Run: 2026-05-10-01KR8Y21ZD50AWN7VC9H84RD34

The bell above the door of *The Apple Core Café* chimed, cutting through the low hum of midday chatter and the scent of cinnamon rolls. Marie sat in a corner booth, her fingers tracing the edge of her digital camera. She wasn't looking at the screen, though; her eyes were fixed on the window, watching the autumn leaves dance across the pavement of Alborn, her mind far from the landscapes she usually captured. Hunter approached the table, his heavy boots thudding softly on the wood-paneled floor. He looked every bit the detective—shoulders squared, eyes scanning the room by habit, a weary intensity etched into his brow. He pulled out the chair opposite her without waiting for an invitation. Marie jumped slightly, her hand instinctively clutching her camera. Marie: "Oh ! Pardon, je ne vous ai pas vu arriver." Hunter: "Sorry to startle you. I'm Detective Hunter. I saw you sitting here alone and thought I'd ask—did you see anything unusual near the old orchard last night? There was a commotion around midnight." Marie: "L'orchard ? C'était... c'était terrifiant. J'ai entendu des cris, mais quand je suis sortie, il n'y avait que le silence. Tout était si calme, comme si la ville elle-même retenait son souffle. J'ai peur de sortir seule maintenant." Hunter: *[Frowning, leaning forward slightly]* "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Do you speak English? I need to know if you witnessed anyone leaving the area." Marie: "Je ne comprends pas... Je ne parle pas anglais. Je suis désolée. C'était une nuit horrible, je vous le dis." Hunter: *[Sighing, rubbing the bridge of his nose]* "Great. Just great. Look, I'm sorry, lady. I don't know a word of French. I'm just trying to figure out if there's a witness to the disappearance near the festival grounds." Marie: *[Gesturing vaguely toward the window, her voice trembling]* "S'il vous plaît, ne me regardez pas comme ça. Je ne peux pas vous aider si je ne comprends pas ce que vous voulez." Hunter: "Listen, I'm trying to help, but we're hitting a wall here. If you see something, or if you find something on that camera of yours that looks out of place, you should probably take it to the station. Can you do that?" Marie: *[Shaking her head slowly, her eyes welling up]* "Je ne sais pas si je peux... Tout est si étrange ici." Suddenly, the sharp, rhythmic trill of a cell phone broke the tension. Hunter reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his device, glancing at the caller ID. His expression shifted instantly from frustration to grim professionalism. Hunter: "I have to go. Duty calls." Marie: "Vous partez déjà ? Je... je ne comprends pas ce qui se passe dans cette ville." Hunter: *[Standing up, giving her a curt, apologetic nod]* "Stay safe, alright? Keep that camera handy."