INT. ALBORN CAFE - DAY MARTINE sits alone at a table, a camera bag at her feet. She looks at the photos on her phone, frowning with worry. DETECTIVE HUNTER enters. He spots MARTINE and approaches her table. HUNTER: (friendly) Mind if I join ya? MARTINE looks up. She's surprised to see him but smiles politely. MARTINE: (greeting in French) Bonjour. Vous pouvez vous asseoir. Hunter stares at her blankly. He speaks hesitantly. HUNTER: (slowly in English) D-do I... I can sit, right? MARTINE nods, still smiling. Now that he’s sitting down, HUNTER takes a closer look at the photos on MARTINE's phone. HUNTER: What's the occasion? MARTINE: (in French) Rien... Just some photos of the town for my project. Next to her sits her OPEN CAMERA BAG. Hunter scans it curiously, plucks out a piece of PHOTO Gear. HUNTER: Shooting that lake? It's getting dark out. MARTINE: (quickly in French; worried) Lake? Non, non. (picking up the camera bag) I was just going to go home... HUNTER: (worried- sits forward) Panicked. What's the matter? MARTINE: (flustered in French) Jamais -- I mean... No, nothing! I'm fine. She puts her camera bag in her lap and holds it protectively. HUNTER: (confused) I thought you were saying something... (sighs) What's all the ruckus about? MARTINE: (pained in French) Oh, this town, this stupid town I can't get out of! Ugh! MARTINE throws the camera bag away and slumps down on the table, burrying her face in her hands and massaging her temples. Her breathing grows fast and erratic. Hunter puts a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. HUNTER: Whoa! Slow down. What's happening? MARTINE: (lowers her head; a flash of hurt) Grandma's missing! HUNTER: (leaning forward in concern) I'm sorry, what? MARTINE: (hushed in French) My grandmother -- she disappeared a few days ago. (looking up; crying) I thought I heard something. Stupid goose. MARTINE puts her head back onto the table, sobbing. HUNTER looks at her in concern. HUNTER: Oh saints. HUNTER leans over MARTINE and puts a stethoscope on her shoulder. He takes a few readings. HUNTER: (focuses on MARTINE) Are you alright? He lifts his fingers slowly off her back, smirking slightly. HUNTER: (looks at her in the eyes) What's your name, anyway? MARTINE: (shocked to be asked, offended) What? Grandma knows! HUNTER: (taking off his sunglasses; laughing) I don't speak French, sweetheart, only Spanish. MARTINE blushes and mumbles something. HUNTER grins. HUNTER: Who is your grandma? MARTINE: (lights up; puts her head up in surprise) Wait, you speak Spanish? HUNTER: (laughing) Si. Now, who's Granny? MARTINE: (shy) Uhm, Marie. HUNTER: I'm Hunter. MARTINE smiles happily, excited to meet him. MARTINE: (singing; in French) Je m'appelle Marie, deux EEEE... Suddenly her eyes grow wide. MARTINE: I mean, this is... I'm Martine. Martine Barette. I mean Marie. (sighs) Anyway, I'm staying with my grandmother Claudette Bougeret. HUNTER: (focuses) Bou...Buh-gu-ray? MARTINE: Le-let me see... (speaking quickly in French) I hope that helps, detective! HUNTER: (furrowing eyebrows as he writes down the name) Hmm. Bougeret. (puts his notebook away) The door near them opens. Hunter starts up. HUNTER: HOLYOKE! Bob HOLYOKE entering walking into the coffee shop through the door. He's emptyhanded. HOLYOKE: (confused) Was I chased? I just got here. HUNTER: I needed your 6th sense - just pulled me away. HOLYOKE raises his hands defensively. HOLYOKE: (places his hands down) You're not like me, Hun. Adversaries can't get the drop on you. HUNTER: (grins) Hey, you never know! He turns back to MARTINE, placing his hands on the table. HUNTER: (excited) So Martine. You mentioned... Granny? MARTINE: (swallowing deeply) I'll see you back home for the holidays. Tears line her eyes, her voice trembling heavily. HUNTER: Heresy. (rises) Our cities aren't that bad; sometimes you have to pack it up and take off to appreciate home. Suddenly recovering, HUNTER: I'm Detective Hunter. Here to fill you in on the Bougeret investigation. Martine sighs heavily and exchanges a last look with the Sherlockian HOLYOKE, who leans against the wall. MARTINE: (another last pang) Paparazzi. What's that got to do with this? Hunter steps up further, observes her carefully. HUNTER: With everything. --- EXT. CITY LIMIT ALBORN, MN. GREAT LAKES BLUFF AT SUNSET. --- THE TWO detectives follow Hunter. He surveys the distance down on the ESCALIATE GLACIER feature. HUNTER: (faces HOLYOKE, knowing) Look. It's a bluff. They look at the ground and the ground below. Rough stones. Risky. Ironically, MARTINE appears from the gates, holding her camera and fumbling her backpack under it. ---------THE END----------