CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Rage blew across Bellamy’s features like a storm cloud moving in. When he stepped toward Veronica it was fast—faster than she’d have thought a man his size could move. She’d just gotten her fingers around the Taser in her bag, when another voice came from down the hall.
“Hey, Mitch, I was thinking we should look at the Oregon State tapes too…” Coach Zabka appeared in the doorway behind Bellamy. He came up short as he saw them. “What the hell is going on here?”
Bellamy didn’t seem able to speak, the veins in his neck swollen in sharp relief. He didn’t look away from Veronica, and it was clear he was fighting for control, breathing fast, clenching his fists at his sides. Zabka looked from him to Veronica once or twice.
It was hard for Veronica to tear her eyes away from Bellamy, but instinct told her Zabka’s presence was keeping her safe. She forced herself to look at the head coach and held up the toothbrush.
“Coach Zabka, I have to apologize—I haven’t been entirely honest with you. My name is Veronica Mars. I’m a private investigator. I have reason to believe that Coach Bellamy was involved in a sexual assault in Neptune on the night of March sixth. I broke in here trying to find some DNA to prove it.”
Bellamy made a sputtering sound. Veronica glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was fighting to master his anger and look of outrage. “This is crazy. Tommy, you can’t—”
“A nineteen-year-old girl was attacked in the Neptune Grand.” Veronica spoke over him. It was a desperate move, blurting out the truth, but she didn’t have many options. Zabka could call security any second and have her hauled off campus, maybe even report her to the police. She had to give him a reason not to. “She was raped, beaten, and left in the rain to die. Luckily, she didn’t.”
Zabka looked at Bellamy, then back to Veronica. “And she’s accused Mitch?”
“If she had, you’d be talking to the cops instead of me.”
Zabka stiffened. Veronica registered the fact with satisfaction; he obviously didn’t want the police anywhere near his department. In this situation, she was the preferred option.
She continued. “She doesn’t remember who attacked her. There was some brain trauma, and her memories are compromised. But I was hoping to get some DNA evidence and quietly find out if Coach Bellamy is a match.” Her inflection on the word quiet was featherlight but obvious. Quiet, without press, without scandal. Without Zabka’s name becoming synonymous with Paterno. “If he’s not, that’s great. I get to cross a name off my list, no fuss.”
“I’m calling security.” Bellamy moved toward the phone, but Zabka grabbed him by the arm.
“Hold on just a minute, Mitch. I want to get to the bottom of this myself.” He peered at Veronica through his wire-frame glasses. “Are you testing everyone who was at the hotel that night, or just Mitch?”
She hesitated. “Only a few for the time being. We know Coach Bellamy wasn’t on the bus with everyone else. He was in a car, by himself. Which gave him an opportunity to dump the girl on the edge of town.”
Bellamy’s face was deep purple. “I was scouting, you fucking…” He checked himself, taking a deep breath and turning to Zabka. “That was the day I went to Neptune High to check out Jensen and Rodriguez. I was in a separate car. Damn it, Tommy, this is absurd. This…woman broke into my office and went through my things. She needs to be arrested—tonight.”
Zabka looked at Bellamy for a long moment, his face unreadable. Veronica waited. Her lungs felt tight.
“Do you have a swab?” Zabka said, turning to look at her. His mouth was a tight line, but he seemed more focused on developing his own plan of action than yielding to Bellamy’s angry demands.
Veronica nodded. Zabka turned to Bellamy. “Give her a sample.”
Bellamy looked as if he’d been socked in the stomach. “What?”
“Come on, Mitch, give her a sample. She’ll see it wasn’t you and we can all move on from this.” He looked evenly over at Veronica. “I just want to make clear, I have perfect faith in my colleague. I’m letting you do this so we can clear his name. Once that’s happens, I’ll expect an apology. Then we’ll put all of this behind us.”
“Can’t get any fairer than that,” Veronica said. She pulled a sterile-wrapped swab from her purse and ripped off the end of the wrapping. “Please open wide, Coach Bellamy.”
At first she thought he’d refuse. His lips were closed tight together. But after a moment, he grabbed the swab from her and ran it inside his cheek. She held out the little plastic tube. He didn’t break eye contact as he dropped it in.
“You’ll let us know when you get the results?” asked Zabka.
“Provided it’s negative?” She turned back to him, dropping the tube into a plastic bag and placing it in her purse. “You’ll be the first person I call.”