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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0n6XtKa4IX
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuTOYpOZtY
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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcr9qjKamr6
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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7cCXDrNkX
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ByuBF6xxQ
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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2oPue00tS
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB9CtLPRkN
Chrissy immediately recognized him.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6YAsGdyXl
The historian.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTySaDlC9i
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajnVgoLlBf
For a long second, no one spoke.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0CtwDFmca
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡER8TyUH6dD
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVa0sht84zS
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XUPsPp929
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbVII0TeWB
They all watched him go.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeqa5bAr70
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjQU5ySjNy
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamT8SowNgT
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiceanS0s4
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdBS8K6SfE
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNKi37q3Sv
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CGKaKtyfC
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcgujB3RAz
One stood out immediately.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6W2W4ccLja
James Whitaker.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NCzOfjnNH
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfVLhKJlbf
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyoZsMdFmk
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZT9QoUT2m
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojXqnIjzG7
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ493hpFu5n1
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OxlSy9H9T
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxODdO3764R
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbCh9G3yx0
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkIMEfJvU4
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6U3sBf5Dp
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0K3o0DluU
"You interested in that?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRngHK9RQcI
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCN3YkADbR
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGy8vjb6fIk
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrshaghmNkG
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpWXXFH70m
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHmqrTctik
Nathaniel ignored him.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzb297h9EO
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?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQicOeGR5M
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9Tfb2OpUR
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1szNwReiZ
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVj6IGqjYNi
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ647Vqhx4bx
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."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwMjxckxOT
It was clear the conversation was over.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6KpC6STwh
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmplXLijkx
"He knows something," Nick muttered.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUBo8nWypB
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDeskXUFIb
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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1vIY068N8
And she was going to find out what.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQXVM8JrEA
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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.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2rLy99vHU
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1dRWgAkTT
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQU9FThSTin
"Just making sure no one followed us."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m4zjWGWOo
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vYxwLIinZ
Then he stopped.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcZLKzdskl
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkS4yObp48C
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfM7iNq0Vy
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSZw0BOrvS
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHKRb20oOw
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34snc7KX3P
Gone.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5N9HoyxQ5T
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrwVaUAeWi
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfQL9AS4T1
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4oTwN9BkH
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSNvXD4Xwc
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhblDl28vj
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKAIr3Wuuj
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesMMxc1RaA
And she had a terrible feeling...36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBj5BjcxDt
It was only just beginning.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7xBazKCgG
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