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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8f38pL3XI9
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfnSjhgc0D
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."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAU6Ckgs7m
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."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZX4eGPjPYx
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprRZfJq0HC
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."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrydGH3kcG6
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNd94qs508
Chrissy immediately recognized him.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoBlrDet4D
The historian.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yiDzbAfcz
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡie0Kcj9qSL
For a long second, no one spoke.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqvAULy4UN
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjtMTcwTfn
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44h23XRQfg
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD8zSwh7uP
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYtsjmKzQC
They all watched him go.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYMB346n7U
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDpfLDmMZW
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv32Uy8vylG
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRDwbiQeny
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkw6ukuh40F
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cUdKmQsRZ
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFFsp5Nj1T
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAU5BcjG4UB
One stood out immediately.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TMTZE7sgG
James Whitaker.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTevaW5kye
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYLLN42yUL
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYLZHEibzV
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqmk26oHTr
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02EtaeXNKk
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxJNsRGhlw
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPK9TVLZlX
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEEluL3pli
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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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZMW0Qxpo3
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLMMHzfMHH
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4rj8VFVNv
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0ylHOBJKG
"You interested in that?"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFW0g3JXcZ
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQrrjmcdm6
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusALGn2D2u
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdGGN5xRCO
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOBm2sCoO1
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu6seuvYld
Nathaniel ignored him.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVofIukHbtY
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?"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡualgkGgQkx
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8qvcVhYO6
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkm53nwkJB
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kxkir5hfO
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4d9DPflWLQ
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."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k59B6aiMF
It was clear the conversation was over.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQngQDdX9E
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqqxUgsxq8
"He knows something," Nick muttered.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTg4YFyMtV
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe28UWPMvAd
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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZiLLKkgdO
And she was going to find out what.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdvrmQlzsh
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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.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi4Eg3Fscm
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GiaSTrclf
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvzpfBE4BX
"Just making sure no one followed us."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplRzOJrH7w
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSAFgqqkF5
Then he stopped.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8rDuesdkn
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hT3uoseNb
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4QlrhjXE6
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjdqUBQgdI
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDwDDLc7TS
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4cqZBhXwA
Gone.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyyp7vRoKg
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4Hhjcc39d
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt83Ipk96Lz
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdwjtTt0yG
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGekPat3WRb
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfgPJHLvXx
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQqVqQmYiV
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXb1xdKeq3B
And she had a terrible feeling...226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3Bw6cDFhr
It was only just beginning.226Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhupEJJCtWN
