Chapter 2
The next day arrived, and Danny started to forget about last night's incident at The Detention Center.
He decided that it would be best to move on with his life. Maybe he could teach music as a career. He figured Dr. Youngblood had enough connections to get him a teaching position. Perhaps he'll work towards his doctorate. Dr. Dakota. He said to himself and thought that it has a beautiful ring to it.
So Danny spent the enter day in classes and studying hard. He wanted to strive for a 3.6-grade average or above.
Then nighttime fell all over the MIT campus.
Danny relaxed in his bed while he studied his Music Theory textbook. He had a test first thing in the morning and wanted to ace it. He felt confident he knew the material but wanted to go over it one last time.
His iPhone rang from his bedside table.
He reached over right and grabbed his iPhone.
He looked at the viewfinder then smiled.
"Hey, grandma," he answered the call.
"How're your studies going?" Diane Dakota replied from his iPhone.
"Good. But I got kicked out of the band last night. Passed out from stage fright, again" he told her, as he never could keep a secret from Diane. She always found out anyway.
"We need to find a way for you to get over this fear," she replied and sounded concerned.
"I know. Oh, I saw Professor Youngblood on campus last night."
"I haven't seen good ole Richard in years," she said then paused for a few seconds. "I believe I last saw him at your father's funeral," she said and sounded a little sad.
"He sends his love."
"I figured he'd be retired by now. But I guess he loves having the campus for his special projects," she said then paused then chuckled from the iPhone. "Well, enough of him. So, I hope to see you on Sunday for dinner. Around six if you can make it. I mean, if you have other plans or a date, I'll understand."
"No plans or date grandma. I'll see you then."
"Good, I'll you on Sunday," she replied, then there was a second of silence. "There's going to be an episode about The Rocking Tones tonight on the Facts or Lies show on channel five. This is a new one about the band. It should be good and starts in a few minutes," she added.
Danny's eyes lit up. "I'll definitely have to watch it," he said.
"I'll also be watching," Diane said.
"I'll see you Sunday," he said then disconnected his end of the call.
Danny disconnected his end of the call. He grabbed his remote off the bedside table. He turned on his 32-inch HDTV on a stand on top of his dresser at the end of his bed. He surfed through the channels and soon arrived at Channel Five.
A commercial for a local attorney wanting your business for medical malpractice was still in progress.
Danny read his textbook to kill some time.
Then the introduction to the Facts or Lies show started with its theme song.
Danny glanced up from his book.
Martin Montvale was the host for the show. He stepped into view where the ample "Facts or Lies" logo was hung on the wall behind him.
"I'm Martin Montvale and welcome to Facts or Lies. Tonight's episode is about a rock band from the nineteen sixties. This band was called The Rocking Tones," Martin told the audience while an old publicity photo of The Rocking Tones appeared on a screen behind him.
Danny's ears perked up, and he placed his textbook down by his side. His eyes were glued to his TV.
"The Rocking Tones were comprised of five young men from Manchester, New Hampshire. The members were Jackie Brooks, Burt Clark, Carter Collins, Delmar Lee, and Sigmund "Sig" Ward," Martin told the audience.
Then Roger Beaumont, older now with thinning white hair, bags under his eyes and the beginnings of a turkey neck appeared on the screen in his den of his West Chester, New York home. The 'Roger Beaumont, former manager of The Rocking Tones' graphic title, appeared on the screen while his interview started.
"They were all young kids that had dreams of a career as famous musicians. I heard those dreams started that Sunday night they saw Elvis Presley perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in nineteen fifty-six. So they eventually got up money for instruments then started their band in the fall of nineteen fifty-seven. All of their fathers were police officers with the Manchester Police Department. In fact, they all came from a long line of family history with all the men joining the police department after graduating high school. So instead of wanting to join their family traditions, these boys took the chance to see if their band could make it big like Elvis," said Roger.
An old faded black and white photo of The Rocking Tones playing in Burt's garage with a crowd of young's teens in the front yard and driveway appeared on the screen.
"I first saw The Rocking Tones play in Burt's garage on May of nineteen fifty-nine. The driveway was packed with all the local kids. When I heard the band play, I immediately knew they had a sound that the world would love. So two days later, I offered my services as their manager. I was studying Marketing at Hesser College at the time and knew I could help them grow. They accepted, and I dropped out of school."
Martin Montvale appeared on the screen.
"The Rocking Tones first song was Banging the Beat, and it was in the top fifty hit list at the number forty-four position."
