Bound to the Past (Starville Series Book 1)

by Lauryn Michaels

  Sara inhaled deeply, grabbed her flashlight from the glove compartment, and got out of the car. As she started walking cautiously toward the Harley, she couldnʼt help noticing how unnaturally still the air felt for an early summer night. In the moonlight, the tall trees on the side of the road looked gaunt and spooky, almost surreal. They were unusually immobile, too. In fact, nothing seemed to be moving. Even the crickets werenʼt chirping. Everything seemed to be at a halt.

  “Hello? Is anyone here?” she started, chills rippling up her spine, but her throat closed the instant she noticed a dark figure lying on the ground a few feet away.

  Heart slamming in full force again, she ran back to the car and rummaged through her purse in search of her cell phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed 911. When the operator answered, she barely managed to blurt a few frantic words―but somehow her confused explanation must have made some sense, because he assured her that an ambulance would be there in a few minutes. Relieved, Sara slid her cell into the front pocket of her jeans and ran toward the man still lying on the ground. Please, please, donʼt be dead.

  “Hey. Can you hear me? Are you hurt?” she asked as she knelt beside him, trying to swallow past the lump that had lodged in her throat. He didnʼt answer, but at least he was breathing. Thank goodness. She flashed him with her light, and he let out a strangled groan, raising an arm to his face in reaction to the sudden glare.

  Sara jumped so hard she almost fell backward. “I c-called an ambulance. Itʼll be here any minute.”

  The stranger slowly moved his arm down…and her breath caught as she stared again into the most stunning eyes sheʼd ever seen. For the first time in her life, Sara found herself at a loss for words and incapable of doing anything but stare into those endless depths.

  The man blinked back at her for a few moments, then opened and closed his mouth, as if to say something. “It h-hurts,” he finally uttered in a husky whisper. “M-my head.”

  Forcing herself out of her numbness, Sara dragged her gaze away from his eyes―and thatʼs when she noticed the thick streak of blood streaming from his left temple and running all the way down his cheek. Oh, God.

  “The paramedics will be here any minute,” she repeated, her voice shaking. “Everything is going to be all right.” Or so she hoped!

  She didnʼt know whether the man heard her or not, because he just closed his eyes. His weary sigh made her heart drop. She prayed he didnʼt suffer anything serious, but she didnʼt have enough medical expertise to check his pulse or feel his ribs, move him to a better position, or do whatever else she was supposed to do in this situation. All she knew was that his wound didnʼt look good at all, and lots of blood kept running down his neck, soaking up the top of his T-shirt.

  Sara cursed her ignorance on the subject and took his hand to comfort him, at least. Wait. Maybe she needed to keep him awake?

  Hoping it was the right thing to do, she bent closer to him and said, “Iʼm Sara. Do you remember me? You helped me with my car earlier. Whatʼs your name?”

  He struggled to open his eyes, his heavy-lidded gaze bleary and unfocused. “I d-donʼt know.”

  “You…donʼt know your name?” Oh, man! That couldnʼt be good, right? “Donʼt worry, Iʼm sure itʼs normal since you hit your head,” she said, more to reassure herself than him, since he didnʼt seem to be listening anymore.

  A sigh of relief slipped from her as the distant wail of a siren sliced through the silence. Sara squeezed his hand more tightly. “Help is here. Everythingʼs going to be all right.”

  Eyes locked with hers, the stranger returned her squeeze. “Donʼt leave me,” he whispered so softly she thought sheʼd imagined it.

  Then he lost consciousness.

  ***

  Sara glanced at her watch for the millionth time. She was going crazy in the quiet, empty waiting room. Minutes felt like hours, and she still hadnʼt heard a word about the man sheʼd accompanied to the hospital. And what a horrible ride it had been! He had never even regained consciousness, despite the efforts of the paramedics…

  The door across the waiting room opened with a metallic sound, and Sara sprang up as a middle-aged doctor came out. Dr. William Hunter, better known as “Doc,” was the best doctor in Starville, and she had breathed a sigh of relief when sheʼd found out that he was on call at the hospital that night.

  “Howʼs he doing, Doc?”

