Patricia Gentry

Lizzie Shanks Patricia Gentry

A light caught her eye as she prepared to go to bed around midnight. It came from a window across the street at the Bailey house. Lizzie knew it was the master bedroom as she and her husband, Carl, had lain their coats on the bed at many parties hosted by the Baileys. Turning out her reading lamp, she waited to see if any lights would be turned on elsewhere in the house, but none could be seen. Lizzie thought about calling, but knew it would wake the children, twins under five years old, after finally getting them to sleep around 8p.m. Lizzie noticed all the lights go out about 8:30 while she sat reading by the front window. She could see everything that went on in the neighborhood from that vantage point.