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