**Scene Setting:** *The Rusty Mug Cafe in Alborn, MN. The smell of cinnamon and roasted coffee hangs in the air. Maria sits at a corner table, her hands trembling slightly as she scrolls through images on the LCD screen of her DSLR camera. Hunter stands over the table, casting a shadow over her.* **Hunter:** "Excuse me, miss. I need a word." **Maria:** (Looking up, eyes wide and startled) "¿Perdón? No... no entiendo." **Hunter:** (Pulls out a badge, tapping it) "Detective. Police. I’m asking around about the incident at the fairgrounds last night. The missing teenager. You were seen near the perimeter taking pictures." **Maria:** (Shaking her head frantically, clutching the camera to her chest) "Lo siento, no hablo inglés. Soy estudiante. No sé qué quiere." **Hunter:** (Sighs, rubbing his temple) "English. Do you speak English? I need to know what you saw. Did you see a girl in a red jacket?" **Maria:** (Her breath hitches, recognizing the intensity in his voice) "Por Dios... ¿es por lo que vi? ¿Usted lo sabe?" **Hunter:** "I’m not getting a word of that. Look—Alborn isn't exactly a tourist hub. Just tell me, were you at the Apple Festival grounds around ten p.m.?" **Maria:** (She sets the camera down with shaking hands, looking pale) "Fue espantoso. Estaba buscando la luz de la luna sobre los manzanos, para mi portafolio... pero había alguien entre los árboles. Alguien arrastrando algo." **Hunter:** (Frowning, leaning closer) "Orchard? Are you saying 'orchard'? I swear I heard 'manzanos'. Look, lady, I don't have time for charades." **Maria:** "¡Estaba allí! ¡Lo vi!" (She presses a button on her camera, turning the screen toward him) "Mire. Mire esto. La sombra detrás del granero." **Hunter:** (Squinting at the small screen) "Is that...?" (He tilts his head) "It's too dark. Just a bunch of trees. Wait, what is that shape?" **Maria:** (Pointing at the screen, her voice breaking) "Tenía miedo. Mucho miedo. Salí corriendo, pero creo que me vio. Sus ojos..." **Hunter:** "Okay, okay, take it easy. You're scared. I get that." (He reaches for the camera to get a closer look) "Let me see if I can zoom in on this—" *(Hunter’s cell phone rings sharply in his pocket. The jagged ringtone cuts through the cafe noise.)* **Hunter:** (Withdrawing his hand, he answers the phone gruffly) "This is Hunter. Yeah? ... Wait, they found another one? Where? ... I'm on my way." **Maria:** "¿Señor?" **Hunter:** (Holstering his phone, looking torn between the camera and the door) "I have to go. Don't go anywhere. Stay in town. Try to find... I don't know, a dictionary." **Maria:** "No entiendo... ¡Espere, por favor!" **Hunter:** "Just stay put."