The Poet
positive profile in the Rocky. And I would come through. In the meantime, I could count on him for things as well.
    “So what am I missing lunch for?” he said gruffly, which was part of the routine we played. I knew that Grolon preferred meeting me at lunch when his adjutant was out and there was less chance that he would be seen with me.
    “You’re not missing lunch. You’re just getting it late. I want to see the file on my brother. Scalari said he already sent it to get filmed. I thought maybe you could pull it and let me look at it real quick.”
    “Why do you want to do that, Jack? Whyn’t you let sleeping dogs lie?”
    “I’ve got to look, Captain. I’m not quoting from it. I just want to look at it. You get it now and I’ll be done with it before the microfilm folks even get back from lunch. Nobody will know. Except you and me. And I’ll remember it.”
    Ten minutes later, Grolon handed me the file. It was as thin as the year-round residents phone book for Aspen. I don’t know why but I had expected something thicker, heavier, as if the size of the investigative file bore some resemblance to the significance of the death.
    Inside on top was an envelope marked PHOTOS which I put to the side of the desk without opening. Next there was an autopsy report and several standard reports that were paper-clipped together.
    I had studied autopsy reports often enough to know that I could skip the pages of endless description of body glands, organs and general condition and go to the last pages, where conclusions were written. And there were no surprises here. Cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The word suicide was circled below it. Blood scans for commonly used drugs showed traces of dextromethorphan hydrobromide. Following this entry a lab tech’s notes said “cough suppressant-glove box.” It meant that other than a shot or two of cough syrup from a bottle kept in the car, my brother was stone cold sober when he put the gun in his mouth.
    The forensic analysis report contained a subreport labeled GSR, which I knew meant gunshot residue. It stated that a neutron activation analysis of leather gloves worn by the victim found particles of burned gunpowder on the right glove, indicating he had used that hand to fire the weapon. GSR and gas burns were also found in the victim’s throat. The conclusion was that the barrel had been in Sean’s mouth when the gun discharged.
    Next in the packet was an evidence inventory and I saw nothing unusual here. After this I found the witness statement. The witness was Park Ranger Stephen Pena, who was assigned to a one-ranger substation and information booth at Bear Lake.
    Witness stated he did not have a view of the parking area while working in the booth. At approx. 4:58 P.M. witness heard a muffled report he identified from experience as a gunshot. He identified the origin as the parking lot and immediately went to investigate the possibility of illegal hunting. At this time there was only one vehicle in the lot and through the partially fogged windows he saw the victim slumped back in the driver’s seat. Witness ran to the vehicle but could not open the door because it was locked. Looking closely through the fogged windows he determined that the victim appeared to be deceased because of the massive damage to the rear of the head. Witness then returned to the park booth where he immediately notified authorities and his supervisors. He then returned to the victim’s car to await the arrival of authorities.
    Witness states that the victim’s vehicle was within his sight no more than five seconds after he heard the shot. The car was parked approx. 50 yards from the nearest forest cover or structure. It is believed by the witness to have been impossible for someone to have left the victim’s car after the shooting and gotten to the cover without the witness seeing him.
    I returned the statement sheet to its place in the packet and glanced through the other

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