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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSf6k44brY7
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2OkLKE7lx
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."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrfjL35sNj
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."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUSZDZLpSP
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDC7Aoi65N
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."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1xi77jSPu
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIhW84R6zw
Chrissy immediately recognized him.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0rERWXXQW
The historian.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7ax39fMQz
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxbcX7JBbX
For a long second, no one spoke.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjqo9hw54M
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrKZgpovab
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbj5LH0U6tn
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AnXAV95Dr
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsrNTpzHZ0
They all watched him go.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnDnRDASuF
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpud1TAb0a8
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ0h08kSQx
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSQdtJRxUz
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6TTs5Cw57
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLosNNHrkh
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpg6xk6ADwv
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZD4ZNP14c
One stood out immediately.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykAZREe7Xa
James Whitaker.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RPGQyB3u6
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFvaOLuh4h
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNq7h9QaDL4
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAREVjbxGcH
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv1j5OeHBU
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI69LLEmRi1
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aGPHyc7OG
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZ3EcLQXuy
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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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKYXsfJPGd
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJHuXGAzlb
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYOykf3fER
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3ybaUJM4R
"You interested in that?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZS6c6me6H
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7rTM0dhH9
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDksbnvN4T
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVr05A1reU
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT6Kkilfdv
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwyaraBGq4
Nathaniel ignored him.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckmQu6IJSu
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?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJHZnasrX1
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQ5ehUvXwE
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9KOrMazMW
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFVgw0Q2Lp
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItFPCCUSpo
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."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmyGEdsU3X
It was clear the conversation was over.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3nIbBAVVM
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0koZ83AhVr
"He knows something," Nick muttered.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgbnYsz4IT
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8X1nhebmxT
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgadybQ2MzE
And she was going to find out what.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwILIZ1I4T
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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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiTWIzd93I
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03mTskeqLK
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6d4LDnkrF
"Just making sure no one followed us."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OCtrck6eJ
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bhg4lIzFr
Then he stopped.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob7sKMSHwt
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbRejLwsS6
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPnhIVqjhg
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozA3moe6Yc
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OM03QG65y
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMGcSwCndI
Gone.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyy03M7EgI
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbyKEZahp4
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfDG5Dxlu8
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXSzPYwOxB
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0f9e7gotB
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSEjyf7m6h
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPG6A6jUsq
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9deaXiQZkw
And she had a terrible feeling...28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKv8uMwPUq
It was only just beginning.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NDnz0ByjH
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