The Fascinating Files of Claudia Broadstad

By Tara Majuta

Claudia Broadstad, born and raised in Roswell, New Mexico, has always had a knack for looking for problems to solve. She hoped to follow in her fathers footsteps and join him in putting away the bad guys; Bernie Broadstad was well known for his crime-fighting knowledge and dedication to protect. When he mysteriously disappears, however, Claudia is left all alone.

Four years later, she is now an amateur private investigator and is still engaged in the search for her father when a letter arrives for him, begging for help in a strange string of murders in Victoria, Maryland. Claudia is snarky and self-made; shes not the ideal candidate to solve a multiple murder, but she takes the case on anyway, with the help of her friends, Patrick and Bonnie. Even so, she might be in over her head.

As they search for the killer, they also continue the search for Claudias missing father, but nothing is easy. This killer is good, and theres no sign of Bernie. Using leads borrowed from local police, Claudia is on the hunt. This is her first case on her own, and if she isnt careful, Victoria could become a town full of victims.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abbott Press
• Release date: Apr 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781458208873

Tara Majuta

TARA MAJUTA was born in the dusty sands of southern Arizona. She enjoys bringing characters to life and sharing their stories with the world. This is her first novel.

Book preview

Chapter One: Portales

S o let me get this straight, and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. So you didn’t notice the body until after you took a nap?! she asked, Claudia’s voice snapped at the end. After reading his file, she knew everything worth knowing about him. In the twenty years since his birth he had managed to become an unemployed, uneducated, recovering shoplifter. She folded her arms and adjusted her body in the hard chair.

He licked his lips and winked at her, That’s what I told you. Why don’t you believe me? the young man asked as his sharp jaw popped and his nostrils flared up.

He slowly strangled Claudia with his tacky brown eyes. Her mocha coffee colored skin wrapped in dark denim pants, purple shirt and lime green scarf enticed him. She didn’t appreciate him looking at her with such hunger. She contemplated stopping his attack by stepping on his face with her plaid Converse shoes; however, she refrained due to the situation.

She snapped her fingers, unraveling the man’s eyes from her body, How long had you two been living here together?

Four months, he answered as his eyes targeted a small window next to him. A tiny drop of water expelled out and down his face as he swallowed hard. It wasn’t the tear of a man who had lost his love but a boy who was afraid of the consequences of his actions. Looking back for her reaction, he rubbed the tear deep into his face.

Claudia sighed as she pushed her hands over the wild mess of black hair on her head. He watched as she got up from the table and walked across the room. Feeling his intrusive eyes she looked back at him. They stared at each other for a beat before he abruptly looked away. He couldn’t stand to look at her while she stood next to the body.

The victim’s arms swayed in the air lightly as an open window pulled in a warm gust. She hung there for about three hours before her boyfriend came home and noticed her (after his supposed nap in the bedroom right next to the kitchen). Her lover screamed so loud the neighbors thought they were fighting again. Despite his best efforts to convince the badge wearing audience of his innocence, he was the prime and only suspect.

Claudia surveyed the body as she wrote down every lie he told her into a wrinkled college ruled notebook. She inhaled a deep breath but quickly threw it up. The sweaty inhospitable room was the first clue in the crime. Whoever this victim was, her life wasn’t ripped away from her for her money.

The woman’s dirty white shirt and potato brown pants didn’t easily hide her boney frame. Her petite body hadn’t been properly fed in about three weeks. An eating disorder was certain; drug use was likely too. No drug had the right amount of euphoria needed to keep her from feeling the physical and emotional torture brought on by the attack.

Her slightly ajar mouth suggested she gasped for air or asked her attacker to stop. Sections of her blonde hair twisted their way into the phone cords used to hang her from the ceiling fan. Her eyes were wide open like she was surprised that she was going to die. The gun shot holes outpouring blood onto the floor turned her shock into reality.

Claudia prayed the victim was finally at rest. She would never know this girl, but she knew the tragedy of her life; it was easy to paint a picture of distress and loneliness. Claudia scanned the body one last time before gathering her police tape yellow colored purse lying on the living room floor. She waved to a couple of young crime fighting hopefuls and went outside to the shyly beautiful October day.

