[revrew]

Jeffrey took ownership of me 8 months out of college. He had founded an investment firm in San Antonio 2 years previous, and done very well in his first few years. By his fourth year in business, he had made his first million.

When I graduated from College Station, Jeffrey invited me to come work for him. Those first few years in business were exhilerating, riding a rocket of early success. It was my partnership with him that enabled him to make that first million.

But trouble began 8 months out of college. My wife, Melisa, became pregnant, and our insurance required 18 months of continuous coverage before covering a pregnancy. "No problem," Jeffrey told me, "my family has money to burn. I'll explain it all to Dad, and I'm sure we can cover the costs. Don't worry about a thing. Consider it an advance on the health benefits you'll receive when our firm takes on group coverage."

But Melisa's pregnancy had complications. The doctor prescribed medications and nursing care, and then Melisa delivered early. Our son, Andrew, was born 12 weeks premature. His hospital stay lasted 4 months, and all the while the doctors' bills grew into six digits.

Jeffrey said, "Look, Kendall. You have a wife and son who need you to care for them now; you can't be saddled with worrying about the cost. It's covered. It's paid for. Let it go, and go be with your family." I thought Jeffrey was a saint. I didn't suspect a thing.

A year later, Andrew was a normal, healthy boy. Melisa was well; business was doing well...all seemed well until Jeffrey called me into his office. He was sweating bullets, his tie was loosened, his shirt was stained with sweat.

"Kendall, I need your help. I need to ask you to do something. I...I didn't want this to happen; I didn't want to involve you."

"What is it?" I asked. "Are you in trouble of some kind?"

"Yes and no. No and yes. I mean, sort of, but not that kind, but--"

"C'mon, man. Tell me. I'd do anything for you," I said. I didn't realize how foolish my words were at the time.

With a pained look, Jeffrey pushed a file across the desk. "I need you make a transaction for a phantom company I set up. I can't do it. My name is too close. We've got to cover better. I've got the plan right here. If you establish this corporation, then move to sell to my phantom company..."

"Holy crap, Jeffrey! Do you know what you're saying? This has insider trading, money laundering, and tax evasion written all over it. Why would you need all this cloak-and-dagger stuff? The firm doesn't need this!"

"Yes, Kendall. Yes it does. It's the only way I see of making the money we need, fast."

"Insider trading will do that. But why do we need money?"

"Do you remember when I told you that my family was loaded?"

"Yeah..."

"And that they'd take care of all those medical bills?"

"You mean, my--"

"Yes. Well, Dad didn't agree to it. I borrowed the money out of a client's fund. But then the stock took off and I couldn't recoup what I borrowed--"

"You mean stole."

"You get the picture. I bent the rules to pay for your expenses, Kendall, and now I'm the one who's going to get screwed for it. You can't let me hang like that. Not when I did everything I could to take care of you and yours in your hour of need."

I didn't know what to say. Once I realized what he had done, I knew I couldn't just let him hang. It would be hard to prove I didn't know what he had been doing. I should have known what he was doing. But I was so focused on Melisa and Andrew at the time...

I eventually agreed, and set up the illicit transactions. The firm made millions off the scam. Jeffrey got rich.

It wasn't the last time Jeffrey used the "I paid for your baby" tool to get me to do his wishes. Through the years, he used that again and again. Until the day after we bought the Rebels. The day I confronted him...