Eye to Kill

By L. G. Traylor

Aubrey Zeitlin can hardly believe the news. As the successful CEO learns that executives from two of her former companies have been the victims of bombings, she cannot help but wonder if someone has a vendetta. But once she discovers that she and her executive team are now the target of a carefully orchestrated domestic terror plot, Aubrey is understandably paralyzed with fear, especially as another fiery blast occurs.

Special FBI agent Blake Stellion is in a race against time to prevent another tragedy with the potential to kill thousands. While Aubrey attempts to determine a motive for the bombings, she is pushed to the edge of darkness when her longtime boyfriend is arrested as a person of interest. As friends and former coworkers fall prey to powerful and cunning forces, the police and FBI mount one of the largest manhunts ever to catch the perpetrators and find the unexploded bombs in time. But even as the FBI races to unravel the lethal plot, revenge takes a horrific turn.

In this gripping thriller, a corporate executive embarks on a quest for the truth where she quickly discovers blurred lines between those who victimize the defenseless and those who fall victim to circumstance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Mar 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781480814578

L. G. Traylor

L. G. Traylor served for twenty years as Chief People Officer with some of America’s most recognized companies in the hospitality industry. She is a former teacher and college professor. She holds the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Florida International University and Union Institute & University. L.G. lives in Miami.

Book preview

 Chapter 1

Aubrey Zeitlin stood in front of her TV as a paralyzing fear emotionally crippled her. She watched as ABC News reported two major retail companies had been bombed in the early hours of the morning. As she choked back tears, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. There had to be some mistake. Who would bomb two American companies. She quickly flipped through the channels stopping to listen to the news anchor with Good Morning America.

It has now been confirmed that the corporate jet for Fitch John, a retail company based in Dallas, Texas, was bombed earlier this morning. On board the plane were the CEO, chairman, two executive officers, the pilot, and a crew member. Currently, all four executives, along with the pilot and crew member, are confirmed dead. Details are still sketchy at this time. We had received an earlier report this morning that the executive vice president for finance was the only survivor in the explosion; and had been airlifted to Baylor University Medical Center. Later reports have now confirmed, the finance executive died en route to the hospital; suffering from trauma to her head.

Aubrey quickly flipped to CNN ... We bring you late breaking news on the two bombings, which appeared targeted for America’s corporate executives. The first was a corporate plane owned by Fitch John, which was scheduled for takeoff from the Dallas Executive Airport shortly after five this morning (CST). The second bombing of CeCe Foley Brown’s corporate headquarters, an American company based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, occurred around seven o’clock this morning (EST). At the time the bombs went off at CeCe Foley Brown; only about fifty employees were inside their corporate buildings. This situation could have been so much worse, if the bombs had gone off one hour later when the company would have been open for business, with all of its six hundred corporate-based employees inside the facilities. Most of the individuals in the buildings at the time of the explosion were senior leaders and maintenance workers. Officials aren’t saying if this was the act of a terrorist group.

Aubrey was visibly shaken by the news. She had worked at Fitch John from 2001 to 2008, as president for their North American operation; and for CeCe Foley Brown for three years as president and CEO. Many of the executives, who were killed in the explosions, had been colleagues of hers. Her heart went out to their families and the employees. It could have been her. She wondered what the terrorists or the people responsible for these cruel acts of violence were after. What an awful thing to have happened.

The chairman of Fitch John had just announced last month, he would be retiring from the company at the end of the year, after forty years of employment.

What a horrible thing to work for forty years and not be able to enjoy your retirement years, Aubrey thought, as her heart skipped several beats. She needed to find out which executives were hurt or killed in the explosion at CeCe Foley Brown. She was praying it wasn’t her dear colleague, Howard Parcells, whom she had personally groomed as her successor. She had recruited Howard to CeCe Foley Brown from JCPenney.

Aubrey dialed her boyfriend, Clive, whom she was practically living with, but he didn’t answer. She checked the alarm clock on the bedroom nightstand. He was probably up in the air or his plane was preparing to taxi out onto the runway. He had been away on a business trip for the past three days and was due back in town later that evening. She wanted to call the corporate offices of Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown but knew they would probably be chaotic and swarming with FBI agents, as well as local and state police.