She strolled down the sidewalk, crossing the crime tape and officers interviewing clueless neighbors. Crunching across the fire hazard grass, the sound of children playing in the distance stopped her. Her mind walked back to the young body. That young girl hanging from the ceiling fan just a few apartments away was a kid once. No one grew up to think they would be killed at the age of nineteen, especially not like that.

A young ex cheerleader type woman modeling a pink sweat suit charged up to Claudia. Excuse me, she grabbed Claudia’s arm to keep her from moving, Do you know what happened here?

Claudia took in the woman’s question and answered accordingly, I can’t go into a lot of detail, but a crime was committed, she tried to continue on her walk but the woman stepped into the path.

What kind? I have two small children. I don’t want anything to happen to them. Can you tell me anything?

Claudia couldn’t say too much. Being an amateur private investigator, she was lucky she had gained access to the privileged information herself.

Just make sure you keep an eye on your kids. Lock your doors, she put her hand on the woman’s shoulder, and buy some mace. It’s worth it.

The woman nodded and Claudia continued on to her car. She opened the car door and lowered her body down to the seat with little finesse. She sealed the door with a bang, almost catching a section her curly hair in the door. The key was halfway into the ignition when she paused to think about her dad. As a detective, he hated crime scenes involving the death and/or sexual assault of young girls.

When he had a case involving a young girl close to Claudia’s age, he always went over the necessities of stranger danger with her, Don’t go out after dark! Don’t talk to any guys over the age of eighteen! Don’t float through town not paying attention to your surroundings like your mother does! He would preach to her every day of the week.

It was his goal to protect her from the evils of the outside world or a lapse in judgment. Their precious relationship sheltered her from the normality of teenage turmoil. His paranoia produced a wonderful, well behaved daughter capable of anything. None of the lessons he drove into her head prepared her for growing up without him. Their last encounter came in the mail as a letter she received right after coming home from her first year at college.

My dearest Claudia, I hope you hear the sadness in my words as I write you this letter. I will not be returning to New Mexico. I cannot confide in you the reason for my decision until I know you will understand. You are my greatest success in this life. I hope you remember that as you encounter the many trials and uncertainties life brings you. I love you so much. It was unsigned but she knew it was from him.

On that hot unforgiving Roswell day, Claudia Broadstad leaned against the mailbox with her long weak fingers holding the letter. The sun lacked the appropriate energy to warm her icy skin and her lungs refused to breathe in the suffocating air. When Claudia was fifteen, her father consoled her after her mother ran off with The love of her life. Who would console her now? Why did he think he had to leave? He knew the world was a gruesome place, especially for a nineteen year old girl. And he left anyway.

She closed her eyes allowing the only tear she could squeeze out to fall. It dried before it had a chance to hit the pavement. She quietly closed the mailbox and walked back to the porch of her father’s desert dwelling. She froze there for hours without moving or reaching out to anyone.

Claudia’s mind wandered back to that day all the time. Four years later, on her way back from the crime scene in Portales, she organized all the possible clues her father left in the letter. After spending three hours looking through books on codes in the university library and receiving the stink eye from jealous undergrads, the crime obsessed Eastern New Mexico alumni decided to head home.

Highway 70’s eerie appeal was comforting to Claudia and her 2002 Oldsmobile Alero surfing across its pavement. The sun was resting in the distance, Thirty miles to Roswell, shone on the sign when her phone screamed from inside her purse above the Def Leopard song blasting on the radio. Sifting through gum wrappers, receipts and her past due phone bill, she tried to retrieve it without landing on the side of the road. The purse let the phone go right as the car almost clipped a sleeping cactus partially in the lane. She dodged the cactus and looked down to see Patrick’s name light up on the phone screen. She turned the music off and answered it.

Patrick! How can I help you? Let me guess, Bonnie’s driving you crazy and you need me to come home so I can distract her for you? Claudia asked, beaming into the phone.

Patrick, Claudia’s sharp and dangerously good looking best friend, frowned upon the formalities of normal greetings; he’d much rather get straight to the end of the conversation.

Where are you? You said you were going to be back by four and it’s like going on six. Did you have car trouble or are you running on Claudia time again? Patrick’s rough deep voice grazed her phone like a parent’s warning.

She brushed his tone off like she always did, Car is purring like those cats you hate so the other thing you said is right. I’m on the 70, about thirty miles from town. I should be home in forty five minutes, she replied confidently.