  Much to her surprise, instead of answering her question, he gave her a concerned look. “How ʼbout a coffee? You must be exhausted after waiting here for so long.”

  She felt color drain from her face. “Heʼs not … dead, is he?”

  “Oh, dear, no. Sorry, I didnʼt mean to scare you.”

  “Thank goodness.” Relief made her slump against the wall behind her. “So, how is he?”

  “His condition is stable now, though he still hasnʼt regained consciousness. He suffered a severe head trauma, and heʼs still under observation, but― Look, letʼs grab a coffee. I need to talk to you.”

  Confused by the doctorʼs strange behavior, Sara could only nod as she followed him quietly to the empty cafeteria. They sat down at one of the small tables, and Doc ordered two cups of coffee. She waited patiently for him to start talking, then blew out a huff. “All right, whatʼs going on? Please tell me; Iʼm nervous enough already.”

  The doctor took in a sharp breath. “How long have you been living in Starville, Sara? Three years? Four?”

  “Four years,” she confirmed, puzzled.

  “Then I donʼt suppose youʼre familiar with the Turnersʼ story?”

  Sara shook her head.

  “Jordan Turner was one of the richest men in town, you know,” Doc explained. “We all called him J.T.”

  She nodded, recognizing the familiar name. J.T. was an icon in Starville. There were pictures of him everywhere, and his ranch was one of the most prestigious properties in town, despite having been abandoned for years. Nobody ever talked about him, though, and all she knew was that heʼd died tragically years before.

  “He was one of my best friends.”

  “Itʼs a very interesting story, Doc, but I donʼt see―”

  “You will.”

  Sara winced at his harsh tone but didnʼt comment.

  “You see, J.T. was a remarkable man, very respected in town. Even after he started associating with, um, bad company.”

  “Bad company?” Her eyes widened. There wasnʼt any bad company in Starville!

  “People ʼround here donʼt like talking about this,” Doc continued, as if reading her mind. “However, the past sometimes seems to have unpredictable ways of sneaking into the present. Letʼs just say that Starville hasnʼt always been the carefree town you know.”

  Sara found that hard to believe but didnʼt dare contradict him.

  “Many years ago, a young boy named Jack showed up in town. He was only fifteen at the time and lived mostly on the street. Come to think of it, I still donʼt even know where the heck he came from.”

  “But…he was just a child! How was he allowed to live on the street?”

  The doctor shrugged. “Donʼt feel too sorry for him. Believe me, Jack was a very troubled kid and caused a lot of havoc in Starville, despite his age. He was your typical rebel—reckless, confrontational, and all too prone to fights. A basic nightmare. And a challenge too tempting for J.T. to resist,” he added with a weak smile.

  Her brows knitted. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, J.T. was a dreamer who wanted to change the world. He always saw the best in everybody,” Doc remembered fondly. “Which is why, the day he caught Jack stealing from his property, instead of calling the police, he offered him to move to the ranch.”

  “Wow.” Sara put her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her hands, fascinated.

  “Surprisingly enough, Jack accepted his offer, and J.T. arranged to keep him legally under his foster care. From that moment, the two of them became inseparable and, as the years went by, the boy really seemed to ha
ve gotten himself sorted out; he went back to school, worked hard at the ranch, and everything. J.T. couldnʼt have been prouder of him. Such a smart kid.” He shook his head, and Sara couldnʼt help frowning again at the sudden bitterness in his voice.

  “This story doesnʼt have a happy ending, does it?”

  “Iʼm afraid not,” he confirmed with a sigh. “But things were great for a few years. J.T. was nuts about Jack, he was the son heʼd always wished for, and the boy seemed to adore J.T., as well. Sure, they fought a lot, as they were both so damn hardheaded…but they did love each other. So much that, eventually, J.T. decided to adopt him.” He smiled sadly at the memory. “When the adoption became official, Jack became J.T.ʼs son in all respects—and, obviously, the sole heir to his fortune.”

  Sara stiffened anxiously in her chair. “What happened?”

