Untitled Part 1

Franklin's Backstory follows the history of one of the main characters of Where Fortune Lies, a time-slip mystery. Born a slave on a South Carolina plantation, Franklin runs away at the age of 12. Instead of escaping north, he flees east. Captain Griggs, a merchant sea captain, takes Franklin under his protection. Thus begins Franklin's life as a world citizen. He learns to navigate, becomes a quartermaster, and travels to six of the seven continents. He reads extensively, educates himself, and becomes multilingual. After the death of Griggs, Franklin's life takes many unexpected turns. He eventually settles as a dealer in gems in Paris. The color of his skin, his distant manner, and fear of forming close bonds means he has few friends. Then he meets Penny, a stubborn nearsighted four-year-old who is visiting with her mother from Solvidado, California, a small town on the Pacific Coast. That is where he enters the story in Where Fortune Lies. Franklin would have remained one of the exceptional forgotten men of history had not a hundred years later a honeymooning couple in Solvidado quarreled. The couple end up parting, believing their marriage of a few days is over. They did not reckon on being pulled into the events of the past. As they separately explore Solvidado over the course of an unsettling night, its secrets begin to unravel including a vicious crime, a forbidden romance, a lost treasure, and found love.