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Broken Trust by W.E.B. Griffin
and his son William E. Butterworth IV has many relevant themes
intertwined within an action packed plot. This Badge Of Honor
Series offers a lot of insight into the lives and challenges
of the police. With officers being threatened all across this
country this book is a very welcome read.
The plot begins when Philadelphia Homicide Sergeant Matt Payne
sees a shootout while off duty. Known as “Wyatt Earp
of the Main Line,” he becomes actively involved even
though he is recuperating from a serious gunshot wound. He
finds that there is a link between the shootout and a young
socialite, Camilla Rose Morgan. When she supposedly falls
to her death Matt’s investigation ratchets up. Did she
jump, fall, or was pushed? The more Matt digs, the more complications
he discovers including that Camilla suffered from bi-polar
disorder. He is determined to find the answers even though
the Philadelphia political elite wants to throw him under
the bus.
All of these series written give a shout-out to so many who
put their lives on the line, those in the clandestine series,
the military, and the police. William noted, “All these
groups are sworn to protect and serve. I told dad that he
was one of the first writers, in the early 1980s, to come
out with a positive story on the military after the Vietnam
War. I think the Brotherhood Of War series was so successful,
because finally people who deserved to be written about bought
these books. Likewise when he started the Badge Of Honor series
about the police. He even spoke to the Philadelphia police
force to tell them how much they are respected. We write about
good and decent people doing an honorable job.”
A very potent scene in the book shows how the Philadelphia
Mayor, Jerry Carlucci, wants to railroad Matt for political
expediency. When asked, William told of a real scenario that
made a lasting impression on him. “In Chicago a policewoman
was horribly beaten and when asked why she did not shoot the
perpetrator her reply, ‘I did not want to be the one
in the next Black Lives video.’ They no longer go on
instinct but feel they must think through their actions. Unfortunately,
I do not see it getting better anytime soon.”
They even did a shout-out to the wounded warriors. He recounts
after “My dad and I visited Brook Army Medical Center
in San Antonio. We had, Amanda, Matt’s Fiancé,
decide to go there for a few months to do an emergency medicine
residency program. This is one of the premier places that
handle burn and trauma as a result of the wars and the IEDs.
My dad and I wanted to write about what we experienced when
we went there: the incredible inner strength, determination,
and perseverance of the patients. We were taken back by their
attitude, ‘the harder it gets; the tougher we get.’
After all they’ve been through they still would do anything
to get back to serving with their brothers and sisters in
uniform. It is awe-inspiring and humbling.”
Readers also get a word of warning after a cell phone rings
with an “unknown” number and the person does not
leave a message. How many people have had that happen to them?
The author has his own rule about this, “if I do not
recognize a number, I do not answer it. I will only call back
if someone leaves a message. If you answer it you set yourself
up for possible robo calls. Once, I got an unrecognizable
number where a message was actually left saying ‘This
is the IRS and you are not in compliance with your taxes.
You must call this number.’ I decided to play it out.
After I called I got a male with a foreign accent. I asked
for proof that they were the IRS. After going back and forth
I hung up. So many people would call them and have their credit
cards sucked dry. It is important to understand nothing is
as it appears anymore. You cannot take anything at face value.”
Broken Trust is very realistic. Unfortunately this
fiction parallels what is happening today. It is a very action-packed
and suspenseful, but also allows readers to get a glimpse
of those in the police.
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