Run: 2026-09-23-01M37P4K58X5XE50P9VAVD3HYR

**Scene: The Copper Kettle Café, Main Street, Alborn, MN — mid-afternoon. Maria sits alone by the window, camera in her lap, scrolling slowly through her photos. Hunter enters, spots her, and approaches.** --- **Hunter:** "Excuse me, ma'am. Detective Hunter Cole, Alborn PD. Mind if I take a minute of your time?" **Maria:** *(startling, instinctively pulling the camera against her chest)* "¿Perdón? Lo siento... no hablo inglés. No entiendo." **Hunter:** *(showing his badge, speaking slower and louder, as if volume might help)* "Detective. Police. I'm asking about last Tuesday — the apple festival. Three people have gone missing in this town this month." **Maria:** *(voice trembling, hands shaking around the camera)* "¿Desapariciones? Dios mío... ¿tres personas? Yo... yo solo tomé fotografías. Muchas fotografías. ¿Esto es sobre la mujer del lago? ¿La señorita que caminaba sola cerca del agua?" **Hunter:** *(frowning, rubbing his jaw)* "Ma'am, I don't understand a single word of that. Do you have anyone here with you? A translator? ¿Habla... inglés?" **Maria:** "No entiendo, lo siento, lo siento... (pausa, gesturing helplessly) ¿Usted... busca? ¿Busca a alguien? La vi, señor. La vi con mis propios ojos." **Hunter:** *(pointing at himself, then at her, then mimicking holding a camera)* "You. Camera. Pictures. Tuesday. Festival. See anything? Anyone?" **Maria:** *(eyes widening, hugging the camera tighter)* "¿La cámara? ¿Mis fotos? Es que... hay algo en ellas. Algo que no debería estar ahí. Un hombre. Siempre el mismo hombre, en cada foto, lejos, mirando a la gente. (bajando la voz, visiblemente asustada) Tengo miedo, señor. Cada día está más cerca." **Hunter:** *(pulling a photograph from his jacket — a smiling woman in a red scarf)* "This woman. Sarah Lindqvist. Have you seen her?" **Maria:** *(gasping, a hand flying to her mouth)* "¡Ella! ¡La mujer de la bufanda roja! La vi en el festival hablando con un hombre alto... y ahora ya no está. ¿Dónde está? ¿Dónde está ella?" **Hunter:** *(exhaling slowly)* "That reaction tells me plenty, even if the words don't. You saw her. Didn't you." **Maria:** *(nodding rapidly, tapping the photograph, then pointing out the window toward the lake)* "Sí, sí — el lago. El lago. Ella caminaba hacia el lago y el hombre la siguió. ¡El hombre la siguió!" **Hunter:** *(his phone buzzes — he glances at it, then holds up a finger)* "Hold that thought. Cole. ...What? ...When? ...No, don't touch anything. I'm on my way. (closing the phone, turning back to Maria) Ma'am, I have to go. You — stay. Don't leave town. I'll come back with a translator, and we're going to have a real conversation." **Maria:** *(rising halfway out of her chair, alarmed)* "¿Adónde va? ¡Espere! ¡Tengo que mostrarle las fotos! ¡Las fotografías! ¡Fotos! (gesturing like she's pressing a camera shutter)* ¡Mire, mire!" **Hunter:** *(pausing at the door, pointing at her, then at the camera, then holding up nine fingers and pointing at the café)* "You. Here. Tomorrow. Nine o'clock. Stay put." **Maria:** *(slowly nodding, sinking back into her seat, whispering)* "Mañana... a las nueve. Sí. Sí, aquí estaré. (to herself, staring down at the camera's screen) Ojalá vuelva pronto. Porque en la foto de anoche... el hombre ya no está lejos. Está justo detrás de la mujer de la bufanda roja." **Hunter:** *(one last look back at her through the glass, muttering to himself)* "Damn language barrier. First Spanish-speaking witness I've had in fifteen years on the force... and she might be the only person in this town who saw something. *(pulling his coat tighter as he steps out)* Don't leave town, lady. Please don't leave town." --- *End of scene.*