Run: 2026-09-24-01M39VFGJJNXGMN6DFYZ7X1XXS

*The Rusty Spoon Cafe, mid-morning. Maria sits alone by the window, scrolling through the photos on her camera. Hunter approaches, badge clipped to his belt.* **Hunter:** "Ma'am. Detective Hunter, county PD. Mind if I sit? I've got some questions about Thursday night." **Maria:** "¿Qué? No... no, no quiero hablar de eso. Por favor, no." **Hunter:** "I'm sorry, come again? Look, folks say you were out past the cider mill around sunset Thursday. Somebody with a camera on the orchard trail. That'd be you, right?" **Maria:** "Usted es policía, ¿no? Gracias a Dios. Escúcheme: esa noche estaba en el huerto. Solo tomaba fotos del atardecer, lo juro. Nada más." **Hunter:** "*sighs* Okay, I understood exactly none of that. You speak any English? One word? 'Yes'? 'No'?" **Maria:** "Y entonces... Dios mío, entonces lo vi. Vi a ese hombre, allí entre los árboles. Estaba tan quieto... y yo corrí. No sabía qué hacer, no sabía a quién decírselo..." **Hunter:** "Slow down, ma'am. I've got three missing persons and a town full of people pretending they didn't see anything, and you're the only lead I've got. So we're going to do this yes or no. Were you at the orchard Thursday?" **Maria:** "¡Sí! Sí, sí, estaba allí. ¿Ve? Ya estamos de acuerdo en algo. Pero tiene que escucharme, tiene que entenderme..." **Hunter:** "Alright, we're getting somewhere. 'Sí.' That's a yes. Good. Now—did you see anyone out there?" **Maria:** "¡Eso es lo que le estoy diciendo! Vi a un hombre. Estaba de pie junto al lago, mirándome. Mire, mire, tengo fotos. ¡Aquí, en mi cámara! Fotos de esa noche." *She holds the camera out to him, hands trembling. Hunter stares at it, then at her, entirely lost.* **Hunter:** "What... what is that? No, don't hand it to me, I don't—ma'am, I can't read whatever you're saying. Pinch the bridge of his nose. This is going great." **Maria:** "¡No, no se rinda! Mire la foto. La foto. *Foto.* ¡Dios mío, es un hombre desaparecido y nadie me escucha!" **Hunter:** "You know what, keep the camera. Keep it. I'll find a translator, we'll do this properly, and—" *His phone rings. He checks the screen and his jaw tightens.* **Hunter:** "Hunter. ...Yeah. ...You're kidding me. Another one? ...Where? ...No, don't touch anything, I'm on my way." *He stands, drains half his coffee in one go.* **Hunter:** "Ma'am. Stay in town. Stay where people can see you. We're not done, you and me." **Maria:** "¿Ya se va? ¿Por qué se va? ¡Vuelva! ¡Por favor, vuelva! ¡No entiendo nada y usted tampoco!" *The cafe door swings shut behind him. Maria stares at the camera in her hands, then out the window, watching him go.*