Phillis - To Catch A Butterfly You Need A Net

Copyright 2013All rights reserved Gabriele Phillis

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, withoutthe permission, in writing, from the publisher.

ISBN: 978 - 1494799090

Kevin was walking home from a friends birthday dinner. He had a couple of beers and was taking the short cut through the old red light district close to Santa Monica Boulevard, a rundown, shabby part of Los Angeles. He heard a woman scream.All of a sudden, Kevin was not so tired any more. Adrenalin was pumping through his system.
Hey you he wanted to shout, but the words stuck in hismouth.
It was almost dark a few dimly lit street lamps, but there wasenough light to see the face of the man in his fifties, mediumbuild, with a blond beard, balding hairline.
The man shot the woman in the head. She collapsed under him, hitting the ground face down. Kevin stared at the scene and then at the man. The man stared back, pointing the handgun at him. Kevin heard the click of the gun. At the same time as the man pulled the trigger, Kevin jumped into the shadows. The shot missed. Before the gun blast faded Kevin took a sharp turn ducking behind the dumpster, stumblingover metal cans, his breath coming in short gasps. He heard a second and third shot behind him. He felt blood runningdown his leg - enough reason to panic. Kevin ducked and ran for his life. Rolling down a hill, he scrambled to his knees. Hell could not be much worse than this alone in the night, chasedby a killer and nobody there to help.
This was a nightmare the killer was following him. Kevin heard his footsteps close behind him. The killer shot a fourth time. The bullet whizzed over his head, missing him byinches.
Kevin ran for his life to a nearby park with lots of trees. He jumped over a rotten bench and hid behind a clump of bushes, trying to stay calm. He would not be as lucky nexttime. Then silence. Kevin could hear only his own fastbreathing, his heart pumping at a hundred miles an hour. He had nothing to defend himself with except for his bare fists, while the killer had a gun.
He thought about the friends he had just left. Man in his late thirties killed after party, they would read in the paper nextmorning. Would everybody he knew come to his funeral?What about the new apartment he had just bought and hadnot yet paid for? His life was flashing before him, while he was listening to the slightest noise, his mind focused only on one thing - his follower. All that he could hear was his own breathing. Sweat was running down his face and the inside of his shirt. It was like a bad dream. The only difference was thathe would not wake up because it was real.
He heard footsteps, only ten feet away on the damp leaves. The killer stopped. Kevin froze. He held his breath. One wrong move and the killer would see him.
Suddenly the killer turned away from him. Kevin could notbelieve his luck. Was the killer heading back to the crime scene?
He tried to suppress the pain in his right leg. Had he reallysurvived four shots?
The last one hit his leg. However, the pain was nothingcompared to what he just experienced. It did not matter. Nothing seemed to matter any more. I can get through this, he thought to himself. He half-walked, half-ran until he saw the lights of the police headquarters. Enormous relief flooded hisaching body. In a moment, he would be safe.
He could not believe what just happened. He had seen a woman murdered, and the murderer tried to kill him!

Officer Bauer looked up from his desk, stopped eating hisburger when Kevin pushed open the door, and staggered intothe red brick building.
Ive just seen a woman shot, Kevin shouted.
Who shot who and where? The officer asked Kevin as he jumped out of his chair. Within a second, he reached for the phone and called an ambulance.
Up in the alley behind the Blue Moon Bar, Kevin said, breathing heavily.
Do you know the person?
Kevin leaned against the counter but before he could answer, his body collapsed onto the floor. The last thing he remembered was his head hitting the cold stone tiles.When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an ambulance, sirens howling through the night. He had an IV drip in hisarm. In a daze, he turned his head slightly and looked at the man next to him. For a moment, he was not sure what hadhappened, and then he remembered.
I am Dr. Phillips. Do you know that you have been shot? Kevin closed his eyes for half a second.
Next to the doctor sat a uniformed officer, both of themcramped on a tiny plastic stool.
I am Chief of Detectives Tyler and I need a statement fromyou. Whats your name?
Kevin looked at his bandaged leg. What had happened? How did he get here? Then he remembered . Never would he forgetthe terror in the voice of the victim who knew she was aboutto die.
Kevin Roberts, he said and told him where he lived.We are on the way to the hospital to have a look at your gunshot, Dr. Phillips said. It seems the bullet has missed the femoral artery of your leg, but you still have lost a lot of blood.
Kevin nodded, still numb, and trying to register the ordeal he had been through in the last few hours.
When they arrived at the hospital, two nurses in their neatwhite uniforms were already waiting for them. Kevin smeltthe strong disinfectant and felt sick as they made their waythrough the long corridor.
We are going to protect you, Chief of Detectives Tyler saidbehind him.
Why would they think he needed protection? It was over. He was safe.
Do you know the suspect? Tyler asked. Kevin shook hishead.
No, never seen him before.
He remembered the piercing eyes of the killer, full of rage andhatred; he had never seen anybody like that.
How are you holding up?
Its kind of unreal, replied Kevin slowly. The completelycrazy scene flashed through his mind in an instant.He wanted to kill me because I witnessed the shooting, he muttered grimly.
I have about forty people out there at the moment who are looking for him. Can you remember what he was wearing?Something like a long coat, I think. It was dark, Kevin said.You think or youre sure?
I am sure.
Anything else you remember?
About six foot tall, receding hair, I think - blond. Could you see his face? Tyler looked intently at him.Kevin tried to force himself back to the crime scene. He wouldnever forget that face, unpredictable, his evil expression telling Kevin he was going to kill him. That face would follow Kevin for the rest of his life.
Do you have any identification on you? Tyler asked.Kevins hand reached into his pocket. Where his wallet hadbeen was now an empty spot, confirming his worst fears.Shit, he muttered, clenching his fist.
Whats wrong? Tyler asked.
Everything was in my wallet, my drivers license, phone numbers, and credit cards. I must have lost it.
Tyler rubbed his unshaven jaw.
Lets hope he didnt find it, he said. Otherwise he has easyaccess to your apartment. Can you identify him?
Kevin nodded. We made eye contact.
Tyler looked at his watch. Ill get one of our sketch artists outto you first thing tomorrow. It is too late now. Get some rest. Rest, that is what he needed right now.
Finally, somebody who can identify him, Tyler said, relieved. Nobody has been able to so far. Kevin did notknow if that was good or bad news.
We have been after the bastard for ten years now. He is the worlds most wanted serial killer. He will not get away with itmuch longer. He will make a mistake soon. When AgentWoods hears about it, all hell will break loose.
Tylers face was deep in thought.
Who is Agent Woods? Kevin looked at him.