Double trouble by Barbara Boswell Page A

MPA. He's a shark and if you jump into the tank without all your wits about you, he'll eat you alive."
    "Good metaphor, Luke. Original." Matt flashed a sarcastic smile. He paused at the door, his hand on the knob. He couldn't stand it another minute. Feigning indifference, he asked casually, "What did Kristina McClure have to say to you, anyway?"
    Luke grinned broadly. "I subtly pumped her about her dsister and she doled out the information she wanted me to I? lave, just like the skilled little lobbyist she is. Care to hear any of it?"
    Matt's mouth tightened. "Just one thing. Is she—Kayla— is she really a political handler?"
    "She sure is. When a candidate signs on with her, he gets
    the full treatment—communications and media coaching,
    :r« advice on how to frame issues, project an image, counter the
    opposition's strategy. She runs her own small agency now,

    but got her start with Dillon and Ward Consulting Assod-ates."
    'The mother of all no-conscience image-makers." Matfs dark blue eyes flashed. "For the right price, Dillon and Ward could, and would, present a serial killer as St. Francis of Assisi."
    ''Yeah, well, it seems the McClure twins share your low opinion of Dillon and Ward. According to Kristina, Kayla was too sweet, noble and high-minded to swim with those i sharks, if you'll pardon my excessive use of shark metaphors. After a few years, she quit and opened her own consulting agency."
    "Translated, it means that having acquired the necessary skills in skulduggery, she decided it would be more lucrative to cash in on it all on her own," Matt concluded grimly.
    "She did take several of Dillon and Ward's clients with her," said Luke. ''Only the noble, pure-minded ones, of course. According to Kristina, Kayla McClure only uses aboveboard techniques to win and will only take on clients who meet her high personal standard of ethics."
    *'Yeah, sure." Matt made a derisive exclamation of disbelief. ''Isn't that the line all political consulting agencies put out? I mean, they could hardly do otherwise. Who would hire an agency that promised to churn out whatever lies are necessary to win an election? It would be bad for the image. And that's what political handlers are all about— image for a price."
    "What a cynic!" Chuckling, Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white business card. "Michaela McClure, Communications Consultants Inc.," he read. "Kristina gave it to me. Apparently she carries some of Kayla's cards along with her own. Sisterly of her, huh? Never know when the opportunity will come along to drum up a little business."
    He crossed the office to press the card into Matt's hand. "Interested in hiring yourself a media coach, Matt? Kris-

tina says that Kay la does that and does it well. How about a handler? I bet she's mighty talented at... handling!"
    Matt glared at him, his temper rising. ''You know, when you were just a bratty httle kid and you mouthed off once too often, I used to pick you up and swing you around until you were dizzy and then let go and send you flying. You'd smash into something and go bawling off to Mom, but it did have the effect of shutting you up for a while. Mark and I used to call it knocking some sense into you. I'm still bigger than you, kid. I can still send you flying and I will, if you don't shut up."
    "Resorting to physical threats, huh?" Luke laughed, completely unintimidated. "You have got it bad, big brother. Why don't you do yourself a favor and go see the girl? She's-"
    "The politically correct word is woman, Luke," Matt said grandly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lunch date with a Great White Shark who masquerades as a lobbyist-for-hire."
    "Are you sure you don't want to come to dinner with me?" Kristina asked Kay la for the fourth time that evening. "This isn't a working dinner, I'm just getting together with a few friends and we'd love to have you join us."
    "It's sweet of you to ask, but I can't," Kayla replied, for the fourth time. "I've