"

"We will be working at the mine," Jonathon said, wanting to stop his father before he got more wound up. "I'm graduating soon, and once the school year is over for Billy, we'll both be working all day with you."

"How long until that happens?" Father snapped.

"A month, dear," Mother said, answering for the boys.

"What sort of grades can I expect this time?" Father said.

"Good," Jonathon said immediately, but as usual, Billy made the mistake of hesitating.

"Mine will be good too," he said a few seconds later.

"Will they?" Father said, narrowing his eyes.

Jonathon resisted the urge to shake his head. Didn't Billy know by now Father would pounce on the delay?

"I don't want a repeat of last semester, William!"

"No, sir. All 'A's' this time."

He was doing his best to sound certain, but Jonathon saw the tell tale signs of doubt; the way he licked his lips after he'd said it and the jiggling of his leg. He wished his brother would get better at lying, or at least better at appearing confident no matter if he was failing or not. His lack of bravado was always his downfall.

"I certainly hope so! Blackwell's aren't 'C' students, William." Billy dropped his head while his face reddened. "You must always set an example to others. I don't know how many times I have to say it, everyone is watching you!"

"I know, sir," Billy said quietly to his plate.

"Do you think Ingrid could make ice cream for the bonfire?" Jonathon asked Mother, hoping to stop his father from continuing.

"I suppose," Mother said with a sigh as if she was going to have to make the ice cream herself.

Much to Jonathon's relief, Father returned to his breakfast instead of resuming his attack on Billy.

"But I need to know the numbers, Jonathon," Mother said. "We won't know how much to make if we don't know how many children are coming."

"I'll let you know after school."

"Alright," she said with another sigh, still looking put-upon.

~~

In the back seat of the family Duesenberg, Jonathon looked over at Billy. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and he was staring out the window. It was clear he was still sore about what had happened at breakfast.

"You can't keep doing that in front of Father," Jonathon said.

"Doing what?" Billy said grouchily to the window.

"The minute you show a lack of confidence, he's going to pick up on it! You have to act as though everything's swell, and he'll believe it."

Billy dropped his arms and frowned. "I can't pretend like you, Johnny. And I don't want to either."

"You better learn! When you start working at the mine, don't you think those men are going to be looking for any sign of weakness they can exploit?"

Billy crossed his arms over his chest again with a huff.

"You know I'm right," Jonathon continued. "You need to start acting like a man or you could hurt the business!"

"Give it a break, Johnny!" Billy said, rolling his eyes. "How can I hurt the business? I'm only fourteen! Father isn't going to put me in charge of anything."

"And he never will, if you don't start showing some spine!"

Billy faced the window, refusing to reply, and Jonathon shook his head. Maybe Billy was right that Father wouldn't give him a real job yet because of his age, but his brother's weakness bothered him.

He wasn't that young, almost fifteen, for crying out loud. When Jonathon had been that age, he didn't have any problem standing up for himself - to Father, or anyone else. He'd been born self assured, but somehow Billy had turned out different. He just hoped by the time Billy graduated from high school, he'd have grown into the kind of business leader the mine needed.

When James pulled the car off the two lane highway and headed down the neighborhood street to the high school, Billy seemed to have gotten over his anger, gathering his text books on his lap.

"I need you to invite a bunch of people to the bonfire," Jonathon said. "No one Mother wouldn't approve of, but try to get as many as you can."

"Why? What have you got up your sleeve?"

Jonathon smirked. "Don't you worry about that, little brother."

James pulled up to the curb near the school entrance, and Jonathon turned his attention to the crowd of students. He searched the faces while he waited for the door to be opened for them, but didn't see who he was looking for. Billy climbed out first and went to the small dark haired girl that was waiting for him with a smile.

"Don't forget, Billy!" Jonathon called out after he was out of the car.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Billy said dismissively, not even bothering to look back as he took her hand.

Watching his brother walk away, Jonathon grit his teeth. Billy better not forget. It would make a mess of his plans.

"Johnny!" said a chorus of girls' voices behind him, and he turned. It was the usual girls who were always hanging around him lately, all of them with bright eyes and eager expressions as they approached him.

"Hello," he said as they drew near.

"Hi, Johnny," said Alice while Edna chimed, "Good morning!" at the same time.