Great! Pick me up a carton of cigarettes? I’ll pay you back. he asked sweetly.

Claudia rolled her eyes, No, but nice try. You know I don’t want to contribute to helping you kill yourself. Besides, I’m tired from my trip. I wanna get home and just relax.

Why did you go all the way to Portales anyways? We have libraries here you know, his voice was blocked by the sound of his lighter. She could tell he was smoking a cigarette out of necessity. Claudia’s lack of concern for basic car care stressed Patrick out, especially on long trips to Portales.

I know we do, silly. I met with some friends who were working a scene. After that, I went to the library to check out a book they don’t have at our local library, she rebutted proudly.

He knew her better than she gave him credit for, Did you find out about the scene before or after you decided to go to the library?

After, of course. They didn’t call me until the victim was discovered. Had a pleasant conversation with her boyfriend who I suspect is our killer. Great guy I have to— she stopped herself, I know what you’re doing.

I’m sorry? he asked losing control of his voice to laughter.

I see where this is going, she muffled. She stuck her hand into her purse fishing for a piece of gum. The car pulled over to the side of the road again, screaming for her to pay attention. The sound of the gravel pounding her tires brought her focus back. She corrected the car’s direction while managing to pop of a stick of winter fresh in her mouth.

I have no idea what you’re talking about, he said nonchalantly.

Oh come on! You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you? she snapped back.

Say what? he tried to contain his laughter. Patrick excelled at pointing out the unmistakable to her in the most condescending way.

I’m just trying to make you see the obvious.

I knew it! You were going to make me say it! she shouted so loud the gum went to the back of her throat, causing her to cough until she gained control over it again.

I’m not saying anything, he laughed, I just hope you know you could’ve saved a tank of gas. You probably could’ve found that book online. You didn’t have to drive all the way to Portales, he stated wisely.

Patrick was lazy; one of his better qualities. The quickest way to the end of the puzzle always sparked his attention. Claudia, on the other hand, enjoyed the long complicated way to the answer.

It may seem like a waste to you but I had fun today, she defended her decision.

Okay fine, he whispered, I’m not judging you.

Yeah right! You judge everyone! Especially when you play mind games! she said sharply.

Patrick didn’t think he was better than other people, just smarter. Despite Claudia’s certainty on knowing Patrick better than anyone else, he actually didn’t think she was beneath him mentally. Being a professional student, she dipped her brain into as much as she could for the sake of saving the world. She believed her thirst for knowledge would make her a better investigator.

I’m just pointing it out cause you have a knack for spending a lot of time and money doing things the long way, he said confidently. Over the years he witnessed what he considered a complete disregard of time management on her behalf.

It may seem that way to you but I needed a day like this, she said honestly. Her degree in forensics and criminal justice was as useful as training wheels on a mountain bike; education being the bike and she being the training wheels.

Living in her own time zone, Claudia didn’t want to rush into getting a job right after graduation. Unofficially, she believed doing that would force her to move on. Going back to the campus and reliving her happier times there gave Claudia hope for a normal life. In this normal life, her father would come home and she would pick up where she left off four years ago. She would become a detective and they would work cases together which was her dream since she was six.

I’m happy you had a good day, Patrick interrupted her thoughts, What was the case?

What? she asked, forgetting she was on the phone.

You said you went to the library after you worked a scene. What happened? he loved the gory stories of the murder world even though he had seen only one dead body in his life.

Woman found shot to death and hanging from a ceiling fan in her apartment this afternoon in Portales. Her boyfriend looks good for it but we have to keep our options open just in case the idiot was lucky enough to not do it.

Well he sounds like a winner. You should have got his digits. Patrick joked.

Not my type. But you should have seen it. The shoelaces and telephone cord used to strangle and tie her up there proved the killer was an amateur, the image of the poor woman made Claudia sigh.

She was hanging from a ceiling fan? And it didn’t break? he asked with amazement.

She was nineteen but she had the body of a twelve year old. The fan was coming apart. It’s strange she was able to stay up there for so long.

That’s a sick way to kill someone.

Yep. We went over the ballistics and put together a pretty good story. I hope he choked her during the hanging and then shot at her for target practice, Claudia took a breath and continued, I would have invited you to put in your two cents but I know how you are about college graduates or campuses.

