Confessions of a Murder Suspect

65

Five minutes later I was sitting next to Harry in our home theater, watching Matty talking to Kaylee Kerz on the TV.

“I’m well aware of the suspension,” Matthew said to her, “but it’s bogus. My reputation has been harmed by this illegal action, and my lawyers are drawing up a lawsuit against the NFL as we speak.”

“Can you please elaborate, Matthew? I’m sure your fans would like to know what’s behind this news, and they’d like to hear it from you, in your own words.”

Matthew nodded and said to the reporter, “This isn’t really about my words. Every NFL contract contains a clause that states there are certain player infractions that are considered detrimental to the league. So if you attempt to fix a game, get caught with drugs, shoot yourself in the foot with a gun, hold up a bank—anything like that—you can be suspended, maybe indefinitely.

“The commissioner is saying that because I was arrested, I’m ‘impairing public confidence’ in the league.”

“But the charges against you were dropped,” said Ms. Kerz.

“Exactly,” Matthew said. He seemed to be stroking the reporter with his eyes. “The charge against me was for ‘interfering’ with the police. But it’s false. It never happened. The only place I run interference is on the field, and since I’m a receiver, I don’t even do that very often.”

The reporter tilted her face up to Matthew and laughed—somewhat flirtatiously, in my opinion. So what else is new?

“But I have a feeling that this suspension has nothing to do with my one night in jail,” Matthew continued. “I think it has to do with my personal life. And you know, Kaylee, there’s nothing in my contract that says a complicated love life is punishable by suspension.”

“Of course not,” said Kaylee Kerz.

Other reporters were shouting questions, closing in, angling microphones and cameras toward my brother as the wet wind blew around him. He didn’t flinch.

“Thanks for the opportunity to go on the record,” Matty said.

“Matthew, what about the deaths of your parents? What can you tell us?”

“I have no firsthand knowledge and no comment about this tragedy that’s happened to my family,” he said. He gave the camera a little wave and a thumbs-up before he walked away from the reporter and toward the Dakota’s entrance.

Kerz turned back to face the lens.

“That was Matthew Angel, answering our questions about his suspension by the National Football League. He said unequivocally that—”

I clicked off the television and Hugo, Harry, and I stared at one another in disbelief until we heard our front door open.

Matty poked his head around the corner. “How’d I do?”

“Great. Really well done, Matty.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “So why didn’t you tell us about the suspension?”

Matty shrugged. “You didn’t give me a chance. As soon as I saw you, you were practically threatening to tell the NFL that I was guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs. You wanted me out anyway, didn’t you?”

“Of course not! I—”

“And don’t you talk to me about keeping stuff to myself, Tandy,” Matthew growled. “You’re guilty of that more than anyone else in this family.”

I was silent. Guilty. Harry jumped weakly to my defense. “Tandy selectively discusses,” he offered. “She doesn’t hide.”

“Whatever you want to call it, it proves my point.” Matthew chortled. “It’s all about spin.”

Hugo leapt from his chair and shouted “Hup!” as he went barreling into his hero’s arms.

As the two headed for Hugo’s room, I thought about Matty’s interview.

Everything in Matty’s life was going directly down the drain: dead parents, pregnant girlfriend who was saying the baby wasn’t his, and tarnish on his sterling reputation that might get him booted out of the big league. Yet, none of that loss and chaos had been evident when he’d spoken with a reporter who could salvage his reputation.

It’s all in the spin.

Why did that suddenly sound scary to me?

Matthew had not only won Kaylee Kerz over, he’d represented himself perfectly and then effortlessly deflected her questions about our parents’ murders.

The ability to perform flawlessly under pressure was what made Malcolm think that Matty could be president one day.

It was also why he thought Matthew was a sociopath.