On Air With Zoe Washington

The second book in the Zoe Washington series, following From the Desk of Zoe Washington, opens with a transcript of a Boston Public Radio interview. 14-year-old Zoe Washington and her birth father, Marcus Johnson, discuss Marcus's recent exoneration after spending over a decade in prison for a murder he did not commit. When Zoe was 12, she investigated his case with help from her grandmother and best friend Trevor, ultimately securing his release. Now, during the summer before ninth grade, Zoe and Marcus are both working at Ari's Cakes, a Beacon Hill bakery. Zoe works the front counter because Massachusetts labor law bars employees under 16 from the kitchen, while Marcus bakes alongside the other staff. Marcus is staying in Grandma's guest room as he rebuilds his life.

During a lunch break, Marcus confides a dream he nurtured through sleepless nights in his prison cell: opening a small barbecue restaurant. Zoe immediately proposes they do it together, with her as the pastry chef. Marcus agrees but insists they get permission from Zoe's parents first. Zoe's mother and Paul, her stepfather, respond cautiously, telling Zoe they can discuss her involvement if Marcus reaches the point of having a real location and timeline. Zoe takes their hedging as encouragement and begins researching how to open a restaurant.

Seeking practical advice, Zoe asks Ariana, the bakery's owner, what it takes to open a food business. Ariana's blunt answer is money, which Zoe knows Marcus does not have. Marcus shares an article about the difficulty Massachusetts exonerees face obtaining wrongful conviction compensation, a notoriously slow process despite a state law allowing up to $500,000. He also reveals his desire to hire previously incarcerated people at the restaurant, including those who committed crimes and served their time. Zoe is privately uncomfortable with the idea but does not voice her objection.

Meanwhile, Zoe's friendships shift. Her best friends, Trevor and Maya, develop crushes on each other, and Zoe finds herself holding both their secrets, worrying that their romance will leave her isolated. A new friendship enters Zoe's life when Hannah Morrison, a girl around Zoe's age, visits Ari's Cakes after hearing the radio interview. Hannah's mother cycles in and out of prison on drug-related charges, and Hannah has never had a friend who understands what it is like to have an incarcerated parent. The two bond quickly, reinforcing Zoe's belief that sharing her story can help others.

Zoe and Marcus begin a Sunday dinner tradition at Grandma's house, cooking and baking for the family each week. The dinners serve as both a bonding ritual for Zoe's blended family and a testing ground for restaurant recipes. When they visit a bank to apply for a business loan, however, the loan officer explains that Marcus's credit score is too low because he has no recent credit history. Multiple banks give the same answer. Discouraged, Marcus tells Zoe he wants to put the restaurant on hold, calling it a pipe dream. Zoe nods along but privately resolves not to let him give up, thinking of Langston Hughes poems about holding on to dreams.

Determined to raise awareness about post-incarceration struggles, Zoe emails Boston Public Radio proposing an interview series on life after exoneration. The station declines, so Zoe creates her own platform: a podcast called On Air with Zoe Washington. With her mother's help, she records episodes featuring Claire Powell, an Innocence Project lawyer, and two exonerees who describe the post-traumatic stress, financial hardship, and damaged relationships that persist long after release.

At a Sunday dinner, Trevor suggests using Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, to finance the venture. Marcus, initially resistant to what he perceives as handouts, agrees to explore the idea. After consulting Ariana, who recommends starting with a food truck to reduce costs, Zoe and Marcus pivot their plan. They name the business Big and Little BBQ, a nod to their nicknames Little Tomato and Big Tomato, and set a goal of $30,000 with a 30-day deadline. Grandma becomes the first donor with $1,000.

As the campaign gains early momentum, Zoe's personal life continues to evolve. Trevor and Maya begin officially dating, and after a tearful conversation in which Zoe admits she feels left behind, Maya reassures her, strengthening their friendship. Hannah begins therapy and, at her therapist's suggestion, writes a letter to her incarcerated mother. Her mother writes back, expressing a desire to get clean for good. This exchange of letters resonates with Zoe, who first connected with Marcus through written correspondence when he was still in prison.

By the campaign's halfway point, donations stall at roughly 40 percent of the goal. Inspired by a live event from her favorite baking podcast, Zoe conceives a last-ditch plan: a free panel discussion at the Medford bandshell with Kickstarter donations encouraged. Finding panelists proves difficult. Marcus proposes Christina Stone, a case manager at Fresh Start, an organization that provides re-entry services for formerly incarcerated people. He also suggests Christina's colleague Daniel, a former offender who mentors people leaving prison. Zoe initially resists because they do not fit her exoneree focus, but after reflecting on Hannah's hope that such services might help her own mother, Zoe agrees to broaden the event's scope.

In the days before the event, Zoe distributes flyers at the local farmers market and develops her signature dessert: red velvet whoopie pies with cream cheese frosting and crushed toasted pecans. She also strengthens her bond with Paul, who admits he sometimes misses their time together. Zoe affirms that Paul is her dad and Marcus is her Big Tomato, settling an unspoken tension.

On event day, rain threatens but clears just in time. Zoe hosts the panel before a sizable crowd that includes friends, family, and strangers from the farmers market. Christina explains how poverty and childhood trauma contribute to crime, Daniel shares his personal transformation, and Marcus discusses his desire to hire formerly incarcerated people. During the panel, Zoe has an internal shift, deciding she will fully support hiring a previously incarcerated person if the food truck opens.

Despite the event's success, the Kickstarter sits at only 63 percent the night before the deadline. Zoe breaks down in tears at Sunday dinner, convinced the dream is over. The next day, Marcus shows her his phone: The campaign has surpassed its goal, reaching 127 percent. Donations poured in from strangers who discovered the link through Boston Public Radio's social media. Tyler, the station staffer who never replied to Zoe's second email, had quietly shared the Kickstarter and the original interview. Zoe and Marcus embrace outside the bakery in tears of joy.

An epilogue set eight months later finds Zoe, Marcus, and their new employee Lisa opening the Big and Little BBQ Truck at the Medford bandshell on farmers market day. Marcus hired Lisa through Fresh Start; she is a mother recently released from prison who is eager to rebuild her life. The truck serves Marcus's barbecue and Zoe's red velvet whoopie pies to a crowd of family, friends, and Kickstarter backers. Hannah attends and tells Zoe she is preparing to visit her mother in prison for the first time. As the day winds down, Marcus and Zoe stand together admiring the truck, proud of how far they have come and eager for what lies ahead.