Run: 2026-09-02-01M1GVA8RGFEPHJ6FT8FHVVS6B

*[The Cider Press Café — Main Street, Alborn. Morning. Maria sits alone by the window, scrolling through her camera. Hunter crosses the room, badge in hand, and stops at her table.]* **Hunter:** "Ma'am. Hunter. County." *(sets his badge on the table)* "Apple Festival kicks off in six days, and I've got three grown adults gone without a trace. I'm canvassing everyone who was out near Miller's orchard Saturday night." *(lays a photo face-up on the table)* "You know this man?" **Maria:** "¿Perdón? Lo siento, no... no entiendo. Inglés... no hablo inglés." *(apologizing — then her eyes land on the photo. Her hand flies to her mouth.)* "Ay, Dios mío. Ese hombre. Yo... yo le vi. Anoche." **Hunter:** "Whoa — easy. You know him? That a yes or a no, ma'am?" **Maria:** "Espere, espere... Usted habla y yo no entiendo nada. Lo siento. ¿Español? ¿Habla usted español?" *(voice trembling)* "Ya son tres, ¿verdad? Tres en un mes. En mi clase ya nadie sale de noche. Este pueblo... este pueblo da miedo." **Hunter:** *(long pause)* "...Right. That's a problem." *(drags a chair over, sits, pulls a napkin and pen from his jacket)* "New plan. We do this with pictures, like kindergartners." **Maria:** "¿Qué hace? ¿Qué está dibujando?" **Hunter:** *(sketches a boxy van, slides the napkin across)* "Van. Did you see a van? Vehicle. Four wheels." **Maria:** *(nodding fast, tapping the napkin)* "¡Sí! ¡Sí, eso es! ¡Una furgoneta blanca! Aparcada junto al huerto, junto a los manzanos viejos. ¡Sin matrícula! ¡Le habían quitado la matrícula!" **Hunter:** "You're nodding. I'm calling that a yes." *(points at Pedersen's photo, mimes a steering wheel, then mimes someone being shoved through a door)* "Him. In the van. Yes? No?" **Maria:** "¡Le metieron! ¡No se subió él solo — dos hombres le empujaron dentro! Yo estaba haciendo fotos del atardecer y lo vi todo. ¡Todo!" **Hunter:** *(holds up two fingers)* "Two? Two guys?" **Maria:** "¡Sí, dos! Uno llevaba algo al hombro. Algo grande, pesado, como..." *(mimes hauling a heavy sack over her shoulder)* "...como un saco. Y luego arrancaron hacia el molino viejo." **Hunter:** *(slowly mimicking her motion, eyes narrowed)* "Carrying something. Heavy. Toward the old mill." *(sighs, rubs his jaw)* "And I understand exactly none of what you just said." *(points at her camera)* "That thing have film in it? You take pictures out there Saturday night?" **Maria:** "¡Sí! ¡Todo está aquí dentro! Mire—" *(turns the screen toward him, scrolling)* "El atardecer sobre el lago... y aquí, mire, junto a los manzanos... el fondo de la foto—" **Hunter:** "Orchard. Sunset. Apples. Lots of apples." *(leans in, squinting)* "There's a smudge in the corner, honey. Lens smudge." **Maria:** "¡No es una mancha! ¡Haga zoom! ¡Amplíe la foto, por favor! ¡Mire el fondo!" **Hunter:** "Alright, alright, gimme—" *(his phone buzzes against his belt. He checks the screen. Jaw tightens. Answers.)* "Hunter. ...Where? ...Route 4, by the packing plant? ...Nobody touches anything. I'm ten minutes out." *(ends the call, stands, hands the camera back)* **Maria:** "¿Qué pasa? ¿Dónde va? ¡Espere! ¡Aún no hemos terminado! ¡No ha mirado la foto!" **Hunter:** *(pointing at her, then the chair, then the camera)* "Ma'am. Stay. Right here. Don't leave town, and don't let anybody touch that camera. You and me are gonna finish this conversation if I have to learn every word of whatever that is by Friday." **Maria:** *(calling after him)* "¡Señor Hunter! ¡Espere! ¡Las fotos! ¡Mire el fondo de las fotos, se lo suplico!" *(sinking back into her chair, hugging the camera to her chest, voice dropping to a whisper)* "...Se lo suplico."