The Patient Killer (A DCI Morton Crime Novel Book 4) by Sean Campbell, Daniel Campbell

long minutes, nothing happened. Then, as the train sped towards Virginia Water, the phone began to vibrate.
    What are you wearing?
    Mayberry looked at the glass in the window and studied his appearance. Blue shirt, black slacks. There was nothing distinctive about him. He texted them back with a description of his clothes and then waited.
    He arrived at Virginia Water without any further contact. When he stepped onto the platform, another text arrived.
    Get on the next train to Weybridge.
    He looked around for any sign he was being watched. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ayala sitting nonchalantly on a bench next to a vending machine. He appeared totally engrossed with something on his mobile phone. Mayberry ignored him and walked towards a nearby guard.
    ‘Ex-excuse me? W-which platform for Weybridge?’ he said loudly enough for Ayala to overhear.
    ‘Can’t you read? That one.’ The guard pointed Mayberry in the right direction and then stomped off muttering to himself. ‘Pillock.’
    It did the trick. As Mayberry boarded the train for Weybridge, he saw Ayala head for the exit.
    Mayberry pulled out the cloned mobile and pecked out another text message. I’m on the way .
    Just over four minutes later, as the train began to slow down, the phone vibrated again.
    This stop.
    Mayberry squinted out into the darkness, trying to work out where the next stop would be.
    A mechanical voice came over the loudspeaker system. ‘The next stop is Chertsey.’
    Mayberry stepped off the train and into a large crowd of tourists, most of them carrying bags from the nearby theme park’s gift shop.
    This time, there was no familiar face to encourage him. As he wove through the crowds towards the exit, Mayberry suddenly felt alone.
    ***
    R afferty had been waiting outside Virginia Water with the motor running when Ayala got the nod from Mayberry to head for Weybridge.
    His own car was abandoned at Virginia Water, so they jumped in Rafferty’s car and floored it for Weybridge Station.
    It was only on arrival that they realised they had gone too far. It took Ayala a few minutes searching the internet for train timetables to realise that the This Stop text which Mayberry had received meant Chertsey, three miles back.
    Thank God Zane had had enough time to clone Niall Stapleton’s phone. Only one clone would be able to take calls, but texts and voicemails would go through to all of them in real time.
    ‘What do you reckon is in the box, Bertie boy?’ Rafferty said as she drove.
    ‘The box has to have something valuable in it. And stop calling me Bertie!’
    ‘Gee, you think? Someone planned an elaborate heist to steal something that might be valuable? Wonder what it could be. Hmm. Nope. I’ve no idea what someone might steal from the jewellery district. If only we had a clue.’
    Rafferty swerved sharply left onto the Eastworth Road as she spoke, and Ayala felt himself being dragged sideways by the momentum.
    ‘Jesus, woman, where’d you learn to drive? Ease up on that pedal.’
    Rafferty smirked. ‘No chance. Not until we’ve got eyes on Mayberry.’
    ‘Don’t get too close. We can’t afford to spook the kidnappers and lose the girl.’
    ‘Quit your jibber-jabbering and calm down, Bertie boy.’
    Ayala ground his teeth. ‘Stop calling me that!’

Chapter 18: A Diversion
    T hursday April 9th 18:20
    Mayberry’s phone rumbled as he made his way out of the front exit of Chertsey Station.
    Walk down Guildford Road.
    Mayberry set off at a brisk pace heading right out of the station, away from the crowds. Guildford Road looped gently around the back of the station as if heading out towards Chertsey Recreation Ground. The rain poured down, soaking him through. He shivered miserably, desperately looking out for a familiar face. It was getting darker, and with the weather turning on them, visibility would soon be poor. It didn’t feel much like summer.
    The phone rumbled again.
    Turn right. Go down Bell Bridge Road.
    Mayberry