‘Is it safe here?’ she asked, moving closer to Eddie.

‘Lots of cops about,’ he replied. ‘This is a big tourist attraction – they don’t let anyone cause trouble.’ She wasn’t reassured.

They passed sex shops and porn cinemas and greasy-smelling fast-food joints, eventually coming to a circular plaza at an intersection. ‘Oh, I’ve heard about this!’ said Eddie with enthusiasm.

The metal outlines of five figures stood around the circle. All held musical instruments: four guitars and one set of drums.

‘Who are they?’ Nina asked.

‘It’s the Beatles! John, Paul, George and Ringo. They played in clubs here before they got famous.’ He stood behind one of the guitarists, striking a matching pose with an air instrument.

She looked at the lonely fifth figure. ‘So who’s that?’

‘Stuart Sutcliffe. Or Pete Best. One of the fifth Beatles.’

Cheng regarded the statues with curiosity. ‘What are the Beatles?’

Eddie gave him an incredulous look. ‘You’ve never heard of the Beatles?’

‘No.’

‘One of the most famous bands of all time?’

He shook his head. ‘Sorry, Mr Chase. I don’t know them.’

Nina laughed. ‘Eddie, he was only born eighteen years ago. It’d be like expecting you to know the big names in pre-war jazz!’

‘This is why I feel old,’ the Englishman complained, before facing a street leading north. ‘Anyway, that’s the Große Freiheit. Where exactly are we going?’

Cheng examined his map again. ‘Behind a theatre near the far end. There’s an alley next to a bar.’

‘A back alley in a red-light district? Yeah, that sounds safe,’ said Nina as they set off again.

‘I’ll watch out for you both,’ Eddie assured her.

They made their way up the Große Freiheit. The bustling street was even more open than the Reeperbahn about its trade. Neon blazed, flashing signs and loud music trying to entice punters into the bars and clubs and shows. The couple noticed with amusement that Cheng was trying desperately not to gawp at the more outré passers-by: thigh-booted women and transvestites, a bare-chested man in leather trousers and a bright pink pimp hat complete with peacock feather, a man and woman dressed head to foot in shiny black rubber and bondage harnesses.

‘See anything you like?’ Eddie joked.

‘No, no,’ Cheng mumbled, redirecting his gaze towards his feet.

‘Where’s this alley?’ Nina asked.

He checked the phone. ‘Next to a bar called Fausters.’

Eddie chuckled. ‘Guess it’s a gay bar, then.’

‘Why?’

‘Faust is German for fist. So it’s literally called “Fisters”.’

The young man was puzzled, then his eyes popped wide as he realised the meaning. ‘Oh! But, but we don’t need to go inside,’ he stammered.

‘You don’t want to expand your horizons? And other things.’

‘Eddie,’ Nina chided, seeing Cheng’s embarrassment deepen.

Her husband laughed again.