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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Z8x1AO3Ep
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWzefS1R0M
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."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1JsnBbFxE
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."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZo1QKhtcf
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9M1hSZfrn
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."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3yEqRRggi
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW51oi9xuQ
Chrissy immediately recognized him.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAD8lebVv7
The historian.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HYzRv9ZqK
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFfFsIxD1P
For a long second, no one spoke.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWra2UwO8ZF
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0smnTtOw9d
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcSDFSEcgj
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPPh3sbn95
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WF2mwXP1i
They all watched him go.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgx7atWWIt2
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz6gAaHlcJ
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKucut36LRZ
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKSsBMPqZ1
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSJHP9n6So
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYw33oppM6
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMZQE2BoFK
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wMrMibTYJ
One stood out immediately.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjBbtkSZuw
James Whitaker.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fJKaXqJWJ
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgjcbdo8yd
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUgWmTnrgB
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebizVH2Xpa
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3iJwKgXa8
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoVgXh3McP
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMHqyBtZoo
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fVyTUeDm0
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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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKCe2WlJQc
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM8mGihlkA
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzywN0dNkf
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IHcqeBAOJ
"You interested in that?"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly2JvXVniV
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3HRYbK7RA
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4jbmX2EoM
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWx69cNaew
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYML2kiedf
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazp9f684vm
Nathaniel ignored him.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxxrWZS0VY
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?"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouONTjwCNg
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv48gq3jgm
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgosDQja12q
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JIUSZj20R
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUe760jZOFF
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."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b3xnwqxO0
It was clear the conversation was over.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGECvtiHhK
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjWKtfGryz
"He knows something," Nick muttered.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu69NpXWutO
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSGw0s01Jn
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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL8CRYFMcx
And she was going to find out what.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqx7ikqlp4z
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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.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gJl1ELYCP
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnib23chYKE
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNel9EwbTj
"Just making sure no one followed us."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6a2ratLNy
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7QXS2W1fg
Then he stopped.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDFzLnaA0g
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefowjwZaWX
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWCaqMj0yF
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBagV7Wx0R
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHyyEp7zs6
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9xu8BxfwC
Gone.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDli7UkJT7w
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe3hJDDv9W
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxH2R3Ihgc
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ53QSg258Q
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTCwKfvIGS
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIOP6tqdAA
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzNrLphHwJ
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolE5VSX0ji
And she had a terrible feeling...91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZIsr7jyVn
It was only just beginning.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPT5CE6nTxA
