Harver seemed about to refuse the offer, but Essenden put himself between the two men.
"Wait a minute," he said. "There'll be time for that later. We'll hear what he's got to say."
Albert George huddled against the wall.
"It's a cop," he said, between breaths that came in labouring gasps. "But it wasn't my idea. It was a bloke I met this morning in Seven Dials. 'E told me there was a man 'e wanted beaten up, name of Essenden. Is one of you gents Mr. Essenden?"
"Go on," growled Harver.
"There was a lot of money for it, and 'e said there wasn't no risk. I'd just got to open a winder on the ground floor, an' get in. 'E told me where the alarms was, an' 'e drew me a plan of the 'ouse, an' 'e marked the bedroom, an' 'e says, 'You just go in that room and slosh 'im one, an' I'll be waitin' for yer at the Lodge gates wiv a car to tyke yer back to London.' "
"He said he'd be waiting at the Lodge gates with a car?"
Albert George swallowed.
"Yus. What's the time? 'E said 'e'd be there at ten o'clock."
"What was this man's name?"