Run: 2026-05-27-01KSMF3K1NE8B5C7VT8476MDRB

Molly leaned against the counter, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "I'm telling you, Bill. The Diamond Jubilee Children's Charity Gala is our ticket to easy street." Bill shook his head, polishing his gloves that were spotless already. "A children's party? Come on, Mol. We're professional thieves. Not toddler muggers." "There'll be no toddlers when the party starts," Molly insisted. "They'll all be sleepy, sugared-up maniacs bouncing off the walls. Perfect cover. No one notices a thing when there's mystery candy and piñata chaos." "Impossible," Bill scoffed. "Security will be tight. This is a charity event for the mayor's kid." "Security? Are you kidding me?" Molly rolled her eyes. "The security will be better chaperones. Mrs. Henderson with her bun and her tablet, Mr. Jenkins who spends the whole timehe looking at his phone. We could walk out with the entire pony and they wouldn't notice until they needed wipes." Bill looked unconvinced. "And exactly what are we stealing from a bunch of five-year-olds?" "Presents, genius! Isn't that obvious?" Molly threw her hands up. "Thousands of dollars worth of toys that little Johnny and Susie unwrapped for exactly three minutes before they got bored and moved on to the next shiny thing. Parents buy that stuff, then pawn it the next day anyway. We're doing them a favor." "And how exactly do we do this?" Bill crossed his arms. "We dress as invited parents, obviously," Molly said wisely. "You bring your camera phone to look like a proud dad, I'll carry a designer bag. We mingle, we smile, we both beckon to our 'kid' who is, conveniently, the same person we're using for the job—my cousin Tommy. We scope out the present table. "I don't know," Bill hesitated. "The obvious targets are present tables. That's the first place anyone looks." "Right!" Molly nodded enthusiastically. "Which is why we won't be the first ones there. We'll be the last. After the cake cutting frenzy. This party has a strict 6:30 pm gift-opening rule, you know. Everyone leaves at 9:30 with their little trophy and their sleepy kids. We'll wait until 10:01 pm when the venue staff is cleaning up. The presents we don't take shows we're not complete monsters." "And we know where the cleaning staff exit is?" Molly grinned a shit-eating grin. "I dated a guy who worked the bacon stand outside last year. Got photos of the service entrance, the security camera blind spots—the whole shebang." Bill stared at her. "You planned this before you even mentioned it to me." "Elementary, my dear Watson," she winked. "So you in?" "You're insane," he said, but a smile was playing across his lips. "Absolutely insane." "Excellent! That's the Bill I know and love." Molly clapped her hands together. "Pack your tux, it's party time." "Customer service rep, not waiter," Bill muttered, already grabbing his keys. "And this is a terrible idea." "But lucrative!" Molly headed for the door. "Meet you at the McDonald's parking lot at nine! Don't forget the camera phone!" "You're bringing your cousin, right?" Bill called after her. "Wouldn't be me without my cousin!" came the reply as Molly disappeared.