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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3os1qSNv3Y
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gCmIs5KT0
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."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75YkaPCsy7
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."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjNezlOIQV
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCabcHtWEc
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."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbMNllNtHl
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGk7uRTykn
Chrissy immediately recognized him.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0c9L4s7dq
The historian.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOJbSyqQbu
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1SLzl4saH
For a long second, no one spoke.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFGKp8SEa7
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCymh9Dbv7
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhIHMruagu
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkSIHRswtp
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTIkFXTX3q
They all watched him go.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhRXknJHT5
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6hagKbDl8
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacIxJR5Vau
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bbTcn8RT0
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCE0Nf97HBb
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mpYbQIXeT
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlwLJGmCci
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrwHQUIX9J
One stood out immediately.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuznz67E4Dd
James Whitaker.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS1JyOmdVE
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NBYZrWtmi
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUNOUS2MlW
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSw2Hznrhi
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTzJxghRNp
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEoxjCkcRo
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gf83wZ8OJ
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5d96g2hC13
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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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrp10AX4zjn
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvyylOkz1h
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAFWDlxouW
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DKpC0wbO2
"You interested in that?"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT0FwfUZd1
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUCyfR2zC3
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3tIojMjF9
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaMgvwaz2S
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8MRdaJLrj
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7FvBqn5mx
Nathaniel ignored him.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlYu7U3z5K
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?"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaM2ma7IZm
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKZM3YBJ6x
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO1hBsqagx
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMYE0mCL0F
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNREpCfX6gb
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."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyYzBh0xOr
It was clear the conversation was over.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nHbP0a4dH
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1IO9jngyd
"He knows something," Nick muttered.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yQ6OncIz7
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdPb8lWNmw
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlTdZHISbi
And she was going to find out what.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC47r59ZRX
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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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6a0WuVRnbJ
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4LlQFCemR
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4paZbECOR
"Just making sure no one followed us."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VVXRvhRZp
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHTR5lf8af
Then he stopped.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNjeEs27D5
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7S4bSBBwk
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2yJ89hY7d
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZHVkVc2uI
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7JZswjmtR
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKpoIkRo79
Gone.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUNOwC8I1j
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXpCdGusyk
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYKoDIBzZC
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QCzLvsTxy
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmZVb5csnQ
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5c7URNQC9
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TyRYjSgf1
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65N8hkSbBR
And she had a terrible feeling...100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhPVUc06IN
It was only just beginning.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpUhNAn9BD
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