Was this an intentional criminal act of violence, or did someone have a vendetta against the two companies? She couldn’t imagine why anyone would be so heartless and cold-blooded to randomly kill innocent people. Why had Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown been targeted?

She hurriedly dressed and drunk a cup of black coffee before leaving for the office. She had to get to work and get on with her day. She also knew she needed to check-in with the executives at Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown to see how badly crippled the two organizations were; with the senseless deaths of so many innocent people. Was someone out to get justice or were the deaths an act of revenge? It made no sense whatsoever to her. She had worked at both companies. The companies had never experienced any problems. She couldn’t connect the dots.

Aubrey was currently the president and CEO of London Nippon, a retail discount corporation based in Palm Beach, Florida. London Nippon was an off-price retailer that sold brand-name family apparel, accessories, giftware, household essentials, and children’s toys in its twenty-two hundred stores located throughout the US. The company had a strong portfolio with sales of $23 billion and had experienced an almost 10 percent increase over the previous year’s sales. The company employed approximately one hundred thirty thousand associates. London Nippon sold designer brands and top-selling merchandise at prices generally 30 to 50 percent below department and specialty stores regular-priced lines. The company was well positioned to expand into Canada and Europe by the end of next year.

She was brought aboard last year after a three year career with CeCe Foley Brown where she increased sales by 20 percent; and upgraded the shopping experience by strengthening vendor relations; and offering customers exciting designer brands. This was her third company at the executive level. Aubrey was hired to take London Nippon globally and to startup an e-commerce website. She had a real talent for analyzing situations, developing strategic plans to attain results, and hiring some of the best talent in the industry.

The business analysts had all predicted tremendous growth for the company. London Nippon had recently started to attract a much younger customer base due to its targeted marketing campaigns, and upscale, trendy merchandise. The company was well poised for expansion.

Aubrey started her career in education teaching high school American English. Realizing her undergraduate degree and chosen profession wouldn’t pay her bills; she attended night school, finishing her graduate degree in eighteen months with a major in business management and a minor in finance. She quickly broke through the glass ceiling through hard work, dedication, and teaming up with mentors, who had the power to make things happen quickly for her.

Aubrey was thirty-eight, five feet eight with long, beautiful chocolate-brown hair and piercing icy-blue eyes. She had high cheekbones and full lips. She had been divorced twice and was currently dating Clive Tay, who was five years younger.

She wasn’t sure the institution of marriage was for her. She enjoyed the chase and being courted by her dates. She didn’t like settling into a routine, which she felt was her current lifestyle with Clive. She liked the excitement of a new relationship when both parties were on their best behavior, desperately trying to impress each other.

Her mother and stepfather lived in Paris. Her mother remarried shortly after Aubrey graduated from college. Both Aubrey and her sister, Brooke, had been adopted from different biological mothers. Aubrey was adopted when she was three days old, and Brooke was adopted at six months. Their adoptive father died in a plane crash when she was ten. After her father’s death, her mother raised the girls as a single parent; working two jobs to make sure they attended the very best schools. Although her sister had contacted her biological mother at age eighteen, Aubrey never had a desire to meet her birth mother or an interest in any of the details regarding her adoption.

Brooke currently lived in New York and headed up US operations for the Avon Company. Aubrey and her family always got together during the holidays and for a week in late August on Martha’s Vineyard when their schedules permitted. They were a very close family, always calling to get the details of life’s major events and sending birthday cards and Instagrams to keep in touch and to say ... I love and care about you.

The drive to the office wasn’t peaceful for her. It was mid June and the temperature was in the low nineties. All the radio stations talked about the horrific scenes and finding body parts scattered on the runway of Dallas Executive Airport and in the surrounding areas of the corporate facility of CeCe Foley Brown. Engineers, along with the police and FBI, were on the scene of the corporate office of CeCe Foley Brown, which had been declared unsafe.

Her phone started to ring as she was pulling into the corporate parking garage of London Nippon. She knew it had to be a family member or friend who had already made the connection, she had previously worked for the two companies which were bombed. She surmised it would only be a matter of time before some of her colleagues realized her two previous companies had been hit hard. She still couldn’t imagine who would be so cold-blooded and cruel to cause so much human suffering and destruction.

