Run: 2026-09-02-01M1GTHNC0QDDTCVH8Q300T79V

*Scene: The Sugar Maple Café, Alborn, MN — mid-morning, three days before the Apple Festival. Marie sits alone by the window, camera cradled in her lap. Hunter crosses the room, badge low at his hip, and lays a MISSING flyer on the table between them.* Hunter: "Ma'am. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. Got a minute? I'm asking after Ellie Nordin — she's the third one to vanish since June. The fella at the counter says you were out at Miller's Orchard Tuesday evening. Photographing the fog." Marie: *(setting down the camera, going pale as she stares at the flyer)* "Pardon… ? Je ne comprends pas… Oh. Oh non. C'est la fille de l'affiche. Je la vois partout en ville… et je le savais. Depuis mardi soir, je le savais." *(I'm sorry…? I don't understand… Oh. Oh no. It's the girl from the poster. I see her all over town… and I knew. Since Tuesday evening, I knew.)* Hunter: *(blinking)* "…Right. You get any of that? 'Cause I sure didn't." *(slower, louder)* "Do. You. Speak. English." Marie: *(shaking her head, hands tightening on the camera)* "Non ! Français ! Je parle seulement français — anglais, rien du tout ! Vous comprenez ça, 'rien du tout' ?" *(No! French! I speak only French — English, nothing at all! Do you understand that, 'nothing at all'?)* Hunter: "Course you don't. One witness in the whole county, and she speaks French." *(sighs, taps the flyer, points at the photo, then mimes looking around)* "Ellie. Ellie Nordin. Have you seen her? At the orchard?" Marie: *(voice trembling)* "Ellie… oui. Oui, je crois que je l'ai vue ! Mardi soir, près de la barrière — une fille, et un homme avec elle… ils se disputaient ! J'ai eu tellement peur…" *(Ellie… yes. Yes, I think I saw her! Tuesday evening, near the fence — a girl, and a man with her… they were arguing! I was so frightened…)* Hunter: "Whoa. Slow down, ma'am." *(raises a hand, taps the table once with one finger)* "One thing at a time." Marie: *(words tumbling faster, hands moving)* "Ils criaient ! J'étais cachée derrière les pommiers — je photographiais le brouillard — et mon flash s'est déclenché. L'homme s'est retourné. Il m'a regardée, monsieur. Je crois… je crois qu'il m'a vue." *(They were shouting! I was hidden behind the apple trees — I was photographing the fog — and my flash went off. The man turned around. He looked at me, sir. I think… I think he saw me.)* Hunter: *(catching her tone if not her words; quieter)* "Okay. Okay — breathe." *(pulls out his phone, opens the calendar, turns the screen to her, points at Tuesday, then out the window toward the hills)* "Tuesday. You. Orchard." Marie: *(light dawning)* "Ah ! Mardi ! Oui, mardi soir — le verger ! Oui, j'y étais !" *(Ah! Tuesday! Yes, Tuesday evening — the orchard! Yes, I was there!)* Hunter: "Good. That's something." *(points at her camera, mimes pressing the shutter)* "Photos? Tuesday — photos?" Marie: "Oui ! Des photos ! Beaucoup ! Tenez, regardez — je vous montre…" *(Yes! Photos! Many! Here, look — I'll show you…)* *(She turns the camera toward him and scrolls. He leans in, forearms on the table.)* Hunter: "That's the east fence line. That's where her scarf turned up. …Wait. Go back one." *(mimes scrolling back)* Marie: "Celle-ci ? C'est la dernière. Juste avant de rentrer…" *(This one? It's the last one. Just before I went home…)* Hunter: "Zoom in. There — by the gate. Is that a—" *(mimes a steering wheel, then the shape of a truck bed)* "—truck?" Marie: *(nodding quickly)* "Un camion ! Oui, un camion bleu, près du portail ! Et l'homme était grand — plus grand que vous — avec une capuche. Il faisait presque noir…" *(A truck! Yes, a blue truck, near the gate! And the man was tall — taller than you — with a hood. It was almost dark…)* Hunter: "Blue." *(points at the chrome-blue napkin dispenser, then at the photo)* "Blue like this?" Marie: "Bleu comme ça, oui ! Exactement !" *(Blue like that, yes! Exactly!)* Hunter: "Alright." *(slides her a napkin and a pen)* "Write it down. What you saw — all of it. In—" *(circles his hand vaguely)* "—French. French is fine." Marie: *(writing fast, pressing hard)* "Mardi soir, dix-neuf heures. Verger de Miller, brouillard. Une jeune fille — celle de l'affiche. Un homme grand, capuche sombre. Camion bleu, portail est. Ils se disputaient. Mon flash. Il m'a regardée. Il m'a peut-être vue." *(Tuesday evening, seven o'clock. Miller's orchard, fog. A young woman — the one from the poster. A tall man, dark hood. Blue truck, east gate. They were arguing. My flash. He looked at me. He may have seen me.)* Hunter: *(squinting over her shoulder as he folds the napkin into his jacket)* "That's a lot of vowels." *(beat)* "Somebody in this town speaks French. Has to be somebody." *(sets his card on the table, points at the camera, then the card, then mimes typing)* "Meantime — you send me the photos. Email. Tonight?" Marie: *(taking the card, studying it)* "E-mail ? Ah — e-mail ! Oui !" *(points out the window, draws the setting sun with her hand, then mimes typing)* "Ce soir. Je vous envoie tout ce soir, monsieur le détective. Il faut la retrouver." *(Email? Ah — email! Yes! Tonight. I'll send you everything tonight, detective. She has to be found.)* Hunter: "Tonight. Good." *(softer, gruffer; points at himself, raises a flat hand over his head, then points at her and out the darkening window)* "And the man. Tall man. You see him again —" *(mimes dialing a phone, taps the card)* "— you call. Me. You get me? Call." Marie: *(hugging the camera to her chest)* "Je ne comprends pas tout ce que vous dites… mais si je le revois, je vous appelle. Et je vous envoie tout ce soir. Trouvez-la, monsieur. S'il vous plaît, trouvez-la." *(I don't understand everything you're saying… but if I see him again, I'll call you. And I'll send you everything tonight. Find her, sir. Please, find her.)* *(His phone buzzes. He checks the screen and answers.)* Hunter: "Hunter. …Quarry Road? …Blue pickup, plates gone, keys still in the ignition — you're sure? …No. Nobody touches it. Tape it off and keep the volunteers off the water. I'm ten minutes out." *(hangs up, already standing; points at the card)* "Photos. Tonight. And you—" *(points at her, then at the crowded café, then the window)* "—stay where there's people. Lights on. Doors locked. You get me?" Marie: *(following his finger, quiet)* "Rester… avec les gens. Dans la lumière. …Oui. Oui, promis." *(Stay… with people. In the light. …Yes. Yes, I promise.)* Hunter: *(a curt nod; taps the table twice — a small, wordless promise — then heads for the door, half-turned)* "You did good today, ma'am. Wish I knew how to tell you that in French." Marie: *(to herself, once he's gone, the camera held close)* "Faites attention à vous aussi, monsieur le détective…" *(Take care of yourself too, detective…)*