Page 7 of The Sleeping Girls

Ellie and Shondra exchanged a look, and Ellie knew it was an excuse to poke around in the kitchen.

“Go on, Mrs. Tiller,” Ellie said.

“Jean, please call me Jean.”

“All right,” Ellie said. “Let’s talk about Kelsey. Was she worried about something? Having problems with a teacher or friend?”

“No, no. She played piano and was on the Honor Roll,” Jean continued, her leg bouncing up and down nervously.

“Tell me about yesterday and last night,” Ellie said.

Jean glanced at her husband, who glared back at her, then twined her fingers together. “Everything seemed fine. She had orchestra practice yesterday as usual. She plays the piano and flute. She came home talking about the piece they’d chosen to play for the halftime show.” She jumped up from the couch, hurriedly crossed to the bookcase and returned with a framed photograph of Kelsey and two other girls.

“That’s Ruby and June, her best friends.”

In the photograph, the girls looked happy, close. Kelsey was a slender blond with green eyes and a timid smile. “Your daughter is beautiful,” Ellie said. “She was looking forward to the band performance?”

Jean nodded. “The kids had persuaded the band leader to let them play a more contemporary piece this year. That was a big win since he’s used the same music for the last three years.”

“Was she upset about anything else? Had a falling out with one of her friends?”

“No, nothing like that,” Jean said, her voice rising. “I told you she was excited. Happy. Well adjusted.”

Mr. Tiller whirled on her. “Now why aren’t you out there looking for her?”

“I am going to do that. But it helps to know Kelsey’s mindset. If she was upset or had a disagreement with a friend, she might have snuck out to see them.”

Mr. Tiller’s eyes snapped with fire just as his tone did. “She would never sneak out. Never, you hear me. So don’t come in here bashing my daughter.”

Ellie reined in her irritation. “I’m not doing that, sir, but in order to find Kelsey I need to know everything about her.”

“She’s trying to help,” Jean said to her husband. “When I realized Kelsey was gone this morning, I called all her friends. None of them have heard from her since last night.”

Ellie kept an open mind. If Kelsey had snuck out to meet someone, her friends might cover for her.

“I’d like to see Kelsey’s room now.” Then she’d talk to the friends.

Mr. Tiller had lapsed into silence, his scowl dark and unreadable as if he was barely holding on to his emotions.

Was he holding something back?

SEVEN

“Deputy Eastwood, please stay with Mr. Tiller while I look in Kelsey’s room,” Ellie said when Shondra returned from the kitchen.

“Of course,” Shondra said softly.

Mr. Tiller’s eyes pierced Ellie. “Shouldn’t you be doing something more like combing the streets?”

“We will do that, sir. Deputy Eastwood is going to issue a missing persons report. While I’m upstairs, I need you to give my deputy a recent photograph of Kelsey so we can circulate it on the news.”

He nodded, seemingly relieved to have something to do, and began to search his phone.

Ellie glanced at the kitchen table as Jean led her toward the hall, cataloging details as she went. A box of cereal, milk and orange juice containers sat on the table, confirming that Jean had been preparing breakfast for her daughter.

Kelsey’s room was the first one on the right. Ellie gloved up, surveying it before entering. It was a typical teen’s room with posters of a popular boy band on the wall, photographs of the orchestra and one of the band at the University of Georgia. Textbooks and a neon green girl’s backpack sat on the small deskin the corner, and shelves held several stuffed animals, family photos and a framed Honor Roll certificate as well as a reward for leadership in the orchestra.

The purple comforter hung haphazardly off the foot of the bed, but she saw no clothes scattered on the floor or chair, indicating Kelsey was either neat herself or her mother picked up after her.

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