# The Birthday Caper Molly adjusted her fake mustache while Bill examined the invitation with a magnifying glass, though neither had any idea what they were looking for. The Henderson residence sat three blocks away, practically bursting with wrapped boxes visible through the front window. "So we're really doing this?" Bill whispered, though they were alone in the abandoned laundromat. "Absolutely. Those presents aren't going to steal themselves," Molly replied, consulting her hand-drawn blueprint that looked suspiciously like a crayon drawing of a house with stick figures. The actual problem was ridiculous. They'd spent six months planning an elaborate museum heist only to discover the museum had closed permanently. Desperate and broke, they'd pivoted to what seemed like an easier score: a nine-year-old's birthday party on Saturday afternoon. Bill had constructed an elaborate pulley system using dental floss. Molly had memorized the layout of the living room based entirely on what she could see from the street. They'd even purchased matching clown costumes as disguises, which seemed clever at the time but now felt increasingly unhinged. "This is the dumbest thing we've ever done," Bill muttered. "Probably," Molly agreed cheerfully, tucking a pair of toy handcuffs into her pocket.