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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ739J2eBLjr
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGm2OfLvec
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."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcSYVtikba
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."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJ6MqB9j45
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1pLMfHbNl
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."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhtonBmipC
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Rv5yL6ocg
Chrissy immediately recognized him.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMF924lZqIk
The historian.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnr16IlDf4l
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPHtHr65oz
For a long second, no one spoke.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZmcp0TzQA
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDuYq7e0NW
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dRwKAdlcK
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNfQZQm7Sa
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlI13FUASm
They all watched him go.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRVivrbqTv
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVDucpmA5l
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxw80aXnOC
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNp4E6nDhdc
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9II3zgbexJ
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XCEfueatb
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEpc2xvaAv
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkv2WkA7Ol
One stood out immediately.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDmASnCIJk
James Whitaker.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FQzrBR64A
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJNpDhGCtQ
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZvzduayD4
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXnr2aIw84
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTAQScbtZy
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuuUkBgUYh
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56tH178XHV
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwHdSuwD2a
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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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4nTnB4E3V
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8ajToI9YJ
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNW3DHrpif
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHUdfSM6Ss
"You interested in that?"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyu3cddrxUw
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EYNkYe2CH
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB6imwudng
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD81iPoFhjI
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB1DmY7EtQ
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Z5FXxbpAC
Nathaniel ignored him.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEp2O3IwwoQ
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?"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmq6hFDoqy
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQELQ8kQOkk
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTXxtyZDgo
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEf7vNMMoW
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyquYRCFtAS
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."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7gxeXhGfj
It was clear the conversation was over.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XvDxSqfQH
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWMJD7gtUC
"He knows something," Nick muttered.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffAj037S3s
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvqe4iU8MF
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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpyivQmvi1
And she was going to find out what.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mI9vBjlmq
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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.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQkdfQhL6b
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP6k65VEGC
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4DjMlt2L7
"Just making sure no one followed us."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDLvJCbVLi
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50NmbnWwZt
Then he stopped.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrRrMzaatR
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXLeW7RREb
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxALVN8kohV
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2AWGgvLfj
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzVlZlSQGX
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6xnQ3hWuL
Gone.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWRZBfanql
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4VkG5z8zi
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSvLXY0Phs
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7d7UmRq3n
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdi1QXrHKg
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmNVzijmZ0
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uHPhWf3xM
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOXxisKRAa
And she had a terrible feeling...215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVnMkDJEMe
It was only just beginning.215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwYydIJf8u
