So this is where they brought faulty pinball machines to fix them up -- a long time ago…

So this is where they brought faulty pinball machines to fix them up -- a long time ago. Everything is covered with dust now...

The lieutenant looks around the dusty, crowded room, inspecting the tools on the shelf.

"Could this mean the Whirling-in-Rags really is part of the Doomed Commercial Area?"

"If that's true then our cafeteria manager is not going to like it." He looks around. "We should tell him what we found up here -- omitting that suspicion."

"He does not appear to be the kind of man who likes his establishment to be part of a neighbourhood ghost story. About bankruptcy."

Stupid superstition. But still -- it would be interesting to see what the cafeteria manager thinks of this...

It's not a ghost story. It's a curse -- and Garte ought be made knowledgeable so he can perform counter-spells.

Yes. It would mean that.

And Garte would not like that. He should probably be made aware that his establishment is part of the neighbourhood ghost story.

"Doesn't look like that pinball machine will ever get fixed."

"At some point -- twenty years ago? Fifteen maybe. Before pinball went out of vogue."

Yes. Pinball hasn't enjoyed a heyday for fifteen or twenty years.

Not interested. [Discard thought.]

"This used to be a... pinball workshop."

"Looks like it. I'm guessing Martinaise North 22 used to be a pinball arcade before it became a hostel. There are machines left over..." He taps his foot.

A creak, some dust falls off a shelf.

"Downstairs in the hall -- next to the main door. One of them even works. I've seen one of the Hardies bang away at it."

Remember the Dicemaker?! Then that means...

"Whirling-in-Rags was once the East Delta Pinball arcade. This is all left over from that."

"Ah, yes -- as the novelty dicemaker said." He makes a note in his notebook. "This has absolutely nothing to do with the case, I'm sure. But I do like a nice little connection."

But then it went bankrupt... your skin crawls from making the connection!

As the Dicemaker said, yes; it all fits. Not that it has anything to do with the case, but it is a nice connection!

And it has been forgotten. Now, there is only one working machine in the main hall -- the rest is lost to dust.

Yes. Martinaise North 22 used to be a pinball arcade.

"Looks like they gave up on fixing the pinball machines at some point."

This seems to be some kind of workshop. For fixing up pinball machines -- a long time ago. Everything is covered with dust now...