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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeciE9RMp3C
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5MhchN435
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."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJpxuWkVrN
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."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic6RnZNjnL
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GmiAmbOmF
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."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0uBXtBAB2
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgE9hOkEtdD
Chrissy immediately recognized him.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrdkNV68Bc
The historian.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDgeCGjt8V
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVGfrF65sA
For a long second, no one spoke.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi5s4zV1YG
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EdZz23jib
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHjBsE7g9g
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1SA38vdNI
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy74GaS537W
They all watched him go.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6q4Si85Ah
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECTtw3f2qV
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSNwiqtzs5
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0aAeAAzMf
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO57FSy2kGa
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89e9AGhblT
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkFtC00V5J
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOK9JGkIuy
One stood out immediately.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV13xVkmM8C
James Whitaker.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesH3AxSV0z
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBAt8V21TU
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiV5hW9huCa
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkvvEy1EGH
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uzAVAw1BO
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mKUZtkE1T
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L9TAHHoIn
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBbcPMVBV9
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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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDS5dduHPP
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHl7OVJ8rN
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbYXrA8E1Y
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG1wrRpNS4
"You interested in that?"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoBNzZw1N6
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HeY4Z0knX
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeKMY4fcoh
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZpkUnzAkw
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuq2yQxP28I
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbJ36PzZmI
Nathaniel ignored him.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPiYokPr2M
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?"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7JgxAQgyu
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDaojd7f61
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOS6IOwaek
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRWNWmPTBs
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYIZp37En1
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."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGHrddX8Jl
It was clear the conversation was over.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GodTj1Urt
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZyuYqHwJb
"He knows something," Nick muttered.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAypXWcmV6
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83USHKV5sR
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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOoAhslbnw
And she was going to find out what.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllTjGqzq8v
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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.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxSq6tFHe1
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgp9A1AofL
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyRUwyuJe7
"Just making sure no one followed us."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRrmi2KZDz
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4StRJJn7p
Then he stopped.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIMfrM6BHZ
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqiPBU0gnj
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20R6GVU0jv
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh3DaeOtlq
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcpzjgeZsr
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7h62i5ze7k
Gone.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSVzkjXjFb
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTrXAK3voE
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxo6wdB9pnh
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjjFHgH6Nn
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmhE0AMbU4
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9ODtITvKr
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2cXmRvrhc
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDFkxo9wEs
And she had a terrible feeling...241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKMgelgeoN
It was only just beginning.241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsWAXYvzao
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