# Voice Sheet — Scene at the Café --- *Maria is seated at a small corner table in the Alborn Café, scrolling through photographs on her camera's display screen. A half-finished cup of coffee sits beside her, growing cold. She is frowning at one particular image, zooming in and out with trembling fingers. The bell above the door chimes as Hunter walks in, his eyes scanning the room before settling on her.* --- Hunter: "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Detective Hunter Graves with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office. Mind if I sit down for a moment?" Maria: *looks up, startled, clutching the camera closer to her chest* "¿Perdón? No... no entiendo." Hunter: "I just have a few questions. I'm looking into some things that have been happening around town. You might've noticed — a young woman went missing two nights ago, just up the road from here. Emma Lindgren. Blonde hair, about your age. Were you anywhere near Pine Street that evening?" Maria: *her eyes widen at the mention of a name, and her face pales* "¿La chica rubia? Dios mío... Yo la vi. Yo la vi esa noche. Estaba caminando sola por la calle y había un coche — un coche oscuro — que iba muy despacio detrás de ella. Me dio mucho miedo. Quise decir algo pero no sabía a quién hablar, no conozco a nadie aquí..." Hunter: *blinks, leans back in his chair* "I'm sorry — I don't... Do you speak English?" Maria: *shakes her head slowly* "No hablo inglés. Lo siento. Español. Solo español." Hunter: "Spanish. Okay." *rubs the back of his neck, exhaling* "Alright. Let's try this differently. The missing woman —" *he pulls out a photograph of Emma Lindgren from his jacket and slides it across the table* "— have you seen her?" Maria: *stares at the photograph and nods vigorously, tapping it with her finger* "Sí, sí. La vi. La noche... esa noche." *She holds up two fingers.* "Dos... dos noches." *She mimes the passage of time, pointing out the window toward Pine Street.* "Allí. Ella estaba allí." Hunter: "Two... two nights ago? You saw her out there?" Maria: *nods again, then begins speaking rapidly, her voice shaking* "Había un coche negro, o quizás azul muy oscuro. No pude ver bien. Pero iba muy despacio, como si estuviera siguiéndola. Ella no se daba cuenta. Yo estaba sacando fotos del atardecer y lo vi todo desde aquí, desde esta misma mesa. Tengo... tengo algo aquí..." *She turns the camera around and begins scrolling back through her photos urgently, muttering to herself.* Maria: "¿Dónde está? Estaba aquí... un momento..." Hunter: *leans forward, watching her scroll through the images* "You've got something on there? A photo?" Maria: *finds the image and turns the camera toward him, pointing at the screen with a trembling finger* "Mire. Mire aquí. El coche. ¿Lo ve? Está detrás de ella. Yo no sabía lo que estaba pasando, pensé que era alguien que conocía, pero ahora... ahora sé que no era normal." Hunter: *takes the camera carefully, squinting at the screen — a dusky street scene, the silhouette of a blonde woman walking, and behind her, slightly out of focus, a dark sedan* "Jesus. That's her. And that car..." *He looks up at Maria.* "Can I — can I get a copy of this? This photo?" *He mimes taking the camera, then points to himself, then makes a copying gesture.* Maria: *hesitates, then nods slowly* "Sí... sí, llévesela. Si ayuda a encontrarla, llévesela. Esa chica... tenía algo en su cara, como si supiera que algo malo iba a pasar. No puedo dejar de pensar en eso. Me siento culpable. Debería haber hecho algo." Hunter: "I wish I could understand you. I really do. I can see this has got you shaken up." *He pulls out a small notepad and pen, sliding it toward her.* "Can you write anything down? A name, a number — anything?" Maria: *takes the pen and writes carefully:* **María Delgado. Hotel Birchwood. Habitación 14.** *She pauses, then adds:* **El coche — negro o azul oscuro. Dos puertas.** *She slides it back to him.* Hunter: *reads what he can — her name, the hotel, room number* "María Delgado. Hotel Birchwood, room fourteen. Good. And this —" *he points to the last line* "— I'll get someone to translate this. Thank you, María. I'm going to —" *His phone buzzes sharply. He pulls it from his pocket, glances at the screen, and his expression hardens.* Hunter: "Graves... Yeah. Where? ...How long ago? Don't let anyone touch anything, I'm on my way." *He stands abruptly, pocketing the phone.* Hunter: "María, I have to go. But I'll be back — and I'll bring someone who speaks Spanish, okay?" *He points to her, then to the table, then holds up a hand as if to say 'stay.'* "Stay in town. Don't go anywhere. I'll find you." Maria: *nods, reading his gestures* "Tenga cuidado. Quien hizo esto... todavía está aquí. Lo sé. Lo siento en el aire." Hunter: *pauses at the door, looks back at her — something in her tone needs no translation* "Yeah. I know." *He pushes through the door and disappears into the gray afternoon. Maria watches him go, then looks back down at her camera, at the frozen image of a girl walking into darkness, and slowly wraps both hands around her cold cup of coffee.* --- *End of scene.*