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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xUmbe97Xt
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILEl6M0UIw
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."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJHHJncjKP
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."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17skd64VCh
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnt9rpF7n7
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."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5jxJWPDH8
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaweMVyWy0
Chrissy immediately recognized him.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK8F00Hj03
The historian.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyhtRw0o2m
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRhdVVuUPj
For a long second, no one spoke.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8MLtYHX4w
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXRzAvUyjL
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUefHzKLDZe
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh5qiXFvfv
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43v8dufG9x
They all watched him go.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWRAdbpS8f
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN0hDciTNg
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThnKbnSayh
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPpoP7AuqS
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2pyWWCNsf
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8o0YFnC6kx
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmZPBjxa21
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwElcBSA45B
One stood out immediately.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6sM0fBjtY
James Whitaker.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMNpSx9Dwh
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb95SS1qEt
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l22GYVkmx
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGl0tMbEG9t
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wxO1FoQfr
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHwhZw2QR3
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpK5fcV4n0
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzEPIpvPLf
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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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvm1a276Xp
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUzGUWwdAK
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyO2olCssY
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXNGmYwOkd
"You interested in that?"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd1M32aIyp
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0VLTlz3GC
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8ZZvjr6Ak
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRHzthD6rw
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwad3fWdemk
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoViq1Y73Q
Nathaniel ignored him.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YiqYY9pGR
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?"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡce9Dgc4kVi
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf0KpOeDJj
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uPi4UQcae
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYVFAl3QWI
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdHHZeBM5H
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."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjFItaalDx
It was clear the conversation was over.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj7wNVxrQV
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmDWCUTD7U
"He knows something," Nick muttered.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG2XDTjm45
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNy7WdRBN1
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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9WIvM86C5
And she was going to find out what.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡES1fdvHyZt
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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.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPTsRFGkME
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI03WWp7zbX
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15KCDxNy7n
"Just making sure no one followed us."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYs8ZgOLVXD
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbxf2ga3x6
Then he stopped.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ErJOWnKj0
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJOXrQPerP
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA8ykDwJTw
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZg6VMpbSa
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFE4BqAXoy
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6lqpedBFS
Gone.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GaOufXvpg
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1WIQXL8Wi
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbJOwpwqa1
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqdVEpDQfQ
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNdFoC0685
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7FZyFWJqh
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYtvr8YCkt
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjWfcbEKay
And she had a terrible feeling...219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGRxosAmbi
It was only just beginning.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxQNWGsKGP
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