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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOlhpAgCjQ
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcGdHrOdQ1
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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYixqVUIWq2
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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw6BcFoIHQ
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tpsKnyLD4
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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXVQJCFXG2
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSQKzyl9g2
Chrissy immediately recognized him.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFrSQtCAcZ
The historian.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEq2yPrYePX
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjCvn9fZBf
For a long second, no one spoke.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYbzaU8Xn7
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JiZ6D6jhX
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9sqTV4KtJ
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ1zdx7gii
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUc5m6R67T
They all watched him go.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKROVc1GISk
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ51G50IDKZ
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKrpDbzu7t
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFreZtgbey
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dsRpu3ClV
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU13IK6fJEY
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2DzqOJhM5
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZhzdfjStW
One stood out immediately.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4ffLzlK8K
James Whitaker.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpd9D7zWEg
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1ILv740Jn
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDXlIKGbYf
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqqT65oxJJ
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoK8XzX0Se
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMEbOSTcjM
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAK5S6prceR
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLlesRHBBo
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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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b8DoSvE8l
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9g78L6BkCD
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMK8PlI7wA
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5H2xBspiti
"You interested in that?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0v10aHnCJ
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lyOchLWoN
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvJklpzrxw
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPodPsF85V
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqNG7jb7ld
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTd0AGOyzB
Nathaniel ignored him.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGqBObsaet
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?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMyhsQQGjD
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNSouhfpwn
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Pj2f44BMP
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZQqHJAvma
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnriadLAxN
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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5txCXwoXF
It was clear the conversation was over.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7wOmYx0tk
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE5to0jSAO
"He knows something," Nick muttered.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dQ0CiOWSt
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyR0l5qmEv
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIaLxT9PRQ
And she was going to find out what.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXclXAuqvA5
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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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgymrfVjwi
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDUWrCZcam
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnOlcuUKv3
"Just making sure no one followed us."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUSYqYUfcB
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoW2RfjhJI
Then he stopped.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJw282ccie
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9lVSndoqZ
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3m2wCRuT0
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFC6x19gqg
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtuNNlogT4
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVogEgXzX2
Gone.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hLjbyJ94d
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqzEYjMnsb
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU88cHiBnN
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOYDAdNFVj
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKXToCWcjb
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOqCowOFmE
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrIY2gdoqv
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxFp6XRPQw
And she had a terrible feeling...160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddGCQ1qKxe
It was only just beginning.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOakeN8N4RI
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