Bound to the Past (Starville Series Book 1)

by Lauryn Michaels

  Jack Turner… Well, he looked anything but safe and trustworthy. Oh, he was handsome, all right, but in a feral, threatening way. He had a rough-edged kind of magnetism that somehow made him look dangerous even as he lay in that tiny hospital bed. The kind of magnetism that surely must have women mooning over him all the time…

  Oh, for Godʼs sake! Cursing under her breath, Sara forced her eyes off him and tried to relax against the back of the chair. “How are you feeling?”

  Jack raised his eyes from the magazine to look at her. “Not great, but better,” he answered in an innocent tone that made her feel guilty for her inappropriate thoughts. “According to Doc, my leg doesnʼt need surgery, but Iʼll have to wear this for a few weeks.” He pointed at his right knee, wrapped in a hinged brace.

  “Thatʼs good.”

  “Yeah.” Jack closed the magazine with a snap and put it aside. “Sara, I want to thank you again for all you did last night. Had you not helped me, I probably wouldʼve―”

  “Donʼt say it. Letʼs just be happy that youʼre okay.”

  He nodded. “Right. But thank you.”

  “Youʼre welcome. So, have you remembered anything?”

  “Nope. Doc says itʼs normal, though, and that it might take weeks, months, or even years for my memory to come back.”

  Her eyes widened. “Years?”

  “Thatʼs correct,” the doctorʼs voice interjected as he walked into the room. “I believe Jack is suffering from what we call PTA―or post-traumatic amnesia―which is usually caused by a severe head injury like the one he sustained. This kind of amnesia is rarely permanent, but it may take a long time for Jack to fully regain his memory. Unfortunately, itʼs completely subjective and impossible to predict. I do expect him to make a full recovery with time, though, as the CT scans show no lesions or abnormality with his brain. Nothing that would justify this memory loss, anyway.”

  Sara frowned at Docʼs words. Was he doubting Jackʼs amnesia? Did he suspect he might be lying? She gave him a quizzical look, but he ignored it.

  “Either way, weʼll keep Jack under observation for a couple of days and run a few more tests.”

  “Oh, come on!”

  The doctor rolled his eyes at Jackʼs protest. “Jack, weʼve discussed this already. Itʼs only for a day or two. Besides, you donʼt even have a place to stay.”

  Saraʼs thoughts ran to the Turners’ ranch, and goose bumps ran up her spine at the mere idea. Of course he couldnʼt go back there. Maybe, though, she could offer to let him stay at her house for a few days, or at least until he recovered and remembered something. Just as she was about to make the suggestion, something inside her screamed. Had she lost her mind? How could she think about inviting a stranger into her house? A potential murderer, no less!

  Ignoring Jackʼs glare, Doc asked him a few more routine questions, then turned toward Sara. “Donʼt stay too long. He needs to rest.” With one last warning look, he left the room.

  Jack shook his head as soon as the door clicked shut. “Apparently the entire staff of this hospital is competing for the kindest person of the year award.”

  Sara couldnʼt help smiling, despite everything. “Doc means well, though.”

  “I know,” he admitted with a sigh. “I just hate that he makes me feel like a dumb, fussy child.”

  “Yeah, heʼs pretty good at that.”

  “I feel trapped in here, you know. I mean, maybe if I could get out and explore the town a little, I would remember something. What good can it do to just lie in this bed?”

  He sounded so disheartened that Sara caught herself fighting back the urge to take his hand to comfort him. “I know itʼs hard, Jack—actually, no, I canʼt even imagine what it must feel like to just wake up and not remember anything.”

  “It sucks.”

  Okay, that made it impossible for her to keep a straight face. “However,” she continued, “itʼs barely been one day since your accident. Youʼll be outta here before you know it. But maybe for now, you should concentrate on getting better.”

  Jack didnʼt seem convinced but didnʼt protest. His gaze fixed on space. “Iʼm going crazy here. The only thing I know about myself is that my name is Jack, and even that means nothing to me.” He abruptly turned his head to look at her. “I know this may be a rude thing to ask, but Iʼve been wondering… Did we know each other before my accident? Do you know anything about me?”

