Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPE7CKAB85JS9E65D3K879

Here’s the dialogue formatted as a **voice sheet** for your cozy mystery scene, capturing the tension, language barrier, and underlying unease between Melanie and Hunter. --- ### **VOICE SHEET – CAFÉ SCENE** **Setting:** *A quiet café in Alborn, MN. The hum of conversation and clinking cups fills the air. Melanie sits alone at a corner table, her camera in hand, reviewing photos. Hunter approaches, his expression serious.* --- **HUNTER** *(firm, no-nonsense, but not unkind)* "Excuse me. You were at the old mill yesterday, right? Near the river?" **MELANIE** *(startled, gripping her camera tighter, responding in rapid German)* "Äh—ja, ich war dort. Warum? Ist etwas passiert?" *(Oh—yes, I was there. Why? Did something happen?)* *(Her voice shakes slightly; she glances around as if expecting danger.)* **HUNTER** *(frowning, arms crossed—clearly not understanding a word)* "Look, I don’t know what you just said, but I need to ask you some questions. You speak English?" **MELANIE** *(more agitated, switching to slower but still fluent German, as if assuming he’ll understand if she speaks clearly)* "Nein, ich spreche *kein* Englisch. Bitte—was ist los? Ich habe nur Fotos gemacht." *(No, I don’t speak English. Please—what’s wrong? I was just taking photos.)* *(She points at her camera, then at the window, miming taking a picture.)* **HUNTER** *(rubbing his temple, frustrated but trying to stay patient)* "Damn it. Okay, let’s try this—" *(He pulls out his phone, opens a translation app, and types slowly.)* "Were. You. Near. The. River. Yesterday. Evening?" *(He turns the screen toward her. Melanie reads it, her face paling.)* **MELANIE** *(whispering in German, hands trembling)* "Ja… ich habe etwas *gesehen*." *(Yes… I saw something.)* *(She hesitates, then leans in slightly, voice dropping to a hushed urgency.)* "Ein Schatten. Jemand ist… *verschwunden*." *(A shadow. Someone… disappeared.)* **HUNTER** *(leaning in, intense—finally sensing a break in the case)* "Whoa, hold on—" *(He fumbles with the translation app again, typing frantically.)* "Did. You. See. A. Person? What. Time?" *(Before Melanie can respond, Hunter’s phone rings—a sharp, insistent tone. He glances at the screen, curses under his breath.)* **HUNTER** *(standing abruptly, already answering the call)* "Yeah, I’m on my way." *(To Melanie, gruff but not unkind:)* "Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back with someone who speaks German." *(He strides out, leaving Melanie staring after him, her fingers clenched around her camera, murmuring to herself in German.)* **MELANIE** *(soft, to herself—haunted)* "Was *habe* ich nur gesehen…?" *(What did I just see…?)* --- **END SCENE** --- ### **NOTES FOR DELIVERY:** - **Melanie’s Lines:** Should sound increasingly shaken—start with cautious curiosity, then shift to fear. Her German should be natural but urgent, with a slight tremble in her voice by the end. - **Hunter’s Lines:** Gruff but not aggressive. His frustration is with the *situation*, not her. When he realizes she might have a lead, his tone sharpens with professional urgency. - **Nonverbal Cues:** Melanie fidgets with her camera, avoids eye contact at first, then locks eyes when she mentions the disappearance. Hunter’s body language is all business—hands on hips, jaw tight—but he doesn’t loom over her. Would you like any adjustments to the tone or pacing? Or additional context for their expressions?