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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpEQT7el6J
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Zgs70uKjo
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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYl7iyCtsg
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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnYWiq5rsh
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFbM2OUaZo
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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5cR1yW1aX
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrKgFMfa9I
Chrissy immediately recognized him.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSNrqCEPjT
The historian.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiPykMOEfS
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBQTqevIh4
For a long second, no one spoke.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9XhM1Pgy4
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1FfhR85Uv
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h1kQGYRj7
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwu1TEFxy0
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMw0z0LN39
They all watched him go.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8M10hWUTnY
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax01cyIM2N
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhXjkhxsxB
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxTPnXpPvb
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7rfF6LLNj
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pEcWnTAC8
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTjzOypPpP
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMvzxDBdGj
One stood out immediately.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMo8lWCKG3v
James Whitaker.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VW0Bt9hV5
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhyCyRVKu1
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YTYoDKocM
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrURZzMpl8u
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9f2aIFqFu
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11yvyCojgL
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWzaQ6CJ6q
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiL0XTBbKsf
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHb2g217OJL
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqlNhRT7Sl
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRlwl5eMVq
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxw3D4PaQs
"You interested in that?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqNaoq5QvF
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkMQjLTD43
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaibn9Luvg
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmAlJoueHN
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKG0gUkzaG
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3KNabtwtV
Nathaniel ignored him.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucr6XgtdkH
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?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEp6wVZ2JJ
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbtajGMMN4
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJVhgeaTfg
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpGQpP1t37
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSy6CY7sWTO
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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8EhI0kVp6
It was clear the conversation was over.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF32LrmVUv
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitnJpQ3J2S
"He knows something," Nick muttered.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMMQxBUYPE
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt2IMv6AxY
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqqWyxNvwZ
And she was going to find out what.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb80WhPthjz
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xkOGhoaeA
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4XwTVVitT
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxifdgb9vz
"Just making sure no one followed us."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEn9q0ol5g
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2JnbbnIYO
Then he stopped.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlwVJ4TEFZ
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4HyaNdaWH
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMQk23iiRN
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvrbImrTsH
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP7K9OXCZc
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTgUmjfLRa
Gone.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPmjJ2M2Ul
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DtgcIcaFF
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0LlL3eo26
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiRcuicJ7b
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3dLuSjFxt
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuALRbZBjX1
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSGrCFyrC6
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOayiHQ2UZ
And she had a terrible feeling...85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXwCQcVn43
It was only just beginning.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajtEls4m3U
