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“ Gotta keep plugging away at saving those.” Rodney smiled.“ We cool?” Eddie asked.“ We very cool! By the way, you can crank up the music fairly loud. These offices are pretty much sound proof. Just lock the door if you are taking a nap. Frank might get upset if one of the other associates decided to rat on you. He won’ t be upset about the nap, just your indiscretion.”“ I understand. Anything else I should know?”“ Yes. Top center drawer. There is a gas card. You will be putting some serious mileage on your vehicle. Frank does not provide wheels because everyone has their own taste. But you can put gas and oil changes on that card anywhere within the state of Texas. All you have to do is sign for it. Speaking of which, Frank needs your signature on file and on the contract in the drawer with the gas card.”
Eddie opened the top drawer and pushed the plastic card aside. He removed the contract and placed it on the desk. Rodney moved to Eddie’ s side of the desk and showed him the agreement. The contract stated,“ A split salary of one-hundred and four thousand dollars. Fifty-two K per year given to the improvements with a bonus of fifty percent of the net profit on the property at the address he had been given to manage. There would be no penalty for a net loss.”“ That last line was added to protect you. Not all the managers have that clause in their contracts,” Rodney clarified.“ You mean if they show a loss they pay?” Rodney nodded“ Usually a percentage, but never more than fifty percent. The stakes are high. The rewards are amazing. Your property is one of the smallest but the biggest thorn in Frank’ s side. Some of the Associates advised him to wait.”“ They know it was his baby. Most want to watch the baby die because it would take Frank down a peg or two,” Rodney said. Eddie could see the tension in his jaw at that statement.“ Frank seems great!”“ Yes. But like he said, these are a bunch of barracudas. It’ s the nature of the beast. They are nothing but a bunch of sales sluts. They would sell their grandmother’ s wheelchair for the right price. Don’ t let them find out you have two good kidneys.”“ Frank said you would be watching my back.”“ Because he asked, I’ ll watch it like I watch his.”“ You trust Frank?” Rodney smiled,“ He brought me in and built me up when I was in a bad place. Look where I am now. I owe Frank big time,” Rodney handed Eddie a pen. Eddie signed and dated the forms. Rodney folded the papers and put them in his coat pocket.
“ You don’ t buy off the rack?” Eddie asked. Rodney’ s laugh was deep and genuine.“ I can’ t remember when I have had this much fun. Thanks, Eddie. Oh, one other thing. Everyone believes you are a man of few words. Don’ t answer any of their questions. Just refer them to me and move on.”“ That should be interesting.”“ The more mysterious you are to these people the better you will be treated. They are not your friends. The only reason they want to get close is to see what they can take. That includes Tanya and it won’ t be because they want her, it’ s because it would hurt you. They would just use her and toss her away like an empty Starbuck’ s coffee cup.”“ Doesn’ t that make it difficult to work here?”“ You won’ t be here that much and neither are they, so it’ s pretty easy.”“ I get it,” Eddie said.“ We cool?” Rodney smiled brightly.“ We cool,” Eddie said as Rodney headed for the door. Eddie followed.
The door had a deadbolt with no keyhole on the outside of the door. Eddie locked the door and reclined on the couch. His head was spinning after sitting on pins and needles for the last hour and a half. The armrest on the sleek sofa was low and the perfect headrest. He glanced at the watch. Three o’ clock. Maybe he should just go home was his last thought before the phone on his desk buzzed, waking him from a horrible dream. Eddie jumped up and saw the name next to the flashing light said“ Tracy.”“ Yes Tracy?”“ Samantha Evans to see you Mr. Dodge,” she said over the intercom. Eddie looked at his watch. Four-fifteen.