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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5okxH9hRa0
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjylkdfYp58
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."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxnRKhKPPm
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."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsLggc6OUV
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXybma4MMWv
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."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAbo5RfixU
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3augfaK0A
Chrissy immediately recognized him.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2SZJJWLw7
The historian.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSKxLFBLNU
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZycyMIgX15
For a long second, no one spoke.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAILy0K68Bz
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQAqCIFrCu
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvLl5xkWkQ
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmzLAHZelL
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrWc52LRlj
They all watched him go.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFelfjHkzM
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq5EFKa9gK
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuFcH8KRuE
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj7pok9m9G
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLWO4GFxEy
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqG7hRkX9Jv
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR4feSqSjq
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxClPRn1Frd
One stood out immediately.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMo876stPxD
James Whitaker.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0a5ksMXZsb
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVOwmfdUpJ
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lcEH7Qjuz
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDPltORrpN
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4kc1hbYzd
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrjNzlqsYt
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQomUu7K0UB
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjz3qOBicW
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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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcS4QMGeBQ
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwELgNVFdD
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3bPckb70b
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaP21cAAka
"You interested in that?"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXmskiEbl3
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgsh7qSVj0
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplUyK98o0X
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7enWt9CrW
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroFXJFYwq6
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJi4bd6ZBNw
Nathaniel ignored him.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnTZwoMfcQ
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?"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMOVkYZ2US
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSzYMvBLMT
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd3ZU37t4v
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmOxh5bpmF
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VrtuAPusy
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."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyOAAtjuKn
It was clear the conversation was over.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqKoRExM0m
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1038x4KL65
"He knows something," Nick muttered.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuw52mDPkC
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPo1v230RB
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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQbAujRN5J
And she was going to find out what.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWMn0936BW
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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.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIroCgpPbYJ
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYz8TjyPfj
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbtKFletfB
"Just making sure no one followed us."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlcFL8fyr0
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGx277WOd8
Then he stopped.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOAYPjrC7v
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5IOiKt5Dl
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYhdzuQpCG
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhR0uVCNWV
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH2xtcbl9g
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnd3Rfpqay
Gone.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdUWU3kCPc
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBO73TOGKUC
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVEgxoTpNH
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TUN4T3jVG
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZjHWxJUkf
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7FbvXGv1n
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWYYjVNoMt
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxIh4fzeNe
And she had a terrible feeling...168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0AgEBnFQn
It was only just beginning.168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSfEzW5jAL
