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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sTsCb5GWI
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfl6YNxFYUp
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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu3EBjuqwl
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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0YHYNKtGD
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuUPwlz9CR
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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWmQB4PFPE
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUTBqhf7pN
Chrissy immediately recognized him.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY46wUDkzCV
The historian.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhE8prfCr1R
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iinoKDPM5
For a long second, no one spoke.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaEZVfJw2C
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrzbSBnd6e
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4GzmGebzc
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7PKzKJoQi
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQ2vtnzj5d
They all watched him go.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqv8ufSjoz
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6wJVYrtZh
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwCYFgBKOL
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwzFOXrPGG
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSCeIccNiD
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAbptlfxho
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSfA2viINV
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4HdiWfwYe
One stood out immediately.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGMbmSGKTv
James Whitaker.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIZXk4lf0c
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TysKbBFD6
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JXVA302dk
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7T8p78J2p
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaFcEzgyCM
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkhEOac5RU
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsiD55iYGX
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdogHltSEH
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnJxcooEjX
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI0p3ZBNla
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedCeqJrCzq
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB18flf58oF
"You interested in that?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZozkhEvAEH
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqcIzSsXug
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHzsJYUXqU
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktbJCXpCWl
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCEiVNdKoF
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00awmLa3jj
Nathaniel ignored him.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmepCIHfWAE
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?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2VgT0y2nt
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1S9p1dWhZ
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAtiAgldNp
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqWE4eYWsn
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlZ8plnove
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."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64AZhL5023
It was clear the conversation was over.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESgoXjIjcc
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXF2UANUjUx
"He knows something," Nick muttered.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdDUVySOSM
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc6CYnOFTJ
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z2ikrD0od
And she was going to find out what.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAJZHmacWO
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEQQhSXpFp
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dYl4CPyJu
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWatFFYxs9k
"Just making sure no one followed us."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnejqxLPdR
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7VOTGKeAT
Then he stopped.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjqMGZb6AX
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48BuMtPIiB
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AAZGMNv5e
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQvoS68bi7
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gC2OiUJez
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHlmDM6b9k
Gone.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKRovcUdHv
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTgFBDIp0y
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4FGwRezA1
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvtKrhZMtU
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZypa7MS3zy
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDnPJIM8tU
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo1l6yUwlG
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAchMqkxby
And she had a terrible feeling...204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2vkHQobIj
It was only just beginning.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2WgTy9vy1
