Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPT7NZEQHQ7GCD3P1NV2NT

**Voice Sheet: Café Encounter in Alborn, MN** *(Marie sits at a small wrought-iron table outside the café, her camera resting in her lap. She flips through the photos she’s taken, her brow furrowed. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the quiet street. Hunter approaches, his boots scuffing lightly against the pavement. He tips his head in greeting, though his expression remains serious.)* **Hunter:** *(clears throat, speaking slowly)* Uh… excuse me. Miss? Do you speak English? **Marie:** *(startled, looks up, clutching her camera tighter)* Oh! Euh… non. Je… je ne parle pas anglais. *(shakes head, then gestures vaguely toward the street, her voice trembling)* Vous… vous êtes de la police? **Hunter:** *(frowns, rubbing the back of his neck)* Police? Yeah, I’m Detective Hunter. Look, I just need to ask you a few questions about—*(pauses, realizing she doesn’t understand)* Uh. *(mimes writing in the air)* You… saw something? Last night? **Marie:** *(eyes widen, her words spilling out rapidly in French)* Oh, mon Dieu, oui! J’ai vu quelque chose—quelque chose d’affreux! Il y avait un homme près de la rivière, et puis… *(gestures wildly, her hands shaking)* Il a disparu! Comme ça! Et j’ai entendu un cri, mais quand je suis allée voir, il n’y avait plus personne! Juste… *(points to her camera)* J’ai pris des photos, mais je ne sais pas si— **Hunter:** *(holds up a hand, wincing)* Whoa, whoa—slow down. I don’t… *(sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose)* Okay, look. You saw a man by the river? Last night? **Marie:** *(nods frantically)* Oui! Oui, près de la rivière! *(points in the general direction)* Là-bas! **Hunter:** *(pulls out a small notepad, flips it open)* Did you get a look at him? Height, clothes, anything? **Marie:** *(shakes her head, switching to broken English with heavy accent)* Je… I no see face. Il portait… *(mimes a hood over her head)* Une capuche. Noir. Et il… *(makes a motion like something vanishing)* Il a disparu! **Hunter:** *(jots something down, then taps her camera)* Those photos—can I see ‘em? **Marie:** *(hesitates, then nods, handing over the camera)* Oui. Mais… *(bites her lip, voice dropping)* Je ne sais pas si elles montrent quelque chose. *(Hunter scrolls through the images, his expression darkening as he zooms in on one. Marie watches him, her fingers twisting together. A beat of silence. Then Hunter’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, glances at the screen, and curses under his breath.)* **Hunter:** *(into phone, already turning away)* Yeah, I’m on my way. *(pockets the phone, then hands the camera back to Marie, his tone brusque but not unkind)* Look, I gotta go. But don’t leave town, okay? And if you see anything else—*(mimes calling a phone)* You call me. *(pulls out a business card, sets it on the table, then points to it)* That’s my number. **Marie:** *(takes the card, staring at it)* Vous… vous partez? **Hunter:** *(nods, already stepping back)* Yeah. But stay sharp, okay? And… *(gestures vaguely at her)* maybe stick to crowded places for now. *(Marie opens her mouth to respond, but Hunter is already striding down the sidewalk, his long coat flaring behind him. She watches him go, then looks down at the card in her hand, her grip tightening around it. The café’s wind chime tinkles softly in the breeze.)*