"Seven across... why can't I figure you out?" Colin muttered to himself quietly, tapping his biro against his teeth. He considered asking for help but the surveillance van was lacking a willing audience - Zaf was asleep and Jo had hopped out to buy more coffee. Colin sighed, prising a doughnut from the box to take his mind off this damn crossword.
Surveillance wasn't too bad, and anyway Colin accepted most tasks with a nod and a cheery smile. Even though it was pitch black and only the foxes loitering around rubbish bins were active at this hour, it didn't really seem like much of a chore to continue watching the screens. Then again, Colin had spent many nights watching videos on computer hacking and reading books about technology and so one night of missed sleep wasn't going to do him a lot of damage.
It was 2am now and the suspect they were watching hadn't moved an inch since lunchtime the previous day. Colin re-adjusted one of the screens and picked up the newspaper again, staring at the crossword until his eyes went bleary.
Jo tugged open the door of the van, bearing gifts of takeaway coffee in steaming paper cups. Colin accepted his latte gratefully.
"Sorry Colin, they didn't have any Danish pastries. I got you a croissant instead." Jo handed him the paper bag but he didn't move his hand to accept it.
"Croissant!" Colin exclaimed, scribbling the word into the last empty box. "Of course, that's the typical French breakfast item. Of course, of course." Jo smiled indulgently at him and Colin blushed a little at having exposed his joy of the crossword in such an enthusiastic manner.
"Who said something about croissants?" Zaf mumbled, half awake from the sounds of Jo's arrival and Colin's excitable outburst.
Colin tore the croissant in two and handed Zaf a half, triumphantly placing down the newspaper and moving his eyes back to the screens.