Page 11 of The Sleeping Girls

At the sound of a knock, Ellie answered the door at the Tillers’ and was surprised to see Cord standing with his SAR dog, Benji, and his partner, Milo.

“Have you been cleared to return to work?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah. I can’t sit around and do nothing,” Cord said. “Especially if I’m needed.”

“I told him I could get someone else,” Milo said.

“The team is scattered with two other calls,” Cord muttered. “Just tell us where you want us.”

Ellie explained about Kelsey’s disappearance. “I need y’all to search the woods,” Ellie said. “My deputies are canvassing the neighbors to see if they saw or heard anything.”

“Can we get a piece of clothing or something belonging to the girl for Benji?” Cord asked.

Ellie nodded, then hurried to ask the Tillers. Jean pulled Kelsey’s hoody from the hook on the wall and Ellie carried it to Cord. They traded an understanding look.

Every minute Kelsey was missing decreased the chances of them finding her, much less finding her alive.

Cord, Benji and Milo set off to search and Ellie stepped into the kitchen and called the hotel where Mr. Tiller had allegedlystayed the night before. She spoke to the desk clerk, Carl. “Was a man named Tim Tiller registered at your hotel last night?”

“Yes, he checked in about five, left for a while then returned about midnight.”

“Was he alone?”

A hesitant pause. “It’s against policy for employees to discuss our clientele’s personal lives.”

“I understand that, Carl, but I’m investigating the disappearance of Mr. Tiller’s fifteen-year-old daughter. It’s important I confirm his whereabouts last night and this morning.”

The man cleared his throat. “Oh… I’m sorry to hear about his daughter.”

“Was Mr. Tiller alone when he returned to the hotel?”

Another hesitant pause, then he answered, “No, he was with a woman.”

Ellie gritted her teeth. “Did he leave the room during the night?”

“I really can’t say what happened after they got on the elevator.”

Still, Mr. Tiller had admitted he was with a woman. “What time did he check out?”

Ellie heard keys tapping and realized he was checking. “He paid his bill online. That would have been at six-thirty a.m. this morning.”

“Did you see him leave the hotel?”

“No, but hold on a minute.” Computer keys tapped again. “He retrieved his car from valet at six-forty-five.”

With Atlanta an hour away, he could have been back home around eight.

“Does Mr. Tiller stay at your hotel often?” Ellie asked.

“About once a month, always on business.”

Or so he said. “Have you seen him with this same woman before?”

“What does that have to do with his daughter’s disappearance?”

“In a missing child case, it’s important we know everything we can about the family, including their routine, acquaintances, financial problems, business contacts, and the couple’s relationship with each other as well as others.” She took a breath. “Have you seen him with this woman before?”

He sighed. “Maybe a couple of times.”

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