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Little Toy Bikers and a Woman on the Run

Chapter 317 Welcome Surprise

"

Hale had news for Tara. She told him she was going to pick up some fried chicken, potato salad and Cole slaw from her favorite deli and invited him to join her for dinner. She promised him another piece of carrot cake if he had good news for her. He quickly accepted her invitation.

Tara liked Hale. Even when she was dating Jax, she'd maintained a friendship with Hale. She wanted to stay friends with him despite her new relationship with Eric. He was great, but he traveled frequently to do book signings, visit his publisher and agent and perform research. He was going to be gone for at least another week and a half.

Eric didn't know about Kohn. She didn't want to drag him into it and she was afraid that it might scare him off. The relationship was too new to weigh it down her with stalking baggage.

Tara decided to take the time to put the potato salad and Cole slaw in serving bowls. If she were alone, she would just spoon out what she wanted from the plastic containers. She set the table after deciding it was too hot to eat outside. She'd just finished pouring them each an iced tea. She'd even made it special with a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge perched on the side of each glass.

"Thanks for the invite. Beats my planned dinner of potato chips," Hale said.

Tara laughed.

"I've had nights like that too. The deli makes such good food and it's too hot to cook."

"You have more carrot cake?"

"Do you have good news for me?" Tara countered.

"I want to see the cake first," Haled demanded.

Tara opened the refrigerator, took out the cake and showed it to Hale.

"OK. I may have some good news for you."

"I didn't realize how easy you were to buy. Just get a carrot cake," Tara said jokingly.

"Keep that our secret."

"Let's eat first," Tara suggested. "I've been so busy today; I got chips and a Coke out of the vending machines for lunch."

"I can't believe they have junk food in hospital vending machines."

"There's a secret location."

They had a nice relaxed dinner. That was the nice thing about Hale; Tara could be herself. She didn't have to impress him. With Eric, she was still in that stage where she was always a little nervous around him wanting him to like her.

After he helped her clean the table, they went outside to sit in her father's porch swing.

"Brings back a lot of memories," Hale said.

"Yeah, it does. I got over Charming by reminding myself of all the bad times here, but there were good times."

"Are you sure you aren't talking about Jax?" Hale asked gently.

"My feelings for Charming definitely were colored by my relationship with Jax, but that's all changed. I'm over him and I'm best friends with Scarlett."

"That's a change. No more cat fights?"

Tara shook her head.

"I'm a doctor now. I can't do fun stuff like that. I really do like Scarlett. We get along really well."

"Well, I do have some good news and I'm hoping it gets better. I called my ATF contact June Stahl. She didn't know anything about a secret investigation into the Sons and this is her area. She was pretty fired up when I told her about Kohn," Hale chuckled at the memory. "She will get to the bottom of it and if he's running some kind of rogue operation, God help him. She'll cut his balls off."

Tara laughed.

"You really think that she'll do something?"

"Yeah, he doesn't know who he's tangling with. If he's using his ATF credentials and he's not on an assignment, he could lose his job."

"I don't want to destroy him. I just want him to leave."

"She's coming to Charming tomorrow. I called Kohn and told him I have some information for him. She'll be able to meet him face to face. I'll let you know how it goes."

"That really is good news. It was been so terrifying to have him park outside my house. I'm so afraid that he's just waiting until I've fallen asleep before breaking in and hurting me."

"Even a restraining order wouldn't keep him from parking down the street and watching you. Restraining orders work if the person isn't crazy or obsessed. Those people understand the consequences of violating the order, but the mentally ill don't care. Do you have a weapon?"

"I have a gun and I know how to use it. He's the reason I got it."

"Let's hope that he can still be reasoned with and that he'll go back to Chicago to save his job."

Tara felt a wave of relief wash over her. It was all going to work out and she wouldn't have to ask Jax to kill Kohn for her.

Sometimes Tara was too optimistic.