Education is overrated and I’m allergic to authority. It’s my mission to live so I won’t be going anywhere close to that place, Patrick’s educational and religious views coincided. Less was more to him.

Yes because education is the root of all evil, she laughed.

Knowledge is power but you don’t have to go to a place like that to get it, he answered with gusto.

Claudia’s decision to go to college never made sense to him. In his mind, all she had to do to become an investigator was listen to her father’s advice and watch every episode of high tech crime solving TV shows. His method saved her thousands of dollars a year in student fees, not to mention four years of her life.

It was your loss. I think you were just afraid of all the blood, she said teasing.

Please. Blood doesn’t turn me into a little girl, he exhaled.

She changed the subject, What’s going on over there? What are you guys doing tonight?

Bonnie and I are probably going to Larry’s for the party. Do you want us to wait for you or will you meet us there? Patrick secretly prayed she would go so he wouldn’t have to babysit Claudia’s other best friend Bonnie.

Neither. I’m not going. I have a lot of work to do. I’m working on a possible clue from dad’s letter. I think he may be using a substitution code in it. I’m a hundred percent sure I’ll be able to find him. Hearing those words come out of her mouth made her head hurt. She wanted to be hopeful about her ability to locate him but it was also a lot of pressure. He was very good at hiding.

Of course you will. He’s out there somewhere. He hasn’t given up on you and you haven’t given up on him. Just don’t run yourself into the ground going around with that letter. He wanted you to have a life. Claudia’s obsession with her father’s disappearance worried him.

I do have a life Patrick, she challenged him.

"Really? Last I’d checked eating Easy Mac and reading True Crime novels aren’t the building blocks for a productive life.

I just miss him and want him back.

Her throat dried. She didn’t expect this type of emotional response. She wanted to cling to strength but fell short at times. Four years had passed without any word from him. She knew the statistics but didn’t want to lose hope. The amazing Bernie Broadstad was safe and well and out there somewhere.

Patrick picked up on her mood and sighed, Hey kid, don’t go ‘emo’ on me. He’ll be back. Give him time. Now let’s stop talking about this so you don’t drift off the road and run over a Martian out there. Give me a call when you’re close to our place. Patrick’s words started to trail off as the signal faded on her phone.

Okay. Claudia hung up the phone and placed it on the passenger seat on top of the past due bill.

She turned the radio back on and rolled down the window to throw out the gum she had stopped chewing somewhere in the middle of their conversation. Even with the rock music pounding and calling out for her to lose control, she sat perfectly still. Her trip continued on with the smoke from her overactive mind filling the car. Over the last year, she hadn’t made as much progress on her father’s case as she liked. Her knowledge on crime solving should have opened up more doors to his whereabouts. At the end of each day, she still came up empty handed.

Pondering her father’s letter was a full time job and she knew it could drive her crazy one day. But it was worth it. He compelled her to try. Even with all her academic knowledge, frustration overcame her when working on the disappearing act of Detective Bernie Broadstad.

Chapter Two: Friendship

C reeping into town, Claudia decided to stop by the convenience store on 2 nd street where she and Patrick had first met ten years earlier. On that long ago March day, she gallivanted down the candy aisle looking for a Kit Kat while he was stealing cigarettes. Unpurchased items partially hanging out his pocket, they took one look at each other as he went out the door. With his dark blonde hair and light blue-grey eyes, he was the perfect object of her thirteen year old affections.

She moved affection to the side and honed in on finding his identity. To Claudia, stealing cigarettes or anything from a store elevated Roswell’s crime rate. That could lead to more crime moving into the area and she wasn’t going to let that happen. Her delusions made her justified in turning in the boy with the dark blonde hair.

Peddling her bike quickly over the bumpy road, it didn’t take long for her to catch up to him right before he entered his house. He lived in a nice neighborhood but his burnt brown colored house with tan trim didn’t increase the local home market value. The only appeasing enhancement to the home was a spotless repair van announcing SWIFT PLUMBING! sleeping on the gravel lawn.

Claudia heard a man’s voice yelling and a younger voice screaming from the seedy white front door. She parked herself and her bike behind the front passenger tire of the van just in case someone surfaced. The boy emerged from the door after being chased by what seemed to be a mountain of a man. The man, holding a beer in one hand, managed to grab the boy by his black shirt collar without spilling a drop.

