Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXQ07CM91W4W11VS15DYNMB

Here’s the dialogue formatted as a **voice sheet** for your cozy mystery scene, capturing the tension, language barrier, and underlying unease between Marie and Hunter. --- ### **Scene: The Café in Alborn, MN** *Setting: A quiet, rustic café with the hum of distant conversation. Marie sits alone at a corner table, her camera in hand, scrolling through photos with a furrowed brow. Hunter approaches, his expression serious. He pulls out the chair across from her without asking.* --- **HUNTER** *(gruff, no-nonsense)* "Miss. You were at the old mill yesterday afternoon, weren’t you?" **MARIE** *(startled, switching to rapid French, hands tightening around her camera)* "Quoi? Comment… comment savez-vous ça? Je—je n’ai rien vu! Juste des photos, c’est tout!" *(What? How… how do you know that? I—I didn’t see anything! Just taking pictures, that’s all!)* **HUNTER** *(frowning, leaning in slightly)* "Look, I don’t know what you just said, but I need you to answer me. Did you see anyone near the mill? Anyone *unusual*?" **MARIE** *(panicked, gesturing wildly, mixing French and broken English words)* "Non—yes—*un homme*! Un homme avec… avec un *manteau noir*! Mais je ne sais pas son nom!" *(A man! A man with… with a black coat! But I don’t know his name!)* *(She shudders, gripping her camera like a lifeline.)* **HUNTER** *(exhales sharply, rubbing his temple)* "Black coat. Got it. Anything else? Tall? Short? Did he see you?" **MARIE** *(whispering, eyes darting to the door)* "Il m’a *regardée*… puis il est parti. Vite. Trop vite." *(He *looked* at me… then he left. Fast. Too fast.)* *(She swallows hard, then suddenly grabs Hunter’s wrist, her voice urgent.)* "Vous devez me croire—quelque chose ne va pas ici!" *(You have to believe me—something’s wrong here!)* **HUNTER** *(stares at her hand on his arm, then back at her face. His tone softens slightly, but remains firm)* "I believe you’re scared. But I need details, not… whatever this is." *(He pulls out a notepad, taps it with his pen.)* "Draw him. The coat. The face. *Anything.*" **MARIE** *(nods frantically, snatching the pen. Her hands shake as she sketches a rough outline—a gaunt face, a long coat, shadows for eyes. She pushes it toward him.)* "Voilà. C’est… c’est tout ce que je me souviens." *(There. That’s… that’s all I remember.)* **HUNTER** *(studies the sketch, jaw tightening. His phone rings—sharp, insistent. He glances at the screen, then back at Marie.)* "I’ve gotta take this. Don’t leave town." *(He stands abruptly, already answering the call as he strides away.)* "Detective Cole. Yeah, I’m on my way." **MARIE** *(to herself, gripping the edge of the table, whispered French)* "Mon Dieu… qu’est-ce que j’ai fait?" *(My God… what have I done?)* --- ### **Notes for Tone & Delivery:** - **Marie:** Starts **flustered**, grows **increasingly desperate**. Her French is rapid, breathless, with **occasional English words** slipping in when she’s overwhelmed. Physical tells: **fidgeting with her camera**, **glancing at exits**, **gripping objects tightly**. - **Hunter:** **Controlled frustration**—he’s used to getting answers, not language barriers. His voice is **low and gravelly**, but there’s a **hint of reluctance** when he sees her fear. By the end, his **marine instincts kick in**—he’s all business, but the sketch unsettles him. - **Subtext:** Marie knows more than she’s saying. Hunter senses it, but the **language gap** (and his sudden call) forces him to walk away before he can push further. --- Would you like any adjustments to the emotional beats or pacing? Or additional details (e.g., background noises, Marie’s accent nuances)?