Trash Son-in-law Returns as the Almighty Marshal

CHAPTER 7

The thief stiffened at Tyler’s words and his eyes flickered from the woman he had stolen the bracelet from back to Tyler.

“Return what?” He furrowed his brows in feigned confusion.

“The bracelet you just stole.” Tyler replied, his voice flat and his expression stoic.

The thief chuckled and gave Tyler a condescending once over. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, punk. You must be hallucinating from all that cheap weed you smoke.”

Then he stepped closer until he was within Tyler’s earshot, and his voice dropped to a threatening whisper. “Stop trying to play the hero. Act like you saw nothing before you regret it.”

He flashed a yellow-toothed grin he thought looked intimidating and tried to brush past Tyler again, but Tyler placed a firm hand on his chest to stop him.

“Your threats mean nothing to me,” Tyler said coldly. “This is your last chance. Return what you stole.”

The thief’s eyes dropped to Tyler’s hand on his chest and his eyes glinted with devious mischief. “You’re one brave lowlife I’ll give you that. Let’s see how far that bravery gets you.”

As he said this, a plan quickly formed in his head and he stealthily slipped out the bracelet from his coat pocket.

In a sly move, he slipped it into the side pocket of Tyler’s backpack without him noticing, then he shoved Tyler’s hand off his chest and raised his voice in a bid to draw attention.

“Who the hell do you think you are?!” He demanded. “How dare a lowlife like you accuse me of stealing a bracelet?!”

The woman’s ears perked up at the mention of ‘bracelet’ and she instinctively glanced at her wrist.

The moment she saw it was bare, she gasped as her gaze immediately darted towards Tyler and the thief’s direction.

“My bracelet! it’s gone!”

Tyler calmly pointed at the thief. “Ask him about it. He has it.”

“Hey come on lady, don’t listen to this chump,” the thief debunked with a confident chuckle as he turned to the woman. “Look at me…Do I look like a thief? Now look at him dressed like an ex-convict. Who are you going to believe?”

A small crowd of curious people began to gather at the unfolding scene.

Meanwhile the woman pondered the thief’s question by glancing between him and Tyler. The thief was dressed in a simple vintage shirt tucked into black slacks while Tyler looked like he was going on a heist.

This made the lady’s suspicion lean more toward him.

“How about I search both of you?” She suggested after a moment of thought.

The thief immediately responded with a shrug. “Fine by me. Search me and you’ll see I’m innocent.”

Tyler’s brows drew together in suspicion as he studied the thief. “Why was he so confident?” He thought to himself.

The woman wasted no time in waving over the personnel at the terminal’s entrance. “Security!”

A tall and stern looking guard rushed over and scanned the scene with a curious expression before his gaze settled on the woman. “What’s going on, ma’am?”

“My bracelet is missing and I’m suspecting one of these two men,” she desperately explained as she pointed to both Tyler and the thief. “Please search them. I really need to find that bracelet, it’s an important family heirloom.”

The thief stepped forward first and eagerly spread his arms wide. “Go ahead, officer,” he urged. “I have nothing to hide.”

The guard patted him down and searched him all over, yet he saw nothing incriminating.

When the search was done, the thief raised a smug brow. “See? I’m clean. Now check him.” He gestured toward Tyler.

Tyler, too, didn’t resist as the guard searched him, and when the guard came up empty afterwards, his bushy brows furrowed. “The man has got nothing on him either…”

“Wait, officer,” the thief interrupted before he could finish. “I think you should check his backpack. Who knows the bracelet might be in there.”

Tyler’s eyes narrowed as he now realized what the thief was up to, but it was too late for him to react as the guard requested for his backpack.

He handed it over and watched intently as the guard searched the main compartments of the bag. When the bracelet wasn’t found there, he sighed in relief.

But his relief was instantly cut short when the guard reached into the side pocket and pulled out the bracelet.

“There!” the thief pointed out while grinning wildly. “I told you he stole it!”

People in the crowd began whispering, while the woman shot Tyler a withering glare.

“You dirty thief! How dare you pretend to be innocent when you were the one who stole my bracelet?!”

“He’s a shameless criminal! He should be arrested!” A voice rose from the crowd and the others echoed in agreement.

“Yes, arrest him!”

The woman, who was fired up by the voices rallying around her, pointed angrily at Tyler. “I want him arrested immediately!”

The guard grabbed Tyler by both arms, but he stayed calm and locked eyes with the thief who sported a triumphant smirk on his face.

“Your bravery got you nowhere in the end,” the thief taunted. “This is what happens when you mess with me. Take him away, officer.”

Before the guard could drag Tyler away, a voice cut through the jeering and mocking noise of the crowd.

“Hold on. I have proof that this man is innocent!”