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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAHHKWEmVb0e
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"180Please respect copyright.PENANAfSDxBWVvCE
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."180Please respect copyright.PENANAD6vbLLKOzK
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."180Please respect copyright.PENANAVxmJTnUNI1
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAuaYz4M3HKX
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."180Please respect copyright.PENANAD3qs8iNvI6
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.180Please respect copyright.PENANADayGlMEpbp
Chrissy immediately recognized him.180Please respect copyright.PENANA2oYhzoCdNr
The historian.180Please respect copyright.PENANAC6ZIIQ6HBH
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.180Please respect copyright.PENANAVtAzJ5igWh
For a long second, no one spoke.180Please respect copyright.PENANA7yQxrJiy98
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAv9M9Yds1Ng
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"180Please respect copyright.PENANA90TMF1xy8J
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.180Please respect copyright.PENANAxaX1FiVcRM
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAR90ROQ5s4b
They all watched him go.180Please respect copyright.PENANA6uaPACccOb
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.180Please respect copyright.PENANAXQBzt8n5fp
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.180Please respect copyright.PENANAdskBA5rwgl
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.180Please respect copyright.PENANAmaCoGE9Db4
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAo4adsXJQnH
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."180Please respect copyright.PENANAW4TGqoskbG
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.180Please respect copyright.PENANA6fWfFj40UB
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAAZ6GpEg1kA
One stood out immediately.180Please respect copyright.PENANAWKJaRB12Oc
James Whitaker.180Please respect copyright.PENANA0DF3SCkHD8
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."180Please respect copyright.PENANAoCsJ0PcwWh
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.180Please respect copyright.PENANAybDpFdaGc8
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."180Please respect copyright.PENANAYpimnndh9r
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.180Please respect copyright.PENANA4zNN8rz4TV
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.180Please respect copyright.PENANAu4f6RYyArz
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.180Please respect copyright.PENANAeT357Dy8Tt
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.180Please respect copyright.PENANA1N0dHNq4SX
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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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAPoJ9s2dDhM
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANA1uv8Vybc2u
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.180Please respect copyright.PENANAspzr9holps
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAShln1C6EC0
"You interested in that?"180Please respect copyright.PENANA0xTPl1dcie
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.180Please respect copyright.PENANALTgHWesVJH
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"180Please respect copyright.PENANArCEcpn6pMC
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.180Please respect copyright.PENANAoFrzqAxNnU
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."180Please respect copyright.PENANA6VZHNChofh
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."180Please respect copyright.PENANAgwBMrhd0Fl
Nathaniel ignored him.180Please respect copyright.PENANARhLzRUs2SB
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?"180Please respect copyright.PENANA2vkMajP40P
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."180Please respect copyright.PENANAm80vrw0Xpc
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"180Please respect copyright.PENANAFBAbeMcGSv
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.180Please respect copyright.PENANAv0Gt5IvfxA
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."180Please respect copyright.PENANAi9k9DsfY4u
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."180Please respect copyright.PENANAeA4m1xErfJ
It was clear the conversation was over.180Please respect copyright.PENANAuq7pKzOgBV
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.180Please respect copyright.PENANAj9yyQVxnyQ
"He knows something," Nick muttered.180Please respect copyright.PENANAaGnMR2GJpU
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."180Please respect copyright.PENANAxauhfa5xZQ
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.180Please respect copyright.PENANAwAMnFPUtLM
And she was going to find out what.180Please respect copyright.PENANAad4q8eUVQf
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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.180Please respect copyright.PENANATY3My9WrLY
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.180Please respect copyright.PENANAagWmGugEZb
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.180Please respect copyright.PENANAUDOn5th0dU
"Just making sure no one followed us."180Please respect copyright.PENANAVbZtl8561B
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"180Please respect copyright.PENANAicVvJS9RWS
Then he stopped.180Please respect copyright.PENANAGvny09sj1T
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."180Please respect copyright.PENANAKNKuIUl7jy
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.180Please respect copyright.PENANAG4dAWG5Jdj
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.180Please respect copyright.PENANA3IFx8eFiwf
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.180Please respect copyright.PENANAGkaUT8vEiP
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.180Please respect copyright.PENANAK9QmJlYDVK
Gone.180Please respect copyright.PENANA5eyqggDw5C
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.180Please respect copyright.PENANAeDKRxtF0lp
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"180Please respect copyright.PENANA97kaAyXuyS
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."180Please respect copyright.PENANAjlupesupJM
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.180Please respect copyright.PENANAlH7NisFJUn
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."180Please respect copyright.PENANA7BvZeyhk62
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.180Please respect copyright.PENANAwYfDxjVQYo
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.180Please respect copyright.PENANA9iXoFoSL59
And she had a terrible feeling...180Please respect copyright.PENANAdRfw4D7KDT
It was only just beginning.180Please respect copyright.PENANAqHI1qYwAW9