Death at Presley Park

“What time are we meeting up with Bee and Johnny?” Mandy called as she fiddled with her hair. She was trying to get it just right and one cowlick simply wouldn’t lie down. She sprayed on more hair lacquer. With her eyes smarting she began to cough as the cloud of gluey droplets engulfed her. “Damnation,” she spluttered. A tear escaped over her eyelid threatening to make her mascara run. Quickly, she pulled a tissue from the box on the dressing table in front of her and carefully dabbed at her cheek. Then she heard the doorbell ring.
“Sitter’s arrived,” Theo called. “You’ve got ten minutes then we really must leave.”
Mandy rose from her dressing-table stool and stood at the full length mirror for one final look. Then, brushing her hands over her hips admiringly, she grinned at her image, checking her teeth for lipstick smears. There’s nothing more off-putting than facing lipstick stained teeth when you’re trying to eat, she thought.
“Are you good to go? I’d like to arrive on time for once.” Theo’s irritation was clear as his voice boomed up from the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t used to get irksome. He used to make jokes about Mandy’s timekeeping, or lack of it, but now everything she did seemed to annoy him. Mandy didn’t care she was bored with Theo and his pettiness. After twelve years of marriage she’d expected more from him.
She could have married anyone. All the boys had fancied her, helplessly drawn to her flashing eyes, luscious lips and curvaceous figure. With her blonde hair, she looked like a young Marylyn Monroe and, whilst there were lots of pretty girls at her school, many of whom would easily put out for a bottle of cheap wine and sweet words of undying love, Mandy was different. She fascinated her classmates. She had mastered the knack of making the boys think there was a chance of a sexual encounter whilst keeping them at arm’s length. She was the prize they all desired and every one of them would have turned cartwheels to impress her. But in the end she chose Theo because he was the most popular boy in school, sporty and clever his family came from the wealthiest part of the suburbs. He was also tall and handsome, with a broad, lean frame and even features.
They became the golden couple, the pair everyone envied, the ones everyone else wanted to be. Mandy and Theo married as soon as he finished university. As an accountant he was a good earner and their first home was a small semi-detached in an upmarket suburb. Coming from a poor background, Mandy felt as if she’d won the lottery. Their son Charlie was born a year later and now they lived in a four bedroom detached in the best street.
“If you don’t come now I’m leaving without you. I can’t be late for this dinner. I’m going to the car and I’ll only wait five minutes then I’ll be off. You can get yourself a cab.”
Oh shit, Mandy thought. She knew he wasn’t making empty threats. Grabbing her bag she quickly made her way down the stairs in time to hear the front door slam.
“Bye Charlie, Bye Annie,” she called to her son and the sitter then she practically flew out of the door. Theo had already reversed out of the driveway and, as she approached the car, he was revving the engine, itching to be on his way.
“So what’s this dinner all about? What’s so important that we can’t be five minutes late?”
Theo was tight-lipped, he inhaled deeply before answering.
“I told you before,” he said, his voice full of frustration. “We’re dining with Carlo and Carlotta Donatelli. He owns ‘Delectra’ and we’re trying to get signed up as a supplier. If Johnny can pull this off we’ll be sitting pretty for the next three years. There’re not many companies able to guarantee work for the next three weeks these days. That’s why we can’t be late. We’re hosting the dinner. They’re our guests.”