  His sudden questions nearly made her fall off the chair. Crap. Sara hated lying to him, but what choice did she have? She couldnʼt tell him the truth yet.

  “We met for the first time last night, when you stopped to help me change my tire,” she said tentatively. “I learned your name from Doc, and he also told me that you left Starville many years ago. Iʼve only lived here for four years, though, so I donʼt know much else. Sorry.” At least that wasnʼt a total lie―although the disappointed expression on Jackʼs face made her feel like the worldʼs worst fraud.

  “Yeah, I figured that. So, tell me about yourself instead.”

  His change of topic was so sudden and unexpected that she barely stifled a sigh of relief. “Thereʼs not much to tell, really. I teach English Literature at the community college. I love it.”

  “You love literature?”

  Sara burst out laughing at his aghast expression. “Donʼt worry, youʼre not the only one who thinks Iʼm a freaky bookworm.”

  “I donʼt think youʼre freaky. Maybe a little…weird.”

  “Thanks!”

  Jack shook his head, his gaze sweeping over her long, shiny black hair freefalling down her back. The population of Starville must be idiotic to believe that woman was a bookworm, he decided. For the first time since theyʼd met, he wondered whether she was married, engaged, or involved with anybody. There was no way such a sweet, smart, and sexy woman could not be taken. His eyes automatically searched her left hand, noticing the lack of rings. Not that it meant anything; a lot of people chose not to wear a ring though they were married. “So, what else is going on in Sara Milanoʼs life?”

  “Boring stuff,” she said with a shrug, then immediately felt guilty about her little lie. God knew she was lying to him enough already! Yet there was no way she could tell him about her real job. He was a stranger, and she never told strangers it.

  “You said youʼve only lived here for four years. Where did you live before?”

  “A little everywhere. Iʼm originally from Italy but grew up with my mom, whoʼs a trauma surgeon in Paris and founder of an international, non-profit medical organization. Weʼve been pretty much all over the world.”

  “Damn.”

  She chuckled at the sheer astonishment on his face. “Of course, I couldnʼt really follow her everywhere, because the countries she went were mostly war-torn and too dangerous—so I usually stayed at our house with the nanny or visited my grandparentsʼ farm in Southern Italy.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “Staying with my grandparents was…but the rest is not as fascinating as it may sound. Traveling is fun once in a while, but it gets old quickly. To be honest, I hated never having a place to call home.”

  “Which is why you moved to this hole of a town?”

  “Yep. Three thousand one hundred and thirty-seven people—canʼt get any more stable than that, right?” she joked.

  Jackʼs lips slid into a smile. A lazy smile that made that gorgeous dimple reappear on his right cheek. Sara swallowed loudly. Drew in a ragged breath. Heck, she was starting to feel like a lovesick puppy!

  “Seriously, though, I do love Starville. I feel at home here and wouldnʼt live anywhere else. People are nice and friendly, and…” Her mouth snapped closed as she realized she didnʼt quite believe that anymore. Her stomach roiled at the thought that the person who had assaulted Jack and nearly killed him might be hiding among the same people sheʼd always loved and trusted. The notion was unbearable.

  Jack watched her expression deepen but chose not to comment. He didnʼt know why, but he just wanted to
see her smile again. He wanted to see the joy back in those lovely cinnamon-colored eyes. Suddenly, he realized heʼd been wrong: Sara wasnʼt pretty. She was beautiful. Well, maybe not in the conventional way or the classic sense of the word, but there was definitely something about her—something he couldnʼt quite put his finger on. Maybe it was her natural gentleness, or the warmth she seemed to bring in the air every time she was around. Or maybe that sweet innocence of hers, which made him want to protect her from the evil in the world…. He crushed that thought ruthlessly. The last thing he needed right now was to lose what little mind he had left over a woman. As if he didnʼt have enough problems already, considering that, at the moment, he didnʼt even know who the hell he was.

  Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face, because Sara frowned at him. “Jack? Are you all right? Do you want me to call a nurse?”

