# Voice Sheet: Café Encounter **Setting: A small café on Main Street in Alborn, MN. Melanie sits alone at a corner table, scrolling through photos on her camera with trembling hands.** --- Hunter: "Excuse me, miss? Mind if I sit down for a moment?" Melanie: *looks up, startled* "Oh... ja, bitte." Hunter: "I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating some incidents around town. Were you by any chance near the old mill yesterday evening?" Melanie: "Die alte Mühle? Ja, ich war dort... es war schrecklich. Ich habe etwas gesehen... jemanden... ich weiß nicht wie ich es erklären soll." Hunter: *frowning* "I'm sorry, I don't... do you speak English?" Melanie: *shaking her head, frustrated* "Nein, nein... Englisch... sehr wenig. Es tut mir leid." Hunter: "Okay, okay. Let me try this differently. The mill—" *points in the direction of the mill* "—you were there? You saw something?" Melanie: *nodding vigorously* "Ja! Ja, ich habe etwas gesehen. Eine Person... sie ist einfach verschwunden. Wie ein Geist. Ich habe Fotos gemacht, aber..." *gestures at camera, distressed* "...die Bilder sind alle schwarz." Hunter: "Photos? Can I see?" Melanie: *hands over camera, pointing at screen* "Sehen Sie? Schwarz. Alles schwarz. Aber ich schwöre, da war jemand!" Hunter: *scrolling through black images* "These are all... nothing. But you saw someone?" Melanie: "Ja! Eine Frau, glaube ich. Sie hatte rote Haare und dann..." *makes a vanishing gesture with her hands* "...weg. Einfach weg." Hunter: "Red..." *touches his own hair* "Red hair?" Melanie: *eyes widening* "Ja! Rot! Sie kennen sie?" Hunter: *muttering to himself* "Could be Margaret Chen's daughter... she had red hair..." *to Melanie* "This is important. I need to find someone who can translate—" *Hunter's phone rings* Hunter: "Hunter here." *listens, expression hardening* "Another one? Where? ...I'm on my way." *hangs up* Melanie: "Was ist passiert? Ist alles in Ordnung?" Hunter: *standing, pulling out a business card* "I have to go. Please—" *points at card, then at her* "—call me. We need to talk more. Understand? Call." Melanie: *taking card, nodding slowly* "Anrufen... ja. Ich verstehe." Hunter: "And those photos—don't delete anything. Keep that camera safe." Melanie: "Die Kamera... ja, natürlich." Hunter: *tipping his head* "I'll find a translator. Stay in town, okay? Don't go back to that mill alone." Melanie: *clutching camera to her chest* "Ich gehe nirgendwo hin. Ich habe zu viel Angst." Hunter: *pausing at the door, looking back* "I don't know what you just said, but... I'll be in touch." --- *Hunter exits. Melanie looks down at the business card, then back at her camera, her hands still shaking.*