Guest Post: David S. Brody of Cabal of the Westford Knight

Passages to the Past is pleased to bring you a guest post from David S. Brody, author of Cabal of the Westford Knight! Welcome David!

While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying.

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Take it away David:

Experts stubbornly cling to the outdated notion that not a single European explorer visited our shores during the 500 year gap between the Vikings and Christopher Columbus. Numerous artifacts scattered around New England tell us otherwise:

Rhode Island’s Newport Tower—a round stone tower built in medieval fashion—has long been thought to be a colonial windmill. But a mortar sample from an archeological dig was recently carbon-dated to the mid-1400s.

Maine’s Spirit Pond Rune Stones are shoebox-size stones inscribed with medieval runic lettering. The stones contain a rare runic character that links the stones to other North American rune stones

The Narragansett Rune Stone is a runic inscription engraved on a boulder in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. The inscription, visible only for 20 minutes a day at low tide, contains the same rare, medieval runic character as the Spirit Pond stones.

The Westford Knight is a carving of a medieval battle sword pecked into a rock outcropping in Westford, Massachusetts. (Portions of the inscription depicting a medieval knight carrying a shield have largely faded.) This carving may have been left as a memorial to a fallen knight by a group of 14th-century Scottish explorers led by Prince Henry Sinclair. Details of this journey are recounted in a 16th-century chronicle known as the Zeno Narrative, written by the descendants of the original admiral of the Sinclair fleet.

The authenticity of these artifacts was recently buttressed by research conducted on Minnesota’s Kensington Rune Stone, a tombstone-size slab dated 1362 and inscribed with medieval runic lettering similar to that found on the New England rune stones. A renowned geologist studying the weathering patterns of the minerals within the rock’s inscriptions determined the stone to be an authentic medieval artifact.

So what do these artifacts tell us about the medieval explorers and why they were here? There is some evidence and much informed speculation indicating that Sinclair—clan chief of the prominent Knights Templar family made famous by Dan Brown as carrying the blood line of Jesus—led a band of outlawed religious warriors to the New World in the late 1300s to escape Church persecution and form an alternative, liberalized version of Christianity based on its “pagan,” nature-oriented roots. In fact, Sinclair’s grandson later built Scotland’s Roslyn Chapel, a monument to pagan imagery and iconography.

Excerpt from Cabal of the Westford Knight:

The Monsignor crossed himself and bowed his head in a quick, silent prayer. He lifted his head and nodded, a nod that indicated agreement rather than merely understanding. “I need to be careful here — you and I, as attorney and priest, we are required to keep certain communications in strict confidence. So please excuse my oblique approach to this conversation.” He took a deep breath. “In the event you intend to continue to represent Mr. and Mrs. Gendron in this matter….” He paused and raised an eyebrow, offering Cam the opportunity to respond.

“Yes, I do. They need my help, and I’m responsible for what happened to Brandon — ”

The Monsignor lifted a hand to stop him, the silk robe rustling. “Nonsense. You did not plant the bomb. Whoever did so will have to answer to the proper authorities. In this world and the next.”

“Well, that may be but the Bobcat idea was mine.” He shivered, remembering Brandon’s bloodied body. “I’ll continue to represent them as long as they want me to. And I’m going to find out who did this to Brandon.”

“Good. I think they still need you. But I will suggest that you are only scratching the surface of this mystery, Mr. Thorne.”

“Wait. How do you know my name?”

The priest smiled. “I am familiar with your work in the sex abuse scandal cases.”

He appreciated Marcotte’s candor. In all the months he worked on the case, nobody from the Church had ever referred to the case as a sex abuse scandal. It was always ‘the allegations’ or ‘the incident’ or ‘the unfortunate conduct.’

“It took a lot of courage for you to do what you did. Leaking that testimony forced the Church to confront its crimes, to deal with its victims. Not many lawyers would have done what you did, risking your career like that.”

Cam smiled wryly. “Priests and lawyers. Not exactly the most popular members of society right now, are we?”

And to think, mothers used to dream of their children becoming lawyers or clergymen.” He took a deep breath. “But, getting back to the matter at hand, my recommendation is that you make an appointment with a young woman named Amanda Spencer. You can reach her through the Westford library. Do so soon. I’ve never met her personally but I believe she can shed some light on this matter.” He lifted his hand and stroked his chin. “But be careful. As you have seen, this is a volatile situation.”

Cam looked back toward the driveway. “I doubt McLovick will try anything else. He knows the police will be watching him.”

“Regarding Mr. McLovick, consider this: If he planted the bomb, it means he is certain there is a treasure buried here, which makes him — whether in jail or not — a continuing danger.” The Monsignor raised his index finger. “But perhaps he had nothing to do with the bomb. And if that is the case, then I think the danger is even greater.”

“I don’t follow.” Perhaps because his head was still ringing like a church bell.

“Well, if Mr. McLovick didn’t plant the bomb, then someone else did. Someone who saw the Bobcat and wants to keep both the Gendrons and Mr. McLovick from digging. Someone who probably knows for certain what is buried in the back yard.
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“Well, then, who?”

The Monsignor shrugged. If he knew, he wasn’t telling.

Cam eyed the priest. Marcotte held his gaze without blinking, a steady, kind half-smile on his face. The words the bailiff used in the courtroom while swearing in witnesses popped into his head: “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” He believed the priest was telling the truth and also probably nothing but the truth. But the whole truth, now that might be a different story.

The police finished questioning the Gendrons and Emily immediately broke away and moved toward Cam and Father Marcotte. The Monsignor turned to embrace her before glancing back at Cam. “Make sure you contact Ms. Spencer. I think you’ll be fascinated by what you learn.”

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David S. Brody is a Boston Globe bestselling author named “Best Local Author” by the Boston Phoenix newspaper. He is a Director at Large of the New England Antiquities Research Association (NEARA). A real estate attorney, he resides in Westford, Massachusetts with his wife, novelist Kimberly Scott, and their two daughters. He coaches youth sports and Special Olympics and plays in adult hockey and softball leagues.

David's Blog and Website.