[ WP ] After years of tirelessly searching for your daughter 's murderer , you get a knock on your door . It 's a police officer who cuffs you and says , `` Detective Schroder , you 're under arrest for the murder of Stephanie Schroder . ''

`` Wh-What?'' Detective Schroeder sputtered out, slack-jawed in shock. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, sir. But you're under arrest on suspicion of murdering your daughter.'' the officer in front of him repeated. 
 
 Schroeder could n't find his words. He was paralyzed by his bewilderment. He could n't breathe and everything was spinning as they clicked the handcuffs around his wrists. He was led, wide-eyed, to the back door of the patrol car as several other officers watched on, hands hovering close to their holsters just in case. 
 
 Everything sounded muffled, there was a ringing coming from somewhere, but he was n't sure where. He could hear his rights being read to him but could n't comprehend. 
 
 *Murder? * he thought to himself, *Of my daughter? * 
 
 They held him around the nape of the neck as they ducked his head into the open door. He sat with his hands behind his back and his eyes glued to the reinforced glass in front of him. He was vaguely aware of the officers slamming his door shut and entering the front two seats of the vehicle. His body swayed with the motion of the car as they pulled away from his home and started towards the precinct. 
 
 *This ca n't be happening. This has to be a mistake. * he thought to himself. He had to tell them. 
 
 `` Officers, this has to be an error.'' he directed to the two men in the front. 
 
 `` No mistake, sir.'' the one seated on the passenger side stated, `` You're being brought in for questioning as a suspect in the murder of Stephanie Schroeder.'' 
 
 `` That's my daughter!'' screamed Schroeder, `` You ca n't be serious!'' 
 
 He saw the officers exchange a glance. The one in the passenger seat turned around to face him. 
 
 `` Please, sir, stay calm.'' he said, `` We'll get you down to the precinct and you can give them your side of the story once we're there.'' 
 
 `` My side of the story!'' he shouted, `` There is no side of the story! My daughter was murdered! I've been trying to find who did it for years!'' 
 
 `` Do n't waste your time,'' the driving officer said to his partner, `` we're just supposed to bring him in. Let them figure it out.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, s'pose you're right.'' said the partner. He turned back around in his seat and neither responded to another of Detective Schroeder's pleas the rest of the way to the precinct. 
 
 When they arrived, Schroeder was helped out of the vehicle and walked up the station steps. He was keenly aware that everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch as he was led to a room for questioning. 
 
 They sat him in a hard wooden chair on one side of a grey plastic table. The light was harsh overhead, and he knew that they were watching him from the other side of the one-way mirror. He waited in silence for about 10 minutes before Detective Gaider walked in and placed his files down on the table in front of him. He sat in the chair opposite Schroeder. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, Schroeder.'' his colleague began, `` You know I do n't want to be bringing you in like this.'' 
 
 `` What's going on Gaider?'' Schroeder asked the other man, `` Why are they telling me I killed my daughter?'' 
 
 Gaider sighed deeply. Schroeder could plainly see the pain in the detective's face at being forced to put a colleague, a friend, through this. Nonetheless, Gaider opened his notes and began. 
 
 `` Do you remember what you told me when we first questioned you the night your daughter was murdered?'' 
 
 `` Of course.'' answered Schroeder, `` I told you I was on my way home from the city after a date. The blonde girl, Nancy I think? We finished some time before and the hospital called me on the way home. I drove like a maniac back and... well... you know...'' 
 
 `` Yeah, I know.'' said Gaider, not meeting his eyes, `` I remember.'' 
 
 `` So then what's this about, Gaider?'' he asked desperately. 
 
 Gaider took a long pause. He shuffled a few files around before finding the document he was looking for. 
 
 `` We've got CCTV of you entering your house an hour before your daughter was found.'' said Gaider, `` That's not enough time for you to have been in the city on a date and driving back home.'' 
 
 Schroeder was flabbergasted. Video of him at home? That was impossible. He knew where he had been. He had been there! In the city on the date! 
 
 `` What?'' a stunned Schroeder managed to get out, `` That ca n't be. I could n't have been there.'' 
 
 `` We've got video, Schroeder.'' said Gaider, `` I do n't know what to tell you. We've got you, on camera, entering your house when your daughter was home at a time you said you were elsewhere.'' 
 
 `` No!'' Schroeder yelled, `` That's impossible! You ca n't be serious!'' 
 
 `` I'm sorry, Schrode,'' Gaider said apologetically, `` I'm going to have you taken down to the cell and held until we can schedule your arraignment.'' 
 
 `` No!'' he screamed as the officers entered the room to take him away, `` You ca n't do this! I did n't do this! You know I did n't!'' 
 
 He kept shouting, and shouting, and shouting as they forced him down to the cell and locked him up. Detective Gaider watched as they took him away and then made his way to the Commissioner's office. 
 
 `` He's locked up, sir.'' started Gaider, `` Do you think it'll be enough.'' 
 
 `` It'll have to be.'' his father responded, `` I'm sorry, I know he's your friend and this must be hard. But I wo n't let them find out it was you.'' 
 
 They sat in silence for a long time, contemplating what they'd done and what they were going to do to make sure this got buried for good.
