Run: 2026-02-08-01KGYX2VAGW6R72J08SNVQ7DWQ

**INT. THE ALBORN GRIND CAFE - DAY** The cafe smells of coffee and cinnamon. MARIA sits alone at a small table by the window, her camera in her hands. She stares at the digital screen on the back, her brow furrowed. She looks pale and troubled. HUNTER enters, scanning the room. He’s in a plain jacket, his posture rigid. He spots Maria, an unfamiliar face, and walks directly to her table. *** **VOICE SHEET** **Hunter:** "Excuse me. Maria?" *(Maria looks up, startled. She clutches her camera.)* **Maria:** "Sí?" **Hunter:** "Detective Hunter. I'm with the Alborn Police Department. I have a few questions for you." *(He gestures to the empty chair. She gives a tiny, uncertain nod.)* **Hunter:** "Were you in the town square yesterday? Around four o'clock?" *(Maria’s face falls. Her eyes widen with a mix of fear and confusion.)* **Maria:** "Ay, Dios mío... El parque... Vi... vi algo..." **Hunter:** "I'm sorry, I don't... what did you say? Do you speak English?" **Maria:** "No... no inglés. Lo siento." **Hunter:** "Right. Okay." *(He sighs, frustrated. He points out the window towards the general direction of the town square.)* "Town square. Yesterday. You. Camera." *(He mimes taking a picture.)* *(Maria’s breathing quickens. She looks from his face to her camera and back again.)* **Maria:** "Sí, la cámara... Estaba tomando fotos... De los árboles, el follaje de otoño... Y entonces... entonces lo vi." **Hunter:** "You saw something? Good. What did you see? A person? A car?" *(He’s trying to be patient, but his no-nonsense attitude is fraying. He points to his eyes, then to her, then out the window.)* **Maria:** "Una persona... sí. Pero... estaba... estaba mal. Asusté. Estoy asustada." **Hunter:** "Okay, slow down. I don't understand." *(He rubs his temples.)* "This is useless." *(His eyes land on the camera in her hands. It's the only thing they seem to have in common.)* **Hunter:** "The camera. You were taking pictures. Show me." *(He gestures to the camera screen.)* **Maria:** "¿Qué?" **Hunter:** *(He mimes looking through a viewfinder and pressing a button.)* "Photos. Show me. The photos." *(Understanding dawns on Maria's face. She nods vigorously, her fingers trembling as she fumble with the camera. She turns it on and pulls up the gallery. She holds it out to him.)* **Hunter:** "Okay... okay, that's the square. That's the fountain... can you scroll back? To the one before?" *(He points to the screen, indicating with his finger to go to the previous image. Maria complies.)* **Hunter:** "Wait. Go back one more." *(She does. Hunter leans in close, his entire demeanor shifting from annoyed to intensely focused.)* **Hunter:** "Damn. What are you doing here..." *(On the screen is a photo of the town square, but in the background, partially obscured by a tree, is a dark-colored sedan. A man is standing next to the open back door, his face turned away from the camera, but his posture is tense.)* **Hunter:** "Who is this? Do you know this man?" *(Maria shakes her head, her eyes welling up with tears.)* **Maria:** "No lo conozco. Solo estaba allí... y luego... y luego se fue." *(Hunter’s phone rings sharply, breaking the tension. He answers it, his eyes never leaving the camera screen.)* **Hunter:** "Hunter... Yeah? ...Are you sure? ...Okay. I'm on my way." *(He hangs up, looking torn. He looks at Maria, then at the camera.)* **Hunter:** "I have to go. This is... important." *(He pulls a business card from his pocket and slides it across the table to her.)* **Hunter:** "You stay here. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back. With someone who can... talk." *(He points to her, then to the card, then to himself, making a "wait" gesture with his hand. He turns and strides out of the cafe, leaving Maria staring at the card, then back down at the damning image on her camera.)* **Maria:** *(whispering to herself)* "¿Qué hago ahora?"