Distrustfully, of course

Nancy glared at Rick. "I'm not taking the fall for anything. Either you're paranoid or you are working some weird agenda. Either way, it isn't going to work."

He held up a hand. "I'd say that your lack of faith was disturbing but you have no reason to believe me. So don't believe me, believe yourself. You got put in a job that you have some training for but no real experience with. It's a job where millions of dollars are transacted every week and it's known that there are cheaters, mobsters, and fixers involved at every level. It's a job generally given to tough guys who think slamming some punk against the wall and knocking his teeth out is a reasonable first warning. It's a job lots of people spend years or even decades preparing for first as cops, then working their way up in casino security.

"Don't get me wrong," Rick continued. "I'm guessing that you're plenty tough. And just from talking with you, I can tell you're plenty smart. Given time and experience, I'm betting you'd do a hell of a job... certainly a better job than that creep who had the job before you. The thing is, I don't think you're going to be given that time. I think there's one simple reason why you were given the job when the casino managers are absolutely certain you aren't ready for it."

"And what the hell would that one reason be?"

Rick had to like this woman. She sounded perfectly calm, her voice remaining level and her expressing giving nothing away. But the pulse in her wrists was pounding. She was listening, considering his words. Now he needed to close the case.

"You're a Native American. You represent the owners of this casino. I'm betting that you're involved in groups that want to make sure the money from the casino benefits the members of the tribe rather than the bunch of gangsters you have managing it. If you fail, they'll make the argument that you Indians just aren't ready for the big business of running a casino. That you should just go back to your wigwams and smoke peace pipes and get drunk or whatever other racist bullshit they spew. And yes, I know there are Native Americans involved in management today but they're either in bullshit positions or they've sold out to the Anglo assholes who actually control the whole thing."

"Why is it I get this feeling you are telling me this because it can benefit you?"

The words sounded suspicious but the way she leaned toward him said something else. If nothing else, Olivia's murder had cured Rick of any tendency toward being an adrenaline junky but that didn't mean he didn't understand the sensation. And bio-DNA was letting him down in a big way if he missed the reading that Nancy wasn't just worried about her job, she was sexually stimulated by the new sense of danger... and the feeling that she had an ally. Now it was time to close the deal and if Nancy's fast breath said anything at all, she was ready for some physical convincing.