Don’t you tell no one ‘bout what you see here! the man’s temper was torrid and his voice was noticeably slurred. He took a sip of the beer, coughing at the end of his swallowing.

Whatever you do is your business Dad! I don’t care! Just leave me alone! the boy pulled his shirt to get away but the man grabbed his arm, twisted it and pulled him back. Claudia gasped; she never saw anything so painful in real life. She inched closer to the front of the tire for a better view.

The sweat poured down from his forehead as the boy grabbed a pocket knife and started waving it, Come on Dad! I dare you to hit me like you hit her!

Wow, Claudia said to herself. The man was about two and a half times the size of the boy but the boy stood up to him anyway. Where did this kid get his courage? she thought.

With your record boy, they aren’t going to believe it was self defense if you stab me! the man coughed. He started to laugh slightly giving Claudia an eerie chill.

That’s the thing Patrick, you’re a screw up! You’re going right back to juvie or worse if you touch me! the man pulled Patrick tighter. Patrick dropped the knife and watched it dance its way down to the bottom of the steps.

Right on cue, a couple neighbors came outside to observe. The sound of sirens screamed in the distance. Even with the buzzing of a swarming audience, the feud carried on uninterrupted.

I don’t care, as long as I get away from you! Patrick fought to get away but it was too late. Two police cars slid across the front yard before stopping next to the repair van. The man let go of Patrick and pushed him away. The officers shouted their orders and Patrick put his hands up. Claudia stood up slightly with a mind to tell the officers to add another charge to Patrick’s rap sheet. Picking one foot off the dry desert floor, she stopped.

Claudia watched his defeated look closely. She felt sorry for him but her need for justice almost outweighed her compassion. She concluded making no choice was the best choice of all. She picked up her bike and snuck away to seek the advice of her father. She was in the middle of throwing one leg over her two wheel transporter when Loud Mouth Al spotted her.

Hey Claudia! You should get your dad down here! This is his kinda thing! he announced to the crowd.

She closed her eyes wishing no one saw her, but that would have been impossible. Al’s voice was louder than a dump truck charging across a rocky road. Claudia counted to ten and opened her eyes. As expected, everyone including the man and Patrick were looking at her. She caught a glimpse of Patrick as one of the faceless officers placed handcuffs around his pale wrists.

The portrait of his red eyes tearing into her skin wouldn’t release her mind. He was sending her a warning, she could feel it. She imagined his voice saying, Tell your father and die! She inched away from the scene to seek the refuge of her father’s robust arms.

Popularity wasn’t important to Claudia but she wanted to be available for Patrick. He looked like he needed a good friend. On the other hand, being the kid of a cop meant she had to watch who her friends were as well. Against Patrick’s warning, she told her dad about what she saw at the store and the house. Giving Detective Broadstad all the facts, she trusted he would make the right decision for her.

After her long verbal volleyball match with her dad, she climbed the stairs to her room and shut the door. Her room—complete with a bed, desk, dresser, the latest pop music CDs and True Crime novels—was her haven. She wanted to stay there forever. She sat down at the desk and pulled out a three subject notebook from one of the drawers. She was in the process of writing down reasons not to be afraid of Patrick when her mom came to the door.

Sweetheart, Bonnie’s on the phone. her mom slightly opened the door to push the phone in. Claudia got up from the desk and took it from her reluctantly. Bonnie Gonzalez, Claudia’s best friend since kindergarten, was ready to spill her gossiping lips all over Claudia’s ear. Claudia, however, wasn’t in the mood to talk about it.

Hello? Claudia answered quietly.

Oh my gosh Claudia! Did you hear about the new kid? Bonnie exclaimed.

What new kid? Claudia replied aloofly.

You know, Patrick Swift. The one you were spying on today. Bonnie said loudly.

Claudia’s ears grew hot against the phone, Oh, him. What about him?

Larry told me he has it out for you.

Larry knows him? Claudia asked surprised, I’ve never seen him before today.

Bonnie started her monologue, Larry’s mom works at the chamber of commerce, remember? She was part of the welcoming committee when they showed up. His dad’s trying to register his business with them or something. Patrick’s been here for a month and has already been suspended from school like twice.

"Oh, I had no