Run: 2026-09-03-01M1KA1K322WVG9GSGHMWV3AKC

**Scene:** Small café in Alborn, MN — afternoon **Melanie:** sitting alone, her camera in her hands, scrolling through photos. --- **Hunter:** (approaches, badge visible) "Excuse me, miss? I'm Detective Hunter with the Alborn Police. I'm asking around about the disappearance by the old mill, Tuesday afternoon. Did you happen to be out that way?" **Melanie:** (looks up, startled, pulls camera close) "Entschuldigung? Ich... ich spreche kein Englisch. Ich bin nicht von hier." **Hunter:** (blinks, confused) "Uh... no English. Okay. Let me try this—" *(he holds up his phone with a photo of the mill)* "This. Tuesday. Did you see—anything?" **Melanie:** (face pales, her voice shakes) "Das... das war kein Unfall. Da waren Männer—sie haben etwas in den Fluss geworfen. Eine Tasche. Und dann haben sie mich gesehen." **Hunter:** (not understanding, but catching her fear) "Whoa. Okay—you saw something. I can tell. *(points to his badge, then to her)* Police. You're safe. Can you tell me what you saw?" **Melanie:** "Ich weiß nicht, wie ich Ihnen das erklären soll. Ich wollte nur Fotos von der Brücke machen, und dann—" *(breaks off, glances out window, then back)* "Die Männer waren groß. Sie hatten eine grüne Jacke. Einer hatte ein Muttermal am Hals." **Hunter:** (grasping at one word, gestures at his own arm) "Green. You saw green. And men? Two men? *(holds up two fingers)* Two?" **Melanie:** (nods eagerly) "Ja, zwei Männer. Grüne Jacke. Der andere war älter—graue Haare. Sie hatten einen Pickup." **Hunter:** (mimes a steering wheel) "Pickup—a truck. Okay, that's good. Anything else? License plate? Did you see numbers?" **Melanie:** "Nummernschild? Nein, das habe ich nicht gesehen. Aber sie hatten etwas auf der Ladefläche—ein rostiges Fahrrad. Ich glaube, es gehörte dem Mädchen, das verschwunden ist." **Hunter:** (stares at her a moment, then phone buzzes. He glances down, frowns.) "I have to take this. *(puts phone to ear, steps aside)* Wait here, okay? Don't leave." *(Hunter talks quietly in the corner, then returns, pocketing his phone.)* **Hunter:** "Sorry—I have to go. There's a lead. But you've been really helpful. *(pulls out a card, writes on it, hands it to her)* This is my number. If you remember anything, call. And maybe—stay inside tonight. Okay?" **Melanie:** (takes card, holds it tight, looks up at him) "Sie haben mir geglaubt, nicht wahr? Danke schön." **Hunter:** (gives a small nod, not understanding, but understanding the tone) "Take care, miss. I'll find them." *(He leaves. Melanie sits alone, the card in her hand, camera still aroundher neck.)*