"Have anything special planned for the weekend?" asked Dorothy before he could reply to the other two. He couldn't believe she was batting her eyelashes at him. She looked ridiculous, but gave her a grin anyway.

"Oh, you know, the usual bonfire on Saturday."

"Swell!" Edna said.

While the others made similar exclamations, he took the opportunity to search the crowd again. And then he spotted her. She was on the sidewalk heading in their direction.

"See you on Saturday!" he said, and stepped away before the girls had a chance to respond.

As he walked towards her, he gave her his winningest smile, but she didn't notice, her eyes traveling over the students behind him. He waited until he was nearly in front of her before he spoke. "Helen," he said, and she halted, her eyebrows rising briefly.

He gazed at her, still smiling, but this time it was genuine. She looked beautiful, maybe even more so than usual with the morning sun glinting off her blonde hair. He liked that she wore it longer than most girls, the curls cascading past her shoulders. The blue of her cotton dress matched her blue eyes, accentuating them as she looked up at him. Had she bought it because she knew it made them look that way?

"Did you want something?" she said, and he realized he'd been staring at her like a dope.

"Yes, actually," he said casually, letting his eyes wander. It wouldn't be good to appear too eager. "Billy and I are having a bonfire on Saturday. We're inviting everybody."

She laughed. "You're inviting everybody?" she said, her eyes sparkling with humor. "I thought your bonfires were exclusive."

It wasn't the response he was expecting, and he wondered briefly if she was making fun of him. "Well, maybe not everybody's invited, but a lot of people," he said, making sure to keep his confident smile going.

"Does Mary Shaw know you're asking me? Won't she be mad her beau is inviting other girls to his bonfire?"

A warmth swelled inside his chest. "We're not seeing each other anymore," he said, trying to keep his smile from turning into a stupid grin. All through the school year, she'd never shown any hint she'd noticed him. But she'd been paying attention after all, enough to know he and Mary Shaw had been going out.

"I see," she said, and began to scan the growing number of young people around them.

It was as if she'd lost interest in the conversation, and he was beginning to get impatient. It shouldn't be this difficult. "So? Will you come?"

She let out a sigh. When her eyes met his, the sparkle that had been there a moment ago was gone, and she appeared almost sad. "I don't know, Johnny," she said tiredly. "I'm not sure it's a good idea."

That sounded like a 'no', and he could feel his chance with her slipping away. But then he noticed someone coming up the sidewalk. It was Helen's mousey friend, and he suddenly got an idea.

"Annie!"

When Annie realized he'd called her name, she startled, stopping in the middle of sidewalk with her eyes widening.

"Come here," he said, beckoning her with a friendly smile.

She had a dazed look on her face as she approached them, and he smiled more broadly. This was going to be easy.

"Billy and I are having a bonfire Saturday. You'll come, won't you?"

He didn't think Annie's eyes could have gotten any bigger. "Sure, Johnny!" she said breathlessly.

"Swell! I was just asking Helen," he said, turning his attention back to her.

Annie grasped Helen's arm. "Oh, Helen! You have to!"

Helen examined her friend, clearly struggling with the decision. "I - guess I'll go," she said, reluctantly giving in.

"It starts at five," Jonathon said quickly. "I'm sure you know the way to my house. Bring your bathing suits if you want to swim. See you then!"

With a wave, he stepped around them, and walked away, not wanting to give Helen an opportunity to change her mind. With his back to them as he went to the front doors of the school, he allowed himself a triumphant grin.

Helen would soon be his.

****

Yeah for the first chapter, and thank you so much for reading!

You've gotten to meet some new characters, but you've also seen some familiar ones. After hearing how many of you wanted to have more of Marty and Jess, as well as Doug and Donna, and even Annie and Jonathon, I decided to incorporate some of their story into the prequel. I hope that was an exciting surprise for all of you!

I also hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse of Jonathon's life when he was in high school. Some things are different, and some are eerily the same. I can't wait to hear what you think about the Blackwell family, their servants, Billy's 'sweetheart', and Helen!

If you wanted to show some support by giving this chapter a vote, I would be very grateful!

The picture in the multimedia is my Jonathon.  I love that cocky look on his face. 

Have a fabulous weekend and I will see you soon!

Katherine