## Scene: The Corner Cup Cafe, Alborn MN. **SOUND:** Soft jazz music playing in the background; gentle clinking of mugs and plates as other patrons enjoy their meals **(Melanie sits at a small table by herself near an open window overlooking Main Street.) She carefully examines images on her camera screen with furrowed brows.** **Hunter enters, his trench coat brushing against weathered wood chairs. He scans for someone familiar before spotting Melanie)** **HUNTER:** Excuse me ma’am? **(Melanie looks up startled and jumps a little at the interruption). Her eyes widen as she realizes it's not another student) ) MELANIE: *Ach, Entschuldigung.* (Oh excuse.) **(Hunter tries to smile reassuringly. He clears his throat)** **HUNTER:** I was wondering if you might be able… uhm... Could we talk for a moment? **(Melanie hesitates before nodding slowly.**) MELANIE: *Ja, natürlich.* (Yes of course.) **(Hunter pulls up an empty chair and sits across from her. He takes out his notebook)** **HUNTER:** My name’s Hunter... Detective with the Alborn PD **(Melanie looks at him intently for a moment before speaking in hesitant but clear German) ) MELANIE: *Guten Tag, Herr Detectiv.* Mein Name ist Melanie …* (Good day detective. my….) **HUNTER:** *(He blinks slowly)** You speak... um....? **(Melanie nods again and points to her camera): She tries a different approach ) MELANIE: *Fotografie*. Alborn, schön!*(Photography). Beautiful here!* (Trying out basic English) **(Hunter struggles for words. He realizes she's not speaking his language.)** HUNTER:** *(He sighs)* Right... photos… Nice town yeah? Look.. I’m working on a case about some disappearances in Alborn recently MELANIE: *Entschuldigung?* (Excuse me?) **(Melanie looks genuinely concerned as she tilts her head) **Hunter tries again, using more hand gestures:** HUNTER:* People…gone missing. You seen anything unusual lately? Anyone acting strange ? **( Melanie's face turns pale and troubled)** MELANIE: *Ich weiß nicht...* *(I don’t know…) **(She trails off nervously looking around the cafe, her eyes darting from window to door) **Hunter leans forward slightly:** HUNTER:* Don‘ t worry maam. Just trying…to help.* **(He gestures again towards his notepad)** *Can you draw anything? Someone suspicious?* **(Melanie shakes head rapidly and mumbles something in German, her voice barely audible) MELANIE: *Nein... Nein ... Angst*. *(No.. No … Fear)* ** (Hunter notices a sudden commotion outside the cafe. He reaches for his phone). HUNTER:** Sorry ma’am… duty calls.* **(He quickly throws Melanie an apologetic glance before answering) MELANIE: *(Whispering anxiously in German, looking around nervously)** *Vergessen Sie nicht …* (Don't forget…) ** HUNTER:* (On the phone): Yeah...Yeah. Heading over now*. **Hunter rushes out of cafe leaving Meline sitting alone at her table staring after him with wide eyes.)