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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVDfolwUwN
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iiCZ2RSLF
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."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kHeXskD10
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."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZBMkCMlg8
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KQqKQQl5A
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."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1bDyvz7rg
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Hlcy4NmI0
Chrissy immediately recognized him.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwXYBO9huJ
The historian.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYEnidmVHJ
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9R3YYPdaQ
For a long second, no one spoke.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySYQrbHQPM
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfEkWHodjE
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qHRJZIsXQ
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGTMCLILyW
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJoP02dfYm
They all watched him go.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxT2cqA7Fg
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHkHzfeHXr
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtE41KgJg0
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXQP4l3xSG
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogL1QZgJTT
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXVqz2utvV
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4oewSiCOj
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzOtuh28Cm
One stood out immediately.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsX4b1tj9Nv
James Whitaker.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9P6JJREA6R
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFO4pLK6cG
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2d3swly0h
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBpwfT0Yp5
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKCcKNTQak
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuMPwgReHh
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNIdiusWlX
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d9BQQnytD
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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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fezhkxhoG
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMO1pVA4C1
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup8YzFYanW
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrIOP5ipWZ
"You interested in that?"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51OeUdx91m
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SlypzPLx3
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoW259blJ7X
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzeTUftavz
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRxQoPMJrk
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8yn6ipETJ
Nathaniel ignored him.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5drEofBFg1
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?"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHQlPZOkff
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCs77dJiFa
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBPqYrqTxg
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6m27aXbWWN
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxSkgirq1x
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."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjyvvepSCH
It was clear the conversation was over.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvQkEgeUMr
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfUEITyTrL
"He knows something," Nick muttered.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFbaO3OXXp
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvtEDBoC88
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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuASA0FNWkH
And she was going to find out what.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6iZVfd4rQ
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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.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZEEQFl0ej
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlsgUCJC5w
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIcxbGJPj1
"Just making sure no one followed us."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgf0pWATN6o
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWdut0BSxe
Then he stopped.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7M360TIB4
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsTGjbUwGZ
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2Lb2VK2fm
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5dMKekymV
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ih1pj94Q4
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH6SJ86Xed
Gone.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw97Pi7S0A
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsCwgGj0aa
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6uIQXP1fF
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8qMlZmxmZ
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3OFlIrkXW
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGubbACLHf
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKu0Ib8hdZ
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcsRTbrAf7
And she had a terrible feeling...232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nGZN2dSDZ
It was only just beginning.232Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMP8zrAf3o
