by Lee Wood
It took Julie a while to get over the stalking incident but eventually she managed to put the events behind her, and nowadays she was having too much fun for a steady boyfriend. Going out with a few friends for a meal at Nando’s was one of her favourite things. Or staying at home and trying out newly purchased make-up with Sarah.
On a night out, if Julie happened to attract the attention of someone she fancied, then there was the possibility of spending the night with him with no ties in the morning.
She was certainly in no hurry to settle down. Her dad employed a cleaner and housekeeper, so living at home was fine. Why wouldn’t it be with her laundry done and all the household chores taken care of? Why on earth would she want to find a man and settle down with noisy smelly kids? There would be plenty of time for that when she was older. Life was for living.
Chapter Six
SARAH PARKS
Over the years, Julie and Sarah’s boyfriends, pets and hairstyles had come and gone, but their friendship remained as strong as ever.
When the pair went out for the night and were on the hunt for some company, they called themselves the dynamic duo. For men who preferred blondes, there was Julie. For lovers of redheads, there was Sarah.
They’d shared most things. One night they had even shared the same man. Leroy Jennings was twenty-eight, big black and beautiful. He’d boasted he could take them both and several drinks later he kept that promise. It was the only time the two had kissed each other passionately. They had certainly learned a lot from him. After Leroy, other men had a lot to live up to.
Part of Julie’s hinting to her dad about an Audi TT car for her birthday was because Sarah’s dad had given her a car on her twenty-first just four months earlier. Her birthday present had been a lovely brand new VW Golf in white. Just what she had asked him for. Good old Dad.
That night, after the party, Sarah would sleep over at Julie’s house, something she did often. They would talk into the night about all sorts of important things they probably wouldn’t remember the following day.
Sarah worked for Ridgewells estate agents. It was a job she really enjoyed. Showing prospects round the top of the market houses the company dealt in and getting ideas for the time when she was ready to set up in a place of her own.
In three weeks’ time, the two girls were going on a ten-day holiday to Ibiza. If the previous year was anything to go by, it would be ten nights of sand, sun and sex. When the money had run out after a week, they had worked in one of the bars for a couple of nights. The wages were poor, but the other girls soon taught them how to rip off the punters for a few euros a time.
You could get away with all sorts of things because it would all be left behind when you went home. To make some extra money one night after a few too many drinks Sarah had even gone down on her knees for the bar owner after he offered her a quick 100 euros. Not bad for five minutes work, she thought.
Sarah loved dancing and the atmosphere of a nightclub. Having ‘fun while you’re young’ is what it was all about.
Maybe it was because her parents were still happily married, so unlike Julie, Sarah had thought about the time when she would meet someone and settle down. It might be a few years off, but she liked to daydream about having a family – one day.
Chapter Seven
FANCY DRESS - SATURDAY 7 JULY
The first few days of July had been the sunniest days of the year so far. Julie had spent the day at Sarah’s house. Most of the morning they had been spent watching their favourite YouTube make-up channel, trying on clothes and talking about the party.
The pair had arranged to collect their costumes for the party from the fancy dress shop in Pickstone, the ones they had picked out and ordered from the shop’s website two weeks previously.
It was twenty past five when Sarah managed to find a parking space just off the high street. They knew the shop closed at 6 p.m, so they had plenty of time.
All dolled up in their summer dresses, designer shoes and Ray-Bans they looked a million dollars. Men were certainly turning their heads as the two strolled arm in arm down the high street on their way back to Sarah’s car. It was the car her dad had given her on her twenty-first birthday in March, so there was every reason to think Julie would get the keys to her car that night.
Walking along and giggling, the two girls stepped up to the crossing. The white car approaching from their right slowed to let them cross. The lorry driver, as he approached from the opposite direction, also slowed.
Before stepping out, they checked both ways, and then started walking, still chatting and giggling about the costumes and the party.
As the driver of the 4x4 behind the white car saw it slow down, he decided he couldn’t wait and drove round it, picking up speed as he did. The girls chatted away and failed to notice as the big black vehicle swung out from behind the now-stationary white car onto the wrong side of the road.
Talking on his mobile, Kevin O’Connor was holding in his left hand and being a little worse for the six pints and whisky chasers consumed at the pub he had just left, he failed to notice the two girls.
He also failed to see the delivery truck approaching the crossing from the other way.
At thirty-nine miles an hour, hard metal meeting human flesh and bones is no contest. The 4x4 came off best. Hitting a large truck is more of an equal match, and the journey of Kevin’s vehicle ended with its bonnet embedded in the front of the truck.
The driver of the 4x4 was saved by the air bag as it was deployed. The two girls didn’t fair so well. The impact threw them into the vehicle windscreen and then across the road. The pair were dead before their blood-soaked bodies came to rest on the pavement.
Kevin O’Connor might have been drunk but his instinct clicked in, and he took out the handkerchief he kept in his trousers pocket and wiped the air bag where his face had landed, in an attempt to remove any DNA. He then proceeded to wipe the steering wheel, turned the ignition off and removed the key. He had the foresight to retrieve the mobile he’d dropped on the moment of impact. It had fallen into the footwell. He opened the driver door, stepped out and walked round to the back of the vehicle.
Most of the people who witnessed the incident were looking at the two girls as they lay on the pavement, lifeless and covered in blood. They were being attended to by a man in a white tunic with the words Lloyds Chemists. Bernard Lloyd dashed out after seeing one of the girls flung against the window of his pharmacy.
