Page 28 of Nails

She glanced toward the desks where she and Ryan usually spent the better part of the day, but his chair was empty, and his desk was clean as a whistle, a sign that he hadn’t been in the office.

She adjusted her backpack on her shoulder and made her way toward Russell’s office, which sat at the end of the hallway, next to the conference room.

When she got to his office, the door was shut, and the blinds on the windows were closed.But she could see the lights were on.She knocked once.

“Come in,” Russell’s deep voice called out.

Opening the door, she stepped in.Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she found not just Russell sitting behind his desk, but an unfamiliar man seated across from him.He was older, with gray hair and bushy eyebrows, and was wearing a rumpled suit.But he held an authoritative stance, like he owned the room.She knew before he was introduced that he was an FBI agent.

“Riley,” Russell said, standing up as she entered.“Thanks for coming in on short notice.”

“No problem,” she replied, her tone neutral but curious.Her eyes shifted to the man.“I wasn’t aware we were having company.”

Russell motioned between her and the man.“This is Special Agent Barry Pullman, FBI.”

Barry gave a curt nod, and she shook his hand before taking the empty seat beside him.

Russell got right to it.“We’ve got a situation that requires your expertise.”

Her brow arched.“What kind of situation?”

He exchanged a quick look with the agent before continuing.“Congressman Sadri’s daughter has gone missing in Hong Kong.”

Riley’s heart skipped a beat as soon as Agent Pullman said the name.

“Anna Sadri?”she echoed, sitting up straighter in her chair.”

Pullman nodded grimly.“Yeah.That’s her.”

Shock rolled through Riley like a wave crashing against stone.She had met the Sadri family at an event in Washington, D.C., a few years ago.Anna was celebrating her twentieth birthday on the same day.Riley remembered Anna asking her about career paths in law enforcement.She was such a bright young woman and sharp.And now she was gone?

“When did this happen?”Riley asked quietly.

“She was last seen a little over a week ago,” Pullman replied.“But her parents didn’t report her missing until a few days ago.Apparently, one of her professors reached out after Anna missed two classes and hadn’t responded to texts or emails.That’s when her mom and Congressman Sadri realized they hadn’t heard from Anna either and called the authorities.”

“They haven’t gone public?”

“No,” he said.“The family’s keeping it quiet for now.Congressman Sadri doesn’t want the media storm.At least not until we know a little more about what we’re dealing with.But off the record?They’re terrified.”

Riley leaned back, processing it all.A week.That was already too long.Time was everything in missing person cases, and a silent clock was already ticking.

“What’s her last confirmed location?”

Pullman shifted, flipping open the folder in front of him.“She was seen one block from a club downtown.Club Lune.”

Riley narrowed her eyes.“I assume that is a nightclub, considering she’s a college student?”

He hesitated for half a second.“It’s… an exclusive gentleman’s club.Private, invite-only.In other words, nobody from the street can just walk in.It’s known that business executives and those with a lot of power and money frequent the place.”

Riley frowned.“Did she work there?”

“Management there claims she didn’t,” Pullman said, his tone edged with skepticism.“But they’re based overseas, and conveniently, they don’t keep employment records like we do here in the States.”

“Of course they don’t,” she muttered, tension knotting in her chest.“So, we have no actual proof she ever went inside?”

Pullman shook his head.“All we have is CCTV footage of Anna walking one block from the club, alone at three o’clock in the morning.After that, the trail goes cold.No phone signal, no bank activity, nothing.”

“And the local authorities?What is their take on the situation?I mean, I’m sure they don’t want a political blowback happening from this.”