Jones

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

So far as we can discern from the convoluted allegations of Jones’s operative pleading, aided by the documents he has referenced, the material facts are as follows: Wayne and Carol Turnage2 owned Universal Environmental, Inc. (U.E.): an environmental cleanup company, for whom Jones worked at various times, beginning in

All further undesignated statutory references are to the Civil Code. Wayne’s ex-wife, Carol Turnage, was also named as a defendant in Jones’s suit. 2 Because Wayne and Carol share the same last name, we refer to each by first name only. No disrespect is intended. Carol answered the operative complaint and is not involved in this appeal.

1 1981. In 1984, to induce Jones to return to employment in California, Wayne volunteered to help Jones buy a home. Wayne located a property in Fairfield, and they agreed to split the down payment, mortgage payments, and costs of repair. Title to the property in Fairfield was to be held by Wayne alone, but Jones was to live there. Wayne and Jones would split any profit from sale. In 1985, Jones and Wayne entered into a similar agreement with respect to real property at 8289 Shadi…