Good morning, this is Aubrey, she said, her voice cracking.

Bree, is that you?

It was her sister, Brooke, who was four years older. Brooke figured out the corporate game early in life. She had great mentors who helped navigate her career. She worked for a number of companies earlier in her career and relocated half a dozen times to cities she hated. Her mentors and executive coaches suggested she get the relocation and travel out of her system and on her resume early in her profession. Changing companies and relocating was a way to increase her compensation, which made her more marketable. Companies were reluctant to hire dinosaurs that had worked with the same organization for years, often times allowing their skills to become obsolete. Brooke understood staying with one company too long did absolutely nothing to enhance her marketability.

Brooke should have been a model. Her statuesque beauty would turn any man’s head. She had prominent cheekbones; a flawless peaches and cream complexion; long, straight, black hair; light hazel eyes; and dazzling white teeth. Now at the age of forty-two, she didn’t look a day over thirty.

Brooke was married to a wonderful man, who placed her on a pedestal. In his eyes, she could do no wrong. They had two adorable children and both a full-time housekeeper and nanny. Her spouse understood divorce was reasonably certain the busier a couple became with career and family obligations. Her spouse understood there was no way to keep the romance alive if his partner was tired and exhausted from work and taking care of the kids.

Bree, are you OK? I immediately thought of you with the two bombings. What do you make of the explosions at Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown? It sounds dangerously close to home.

I’m totally shocked by the news. If I were still there, that could have been me on that plane. I think it had to be an inside job. Someone knew the executives would be on the corporate jet at that hour, she said, feeling her stomach starting to turn.

Has the FBI or police been in touch with you yet?

Why would they be in touch with me? I’m no longer with the two companies.

The explosions are uncomfortably close. All the news channels have reported that the bombs were targeted at the executives of the two companies. You’ve only been away from CeCe Foley Brown for what ... thirteen or so months, her sister said, causing the hairs on Aubrey’s arms to stand up.

What can I tell the FBI? I don’t even know most of the players at Fitch John. The company has turned over a number of their top executives since my days there. I haven’t kept in touch with my previous colleagues at CeCe Foley Brown.

She wondered why her sister would think the FBI would be in touch with her. She didn’t currently have many contacts or dear friends at the two companies. She was sure the federal agents and police had better things to do than talk with someone who wouldn’t be able to provide much information.

Bree, if I were you, I’d think back to your days at the two companies and think about employees who might have had a grudge against the executives or concerns regarding decisions the senior leaders made about benefits and compensation. Maybe one of the employees, who got caught up in one of the many reengineering and downsizing efforts, is seeking revenge. After all, I don’t think a year went by when you guys weren’t laying off employees or reorganizing the business.

Aubrey ended the call deeply disturbed by what Brooke had said. When the two companies she had previously worked for laid off employees, they were always given severance pay and consultants to work with in order to find comparable employment. She couldn’t recall an instance where a disgruntled employee became irate. The companies had never faced any threats of any kind.

She put those thoughts out of her mind as she entered the main building of London Nippon. The lobby was buzzing with what happened in Texas and South Carolina. The televisions in the lobby of London Nippon’s corporate office showed pictures of the gruesome scenes. People from nearby communities and neighborhoods talked about how horrifying it must be for family members and friends to realize their loved ones were among the debris.

After meeting with her administrative assistant and discussing the priorities and her schedule for the day, Aubrey picked up the phone to call the board chairman to discuss the annual retreat meeting, which had been pushed back to late October. As she was about to dial his number, she looked up into the eyes of Carter McGraw.

Carter was the chief operating officer for London Nippon. Carter had been with the company for fifteen years. His first job, with London Nippon, was in the field working as an assistant manager in one of the New Jersey stores. After three years with the company, he was promoted to region area manager. A short time later, he became vice president for the eastern division. For the last five years, he headed up field operations for the organization.

