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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LBlTnGOyF
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOcG6mLVMv
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."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpP3pgr2nD
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."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvKxxGpbFh
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduZoYFOK7C
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."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR7QsTh5nc
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLVCzmQdY7
Chrissy immediately recognized him.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcSUn5G8D3
The historian.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM2C31pg0p
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BYzOP1CjQ
For a long second, no one spoke.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjn4HUZaNR
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS54oP4NtV
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPwEPaqmZM
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcIgnVOiLD
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqRCO1oSaI
They all watched him go.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkkZAR0Vdr
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8druMq9svj
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oVB6bBPl2
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynKnI3Bzs9
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAx9KTSmBM
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dwL9tRp1s
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKNaxzivGI
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiEHONycTc
One stood out immediately.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtPS3s2Kgb
James Whitaker.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W96F3KGNd
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBjPpvNGoC
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaV3WYSXbS
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPnFRgwZTk
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgjHg5s5r5
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkWYL1LD7g
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2u7Jit8YQH
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLmw1ULilV
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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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMWhKllVmi
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhABftk02ZW
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEii2CFEje
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgQFQPLtIT
"You interested in that?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrv1Dnq4tpn
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGIoGLLPRZ
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdElHhsmKug
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeOlsGyAbb
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA9K3xlKsz
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1bl0yKcTz
Nathaniel ignored him.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBSNJIKsa6
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?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFNVYSSIAu
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojdP5Zmx2j
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHiLDQ3dw5
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLhllBleKs
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKtizw7lVV
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."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu99E6dx2F
It was clear the conversation was over.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9kFkrzwNW
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOigNVJHoM
"He knows something," Nick muttered.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKawzPD7ZA
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4iWLl95Pi
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEsf68aXl6
And she was going to find out what.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRR8sHQye0
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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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGn5mI5R6VL
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcA5LgJCAD
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHx4xQ75PKZ
"Just making sure no one followed us."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSNGyQMByi
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptamHppAXq
Then he stopped.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAHjKXgzq6
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHbkW5XoQD
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TfUO8iidy
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLi8OskUX3
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1SuyhgDt6
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ythhe2DgT
Gone.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aHxmiFxWc
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvc4gPWeKP
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOcJRdoKc5
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcH0vFj1jbe
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEUx0ChCx6
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVuDpKyyEa
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykisTBysjo
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulVV5gsxHo
And she had a terrible feeling...81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx7Lgocvg9
It was only just beginning.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexEujZdboN
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