Kevin O’Connor walked past all the onlookers and kept walking. No one challenged him, and within a minute, he turned the corner into Lonsdale Road. He briefly looked around to see if anyone was following but didn’t notice anyone.
As he walked away, he dialled a number from his mobile.
It took the ambulance four minutes to arrive. Bernard Lloyd had already covered both girls in blankets. The medics put the girls into the ambulance. It was obvious nothing could be done.
As the paramedics closed the rear doors, a police car turned up. PC Frank Edwards spoke to the medics and then got on his radio. He then went to the boot of his vehicle and got out a roll of police ‘Do Not Cross’ tape and proceeded to place it around the areas where the girls had fallen.
The other officer, PC Pauline Underwood, after checking inside the Ford Kuga 4x4, walked over to the truck. The driver seemed to be okay other than confused by what had happened.
“Where’s the driver of the 4x4?” PC Edwards asked.
“I don’t know,” the truck driver replied. “He went round the back of his vehicle. I haven’t seen him since.”
PC Edwards walked over to his colleague. “I think the driver has done a runner. Let’s try to get a description and get it out and see if anyone can locate him. He can’t have gone too far.”
PC Underwood had already requested a PNC check on the vehicle, giving its registration to the control room. It came back as having been stolen in Birmingham two weeks previously.
Pauline went to all the witnesses, askin
g if anyone had seen the driver of the 4x4.
One person recalled a lot of detail. He told the police officer the man he saw getting out of the 4x4 was about fifty, five feet eight with greasy black hair, wearing blue jeans, white Nike trainers, a Manchester United t-shirt, and had a small scar under his left eye.
Will Gleeson always remembered detail. The training courses he had attended as part of his job as a security guard had taught him to be observant – to remember the small details – which was how he’d noticed the scar. Things like that came in handy, especially to pick out the troublemakers when he was on duty for his second job as a part-time security man at local football matches.
He added, “I remember him because he pushed past me after I saw him getting out of the vehicle. He had almost hit me when he swerved before hitting the two girls. I won’t forget him in a hurry.”
Pauline thanked Will Gleeson for his detailed description and got on her radio and gave the information so the details could be circulated.
Chapter Eight
BAD NEWS
In the ambulance, the phone in her purse rang and went to voicemail.
“Julie darling, it’s dad. Where are you? Everyone’s waiting to sing happy birthday to the birthday girl. See you soon. Love you.”
It was 7.10 p.m., and the bright sunshine that had been out all day was continuing to shine.
The large lounge of 36 Fieldview Lane in Cherrywood was full of helium balloons, all set in bunches of pink and red and complimented by an abundance of signs saying ‘Happy 21st Birthday’.
In the centre of the room was a large table heaped with buffet food. A unit on the main wall displayed a massive selection of horse jumping trophies Julie had won. They held pride of place. Every available shelf space was adorned with birthday cards. On a table specially set up in the corner next to the front windows were heaps of presents, all gift wrapped in bright colours. Sitting on top of the pile of presents were two gift-wrapped boxes, one about six inches by four inches. The other was slightly larger than A4 and slim. One contained the keys to the Audi TT his daughter was getting for her twenty-first birthday. The other contained the keys to something else. A big surprise that Julie had no idea was coming.
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 they offered their condolences to Roger. A couple of his close friends asked if there was anything they could do to help. Roger thanked them but told them not at the moment.
Once the house was cleared, Roger returned to the kitchen. His wife was still crying and being comforted by Pauline.
He walked to the library and found Sarah’s parents holding each other and crying. The DI had walked over to the window at the back of the room to give them some space.
Roger walked
over to the DI. “Everyone’s gone. Perhaps it’s best if we leave them for a couple of minutes.”
Once they reached the lounge, Roger asked Eden, “Can you tell me what happened?”
“According to what I’ve been told they were crossing the road when a 4x4 vehicle overtook the car in front on the wrong side. The first car had stopped to let them use the crossing, and the 4x4 drove round and hit them. If it helps, they almost certainly died instantly and didn’t suffer or even know about it. I know it’s of small consolation, but it may help you and your wife to know that.”
“Yes, thank you. However, unless you need anything further from us, I think we’d probably want to be alone now.”
The ambulance arrived and after examining Francis Maynard, the paramedics had asked for the name of her doctor and suggested he should attend.
Sarah’s parents walked out of the library said a few words and left to go home and comfort each other as best they could.
Ten minutes later, the family doctor arrived and prescribed some powerful sleeping tablets for Francis. After she had taken two, Roger took her upstairs to the bedroom they had once shared, closed the curtains and helped his ex-wife into the bed to rest.
After checking she had dozed off, he went downstairs into his library and wept like a baby. The tears flooding down his face as the anger rose up.
His beautiful daughter Julie, the apple of his eye. From the day she was born, she had been his world. For all his life, he had always seen the positive side. Even when the odds had been stacked against him when he struggled to start and build his business. All the set-backs he had come up against. Nothing had got in his way. His wife and only daughter were what spurred him on to succeed where others would have given up. He prayed this was just a nightmare and that he would wake up and find everything as it should be, but he knew the truth. His entire world had just been shattered. For the first time in his life, the black gloom of depression outweighed the light of hope.