# Voice Sheet: The Café Encounter --- *Setting: A small café on Main Street in Alborn, MN. Isabella sits alone at a corner table near the window, scrolling through photographs on her camera's display screen. A half-finished cappuccino sits beside her. Hunter enters, notices her, and approaches with a notebook in hand.* --- Hunter: "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Detective Hunter Graves with the county sheriff's office. Mind if I sit down for a moment?" Isabella: *glances up from her camera, startled* "...Scusi?" Hunter: "Detective Graves. I'm investigating some incidents in the area. I was wondering — were you in town last Thursday evening? Near the old mill road?" Isabella: *her eyes widen, her hands tightening around her camera* "Oh... Oh Dio. Giovedì sera... sì, ero lì. Ho visto qualcosa di terribile. C'era una persona — camminava lungo la strada, e poi... è semplicemente sparita. Non so come spiegarlo. Un momento c'era, e il momento dopo non c'era più. Ho ancora le foto nella mia macchina fotografica, ma non riesco a capire cosa mostrano." Hunter: *stares at her, blinks slowly* "I'm sorry — I didn't catch any of that. Do you speak English?" Isabella: *shakes her head, visibly distressed, gesturing with her hands* "Non parlo inglese. Mi dispiace. Io... no English. Ma devo dirle quello che ho visto! Era spaventoso — quella persona è scomparsa davanti ai miei occhi!" Hunter: "Okay... okay. I'm getting that you're upset. Can you — do you have someone who can translate? A friend? Someone?" Isabella: *frustrated, tapping her camera emphatically* "Guardi! Guardi le foto! Ho scattato delle foto quella sera. Forse le immagini possono parlare meglio di me." *She turns the camera screen toward him, cycling through dark, grainy photographs of the old mill road at night.* Hunter: *leans in, studying the photos carefully* "These are from Thursday night... That's definitely the mill road. Can you — hold on — go back one? That one." Isabella: *turns the camera back, hands trembling* "Questa? Sì... vede? Qui c'è la figura. E nella foto dopo..." *she clicks forward* "...niente. Sparita. Come un fantasma. Ho avuto così tanta paura che sono corsa via. Non sono più uscita di sera da allora." Hunter: *runs a hand over his jaw, frustrated* "I wish I could understand you. Those photos, though — that shadow in the first one, and then nothing. That's consistent with the timeline of the Dawson disappearance." *He taps his notebook.* "Can I get your name? Name?" *He points at her, then mimes writing.* Isabella: *nods slowly* "Il mio nome? Isabella. Isabella Ferretti." Hunter: "Isabella. Good. Thank you. And you're staying... where? Hotel? House?" *He mimes a roof with his hands.* Isabella: *a small, sad smile* "Sì, capisco. Sto all'albergo sulla strada principale. Il... the... hotel?" *She points vaguely down the street.* "Hotel, sì." Hunter: "The inn on Main Street. Got it. And these photos — can I get copies? Photos?" *He points at the camera and mimes handing something over.* "Copy?" Isabella: *clutches the camera protectively, then nods reluctantly* "Sì... sì, posso fare delle copie. Ma per favore, faccia attenzione. Ho la sensazione che qualcosa di molto brutto stia succedendo in questa città. La gente scompare, e nessuno sembra accorgersene. Ho paura, detective. Ho davvero paura." Hunter: *gently, holding up a reassuring hand* "I can see you're scared. I don't know what you're telling me, but I'm going to figure this out. I promise you that." Isabella: *looks into his eyes, searching for reassurance despite not understanding his words* "Spero che lei possa aiutare. Spero che qualcuno possa fermare tutto questo prima che qualcun altro scompaia." Hunter: "I'm going to find someone who speaks Italian. We need to have a real conversation, because I think you might have seen—" *His phone rings sharply. He pulls it from his jacket pocket, glancing at the screen.* Hunter: "Graves here." *listens, his expression hardening* "When? ...How long ago? I'm on my way." *He hangs up and stands abruptly, tucking his notebook away.* "Isabella — I have to go. But I'll be back. Stay at the hotel tonight, okay? Hotel. Stay." *He mimes staying put with his hands.* Isabella: *stands halfway, alarmed by his sudden urgency* "Cosa è successo? È scomparso qualcun altro? Detective — aspetti! Per favore, stia attento!" Hunter: *pauses at the door, turns back, and points at her, then at the table — a clear gesture to stay safe* "I'll be back. I promise." Isabella: *sinks back into her chair, clutching her camera to her chest, whispering* "...Stia attento, detective. Questa città nasconde qualcosa di oscuro." --- *Hunter pushes through the café door and disappears into the gray Minnesota afternoon. Isabella watches him go, then slowly turns her camera back on, staring at the dark photograph — the blurred figure on the mill road, frozen in the moment before vanishing into nothing.*