That is what I think.
He propped the side door so he could slip back in around 5:30 am, up the stairs to his room ...can easily slip a business card in the door jamb so it blocks the lock and keeps the door from closing all the way.. He would have a couple of hours to freshen up, grab his receipt under the door and head downstairs to be seen
When he was late cause of the bloody mess, arriving at 7:30 am, he found the staff took his rock from the door. He was forced to walk in the front, up to his unlocked room and grabbed his bag and the receipt from under the door. He then jetted to Clinwood Va, arriving 30 minutes late