Run: 2026-04-24-01KQ08AR8A2CAC5DX39M3P6KF8

# Voice Sheet — Cafe Scene **Melanie:** *(muttering to herself, scrolling through photos on her camera)* "Was ist da nur passiert… Das Licht war so seltsam an dem Abend…" **Hunter:** *(approaching the table, badge clipped to his belt)* "Excuse me, ma'am. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. You mind if I sit down for a second?" **Melanie:** *(looking up, startled, then relieved to see a friendly face — or what she hopes is one)* "Oh — ja, natürlich. Bitte." **Hunter:** *(sitting down, pulling out a small notepad)* "Thanks. So, I'm going around talking to folks. You were out near Millbrook Road two nights ago, around dusk, is that right? Someone reported seeing a photographer out there." **Melanie:** *(nodding, smiling politely but clearly not understanding a word)* "Ja… Ich mache gerne Fotos bei Sonnenuntergang. Das Licht ist hier so wunderschön." **Hunter:** *(blinking)* "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. English?" **Melanie:** *(pausing, confused, then repeating slower as if that might help)* "Fotos… Ich — Fotos. Kamera." *(holds up her camera as a prop)* **Hunter:** "Oh, right, your camera. Yeah, I can see that. That's actually what I wanted to ask about. Did you see anything unusual out on Millbrook Road? Maybe a vehicle? A person walking alone?" **Melanie:** *(her expression darkens, voice dropping)* "Ja… Ich habe etwas gesehen. Es war… es war beunruhigend." *(She grips her camera tightly.)* "Da war jemand am Straßenrand. Und dann… dann war er einfach weg." **Hunter:** *(leaning forward)* "What was that? What did you see?" **Melanie:** *(struggling, pointing at her camera, then making a walking gesture with her fingers, then throwing her hands up in frustration)* "Mensch! Eine Person! Da! Und dann —" *(she mimes vanishing with her hands)* "— weg! Verschwunden!" **Hunter:** *(slowly)* "Someone… was there… and then they were gone?" **Melanie:** *(eyes wide, nodding vigorously)* "Ja! Ja, genau! Verschwunden! Und es war nicht normal —" *(her voice cracks)* "Es war nicht normal, Detective. Es hat sich… falsch angefühlt." **Hunter:** *(running a hand through his hair, frustrated by the gap between them)* "Lady, I can tell something's got you rattled. I really wish I could understand what you're saying. Can you write it down, maybe? Do you know any English at all?" **Melanie:** *(shaking her head sadly)* "Nein… Entschuldigung. Ich spreche kein Englisch." *(She winces at her own inability to communicate.)* "Das ist so frustrierend…" **Hunter:** *(sighing)* "Yeah. Tell me about it." *(He gestures at her camera.)* "The photos — can I see them? Maybe the pictures will do the talking." **Melanie:** *(hesitates, then carefully turns the camera around so Hunter can see the screen)* "Bitte… Schau dir die Fotos von Montagabend an." **Hunter:** *(taking the camera gently, scrolling through images — landscapes, golden light, the small town's rolling hills)* "These are really good. But which one — which one shows what you saw?" **Melanie:** *(reaching over and carefully advancing to a specific photo — a distant figure on the roadside, half-shrouded in mist)* "Das. Dieses Bild. Da." **Hunter:** *(staring at the photo, jaw tightening)* "…Can I send this to myself? I'll give the camera right back." **Melanie:** *(nodding, understanding the gesture even without the words)* "Ja. Bitte. Hilf mir… ich möchte einfach, dass jemand weiß, was ich gesehen habe." **Hunter:** *(transferring the photo, then sliding the camera back to her)* "I'm gonna get this looked at. And I'm gonna find someone who speaks German to come talk to you properly. You stay right here, okay?" *(Hunter's phone buzzes. He glances at the screen.)* **Hunter:** "…Yeah. Yeah, I'm on my way." *(He stands, tossing a few bills on the table for her coffee.)* "Sorry, I gotta run. Don't leave town." **Melanie:** *(calling after him as he strides toward the door)* "Detective — seien Sie vorsichtig!" **Hunter:** *(pausing at the door, half-turning)* "…I'll take that as a goodbye." *(The bell above the door jingles. Melanie sits alone, clutching her camera, the photo still glowing on the transfer confirmation on Hunter's phone.)* **Melanie:** *(quietly, to herself)* "Er hat keine Ahnung…" ---