“Bill, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This plan is just plain stupid.” “Oh, come on, Molly. It’s gonna be a breeze.” Bill grinned, his face hidden beneath a Groucho Marx disguise. He patted the package tucked under his arm. “With a fake mustache and a ridiculous wig, you’re ‘gonna be a breeze’?" Molly raised an eyebrow. She adjusted the pink tutu she’d insisted on wearing. "This is like the worst possible place to pull a heist." "Worst possible? It's perfect! Kids are dumb, they're easily distracted. You think they're gonna remember the face of the clown who brought them balloons? They'll be too busy stuffing their faces with cake." Bill chuckled. "They’re not dumb, Bill, they’re just… innocent. And what about the parents? Do you think they're just gonna let a guy in a Groucho Marx disguise wander around and steal their kids’ presents?” Molly shook her head. “And this whole 'clown' thing... it's a terrible idea. We're not clowns, we're thieves.” "Relax, Molly. I already told the lady on the phone that we're a team of professional balloon animals." Bill winked. "Just imagine, free balloon animals! They're going to be lining up. We'll be practically drowning in presents." "You're making a joke, right?" "Of course I am! I told the lady we could do a whole menagerie, too. Imagine it: a camel, a giraffe, a penguin... We'll be making shapes in no time." Bill started mimicking the gestures of a balloon animal maker. "You're a menace." Molly sighed. "You know what? If you want to play clown, go for it. But I'm not gonna wear this tutu... it's itchy." "See? This is why we work so well together. You're the brains, I'm the… well, I'm the clown. We make a great team. Now, about the loot.... I say we go for the high-end stuff. I'm talking remote control cars, video games, even that fancy dollhouse with the real working lights.” "I'm not going to steal a dollhouse, Bill." “Why not? A little girl’s joy is worth more than any of this.” Bill winked. "She'll be too busy playing with her balloon unicorn to notice you’re stealing everything else, right?" Molly teased. "Listen, I’m just trying to make you happy, okay?” Bill pulled Molly close and whispered. "We'll get in, we'll grab the goods, and we'll be out of there before you can say 'Happy Birthday'." "Bill, I'm not sure this is a good idea." "Don't worry, Molly, I've got a plan. And it's going to be a-maze-ing." Bill grinned. Molly sighed. "Okay, but I'm getting a cut of the loot that's twice as big as usual." "Deal." Bill pulled her into a hug. "Now, let's go get some birthday cake." "Wait, did you say cake?" “Yeah, so we can pretend to be clowns while we eat it. It’s a cover story, duh!” Bill said, as they walked toward the party. "You really are a menace." Molly shook her head, but she couldn’t help but laugh. "See, you're starting to get it," Bill said, winking. "We'll be a team of clown extraordinaire, stealing hearts and presents, just like we always do."