In the course of our duty every effort is now being made to find the missing American.

But we work in the dark, as you know.

Your friend may be a suicide; he may have lost his mind and wandered into the wilderness; he may have committed some crime and absconded.

How do I know?
You say he is missing, but that is no reason the brigands have him, even did brigands exist, which I doubt.

Rest assured, signore, that rigid search will be made.