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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGp8zlSKf8s
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGh4OJlBJ8
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."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznVqMp0Q56
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."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLnWu6d0zC
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSP7v5BhGQ2
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."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iLDqSLJld
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDQG3mUFge
Chrissy immediately recognized him.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TfJzkiAjs
The historian.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71zy9zdFX4
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hoe8sTJ3F
For a long second, no one spoke.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMANoaY8fJs
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrS2CK8IWm
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhsRXsoTTc
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtoaKKKshI
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzm7V5rZgIw
They all watched him go.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9IEiEI3RY
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8WkwiIy3v
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEgRJXalgK
⸻255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRP265megym
The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7iMj4zdpF
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J8339DXFN
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTs4XkkjMP
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRNERQUi5x
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ671yPlTZhx
One stood out immediately.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsZZBpD4DY
James Whitaker.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegA09FZbux
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq0itggxT6
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUFf6AT8jf
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX6euFuluZ
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurTrcxvclx
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJXHRf1Ijk
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN4fuAPYGN
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z5i4LYsoq
⸻255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcn9SKUPKyG
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVJYvxwk6I
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVruDlzqkzF
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBlTRUojeC
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrFt9zvmC9
"You interested in that?"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EU80R3fbu
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVLeNcoVVg
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyiqSjabhK
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9HPBoxcGH
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPWiqoIcER
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdD5YyYYWX
Nathaniel ignored him.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JFQ3dbvhm
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?"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVpQCIzAmT
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9Jkb4eYWC
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYr3igphzF1
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCY6GJ9w5v4
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0psR80eXL
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."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgYfe9uefG
It was clear the conversation was over.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup7BWCD4rE
255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pd7TR5PpE
⸻
The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugEebCikCw
"He knows something," Nick muttered.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sHqeMwgAX
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTRr4ktSTA
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq89LZDu0So
And she was going to find out what.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTW7in4BOQ
255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUF2fjBwLk
⸻
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.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKEdgpi1Lz
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41qsbkY21U
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPspSXxky6w
"Just making sure no one followed us."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUnchpmOIw
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKY5dVoqpj
Then he stopped.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWJAHq7v5R
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgDBpKKqTr
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPbWByI2oA
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB98gAerYP
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSu7hwaFvb
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbs3pW8BZT
Gone.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmmEC4zMWQ
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTHRcN6A30
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqGe1gbAnW
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD12GDv8SX0
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAdDOspeip
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVlXrvy7Rz
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSXaQROi4s
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53qEi1hQIu
And she had a terrible feeling...255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaX3pYvyBz
It was only just beginning.255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kgdOSQ8vN
然後按「加至主畫面」