Mr. Ballin

And at this, Detective Soon, who had been quiet to this point, sat up in his chair and shouted, I disagree. The officers immediately turned and just glared at him. Some people in town said Detective Soon was smarter than everybody else, but a few of his colleagues thought he was just plain arrogant.

One of the officers pointed out that Soon had not been at the river, so he couldn't possibly know what had happened. But the police chief chimed in and asked Soon why he disagreed. Soon nodded and walked to the front of the room. Then with the captive audience in front of him, he said, first, self-immolation, setting yourself on fire, was a rare way for somebody to kill themselves.

One of the officers pointed out that Soon had not been at the river, so he couldn't possibly know what had happened. But the police chief chimed in and asked Soon why he disagreed. Soon nodded and walked to the front of the room. Then with the captive audience in front of him, he said, first, self-immolation, setting yourself on fire, was a rare way for somebody to kill themselves.

One of the officers pointed out that Soon had not been at the river, so he couldn't possibly know what had happened. But the police chief chimed in and asked Soon why he disagreed. Soon nodded and walked to the front of the room. Then with the captive audience in front of him, he said, first, self-immolation, setting yourself on fire, was a rare way for somebody to kill themselves.

And often when self-immolation occurred, the person doing it was doing it to make a political statement of some kind. And so Soon did not think this woman, who was found in the middle of nowhere and didn't leave a message behind, was making some sort of statement. Before the other officers could argue, Soon said there was actually an easier way to prove this woman didn't kill herself.

And often when self-immolation occurred, the person doing it was doing it to make a political statement of some kind. And so Soon did not think this woman, who was found in the middle of nowhere and didn't leave a message behind, was making some sort of statement. Before the other officers could argue, Soon said there was actually an easier way to prove this woman didn't kill herself.

And often when self-immolation occurred, the person doing it was doing it to make a political statement of some kind. And so Soon did not think this woman, who was found in the middle of nowhere and didn't leave a message behind, was making some sort of statement. Before the other officers could argue, Soon said there was actually an easier way to prove this woman didn't kill herself.

He said the officers had searched the entire area near the river, but they hadn't found a gas can or any other container that could have held the fuel that burned her.

He said the officers had searched the entire area near the river, but they hadn't found a gas can or any other container that could have held the fuel that burned her.

He said the officers had searched the entire area near the river, but they hadn't found a gas can or any other container that could have held the fuel that burned her.

So either this woman doused herself in gasoline and then walked for miles before lighting herself on fire, or, and Soons said this was way more likely, someone else doused her in some sort of fuel, murdered her by setting her on fire, and then ran off with the gas can. The officers just stared at Soon. Even if he was arrogant, most of them admitted he had made a good point.

So either this woman doused herself in gasoline and then walked for miles before lighting herself on fire, or, and Soons said this was way more likely, someone else doused her in some sort of fuel, murdered her by setting her on fire, and then ran off with the gas can. The officers just stared at Soon. Even if he was arrogant, most of them admitted he had made a good point.

So either this woman doused herself in gasoline and then walked for miles before lighting herself on fire, or, and Soons said this was way more likely, someone else doused her in some sort of fuel, murdered her by setting her on fire, and then ran off with the gas can. The officers just stared at Soon. Even if he was arrogant, most of them admitted he had made a good point.

But an officer asked him, well, okay, if somebody else killed her, why was there only one set of footprints, which appeared to be the dead woman's footprints? Detective Soon said that was a great question and they would need to look into that. But it was hardly a reason to chalk this whole thing up to suicide.

But an officer asked him, well, okay, if somebody else killed her, why was there only one set of footprints, which appeared to be the dead woman's footprints? Detective Soon said that was a great question and they would need to look into that. But it was hardly a reason to chalk this whole thing up to suicide.

But an officer asked him, well, okay, if somebody else killed her, why was there only one set of footprints, which appeared to be the dead woman's footprints? Detective Soon said that was a great question and they would need to look into that. But it was hardly a reason to chalk this whole thing up to suicide.

Soon told the police chief he was sure they had a murder case on their hands and he knew he could solve it. And the chief didn't hesitate. He said, okay, they would treat the woman found at the river as a homicide victim and Detective Soon would lead the investigation. Later that day, Soon walked to the river with several other officers.

Soon told the police chief he was sure they had a murder case on their hands and he knew he could solve it. And the chief didn't hesitate. He said, okay, they would treat the woman found at the river as a homicide victim and Detective Soon would lead the investigation. Later that day, Soon walked to the river with several other officers.

Soon told the police chief he was sure they had a murder case on their hands and he knew he could solve it. And the chief didn't hesitate. He said, okay, they would treat the woman found at the river as a homicide victim and Detective Soon would lead the investigation. Later that day, Soon walked to the river with several other officers.

He held a file folder of photographs that had been taken at the scene the day before. Soon knew that some of his colleagues wished he had kept his mouth shut. It would have been a lot easier if they deemed this a suicide, closed the case, and simply moved on. But Soon was sure he had made the right call.