Molly leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she whispered, "Tonight's the night, Bill. The Johnsons' ten-year-old is having his birthday party, and I've got it on good authority that the gifts are going to be nothing short of spectacular." Bill raised an eyebrow, his wrinkled face creasing into a reluctant grin. "You're sure this is the night to be stealing from kiddie parties, Mol?" Molly winked. "When has it ever not been the right time, Bill? Besides, Johnny's mom is a known procuress of all things shiny. This'll be a walk in the park." They stood huddled in the shadowy alcove of an abandoned tenement, rain gently pattering against the crumbling bricks above. To anyone passing by, they were just two grizzled burglars in threadbare coats, plotting their next score. In reality, they were a master and apprentice, a duo as skilled as any in the city, with a knack for finding the most unlikely treasures. Molly handed Bill a fatter-than-normal envelope filled with cash. "This ought to get us in unnoticed. I slipped it to the parents, told them I was Johnny's friend and wanted to make sure everything was taken care of. They didn't suspect a thing." Bill snickered, pocketing the envelope. "You really know how to make a kid's birthday wish come true, Mol—by granting his parents' wildest dreams." With that, they silently set off into the rainy night, their boots scuffling on the slick pavement. The distant sound of children's laughter and cartoony music guided them to their destination, a bright red bounce house towering above the Johnsons' manicured lawn. Without a second thought, they slipped in through the dining room window, evading the excited shrieks of a game of freeze tag. Molly pilfered a candy buffet, while Bill made quick work of a display table filled with gifts wrapped in garish paper and topped with goody-bag shams. Together, they swept up a small fortune in trinkets and baubles, exchanging winks and nods as they worked. But as they skipped out of the Johnsons' DVR surveillance, Molly's grin faltered. "What's the does-the-trick quotient for kids' parties, anyhow? I think we've outdone ourselves this time." Bill scratched his head. "Probably best to keep that in a box marked 'to be sold someday.'" Molly nodded, a devilish smile creeping back onto her face. "Good thinking. Now let's get out of here before we have to answer for sticky fingerprints on a batch of cake."