Aubrey admired Carter for the tremendous job he had done … increasing sales, engaging employees in the business, and developing strong leaders. As the chief operating officer his position was the span-breaker; allowing him to manage multiple aspects of the business, thus freeing up her time so she could concentrate on growing the brand, building relations with board directors, and dealing with strategic issues facing the company with expansion into international waters.

Reporting to Carter were the chief information officer, chief marketing officer, the development vice president, and field directors. Carter was fifty-three, of medium height, with a pale face, wavy brown hair, and rich blue eyes. He had recently divorced and was the father of two adult children. His daughter was a pediatrician in California, and his son had just graduated from Princeton University. He was her right-hand person who kept people on track and the bottom-line strong.

Aubrey, do you have a minute? he asked, closing the door behind him.

Sure. Come in, she said, wondering if he remembered she had worked for both Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown.

Are you OK? I saw on the news that your two previous companies were bombed this morning. The first person I thought of was you.

This is so awful … it’s a lot to process and comprehend. If I were still with CeCe Foley Brown, I would have been in the building during the time of the explosion. The only thing that would have saved me would have been business travel or an early board breakfast. I also worked at Fitch John for eight years. I can scarcely fathom why anyone would want to hurt the people there.

Have you been able to contact anyone internally, who can update you on the fatalities, as well as those who survived that lethal attack?

Not yet. I thought I’d make some calls later this morning. I want to allow time for family members and loved ones to be contacted.

I’m so very sorry, Aubrey. I know it’s going to be hard on you dealing with the aftermath of these heinous crimes. Just let me know if there’s anything at all I can do. I’ll readjust my travel schedule, so I’ll be here when funeral arrangements are made for the victims. I know how difficult it will be talking with family members and loved ones.

She and Carter chatted a minute longer. She was lucky to have him on her team. She would need him to keep the ship afloat when funeral arrangements were made for the victims. She knew many of the spouses and family members of those who had made the ultimate sacrifice.

She almost hadn’t taken the job at London Nippon. She was quite comfortable at CeCe Foley Brown. The company was growing, sales were increasing year-over-year, and she had some of the best talent in the industry working for her.

However, the idea of living in south Florida intrigued her and sounded so much better than continuing to live in South Carolina. South Carolina was a little too slow for her. It was the Deep South and some of its citizens still lived with the prejudices and biases of the past.

The morning seemed to fly by. She had spoken with many of the board members, who expressed their condolences at the tragic loss of her friends and colleagues. She was grateful most of her staff and employees hadn’t made the connection that she had once worked for the two companies, which were bombed.

After speaking with the chairman of the board, Aubrey increased the volume on the television in her office as she heard the words, which chilled her to the bone.

It has now been confirmed, Howard Parcells, the CEO and president of CeCe Foley Brown, along with three of his cabinet members, were killed early this morning in the explosion, the reporter announced, as Aubrey almost lost her balance.

She flipped through the channels to CNN. The news reporter announced they would momentarily be switching to the news conference with the FBI and the chief of police for Dallas and the police chief for Spartanburg. She read the news ticker as it scrolled the death of her close friend and colleague at CeCe Foley Brown.

We need to cut away to the news conference with the FBI, the newscaster said.

Good morning. I’m Blake Stellion, special agent with the FBI. I … along with my team will be in charge of investigating both the Dallas and Spartanburg bombings. We are dedicated to working around the clock to bring those responsible for these heinous acts to justice. Working directly with me and my team will be Dallas police; Texas state police; Spartanburg police; South Carolina state police; federal agents with ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; HSI, Homeland Security Investigations; other federal agencies in the US and around the world; as well as some sixty terrorist task forces to ensure the safety of the people in Dallas, Spartanburg, and this great country. We need to enlist the help of the American people in identifying those who are responsible. We encourage anyone with any information regarding these two bombings to come forward. No tip or lead is too small or too insignificant. Each piece of information moves us closer to justice. Any tips or leads should be reported to the FBI. The number is 1-800-call-FBI, prompt number three. The phone number for the FBI is also posted at the bottom of the screen. For now, that is all I have to report. We will be back with updates and a special news conference later today. Thank you.

That’s the latest from the FBI on these heinous crimes. Now, lets go live to Dallas and Spartanburg to hear from the police and local officials, Ann Tanzi said with

CNN news.

