"What arrangements?" Derick asked.
"I can send you to work for me. You get to keep your profit, and I get what's coming to me. What do you say?"
Derick leaned back in his chair to ponder Devon's offer. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What kind of work?"
Devon shrugged his shoulders. "Office work."
"Hmm. I don't think so. Just forget the whole thing."
"Can't do that. The book is already in production."
"I didn't give you permission."
"Oh, but you did. When you returned the manuscript to me with the corrections made."
"I mean written permission. A contract."
"Oh, I don't do contracts. Don't like them, don't use them. I keep it simple."
"Well, I don't keep it simple!" Derick stated, upset.
"You can always work for me." Devon shrugged his shoulders and sat back in his chair.
Derick debated for a moment. "How long?" Derick tapped his fingers on the table.
"As long as it takes."
"No, I need a definite time frame."
"Mmm, let's say five months? That should take care of it."
"When do I start?"
"Tomorrow morning. I'll let you know later where to be."
"You'll call?"
"Sure."
"Fine." Derick stood.
Craig Devon nodded and waved, watching with a smile on his face as Derick left the restaurant.
* * *
"You won't believe what that asshole did to me!" Derick told Maria.
Maria listened intently to what transpired at Tippy's just 45 minutes prior. She knew something was afoot. "What did I tell you? The man is a con."
"Well, I've got to look on the bright side. It's an office job. I can quit the factory."
"Yeah, but this sounds questionable, really."
"Yeah, but he did me a service. I've got to do this."