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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxddcputLy
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZajj6ku4Zt
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."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRCBNvabnD
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."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4swG7DhTK
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDHXNBzCmB
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."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZu13k8QGZa
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWHQ6d0ODL
Chrissy immediately recognized him.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb13AOnKM4
The historian.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwYBp9Au8R
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdAbwaLUw2
For a long second, no one spoke.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSN3oGFYdy
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpuHo9bYVb
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkrU3W5AAB
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7u6OzZLzj
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPXoTtXVLT
They all watched him go.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7r5QZlgjz
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ848HPu1Z6V
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuLo5rVww7
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOU5tzW6EGf
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7fv7rI0HX
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1lbbYNSEC
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuLJCrPkGX
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4YpsfHKlH
One stood out immediately.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhft0Ronn3I
James Whitaker.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwpqM9GqAP
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjEIa8Dp5X
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsed1TXUOG
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPeQcbUeI3
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6ln8x3ECK
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCl5TSAVfz
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCc26QeAdvR
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJqbyjHVQw
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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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1peVPXWTzk
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmysz9jfZZ
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEuNz1dvqm
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomOJPxevf9
"You interested in that?"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfIMVSacEZ
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSFvFSdbWx
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSNf2z4ixQ
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXhT6nTsHo
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRl2hxSCPhy
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGyiRG4VbE
Nathaniel ignored him.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAc05YwqElI
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?"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrPGJApMxM
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2a6Iq6dZs
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rqojvUmuX
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFBdGRqWwQ
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvJDy7EMzw
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."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuOdwPnSnU
It was clear the conversation was over.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUm825qTJu
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwijrN0L5Gq
"He knows something," Nick muttered.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulXuFJha7X
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpcIRLtYXO
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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7VQCTXS0m
And she was going to find out what.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQQc3DqDAp
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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.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8hhAlGIxB
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmVXpW6P1T
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjATbNHWXVO
"Just making sure no one followed us."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEz1AKhnYF3
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27SOywiUiZ
Then he stopped.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrbc4dFSGq
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTuBJiIWsx
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceAxAXhDTw
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiD4PT6tHR
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkcJPa3JJJ
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PiP451Ccl
Gone.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIPORwvyst
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C57fuPmvj
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnwS6g3CE0
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3epoa17ye
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEu0gmhCA6
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GSq9B8l2p
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOX1qNnDg1
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOC0EsTJTF
And she had a terrible feeling...32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpeP4xC0Ec
It was only just beginning.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E7LoWsOmX
