Part 18: Blackwell Unbound - Update 4
Update 4Having learned that the saxophone player was in a band called the C-Sharps, Lauren heads back to Johnny Ivory's to see whether C will now be more talkative.
Johnny Ivory's 
C: Hello there.
Lauren: Do you know anything about "The C Sharps?"
C: ... The C-Sharps? Nah. Nah, never heard of them.
The pregnant pause here betrays C's recognition.
Lauren: Are you SURE you don't know anything about "The C Sharps?"
C: Positive.
Lauren: There's a picture of them right behind you.
C: Lots of pictures appear on that wall. I just work here. I don't know it's entire history. Now, you mind? I gotta gig to finish.
By this stage, C is really started to get worked up, with the calm, smooth voice completely gone.
Unfortunately, he's clammed up good now. Lauren decides to try talking to the ghost again instead.
Lauren: Guess we'll never know now.
But not before a tiny slice of banter!
Isaac's Lament 
Joey: We've got company.
Upon arriving back at the promenade, however, Lauren and Joey find a strange old lady loitering. Almost immediately, she approaches Lauren.
Crazy lady: Can you see?
Lauren: Pardon?
Crazy lady: Can't you SEE?
Lauren: See WHAT, lady?
Crazy lady: The whole of the world? Connections. Patterns. Pulsing with life... everywhere.
Joey: Oh great. one of New York's finest crazies. Do something about this old bat, will you?
Fantastic, as if we didn't have enough people out of their mind to deal with already. Lauren can either be subtle:
Lauren: Look, I'm a bit busy right now. I don't have time for this.
Be direct:
Lauren: Go away, will ya? Bother someone who cares.
Or in a stunning display of charity, offer one of her cherished cigarettes:
Lauren: Do you want money? Cuz I don't have any. How bout a cigarette?
But whatever Lauren says, the lady just gets angry and starts screaming.
Crazy lady: FOOL! LIAR! Can't you SEE?
Lauren: Um...
Crazy lady: Useless.
She storms off before turning back to yell at Lauren once more.
Joey: Wow.
Lauren: I know.
Joey: Only in New York.
With that bit of excitement having passed, Lauren comments on the ghost saxophone player.
Joey: Yeah. A real slugger. He might change his tune, if he knew he was dead.
Lauren: He really clobbered you one, huh?
Joey: Yeah yeah. Laugh it up.
Joey is still pretty pissed about getting hit so often earlier.
Lauren: So what do you think?
Joey: Think? I THINK that guy needs a good sock in the jaw.
Lauren: Still bitter?
Joey: Those ghost saxophones hurt.
Time to ask about the C-Sharps.
Joey: Tell me about "The C Sharps".
Ghost: what are you, crazy? Get offa here!
But, of course, that just leads to Joey getting clonked again by the saxophone
Joey: Owww.
This approach isn't working, nobody's talking. Time to be a little more sneaky about this.
Johnny Ivory's 
Lauren: It's his sheet music. He's barely looking at it. He must know this song by heart.
Perhaps there is some useful information on the sheet music? Unfortunately, Lauren won't simply take it.
Lauren: I can't just TAKE the sheet music. That would be... rude.
Since when have you ever worried about that, Lauren?
Of course, nothing prevents Joey from simply floating over C's shoulder and peeking at the music.
Joey: He's written something at the top of the sheet. "Property of Cecil Sharpe?" Aww. How sweet. Maybe his mommy signed it for him.
"Cecil Sharpe"? I think I see where this is going. Lauren talks to C again.
Lauren: Is your name Cecil Sharpe?
C: Now who went and told you that?
Lauren: Oh, you could say a little bird told me.
Joey: Tweet tweet.
Hahahaha, I love Joey's interjections
C: Well you won't go tell nobody will you?
Lauren: Lips are sealed.
She waits about a second before following it up with:
Lauren: So, Cecil...
C: Oh maaan. That hurts, sister. That really does.
Lauren: Heh. Sorry.
In a puzzle reminiscent of Legacy, Lauren won't make the obvious connection here until you combine notebook clues.
Lauren: Cecil Sharpe. The C Sharps.
Joey: Cute. Real cute.
Joey will even speak with Lauren about the name if we head back to the apartment now:
Joey: "C Sharps", "Cecil Sharpe." Ugh.
Lauren: What's wrong with that?
Joey: It's too cute, darling. I don't trust cute.
Lauren: Really? You trust me, don't you?
Joey: Yeah, exactly.
Tee hee
Lauren confronts Cecil with this extremely unlikely coincidence. By this stage, Cecil is not smiling when Lauren approaches anymore.
C: ... What makes you think that?
Lauren: Oh, just the names. C Sharps. Cecil Sharpe. It's a pretty strong coincidence, wouldn't you say?
C: Yeah, I guess.
Lauren: So, what's your answer.
C: No.
This dude is seriously stubborn.
Lauren: You're sure that you never played in a band called "The C Sharps."
C: How many times do I have to tell you?
Ghost: Get. Off. The. STAGE! What's wrong with you? Get outta here!
And saxophone ghost guy just belts Joey with the Saxophone one more time.
Joey: Ouch!
Jambalaya Theme (Alternative) 
So Lauren heads back to Dwayne to see what he knows.
