Chapter 4: Echoes of the Past
The scent of fresh coffee and baked muffins filled the air as Chrissy stepped into the Book Nook. The cozy shop was quiet this morning, a few locals scattered at tables flipping through books. At a corner booth near the window, Maddie and Lacy were already waiting, a steaming cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin set out for Chrissy.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWChoRjRKTX
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOTZpSfl8J
Chrissy wrapped her hands around the warm coffee cup, her fingers tightening slightly. "I don't know if I was just imagining things, but after I got home, I kept looking at that photograph." She hesitated, her voice lowering. "And I swear... I felt something. Like someone was there, watching me."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hTzM8YM79
Lacy's eyes lit up with intrigue. "That's classic ghost story material. A connection to the past, an old legend, mysterious signs—it all fits."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7lca64N2K
Nick, who had arrived just as she said that, scoffed. "Or someone's actually watching her, and that's a real problem." His tone was serious, and he glanced out the shop window like he expected to see someone lurking.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gUHpddAp3
Chrissy sighed. "I don't know what to think. But I know one thing—there's something more to that lighthouse, to this whole legend."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwfoyC1Omu
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEgDJdTJvU
Chrissy immediately recognized him.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPhD4Rl7Yb
The historian.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8Ua7ysi29
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshMFTlcYxY
For a long second, no one spoke.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGz1PsqYBe
Then, as if snapping out of a daze, the historian spun toward the counter, but in his rush, he dropped the books. The sound echoed through the quiet shop.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAlcZwBELO
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOFKSplp6J
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnLMW0q246
Maddie frowned, taken aback by his rudeness, but before anyone could say anything else, he muttered a hurried "Excuse me" and strode out the door, nearly knocking into a display on his way out.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNci545pzVc
They all watched him go.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoDPTbz2Y3
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv1m93XLPP
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaMbQzcrEM
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L6FnpmkeV
Lacy helped them gather a stack of old newspapers, genealogy records, and even a few yearbooks from the town's archives, hoping they could find anything related to the lighthouse keeper, the historian, or the mysterious woman in the photograph.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4unS8TZrv
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4y7gjo8ExR
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90XLFW5hcS
Maddie pointed to a black-and-white photo of a group of boys sitting at a long table in what looked like a school library. Underneath the image, a caption listed their names.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicG6TePolt
One stood out immediately.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcB9rBLirp
James Whitaker.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeQSHNeNUB
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswtmoggzF6
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZH4288juz
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXEEzlYmWU
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs6qhhwFgd
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrSH4JTgKQ
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPU7vl34YF8
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTua1E2VnH
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Tracking Nathaniel down wasn't difficult. After asking around town, they learned he worked at an antique shop near the harbor, one that specialized in shipwreck artifacts.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIacKCH9MFG
When they arrived, the shop was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of salt and old wood. Glass cases displayed rusted coins, compasses crusted with years of sea decay, and delicate shells that looked almost too perfect to be real.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmEk7n7Cgf
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmigOrfK8x
A small, metal replica of the lighthouse. Rusted and aged, it sat on a wooden shelf, standing no taller than a foot. But despite its worn condition, there was something strikingly familiar about it.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAexqPGz3B
"You interested in that?"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYD9a2L6Mn
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHfyccloVC
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3I30owIJ4
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwqlP1YjFm
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJlACl4Qva
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7MUeW03tm
Nathaniel ignored him.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZm4mr4hJa
Chrissy reached into her bag, pulling out the photograph from the lighthouse. She turned it toward him, pointing at the necklace around the woman's neck. "Do you know anything about this?"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIjcTSdrbg
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB46ieSfVA7
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAKeDKriPr
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qX4yZS5mC
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNOKuQnp0v
Nathaniel's jaw tightened. For a long moment, it looked like he might say something else—but then he turned away. "If that's all, I have work to do."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZikzHuP6d
It was clear the conversation was over.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gsaealXIl
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqWr4wjACt
"He knows something," Nick muttered.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS47QKrWlHr
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMNqzXp13f
Chrissy was quiet. She could still see the flicker of recognition in Nathaniel's expression when he looked at the photo. He knew more than he was letting on.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekjjKXVqzE
And she was going to find out what.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6Gwrqqp7Q
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That evening, Nick walked Chrissy home, the quiet sounds of the ocean in the distance. The night air was cool, carrying the salty breeze through the trees.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0y984BkEkK
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81s1zjjUB2
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YvzLBwpE0
"Just making sure no one followed us."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMvj8eCZaw
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0QJBTc3lb
Then he stopped.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdCkdleaLr
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH8U59zJlj
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYM6vELeAzl
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0YQ6Lq7cS
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA83KuyBIC
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeovobv7jYG
Gone.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDocPPPBXVw
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm6x68PG0u
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeQHkrTb3p
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgh52KN6f1N
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVjDtWHAmf
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvJRyHqlJy
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUrHLlT4Ss
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMC3VGGdOt
And she had a terrible feeling...158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0c7nIou5DL
It was only just beginning.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHHEf9QAqI