Aubrey turned off the TV, collected her purse, and asked her administrative assistant to reschedule her afternoon meetings. As she thought about Fitch John and CeCe Foley Brown, who didn’t have international roots, she wondered why terrorists would bomb two American companies. She then pondered whether Americans would bomb their own people. If Americans were responsible … the question remained why.

She needed fresh air. She felt as if she was suffocating and her world was out of control. How did this happen on American soil? How were the terrorists able to cause so much suffering? What did they want? For the moment she was convinced it had to be terrorists who probably hated the rights and freedom of choice which were guaranteed to all American citizens. She thought ... maybe some group or individual from a third world nation would come forward and claim America owed them something for holding their people captive.

 Chapter 2

Aubrey’s phone rang the moment she unlocked her car door. It was her dear friend, Collin Christie. She and Collin met five years earlier in San Francisco while serving on a panel at the National Retail Conference and Expo. Collin lived in Tampa, a city on the West Coast of Florida. He and Aubrey generally met up twice a year at some conference or convention. He was a great sounding board. He had worked in the consumer products and retail industry for almost thirty-two years. He was currently the chairman of J.S. Masterson, a very profitable consumer goods company.

Collin was a very handsome man. He was fifty-six years old, tall, and clean-shaven with a muscular build. He had light green eyes and an infectious smile and laugh. He didn’t take himself or life too seriously. He had married only once losing his wife to cancer, three years ago. His four children were all grown and lived in different states. Collin was new to the dating game. He had been married to the same woman for twenty-three years. He wasn’t seriously dating anyone at the moment. In his opinion, today’s women were too much of a challenge and had too many entitlement issues.

This is Aubrey.

Hi, Aubrey, it’s Collin.

Hi, Collin. I was going to call you later this afternoon. How are things with you?

The question is ... how are you? I saw the explosions at two of your previous companies and just had to call. I’m in Boca Raton visiting some stores. If you’re free within the next hour or so, we could grab some lunch.

That would be great, she said, as her heart pounded beneath her chest. Her hands were shaking, and she felt her stomach during somersaults.

They agreed to meet at Pistache French Bistro. Aubrey was so glad he had called. She seriously needed someone to talk to. It was troubling what Brooke had said to her earlier. If there were some crazy guy out there ... could her company be next? ... Would she be targeted? She had to get those negative thoughts out of her head.

Reflecting on her time at the two companies, she couldn’t identify anyone who had a beef or issue with any of the executives. What was she missing?

She had no intention of contacting the police or the FBI. What would she say, and how would they react? What she needed was a plan to protect herself and her company; should she or her executives become a target. She felt uncomfortable even thinking someone would be out to get her next.

She drove to Pistache while listening to the latest updates regarding the two bombings. FBI agents and local and state law enforcement were on the scene of the two sites. A press conference was scheduled for two thirty in the afternoon, followed by a special news conference at three when the president of the United States would speak.

As she flipped through the stations on the radio, she was amazed at how soon the media was able to describe the type of aircraft the executives at Fitch John were scheduled to travel on.

We now go live to Chyna West, our newscaster on the scene in Dallas. Can you hear me Chyna?

Yes, I can.

This is Gaylon Smith with ABC affiliate in Florida. What have the investigators uncovered with the early morning explosion in Dallas?

I’m here on the scene in Dallas just a few yards from where the explosion occurred. The aircraft the executives from Fitch John were scheduled to travel on was a Gulfstream V Jet powered by a Rolls-Royce turbofan engine. The plane had a seating capacity for twenty people. The plane is now just twisted pieces of melted metal. Killed in the explosion were Tom Mangold, chairman of the company; Gary Channing, CEO; Martin Haigh, executive vice president of marketing; Elizabeth Kerr, executive vice president of finance; Leo Cram, the pilot; and Jessica Diaz, the crew member. It was initially reported the finance officer, Elizabeth Kerr, had survived. Unfortunately, the executive died of head trauma and internal bleeding. We are being told the explosion occurred in the right rear lavatory which caused the separation of the tail section.

Chyna, are there any suspects in custody? Gaylon asked.

