The cases for 2026-08-27

The tomb kept its seal for three thousand years; the expedition kept theirs for one season. The scarab is gone and the sand shows no tracks out of camp. Work the tents along the trench and name the thief. 4 diggers, 4 tents, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Saffron Bell.

1. 1. Idris Faulkner was right next to the digger guarding the gold scarab.
2. 2. The digger guarding the alabaster jar was right next to the digger drinking the pomegranate juice.
3. 3. The digger guarding the alabaster jar was in the tent right before the digger drinking the date wine.
4. 4. Margot Ashford was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the obsidian blade.
5. 5. Margot Ashford was in the tent right before the digger guarding the alabaster jar.
6. 6. Saffron Bell was right next to the digger guarding the gold scarab.
7. 7. Idris Faulkner was right next to the digger guarding the obsidian blade.
8. 8. The digger guarding the lapis amulet was in the tent right before the digger guarding the gold scarab.
9. 9. Saffron Bell was in the tent right before the digger drinking the pomegranate juice.
10. 10. Lucien Mercer was right next to the digger drinking the spiced chai.
11. 11. The digger guarding the alabaster jar and the digger drinking the spiced chai are the same person.
12. 12. Margot Ashford and the digger guarding the gold scarab are the same person.

Between the toast and the closing bell, someone traded a canvas for a forgery worth nothing but trouble. The guests drifted, but each ended the night at one spot on the gallery wall. Fix every patron to their spot. Statements were taken from all 5 patrons; Imogen Frey's is the first page.

1. 1. The patron looking at the tapestry was somewhere after the patron looking at the bronze bust but before the patron looking at the fresco panel.
2. 2. The patron holding the red wine was in the spot right before the patron holding the whiskey.
3. 3. The patron holding the negroni was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the red wine.
4. 4. Anton Wolfe and the patron holding the negroni had exactly 1 spot between them.
5. 5. Anton Wolfe was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the fresco panel.
6. 6. The patron looking at the bronze bust was in the spot right before the patron holding the red wine.
7. 7. Ezra Bloom was in the spot right before the patron holding the whiskey.
8. 8. The patron looking at the pastel drawing and the patron holding the whiskey are the same person.
9. 9. Cyrus Vane was in the spot right before the patron holding the sherry.
10. 10. Imogen Frey was in the spot right before the patron looking at the tapestry.
11. 11. The patron looking at the pastel drawing was in the spot right before the patron looking at the seascape.

The Coastal Line runs express after dark — no stops, no excuses. When it braked at dawn a compartment stood empty and nobody would say whose. Rebuild the carriage from the engine back. 5 passengers, 5 compartments, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Odette Laurent.

1. 1. Quinn Sutherland and whoever ordered the oysters are the same person.
2. 2. Quinn Sutherland and the passenger headed to Pinehurst had exactly 1 compartment between them.
3. 3. Tilda Moreno was in a lower-numbered compartment than the passenger with the jewelry box.
4. 4. The passenger with the carpet bag and the passenger headed to Dunmore are the same person.
5. 5. Odette Laurent and whoever ordered the trout are the same person.
6. 6. The passenger with the film canister and the passenger headed to Dunmore had exactly 1 compartment between them.
7. 7. Quinn Sutherland and whoever ordered the rice pudding had exactly 1 compartment between them.
8. 8. The passenger with the leather satchel and the passenger headed to Larkspur are the same person.
9. 9. Tilda Moreno and the passenger with the map tube had exactly 3 compartments between them.
10. 10. The passenger headed to Crestfall was right next to whoever ordered the rice pudding.
11. 11. Tilda Moreno and whoever ordered the onion soup are the same person.
12. 12. The passenger headed to Crestfall and whoever ordered the trout had exactly 1 compartment between them.
13. 13. Jonah Webb was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Crestfall.
14. 14. Odette Laurent and the passenger with the map tube are the same person.
15. 15. The passenger with the film canister was in the compartment right before the passenger with the leather satchel.