Voices emanated from the projector.

“Better hurry,” said Siri. “The show’s started.”

“What’s to stop me from shooting you dead first and watching the tape after?” said Dom.

“Nothing, except then you wouldn’t get the punch line, would you? And that’s the best part.”

Dom came down the ladder on the far side of the stacks and walked cautiously to the table. His gun was trained on Siri the entire time. He squinted at the screen. There were two people: a middle-aged overweight man with thinning hair and a beautiful blonde woman who looked quite drunk. He was holding her hand. The Thai recognized her as Cindy from the US consulate but couldn’t place the man.

“No, Darling, you’re a legend round the bars of Ubon,” said Cindy. “Everyone knows you. I’ve heard a lot about how amazing you are. I bet you’ve got some great stories.”

“You sure you aren’t with the CIA?” asked the man. “’Cause if you are I’d have to shoot you.”

“Do I look like the CIA?” she said.

He laughed and looked into her cleavage.

“You sure don’t,” he said.

“Recognize the man yet?” Siri asked.

“No.”

“Imagine him fifteen years younger and ten kilos lighter.”

“I don’t . . .”

The truth hit Dom with the force of a stack of crates landing on top of him. He looked up at Siri, who raised his hands to the heavens and shrugged.

“It can’t . . .” said Dom. “When was this video taken?”

“Three days ago,” said Siri.

“That’s not possible,” said Dom. “It’s just someone who looks like him.”

“Stay tuned, viewers,” said Siri.

“What have you heard?” said the man on the screen.

“Just some things that can’t be true,” said the blonde.

“Try me.”

They were drinking Thai rum with ice and soda. The man was constantly topping up their glasses.

“They said something about you convincing the US government you were a POW for six years. It would be awesome if it was true.”

He smiled and raised his eyebrows.

“No?” she said.

“Almost got away with it too,” said the man. “I even wrote a book about my six years in captivity.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“True as I’m sitting here,” he said. “I was this close to a hero’s welcome and a million-dollar movie deal.”

“What happened?”

“Some shitty little Lao doctor is what happened. But I can’t tell you any of that. It’s kind of classified.”

“Oh, come on.”

“No, I shouldn’t.”

She topped up his drink and stirred in a cube of ice.

“Well, you sure know a way to a man’s heart,” he said. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But it can’t go any further than this bar, you hear?”

“Cross my heart,” she said, making a finger X on one breast.