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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59MfkXwDsU
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkCGRnueGn
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."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9rG9rrfZ5
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."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IgdX7sidx
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUrIvb7Dsg
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."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNvM4smp5I
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVgU8tLrv1
Chrissy immediately recognized him.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltvHD8l1Pv
The historian.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGOjudnASn
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sXz1NT8xm
For a long second, no one spoke.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJcLy6WGjQ
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtrP257qD4
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEj7F7AxmR
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmMAl7JyMx
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVyTnXfc4p
They all watched him go.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvaMLIaALf
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd8raMNUQ1
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOQ0QJbpSR
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoWc1FbUf0
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpFRhW6djZ
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilIlDGC48A
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFxo0Sqilv
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFajuwqefAw
One stood out immediately.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuMG4Anloj
James Whitaker.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2TxkjgfRU
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mheO6cGip
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfvwnxbQib
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp1CuImpe2
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd604LsrFVJ
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1F7k8ytSU
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBs72hagGrG
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwvOt4rdUj
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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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzunwgsOHZ
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp468XVD7k
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrfl1TbclK
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zp1MAcUS2
"You interested in that?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1WZrH0ad0
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVodGeNdSZ1
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr00lRI0s4n
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwTr6mbfUk
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xmLmSPZSq
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKI8Pl3xZk
Nathaniel ignored him.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdGHBZX9sC
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?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK9x18nPBe
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsvEOXjJnq
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KbWgfdW3H
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1STl9EbQz
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDmeE4cTAc
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."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ22FNeA1Jl
It was clear the conversation was over.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoiwfiUzN1
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc11LvzMvJQ
"He knows something," Nick muttered.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf63qXLAfyG
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgpQuZ27CY
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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23jdIxDUeY
And she was going to find out what.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqqCIcnIie
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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.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ8WcXTH3k
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBSqribzxu
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S3xfWnmaV
"Just making sure no one followed us."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcxJFDfHHi
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLSgTRpwQd
Then he stopped.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2INRTQeII8
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg3LcJccew
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTT6pjxzQT
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1Kdk4KBNS
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb3EuRoWSm
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTHmAr0jUd
Gone.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknKSrEHXbm
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sIzaHna3p
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpn8dDmhG9
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3Ua1hzaGj
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmVmBWCS7Q
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Wk2M4dQ2Y
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNts9N2bfkO
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxRe5y2uZb
And she had a terrible feeling...111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgrhNPzakU
It was only just beginning.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoHYDEkTfJ
