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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgatGVpzdd
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkm5XagXDy5
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."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ArhPjoX4c
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."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWrdPMbfo2
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dtVrYpyRP
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."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIZwKEGzsI
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu0fyd6XCr
Chrissy immediately recognized him.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMbOU9t3rp
The historian.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmV8MZRE5Wk
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlx9YXX0H9E
For a long second, no one spoke.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMXNb0YDtI
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwHXC4cjmW
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTrTzAxYJN
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17AnKk3fHg
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI70A72KFX
They all watched him go.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVG0MJ4Fam
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNwCpw3RZ5
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPWX3dM71P
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3q3d4CHa6
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIzVJ4ZHyQ
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70lqrMnQXb
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOzFp7pCcI
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugHx99ue44
One stood out immediately.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7Yhrl6qB0
James Whitaker.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwDVEE1Zjq
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xTU8f4KG6
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwaRgQaWGc
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBS1T4PH35
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTS1x7CDtc6
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1mqq6wsM8
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRxw87wKyd
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJ2JnHETCQ
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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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEYuBDZ9Ci
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLznZsAWVQj
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL44KGYs8xN
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ357lvBvDdy
"You interested in that?"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T2bmED04j
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8bF1ipQWg
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsrqxNXaPB
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIrLxkuUlN
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuXVqJEbGu
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5dfDxaICB
Nathaniel ignored him.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlen4SWDNTT
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?"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9KSCr1DxT
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddvolPCQSe
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCrfq2qv6l
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMbZID7ju9
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO2mzCVeD3
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."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwdfCD6RYK
It was clear the conversation was over.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQHyjiu2Sr
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Eftma5xiH
"He knows something," Nick muttered.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHTgAJcqp0
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTa92k4B90a
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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt9arM25fY
And she was going to find out what.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8odsM2JzVn
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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.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0mDTUIsOv
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDTs8xVK6C
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBocx2a70aS
"Just making sure no one followed us."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMS8YNNsk5
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscmPU1YBs6
Then he stopped.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JbD2SnPZ8
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGm70EDp2Zc
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK11gLX9Lv
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd1dOVsaTv
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZzdL09UYz
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCAptz17xU
Gone.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfj3Ct0Dp0
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxRmMooPKq
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFExrPIxnh
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtihq8X1qP
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfK216acBT
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjpuZtEODl
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeLC2YI1BT
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmGJIoPkDA
And she had a terrible feeling...181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDAxy9rW46
It was only just beginning.181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtO7xY9Qs7R
