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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3JCJHv6i5
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVDKMz3gVd
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."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQCh8OS9pd
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."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEF6FcFMV4F
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHBZzrMWbR
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."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qxmE5Gzmf
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJh38BgmqY
Chrissy immediately recognized him.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpUSTKCGq5
The historian.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGXVNp3mCD
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFpqCV0w8i
For a long second, no one spoke.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyruWs92w2c
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCgJTm3A2g
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA8jcZN1gP
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrbqVncLI0
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfguFy5WPJ
They all watched him go.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJa7k0tYW2x
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52bLdGiWdR
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tMQnqSSWo
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9XGr1IzEE
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mvXOZAzEM
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI81Tjql5bc
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfilZmdozfu
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLc5IU3Ct2
One stood out immediately.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlHOc0Eo1j
James Whitaker.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYpdN1O6CZ
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgSNvsVq4r
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIzGWdp26J
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEIF807c6C
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc58biNfgP
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvfVTb5l4f
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnny543cwVk
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmYF3oeink
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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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡka4Iupkoug
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeKO2QfCUw
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2lBZPpN39
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSm7MkbKtHL
"You interested in that?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtUwDNH1bl
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0yniOjVMf
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZJQNYbzS0
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVKPGIQS6e
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2TL1MH4lJ
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKtlz1WrYf
Nathaniel ignored him.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZ2sJL7nBB
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?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM13FRQBCDz
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOqq5HAY4r
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyydKtrNZ9u
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1emmdEhJCk
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyvsYc2tWX
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."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu24e1I3gmu
It was clear the conversation was over.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ2i7JkaR1
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ739L0fyE0n
"He knows something," Nick muttered.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Tz1AkurTT
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zqJr177X9
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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EnH1U35fi
And she was going to find out what.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQV3v7B2jU
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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.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWU2DGUndu
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrchdTSQzsZ
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4GFNhUwR4
"Just making sure no one followed us."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RnOFykkw4
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSYD3cbu3l
Then he stopped.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCdz6nOuUc
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGskiDumURY
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRdhiJ2qj7
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlofYBRk6p9
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccVFHBD5Vq
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQbwdZ1YwK
Gone.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOSkztWCi1
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ503VdZvN
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsb3BilnGLz
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMhHlbOXOF
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0KCBOwN2B
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMxTV9YCid
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlycPfLdce
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujS92U9ky0
And she had a terrible feeling...33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMe1dMoMFWk
It was only just beginning.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRnHay4vsL
