The Einstein Code Read Online Free PDF Page A

their French lab tech at the institute.
    ‘Kate, Lou?’
    ‘It’s us,’ Lou responded. ‘Surprisingly bad network connection out here! Had to use the radio.’
    ‘What’s up? Is there a problem?’
    ‘Nope, Cherie,’ Kate replied. ‘In fact, it’s all brilliant. We’ve just made the discovery of the century.’
    Cherie was quiet. Lou smiled at Kate. They both knew how reserved their assistant was, how she was not easily excited by big talk.
    ‘OK.’
    ‘We’re not certain, but we have strong evidence to suggest we have located Amelia Earhart’s plane.’
    Another, longer silence.
    ‘What evidence?’
    ‘The right serial number, obviously the right model, a Lockheed Electra 10E.’
    ‘That is, well . . . surprising.’
    Lou laughed. ‘No . . . really?’
    ‘Where is it? What shape is it in?’
    Kate leaned in and explained what had happened. ‘We’re going to head home, we have some materials that need to be studied.’
    ‘What kind of materials?’
    ‘Rather not say over the radio, Cherie. We’re catching a seaplane to Tarawa. Gustav and Connor will stay here for a bit, tidy up loose ends. It’ll still take us a couple of
days to get back though.’
    They cut the connection.
    ‘Let’s tell Jerry.’ Lou was buzzing.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘He’s our best man, Kate. He knew we were coming out here for our . . . what did he call it? “Scientific honeymoon”! He would be thrilled to know what we’ve
found.’
    Kate shrugged and stood up, found the wine and topped up their glasses, draining the bottle. Lou dialled in the number on the ship’s radio-phone. It rang five times and then clicked over
to an answer-machine message: ‘Captain Jerry Derham. Please leave a message.’
    Lou checked his watch. It was late in Norfolk. He thought of calling Jerry’s mobile. Instead, he kept on the line and said: ‘Hey, Jerry. Exciting news. Something really cool –
can’t talk now though. Kate and me are heading back. Give us a call tomorrow. By then we should be once more in the bosom of cell-phone technology.’

7
    Princeton. 7 March 1937.
    ‘Your call is now connected, professor,’ said the operator.
    ‘Ah, ah, yes, thank—’
    ‘Albert? Albert, are you there? This is Johannes Kessler.’
    ‘Johannes,’ Albert Einstein said, clutching the phone close to his ear as though he were afraid his words would not otherwise cross the Atlantic to Germany. He stared at the two men
in uniform sitting the other side of his smoky study. They could hear the conversation through a small speaker the tech guys had set up at the front of Einstein’s desk. The two men looked
anxious.
    ‘Albert, this is extraordinary.’
    ‘Indeed it is, Johannes, and it’s a pleasure to speak to you, but we can marvel at this technology another time. I have to be quick.’
    ‘I understand, Albert.’
    One of the men across the room, Major Peter Oakland, head of the intelligence taskforce working with Professor Einstein on Project Cover Up, uncrossed his legs and leaned forward on his elbow,
fingertips to his chin. He and his colleague Hugh Gaynor had set up this secret call, a hi-tech link-up across the Atlantic via radio. They only had a window of three minutes.
    ‘The first test produced an unexpected result,’ Einstein said cryptically. ‘I cannot emphasize how helpful it would be if you could come for a
visit
.’
    The line fell silent.
    ‘Johannes? Are you . . .?’
    ‘Yes, Albert. I am here. I’m afraid a visit would be out of the question. Marlene is too ill to travel.’
    ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
    ‘I cannot imagine how such a thing could be arranged. I’m . . . I’m being watched.’
    It was Einstein’s turn to fall quiet. The two army officers stared at him unblinking.
    ‘I see. I imagine you are a very valuable asset to those now in power.’
    ‘It would appear so, Albert. I cannot leave Germany.’
    Einstein sighed. ‘I need you, Johannes.
We . . .
need you.’
    There was a sudden crackle down