HOUSE OF CRAWFORD: CONRAD'S LEGACY.

The Public Disgrace

Conrad stood stock still, unsure what to do next. 

“I fucking had my card on our table. You, what's your fucking name? I know you have it.” Xander raged, his face looking all bloated and red with some righteous anger. 

Conrad looked around, befuddled but already thinking up ways to get out of this. “No, Sir. I assure you, I would never dare to steal from you.I could never steal from our patrons.”

Xander arched a heavy eyebrow. “You could never steal from the patrons but you do steal elsewhere you mean?”

Conrad wondered how he had just raced to that conclusion. He shook his head vigorously, assuming an innocent, long suffering expression. “I swear, I do not rob people. I didn't see your card on that table, Sir.”

Xander grabbed Sam by the shoulder, shaking the poor man. “This is the scum you put here to work for my father, Sam. You're responsible for this arrogant thief's insolence! I even caught him clearly flirting with my girlfriend.”

The truth of the situation dawned on Conrad. Xander was still pissed about his girlfriend making advances on him, and this was his way of punishing him.

“Strip and search him.” Xander demanded, shoving his hands inside his pockets. 

Whispers slid over Conrad. Words he despised and hated to be called. Thief, pickpocket, scum.

Everyone would naturally take Xanders side in this high end place, especially against one of the lower people. 

Conrad swallowed, as his forehead beaded with sweat. What were the chances that Xander had already slipped his card into his pocket and that now, they were going to search him and find it on him?

He looked around, he was going to have to find a way to get out of it. 

He looked around quickly, and for a fact, Xander's girlfriend was looking at him. She looked worried for him too. 

He arched his eyebrows in silent question and the girl slid back a few inches behind Xander, hiding her face where only Conrad could see it. 

“It's in his pants pocket.” she mouthed, pointing stealthily to Xanders left pants pocket.

Conrad turned to Sam. “You can search me if you want, Sir. I'm not going to resist. I didn't take it.”

Sam motioned to two of Xanders securities and they immediately grabbed Conrad, yanking at his white dress shirt and black pants, the official outfit for the waiters there. 

They basically ripped out the buttons, sticking their hands in all his pockets and tearing at his clothes. Conrad suppressed his indignation at the harassment. He would not let Xander win.

Xanders bodyguards stopped searching after they'd harassed Conrad to their fill. They returned to Xanders side. 

“We didn't find it on him,” they told Xander, their mean eyes still on Conrad. 

The small crowd gathering knew Xander Maxwell of course. Everyone knew him, as he was a very popular social media influencer, always flaunting his wealth.

Another man walked up from the small gathering of spectators that had circled them. He had a phone camera in his hands and he looked annoyed.

“I have faced a similar situation before and I lost my credit card to one of the lowly, stupid hostesses. You have to ask him to provide his personal belongings or name his accomplice. He might have removed your card through some other means.” This man evidently believed in Conrad's guilt already. 

Voices rose up from the crowd agreeing with the man. Conrad could see that Sam looked so pale and anxious, it was like he would do anything at all at that moment, to pacify Xander and the patrons. 

Xander himself considered the situation with a smirk. His plan was working. People were filming what was happening and Conrad would be branded a thief and an untrustworthy employee. 

Conrad knew he had to save himself, and he saw only one way to do it. 

He pointed at Xander's girlfriend, the brunette. “Sir, I didn't want to say this before, fearing to cause you any damage but now I can't keep quiet anymore. Your girlfriend stole your card, I clearly saw her with my own eyes.”