Dear Rick,
Thank your for sharing your very personal story. Based on what I read, I think you are a decent, kind, and reasonable man. Also, I appreciate that you are capable to put your thoughts in writing in a clear manner with a good grammar and spelling. Makes it easy to read.
For over a year, I've been married to an Amerian man who I had met through a dating site. So, let me offer my opinion.
Sure, all relationships look differently. However, what you describe here does not look like a romantic relationship at all. You may be in love, as you said, but on the woman's side it seems very transactional. One of the details that stood out to me the most is the fact that during you FIRST meeting she would not put her phone down and kept texting to someone. Indicates to me, how little romantic interest she had in you. When one is in love, there is so much passion at the beginning of a realtionship, that it is difficult to take your hands off of your partner. One forgets to eat and sleep, let alone texting and chattin with friends. At least, that's how it was for us.
Second, the demands for money. The woman who is truly interested in you will never demand money for personal things, such as expensive suitcase, even before meeting with a man. I beilieve, it is acceptable to cover a woman's expenses for travelling such as airfare and hotel, as well as restaurants within reasonable limits.
Third, and the most important. I see a lot of discrepances in the story or to say francly, a lot of small lies. She disapprears all of a sudden without an explanation. She stops communication. She gets your money for a laptop but becomes too sick to go to the store to buy one. So many questions without answers...
Rick, I think deep inside you know already what to do. Had you trusted her, you wouldn't have opened this discussion here. Listen to your gut.

Respectfully,

Svetlana