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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eAPdkuH5B
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFMeFdwZ1F
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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh677N79Xu4
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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7goKGQLq0o
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pzPasQ0UF
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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSdRxImzNd
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkD2Tfa2c3
Chrissy immediately recognized him.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7IGXGmtUW
The historian.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQZ1hE4IOO
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs9SaaRV0a
For a long second, no one spoke.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyo9IATAiG
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIoYizOGMF
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Bh04EOayE
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGykyzOH9N
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOp6K7EaAV
They all watched him go.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjh0xC23IU
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlaYGCjgbB
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlkDkkHd16
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPg3VvNdpk
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnoZwexdSB
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IQVHBhNrH
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpES1vD75DQ
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuhOfKNmE9
One stood out immediately.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxC7Uhs86D
James Whitaker.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZM4CN3Uph
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFWXOqEllH
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5ZuDwDDZZ
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1rMGAIBxo
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxWYn7diLO
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIGys4aVCo
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfURtqCEbjG
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZx7VwTRBH
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMKvFrc2BM
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXVnHbXRcN
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSUSHLw2SL
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZySTtCErH
"You interested in that?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMpj7lyvCX
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fUv5pbUtG
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUU4kT9zvBR
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuVqq6bkWm
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8iSQP1XEp
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDT5lmuBP4l
Nathaniel ignored him.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9nDzzuwoc
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?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3NyT7iwXa
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4mFXVb1YB
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMqvhxXH5r
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8zdnV1VME
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH6nkizKMf
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."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0TtcqoYDu
It was clear the conversation was over.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDijqlIpNGD
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxiroaabz8
"He knows something," Nick muttered.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FrDM2MPNm
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwt17qpfvc
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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrYNlwPtut
And she was going to find out what.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGddT9AmoG
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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.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmrZFRLXnx
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UpdsLEPlO
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMXIf3im65
"Just making sure no one followed us."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb62qNkYKoq
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7RDIgdPeF
Then he stopped.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOcKgdisMv
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Bpv7khUPJ
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZnhGzfyxH
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPUC5OVYI4
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1f95rqihg
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWg2IeBh33S
Gone.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4mDAk6hCf
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPk2PYS1gge
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfHVlXiNiV
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbffk95bcU
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhFg2l00a8
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0Ca8N8feO
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1CrBUQl22
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXOCTZebf0
And she had a terrible feeling...178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyalUxPNDbo
It was only just beginning.178Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLFz31eop9
