The cases for 2026-08-30

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. The file names 4 diggers; Theo Wren's statement sits on top of the pile.

1. 1. The digger guarding the painted mask was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger drinking the fig wine.
2. 2. Theo Wren was right next to the digger guarding the tomb figurine.
3. 3. Saffron Bell was in the tent right before Nadia Sokolova.
4. 4. Saffron Bell was in the tent right before the digger guarding the bronze dagger.
5. 5. Bram Halloway was right next to the digger drinking the black coffee.
6. 6. Bram Halloway was in the tent right before the digger drinking the fig wine.
7. 7. Theo Wren was right next to the digger drinking the spiced chai.
8. 8. Nadia Sokolova and the digger drinking the spiced chai had exactly 1 tent between them.
9. 9. Saffron Bell was right next to the digger drinking the spiced chai.
10. 10. Saffron Bell was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the bronze dagger.
11. 11. Theo Wren and the digger drinking the black coffee are the same person.
12. 12. Nadia Sokolova and the digger guarding the painted mask had exactly 2 tents between them.
13. 13. The digger guarding the painted mask was in the tent right before the digger guarding the tomb figurine.
14. 14. Nadia Sokolova and the digger drinking the hibiscus tea are the same person.
15. 15. The digger guarding the tomb figurine was in the tent right before the digger guarding the obsidian blade.

The curator noticed the brushwork first — too clean, too new. By then the room had emptied and the sign-in sheet told half the story. Walk the wall and pin every patron to a spot. Statements were taken from all 5 patrons; Freya Holt's is the first page.

1. 1. Greta Lindqvist was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the sherry.
2. 2. The patron holding the whiskey was in the spot right before the patron holding the lemonade.
3. 3. Freya Holt was in the spot right before the patron looking at the glass sculpture.
4. 4. Freya Holt was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the glass sculpture.
5. 5. Otto Krane was in a lower-numbered spot than Ezra Bloom.
6. 6. Freya Holt was right next to the patron holding the sherry.
7. 7. Greta Lindqvist was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the oil portrait.
8. 8. The patron holding the sherry was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the red wine.
9. 9. Anton Wolfe was right next to the patron holding the lemonade.
10. 10. The patron holding the lemonade was in the spot right before the patron holding the sherry.
11. 11. Greta Lindqvist and the patron holding the white wine are the same person.
12. 12. Anton Wolfe was in the spot right before Ezra Bloom.
13. 13. The patron looking at the oil portrait was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the red wine.
14. 14. The patron looking at the tapestry was right next to the patron holding the whiskey.
15. 15. The patron looking at the charcoal sketch and the patron holding the white wine are the same person.

Somewhere between the coast and the end of the line, a compartment went quiet. The conductor's passenger list survives, but the names have slid loose from the compartments. Put every remaining passenger back behind the right door. 5 passengers, 5 compartments, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Nils Berg.

1. 1. The passenger with the hat box was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Greyfield.
2. 2. Pavel Novak and whoever ordered the oysters had exactly 2 compartments between them.
3. 3. Nils Berg was in the compartment right before Quinn Sutherland.
4. 4. The passenger headed to Greyfield was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Larkspur.
5. 5. Jonah Webb and the passenger headed to Crestfall are the same person.
6. 6. Ruth Calder and the passenger headed to Larkspur are the same person.
7. 7. The passenger with the birdcage and whoever ordered the lamb chops are the same person.
8. 8. Ruth Calder was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Eastgate.
9. 9. Jonah Webb and the passenger with the steamer trunk had exactly 1 compartment between them.
10. 10. Ruth Calder was in a lower-numbered compartment than the passenger headed to Crestfall.
11. 11. Pavel Novak and whoever ordered the plum tart are the same person.
12. 12. The passenger headed to Ashport was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Greyfield.
13. 13. Quinn Sutherland was in a lower-numbered compartment than whoever ordered the trout.
14. 14. The passenger with the typewriter case and the passenger headed to Greyfield are the same person.