# The Birthday Caper Molly spread the blueprints across the kitchen table while Bill made sandwiches. The Henderson residence loomed large in the architectural drawings, with one critical detail circled in red: the birthday party happening Saturday at noon. "Okay, so we're really doing this?" Bill asked, biting into his sandwich. "We're stealing presents from a bunch of five-year-olds?" "Not from them," Molly corrected, adjusting her glasses. "From their parents. There's a difference. An important one." "Is there though? Is there really?" Molly ignored him. "The gifts arrive between eleven and eleven-thirty. We need to be inside by ten-forty-five." "Through the garage?" "Obviously the garage. The front door has that Ring camera. Mrs. Henderson got it after her garden gnomes kept disappearing." Molly tapped the blueprint. "The garage leads directly to the living room where they're stacking everything." Bill set down his sandwich. "What about the birthday girl? What's her name?" "Emma. She'll be occupied with face painting until eleven-fifteen. That gives us thirty minutes." "Thirty minutes to steal approximately forty wrapped boxes? Molly, that's less than a minute per present." "Which is why you'll use the dolly," Molly said. "We load three boxes at a time, roll them to the van, stack them efficiently." "What about the parents? They're arriving early, aren't they?" "Not the actual parents. Just the nannies and housekeepers dropping kids off. They don't count inventory." Bill leaned back in his chair. "They absolutely count inventory. That's literally their entire job." "Fine, they do a quick count. But the party favors haven't been distributed yet. In the chaos of pizza arriving and someone's son finding a bee in the bounce house, no one notices the presents moving locations." "And if they do notice?" Molly smiled wickedly. "Then we're just volunteers helping set up the gift table in the backyard. We're good Samaritans, Bill. Model citizens." "We're dressed in all black." "Fashion forward Samaritans." Bill returned to his sandwich, considering. "What's our fence? Who's buying stolen Fisher-Price toys and Disney merchandise?" "There's a daycare in New Jersey. They lose their supplier next week. We provide the inventory at bulk prices." "The daycare's in on it?" "The daycare manager's in on it. Different thing entirely." Bill stood and walked to the window, hands on his hips. "I've stolen from banks, museums, and that one really fancy boutique. But a five-year-old's birthday party?" "Five-year-olds get better presents than museum pieces now. Did you see the list? There's a tablet." Bill turned around. "A tablet?" "Top of the line. Two hundred dollars. Four of them on this list alone." He grabbed his jacket. "What time do we meet tomorrow?" "Nine o'clock. Bring the dolly, black gloves, and something inconspicuous." "I have a really nice polo shirt." Molly nodded. "That works perfectly."