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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5j1Phd1DIO
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl9bICeyek
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."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSJd4SMDNs
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."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7H8n9ehK6a
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fCCPnkBgO
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."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5u5MbPusSC
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaYz2A5JVP
Chrissy immediately recognized him.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGUDXAvkuA
The historian.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XllMptoqm
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT87WuRUSwQ
For a long second, no one spoke.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFypirQCzwB
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfaXVB0Gvc
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAzLDxDvKY
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1Lk3enZkh
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1CO37QMF0
They all watched him go.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwjHl3a59S
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AwfMlxHob
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYIv0mfjzM
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtkazhaVPX
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOD5NIfWcZ
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyyjEXluK0
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDxbk3UfHQ
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMi2PNToySd
One stood out immediately.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcsTl4mY0e
James Whitaker.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVwljLrKct
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFLTqtPrvS
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMX3cM61LX
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2x44HE5If3
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh3pBnbCO2
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKhaKp8gU2
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHU1fCAUg7
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5qHrT1xKJ
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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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMU2V3WOO6
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsE6ipGEbnS
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdIXN6ggkW
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqn8xvn71R
"You interested in that?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49DODuT627
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjYVJPHBpI
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5ygwGpEk7
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjffBGtSPq
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHw8cawCZO
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirN7WAwtOT
Nathaniel ignored him.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkP0AhlaejD
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?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnNqlOrlW9
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JlcHhxHFB
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HLVqPDauw
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExPmXXBm8Q
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiokV5KQBDM
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."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2pWvAlALs
It was clear the conversation was over.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8b8gbcp6v
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tziHyd9rw
"He knows something," Nick muttered.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEij7K4KTG
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO48SIiPmtU
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSlKU2B2l4
And she was going to find out what.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHERc0fVRJ
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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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOicEZSWNZ
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmu5jY6Dcl
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SfwWyLEbx
"Just making sure no one followed us."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpKPMb4BAp
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3M7qtIdoy
Then he stopped.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3dfVBKM5d
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDf9FpVIR2x
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB6EwqepZR
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAcDqShOgM
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUtSthlBWz
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUmdr1m9W4
Gone.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz1nilABkm
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUVCaGmmZp
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yHapaeDW9
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4zFHN0L8l
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrX8DYFxWa
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrv3FUiDMBW
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYftJrEarIu
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIxKWQwkiD
And she had a terrible feeling...20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmT7YeRw1H
It was only just beginning.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHmKBFFygi
