Run: 2026-07-25-01KYD7YRBX09P163J86XF5E972

Molly unrolled the blueprint across the hood of the car. It was crayon on construction paper. "Bill, this is a drawing of a house with a sun in the corner." "That's the target. Little Timmy's place. The sun means it's a daytime job." "The sun has a smiley face." "So do I, Molly. So do I." Bill tapped the paper. "Six years old, birthday Saturday, and according to my source, that kid's haul is gonna be legendary. His dad's a tech CEO. We're talking tablets. Drones. A pony, possibly." "We are not stealing a pony, Bill." "I'm saying we keep our options open." Molly rubbed her temples. "Explain the plan again. Slowly." "Right. Okay." Bill produced a duffel bag and unzipped it with a flourish. Inside was a polka-dot suit and oversized shoes. "I go in as Bimbo the Clown." "Bimbo?" "It was the only costume left at the rental place. The good one, Chuckles, was taken by some guy doing a bank job." "Of course it was." "I perform. I mingle. I do the balloon animals, which I practiced all week." He pulled out a twisted pink balloon. "That's a dog." "That's a snake." "It's a dog if you squint." "Bill, if a six-year-old corrects your balloon animals, the whole job is blown." "Which is why you're the failsafe." He handed her a tiny tiara. "You're the face painter." Molly stared at the tiara. "I'm not wearing this." "You have to. It's on the flyer. 'Princess Face Painting by Sparkle.' You're Sparkle." "I'd rather be the pony." "The pony's not invited, Molly. Focus. While I distract them with the world's saddest magic show—" "You don't know magic." "I know one trick. I make their presents disappear. Into this sack." He held up a burlap bag with 'BIMBO'S TOYS' stitched on it in glitter. "You labeled the loot bag." "Branding, Molly. Criminals never think about branding. Nobody suspects the clown with merch." Molly sighed and checked the blueprint again. "What's this red circle near the back fence?" "Ball pit. Decapitation hazard." "Excuse me?" "For the guards. If anyone chases us, we cut through the ball pit. Adults can't run in ball pits. It's physics. Children bounce off. We're done in ten minutes." "And the cake?" Bill paused. "What about the cake?" "You've mentioned cake four times this week. Are we stealing the presents or are you going to this party for cake?" "A man can have two goals, Molly." "Bill." "The cake is a bonus objective. Look, worst case, we get made. What are they gonna do, call the cops on a clown and a princess at a kid's party? We'd blend in with forty other hired entertainers." "There's one entertainer, Bill. It's us. You saw the flyer." "Then we better be the best darn clown and princess this neighborhood has ever seen." Molly folded the blueprint and put the tiara on. "Fine. But if you eat cake before we load the presents, I'm leaving you in the ball pit." "Deal," said Bill, already frosting on his sleeve.