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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbCfHkujBK
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf19pBqsSzg
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."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VV7dTy0iD
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."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MXXP2iH3M
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfM8PbecCTj
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."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qW0mQPvSE
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNhneAUIxp
Chrissy immediately recognized him.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbS8kq70eOg
The historian.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eSaCyVaPp
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBspG3CQMa
For a long second, no one spoke.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUhU28sWB0
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfre92QINMm
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Ba2IkiYm
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQCUg9RbQs
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMEEKyQKIL
They all watched him go.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMWSTyX4eZ
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBcHYeG5gh
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQYtsryf4C
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgnWTMjv1k
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhgyVMdydT
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4bSTl5hNC
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERRj7IfwfL
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDJLdLcD7M
One stood out immediately.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubiJYqUAk0
James Whitaker.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGw2tGkUJk
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHBr81qOUO
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2QJVH5IiJ
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYOuNR98Wd
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCn33l0zNU4
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIakVDA8sKU
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1ZypGUDvf
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBStgkaC5I0
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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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMen1AtT89
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdAIBnMUwK
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgHjuLVFV5
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgJbYDTaGa
"You interested in that?"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7a2TzirwW
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGFaRsxJnH
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7JaaW2LLi
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R7AGJ3ck7
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EdQy4de50
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIV2H5cgVG
Nathaniel ignored him.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdtcVr8Hc2
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?"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScVHmil3bz
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLfY4nMN55
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQ86PTpmpd
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1yzvW9AZv
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE5OYsZzsh
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."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsDZRtvTmk
It was clear the conversation was over.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3EXXsnZSR
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRcefFjbgw
"He knows something," Nick muttered.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8WYzvljB5
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19pL5cfST6
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam4O4uQCQq
And she was going to find out what.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwduTijGq7
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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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05PgHa23YO
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsXXfn6Wwn
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuJUdcBty4
"Just making sure no one followed us."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo24fOQ7nfp
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEzSi0Pt05
Then he stopped.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5ClRp8935
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9scm5cm1VX
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WoQ1UugSC
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQvrqo2O8i
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY554es9w36
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQLoB44ILq
Gone.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DQzwcQtIM
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsFddLmLZ3
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdR5GJ26Qv
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SbC0fm9eB
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SrprOstbQ
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3bHCl9QVv
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYh8k8vTXj
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRUQHNwpR6
And she had a terrible feeling...193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46U4d9AiKD
It was only just beginning.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4g24jXUggo
