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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAcbyd9WkC00
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"174Please respect copyright.PENANAQqkPDlTnl1
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."174Please respect copyright.PENANA4fX2WAKgwW
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."174Please respect copyright.PENANArYirPCRj2Q
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAl8vtsV17OQ
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."174Please respect copyright.PENANAFvMZ1ZM2YM
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.174Please respect copyright.PENANALhQxAImH0c
Chrissy immediately recognized him.174Please respect copyright.PENANAioDpX8eaIZ
The historian.174Please respect copyright.PENANAPZZVRHBr2c
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.174Please respect copyright.PENANAQYBXIgOGK4
For a long second, no one spoke.174Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7F7OGFNPf
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANARjFolqJNvJ
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"174Please respect copyright.PENANAjk7z3VSdXP
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.174Please respect copyright.PENANAoVbJ3XQUVU
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAN8LuHG3MuY
They all watched him go.174Please respect copyright.PENANAdpfGAMMs2N
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.174Please respect copyright.PENANAUbI6apZdvn
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.174Please respect copyright.PENANAlkta1GKK8O
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.174Please respect copyright.PENANA5WJbr1nnfQ
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAnKJri54Dkl
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."174Please respect copyright.PENANAnX7XiySJ4X
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.174Please respect copyright.PENANAlMvuApkjYz
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAwA6bXJF4CI
One stood out immediately.174Please respect copyright.PENANAQwHMgpOXKV
James Whitaker.174Please respect copyright.PENANApHPE2UulGT
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."174Please respect copyright.PENANAYwaKikxBRG
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.174Please respect copyright.PENANAeWLJDtt261
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."174Please respect copyright.PENANAjHHAFMQ3QG
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.174Please respect copyright.PENANA42Oa0LPrMv
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.174Please respect copyright.PENANAvwgkB5QqBc
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.174Please respect copyright.PENANApFbOqtDB8Y
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.174Please respect copyright.PENANASPLRJFcRQy
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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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAkQRfz6Ft9X
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAraCkRZlueU
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.174Please respect copyright.PENANAwGds12H8uD
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAzDlytWL70N
"You interested in that?"174Please respect copyright.PENANAbhseWnttFi
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.174Please respect copyright.PENANAfn4iNdoOnj
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"174Please respect copyright.PENANAC475Rntdb4
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.174Please respect copyright.PENANAmir9PguCj6
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."174Please respect copyright.PENANAWAn1untdbV
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."174Please respect copyright.PENANA3LdEAynGOD
Nathaniel ignored him.174Please respect copyright.PENANA6pJLW2Usxc
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?"174Please respect copyright.PENANAEK1iHmICW3
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."174Please respect copyright.PENANALAslg1V7xb
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"174Please respect copyright.PENANASELLpPoP36
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.174Please respect copyright.PENANAozFL07q51T
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."174Please respect copyright.PENANAZwsLnhgpto
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."174Please respect copyright.PENANAkT5v0oh7jX
It was clear the conversation was over.174Please respect copyright.PENANAB7VbmcsyBP
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.174Please respect copyright.PENANAqJc13Axdo0
"He knows something," Nick muttered.174Please respect copyright.PENANAsh20mWpVwS
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."174Please respect copyright.PENANAU5zaIvrmGx
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.174Please respect copyright.PENANAvMK7HBIPvl
And she was going to find out what.174Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZDtfWP2n1
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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.174Please respect copyright.PENANA3CsCK4YeIY
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.174Please respect copyright.PENANAqdjTMjog89
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.174Please respect copyright.PENANAPuuftTgoRo
"Just making sure no one followed us."174Please respect copyright.PENANAnvZxWbVA3p
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"174Please respect copyright.PENANA9rtGG5tzcO
Then he stopped.174Please respect copyright.PENANAPDG9Ktw7jh
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."174Please respect copyright.PENANAxHBK5JD8FI
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.174Please respect copyright.PENANAaC8jWSznBR
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.174Please respect copyright.PENANAPqn1YyRUCU
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.174Please respect copyright.PENANAn4tfAbKfcu
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.174Please respect copyright.PENANA9W46QXKsyA
Gone.174Please respect copyright.PENANAnE8OAHxt0O
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.174Please respect copyright.PENANAzOLxZS6uwT
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"174Please respect copyright.PENANAeyFe64xYiD
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."174Please respect copyright.PENANAhrHfwdSF9c
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.174Please respect copyright.PENANAMM4EOJv0Ga
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."174Please respect copyright.PENANAEZVLZkwePc
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.174Please respect copyright.PENANASxtWvFTqGa
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.174Please respect copyright.PENANAJua8kedUZf
And she had a terrible feeling...174Please respect copyright.PENANAP3SarfXCNz
It was only just beginning.174Please respect copyright.PENANAXER54JaUxz