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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksZD0N1UVU
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TPpGXyIiJ
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."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JpJgZs6gq
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."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRR8tv7gNL
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzx3LNvTK0S
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."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlrcHgGdZz
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNasDbGYP6K
Chrissy immediately recognized him.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEItRdgumj
The historian.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1e2JeSpcK
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0edAkLw9SI
For a long second, no one spoke.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpWnPmBKiM
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooygihuLvX
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyE0FG1pj6
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ559Wi9pjfH
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1dwtofSEW
They all watched him go.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPaE1rfdm6
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRywWh3w4yB
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYHmAvMc1G
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevG0E2zk76
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbMO31od0I
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw6oCmhJc6
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxkm2wKHZa
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBV7RSFHx0
One stood out immediately.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWtGjaEAbu
James Whitaker.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJKDlBX7HE
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9vCUWjOXN
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp39dwXbx0r
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbhtRRhwC9
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSgag9Yb5M
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTZIIWJHEM
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitkJWosL0K
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17XgfjG8Cu
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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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQujKx6Ge0w
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzIts9NNi4
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrJHnwIOVj
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIv3wt8WDG
"You interested in that?"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyjFb1U8Mx
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7VQlbchta
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5KRZTPzyW
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYP1aaXIbc
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwewhBmkmwF
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOQiUdGaUm
Nathaniel ignored him.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQGb7PP9Dq
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?"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmM52VsPZh
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMadMSAOSN
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjHFO65qUG
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq63GGqspk0
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqTEPOJctW
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."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZ3Mws6mqZ
It was clear the conversation was over.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbfI426X14
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGs0boHM3Rb
"He knows something," Nick muttered.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGzGUslmdX
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67mB6n9gJZ
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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUD8DzTJCvm
And she was going to find out what.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSSGTjw4gE
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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.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2fpL0UZC3
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiYhUddz4h
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJN2xi47Sh
"Just making sure no one followed us."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzp6sIn6gjG
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgGVHGp9g1
Then he stopped.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHijkCG3Ya
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1CLPpQfgl
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeADbJ7CHVa
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnoyPOKoJS
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAdgEzyVmn
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfATaDgUJrv
Gone.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbLs6XrggQ
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjzFs1rb9q
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8ZyCAR9vM
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwoTEWlhNP
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP81893ue0
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk8Wm1OfAV
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCHvSLymqi
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZgLo7uZka
And she had a terrible feeling...73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAcMO9usOf
It was only just beginning.73Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQkd5qzBSb
