Who Killed Rosalie Gunther

Chapter 7

Alice's POV

"How could I forget?! It all makes sense now. Rosalie leaves Dahlia's convenience store at 8:15pm. Doesn't ever make it to Sam's. Her phone keeps going to voicemail. At around 9:30pm after I got a frantic phone call from a worried Sam, he's right there. In front of me. All along the answers have been right in front of me. So close I could reach out and touch them."

"Ms. Hartley what are you talking about."

I had risen to my feet at this point. I started to pace.

"A man. A man came into the store after Rosalie left. Don't you get it? I know who did this! His name is Toby."

"Okay Ms. Hartley. Why don't you have a seat and tell me more about this Toby guy."

Detective Burnaham clicked his pen and pulled a small notepad out of his front jacket pocket.

"I distinctly remember the smell of his breath omg."

I made a gagging sound and a sour face.

"Anything a bit more descriptive other than this guy's obvious lack of hygiene?"

"He had on khaki pants, they were all wet and it wasn't even raining out! His clothes were stained. I remember his hair was a mousy brown color. It was so greasy eek!"

"Ms. Hartley how did you know his name?"

"He was wearing a name tag on the front of his shirt." The shirt was from some company I bet. Had the letters A.P on it."

Detective Burnaham scribbled onto his notepad.

"A.P? That's ADLER'S PLUMBING. Continue Alice you're doing great."

"I don't remember much more. He bought a pack of cigarettes and left right after- wait!

"What?"

Detective Burnaham's eyes lit up and widened. Like when you're about to tell a toddler a secret.

"When Toby handed me the money to pay for his cigarettes he had on a bracelet just like Rosalie's!"

"Mhm. Can you describe this bracelet for me Ms. Hartley?"

"Yes of course. It was silver. It was a horseshoe charm bracelet. Rosalie used to say it brought her good luck Oh the irony."

I looked down at my hands. My palms were clammy.

"Ms. Hartley would you like to end the session early?"

"Please," I said.

17 October 1999 2:30PM Jupiter, NC

"Good afternoon officer Shawna. I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time. I need your help."

Officer Shawna was busy filling out paper work when Detective Burnaham peeked his head into her office.

"What is it Detective. I've got a lot of work I need to get done."

"It's about Rosalie Gunther."

Officer Shawna stopped writing. She looked up from her paper and spun her chair around to face Detective Burnaham. She said nothing. Instead she waited patiently for him to speak.

Detective Burnaham sat down in a spare swivel chair next to her.

"I need you to do a background check."

Detective Burnaham handed Officer Shawna a Manila folder. She opened it up and read the name out loud.

"Toby Bryson?"

"Toby Bryson," Repeated Detective Burnaham.

Officer Shawn clicked away at her desk. She studied the monitor intensely.

"He's clean, Officer Shawn said. Nothing but a few traffic violations back in 83. Wait a minute. This guys got a warrant out for his arrest."

Officer Shawn peered over her shoulder. Detective Burnaham looked up from his phone.

"That's it. That's all I needed. Shawna, You're a rock star."

Officer Burnaham snapped his fingers and pointed at shawna and left without another word.

3:45PM Jupiter, NC

"This is Detective Burnaham. We have now arrived at the suspects residence."

Detective Burnaham clipped his walkie to the side of his trousers.

"Easy fellas. We don't know what we're dealing with here."

Two other officers stood behind detective Burnaham, guns drawn.

Detective Burnaham cautiously knocked on the wooden door.

A confident voice responded almost instantaneously.

"Who is it!"

"This is Detective Burnaham with the Jupiter Police Department."

The sound of struggling, followed by the unlatching of a chain lock came immediately.

"May I help you officer?"

Detective Burnaham was greeted by a white male in blue jeans and a plaid shirt which appeared to have been neatly pressed.

"Toby Bryson?"

"Yes?"

Detective Burnaham grabbed Toby by the arm and cuffed him".

"You're under arrest for a number of unpaid traffic violations. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney, and if you cannot afford one, you have the right to a court-appointed attorney. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

"Yeah see about those...I was going to pay them."

Toby flashed Detective Burnaham a toothy grin.

"Tell it to the judge."

Detective Burnaham guided Mr. Bryson to the Patrol Wagon.

"Wait my cats-

"You're cats are fine, get it."