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