Style, you
either have it or you
don't. And if you have it, you have it
all the time.The Rogue's Quiet Weekend
by Tux Toledo
Page 12
"It's
a very complicated scheme," Harry said after a while. "There are so
many holding companies involved that it's hard to follow. But it boils
down to this: two men named Jacob Jepson and Ernie Davidson
run the whole show. Look," Harry said, showing us some
diagrams he had drawn. "At the top we have Ernie Davidson and
Jacob Jepson. Each of them own 50% of West Coast
Construction. West Coast Construction owns 50% of Davidson
Development and also 75% of International Investments."
"The firm that did the market forecast," James said.
"Correct. Jacob Jepson owns the other 25% of International
Investments. He also owns all of The California Investment News."
"What about the other 50% of Davidson Development?" I asked.
"It's owned by The California Investment News."
"What? Harry, you're talking in riddles."
"Listen," he grumbled. Harry never did have much patience
with financial neophytes. "What it all means is this: Ernie
Davidson and Jacob Jepson own everything. They own the company that did
the market forecast and they own the firm that is supposed to do the
development. They also own the newsletter that is providing them with
investors."
"Shady," I said.
"Shady? It's more than shady. Now listen to this. The
important part of all of this is the history of these firms. It appears
that West Coast Construction has embarked upon several other
developments recently, each time using different holding companies.
Each time nothing was built. In fact, as far as I can tell West Coast
Construction has never constructed anything, and Davidson Development
has never developed anything. In all
cases International Investments did the market forecast. Several
lawsuits have already been filed against them in other States. Winston,
Davidson and Jepson are crooks. What you've got here is a scam."
"I was afraid of that," I said. "That's bad news for the Dukes."
"Who?"
"Never mind. You don't know them. Anyway, thanks for the analysis,
Harry. May I take these papers?"
"Sure."
"Now, if you'd take us back to the airport we've got to be back in
Nevada City before two o'clock."
Harry looked at his watch. "Good luck," he said. "You haven't a chance
in hell."
© 2008 David Biagini