The Disappearance

One spring morning, Professor Summer Shepherd disappeared....

And though ordinarily the FBI refuses to negotiate with terrorists, they clearly would have to make an exception in this case. Summer Shepherd is, after all, the daughter of the U.S. Secretary of State.

Why Duncan Ryder received the ransom demands remains a mystery. He's the brother of Summer's despised stepmother -- and definitely not her favorite family member.

But Duncan is the one who orchestrates Summer's release. He's the one who helps Summer convince the authorities she didn't stage her own kidnapping. The one who helps to rescue her friend Joe Malone from the same captors. And it's Duncan who helps her expose the shocking truth behind her disappearance....