  He hastily shook his head in response to her pressing questions―but the sudden movement seemed to shoot a million daggers through his head, making him wince and gasp in pain. She jumped to her feet to grab the remote on the side table. His hand snatched her wrist, stopping it in midair just as she was about to push the call button.

  Sara stared down at him in shock as a jolt of electricity shot through her arm, stealing her breath and paralyzing her on the spot. Jack held her gaze.

  “Iʼm fine,” he whispered, letting her wrist go. “I just need to quit forgetting about my damn head.”

  She kept staring at him after his eyes closed. He appeared so exhausted all of a sudden that it was all she could do not to reach out and hug him. Lord help her, how could the man affect her like this? It was insane. Sheʼd just met him, and already she felt like a teenager with her first crush! Maybe it was because she felt responsible for him after rescuing him, she told herself. It had to be some strange psychological phenomenon playing havoc with her brain. She decided to research the subject next time she went to the library, but even with that resolution in mind, she remained restless. Frantic. On edge.

  She had to get out of there. She needed to put some order into her thoughts and regain the control sheʼd always been so proud of. She had to wish Jack good luck and go back to her life. Her serene, predictable life. Now, that was a good idea.

  Sara cleared her throat. “I better go. You must be exhausted after I talked your ears off.”

  Jackʼs eyes shot open. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  Iʼm afraid not. I need to go back to my book, start planning my next meeting with my agent, and take care of the million other things that are part of my usual life. It was very nice meeting you, Jack, and I wish you the very best. This she should say. She should tell him good-bye and leave without a second thought.

  “Of course youʼll see me tomorrow,” she heard herself answering instead.

  And damn if she didnʼt do it with a smile.

  Chapter 6

  Sitting at her desk, Nicky was studying the large file open in front of her. Jack Turnerʼs file. The police station was just about deserted that late, so she had time to learn more about him and what had happened ten years before. She still found it hard to believe that a gossip-loving small town like Starville could keep such a dark secret for so long.

  Nicky picked up an old picture of Jack. Sheʼd never met him in person, but, from the picture, he looked like a normal, attractive man in his early twenties. His eyes, however, were…disturbing. Arrogant. Defiant. Could this guy have murdered his own adoptive father—the man who had trusted him and loved him? She didnʼt know but was determined to find out. For Saraʼs sake, if nothing else. She knew her friend well enough to know that she wouldnʼt hesitate to take Jack under her protective wing. Not that a man like him needed her protection. However, right now he was the victim, in Saraʼs eyes.

  “Hey, partner.”

  Nicky looked up, surprised to see Brent in front of her desk. She hadnʼt even heard him come into the office. “Hey, cop.”

  “Whatcha doing?”

  “Studying Jack Turnerʼs file.”

  Brent leaned over the desk to peek at the picture and let out a long whistle. “Wow. Itʼs been years since I saw this face.”

  “Did you know him personally?”

  “Well, yeah. My parents and J.T. were neighbors.”

  Whoa! She had no idea. “Do you remember the night J.T. was murdered?”

  He shook his head. “I was in training back then, and rarely in town. I will never forget Jack, though—and his brazen, arrogant ways. He sure wasnʼt easy to deal with,” he added with a grimace.

  “Do you believe what Doc said on the phone? That he might not have had an accident last night, and he was actually assaulted?”

  Brent gave a little shrug. “Doc knows what heʼs talking about. I suppose itʼs possible that somebody might have recognized Jack last night and decided to give him a lesson. Maybe somebody who never forgave him for what he allegedly did to J.T.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe Jack really is innocent, and J.T.ʼs killer felt threatened by his return. Maybe the real murdererʼs been here in Starville for all these years, right in front of us, and weʼve never known.”

  They both shuddered at that thought.

  “Hayden, Sinclair! In my office now,” a deep, authoritative voice thundered through the hallway.

  Brent and Nicky exchanged a resigned look. When Max Lacrod gave an order, one could only obey. Immediately.

  “Is this crap true? Turnerʼs back?” the sheriff burst out as soon as they entered his office.

