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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOb2vUQg38
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeY7s8MqHcB
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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTv9qROY2KO
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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5ylE7q4Hr
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHS2G3KdPq
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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjTjecN723
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSNCWpyXAw
Chrissy immediately recognized him.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPeb0Kefj7f
The historian.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2mDnaYzfL
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fOGasLbEw
For a long second, no one spoke.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrncLO6vXzc
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnQgf4Z5WF
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86pjneXF2A
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gQyWVCc9R
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTB1Zp9YuGd
They all watched him go.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mRoPkoZIF
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOLeE2K0cN
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLieJOg3zOY
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIg79Y6Ogin
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBvy72g1MZ
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLnaZDpQeR
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLuXlIEOLs
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAFaLyKeBY
One stood out immediately.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3VzJ9Dyy7
James Whitaker.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rBNEgNPpp
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpN02OQjmT
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxlRFdiNCR
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrOREkkGTO
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1E3WBGyta
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOpGa89LHN
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVVffP0ROW
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOtSmnRlKB
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GIl0QMtlD
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtBsgP6cAm
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ5qWFJ8g2
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2Rx0m0eRR
"You interested in that?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfSjCv3ZtB
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAGbP97iDa
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0MgPZ4v3w
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GL0hgxeAb
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrX0pp651Zf
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV4TYLk9M1
Nathaniel ignored him.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBhA2EUFPR
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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvM07KDEzE
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTliToRJfb
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tMhDq2t94
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1ClS7LMqe
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp45PdY6Jaw
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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsYcYSGMF7
It was clear the conversation was over.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8yM84rG8i
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN7rgzGchJ
"He knows something," Nick muttered.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLzVHOfTgQ
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMxRz8aPrX
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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sZRNvmtB0
And she was going to find out what.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIBZ4A74Ph
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni9JWK9UHl
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82zGObarGw
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFfNDP66nS
"Just making sure no one followed us."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9ZDvF9q1w
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRydndrgt22
Then he stopped.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQU4oQc8VJM
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjy1vkloPo
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwetbQDy0f9
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnZVUhYgy4
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfin25Eq1N
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNdNweGCjw
Gone.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pFkeQztgD
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd6XCw1dfA
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLgsD43nzH
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5E3QJKTi8
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnw8oSJW888
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEn8BWvxtL
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI2DwUGeil
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIP0L1SLIS
And she had a terrible feeling...103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wVYMy70EM
It was only just beginning.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6dyE2NOVW
