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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWErQn0REki
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxB08r499B
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."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv7bCsynH3
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."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvuPtYxLeM
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagDzxSzuPO
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."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaLokJJeke
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqcA1jKP7n
Chrissy immediately recognized him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrxhczyIKe
The historian.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6WjRH5iuu
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGAzbRwPyZ
For a long second, no one spoke.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR0ebdNOBK
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEjJt3QlWU
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgtrabp2oJ
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfjz9TgbkQ
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYkLw6gKnr
They all watched him go.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKheOWASWE
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUc661GGsA
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR9ResiY8w
⸻45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSQBnRIGx3
The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdIIiCk72F
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2k3xCEiZV
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GZqAv0WL2
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSfB6alsiq
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFTsFeaQRb
One stood out immediately.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNhGvIBZqG
James Whitaker.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQFzxxkJnp
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iyAObON2A
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzvwcbBGUe
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwWz7HiVWk
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqLb6ut5Gx
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdGkmy2TqW
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4jJgghIxC
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbBU7FCk7T
⸻45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcVHTalXgu
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWMa9JqNp1
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsERqJ7714x
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZb0AT2Fmy
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyPZ2wsBDW
"You interested in that?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PfNPJz6Lm
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH50Iic6sM
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhPS99I191
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwUPQL98Ni
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvxu1cNGWG
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWk5yHTf8q
Nathaniel ignored him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PHClHYD9O
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?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoMTUrvhWB
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRLfkXoJm3
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvvKMd7kTT
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4vJm4EDCL
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDX0ngcbV1
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."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJaf6sDpys
It was clear the conversation was over.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmxIyOUm29
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPk2opS3690
⸻
The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGWfwQXkKS
"He knows something," Nick muttered.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OPkblxNTv
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuExamlkCbC
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3skbGBUFv
And she was going to find out what.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpSxTcpdLc
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWcN71M31c
⸻
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.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3FaYrJ8QT
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2rJK0RPQU
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqUmiCXQaw
"Just making sure no one followed us."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgud8Eu44F
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LXGrKZYb1
Then he stopped.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1P4Jum0Ra2
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcyYKWb7iG
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKvsvEzPPb
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ATeuHddLd
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZUgFgF5qk
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOq93PIsXWu
Gone.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCy5HVvegdp
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpBzAhBKF1
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG8MINFFGB
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ593OCUFq5h
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcKGhDjZf5
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWCokMKKs0
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhiiH7fQsO
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EaHJgHt8F
And she had a terrible feeling...45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NE2bxsomU
It was only just beginning.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbP5TjMr4Lt
