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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDEgXC1AmF
"Alright," Maddie said, leaning forward as Chrissy slid into the seat. "What happened last night? You said you felt like you were being watched?"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsbSy8iEm9
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."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mXpjyo9fG
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."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QAN1vUPYX
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bCtAjDypb
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."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEjANhfa9L
Before Maddie could respond, the bell above the door jingled, and an older man stepped inside, carrying a small stack of books.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMkpuy53NG
Chrissy immediately recognized him.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ843Zvt5EGE
The historian.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MEkfvXhHX
She barely had time to process his presence before he turned—and froze. His eyes locked onto her, his grip on the books tightening.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd77yW5egKM
For a long second, no one spoke.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gxSQjXvR2
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IthBYx1YU
Maddie immediately jumped up to help, bending down to pick up the scattered books. "Here, let me—"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2prYtl3h4o
"I've got it," the historian snapped, snatching them up before she could touch them. His voice was tight, his movements stiff.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwi19HhYvV
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RmjXKyLpR
They all watched him go.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6kCjU9o5p
"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Maddie muttered, brushing dust from her hands.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxALKxBcgH
Chrissy stayed quiet, replaying the way he had looked at her—like he had seen a ghost.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IuqOHnzEF
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The encounter with the historian left Chrissy restless. She needed answers.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsk2AhEOkqH
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxoQ4qMblM
Flipping through a yearbook from decades ago, Maddie suddenly stopped. "Wait."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWw47zVyjs
Chrissy and Nick leaned in.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9phUdAXVs
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDIDnJHmKw
One stood out immediately.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZsyOCVJnv
James Whitaker.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfbyED2RiB
Nick's eyes widened. "That's the lighthouse keeper."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJptYpncu9N
But it was the boy next to him that sent a chill down Chrissy's spine. He was younger, but the resemblance was clear.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUK8NROUCaU
"That's him," she whispered. "That's the historian."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqyUaAWGGy
The name beneath the boy's image read: Nathaniel Whitaker.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpeQXUj3Ms
"They're brothers," Maddie murmured.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u7vg5IfAD
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The historian—Nathaniel—was directly connected to the lighthouse. He had to know something.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5uCeKmcJh
"We need to talk to him," Nick said.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86uDFKH8h7
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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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN0WYSCFaH
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8Lj8uGAtX
But it was the centerpiece that caught Chrissy's attention.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAa484JtR2
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVQvvZUqca
"You interested in that?"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTpOOI6EaG
Chrissy turned to find Nathaniel standing behind the counter, watching her. His voice was unreadable, carefully neutral.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP85h7Nnev
Chrissy hesitated, then pointed to the lighthouse replica. "That belonged to your brother, didn't it?"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVDB8wnh4i
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GQ6LhfPoD
"I restore antiques," he said curtly. "It's just an old piece."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDucwKRQ7J
Nick crossed his arms. "It looks exactly like the lighthouse James worked at."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rVP829KfP
Nathaniel ignored him.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJNw2fk3TF
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?"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI0uu0VMqF
Nathaniel barely looked at it before replying, "No."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFJu3StpMs
Chrissy narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even—"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ArWelHvhn
"I said no." His tone was sharp now, final.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0lysvGvPZ
Maddie raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You look like you've seen that necklace before."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9RcAFLirr
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."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡso4gGyzAeH
It was clear the conversation was over.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IpLFZIDku
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The three of them left the shop, frustration heavy in the air.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg67UNqg6hl
"He knows something," Nick muttered.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYqMLBd0Vz
"Obviously," Maddie said. "But he's not going to just tell us."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJey9YR9Nv
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxRVSIFTub
And she was going to find out what.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMiVCC3MeF
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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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0PwvZule3
Nick was still tense from earlier, his eyes scanning the area.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PvVVi7i1a
"You okay?" Chrissy asked.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCHMUOxmiC
"Just making sure no one followed us."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJX4DEfXc3
Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Nick, I don't think—"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvtOeeHW2g
Then he stopped.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPDTKdzT5d
His hand instinctively reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Wait."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoTDGhE8ec
Chrissy froze, following his gaze toward the trees lining the road.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpifHuCPrB
There, just beyond the treeline, a shadow moved. A figure—just barely visible in the darkness.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAWtU6p3ll
Nick took a step forward, his body shifting slightly in front of Chrissy. "Hey!" he called out.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7IIalQe0k
But before he could get any closer, the shadow disappeared.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYsrtuNYuo
Gone.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PmALZ9vXI
Nick didn't move for a long moment, his jaw clenched.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXOf54rlOb
Chrissy swallowed hard. "Did you see who it was?"560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhLHtNMErT
"No," he admitted, his voice low. "But someone was there."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrFIrkIV8f
A shiver ran down Chrissy's spine.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRS8ECld90h
Nick exhaled sharply. "Let's get you inside."560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FRu6oKqWA
As they reached her front door, Chrissy cast one last glance at the woods.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzm8G9PLWnr
The feeling of being watched hadn't gone away.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaCex2JigP
And she had a terrible feeling...560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9VPkCoND9
It was only just beginning.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPS135jBv2
and then Add to home screen.