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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAC43f0G9v8k
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"230Please respect copyright.PENANA4DwgmX3lct
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."230Please respect copyright.PENANApMcJcH1IrZ
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."230Please respect copyright.PENANAMfXMjp0Vg2
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANABb3DXR4MYV
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."230Please respect copyright.PENANAJu8YZpuGiK
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.230Please respect copyright.PENANAfmfSFoWfwx
Chrissy immediately recognized him.230Please respect copyright.PENANA2nqkJUrI5E
The historian.230Please respect copyright.PENANADOEoCi6Itq
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.230Please respect copyright.PENANAXLaJETMP84
For a long second, no one spoke.230Please respect copyright.PENANAq9TibLSqzC
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANA6dPql8uzyt
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"230Please respect copyright.PENANAxQxMv7jSBK
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.230Please respect copyright.PENANAfJW1AsjA5n
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3SuaP2mzb
They all watched him go.230Please respect copyright.PENANAYLezRjPvBw
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.230Please respect copyright.PENANAgax5HcAXob
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.230Please respect copyright.PENANATOs9KsKLDO
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.230Please respect copyright.PENANAxi6dxaKaFw
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAgiXcDuMNDp
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."230Please respect copyright.PENANAWCLHrjuoak
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.230Please respect copyright.PENANA2xQ2qNnuku
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAb0HuIrNQ3q
One stood out immediately.230Please respect copyright.PENANAHXOEltZezr
James Whitaker.230Please respect copyright.PENANA7oYTiO4vCW
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."230Please respect copyright.PENANA9zkPicuUOz
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.230Please respect copyright.PENANA8kJpA0Add7
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."230Please respect copyright.PENANAEzCz6rs4jV
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.230Please respect copyright.PENANA0WU78Q6Bta
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.230Please respect copyright.PENANALnolcSrtQS
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.230Please respect copyright.PENANAr71Y5CL0km
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.230Please respect copyright.PENANAsTwHpYoJru
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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.230Please respect copyright.PENANA47dOMDK9j0
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAVTMay8aKvD
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.230Please respect copyright.PENANAn7CoyJK2JI
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANA7ibcFdf1cj
"You interested in that?"230Please respect copyright.PENANAIpDD0pm3iL
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.230Please respect copyright.PENANA2Fs6BsHZr4
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"230Please respect copyright.PENANAHGn2e1qq6A
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.230Please respect copyright.PENANAkzpW8xPdj3
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."230Please respect copyright.PENANAI02wUkjrQB
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."230Please respect copyright.PENANA5BvY4V8fVi
Nathaniel ignored him.230Please respect copyright.PENANAVnO5MeKehw
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?"230Please respect copyright.PENANATYDw35YgTR
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."230Please respect copyright.PENANA5kkMQvwWW7
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"230Please respect copyright.PENANA4MavMIzKi4
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.230Please respect copyright.PENANAxxxtvYPuVm
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."230Please respect copyright.PENANAfwixPKAoOz
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."230Please respect copyright.PENANAuxVniHbE7u
It was clear the conversation was over.230Please respect copyright.PENANAbbbwURe8H5
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.230Please respect copyright.PENANACreSxdHFS9
"He knows something," Nick muttered.230Please respect copyright.PENANAQIZmq1thZQ
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."230Please respect copyright.PENANA0PFvLr0BZg
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.230Please respect copyright.PENANAv63Z1OoUGV
And she was going to find out what.230Please respect copyright.PENANA6jYHnZHHLD
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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.230Please respect copyright.PENANABAsKmP1vUt
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.230Please respect copyright.PENANAyqRc1atwAU
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.230Please respect copyright.PENANApeBxC6rw0W
"Just making sure no one followed us."230Please respect copyright.PENANAYhGRCMMiHc
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"230Please respect copyright.PENANAcEdJws0BGl
Then he stopped.230Please respect copyright.PENANAyEDLl29MJ2
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."230Please respect copyright.PENANARvgpp8gYIB
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.230Please respect copyright.PENANAfwhKLWkQ2O
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.230Please respect copyright.PENANAmTTdvsxara
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.230Please respect copyright.PENANAfYMeAOPmFK
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.230Please respect copyright.PENANAgj29ivO0j1
Gone.230Please respect copyright.PENANAsLaqvJFFu7
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.230Please respect copyright.PENANA4qjDFJuOah
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"230Please respect copyright.PENANAxXajJfYo2d
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."230Please respect copyright.PENANAlxoaZKEUJd
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.230Please respect copyright.PENANAodpGLF1N9L
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."230Please respect copyright.PENANAbK8J24TjfQ
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.230Please respect copyright.PENANATtug7n4EoS
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.230Please respect copyright.PENANAjlH3SjXwhB
And she had a terrible feeling...230Please respect copyright.PENANA9P1TkVuaDm
It was only just beginning.230Please respect copyright.PENANAj1MglTysx6