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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bE3AviBYO
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JAv2rg36V
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."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7HxlIIz2I
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."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wFC7cwwJ5
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEizEE6X3O
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."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6LRqwRGLu
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmZmUqmBz2
Chrissy immediately recognized him.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaI1thdjwI
The historian.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdq7XhuTX9
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExMeXVm7Qh
For a long second, no one spoke.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPziV8ekZkp
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wwPTjdkDg
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6pMFuK54n
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj44wbmfu5F
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYaxAqWQmF
They all watched him go.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8NV8qArSA
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdjuDIkfl6
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmP6R6zHcsQ
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4WbdhOBPT
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO19lWocvcV
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi30tN6Lc16
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBILOA5zQN
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5b9ZXVCxco
One stood out immediately.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hoP0GR43y
James Whitaker.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoA532xpwX
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIP3xwJ9Ao
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavdQpSJxOP
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlfKLY0S2c
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWYIcqvURS
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfamtWX4ZIX
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnUVqzzUEQ
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZRpRexnvB
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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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15EJUYyqxQ
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9b5DWsmYs8
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR3aaykuHS
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSulVSHOxp
"You interested in that?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjZ7p2XhP8
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9NtvDlkrZ
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMehvZxe2pg
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK3nR8oedy
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw04bTYufw5
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YOd1fcrOx
Nathaniel ignored him.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzv8eJqhNpf
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?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjNttMrVbk
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuag40lj6lR
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jkra7bAuD
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVVYtZsD1C
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZP9KzyovB
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."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumK9OhlJxG
It was clear the conversation was over.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mbekgX0Sa
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs8HKVvUxI
"He knows something," Nick muttered.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6W6ECQknCO
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiZdOxgqbz
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sPz4oUGto
And she was going to find out what.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEz0NMiLzA
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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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y9YVdOaZD
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPIj9wyUhx
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdf9CVkG4T
"Just making sure no one followed us."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZDK7kSZzT
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dzAAn1V6j
Then he stopped.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjgLgDaDb3
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpKgd2tW0D
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeG1lreM8P
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA5yl8litt
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FqXnkP0yb
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnvcqgeX1i
Gone.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAdpCyZCoA
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqClLbqQkm
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjtJ3os2Mp
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fhF0XfJlZ
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCM6cxPlVX
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7H3PWR6wf
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJ1OceSEyz
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOFla5MzKH
And she had a terrible feeling...24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl97Go1Kw6Y
It was only just beginning.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtwRjGqo4d
