# The Birthday Bash Caper Molly adjusted her ski mask. "So we hit the Henderson residence at exactly two o'clock?" "When the piñata comes out," Bill confirmed, checking his clipboard. "That's our window." "How many presents are we talking?" "Preliminary reconnaissance suggests forty-seven wrapped boxes. Conservative estimate puts us at fifteen hundred in retail value." Molly whistled. "Those kids are loaded. What's the extraction plan?" "We go in through the side door disguised as balloon artists. You have the van parked outside?" "Idling on Maple Street. But Bill, won't someone notice two adults stuffing presents into a cargo van?" "They'll be distracted by the magician. I hired him specifically for crowd control." "Brilliant. What about the cake? Do we take that?" Bill paused. "The birthday cake? Why would we steal a cake?" "Why wouldn't we? It's carrot cake. Those things go for forty bucks." "Molly, we're thieves, not bakery bandits. Focus." "You're right, you're right. So two o'clock, side door, balloon disguises. We're really doing this?" "We're really doing this. Now, one more thing—what's our code word if things go south?" "Sprinkles," Molly said. "If anyone yells 'sprinkles,' we abort."