Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8H2V86CSPA4DHN89EM8YP

**Scene: *The Cozy Corner Café, Alborn, MN – Late Afternoon*** *The bell above the café door jingles as Detective Hunter steps inside, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on a young woman sitting alone at a corner table. She’s hunched over a camera, her fingers tracing the lens as if lost in thought. A half-drunk cup of coffee sits untouched beside her. Hunter approaches, his boots thudding softly against the wooden floor.* --- ### **VOICE SHEET – DIALOGUE** **HUNTER** *(clearing his throat, polite but direct)* "Excuse me, ma’am. I’m Detective Hunter. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what happened at the apple festival yesterday." *(Melanie startles slightly, her fingers tightening around the camera strap. She looks up, her dark eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion. She doesn’t speak English, but her expression says enough—she’s shaken.)* **MELANIE** *(in rapid, accented German, voice trembling)* "Ja… ich war dort. Ich habe alles gesehen." *(Yes… I was there. I saw everything.)* *(Hunter blinks, frowning. He doesn’t understand a word.)* **HUNTER** *(frowning, trying to adjust)* "Sorry, I don’t speak German. Can you—?" *(Melanie shakes her head, her hands trembling as she clutches the camera tighter. She swallows hard, then speaks again, slower but no less urgent.)* **MELANIE** *(German, urgent)* "Die Frau… sie ist einfach verschwunden. Vor meinen Augen." *(The woman… she just disappeared. Right in front of me.)* *(Hunter’s expression darkens. He pulls out his notepad, flipping to a fresh page.)* **HUNTER** *(thinking aloud, trying to piece together what she’s saying)* "You saw someone disappear? At the festival? When?" *(Melanie nods, her voice breaking slightly.)* **MELANIE** *(German, gesturing vaguely)* "Nach dem Konzert. Es war dunkel. Zu viele Menschen. Und dann—*plötzlich*—war sie weg." *(After the concert. It was dark. Too many people. And then—suddenly—she was gone.)* *(Hunter exhales sharply, rubbing his jaw. He’s used to people being evasive, but this—this is different. She’s terrified.)* **HUNTER** *(softening slightly, trying to reassure her)* "Okay. Let’s start from the beginning. What was her name?" *(Melanie hesitates, then whispers in German.)* **MELANIE** "Lena. Lena Voss." *(Hunter writes it down, his pen scratching against the paper. His mind races—another disappearance? And this woman saw it? He needs more.)* **HUNTER** "Where were you standing when this happened?" *(Melanie points toward the window, her voice barely above a whisper.)* **MELANIE** *(German, pointing)* "Dort. Neben dem alten Apfelbaum. Ich habe fotografiert—" *(There. By the old apple tree. I was taking pictures—)* *(Hunter follows her gaze, then looks back at her, his expression grim.)* **HUNTER** *(nodding, serious)* "Did anyone else see this?" *(Melanie shakes her head, her eyes filling with tears.)* **MELANIE** *(German, desperate)* "Nein. Nur ich. Aber ich schwöre, ich habe sie fallen sehen! Und dann—nichts." *(No. Only me. But I swear, I saw her fall! And then—nothing.)* *(Hunter’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He glances at the screen, his jaw tightening. He’s got to take this.)* **HUNTER** *(regretful, but professional)* "I’m sorry, but I’ve got to take this. It’s my captain. Can I come back later? Maybe bring someone who speaks German?" *(Melanie nods quickly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.)* **MELANIE** *(German, relieved but still shaken)* "Ja. Bitte. Ich… ich will helfen." *(Yes. Please. I… I want to help.)* *(Hunter gives her a small, understanding nod before stepping away to answer his phone. Melanie watches him go, her fingers still trembling around her camera.)* --- **END SCENE.** *(Hunter’s call is urgent—another lead, another piece of the puzzle. But now, he’s got a witness. A terrified, German-speaking witness who might hold the key to what’s really happening in Alborn.)*