Molly pressed her face against the chain-link fence, watching a dozen screaming children chase each other around the backyard. A mountain of wrapped presents sat unguarded on a picnic table near the bouncy castle. "That's got to be at least two grand in toys," Bill whispered, squatting beside her. "Maybe more if the parents are loaded." "Look at that bouncy castle," Molly said. "These people have money." "So what's the plan?" Molly pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her jacket pocket. "I've been watching the house for three days. The party started at two. Cake happens at four. That's when everyone goes inside." "And we just walk in and grab everything?" "Exactly." Molly folded the paper back up. "We'll have maybe ten minutes before someone notices." Bill scratched his stubble. "What if a kid comes back out?" "Then you distract them while I load the van." "How am I supposed to distract a kid?" Molly shrugged. "I don't know. Make balloon animals or something." "I don't know how to make balloon animals," Bill said. "Then learn in the next hour." Molly checked her watch. "We've got time." A woman emerged from the house carrying an elaborate princess cake with sparklers shooting from the top. The children swarmed toward her like moths to a flame. "That's our cue in about thirty minutes," Molly said. She stood up and brushed grass off her knees. "Let's get the van ready." "This feels wrong," Bill muttered as they walked back to their vehicle parked down the street. "Wrong? We're thieves, Bill. Nothing we do is right." "Yeah, but stealing from kids? That's low even for us." Molly opened the van's back doors. "We're not stealing from kids. We're stealing from their rich parents who bought overpriced toys to compensate for their emotional unavailability." "That's quite a rationalization," Bill said. "I'm good at those." Molly climbed into the driver's seat. "Besides, those kids will forget about this party in a week. We need this score." "We need it because you lost our last haul playing poker." "That was an investment that didn't pan out," Molly said, starting the engine. "You bet everything on a pair of threes." "I had a feeling about that hand." Molly drove the van closer to the target house. "Are you in or out?" Bill sighed heavily. He looked at the birthday party, then at Molly, then down at his worn-out shoes with holes in both soles. "I need new shoes," he finally said. "That's the spirit." Molly parked across the street and killed the engine. "Now remember, quick and quiet. In and out like professionals." "Professional children's party thieves," Bill said. "My mother would be so proud." "Your mother is in prison for tax fraud." "Still prouder than she'd be about this."