He shed his heavy overcoat to the floor, unholstered his Glock 45 and raced up the stairs. Harry's legs carried him several flights in record time until he reached her floor. Looking through the small window in the door, he anxiously strained to see Diane's apartment at the end of the hall.

No one there.

Harry took a deep breath and entered the hallway outside of the apartment. Back to the wall, he traveled along stepping sideways, passing several other doors as he went. As he came closer, he could see the broken lock on her door and fear twisted in his gut. He crouched as low as he could and listened.

THUNK. Something being knocked over.

Then, from somewhere inside, Harry heard Diane's angry, shaking voice, "NO... no, he was only here once to pick up some running money from his ex-wife. When we came down on him he didn't have anything. He must have dropped it off somewhere... I don't know !"

He smiled in spite of himself. He was very, very relieved to know she was alive.

That's it Diane, he thought. Get mad. Don't give up.

Harry tapped the door open with the point of his gun and looked inside. He could just see the edge of the couch and fireplace as he listened for other voices. Concluding that there was only one in the apartment with Diane, he slipped back out to the hall, took the cell phone from his pocket and quietly called for back-up.

This is it, Denby. He closed his eyes and held his breath. You owe her big time. You'd better do this right. Harry stood up straight and walked into Diane's apartment.

Lying on the floor, Diane thought she saw movement near the front of the living room. Just a shadow, really. A denser patch of darkness that passed over to the far corner. Her first uninvited guest was busy twisting the cord around her other ankle, and she arched her back, trying to lift her head to see who else was there.

The knee came down harder and she groaned.

"POLICE! Step away from her."

The hit man dropped the telephone cord and spun around toward the voice. He yanked the gun from his belt and fired into the dark as Harry dove out of the way.

Diane rolled on her side and clambered to her knees, scrambling backwards from the gunfire. On her way to her feet she kicked the gunman hard in the groin. He grunted and stumbled backwards a few steps, trying to regain his balance by grabbing at the kitchen counter.