Run: 2026-02-25-01KJBG7NHJ5ABAQH5DFJ9T7T57

**SCENE START** **LOCATION:** The Harvest Café, Downtown Alborn, MN. Late afternoon. Autumn leaves stick to the windows. Smell of apples and coffee. **CHARACTERS:** * **MARIE (30):** Wearing a heavy coat. Holding a DSLR camera. Anxious. * **HUNTER (35):** Wearing a trench coat over a tactical vest. Sharp eyes. Frustrated. *** **(Hunter enters the café. The bell above the door jingles. He scans the room, spots Marie taking a photo of the coffee machine. He walks over.)** Hunter: "Excuse me. I’m Detective Hunter with the county sheriff’s office." Marie: **(Looking up, startled)** "Bonjour?..." Hunter: "I’m looking for you, miss. About the disappearance of Sarah Miller last Tuesday." **(Hunter sits in the chair opposite Marie. He places a notepad on the table. He waits.)** Marie: **(Tightening her grip on the camera strap)** "Je ne comprends pas... Je n'ai rien vu." *(She is saying she doesn't understand and saw nothing.)* Hunter: "I know English isn't your first language. But Sarah is from here. Did you see anyone acting strange near the town square?" **(Marie shakes her head slowly. She opens her camera case and pulls out a photo.)** Marie: "Regardez... La photo. Je l'ai prise ce soir-là." *(She points to the photo and says she took it that night.)* Hunter: "This is... a picture of a tree? Marie, did you see a man? A vehicle?" **(Hunter points to the edge of the photo. He leans in, trying to bridge the gap. Marie looks at the photo, then at Hunter, her eyes wide.)** Marie: "Il y avait... un camion. Il était noir." *(She says there was a truck. It was black.)* Hunter: "A black truck. Did you see the license plate?" Marie: "Non. Il a conduit trop vite." *(No. He drove too fast.)* **(Hunter rubs his temples. He scribbles 'BLACK TRUCK' on the notepad, then gestures to his head, mimicking a vehicle engine.)** Hunter: "Did you see who was driving? Was it a local?" Marie: **(Voice trembling)** "Je ne sais pas. J'ai eu peur." *(I don't know. I was scared.)* **(Hunter sighs, realizing he can't get the specific details he needs without an interpreter. He looks at his watch.)** Hunter: "Okay. Just... do you live in Alborn?" Marie: "Je suis française. En échange." *(I am French. On exchange.)* Hunter: "Right. Study abroad. Okay. Marie, I need you to stay put until someone brings you a translator. Can you do that?" Marie: "Je dois y aller." *(I have to go.)* Hunter: "I'm not going to let you leave the town until we know more." Marie: "Il vous a vu. Il vous a vu avec moi." *(He saw you. He saw you with me.)* **(Hunter frowns, confused. He doesn't catch the threat in the words, only the intensity.)** Hunter: "I'm protecting this town. If you're in danger, you tell me." Marie: "Ils sont partout. Je dois rentrer." *(They are everywhere. I have to go back.)* **(Hunter stands up abruptly. His phone vibrates loudly in his pocket. He checks the screen. His expression hardens.)** Hunter: "Excuse me." **(He walks a few steps away, turns his back to Marie.)** Hunter: "Yes. I have a lead." **(Hunter pauses, listening to the person on the other end.)** Hunter: "I'm on it. Tell them to hold the scene." **(Hunter looks back at Marie, who is now packing her camera hurriedly. He knows he has to leave.)** Hunter: "Marie, listen to me." **(Marie doesn't answer. She zips the bag.)** Hunter: "I'm getting a call. I'll come back for you." Marie: "Je ne vous attendrai pas." *(I won't wait for you.)* **(Hunter nods, defeated by the language barrier and the urgency of the new call. He turns and walks out of the café without another word.)** **SCENE END**