‘Let’s do it.’ She takes a wad of Genghis notes out of her bag, and grins at me. ‘Don’t look so shocked, V. Live a little, eh?’ She turns back to the man, who looks slightly stunned that he hasn’t had to try very hard at all. ‘Where do we get the bus?’

‘Guide will pick you up. Where you stay?’

‘Sunrise Guesthouse.’

The man nods, satisfied. Then moves on to the next table. The lads at the bar wave him away, one of them slaps his back and says something I don’t catch.

The waitress returns with our drinks, and Carrie hands me a shot glass, raises hers. ‘To adventures in the desert,’ she says, knocking the drink back in one.

‘Sláinte.’

Three more pints, and three more sambucas, and the lads from the bar are in the booth beside us. They’ve brought a large jug full of something lurid pink, and the waitress has brought four small glasses on a tray.

No one has had any cheeseburgers.

‘I’m Rory,’ says the first lad. The one who tried to get our attention at the start. ‘And this boring fucker is Martin.’

Martin is on my side of the booth, a respectful couple of fists’ distance away from me. Rory is on the other side with Carrie, squeezed up against her. She doesn’t seem too bothered, but she’s not paying him any attention. She’s looking over the jug, at me, and I’m trying to read her, but I can’t. We’re both too pissed.

‘I’m not sure we should drink this…’ I have to say the words carefully to avoid slurring.

‘Come on, ladies. Got it made specially for you,’ Rory says. He fills two of the glasses and slides them across to me and Carrie.

‘Why aren’t you drinking it?’ I ask. ‘Have you put something in it?’

‘Rory…’ Martin says, warning in his voice.

‘Don’t be daft,’ Rory says. ‘We’re just sticking to the beer. We got this for you two. Just wanted to say hi.’

Carrie picks up the glass and sniffs it, wrinkling her nose. She takes a sip. ‘It’s not bad, actshullly…’

I take a sip. It tastes of Wham Bars. Those sweet, pink, fizzy chews we used to eat as kids. I knock it back.

‘That’s the spirit,’ Rory says. He winks across at Martin. I’m not sure what they’re up to, but I know I don’t like it.

‘Carrie…’