Run: 2026-04-24-01KQ02VR7KD7EE6NE5NZS89S8H

# Alborn, MN – Main Street Cafe Isabella sits alone at a small corner table, her untouched latte growing cold beside her. She stares at the small screen of her camera, her fingers trembling slightly as she scrolls through photographs. Her eyes are red-rimmed. Hunter approaches the table, his badge clipped visibly to his jacket. He clears his throat. --- **Hunter:** "Excuse me. I'm Detective Hunter. I'm looking into the missing persons cases we've had here in town lately. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" **Isabella:** *looks up, startled, her eyes wide* "...Scusi?" **Hunter:** "I'm investigating some disappearances. You've been staying in town for a while, right? On that exchange program?" **Isabella:** *shakes her head slowly, gesturing vaguely to her ears* "Non capisco... non parlo inglese. Mi dispiace." **Hunter:** *blinks, leaning forward slightly* "I'm sorry, I— do you understand me? Just... yes or no?" **Isabella:** *takes a shaky breath, then holds up her camera, turning the screen toward him* "Questo... questo ho visto. La ragazza... ieri sera, vicino al ponte. Lei era... scomparsa. Come gli altri." **Hunter:** *stares at the screen, then back at her face* "I don't... I don't know what you're saying, miss." **Isabella:** *points emphatically at the camera screen, then at the window, in the direction of the town's edge* "Ponte. Il ponte! La ragazza è scomparsa lì!" **Hunter:** *sighs, rubbing the back of his neck* "Okay. Bridge. You keep saying something about a bridge." **Isabella:** *nods vigorously, relieved* "Sì! Sì, il ponte! Fotografia— io ho una fotografia!" **Hunter:** "You took a photograph? Near the bridge?" **Isabella:** *nods again, scrolling through the camera to a grainy image of a shadowy figure near the old covered bridge on County Road 4* "Guardi. Guardi qui." **Hunter:** *leans in, his brow furrowing as he studies the image* "That's... when was this taken?" **Isabella:** *holds up three fingers* "Tre... tre giorni fa. Di notte." **Hunter:** *quietly, to himself* "Three days ago. At night." *He pulls out a notepad and scribbles something down, then points at the camera and mimes writing* "I need a copy of that photo." **Isabella:** *understanding the gesture, nods and reaches for a cable in her bag, then stops, her face falling* "Non... non funziona qui. Non ho il—" **Hunter:** "I'll bring someone who can help translate. Just— don't delete that photo. Can you come to the station?" **Isabella:** *hesitates, glancing nervously out the window toward the direction of the bridge* "...La stazione?" **Hunter:** *points to his badge, then makes a walking motion with his fingers* "Police station. We go there. Together." **Isabella:** *swallows hard, then nods slowly* "Sì... sì, va bene." **Hunter:** *stands, about to speak further—* *His phone buzzes loudly. He glances at the screen and his expression tightens.* **Hunter:** "Hold on one moment." *answers the phone* "Hunter here." *His jaw clenches* "What do you mean, another one? When?" *He listens, pacing a few steps away from the table* "I'm on my way. Twenty minutes." *He hangs up and turns back to Isabella* "I have to go. Right now." **Isabella:** *standing, clutching her camera strap* "Che è successo? Un altro...?" **Hunter:** *already moving toward the door, holding up a hand* "The station. Go to the station. Someone there will help you. Please." **Isabella:** "Aspetti! Detective—!" *The door swings shut behind him. Isabella stands alone in the quiet cafe, her knuckles white around her camera. Outside, Hunter's truck roars to life and pulls away in a spray of gravel.* *She looks down at the photograph still glowing on her screen—the silhouette near the bridge—and whispers to herself.* **Isabella:** "...Un altro. L'ha detto un altro."