Shrouded in Silence Read Online Free PDF

factories for the rebuilding of Germany, and out of the ashes a new promise had risen. With the private fortune of the Stein family's holdings in Germany's automobile industry behind him, Albert Stein had the resources to pursue his private interest in any direction he chose. Nevertheless, the Stein family maintained an irrational hatred for all things American. Six decades later, Albert Stein still carried an abiding disdain for anyone from the United States.
Albert knew that a streak of cruelty ran through his personality. In sharp contrast to his academic achievements, a hidden malevolent urge could erupt when he became highly agitated. For years he had tried to control these outbursts, but when the surge of rage overpowered him, he was capable of murderous responses. With time he had written off the problem with the quip "everybody has their problems."
The loud honking of a car in the street below his balcony interrupted his reading. Stein looked at his watch and walked to the window. Another tie-up in traffic had shut the street down, but he needed to take a break from his work to keep an appointment he had made earlier. Putting out the cigarette he had been smoking, he reached for the files on his desk and pulled out a manila folder marked "Klaus Burchel." Satisfied after making a quick survey of the contents, he grabbed a sport jacket and stopped in front of the mirror beside the front door, which he always did to make sure his appearance was proper.
Albert could see that his blond hair and the unusually thick lenses in his glasses made him look somewhat older than forty-eight, but he had an Aryan face for which the Germans maintained pride. His high forehead fit the aristocratic background he liked to claim. Albert picked up the black fedora he habitually pulled low over his eyes to cover his face. The reflection always told the same story of man with a well-defined nose that suggested a forceful personality. Because of his disposition that could explode in violent behavior, Albert knew he needed the appearance of the elite to cover this flaw in his character. Even with his financial resources, beating someone with a cane could turn into an enormous problem. His elegant dress attempted to add to the appearance of a patrician. The mirror seemed to say he looked dapper and was ready for a stroll down to the restaurant.
The explosive side of his personality seemed to have developed out of nowhere. Of course, his father had a nasty habit of beating the children, but the savage tendency had been fed by his conflicts with Albert's older brother Rune. Whatever superiority that age gave Rune, Albert had learned that ferocity could equalize. Time and repetition had ingrained these tendencies. Obviously, few PhD's had a disposition for cruelty, but he did. Forget it. Life had to go on as it was.
Albert paused and glanced around his small living room at the strange assembly of electrical equipment he had accumulated for his secret project. Mix-and-match surveillance camera equipment sat next to weatherproof security cameras. Infrared light sources had been stacked in one corner with splitters and audio recovery monitors. A digital video recorder stood on a small antique table. Boxes with small microphones were pushed together. Wires and cables lay strung out on the floor. Albert smiled, knowing he was prepared for serious espionage.
Closing the door behind him, he hurried down the stairs and out onto the street, walking toward Ristorante Il Matriciano. The family-run establishment specialized in uncomplicated country fare, which Stein always enjoyed. Their classic bucatini alla matriciana, richly flavored with bacon, tomatoes, and basil, remained one of his favorites. Albert intended to arrive early before his contact showed and take time to glance at a newspaper. He increased his pace and quickly found an outdoor table to his liking. Sitting down, he snapped his fingers at a man selling papers and signaled for him to bring one