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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkx1yMCdWYh
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeP4dRqx3UB
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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWBSMV1HuO
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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP10N0faRfA
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLjN5EKaq6
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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN2XaDaWGZ
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIQy5Q4brD
Chrissy immediately recognized him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKr8Wrol5A8
The historian.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw85Kthbzv
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2sC87wIkq
For a long second, no one spoke.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHVzg4fTgV
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjHs98orNs
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpWQwB04Mx
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8cySWA2dK
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwwUcsiFv8
They all watched him go.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT11xMP2YF9
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUIybbKS6J
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGJtPVF2tb
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOiaoYC6Nl
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pVGJ4MzlU
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzIjvNlx4b
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwARZafpWWk
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfGYPSi4Qr
One stood out immediately.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡau6wCuRirc
James Whitaker.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIFH6QCshs
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfIjb3uyR1
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWvZJMxxFQ
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt8DK06cyt
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8NmgQFCbs
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk5VkkH4lb
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbiABTiok2
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FymIZvoQr
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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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxWkI0qjLD
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX2t4rNKHj
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL6NPi4hJW
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZs3Miv0X6
"You interested in that?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY50kqm5ZXN
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMwGZBiCR4
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZogHKEKhw
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZT9UOpURP
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomuwMmZ2wx
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZazvlB4gZ
Nathaniel ignored him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpU4509OJK
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?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYMGBjm3gg
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2aBXmK1Dt
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwVyLhBdyc
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclGRCvZvEg
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAGrCXyeaG
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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWBSEg9ty8
It was clear the conversation was over.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxrtxIkvX9
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRfWcJXhxy
"He knows something," Nick muttered.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xUQqgJgJX
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AZupcYcaw
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjOa63A7up
And she was going to find out what.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YHLmOIr3w
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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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd9IKSeOx9
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCrHRSimwp
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyS2KuJ5DG
"Just making sure no one followed us."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnAys5cXPo
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfrqKbU2hb
Then he stopped.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oSe3blluz
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ju8pdigzg
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFq3rB7yrZ
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DYkzxgtk1
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XHvuxylid
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qzMhkbuWW
Gone.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2oqbMOEl2
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nyUrbunBT
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXc0sYUJYH
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphTSvp6ysZ
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdyxxwsQfr
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpx5lush0K
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYkHejIdl4
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWZUhJnb9f
And she had a terrible feeling...25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Al0XSAhBh
It was only just beginning.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbbSVhjI1H
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