Run: 2026-07-01-01KWE8RCQQWCN5FZZ608TP852S

**Scene: A Cafe in Alborn, MN** *Melanie sits at a small table outside the cafe, scrolling through photos on her camera. The autumn light catches the frost on her coffee cup. Hunter approaches, badge clipped to his belt, notepad in hand.* Hunter: "Afternoon. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. Mind if I ask you a few questions?" Melanie: *(looking up, startled)* "Oh—entschuldigen Sie, ich—" *(She pauses, realizing he's speaking English)* "Es tut mir leid, ich verstehe nicht." Hunter: *(frowning slightly)* "Sorry, come again?" Melanie: *(flustered, gesturing toward her camera as if it might help)* "Ich spreche kein Englisch. Nur Deutsch." Hunter: *(sighing, rubbing his temple)* "Great. Okay—German. Got it." *(He pulls out his notepad anyway, more out of habit than hope.)* "Were you here last night? Down by the orchard?" Melanie: *(shaking her head, clearly not understanding the words but sensing the seriousness)* "Was ist passiert? Ich habe gestern Abend Schreie gehört—in der Nähe des Obstgartens. Es war fürchterlich." Hunter: *(leaning in, catching the tone if not the words)* "Screams? Did you say something about screaming?" Melanie: *(nodding vigorously, her hands trembling slightly as she mimics covering her ears)* "Ja, ja—Schreie! Ich hatte solche Angst. Ich bin sofort zurück ins Hotel gerannt." Hunter: *(exhaling, frustrated but patient)* "Okay. Okay, screaming, orchard, scared—I'm getting pieces here." *(He gestures for her to wait, pulling out his phone to search for a translation app.)* "Hang on a second." Melanie: *(watching him fumble with his phone, she lifts her camera)* "Ich habe Fotos gemacht. Vielleicht helfen sie?" *(She turns the camera toward him, flipping through images of the orchard at dusk.)* Hunter: *(squinting at the screen, unable to read the German captions but recognizing the location)* "That's the Hendersons' orchard. You were out there last night?" Melanie: *(pointing at the timestamp on one photo, insistent)* "Ja—hier, um acht Uhr. Aber danach war es... anders. Dunkel. Ich hörte etwas im Gebüsch." Hunter: *(nodding slowly, piecing together fragments)* "Eight o'clock. Something in the bushes. Alright, this might actually be useful—" *His phone buzzes sharply. He glances at the screen, jaw tightening.* Hunter: "Damn it—not now." *(He looks back at Melanie, torn.)* "Listen, I need you to stay right here. Don't go anywhere. I'll get someone who speaks German, alright?" Melanie: *(confused but nodding, sensing urgency)* "Ich... ich verstehe nicht, aber—okay?" Hunter: *(already standing, phone pressed to his ear)* "Hunter. Yeah. Where?" *(His expression darkens.)* "I'm on my way." *He gives Melanie one last glance—apologetic, hurried—before jogging toward his truck. Melanie watches him go, clutching her camera tighter, the photographs of the orchard glowing faintly on the screen in the fading light.*