"Yeah," Ric's sleepy voice yawned. "It's me. What a head."
I passed the beef on to him, good.
"Shut up, Max," he yawned. "I was just having a little fun."
"Fun-schmun. It's my job!"
"Come off it, Maxie. Okay. Tell you what. The first outline you sent me about the Kiriki and their habits isn't nearly complete enough. Have that boss of yours dream up a more complete dossier, just for little ole me. I like those Kiriki, they're such smug, heartless devils."
"Listen, Starr's hot for them. He'll buy anything glorifying the Kiriki. They're his little dream-babies."
"Sure, sure. Here's what you do, Maxie. Get Starr to make me out a complete dossier on them, but complete. You know me. I like to use the little out of the way touches like what color they paint their toenails. I'll give him some stuff that will curl his eyebrows. Okay?"
"No more tricks?"
"Cross my cast-iron heart."
"Okay, Ric. But remember, Ric rhymes with tic."