Run: 2026-09-29-01M3P2J8HTWNNDTN9EXYQRDKY6

Molly lowered the binoculars and turned to Bill, who was chewing a sandwich in the hedge beside her. "Bill, why are you eating?" "It's a stakeout. Eating is what you do on a stakeout." "That's my sandwich." "Then it's a shared stakeout." He swallowed. "So what's the plan? Storm the bouncy castle?" "Nobody is storming the bouncy castle. Listen carefully. The party is at two. Presents are stacked on the patio table. Twenty-three boxes, all wrapped, and all unguarded except for a clown." "A clown?" Bill went pale. "You didn't mention a clown." "I'm mentioning him now." "Molly, I don't do clowns. I have history with clowns." "You have history with one clown, and he was a mime, and he only stole your parking spot." "He looked me dead in the eye, Molly. He mimed a wall between us. Who does that?" "Focus. The clown does balloon animals at two-thirty. That's when every kid runs to the lawn. That's our window." "Window for what?" "For you to walk in dressed as a party entertainer, grab the presents, and walk out." Bill stared at her. "Dressed as what?" "A giant dinosaur." "Absolutely not." "The costume is already in the van." "Why is there a dinosaur costume in the van?" "Because I plan ahead, Bill. Nobody questions a dinosaur carrying gifts. It's a natural fit. Children will assume you're part of the show." "And what do you do while I'm sweating inside a dinosaur?" "I'm the distraction. I'll be the mom with the cake." "Whose mom?" "Nobody's. That's what makes it brilliant. Every parent will think I belong to another kid, and every kid will think I belong to another parent. I'll walk right in with a sheet cake and a smile." "What if somebody asks which kid is yours?" Molly smirked. "I'll point at the one who looks least likely to argue." Bill sighed and brushed crumbs off his knees. "Fine. But if the clown looks at me, I'm bailing." "He won't look at you. You'll be a dinosaur." "Dinosaurs get looked at." "Bill, please. Twenty-three presents. Think of the loot. Think of the Lego sets." "Ooh, Lego." His eyes brightened. "Do you think there's a pirate ship?" "There's always a pirate ship." "All right." He stood up and tugged his jacket straight. "But I get the pirate ship." "You can have the pirate ship." "And the cake?" "The cake is a prop." "Molly, it's chocolate." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Half the cake." "Deal." Bill grinned, then froze. Across the lawn, the clown had turned and was staring directly at the hedge. Slowly, deliberately, he raised both hands and began to mime a wall. "Molly," Bill whispered, "he knows." "Nobody knows anything. Get the dinosaur." "It's the same clown." "It is not the same clown." "He's doing the wall!"