Life is no fun without a bit of mystery. James Patterson knows it; Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof know it; and we can certainly assume Georgia Governor Nathan Deal—an aged man—knows it, too. Perhaps this is why he has disappeared.

Deal left his beautiful home state of Georgia this weekend for, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, an economic development trip. One piece of the puzzle, for sure: an economic development trip. "An economic development trip" is even information you can offer in order to make it seem like you were listening when Gov. Nathan Deal explained where he'd be for the next few days. "Where's Nate?" "Economic development trip." "Ahh."

But an economic development trip to where? No one knows. From the AJC:

His office won't disclose where the state's top elected official journeyed or whom he visited. His public schedule is blank. His name was on the agenda for Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration but he wasn't there. And his speech to lawmakers on the budget-writing committee is scheduled for Thursday, two days after the main group's meeting.

His clothing was found splayed on his bedroom floor in a Nathan Deal-like configuration. His ceiling has a Nathan Deal-shaped hole in it. I feel his presence in this room, yet he is not here.

Doesn't anyone have an idea about where this man could be? Yes:

Two officials with knowledge of his trip say he's across the pond in Great Britain. Deal's office won't confirm or deny this, of course, adding to the intrigue.

Probably he is in London. But not certainly.

Where are you, Nathan Deal?

[image via AP]