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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJxzecTPjk
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJetPWgG2AT
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."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfwigv1tgs
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."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj871NMUJDN
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LHRNRWHCu
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."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CG6lqMJ5l
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGkWzHhAg4
Chrissy immediately recognized him.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuBwoES0SY
The historian.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qnw7A9jVt
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9qlneC43c
For a long second, no one spoke.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoZ16Rimcx
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YekQufCrh
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2xBkdhEXL
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDADrzuQvcA
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepeg2xYIwY
They all watched him go.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L9LIvZF4s
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzrjwzr2sm
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkUEJhWEuG
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t2X8BrezN
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFNpmf6tc2
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y78tGZvUc
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQybX7RgXQ
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEl0uETfna6
One stood out immediately.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2kIEGO4w1
James Whitaker.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNxna6EXem
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTVvgrXcnV
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YCnnhgp0X
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7kce055Z5
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JtZOPq7kR
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkSTKYA0AP
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGgjbVz1xB
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNJB17hNms
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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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySR8NxN8mK
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnpo9E2QmW
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfIhnV3Qez
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqotKtCmCBJ
"You interested in that?"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FcN5r44wk
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBVtiCqq1C
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi4t0sG5LS
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp9srcWtkh
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LHqENkz6q
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hCyQl07FE
Nathaniel ignored him.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuc2KZj2SCb
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?"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCj0ALVPB5J
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKZWrQQGes
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYaBpWafkn
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBpdthZEx5
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODQxmNoiSa
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."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq3BPcIUZP
It was clear the conversation was over.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MOf3ecIac
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUr4AdTnNt
"He knows something," Nick muttered.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmCqpDaK3s
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXZMhV0Dcf
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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbwuZxhR2K
And she was going to find out what.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvHonoxJXg
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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.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOukk8BlQ1
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35xGcgAVZ3
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ706ZycFplP
"Just making sure no one followed us."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf427ZHgRqI
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFEoHzD6Ra
Then he stopped.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGjspvZscW
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5z0oM8mIR
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqVcfARlDd
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLxCmLzMjx
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB02KN0Pmmj
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAafDyn7JvE
Gone.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKxLlGvU9B
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfB0EIFBeg
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wX6dWVYUR
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNs47etARo
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydW1tbM1Fw
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7PlEoGWVS
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUx87SndfFv
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zsRuaYETx
And she had a terrible feeling...229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44D9BJHKz7
It was only just beginning.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGNOXDGopJ
