## Scene: A Cloudy Afternoon at the Cozy Cup Cafe **[SOUND of gentle cafe music and the soft murmur of conversations. A chair scrapes across the wooden floor.]** **Melanie:** *(murmuring softly in German, a troubled frown on her face as she scrolls through photos on her camera)* "Nein, das kann nicht sein… unmöglich…" **Hunter:** *(leans in, his voice gruff but friendly)* "Excuse me, Ma'am. Mind if I ask you a couple questions? I'm Detective Hunter." *(He flashes a badge)* "We're looking into some strange happenings around town lately." **Melanie:** *(startled, she looks up, her eyes wide with confusion. She stammers in German.)* "Äh… Entschuldigung. Ich… Ich verstehe nicht." **Hunter:** *(frowning slightly, he tries again, speaking slowly)* "You… saw anything… unusual? Anyone… strange?" **Melanie:** *(shakes her head frantically, clutching her camera to her chest)* "Nein, nein. Ich spreche kein Englisch. Nur Deutsch." **Hunter:** *(sighs, running a hand through his hair)* "English. Speak English?" **Melanie:** *(pointing at herself and then shaking her head)* "Melanie. Deutsch. No… English." **Hunter:** *(pulls out a notepad and squints at it)* "Right… Alborn Apple Festival… missing persons… " *(He looks back at Melanie, then points at a photo on her camera of a crowded festival scene.)* "This… festival? You see… anything?" **Melanie:** *(swallows nervously, her finger hovering over a blurry figure in the background of the photo.)* "Dieser Mann… vielleicht…" **[SOUND of Hunter’s cell phone ringing. He pulls it out impatiently.]** **Hunter:** *(sighs)* "Hunter… Yeah… I’m at the Cozy Cup… Right, on my way.” *(He shoves the phone back in his pocket and gives Melanie an apologetic look)* "Sorry, gotta run. You… talk to police… later?" **Melanie**: *(visibly nervous, nods slowly)* "Ja… Polizei. Okay…" **Hunter**: *(gives her a reassuring nod)* "Good. We’ll figure this out." **[SOUND of chair scraping, footsteps, and a door closing. Melanie is left alone, anxious and bewildered, staring at the photo on her camera.]**