Dwayne: Cecil Sharpe... C Sharps... Yes! I knew I heard the name from somewhere.
Lauren: So you remember him now?
Dwayne: Oh yeah. He was the band leader. A genius on the piano.
Bingo. There's confirmation.
I've linked the alternative theme for Jambalaya here. It's probably the weakest of the alternative themes, a bit of a light Jamaican tune that sounds like something from the original Monkey Island. My guess is that Regin sent the draft theme to Gilbert, who told him to tone it down a little bit, and so it was never properly finished.
Anyway, with Dwayne confirming that Cecil played for the C Sharps, it's time for Lauren to back Cecil into a corner.
Johnny Ivory's 
C: I said-
Lauren: I know what you said. And I know that you're lying. So shut the hell up and listen.
Lauren is starting to get annoyed at the runaround here, and starts raising her voice. This section of the game has pretty much been a dialogue fetch quest.
Lauren: I spoke to your old manager. He confirmed who you are.
C: You spoke to Dwayne?
Lauren: Yes I did.
C: That...
Finally.
C: You got me. YES, I used to run a band called "The C Sharps". It was a rotten time in my life, and I'd just as soon forget it. Why're you stirring up these old ashes, huh?
Lauren: I have my reasons.
C: Yeah, sure you do.
Cecil has completely lost his charm by now, and has become sulky and angry.
Lauren: About that sax player...
C: Yeah?
Lauren: He's in that photo behind you. So, I know that he was with "The C Sharps", and that you know him.
C: What... what is this? You from that damn magazine?
Magazine? Apparently Lauren isn't the first to be asking questions of Cecil.
Lauren: Magazine?
C: "The New Yorker." You a reporter?
Lauren: No. So who is he?
I like the way Lauren doesn't even try bullshitting Cecil.
C: You wanna know so badly? His name is Isaac Brown.
Lauren: Isaac Brown?
C: YES. You happy now?
Lauren: Ecstatic.
C: Great.
Finally, we have the ghost saxophone player's name. Isaac Brown. Now to see what else we can find out from Cecil.
Lauren: What can you tell me about Isaac Brown?
C: Him? He's a bum. A drunk. A nobody. A lowlife. He's also dead.
Lauren: How did he die?
C: Someone strangled him to death with his bare hands.
C is fairly churlish here. He sounds almost pleased that Isaac is dead.
Lauren: You don't seem very upset by this.
C: No, but... Last time someone asked about Isaac, it was some reporter from "The New Yorker." He came along, asked his questions. Then BAM. Isaac's dead.
Lauren: Really?
C: Yeah. So forgive me if I don't take kindly to pushy questions.
Looks like we're reaching the end of this conversation, so Lauren asks one last question.
Lauren: Who was the reporter?
C: Oh, I dunno. Mitchell something. Slow talker. Drove me crazy.
Lauren: You think he killed Isaac?
C: I just play the piano. I don't THINK anything. Especially not the past. Whoever did Isaac, the son of a bitch had it coming. So, please. Just get outta here.
Mitchell, huh? We'll have to check him out. If he was a reporter and was asking about Isaac, presumably he has some information.
Lauren's Theme (Alternative) 
Okay, so we finally have the name of the ghost. Lauren and Joey have a quick chat about it before going to see him.
Lauren: Does that name mean anything to you?
Joey: 'Fraid not, sweetheart. Still, a name is something to go on. Our friend Isaac has certainly given us a run for our money.
Lauren: I dunno, Joey. I think we've nearly cracked this one.
Joey: You think?
Lauren: I hope so.
Joey: Famous last words.
Let's go and find out if Lauren is on the money!
Ghost: What's it to you, man?
Joey: So you ARE Isaac Brown?
Ghost: How do you know me? Get away!
Excellent, it's confirmed. He still isn't talking though, and Joey wears another saxophone shot.
Unfortunately, just knowing his name doesn't seem to be enough, as Isaac just brushes Joey off whenever he tries to speak to him. Instead, Joey decides to follow the one other lead we have.
Joey: What do you know about a reporter named Mitchell?
Ghost: Mitchell? I'm not sure. He's a nice man. He asked me about my life. He bought me a drink. Gave me ten dollars. He... Hey! What're you doing on stage, man?
Joey: Oh here we go again...
I'll give you one guess what follows...
Joey: Ahh!!
You guessed it!
Alright, we need to find this Mitchell character. Unfortunately...
Lauren: "Mitchell" is too common a name.
Still, Cecil told us Mitchell was from the New Yorker, so perhaps we can just call their head office?
Lauren: Yep. There's a listing for "The New Yorker." Their main office is in midtown.
Bingo. Lauren picks up the phone and dials the number
Operator: Thank you for calling the New Yorker. How can I help you?
Lauren: Hello. Yes. I'm trying to reach a reporter named Mitchell.
Operator: Well let's see now. Mitchell... Mitchell...
Lauren: I guess it's worth a try. Is he in?
Operator: Yes he is. Hold please.
The operator patches Lauren through, but the phone rings out.
Lauren: No answer. Maybe we should go there in person.
All in all, a good day's detective work! We have the ghost's name, and also the name of a reporter, Joseph Mitchell. Tomorrow, we'll follow him up and see where this all leads!