  “Exactly ten years ago, I received an emergency call regarding an accident at the Turnersʼ ranch. At first I didnʼt think much of it. I mean, J.T.ʼs men worked with bulls and wild horses, and bruises and broken bones were the norm. But never in a million years could I have been prepared for the sight awaiting me when I arrived there.” Docʼs voice broke, and he drew another deep breath. “J.T. was lying on the ground in a puddle of blood, right below Jackʼs bedroom window. Jack kneeled beside him, in shock.”

  “Oh my God!” Sara covered her mouth with a hand as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Iʼm so sorry.”

  The doctor dabbed his own eyes with a napkin. “So many years have passed since that night, yet the wound is still open here in Starville. This is why we donʼt talk about it, Sara. It hurts too much. J.T.’s death has torn our town apart.”

  She nodded―although, for the life of her, she didnʼt understand how an entire town could pretend something like that had never happened just by not talking about it. “What happened to Jack?”

  “Well, the police investigated the matter extensively and came to the conclusion that, while it was obvious that J.T. had died by falling out of Jackʼs bedroom window, it wasnʼt an accident.”

  Sara gasped. “They didnʼt think Jack…”

  “He was known for his bad temper and violent ways, Sara,” Doc cut her off. “Either way, he was the only suspect, so he was arrested and held in prison for the entire duration of the trial―almost three years.”

  “And?”

  “He always pleaded innocent to the charges, insisting that heʼd arrived at the ranch right before me and had found J.T. already lying there. He was the one who called 911.”

  “Was it true?”

  He shrugged. “All I know is that the judge declared the case a mistrial for lack of evidence. The day Jack was released from jail was the last time we saw him in Starville…until today.”

  An involuntary shudder raced through her. “Are you saying—”

  “Yes, Sara.” Doc nodded grimly. “The stranger you rescued is Jack Turner.”

  Chapter 3

  It took Sara a few moments to put some order in her racing thoughts. The truth was, despite what sheʼd just learned, she couldnʼt match the intense gaze of the man sheʼd rescued with the one of a brutal murderer.

  A murderer! She shook her head hard. If anything, her dark knight now had a name. Maybe. “How can you be sure the man I saved is Jack Turner?”

  “Many years have passed, and Jack has changed quite a bit, but he doesnʼt look that different, dear,” Doc said patiently. “Besides, the ID we found in his wallet confirmed his identity.”

  Of course.

  The doctor gave her a wary look. “Sara, I do realize that youʼve saved his life, and I know you well enough to understand that you might feel responsible for him right now. But, please, listen to me carefully: I know Jack. Whether he committed the murder or not, heʼs a dangerous man, not a helpless victim in need of your help.”

  “I know.” Sara heaved a sigh. “Itʼs just that…honestly, I donʼt get it. Why would Jack kill his adoptive father if he was already the sole heir to his fortune? Wouldnʼt it have been easier for him to wait and inherit everything naturally one day?”

  “Well—”

  She cut the doctor off with a lift of her hand. “Fine. Letʼs assume that Jack really killed J.T., then. If he was as smart as you said, would he have thrown him out of his own bedroom window, knowing he would be the most obvious suspect? Wouldnʼt he have chosen a more…subtle way to get rid of him?” she reasoned, trying to be practical.

  Doc shook his head in disapproval. “Let me remind you that weʼre talking about a hothead, Sara. A man who grew up on the street, known for his impulsive and aggressive personality. Now, Iʼm not saying that he killed J.T. on purpose, but itʼs entirely possible that he might have lost control in one of his frequent bursts of rage.”

  Sara kept silent, lost in deep thought. Docʼs eyes darted around, as if to make sure that nobody was listening, before they settled back on her. He leaned forward across the table. “You know, all these years, I never doubted that Jack was guilty.”

  She snapped her gaze to him. “Are you saying that something made you change your mind?”

  “Well, I probably shouldnʼt say anything before talking to the police but…” He hesitated a moment. Sighed. “I have to admit that Iʼm not so sure about anything anymore―not after seeing Jackʼs wounds tonight. The truth is, I donʼt even think he had an accident.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “As in…somebody might have sabotaged his bike?”

