Run: 2026-07-25-01KYD5DXV26TAR8D3MSYWBH2M8

Molly spread the crayon-drawn map across the kitchen table, anchoring one corner with a mug and the other with Bill's sandwich. "Is that a giraffe?" Bill asked, squinting. "It's a bouncy castle. The Henderson kid drew the party layout himself and posted it on his mum's social media. Six presents confirmed, two large, one suspiciously bike-shaped." "One suspiciously bike-shaped," Bill repeated reverently. Molly tapped a pink scribble. "Entrance here, through the garden. We arrive at two o'clock, blend in with the parents, and at two-thirty, when the magician does his big finale—" "Magician?" "Every parent watches the magician. It's the law. While they're all clapping at a rabbit, we grab the haul and walk out the back gate like we belong there." Bill chewed thoughtfully. "What do we wear?" "Casual dad and fun aunt. I've got you a polo shirt." "A polo," Bill said, horrified. "Molly, I have a reputation." "You have an arrest warrant. Different thing." She slid a party invitation across the table. "We're plus-ones of the Hendersons' neighbours. They'll be in Marbella. I checked their social media too. People make this very easy, Bill." "What's the magician's name?" "Why does that matter?" "In case someone asks. Small talk. 'Oh, you've got The Amazing whoever, we had him at our nephew's party, he was rubbish.'" Bill spread his hands. "Authenticity." "The Great Zambini." "That is a terrible name and I love him already." Molly rolled up the map and tucked it behind the flour bin, which was where she kept all the plans, because Bill never cooked. "There's one complication." "There's always one complication with you. Last time it was a swan." "The swan was unforeseen. This is different. There's a clown." "So?" "So, clowns notice things. They stand at the edges. They watch. It's their whole unsettling deal. We need a distraction for the clown." Bill leaned back and crossed his arms. "I am not fighting a clown, Molly." "Nobody's fighting anybody. You just have to talk to him. Ask about his balloon technique. Clowns love explaining balloon technique." "How do you know that?" "I dated a clown." "You dated a—" "It was a strange summer. Focus." She tapped the table. "Two o'clock arrival. Two-fifteen, I position myself near the present table and compliment the birthday boy's grandmother until she adopts me emotionally. Two-thirty, the rabbit appears, the room goes soft, and we move. In and out in four minutes." "And the bike-shaped one?" "I'll ride it out the gate." "You will not." "I will absolutely ride it out the gate, Bill. That's the whole point of stealing a bike. It's a getaway vehicle with a bell." Bill stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and reached for his sandwich. "Fine. But if the clown makes me a balloon animal, I'm keeping it." "Deal," said Molly. "Nothing says 'inconspicuous' like a man leaving a robbery with a balloon poodle."