The song Banging the Beat by The Rocking Tones played in the background.
Thirty more minutes passed with more historical information about The Rocking Tones being presented.
Danny was engrossed in the show and ignored his studies.
"The Rocking Tones were on the road for huge successes," Martin told the audience while an old recording of The Rocking Tones on the Ed Sullivan show was visible in the background.
"They appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on September twenty-seventh, nineteenth sixty-four," Martin told the audience then he paused and looked somber while the recording of the Ed Sullivan Show slowly faded away. "Then, it happened. It was three fifteen in the morning of the fifth, then the band's converted nineteen fifty-three GMC Coach bus was headed west on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. Their destination was Chicago for a concert later that day. But they never made it. The bus suddenly exploded killing all the members of the band and their driver," Martin said while a police photo of the charred bus on Interstate 80 appeared in the background.
Danny's eyes were still glued to the TV while he munched on a bag of pretzel sticks.
"The investigation by the police and FBI eventually led them to Pastor Elmer Watson of Montgomery, Alabama. He led a group of religious fanatics. This group had an extreme hatred for rock and roll bands like The Rocking Tones. There was proof that Pastor Watson and his followers followed the band to Harrisburg, and New York days before the bus exploded.
An old faded black and white photo of Elmer standing outside his church with a Bible in hand appeared on the screen in the background.
"While the FBI searched Elmer's garage, they found a timer device similar to the timer used on the bomb that exploded on The Rocking Tones bus. Elmer was arrested, extradited to Pennsylvania, tried and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the members of The Rocking Tones," Martin told the audience while the mug shot of Elmer appeared on the screen in the background. "But Mister Watson denied planting that bomb," Martin added.
Then a jailhouse interview with Elmer Watson, old and frail, appeared on the screen. The 'Elmer Watson" graphic title appeared on the screen at the bottom.
"I did not have anything to do with planting that bomb on that bus. I did not condone bands like The Rocking Tones ruining the morals of our great country. We just protested, and that's all. We were not a violent group. We were just using our freedom to protest. If you find out the person or persons that framed me, then you'll have the culprit behind killing those kids. I've spent the last fifty years in prison for a crime I didn't commit. I hope someone will find it in their heart to prove that I'm innocent," Elmer said during his short interview. And he looked sincere.
Martin reappeared on the screen.
"Then a sudden surprise of information surfaced last year. On his deathbed for cancer, seventy-seven year Victor Burrows confessed his sins with being heavily involved with the mob during the fifties, sixties, and seventies," Martin told the audience.
A 1959 mugshot of a young Victor Burrows appeared on the screen in the background. Victor was arrested for battery and assault and attempted murder. The charges were suddenly dropped probably because of his mob connections.
"But his biggest confession was that he claimed he had two associates plant that bomb underneath the bus belonging to The Rocking Tones. Mister Burrows claims that they installed that bomb that night of September twenty-seventh at Walter's Diner out in the Pennsylvania countryside. But Victor died before he was able to provide more detailed information on who hired him to plant that bomb."
Danny looked surprised, and his mouth dropped open. This was the first time he heard that information.
"I never heard of a Victor Burrows. So it might be possible that Elmer Watson was the one that paid Mister Burrows to plant that bomb. I loved the guys of The Rocking Tones. We were like family from the days when their concerts were out of the garage of Burt's parents home to their success on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don't know why Mister Watson won't admit he was behind the placement of that bomb placed on the bus. After all, it was later determined that Mister Watson was a member of the KKK. So it was him," Roger said in his interview and looked serious.
Martin appeared on the screen.
"It was also revealed by Mickey Hanson, the mystery author working on his book titled, "The Day They Died Mystery" that the FBI could not prove Elmer Watson was anywhere near Pennsylvania that night the bus exploded. So many believe that Elmer Watson is indeed innocent," Martin told the audience then paused. "And there you have it. Another mystery from the past that may be fact or it just might a lie. Maybe one day, the truth will be known. Goodnight," Martin told the audience then gave them a warm smile.
Martin faded out of view of the audience. Then the ending credits of the show appeared with old photos of The Rocking Tones.
Danny watched the credits roll and looked extremely curious. He glanced at the poster of The Rocking Tones on his wall. He looked down at his Music Theory textbook. He leaned over and turned on his CD player. The Banging the Beat song started playing.
Danny lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling. He was in deep thought while he thought about that TV show.