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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EYxJ8MKhT
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp45v2w4KCf
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."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DJxrWheMy
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."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mNLcI8UN0
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQA0Phobx6
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."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UNdgBnem3
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUR1HRwFWFG
Chrissy immediately recognized him.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXWBjh6kLI
The historian.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFskUnKhGBv
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHx3arEJ2h
For a long second, no one spoke.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3AUUDqnMM
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUtlqeewA9
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnwQdAF5TE
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tAqL2KGCk
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuhtLLb18Z
They all watched him go.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3CzD1KTe3
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxj7D65Ybt2
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCyt7BeqfY
⸻191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBrSgw5yD3
The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfOZHRqdXR
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmOwzBkxA1
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4gG84vtMC
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdRJyC5kfN
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUH8bAjTHZT
One stood out immediately.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwmTeM0sAm
James Whitaker.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfu3WcKbjjX
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2XTAuGmVG
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI691sLbnj
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8FWkUpFvt
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFu7lK0bW0
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MZVPiJNBw
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICCxqdGGq6
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYcLUoCiVY
⸻191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEjVqZEEkq
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSSVHs8RUp
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyr5RPlbzc
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR0lWu8CHB
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGT9GyvAYO
"You interested in that?"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlAFOH3jSB
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtuvjWhgXy
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsmXPQ4dTn
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uusQYvRjI
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZYkiv4xEl
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvfWTaORFa
Nathaniel ignored him.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrCzBuDboL
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?"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXPy0oS5Np
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdZjhckDjL
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMV82qzpPYW
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgV2G41b7CT
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGj2znDUbR
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."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHbJALC9AD
It was clear the conversation was over.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWkJ5kU1Ws
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYdxJiIFLK
⸻
The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa6RJFJo6g
"He knows something," Nick muttered.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNufuwUkx1
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJfAW0SDOk
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvVxHNaYH8
And she was going to find out what.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPiBTFUHgq
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEWTQ5NsMO
⸻
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.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdUMSRI0o6
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12nOcuVjVP
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYP3fxHKMt
"Just making sure no one followed us."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpZLzEADgU
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCeiuTSDzg
Then he stopped.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkg3PkW1BK
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25lc6DB0SE
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaVxxD3Zje
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4kVyegwpP
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ6JcPJKpr
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6FtukDh44
Gone.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFq4qfSbF1
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYutVeiFPys
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5ab0uRWjh
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43C0AVLyM9
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOUZ3teIM1
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvJXyHEX4T
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fea8kn3JP
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrMDSi1EL5
And she had a terrible feeling...191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1aXFPTgeG
It was only just beginning.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWurI9Ybgs
