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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2PnAeFA9d
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApmtHVcD1X
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."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbG3QZt7bR9
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."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6ijUExzx5
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjI2heNL50
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."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFl7dCs3Rh
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwPLGoPaUl
Chrissy immediately recognized him.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfNBZTWxJI
The historian.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBNnCUBLQz
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f1KeDbnFO
For a long second, no one spoke.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzxhk1DtmF
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUiMSRA3M2
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjOX369Mis
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCOKUYxVJQ
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlRLxmgRqN
They all watched him go.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ128x7UX6m4
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xuc26hnzb
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88qkaTOWNM
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCOfr18nIr
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFYjjmohhN
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xur8VGyn9
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnk4oeJLZbh
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdXILt0tx4
One stood out immediately.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGWS7rStYW
James Whitaker.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XSU7adAZe
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYjiR9Au1O
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8tsVoYIQJ
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjREcLexas
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdh9mmZlmdJ
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH8vaRI3dy
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlDZCEwuKJ
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5E5TkQREl
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO80O2N562i
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLg3qh08hJq
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VQfuCHWNc
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKNm2EVeGy
"You interested in that?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq3H7R17rj
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEd0xxEbxy
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tK3Z3svZB
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoUM1ZYshm
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrdpgX6yQ7
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw5Nu1eRxU
Nathaniel ignored him.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dV3H6SgaS
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?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC9rQDSeh5
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMQloYd7zF
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYp8SrFkhx
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3UaiOIfDF
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNm2zSosUj
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."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uRxm7P5sw
It was clear the conversation was over.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxu2eYTrtY
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMUzOkSnVk
"He knows something," Nick muttered.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8JRMWw7Bs
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoInzlNuLQ
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HrQ7299cH
And she was going to find out what.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32PUUmNNbp
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvg2jtzmGR8
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6k2vSs1VX
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsApA8SApwT
"Just making sure no one followed us."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Klu3W7yLk
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFWuv1lJ7M
Then he stopped.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6EVhn8Kfs
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkYmlJMzCW
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPUCZYmu6b
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NOrgs468g
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkb92tnKR2e
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0VZO1IKyY
Gone.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBFxPkAFWO
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtTMUGT0p8
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfG4CrhWTb
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEigBpY627G
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPB672AV02
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAykFoY0VY
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hky0CJzUF
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsG18ZbbIBF
And she had a terrible feeling...80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1KLxbbPMy
It was only just beginning.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Hrcr3sEYA
