Page 187 of Taken Away

Burke caught the look. “What?”

Luke shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Luke.”

He sighed. “She’s still gonna be a problem.”

Burke rubbed a hand across his jaw. “That, I don’t doubt.”

A knock sounded at the open doorway.

Sara Parker stepped inside, a yellow legal pad tucked beneath her arm.

“I checked back in with June and Mary Lou, and a few more of the book club ladies who went to school with Harold and Mabel,” she said. “They filled in a little history.”

"Let's hear it."

"According to June, Walter Grady was crazy about Anne Langford when they were younger. Everybody in town knew it."

Scout sighed.

"Did they date?"

Sara shrugged.

"June said Anne kept Walter believing he had a real chance. She'd let him take her dancing now and then, escort her to church socials, things like that. Walter thought he was courting her."

Luke frowned.

"But he wasn't?"

"Not the way he thought." Sara looked back down at the pad. "June said Anne had gotten between Harold and Mabel for a while. After Harold and Mabel found their way back to each other, Walter figured it was finally his turn."

The room grew quiet.

"And was it?" Burke asked.

"June didn't think so. She said Anne cared about Walter, but she'd never really let Harold go."

Scout let out a slow breath.

"That's a rough hand to be dealt."

"Gets worse." Sara paused. "Mary Lou said Walter never quit loving Anne."She paused. "She said folks around town used to joke that Walter never left Blackwood because he figured one day Anne would come home."

Luke finally broke the silence.

"You believe that?"

Sara shrugged.

"I don't know. But Walter never married. Never left. Just kept working at the winery."

"Waiting," Scout said.

Sara nodded once.

"According to June... waiting."