When novels are divided into parts or sequels or series, there always have to be connections from one part to another part, or the next part, or the sequel, or series or trilogy novels. And there must be connections to any novels of which they are ‘spun-off.’
The previous post entitled Proof that my new novel, The Murder Rule, is derived from my Prodigal Band Trilogy (Episode One), shows how the new novel is based on the trilogy. In this post, using characters that narrate Parts One and Two of The Murder Rule, there, too, are references to parts of The Prodigal Band Trilogy. The narrator of Part One of The Murder Rule is pop culture pundit Lloyd Denholm, who is the narrator of The Prodigal Band, and the narrator of Part Two is Bobby Jones, a prodigal band roadie minor character of both Battle of the Band and The Prodigal Band. Within a chapter for Part One of The Murder Rule, Bobby meets with Lloyd at Denholm’s apartment in the fictitious city of Richmont, California, in 2002, so he can reveal what he learned about the ‘suicided’ and murdered rocker, Denny Spradlin, that proves Denny was indeed murdered. The proof comes to Bobby from a prominent support character working for ‘the Good,’ the so-called ‘witch,’ Morwenna, who, along with God’s angels, the Tooters, guides the prodigal band Sound Unltd in their ‘missions of God.’ And a reminder: The Murder Rule is copyright by Deborah Lagarde and will be registered with the Library of Congress when officially published, hopefully, this year. Below is the snippet:
Richmont was still my main residence. God willed it, I surmised.
I realized this one afternoon when, while I was making my lunch, a young man I had no clue about came to my door. It was the creator of the song performed by the Super Six as part of their ‘missions of God,’ called ‘He is The Way’—Bobby Jones.
He told me about the song, how he came up with the song, which Sound Unltd would change the wording of while adding to the song, yet kept the refrain Bobby wrote while giving Bobby complete composition credit, which definitely helped Bobby’s financial status! He also tried to get them to see they had to become Christians themselves, which in fact did occur. Then, a few days after the homes of Jack, Erik and Keith were attacked by Hellyon conspirators, Bobby himself was nearly murdered while opening his mail at his mailbox nearly two miles down a rocky dirt pathway from his house. The mailbox contained a contract authored by members of Sound Unltd regarding the purchase of the song Bobby wrote. While Bobby was reading it, an unknown person or persons knifed his St. Bernard dog, Shadrach, to death, and was about to attack Bobby as the young man turned at the wailing sound of his dog. By the Will of God, the knife could not hurt Bobby, who, throwing down the contract paperwork, picked up a large boulder and tossed at the head of the attacker, who fell, then ran off with what to Bobby sounded like a second attacker. Bobby then took the contract and other mail back up to his house, then came back down and spent two hours burying Shadrach.
And why did Bobby come to me? I will never forget these words.
“That woman who told me to give Sound Unltd my song that I hadn’t even written yet?”
The notion of that ‘old lady witch’ Jack told Jay about came into my mind like a ton of bricks!
“Well, she suddenly appeared to me again a week ago, and told me to give you my story. Because the same people who tried to murder the members of Sound Unltd also tried to murder me. She also mentioned a couple of other names of those they killed. Denny Spradlin, for one.”
When I heard this young man I’d never met before tell me that, I smiled broadly at him and said to him, “Thank you! I’ve known that since the beginning, and now I have authentication. Thank you, and thank that ‘lady’ for me if you ever see her again!”
And more.
“The person or people who attacked me weren’t the exact same ones that attacked Sound Unltd or Denny Spradlin or others I mentioned. But they all work for the same secret society affiliated with a cult I used to be a member of.”
“The Church of the Circle of Unity?”
“Yeah. Only the one I joined, the church that is, was run by Cole Blessing.”
“When did you join that cult church?”
“In 1993.”
“Why did you join that cult church?”
“When I got off the tour and was paid about ten thousand dollars off the books, I got a new apartment. I’d been living in my van for over a year. I bought some used furniture as well. So while I was doing okay financially, I still felt about as empty as I had before, as if I was on drugs when I wasn’t even on drugs! Being a roadie had purpose, but after getting the apartment I felt I had no purpose. But then I remembered what Denny Spradlin told me about that Church of the Circle of Unity—”
Shocked. “Denny was the one who got you to join that cult?”
“Yeah, he told me about it at that rocker party while Sound Unltd was in Seattle on their Seccond Coming tour in July, 1993.”
**
“Lots of roadies are in Swami’s church, Bobby.” Denny then inhaled some skuz. “Because roadies that join that church are more likely to get hired by the top bands. And besides, it’s mostly for the pleasure. Swami provides lots of pleasure, party lifestyle, favors provided by his red crystal that those who wear it get to remain at the top of the food chain in the music business.”
You can purchase The Prodigal Band Trilogy or the books that make up the trilogy and/or download the FREE PDF The Prodigal Band at the links in the menu at the top of the page. Plus the menu above features links to previous trilogy snippet posts and more. Cheers!
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