Zero Day

Puller’s interactions with the other Drake County officers illustrate his attitude toward the other branches of the military. He is quick to acknowledge them as comrades with their own strengths and contributions. As an Army Ranger, puller is one of the most highly trained soldiers in the Army, and to qualify for Special Forces, he has to be an enormously determined individual. He competes against himself and his own expectations—or his father’s expectations—not against the men he serves with.

Competition between local law enforcement and federal “intruders” is a frequent theme in this genre, but Baldacci chooses to emphasize cooperation. Puller immediately seeks common ground with the local officers and demonstrates respect, positioning himself as an ally. Respect and cooperation are likable qualities. They quickly defuse potential resentments from the local officers and encourage admiration for Puller. Puller’s awareness of how the officers react to Cole as their superior officer illustrates his attention to other people both as an observer of human nature and as someone with sympathy and respect for women.

Cole’s knowledge of the region provides a valuable clue. She supplies the detail about the blasting that might cover the sound of the shotgun. Until now, she has made little contribution. Puller has consistently treated Cole as an equal partner and a valuable resource, but this is the first time her knowledge has contributed directly to the case and establishes that she will be more than just convenient support staff for Puller.

In Chapter 12, Puller makes the observation that like women in the military, female police officers often experience resentment from subordinates. The resentment stems from the same kind of limiting masculine stereotypes that Puller’s father adheres to. According to such stereotypes, men are expected to be aggressive and in control. Where masculinity is of such importance, women and femininity are seen as inferior, and for a man to possess qualities associated with femininity is shameful. Being subordinate to a woman implies that a man is not masculine enough, violating his sense of identity and making him feel vulnerable to threats. The irony in Cole’s subordinates’ resentment is that Lou makes an obvious mistake by not asking the neighbor for identification. Lou regards Cole as inferior to any male officer, yet he is less than fully competent at his job. Puller, having proved his strength and competence to his own satisfaction, doesn’t rely on extreme masculine stereotypes for a sense of security, so he can work with women in positions of authority without feeling anxiety that turns to resentment.

Roger Trent’s ownership of much of the town deliberately invokes early mining towns where the mine owners also owned all the housing and company stores, whose prices were so high the workers were often perpetually in debt to their employer. His power underscores the situation of the residents of Drake, who are trapped between the failing economy and the failing environment, both of which are controlled by Trent. Trent’s power over the town makes him an obvious villain, but in actuality, the flamboyant Trent is a smokescreen hiding the real antagonist.