Molly held the binoculars with the steady hands of a bomb disposal expert. Across the street, a bacchanal of frosting and high-pitched shrieks was unfolding in a suburban backyard. A banner, shaped like a rainbow, screamed “HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY, LIAM!” in letters so cheerful they felt like a threat. The air in their surveillance van, however, smelled only of stale coffee and regret. Beside her, Bill noisily slurped the dregs of a thermos, his gaze fixed on the party’s chaotic epicenter: a bouncy castle shaped like a purple T-Rex. “The target is a soft touch,” Molly said, her voice a low monotone. “One father on grill duty, mother coordinating a three-legged race. The presents are on a card table, dangerously exposed by the slide. Our window is narrow.” “It’s a bouncy castle, Molls. Kids are unpredictable. One sugar rush and we’re looking at a toddler riot.” He gestured with his sandwich. “That thing’s a chaotic variable. I saw three kids go down in there before you even got the binos focused.” “The plan hinges on the cake,” she replied, not lowering the binoculars. “The ‘Happy Birthday’ song is our go-signal. They’ll be distracted. That’s when you initiate the diversion.” He perked up, a flicker of professional pride in his eyes. “The pinata? I get to smack the donkey?” “You will create a glorious, sticky cascade of cheap candy. While the little darlings are lost in a sugar haze, I’ll approach the gift table as ‘Aunt Carol,’ fashionably late.” Bill squinted. “What if they ask what I got Liam? I’m your plus-one.” “You’re my silent, bewildered companion. Your job is to look overwhelmed. It’s well within your range. We grab the bags and we go. No fuss.” He considered this, taking a final bite of his sandwich. Molly could see him scanning the presents, already mentally appraising the loot. She knew he wasn’t thinking about the resale value of poorly wrapped art supplies. He was thinking about the potential for a good toy robot. “Fine,” he grumbled, crumpling the wax paper. “But if there’s a good T-Rex in one of those bags, I’m keeping it. Non-negotiable.”