  “No, but Iʼve seen his injuries, and they donʼt look like the result of an accident.” Doc swallowed. “Look, thereʼs no easy way to say this, so Iʼm just going to throw it out there: Iʼm pretty sure that Jack was assaulted. And believe me, whoever did it did their damnedest to make sure he wouldnʼt survive.”

  Sara slumped against the back of the chair. She didnʼt know what to say, what to think. It was so much information to absorb.

  “Iʼm sorry for throwing all this on you,” the doctor whispered. “Please, donʼt mention this to anybody, okay? At least, not until I talk to the police.”

  “I wonʼt, I promise. But tell me about Jack. Howʼs he doing?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “As I said, he hasnʼt regained consciousness yet, and his head injury is what concerns me the most right now, but itʼs too early to determine if it might have caused any permanent damage, or what the long-term effects will be. Two ligaments of his right knee are damaged, and he sustained several cracked ribs, perhaps as a result of the fall off his bike. But the bruises he has all over his body are definitely not accidental.” He groaned, rubbing both hands over his face.

  Sara didnʼt comment. If it was true that somebody had assaulted Jack, then it had to be somebody from Starville. No. It was impossible. Things like that happened in books, not in real life. …Not in Starville!

  “Iʼll be honest with you, dear. Had you not called for help immediately, Jack wouldnʼt be here now,” the doctor added slowly. “He owes you his life.”

  “He owes me nothing.” Sara grabbed her purse and stood. “Thanks for this interesting talk, Doc. Now, if you donʼt mind, I would like to see Jack.”

  He gave her a long look. “Guilty or not, remember heʼs a dangerous man, Sara.”

  When she didnʼt answer, Doc sighed and followed her out of the cafeteria.

  ***

  A few more hours went by before Sara was allowed to see Jack. She was more than exhausted by the time she finally headed toward the room the nurse had indicated and cracked the door open.

  It was already bright outside, the warm sunlight spilling through the window as she walked into the silent room. Remembering how the glare from her flashlight had seemed to hurt Jack, she decided to close the blinds a little, in case the sun would bother him once he opened his eyes. Well… If he opened his eyes.

  Sara slipped into the chair beside his bed. “Wake up, Jack,” she whispered, taking his hand. He looked so big and strong lying in that small hospital bed, which made it even scarier to see him so unresponsive. She glanced at the beeping
monitor in the vain hope of a good sign, then returned her gaze to him.

  His face was as hard as she remembered, but his features looked even rougher now because of the dark bruise on his right cheekbone. A deep cut ran down his other cheek, starting at the temple and disappearing into the five-oʼclock shadow on his jaw. His dark brown hair looked almost black against the pillow. It was cut short, except for an unruly strand on the front, which hung down just above his eyes and fell lightly over the bandage wrapped around his forehead. Sara found herself fighting the irrational urge to smooth it back. Maybe heʼd wake up if she did. Maybe if she stroked his scruffy cheek, he…

  Her eyes widened in shock. What the heck was wrong with her? How could she have such ridiculous thoughts about a man hurt and lying in a hospital bed? Besides, she needed to remember Docʼs words: no matter how harmless he might look right now, Jack was a dangerous man. He could be a murderer, for Godʼs sake!

  And yet. Yet Sara couldnʼt forget the desperate way heʼd squeezed her hand on the road. She couldnʼt forget the flicker of amusement that had lightened his eyes when sheʼd invited him to go for ice cream with her, or their tormented intensity as heʼd given her that one last look and begged her not to leave him before he’d lost consciousness.

  She shook her head firmly. The only reason she was still at the hospital was to make sure Jack was all right. After all, sheʼd saved his life. It was obvious that she felt so strangely attached to him…right?

  Sara jumped in surprise as Jackʼs hand twitched into hers. His long eyelashes fluttered, and she watched him struggle to open his eyes. He blinked, trying to focus his gaze, and took a long look around the room before finally settling his eyes on her.

  “Welcome back.” Her voice cracked. She had a hard time swallowing against the dryness of her throat as she stared at him. Now that she could study his eyes up close, she noticed they had gorgeous blue flecks in the center, and she found herself hypnotized by the way they seemed to change in a blink between the shades of blue and green, as if reflecting the thoughts battling in his mind.