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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWDeGG0vbr
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZhC5PQxFs
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."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDt9v9fXv0
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."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXadelckl1h
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43JjcxRi9l
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."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwp8uTsCLct
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4IBWIIW5a
Chrissy immediately recognized him.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z48PTmnsm
The historian.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQchBGNHb5
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOrLzTmYay
For a long second, no one spoke.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnMVltVKRl
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsPOGC5C38
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI62Kr0CbD
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZSYpL5N5P
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBU6JDWLVrV
They all watched him go.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuUXmIZFFS
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ371vFFDjUu
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3J6hT21nT
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEen0lpuxP
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAfd5cgDCi
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQNEKGvXUP
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6bUCxWqFt
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf4RsK5XzK
One stood out immediately.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBz4wfkqpv
James Whitaker.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3rdapwZak
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jAJ679VtQ
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOLwQVcbsU
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfI0I0jT4z1
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aLgosyOE9
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdz2zqLKJMA
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ625kev3CDf
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkpb5hICsx
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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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVj4ZSdffv
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYM0CXtQGU
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoAOOE2AH3
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUiRcYhkyA
"You interested in that?"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknTKcCFnaK
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XKU0qSR4H
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwpXPlKIId
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9fIP8ZD5f
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0PWXiofm7
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNnjAuugCS
Nathaniel ignored him.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OLYDObJrz
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?"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFyGoo1TpE
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjyj1Mf6iW
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxkwwNR599
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT2z1OQDQr
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtilIADwJjd
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."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwSUMlGWj9
It was clear the conversation was over.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7UBa6tfzu
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdh8dy1PMTQ
"He knows something," Nick muttered.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xYVQaJ46l
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vupkep9ut
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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaQpPl6WBV
And she was going to find out what.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mH7e9FhKt
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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.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbJuzLPOAW
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLGPYuSGEo
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9B2MKbWThz
"Just making sure no one followed us."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDdFI6GQGF
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasUHASNuhF
Then he stopped.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLALIpg8x4A
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsWJmMGPsb
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEAgC3qPWI
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRk7G1Gi4V2
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCcfrwCEfF
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEgY6YyOXh
Gone.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9QGlCLen6
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56oeRt0fq2
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcyssLibfS
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqvCPPWiu2
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVI2lRlE9E
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv4Z7I7aYY
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX9saY6mfC
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELMCnoFxjF
And she had a terrible feeling...253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUaDJB0dO4
It was only just beginning.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8nQeNoGi3
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