The cases for 2026-09-24

A gold scarab vanished from the dig the night the tomb was broken into. Each member of the expedition bedded down in a different tent strung along the excavation trench. Work the line of tents, tent by tent, and name the thief. Statements were taken from all 4 diggers; Rashid el-Amin's is the first page.

1. 1. The digger drinking the barley water was in the tent right before the digger drinking the spiced chai.
2. 2. Theo Wren was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the silver ankh.
3. 3. Idris Faulkner was in the tent right before Rashid el-Amin.
4. 4. The digger guarding the sealed papyrus was in the tent right before the digger drinking the barley water.
5. 5. Idris Faulkner was in the tent right before the digger drinking the spiced chai.
6. 6. Theo Wren was right next to the digger guarding the bronze dagger.
7. 7. Saffron Bell and the digger guarding the silver ankh are the same person.
8. 8. Rashid el-Amin and the digger drinking the goat's milk had exactly 1 tent between them.
9. 9. Theo Wren was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger drinking the spiced chai.
10. 10. The digger guarding the obsidian blade and the digger drinking the spiced chai are the same person.
11. 11. The digger guarding the bronze dagger was in the tent right before the digger guarding the obsidian blade.
12. 12. Idris Faulkner and the digger guarding the silver ankh had exactly 1 tent between them.
13. 13. Theo Wren was in a lower-numbered tent than the digger guarding the bronze dagger.
14. 14. The digger guarding the sealed papyrus and the digger drinking the cold cocoa had exactly 2 tents between them.

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; Cyrus Vane's is the first page.

1. 1. The patron looking at the glass sculpture was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the vermouth.
2. 2. Delphine Roux and the patron looking at the charcoal sketch had exactly 1 spot between them.
3. 3. The patron looking at the oil portrait was right next to the patron holding the champagne.
4. 4. Otto Krane was in the spot right before the patron holding the club soda.
5. 5. Otto Krane and the patron holding the champagne are the same person.
6. 6. Beatrix Hale was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the tapestry.
7. 7. Beatrix Hale was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron holding the vermouth.
8. 8. Beatrix Hale was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the marble torso.
9. 9. The patron looking at the marble torso and the patron holding the whiskey had exactly 3 spots between them.
10. 10. The patron holding the red wine was in the spot right before the patron holding the champagne.
11. 11. Delphine Roux was in the spot right before the patron looking at the marble torso.
12. 12. The patron looking at the glass sculpture was in a lower-numbered spot than the patron looking at the oil portrait.
13. 13. Lena Moreau was in the spot right before the patron holding the red wine.

The night train pulled in one passenger short. The remaining travelers each rode in a different compartment, numbered from the engine back. Reconstruct the carriage. 5 passengers, 5 compartments, and no two accounts that quite agree — start with Mona Reyes.

1. 1. The passenger with the birdcage and the passenger headed to Crestfall are the same person.
2. 2. Katya Brandt and the passenger with the map tube had exactly 1 compartment between them.
3. 3. The passenger headed to Windmere was in the compartment right before whoever ordered the beef wellington.
4. 4. The passenger with the carpet bag and whoever ordered the consommé are the same person.
5. 5. The passenger with the map tube was in the compartment right before the passenger with the film canister.
6. 6. Nils Berg and whoever ordered the rice pudding had exactly 1 compartment between them.
7. 7. The passenger headed to Ashport and whoever ordered the lamb chops are the same person.
8. 8. The passenger with the film canister was right next to whoever ordered the beef wellington.
9. 9. The passenger with the film canister was in the compartment right before the passenger with the birdcage.
10. 10. The passenger headed to Marrow Bay was in a lower-numbered compartment than whoever ordered the beef wellington.
11. 11. The passenger with the leather satchel was in the compartment right before the passenger headed to Ashport.
12. 12. Tilda Moreno was right next to the passenger with the film canister.
13. 13. Mona Reyes was in a lower-numbered compartment than whoever ordered the rice pudding.
14. 14. The passenger with the birdcage and whoever ordered the beef wellington are the same person.
15. 15. Mona Reyes and whoever ordered the consommé had exactly 3 compartments between them.