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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VplfqVYSr
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlyM2NGojp
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."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mIcRwdBcB
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."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO40QNKzPw
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloRumyOKky
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."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTS9jNCSqz
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICwiOrPqS8
Chrissy immediately recognized him.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ooO5QTGmR
The historian.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCirypMAisr
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ioE2hWmCC
For a long second, no one spoke.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrbuFw1LFJ
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbw0a493FU
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNltc1Q24m8
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmXrx4RjrE
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRSU3DThe1
They all watched him go.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMZy7SapR9
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1sIK50XR0
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCwRFeC5Dk
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNq5k1UHQv
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kwEXAyEdA
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHpuFSLGsR
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqnKYk59C8
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XnIPKyZhd
One stood out immediately.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tNCNhJUyS
James Whitaker.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s6ZfXTniC
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq3UF9sl93
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNh9GvmhIkE
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXyVvOGkro
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI0pfBgYlP
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeWSzSnpsG
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9dwCggW0E
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PIW3ksQkD
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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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DBffjIltm
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Mv98u6qU1
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtA2iTwli7J
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBppGdDma5
"You interested in that?"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDZ7iinaoK
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfuU6IafbP
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOqLdjLyye
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU4AFraDLG
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE5Q43gHsE
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqNpTwoNkA
Nathaniel ignored him.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjTgv2gwjF
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?"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrkt5i73p6
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngYhYEwFgS
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ulSU0yrzz
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDS3W4xeMvM
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0EHCMBMHh
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."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWUdVrLe9C
It was clear the conversation was over.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuLgyg7UHT
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB7oQ4YVkz
"He knows something," Nick muttered.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMD6wxQ6e6v
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7tlwNZDYL
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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZKLFdCQz8
And she was going to find out what.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr88Kl1xxap
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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.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKnqMGt4h8
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnefLZLhBr
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9HKOfDBfn
"Just making sure no one followed us."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHfmhhvc5T
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCa8XrtP7p
Then he stopped.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCinG2f5Go
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eb5DlU3UC
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBqnimd7mJ
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhYLkhkxXg
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVJRQCYpxD
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCTTDfm6Vi
Gone.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hFSiyvKCg
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGJhN1V3F1
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3za2f8OiH
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0XwKgJD7W
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyBBxZzOYG
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP3aE9cA9R
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIYrOnfPN5
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIFmBs3dt5
And she had a terrible feeling...34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTJC3NpVVR
It was only just beginning.34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jEvoVcNh7
