** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1
Who done it 21/?
"Is the gatehouse really that bad?" Jean whispered as Robbie and Laura took the lead and she and James followed them, she knew what Laura had told her about what they'd found there and how she'd found it on her own but she had no mental picture of what she was walking in to and that was worrying her. "Laura paled by about six shades when it was mentioned. She told me there's bodies in the basement but…."
"I think it was just the idea of going back there when it was where she was trapped she'll be fine though." James reassured his eyes darting around through the dark trying to spot any movement that didn't come from them. His senses had never been so primed as they had in the few hours since their nightmare had begun and he was determined that if there was even a hint of danger he would see or hear it before it was on them and they were forced to act on the spare of the moment.
"Not much further is everyone ok?" Robbie asked quietly as they stopped in a particularly dense clump of trees and all stopped to catch their breath. "Look they must know by now that the girl is gone, if they are still looking for her in the house and don't think to check the attic as we hope they won't we maybe have 20 minutes tops before they realise she's not there and come out into the grounds I know we're all scared but if we can make it to the gate I really believe we'll be ok."
"There's a phone." Laura said quietly the way she'd been mentally walking round the gatehouse while they had been moving in silence bringing back a few memories that she thought might be helpful. "It's pulled out of the wall socket but if we could get the wires connected somehow even for a few minutes to get it working we might be able to call out."
"Brilliant, it's a start anyway and there we have the shelter and privacy to at least talk about what we should do next and where we should go." James replied placing a reassuring hand on Laura's arm as he did. "It's rough ground between here and the gatehouse if we stay in the trees but I think it's too dangerous to go out onto the driveway agreed?"
"Yeah just watch your footing and let's get moving again." Robbie agreed as he and Laura started off again James was right the ground was a minefield of lumps and tree roots and the speed they'd picked up when coming across the relatively well cared for grounds Laura had already stumbled once but the fact they were holding so tightly to each other's hands meant that he'd been able to prevent her from falling. He knew that there was only a short distance left to the wall surrounding the gatehouse and just as he was sure it was about to come into view he felt the toe of his boot catch on a particularly high root feeling Laura try to right him just like he had her as he hit the ground with a thud the pain that shot through his ankle making it almost impossible for him not to scream out.
"Robbie! Robbie are you ok?" James called running the short distance from where he and Jean were slightly behind them to his Laura's side and seeing his friend on the mossy ground gripping at his ankle.
"What happened? Robbie are you ok?" Jean asked kneeling on the floor beside Laura as James pulled the root giving it enough slack for Robbie to pull his ankle out from under it the whispered scream he gave making them all wince.
"Don't move for a second Robbie let me look at it." Laura said quietly sliding along on her knees until she reached his ankle and gently lifting it the movement causing Robbie to cry out in spite of his attempts to keep silent. "It's broken, it looks like a clean break but you're not going to be able to walk on now what are we supposed to do?"
"Leave me here you three go on to the gatehouse when you get out and get help you can send them back for me." Robbie replied his fists bunching in moss on either side of his body as the pain shot through his leg again bringing him out in a cold sweat.
"Like hell we will." Jean replied as the others nodded their agreement. There was no way she was leaving Robbie behind she was determined about that and she knew the others would be too there had to be a way to get him to the gatehouse with them they just had to think of it then when they were there Laura could do something to support his ankle until they could get out and get medical attention. "We're not going anywhere without you if you stay here in the middle of these trees we all stay here in the middle of these trees. There'll be a way to get you moving we've just got to think of it."
"Damn right, Robbie we've taken huge risks to make sure we are all together and stay together we're not leaving you behind so forget that right now." Laura agreed "We can't be that far away from the gatehouse now. James is there any loose branches? Anything that he could use to help support him and then we could take turns to support his other side?"
"I'll look, if need me I can support him until we get there." James agreed as Robbie shook his head.
"This is madness you can't move as quickly if you're having to drag me along with you there's more chance of you getting out and getting help if you leave me here." He snapped as James pointedly ignored him and rooted around amongst the trees and finally finding a thick bow on one of the trees that was hanging loose and he was able to break it off.
"Yeah and what happens if we leave you here and they find you? You wouldn't even be able to move to get away or attempt to defend yourself now stop trying to be a bloody hero and let's get moving again." Jean snapped as James handed Robbie the bough come makeshift walking stick and helped him to his feet ensuring that he could keep his foot off the ground one arm round James's neck and the other using the stick as support meaning they could start moving slowly. She knew it was less than ideal, the fact that now they were all essentially more at risk because of their slowness and the inability defend themselves as well as they had before but there was no way she or the others were going to walk away and leave him there to fend for himself. They were going to get out of it together or they were going to go down together either way no one was being left behind.