I have followed this thread since it's inception and found myself concerned from the very get go. Allow me to elaborate. First off, you made clear that you didn't have your firearm secure, and you don't keep accountability of it constantly as it is visible with someone in your house. You also state that you failed to immediately inventory the rest of your firearms upon discovery of a firearm you suspected to be stolen. For an undetermined period of time you didn't even know whether you only had one firearm missing or multiple. You post to a host of other firearm owners that you have no idea what you do or don't have in your possession and you had not taken the time to ensure you know what you are in possession of. You already knew the course of action that you should be taking, yet you continually advocate for your suspect while not knowing what your suspect may have taken in total.
You sir, are grossly negligent in your responsibilities as a firearm owner. You are the poster child of the example antis love to use in their effort for gun control. As Sam1911 stated, you are hiding from your responsibilities. You seem to have a high sense of moral responsibility in the sensitivities of your suspect. Where is your moral responsibilities in the lives of those who may be affected by your complacency. I can tell you right now that if one of my family members were harmed by your firearm that you have flippantly dismissed as just "missing", I would own you; your "travel' money, mine; your savings, hard work accumulated, mine. I would raise such a public stink that I can guarantee you would be facing criminal negligence charges at the least.
Your concern for the feelings and emotional distress of someone you were sure had stolen a firearm from you, had been welcomed into your household, your domain, your safe haven, and all you can say at the end of it is: she said she's honest like me and so I'll leave it at that with just a missing firearm report and no investigation because emotional distress on her part would be my responsibility and burden. You post a poll, asking what should you do. If you don't know or you haven't decided on a course of action immediately upon discovery and evaluation of your situation, then you should not be in possession of firearms.
Your complacent, flippant "oh well" attitude about a firearm more than likely stolen due to your negligence in securing and accountability disgusts me to the point of being irate. While this may be dismissed and deleted as not 'high road" this needs to be said. Your actions while maybe not criminal in your state, are definitely not responsible, sensible, nor moral. I will use you as an example of what not to do in the responsibilities of being a gun owner. While I hope that you recover your firearm one way or another, recovery will not be due in part because of your responsible choices nor your moral obligation.
Now, allow me to explain as to exactly why your actions, or lack thereof, bothers me so greatly. I was in Iraq conducting a raid. My section sergeant(SSG type), was shot with an M-16 with ACOG, by an egytpian Al-Qeada cell leader in his femoral artery, the round also severing his urethra and shattering his hip around the entry wound. the recovery took the better part of three years. Not a week later, while getting to visit the FOB, I'm on a bus going to get a much needed haircut, and also on this bus is a Marine Major and another officer. I get to overhear just how funny and silly that another officer had lost an M9 and M-16, and he was in no trouble, and they LAUGHED about it! I had just watched an outstanding leader get shot with an American firearm that belonged to the Marines, and now I get to listen to a pair of Marines laugh about losing more firearms. Needless to say, I nearly lost a lot of rank over that. Hopefully this illustrates just how disgusting flippant attitudes about "losing" firearms really is.