No. The authorities believe this to be the work of an inside person. Whoever caused this horrific crime had access to the plane and knew the scheduled departure time. Quite often, some of the private airports don’t have the same strict regulations, which govern our major international airports. Local and state police along with the FBI are going through the records of all employees, whose job would have required some contact with the aircraft, the executives, the pilot or crew. They are checking the records of current and former employees along with reviewing the footage of workers and people near the plane before this deadly explosion occurred. Live from Dallas, this is Chyna West reporting.

Aubrey turned off the radio as she gave her car to the valet parking attendant. Inside the restaurant, the waiters were chatting about the two bombings. She was sure there would be no escaping the tragedy. She ordered a glass of iced tea as she waited for her friend.

Collin entered the restaurant ten minutes later. After spotting her in the far corner, he went directly to her table. He embraced Aubrey giving her a soft kiss on her right cheek.

How are you holding up? he asked, while gently stroking her hand.

I’m deeply troubled by the two bombings. Man committed these ravages. I still can’t believe it. I could have been one of the victims. I was an executive at both of those companies, she said, as a tear trickled down one cheek.

Lets just backup and keep things in perspective. Maybe all of this is coincidental. Maybe there is no correlation between you and the bombings.

Collin, I can’t make heads or tails of any of this. I spoke with my sister earlier, and she feels it’s just a matter of time before the FBI contacts me. I don’t have any useful information. I’ve racked my brain all morning, but I’ve come up empty-handed, she said, as tears were beginning to well in her eyes.

He could see she was suffering and struggling to make sense of the two bombings. How she would manage all the funerals; if she chose to attend would definitely be hard on her. Just knowing she could have been a victim had to be unnerving. He wanted to comfort her but didn’t know how.

Aubrey, I think at some point it would probably make sense for you to talk with the police or the FBI … maybe not today but in a couple of days. That will allow you to address some of your fears and possibly provide some helpful information. Think about the number of criminal cases, which have been solved by something as simple as the color of the shirt the individual was wearing, the person’s facial features, or where the tattoo or birthmark was located. You just never know.

Collin was right. She owed that much to the victim’s families. She would expect the same if the shoe were on the other foot. What she remembered of some of the employees exhibiting strange or peculiar behavior was sketchy at best. What she couldn’t grasp was the motive. What would cause someone to go to these extreme measures to make a point or punish a company for some wrongdoing? If the bombings were only concentrated in Dallas, then, there may have been some morbid relative, spouse, or ex-employee who was out for revenge. The dynamics changed that theory with the distance of the two bombs.

If the problem was with corporate executives … what was the motive? Why kill so many innocent employees to make a point? Why couldn’t she piece the puzzle together? What was she still missing? Where did the roads intersect?

She and Collin finished their lunch about an hour later. She had barely touched her salad as she thought about the bombings. Collin encouraged her to increase security at London Nippon; have her human resources staff review all background reports, which were done within the last two years; get private security guards for her top executives; and have the security staff review daily the surveillance tapes searching for unusual or unnatural behavior.

You can’t live your life in fear and being afraid of your own shadow. I’m a firm believer, you have to put safeguards in place to keep you out of harm’s way, Collin said, watching as her body tensed up.

Collin, you’re a smart man. What am I missing? Why can’t I connect the dots? Lets say for a moment this isn’t coincidental. What is the relationship between the two bombings?

He could tell she was struggling. Somehow Aubrey wanted to make some sense of the atrocious crimes. He was in no position to help her analyze the situation. Maybe there were others who had gone before her, who had caused an employee or group some unnecessary pain. Only time would tell.

Don’t make yourself crazy. That’s what the FBI and police get paid to do. Trust me, if there is a correlation, they will find it. If they need to speak with you, they will be in touch. They aren’t shy. I think the best thing for you to do at this moment is to take care of yourself and put measures in place to provide more security for your executives and employees. Maybe you should cancel any business travel until this blows over and things start to quiet down a bit, Collin said, as he placed his hands on top of hers.

She called her administrative assistant from her car … telling Claire to expect her back in the office at five. She needed time to clear her head, and she wanted to listen to the president’s message