Michael sat on the chair beside Mickey's desk and removed his notebook and pen.
"Why don't you tell me what happened on the night that Rachel came into the bar -- the night she went on vacation."
Mickey sighed and leaned back in his chair, and Michael could almost see his mind working, trying to figure out the best way to tell his story.
"She called me around nine and asked if she could come in and talk to me. I said sure. We weren't too busy yet. I usually take the truck out for a few hours on Friday night, get the kids food and a shower. So, I had some time to speak to her, before I fixed the truck."
"You took the truck out Friday night after you spoke to her in the office?"
Mickey nodded. "Yes. She came in, told me she might be moving away from Seattle and wanted to let me know I'd have to find someone else to take her shifts."
"She said she was moving away? That wasn't what you told Detective Chambers when he came by to question you."
"She didn't want people to know she was moving away. She said her past had caught up with her and she needed to leave. I understand that kind of trouble, given my past. It caught up with me as well back in the day before I got sober."
"Why didn't you tell police she was planning on moving away?"
Mickey shrugged. "She asked me not to. She wanted to keep things up in the air in case she changed her mind. So, I told staff she was taking a short vacation to explain her absence from the bar. Look, she was afraid of her past, okay? I was only trying to help the girl."
"You lied to the police," Michael said firmly. "You lied about seeing her, you lied about what she told you. How could telling the police that she'd been in the bar and was moving away be harmful to Rachel?"
"When they found her car, I thought that maybe something happened to her. You know, she was abducted or something. It would make me look guilty. Isn't that what's happening? People now think I'm somehow guilty because I spoke to her the night she went missing?"
"Think how much less guilty you would look if you had told us the truth."
Mickey sighed and rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "I did what I thought would help her out. You have to realize she's like a daughter to me. All these kids -- they're like my kids. I'd do anything to help them get off the street. Get clean. I was only doing what she asked me to do. That's all."
"I'm going to have to ask you to come in and make a statement to that effect."
"You can't just write it up yourself? Do I have to actually physically come in? I have a bar to run and it's a busy afternoon. Happy hour coming up..." Mickey said with a shrug.
"Yes, I'm going to need you to come down to the office and provide a written statement. I'll need the names of some people we can contact who can back up your story about taking the truck out to confirm your whereabouts that night."
Mickey sighed. "Okay. When? Does it have to be now? Can I come in tomorrow morning? It would be better for me."
"You don't have someone who can manage the place while you're gone? It will take less than an hour."
Mickey ran his hand over his head and seemed to be considering. "I can call in my relief bartender. He's done some floor managing for me before. Let me call him."
Michael waited while Mickey flipped through an old rolodex on his desk and then picked up the landline and called a number.
"Yeah, Bob, can you come in and manage the place for an hour or two for me over the dinner hour? I have to go somewhere."
Mickey listened and nodded. "Thanks, man. I owe you a big one. I'll be gone, so just come in and take over when you get here. There's a special on draft so I expect we'll have a busy Happy Hour crowd tonight."
Mickey hung up and turned to Michael. "Shall we?"
Michael stood and they left the office. "My truck is out back. Should I meet you at the DA's office?"
"I think Detective Chambers will want you to go to the precinct."
"Okay. Are you coming along?"
"I'll follow you," Michael said.
"Got it," Mickey said and Michael followed him down the hallway and out through the front of the building. Mickey's truck was parked in front of the bar. Michael got into his Jeep and followed Mickey once he pulled out into traffic.
They drove through the streets to the Seattle police headquarters and found parking slots in the visitor's area. Michael got out of his Jeep and went to where Mickey was parked.
"Lead on," Mickey said.
Michael led the way into the precinct, and they took the elevator to the third floor where Chambers and other detectives on the major crimes unit and homicide detectives had their offices. Once they were in the main reception area, Michael showed the admin his ID and led Mickey to a back office where Detective Chambers met with the public to conduct interviews.
"Wait in here," Michael said and Mickey went inside. "Detective Chambers will be with you in a moment."
Then, Michael found Chambers, who was meeting with his lieutenant.
When Chambers was finished, he came right over to Michael. "What's up?"
"Mickey's in Interview Room 1. He's ready to provide a revised statement on the Friday night Rachel went missing."
"Yeah, your boss over at the DA's office called and gave me a head's-up that you might bring him in. Thanks. You sticking around?"
"Not unless you need me. I have a meeting with Dr. Keller and then a date with a bottle of beer and some buffalo wings."
"Go eat some wings for me," Chambers said. "Oh, and thanks for this."
"Don't mention it. Glad to help."
Michael left the building and went to his Jeep. When he got inside, he checked his cell and saw that Tess had sent a message.
TESS: Is Happy Hour on?
He texted her right back.
MICHAEL: I just brought Mickey in for questioning. Now, I have to meet with the ME. Can we push back that drink until six?
TESS: You brought Mickey in?
MICHAEL: As a matter of fact, he's in Detective Chamber's meeting room right now, giving a revised statement so it went pretty well by any measure.
TESS: Good. Hopefully, he can provide police with a better idea of what happened with Rachel the night she went missing. Do you think he was involved in her disappearance?
MICHAEL: We'll see. Maybe the ME will have something to tell me. She said I'd be really interested in her findings, so I'm preparing myself for surprise.
TESS: Sounds intriguing. Meet you at The Barrel at six. Text me if you're delayed.
MICHAEL: Will do.
Michael drove off, taking side streets to avoid the traffic so he could get to the ME's office in a reasonable amount of time. If the meeting was as interesting as Keller promised, he was definitely excited.