Runaway Justice

Parker Barnes, the 12-year-old boy at the center of Zunker’s engrossing third mystery featuring attorney David Adams (after 2020’s An Unequal Defense), has lived in a string of unsafe foster homes since the death of his parents and now lives quietly on the streets of Austin, Tex. While sleeping in a park one night, he witnesses the execution-style murder of a federal witness about to give testimony. The shooter chases Parker, who escapes. The police later pick up Parker for purse snatching, and David, who left an affluent law practice to help those less fortunate, agrees to defend him. David is unaware that both the hit man and the FBI are looking for Parker, who runs away from the youth facility where he’s being held after FBI agents and the hit man show up there within minutes of each other. Once David realizes Parker’s connection to the murder, he must uncover who ordered the hit and who’s feeding the FBI the progress of his efforts to locate the boy. Zunker gives heart and hope to his characters. There are no lulls in this satisfying story of a young runaway in trouble. Agent: David Hale Smith, InkWell Management. (Feb.)