Page 23 of The Hampton Beach Café 6
“Tell me…what have you found?”
Martha stepped forward with the same manilla folder she had shown Frances before clutched in her hands.
“We've been successful in gathering even more evidence against Clarkson, working on the case against him. But here's the exciting part…we've consulted with a class-action lawyer who believes we have a strong chance of proving Clarkson's wrongdoing.”
A mixture of surprise and hope bubbled within her chest, but worry cut through any of the positive feelings she initially had.
“Are you sure? A lawyer just popped up…that worries me. Are they trustworthy?”
“Yes, we found them through another woman whom Clarkson defrauded. She spoke with the lawyer previously, but there wasn't enough evidence—now that there are so many more of us, there's a chance. We've spoken to the lawyer directly, and she's willing to take on our case pro bono. She believes in our case and wants to see justice served.”
The bubbling feeling in her stomach subsided, and Frances took a moment to absorb the magnitude of their proposal. This could be the turning point, the opportunity to expose Clarkson's deceit and bring him to account for his actions—and maybe get some of their money back.
Martha handed Frances the folder, which was significantly thicker than the last time she'd seen it.
“Frances, we've done our homework.”
The thought of holding Clarkson accountable for his fraudulent actions sparked a newfound sense of purpose within her, and helped with the uncomfortable bubbling sensation.
“This could be it…I'm in. Let's talk more with this lawyer.”
Martha smiled warmly, her eyes filled with conviction. “We did a little financial digging around too. He's got plenty of assets squirreled away. We might just get what we're owed…or at least enough to make it hurt.”
Blinking hard, Frances considered the small and soft looking older woman, all bundled up in her hand knitted cardigan and sporting a brightly colored chunky beaded necklace.
“Martha, I had no idea you could be so vicious,” she said warmly. “I love it.”
“Thank you, dear,” Martha said, adjusting her cardigan. “It's justified, I think?”
After pushing the leftover pastries from the day into Martha's hands, she and Duncan bid them farewell and left the café. The remaining table took the hint and left soon after, taking their lively conversation down to the Wharf. After locking the door and flipping the sign, Frances and Alex found themselves alone at a table near the window, sipping hot chocolates. Frances glanced at Alex, her expression curious yet cautious.
Setting his mug down, Alex took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Frances.
“I have something to confess. I…I looked into Malcolm a little bit.”
She felt her eyebrows furrow, a mixture of surprise and apprehension spiking her heart rate.
“You did? Why?”
Alex's gaze shifted away briefly before returning to meet her eyes.
“I'm sorry for snooping into your personal affairs, Frances. I know it's not my place, but we had the private investigator on the line, and something didn't sit right with me…This PI is really good. She discovered that Malcolm has been spending money extravagantly, in her words 'like it's going out of fashion'…way beyond what he's ever done in the past and far higher than you'd expect, even with a salary as high as his.”
Her heart skipped a beat and a swirl of emotions welled up within her. Frances had low expectations of Malcolm by this point, but he'd never been irresponsible with money…He must have come into some cash.
“I just thought you should be aware, given everything you've been through.”
Frances took a moment to collect her thoughts and emerged focused and determined.
“No, it's okay. In fact, I appreciate you looking out for me. It's a reminder of the person Malcolm truly is.”
Alex reached out and gently placed his hand on hers, giving it a comforting squeeze.
“If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know.”
Frances met his gaze, a glimmer of determination in her eyes.
“Actually, your timing couldn't be better. I might just have an idea that might help solve a few problems at once. Would you be willing to lend a hand?”