  Brent nodded. “Yes, sir. Doc called a few hours ago to inform us. Jack had a motorcycle accident on Carriage Road and was taken to the hospital around ten thirty last night,” he explained patiently. Too bad his calm only seemed to infuriate the sheriff more.

  “This is insane!” His fist slammed hard against his desk. An empty coffee cup fell over and rolled to the floor, and Nicky hastily picked it up. “What on earth is he thinking, coming back here?”

  “Itʼs not clear yet,” Brent continued. “According to Doc, he sustained a serious head injury, which caused him temporary amnesia. In short, Turner doesnʼt remember a thing, so at the moment, itʼs impossible to know his reasons.”

  “Like hell he doesnʼt remember! Heʼs got something in mind, I know it. Sinclair!” Max barked, as though heʼd forgotten Nicky was right in front of him.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Go to the hospital and interrogate Turner immediately.” He jerked his chin toward Brent. “And take this big ox with you.”

  Nicky bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh at the irritation that flashed across Brentʼs eyes. “Yes, sir. I mean―no, sir, itʼs impossible.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Maxʼs voice was strangely calm now, though his glare nearly pulverized her. She averted her gaze and cleared her throat.

  “Doc says Jack is still under observation and canʼt be exposed to any kind of stress at the moment.”

  The sheriffʼs blue eyes turned to ice. “Hayden, call the hospital and tell Doc not to play with fire. You will be questioning Turner tomorrow morning—whether he likes it or not.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Now, get the hell outta here. And shut the door behind you.”

  They gladly obeyed.

  “What in the worldʼs gotten into him?” Nicky asked back in their office, dropping into her chair with a groan.

  Brent shrugged. “Heʼs shaken. Like everyone else.”

  “Thatʼs not being shaken, Brent. Did you see him? He looked crazed!” And while Max Lacrod had a reputation of being a hard-ass, sheʼd never seen him so worked up before.

  “He and J.T. were good friends; Jackʼs return must be hard for him to accept.”

  “I understand, but―”

  “No, you donʼt. Look, you didnʼt know J.T., so you canʼt understand. He was … special. He, Max, Doc, and my dad used to be inseparable. They were best buddies, you know?” he remembered with a sad smile. “Since J.T.ʼs death, nothingʼs been the same in Starville. He was th
e soul of the town, the glue that kept everybody and everything together. Itʼs hard to describe.”

  “Iʼm sorry,” Nicky murmured, not sure what else to say as he suddenly looked distraught.

  “I used to sneak onto J.T.ʼs property all the time when I was a kid,” he continued as if he hadnʼt even heard her. “It was so much fun.”

  “Fun?”

  “Yeah. He let me play with his horses and always spent some time teaching me new things. We went fishing together a lot, too. We would talk for hours.”

  A smile curved Nickyʼs lips as she pictured Brent as a little boy. “You didnʼt do all that with your dad?”

  “Nah. Dad and I have always been close, but he was dead serious on the job, and all his spare time was devoted to his painting. And my mom―” He stopped with a grimace. “Well, you know her.”

  She smiled. “Watch your mouth, cop, I happen to adore your mom.”

  Brent shook his head with a grin. “I adore her, too. But can you picture her playing with the horses, fishing, or”—he stopped and gasped in fake horror—“getting dirty?”

  Nicky laughed, though she knew he was right. Elegant dinners and charity events were more Martha Haydenʼs style. “So, J.T.ʼs ranch was where you went to get dirty?”

  He shrugged. “Everything was fun with J.T.; or at least it was until Jack showed up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I was barely twelve when he came to Starville and snuck into our lives. But, man, I was crazy jealous of him when J.T. asked him to stay at the ranch. And even more when he officially adopted him, years later,” he admitted.

  “You and Jack were never friends?”

  “Heck, no. Not that I didnʼt try, but…I couldnʼt seem to connect with him. Even J.T. tried to bring us together, but I was a few years younger than Jack, and he didnʼt want a kid around. Of course, I didnʼt really wanted to be around him, either. He intimidated the hell out of me.”