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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwch9vIApHP
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqU9VJZDig0
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."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJKywXDwu4
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."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjexEl48rt7
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYffdj6zpm8
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."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVJNF1fAIN
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviZ5RQi8Jf
Chrissy immediately recognized him.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnaGpY4ScF
The historian.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOwA1av9z6
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjJPXYWzeZ
For a long second, no one spoke.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19dYXWtDNC
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9332IfWOg
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2kZ8a5msw
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wQFZOeewg
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDkhCKRhEr
They all watched him go.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKj7AfLRfkM
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHzgzsvZse
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP4KuX6RAS
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4aAGupLkN
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzThOglmi9C
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNRDtYVeMd
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMP9bahjZb
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tppv0woL5
One stood out immediately.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb71zTufj1W
James Whitaker.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdyWy6Gc8X
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbBEjF9D69
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PRnHcRmAH
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub6sWIiAMm
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy91gtnc6mO
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtYHBQEjKm
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0rAqjRSTu
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojluAlXKaU
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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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLzJxqeGiA
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdMB5uk00M
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1s3o4JHck
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SuULj9PYX
"You interested in that?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IsvkiIiuW
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexnteGzCCd
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTzWVY0EwQ
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXxy9uI6nA
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub6Wv5LznF
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjFeSpg4Jt
Nathaniel ignored him.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7HdkpYpcv
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?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRcs6g6VMX
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOqXCQnozG
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZgIssSP3T
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4rv2uOB3Y
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPT88ZBh7E
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."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRxEzGXWsP
It was clear the conversation was over.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLOXa8SQe7
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmmUUSFUeH
"He knows something," Nick muttered.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnmcI9Y7ff
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJijj4no9x
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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVUQbx2De3
And she was going to find out what.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQhZafK2BG
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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.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLoJE3Ro9b
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjeBiYCJmo
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6PQsp1zAR
"Just making sure no one followed us."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgqFmwsY7r
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p6K0G2Oqa
Then he stopped.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XMcvMZ4FJ
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaLFNPigj0
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIKh9J0ILq
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRgd5jhpON
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJD9fFETpG2
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ233GphdtG8
Gone.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkoTNRSdHi
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCqsRdyo6s
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWPX0busaj
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAMr8q6SFV
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYFhKrLke5
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93TDyNbrDD
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOkobc7lN8
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelzOPan5VP
And she had a terrible feeling...136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoxoXnQ0c2
It was only just beginning.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BxCkmPm7f
