Chapter 15: Some Lessons Have to Hurt When Taught

The next morning I managed to limp to the bathroom the back of my head still had a dull ache from Lyle’s attempt to be the big man on campus. I showered and stepped out to see my three piece dark blue pinstriped suit with a tie, and diamond cuff links.

Sharon let me know that they would get my homework for today and tomorrow no matter what while I was on vacation.

We left and went to Meijer’s for breakfast, when Pam and my mom stepped up and ate also I wondered what was up. When we got to the school parking lot, we saw two Grand Rapids Police cars Pam said. “Aww shit this don’t look good at all.”

Pam and my mom went to the office, and each made a call, Pam to one of the Trust lawyers Sam Bernstein. Who told her he would get somebody from Sprik & Andersen to handle things until he could drive over here, but told Pam she needed a Law Firm here, and they were among the best, so she should look into hiring them even after this mess was over. Meanwhile, Marilyn called Associated’s dispatch to have my dad pulled off the job as this was an emergency.

The police officer directed us to the conference room where Fallon was already in hand cuffs. As we entered the room Lyle Wallace Sr. started to rush over to me, but after seeing that I was nearly a foot taller than him and nearly a hundred pounds or more heavier than him, he started shouting and pacing back and forth and telling the police to arrest the black bastard who jumped on his son unprovoked on assault and battery charges with the intent to do great bodily harm! Pam had a guy videotaping all of this, When Mr. West came in and closed the door he asked the man to stop taping. “No Mr. West, I want a record of this ambush and not just our memories to take to court as I see that is where we are now headed,” Pam said. (Pam had expected to be taping at the new house, but not now.)

“Well I understand that Mr. West investigated all this yesterday and concluded the young Wallace started this by attacking my son from behind while he was sitting down eating his lunch, and chatting with others.” Mom was well beyond pissed off.

“That is a lie you stupid BITCH! My son doesn’t have to sneak up on him as clumsy as he is!”

Pam was restraining my mom, and Cathy had to help her as she was forgetting about the police in her desire to show Mr. Wallace Sr. a thing or two about an old-fashion ass-whipping he most likely had not ever learned. But secretly, she was just glad Ted wasn’t here as police as this entire situation would be all fucked up between the two Ted’s, father and son.

Mr. West gave him his all notes and the report he wrote up on the matter from all the witness’s, and said as far as he was concerned Wallace Jr. started this and bit off too much to chew.

The police said we all have to go downtown, Pam said we would follow them down there as he stands over 6’ 9” in his bare feet so he can’t easily fit in the back of your cruisers. They said ok as it was obvious we were going there willingly, when young Wallace asked to go to the B.C.C. Room, my mom said we would be pressing charges against him as well.

I got Mr. West’s attention and handed him the keys to the car in question in Fallon’s case. “I told you I would have them to give to you in the morning. I asked that the Wallace’s and the police come out to the parking lot when we neared the car I asked them to touch the hood it was ice cold.

“This car was in the parking lot here all night as Mr. West told me to stay away from Mr. Wallace yesterday, or I would have given him the keys yesterday afternoon. By the way, young Wallace was there in Mr. West’s office with Mr. West and myself when I had Dutler Ford prepare the Mustang she drove to school this morning.

Fallon was un-cuffed, and she took the keys from her pocket and walked with an officer and opened the door and got the registration out of the car in Pam’s name after he touched the hood he told her she was free to go as the statements from Mr. West and myself proved that Lyle knew who had the car yesterday, and she hadn’t driven it this morning, yet it was here, and Dutler Ford would verify when the black Mustang was picked up and by whom.

When we arrived in front of the Hall of Justice, I got out of the truck and the two officers placed me in hand cuffs. I was somewhat shocked as they brought me into the building, there were reporters there asking me why I tried to kill Lyle Wallace Jr. this was the real ambush Wallace Sr. was pulling out all the stops to try to ruin me.

Pam and my group came in after everyone met up outside, when my dad saw the cuffs and the reporters, and Wallace Sr. strutting around like a peacock Pam had to restrain my dad as Lyle Sr. was too pleased with himself. Pam asked my dad to let her handle this as she had as much dog in this fight as he did, if not maybe more, as at this point she had a bigger dog in the fight. She promised him I would be at home tonight.

Dale Andersen himself came in to handle my legal situation himself. Chief William Haggerty came out to add his face to the mix as well.

We sat in the conference room waiting for Mr. West. While we were waiting, Pam pulled the chief aside and went to his office to speak to him in private. “Thank you for seeing me Chief, I am sorry to tell you that you are backing the wrong horse here you believe that the Wallace’s are the powerful people attacked by the poor black thug.”

“But you along with Mr. Wallace who is digging his own grave, by the way, and just doesn’t know it yet. What you don’t know is that the kid you see who hopes to one day be in the NBA is not without money himself. Mr. Wallace only works for Union Bank in management, as you know. What you don’t know is that the young man your men brought in owns interests in more than a few banks all much bigger than Union Bank. May I use your phone please?”

She called Union Bank asked for the bank president and was told he was in a meeting that couldn’t be interrupted. “Listen as he will fire you if you don’t take him this simple message. $250,000,000 is about to leave out of his bank this afternoon if he isn’t here at the Hall of Justice, 333 Monroe Street in 20 minutes or less from the time I hang up this phone as one of his upper management men has had a large depositor of his arrested on some bullshit charges good-bye!”

The Chief’s face paled as this woman was acting as though she was really powerful, he could have the boy rearrested if this was a false report. If it was real, he didn’t want, or need to make an enemy of her. Wallace wasn’t nearly that important to him.

Chief Haggerty un-cuffed me and sent the officers guarding me out of the room. He whispered something in one of the officer’s ear. “Before we go any further in this matter, Mr. Wallace do you stand by all you have said to me last night? As just reading Mr. West’s notes and his report this reads all together totally different.” Chief Haggerty said.

“My officer has pointed out to me that your son knew the car was supposed to be returned to him this A.M. as Mr. West had ordered the two boys to stay apart.” The Chief stated.

“The Grand Rapids Police Department will not be charging Theodore Daniel Mason Jr. with any charges at this time, you son are free to go. I am sorry about all this that has transpired this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Mason, I also apologize to your son. Mr. Wallace you will be hearing the GRPD concerning this mess you cooked up if it proves to be false.” About this time, Lyle Wallace Sr. saw his boss, a man who stumbled into the room out of breath. Lyle got up to ask why he was here, and to thank him for coming to help him get justice for his son.

The two of them walked over to the corner away from the rest of us, and his boss told him that his son had better be damn near dead in that chair. “And he doesn’t look dead at all to me. The young man you see before you is richer than you or I, and I will be kissing both his and the white woman’s ass sitting next to him; the two of them look a lot like $250,000,000 that wants to walk out of my bank this afternoon over this shit you have created.”

Wallace paled visibly at that news. As he now knew he himself was in deep shit, right now at his coveted job. If what his boss just said is true that as a bad loss to eat in a given year. So needless to say losing that in less than a week of gaining it, heads would roll starting with his. His boss had never joked about money before but Lyle Sr. prayed he was joking now.