**Voice Sheet: Café Scene – Marie & Hunter** --- **Setting:** *A quiet, cozy café in Alborn, MN. The scent of fresh coffee and cinnamon pastries lingers in the air. Marie sits at a small corner table, her camera in hand, scrolling through recent photos. The soft hum of conversation and the occasional clink of cups fills the space. Hunter enters, scanning the room before his gaze lands on Marie. He approaches, his expression serious.* --- ### **Scene Dialogue** *(Hunter stops at Marie’s table, his posture rigid. He clears his throat, and Marie looks up, startled.)* **Hunter:** *(in English, bluntly)* "Excuse me, ma’am. I’m Detective Hunter. I need to ask you a few questions about what happened at the apple festival last night." *(Marie’s eyes widen. She shakes her head slightly, her fingers tightening around her camera. She responds in rapid, troubled French, her voice trembling.)* **Marie:** *(French, distressed)* "Je… je ne comprends pas. Pourquoi vous me parlez comme ça ? Je ne sais rien de ce qui s’est passé. J’étais juste là pour prendre des photos, c’est tout. *(She gestures vaguely at her camera.)* Je n’ai rien vu, je vous jure. *(Her voice cracks slightly.)* Pourquoi vous me regardez comme ça ?" *(Hunter frowns, clearly not understanding a word. He rubs his temple, frustrated.)* **Hunter:** *(in English, slower but still firm)* "Look, I don’t know what you’re saying, but I need you to focus. Did you see anything unusual last night? Anyone acting strange near the festival grounds?" *(Marie’s breath quickens. She shakes her head again, her hands now clasped tightly together on the table. She switches to broken English, her accent thick.)* **Marie:** *(English, stumbling)* "Non… I mean, no. I—*(she gestures helplessly)*—photos. Only photos. *(She taps her camera again, her voice rising slightly.)* Je n’ai rien vu! *(She realizes her mistake and corrects herself.)* I saw nothing!" *(Hunter exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. He pulls out a small notepad and flips it open, scribbling something down.)* **Hunter:** *(in English, measured)* "Alright. Let’s try this differently. Were you near the old barn on the festival grounds? The one by the orchard?" *(Marie’s face pales. She swallows hard, her grip on her camera so tight her knuckles turn white. She responds in French, her voice barely above a whisper.)* **Marie:** *(French, shaken)* "Le… le vieux hangar ? *(She hesitates, then nods slowly.)* Oui, j’y étais. Mais je n’ai rien vu de bizarre. Juste… *(she trails off, her eyes darting away)* juste des ombres. Des bruits. *(She shivers slightly.)* Je ne sais pas ce que c’était." *(Hunter leans in slightly, his voice lowering but still firm.)* **Hunter:** *(in English)* "Sombres ? Bruits ? *(He mispronounces the French words, but his tone is urgent.)* What kind of noises? Did you see anyone near there?" *(Marie bites her lip, her fingers trembling as she sets her camera down. She switches back to English, her words halting.)* **Marie:** *(English, struggling)* "Like… *(she mimics a rustling sound)*… like wind. But no wind. *(She shakes her head.)* Je ne sais pas. *(She corrects herself again.)* I don’t know. Maybe… maybe nothing." *(Hunter studies her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He flips his notepad shut and tucks it back into his jacket pocket. Just as he’s about to speak, his phone rings. He pulls it out, glances at the screen, and his jaw tightens.)* **Hunter:** *(grudgingly, to Marie)* "Stay here. Don’t go anywhere." *(He answers the phone, turning slightly away but keeping an eye on Marie.)* **Hunter:** *(into phone, clipped)* "Hunter. What’ve you got?" *(A pause. His expression darkens.)* **Hunter:** *(into phone, urgent)* "Copy that. I’m on my way." *(He hangs up and turns back to Marie, his demeanor all business.)* **Hunter:** *(in English, firm)* "I’ve gotta go. But I’ll be back. Don’t leave town." *(Marie nods numbly, her eyes wide. Hunter gives her one last assessing look before striding out of the café, his boots thudding against the wooden floor. Marie exhales shakily, her hands still trembling as she picks up her camera, her mind racing.)* --- **End Scene.**