Music was playing softly in the background, and people were standing around chatting and laughing, most of them with a glass in their hand. Many had wandered out through the French doors and into the vast back garden with its freshly manicured lawn.
Wherever you looked, there were people in all sorts of fancy dress. A Roman soldier, Batman, Superman, Captain America, one lady dressed as a Japanese geisha, a skinny man who decided to dress up as The Hulk, and even a caveman complete with a plastic club.
Julie’s mother was in the kitchen dressed in everyday clothing as she took a tray of mini sausage rolls out of the oven. Her costume of Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds was laid out upstairs, ready for when she had finished cooking.
The front doorbell rang. Roger Maynard, dressed in a thirties American gangster suit, walked through from the lounge and opened the door with a beaming smile, his left hand holding a flute glass half filled with champagne. More guests were arriving to add to the fifty already enjoying the food and drink!
“My, that’s an authentic looking costume,” he said as he was confronted by a female police officer standing there with a man in his mid-thirties wearing a smart suit.
Roger smiled at the plain-clothed man. “Don’t tell me; they lost your costume?”
“Hello, sir. Sorry to disturb you. We’re looking to speak with Mr Maynard.”
Roger had a sudden sense of unease. “Yes. I’m Roger Maynard. How can I help?”
The plain clothed man flashed his police ID badge. “I’m Detective Inspector Eden Gold. We’re not guests here for the party I can see is going on. I’m afraid this is for real, sir. We are genuine police officers. I’m sorry to inform you that we’ve got some bad news, may we come in?”
Brief flashes went through Roger’s mind. Has the factory had a fire, has there been a break in?
He beckoned them through to the kitchen just as his ex-wife who was dressed as Lady Penelope from The Thunderbirds was taking a batch of sausage rolls out of the oven and placing them onto a large plate.
Francis Maynard looked up to see the three figures entering the room. She continued to arrange the food as Roger closed the door.
“This is my ex-wife Francis,” he told the two newcomers.
“I see, sir.”
He turned to Francis. “Are you Julie’s mother?”
Francis nodded. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. There’s no easy way to say this. There’s been an accident involving Julie. A hit and run in Pickstone high street. I’m very sorry; the medics did what they could.” He said this to help ease the pain of his next sentence. “But there was nothing they could do. I’m afraid your daughter died at the scene.”
Detective Inspector Gold knew from experience the best thing was to wait and say nothing, to allow the news to sink in, as he knew it would.
Francis clutched Roger’s arm and looked as if she would collapse. Roger felt as if the world had stopped.
“That can’t be right; it’s her 21st birthday party.”
“I’m very sorry, but it is definitely Julie.
We found her credit cards and a receipt from the fancy dress shop it appears she had just been to. The receipt had her name and this address.”
“What about her friend Sarah. Is she alright?”
“I’m sorry to say both girls were involved and Sarah didn’t make it either. A colleague of mine is on his way over to her house as we speak.”
“Sarah’s parents aren’t at home. They’re both here. Today is Julie’s twenty-first birthday. That’s what the party is for. Julie and Sarah are best friends.”
Francis collapsed into a chair and started to sob. PC Pauline Underwood had already put on the kettle and went to comfort her.
DI Eden Gold continued. “If Sarah’s parents are here, I need to have a word with Sarah’s parents. Is there somewhere quiet I can talk with them?”
“Yes, of course, let me take you through to my library. It’ll be quiet in there. I’ll ask them to come through. I obviously won’t tell them why.”
As the two men walked into the hall, the DI spoke. “If you don’t mind me saying so, sir, you’re taking this extremely calmly.”
“I think I have to. I quickly realised the brevity of what you told us and I need to be strong, at least on the outside for everyone’s sake. Believe me, inside my heart, is breaking. Julie is our only child. But I can’t let it show, not yet.”
Roger Maynard went out to the garden and found Sarah’s parents and asked if they would come through to his library. They both thought it was to show them a surprise. Sadly, the surprise he would introduce them to was not the kind they were expecting or would enjoy.
As Roger walked back into the kitchen, he found his ex-wife collapsed on the floor. Pauline Underwood had already rung for an ambulance and was attending to Francis as best she could under the circumstances.
After checking there was nothing he could do to help, Roger Maynard excused himself. He told PC Underwood he needed to make an announcement to the guests.
After asking everyone to move from the house and into the back garden, Roger stood on the porch with DI Gold standing by his side. With the tears finally flowing, Roger told the stunned crowd what had happened.
As the guests made their way to leave, one by one
