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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0vPbPFVGE
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeTq75wZqy
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."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRpKdxAM9S
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."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qHHb6Jqkf
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzt5bUbSKA
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."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWHEhXcBxt
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFzwlcANqf
Chrissy immediately recognized him.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt9AllNPwQ
The historian.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot15ZEF9iK
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwVLvfvSMR
For a long second, no one spoke.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMgFjjS6fD
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlLP7oLCjE
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3G8rLvLUF
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtiMzpIxYY
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ58xQntrAv
They all watched him go.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJCJxHMxZe
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuQg4WXNXO
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuc4HjsMpm
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDqAmzlGYG
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6useNtALs8
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGc4Lo0s2I
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLMzxYgWkQ
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjqeBruIpY
One stood out immediately.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTRLnGdG0N
James Whitaker.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0aJQ3zsxK
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaxTFo81qd
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k1TOj9mEF
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pG0mbNopQ
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ047mh6bXvk
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8ADQ2WCjx
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN02F4gR1xa
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iSNNR6APC
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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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05Y7ZMXo2U
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUgVDuAAkL
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IDaQzS35E
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarpEO3yLyQ
"You interested in that?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9c6lzEEer
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwARnGec8i
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdlyZqVGEp
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUtuDBceq4
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFUwqLdOtM
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVtnbKlOr8
Nathaniel ignored him.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7dSI2VrRG
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?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdDWuJUf3o
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3M9YijhO1e
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qNwt5FKMG
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuT94nqhKR
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgcd9mSnSN
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."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9euYk7e4q
It was clear the conversation was over.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uWwbL0LrB
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNipp1xFkOw
"He knows something," Nick muttered.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUh37dqRb2
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9w8lDQp1X
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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXzPfAdDPp
And she was going to find out what.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGOtUOn888
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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.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwb6GJdoKI
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABRYiUod4k
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3quOPnSOG
"Just making sure no one followed us."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKGMdAiRwR
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLiqrkirL4
Then he stopped.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbP2a5vluw
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejR5i0jFIi
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfKEHm8OaA
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxJNL7luxo
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aDCs2Px1o
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5WtpbBl1A
Gone.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghf7KPEIeS
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVz1ueDLPQ
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLF3uvvMGzm
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFQsTgfxtl
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7MVtBfo4q
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpw3mDzDvr
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aisXzYUjU
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24RASr2rl6
And she had a terrible feeling...209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnXlucD36K
It was only just beginning.209Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW592Wkn2Y
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