Fourth Estate

FOURTH ESTATE DOUBLE BLIND Book 4 Wanna know what’s coming next? Join my Readers Club and find out about new titles, bargains, giveaways and more! AUTHOR DAN ALATORRE’S READERS CLUB Other Thrillers By Dan Alatorre Double Blind murder mystery series Double Blind Primary Target Third Degree Fourth Estate Five Sparrows, coming soon! Jett Thacker Mysteries Tiffany Lynn Is Missing Killer In The Dark Definition Of A Murder, coming soon The Gamma Sequence, a medical thriller series The Gamma Sequence Rogue Elements Terminal Sequence The Keepers Dark Hour A Place Of Shadows, a paranormal thriller The Navigators, a time travel thriller Note to Readers If you like this story, please pop over to Amazon and Goodreads to say so. Just a few words from you helps other readers find a new book they’ll love. Click HERE for the Fourth Estate Amazon listing. Thanks, Dan Alatorre Table of Contents Fourth Estate A Note from the Author About the Author Other Books By This Author Certain information on weaponry and explosive devices is intentionally vague or exaggerated so if some kid picks up your Kindle, they won’t learn enough to do the things described in the story. Such inaccuracies may be irritating to a trained eye, but I hope you can appreciate my rationale. More Thrillers From Dan Alatorre Double Blind Murder Mystery Series Book 1: Double Blind Book 2: Primary Target Book 3: Third Degree Book 4: Fourth Estate Book 5: Five Sparrows, coming soon! Jett Thacker Mystery Series Tiffany Lynn Is Missing: a Jett Thacker Mystery Killer In The Dark: Jett Thacker Book 2 Definition Of A Murder: Jett Thacker Book 3, coming soon The Gamma Sequence Medical Thriller Series Book 1 :The Gamma Sequence Book 2: Rogue Elements Book 3: Terminal Sequence Book 4: The Keepers Book 5: Dark Hour A Place Of Shadows, a paranormal thriller The Navigators, a time travel thriller Note to Readers I need a favor. When you finish this story, please take a moment to say a few words on Amazon and GoodReads. Love it or hate it, your honest feedback helps my book get found easier by readers who like what you like – and helps those with different tastes to steer clear. Even if it’s only a few words, every review helps a lot and gives me valuable feedback. It would mean a lot to me. Thanks, Dan Alatorre Chapter 1 As Kaliope Hernandez glanced up from her small desk, a sense of apprehension rushed over her. Something is wrong with that man. Warm Florida sunlight beamed into the lobby of the Stafford-Love law firm, glancing off the white-tile floor and casting the morning’s first visitor in a near-silhouette. The African-American man was more or less average height, but with an awkward kind of stocky build under his red windbreaker. His torso was lumpy, like little kids up north who put on too many layers of clothing to go play in the snow. The visitor wore a paper medical mask across his face—a rare sight but not altogether uncommon these days, even in Tampa—and dark sunglasses, topped off with a blue baseball cap. But it was the man’s blue jeans that caught Kali’s eye. His skinny legs didn’t seem to match the apparent bulkiness of his torso. That, and the fact that he had entered the law office without saying a word and now stood just inside the door, silent and still, facing her. The sunglasses hid the stranger’s eyes from Kali’s sight, and his stiff, overly rigid posture came off as… odd. And threatening. As the glass entry door glided shut behind him, the lobby’s large, decorative wall clock ticked off the seconds. The visitor’s hands slipped into the front pockets of his bulky red windbreaker, but otherwise he didn’t move. A shiver ran up the petite clerk’s spine. Not exactly how a prospective client usually enters this office, but he’s not dressed too differently from what some people seeking legal counsel from this firm wear. Could be drugs... Forcing her uneasy feelings aside, Kali closed the invoice software on her computer. She took a deep breath and managed a smile. “Good morning. May I help you?” This guy is probably just down on his luck or something, that’s all. Tanny Stafford has certainly been known to occasionally take on an oddball client from time to time. I hope he’s not dangerous. The man took a step towards her, then stopped. Kali glanced at the doorway to the adjacent corridor. It separated the lobby area from the lawyers’ offices. One of the small firm’s two female partners was just around the corner from Kali’s workspace, engaged in a phone conversation with a client, as was the practice’s sole male associate. At least Francie and Benjamin are here, so nothing bad is going to happen. Just chill out, Kaliope. She gave a quick peek to the corner of the lobby ceiling—and the tiny security camera mounted there. It should have reassured her, but the odd feeling wouldn’t leave. A knot forming in her stomach, Kali returned her gaze to the visitor. “Did you have an appointment, sir?” The stranger finally moved from the entry, approaching Kali’s desk as he glanced toward the hallway door. “Tanny Stafford.” His words were low and gruff, an unexpected combination. Even considering his size and build, Kali expected a more normal voice. Is he disguising his voice for some reason? Frowning, she shook her head, preparing to open the office appointment calendar. Her boss was offsite, filming another of the firm’s many TV commercials. Tanny Stafford was attractive by any measure, with long dark hair, high cheek bones, and sparkling hazel eyes—and TV viewers agreed, making her commercials very popular. Lately, she had expanded from conventional commercials to short, instructive clips for use on YouTube and TikTok, as well as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Rumble, and a host of other, newer social media sites, driving calls to the law firm substantially higher. Tanny’s regular videographer had a job cancel