## Scene: Small Town Cafe, Alborn, MN **[SOUND of cafe ambiance: quiet chatter, clinking dishes, soft jazz music]** **(Hunter approaches Melanie, who is seated at a table by the window, engrossed in her camera. Her brow is furrowed, and she seems troubled. He clears his throat)** **Hunter:** ‘Scuse me, ma’am. Mind if I ask you a few questions? **(Melanie looks up, startled, and instinctively pulls her camera closer. She looks at Hunter with wide, apprehensive eyes. Hunter flashes his badge.)** **Hunter:** Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. You speak English? **(Melanie shakes her head slowly, her apprehension deepening. She stammers a response in German.)** **Melanie:** (Nervous, rapid German) "Äh... nein. Tut mir leid. Ich... Ich spreche nicht viel Englisch." (Uh... no. I'm sorry. I... I don't speak much English.) **(Hunter frowns, his face a mixture of confusion and frustration. He tries again, speaking slowly and loudly, as if that would help.)** **Hunter:** Okay, ma’am, no problem. You... see... anything… strange… yesterday? By the... apple… festival? **(Melanie shrinks back slightly at Hunter’s booming voice. She shakes her head again, this time more emphatically, and points at her camera.)** **Melanie:** (Shaking her head, German) "Nein, nein. Ich... Fotos machen. Nur Fotos." (No, no. I... take pictures. Only pictures.) **(Melanie picks up her camera and shows Hunter the screen, displaying a series of landscape photographs. Hunter squints at the photos, then back at Melanie.)** **Hunter:** Right, pictures. Look, you wouldn't happen to have gotten a... (He makes a vague gesture with his hands, trying to mime taking a picture) ...picture of a, uh, tall guy? Red jacket? Near the, uh... (He points to the ground) … apple trees? **(Melanie hesitates, her eyes darting between Hunter and her camera. She seems to be struggling internally. After a moment, she takes a deep breath and speaks in a low, urgent tone.)** **Melanie:** (German, distressed) "Der Mann... mit dem roten Hut? Er... er hat... " (The man… with the red hat? He… he…) **(Before Melanie can finish, Hunter’s phone rings. He sighs, frustrated.)** **Hunter:** Duty calls. Look, you think you could, maybe, point to what you saw? On a… (He pats his pockets, searching for a pen and paper, then gives up with a sigh) … Aw, never mind. I got to take this. **(Hunter answers his phone with a gruff “Hunter.” He listens for a moment, his expression growing serious.)** **Hunter:** Yeah, I’ll be right there. **(He hangs up and turns back to Melanie, who is watching him with a mixture of fear and concern.)** **Hunter:** Sorry, ma'am. Gotta run. You stay put, alright? **(And with that, Hunter strides quickly out of the cafe, leaving Melanie looking after him, her face etched with worry.) **(SOUND of cafe ambiance fades back in)**