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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytVs2uWZBN
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVhO1KljYf
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."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdNfGkvKNX
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."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauCAZQzLVG
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQimOSTF9dz
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."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYru6cMF44u
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQfl0iW9xS
Chrissy immediately recognized him.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD5EL9qMdD
The historian.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQcWWj50I8
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNsh3IpGpg
For a long second, no one spoke.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLtrcnrPeq
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKbDKJdqiR
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbeaECXJeC
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVaHHTBhRx
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrGkC7lbOA
They all watched him go.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8CDmuUoai
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGdwy2lBQb
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4SdNUJLxg
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0ssvub92S
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTkMPaMWOk
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbC726cN5dz
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuUbW5HoNx
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2RKdlsHk1
One stood out immediately.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRFneb65v7
James Whitaker.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxcdIyTYg0
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUczZJEIr8
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1saEeUfkp
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnsEQoqFJ9
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADH5uQD9RK
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD7gDgoCcC
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDPVI4IruW
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Eme5ele2u
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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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUgVDztnmC
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqnwFlNSyT
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCQHQIwEo5
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zwf9Qsnuw
"You interested in that?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHtPOTgYqS
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqZ4qunmOo
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1X88zLU8C
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m79dDfrMB
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa6G3AY9yK
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYf5kPBcXA
Nathaniel ignored him.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuohJs94K2
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?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ojdD4gZyW
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66fH3BLBPc
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiis6ExaiP
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJtG8As93N
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8Z09twgNw
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."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXoBfUUKC4
It was clear the conversation was over.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr8Az5855L
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyve6wwYZXW
"He knows something," Nick muttered.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEfav3ievK
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQbmFBhenL
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfh1DlY5bJt
And she was going to find out what.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgLEfPZqaK
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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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uvwZXWRLv
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPMx5UP1Vz
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgpGi9bhOx
"Just making sure no one followed us."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimmaWgB2TW
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHHVtyuI5W
Then he stopped.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKsS1sYrSa
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJFEwAqUQL
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquALgCbm78
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLQJE7KHkf
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGcMQA8osn
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOtPImrvpm
Gone.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqJtHU8D3Q
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5TB8Z7Zrs
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGDazbwC9z
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZw0Qw0Imh
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNFl17jzFX
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzG6m5BRJk
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZb4Auodwn
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYRoAKkmOC
And she had a terrible feeling...76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIeBKeimAN
It was only just beginning.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74E6DwRMHN
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