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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr12JO4EVH
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHakujW8np
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."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRn5rTVkVE5
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."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRhek3NlIQ
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrldL2wURa
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."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjer1mvn24
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh05S4VaFv
Chrissy immediately recognized him.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeQPlCEQhq
The historian.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7jxhoMgvF
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEdWfpuMGq
For a long second, no one spoke.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYezYRG532
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIsBDTYQgd
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIlRmSGfcu
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DgDJj6ixV
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMcl3plfnG
They all watched him go.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBjnwkVGvj
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIp6MmCV5s
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrrXycmoo9
⸻46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOnRfndUNT
The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K5NREKohU
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibxG8eLDMv
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKoKgtiZb0
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHg2MM1uBjE
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFT39U0ZSf
One stood out immediately.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtij7FVHhNR
James Whitaker.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡta6ZeukFlj
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5Iff5c9Al
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwA42NRwtl
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGygYGxYOf
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHY9dwyxJc
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZninLZX8a
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1aEUj79aC
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQcXcbsDj8
⸻46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP9Cz3IRbS
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8W8IYDWUp
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNS0tYc1vn
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6EsIGSmaN
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc6SJPjsvn
"You interested in that?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyWBNNKU6U
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wdP3Q1dWx
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCwFjEFzbR
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U8q17rSF5
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWoDyy3XcP
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiQwPz6DCh
Nathaniel ignored him.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdA63hjsse
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?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaXNpC74YD
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprANnS4etI
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKMOqXEZAO
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVsXIiZ7GE
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU4bgMuuQ3
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."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvzAHYYGRL
It was clear the conversation was over.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrhCMUDDdo
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0me7ORN5ka
⸻
The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldexQJFFVK
"He knows something," Nick muttered.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEE2UNndYHm
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8qvS4FC7V
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc58MzGiaFP
And she was going to find out what.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpCCmQq15w
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TNZtFdim6
⸻
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.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRwQ9yGzlN
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7sd0U6vP3
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ph4xHiqHa
"Just making sure no one followed us."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoHBYDiSZK
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1Pe139qf1
Then he stopped.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡST8FMWd65U
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60hmqGEHWw
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG82CTrwjzf
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj18pfBy43
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H9qz0PFsB
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvMmPPBNKq
Gone.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n4584pzup
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBX8xYP03pT
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3frKXxYyi
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsi79kXMDq
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKqSAh7NT4
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyL1cNQNQl
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlVrCunaea
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUVqm3LFcf
And she had a terrible feeling...46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDa68fqKLFl
It was only just beginning.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeuPbRoGTX
