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