Run: 2026-04-24-01KPZTVZNTG6NNZJ01H8YHFYE5

**Voice Sheet: Café Scene — Melanie & Hunter** --- Melanie: *(softly, to herself, scrolling through photos on her camera)* "Das kann doch nicht sein... das war er, ich bin mir sicher..." Hunter: *(approaching, pulling out a chair)* "Excuse me, ma'am. Mind if I sit down for a second? Name's Hunter — I'm a detective with the Alborn PD." Melanie: *(looking up, startled)* "Oh — Entschuldigung, ich... ich spreche kein Englisch." Hunter: *(frowning slightly)* "I'm sorry, what was that?" Melanie: "Ich verstehe Sie nicht. Ich spreche nur Deutsch." Hunter: "German? You're speaking German?" *(rubs the back of his neck)* "Alright. Okay. Let's try this slow. I just have a couple questions about what happened down by the old mill last night. You were there, weren't you? Someone said they saw a young woman with a camera." Melanie: *(voice trembling, hands tightening around the camera)* "Ich war dort, ja. Ich habe Fotos gemacht — vom Sonnenuntergang, nur vom Sonnenuntergang. Und dann... dann habe ich etwas gesehen. Einen Mann. Er hat jemanden gezogen — gezerrt — ins Wasser. Ich glaube, ich habe es fotografiert, ohne es zu merken." Hunter: "Whoa, whoa — slow down. I'm not catchin' any of this." *(leans forward)* "Camera? You take pictures?" *(mimes a camera click)* Melanie: *(nodding quickly, turning the camera toward him)* "Ja, ja — Kamera. Schauen Sie. Hier. Dieser Mann. Sehen Sie ihn? Er hat mich angesehen. Er hat mich gesehen, Herr Detektiv. Ich habe solche Angst." Hunter: *(squinting at the small screen, jaw tightening)* "Well, I'll be damned. That's — yeah, that's something alright." *(looks up at her)* "Hey. Hey, look at me. You're shakin' like a leaf. You're safe here, okay? Safe." *(holds up a hand, palm down, calming gesture)* "Safe." Melanie: *(eyes glistening)* "Ich wollte nur Fotos machen. Ich bin erst seit drei Wochen hier. Ich wollte keinen Ärger. Bitte — bitte glauben Sie mir." Hunter: "I don't know what you just said, but I believe you. Whatever it is. I believe you." *(reaches into his jacket, pulls out a card, slides it across the table)* "Hunter. Call me. Or — have somebody call me for you. We'll get a translator down at the station. Translator. *Übersetzer*? That one I think I've heard before." Melanie: *(small, watery smile)* "Übersetzer. Ja. Danke." Hunter: "Yeah. *Danke.* That one I know too." *(half-smile)* "Listen, don't go back to that mill. You hear me? Not alone. Not at night. Stay where there's people." Melanie: *(nodding slowly, clutching the card)* "Ich verstehe nicht alles, aber... ich verstehe genug. Danke, Herr Hunter." *(Hunter's phone buzzes loudly on the table. He glances at it, jaw setting.)* Hunter: "Damn it. I gotta take this." *(stands, answering)* "Hunter. — Yeah. — When? — Son of a — alright, I'm on my way." *(hangs up, looks back at Melanie)* "I'm sorry, miss. I gotta run. You call me. Today. Promise me." Melanie: *(holding up the card)* "Ich rufe an. Versprochen." Hunter: *(pausing, then pointing at the camera)* "And you hold onto that camera. Don't let it out of your sight. Got it?" *(mimes clutching something to his chest)* "Important." Melanie: *(pulling the camera close, nodding)* "Ja. Ich passe auf." Hunter: "Good girl. Stay safe." *(turns, tossing over his shoulder as he walks out)* "*Danke.*" Melanie: *(quietly, watching him go)* "Pass auf dich auf, Detektiv..." *(She looks back down at the camera, at the blurred figure on the screen, and slowly sets her coffee cup down with a trembling hand.)* --- **END SCENE**