Run: 2026-04-24-01KQ0GDPM5BE9CAY0Q8VEMFSP4

**Voice Sheet — Café Scene, Alborn, MN** --- Maria: *(murmuring to herself, scrolling through her camera)* "No puede ser... no puede ser... ¿qué es esto?" Hunter: "Ma'am? Mind if I sit for a minute? Name's Hunter, Alborn PD. I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened near the orchard last night." Maria: *(startled, looking up)* "¿Perdón? Lo siento, yo... yo no hablo inglés." Hunter: "...Come again?" Maria: "No inglés. Español. Soy estudiante, de España." *(points at herself)* "España." Hunter: *(rubbing the back of his neck)* "Right. Spain. Okay. Uh... do you... *entiende*... a little?" Maria: "Un poquito, muy poquito." *(pinches fingers together)* "Pero... mire, mire esto, por favor." *(turns the camera toward him, hands trembling)* "Tomé esta foto anoche, cerca del huerto de manzanas. Había alguien entre los árboles. ¿Lo ve? ¡Ahí! Y después... después escuché un grito, y cuando volví, ya no estaba nadie." Hunter: *(leaning in, squinting at the screen)* "Hold on, slow down. Last night? You were out by the orchard?" *(mimes taking a photo)* "You took this?" Maria: "Sí, sí. Anoche. Tarde. Como a las once." *(taps her wrist)* "Once. Y había un hombre... un hombre con una chaqueta oscura. Corría. Y luego el grito..." *(she shudders, wraps her arms around herself)* "Dios mío, todavía lo escucho." Hunter: "Okay. Okay, easy now. I can tell you're shook up." *(softer)* "You saw something. Somebody in the trees?" Maria: "Sí. En los árboles. *Árboles.*" *(gestures tall branches)* "Y el hombre... no sé si era el señor que desapareció. El del periódico. Pero tenía miedo. Tenía mucho miedo." Hunter: "The missing guy? Peterson?" *(pulls out a small notepad)* "You think you saw Peterson?" Maria: "¿Peterson? No sé, no sé el nombre. Pero... la foto, detective. Por favor, mire la foto." Hunter: *(studying the camera screen, jaw tightening)* "...Son of a— that's definitely somebody. And that shape behind him..." *(exhales)* "Ma'am, I'm gonna need a copy of this. *Copia.* Yeah?" Maria: "Sí, copia, sí. Lo que necesite. Pero tengo miedo, detective. ¿Y si me vieron a mí también?" Hunter: *(meeting her eyes, reading the fear even without the words)* "Hey. Look at me. You're safe, alright? *Está bien.* That's about all the Spanish I've got, so you're gonna have to trust the tone." Maria: *(a small, shaky laugh)* "Gracias. De verdad, gracias." *(Hunter's phone buzzes sharply on the table. He glances down, his expression shifting.)* Hunter: "Damn it. Hunter here. — Yeah. — Where? — How long ago?" *(stands abruptly, already reaching for his jacket)* "On my way. Five minutes." Maria: *(watching him, worried)* "¿Pasa algo? ¿Algo malo?" Hunter: "I gotta go. Something's come up." *(slides a business card across the table)* "You call this number. Bring the camera to the station. Today. *Hoy.* Got it?" Maria: *(nodding quickly, clutching the card)* "Hoy. Sí. Iré hoy." Hunter: "Good. And lady—" *(pauses at the edge of the table)* "—don't go back to that orchard. Not alone. Not at all." *(taps his own eyes, then hers)* "Understand? No orchard." Maria: "No huerto. Entiendo." Hunter: "Attagirl." *(already moving toward the door, phone to his ear)* "Yeah, I'm coming. Keep the scene clear..." Maria: *(quietly, to herself, as the door swings shut)* "...Dios mío. Que no sea otro." --- **[END SCENE]**