The Las Vegas Search for Puck

This flow traces Doc and Trillium's search for Puck Beaverton through casinos, old debts, and a reunion that unsettles their original purpose.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Request from Trillium

The Missing Puck A New Client Trillium Fortnight comes to Doc's office seeking Puck Beaverton, whom she has not been able to find. She asks Doc to accompany her to Las Vegas, where she believes he may have gone. A Troubled Attachment Trillium's photographs show a relationship involving both Puck and his associate Einar. Doc recognizes that she is emotionally invested and suspects that her need to find Puck may put her at risk.

The Empty Apartment

A Trail of Absence Former Lodgings Doc and Trillium visit the place where Puck and Einar had lived. The antiques dealer says they left recently and cannot provide a destination. Federal Interest The dealer reveals that Hugo Borderline and another federal agent had already asked about the men. Doc realizes that Puck's disappearance is connected to more than a personal relationship or a casino hustle.

A Casino's Memory

Following the Gambling Trail The Local Circuit At the Nine of Diamonds, Doc hears that Puck and Einar cheated slot machines through a practiced division of labor. Einar could control the reels, while Puck claimed the winnings before security noticed. A Useful Lead The pair have been barred from larger casinos, which narrows the search to local rooms and less prominent gambling venues. Their skill makes them known but not easy to locate.

The Jackpot Escape

Puck Is Spotted A Double Win Doc recognizes Puck beside Einar as both machines hit jackpots. Einar disappears, while Puck is trapped between the two payouts and flees rather than claim either one. A Brief Reversal Doc and Tito Stavrou claim the winnings, turning the casino's noisy commotion into cover for the men they were seeking. Puck remains at large, but Doc has confirmed that he is nearby.

A Sudden Marriage

Trillium Chooses Puck A Reunion Trillium returns after finding Puck and spends the night with him. By morning, she and Puck have married, with Einar serving as best man. The Case Changes Shape Puck will not explain who is after him, but he warns Doc against pursuing the matter. Trillium's devotion has redirected the search from locating a fugitive to accepting a relationship whose future remains uncertain.

After Boris and Dawnette disappear

On the first day of the Las Vegas trip

That evening in Las Vegas

Later that night at the Nine of Diamonds

The morning after the casino encounter