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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx6Oyyg1Le
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuURCGJbexw
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."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMfRnZQgVA
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."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDb0mMLStz
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK6jFLpBvZ
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."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Rp4HNQgNt
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnfFk9mhQH
Chrissy immediately recognized him.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjamvYiie7Z
The historian.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOE41OhHsz4
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV6ykgjtFa
For a long second, no one spoke.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IRGMlTAIx
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrNNZQdcRV
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKwnwSJBV3
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3J5TLSgmJ
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7xzeanL5B
They all watched him go.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVIOlj6O35
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBjNe15OIS
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkMVch83ng
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0yF6J2SJ1
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Qvqre43jL
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCStLeXQFD
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQUbP12S8C
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTOFmy6uDG
One stood out immediately.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCBbQ1g1Cp
James Whitaker.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRbYPq264q
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2jC4OSrDj
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqD6leRizDi
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywffZYRAvz
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Xa0wLa2RB
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybxzBpTsVq
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSySlrk5Mwn
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunVsXWY2Hz
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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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31LLyw1M98
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC93AZvDgA6
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19i2JVlzG9
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnocK6cWqXA
"You interested in that?"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCC85CCoaQ
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkZ5Y4dMmv
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLCE9B93NO
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlyti5uGVx
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxywwFhAbVa
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50vPC8UIeY
Nathaniel ignored him.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAtkUuofja
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?"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYgJ72t08l
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqDuXrKa4R
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif1DXIgDGm
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEQh5xGQxU
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTlZWcYUkZ
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."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHG9lgeVIv
It was clear the conversation was over.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzljnI9OYx
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tPufA5YrS
"He knows something," Nick muttered.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLjU3d2Zui
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxdsc7qbZP
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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEjz6iqJNr
And she was going to find out what.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITSbMO4Msw
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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.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqc7kNKysG
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5TkrFX7n8
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3OYvUlyfL
"Just making sure no one followed us."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxx5JpiXes
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWCe71aYuG
Then he stopped.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF64ZMADYE
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtsDogrEoW
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH8xtAwqbs
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIvafYHSON
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ulm6N8RJs
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLouX8OEdth
Gone.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDzTqJ80jX
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk60FmzN6mb
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmes8bE5nz
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWWFyZln2o
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZX1E0FEa7E
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA9YJyNme9
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFG187FZRP
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXVccp3W6N
And she had a terrible feeling...47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkqvxlR1zR
It was only just beginning.47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCFw5Bz37z
