I'm a Profiteer in Cold War Germany

Chapter 296: Chapter 79: Financial Investigation

Anna buried her face in the crook of his neck, feeling the warmth of his chest and the strong beat of his heart.

The only light in the bedroom came from a small bedside lamp, casting a dim, warm glow.

Werner gently laid Anna on the bed and leaned down to kiss her. Anna returned his kiss, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

"Werner..." Anna whispered his name.

"I’m here," Werner said, his lips close to her ear. "I’m always here."

That night, they held each other tightly, as if to chase away all their anxieties and fears.

Outside the window was the Berlin night, cold and oppressive.

But in this small bedroom, there was warmth, passion, and two hearts relying on each other in a world of chaos.

***************

A drizzling autumn rain fell over East Berlin in October 1971.

Werner sat in his office on the seventh floor of Koko Headquarters, staring out at the dreary gray sky.

The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts, and his coffee had long gone cold. Stacks of files lay open on his desk—all of this month’s transaction records.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Anna walked in, her expression grim.

She was wearing a dark trench coat, her hair damp, clearly having rushed in from outside. Rainwater dripped from the hem of her coat, leaving a trail of water spots on the floor.

"There’s trouble," she said bluntly, her voice low.

Werner looked up at the expression on her face, and his heart skipped a beat. Anna was rarely this tense.

"Inside the Stasi?"

"Worse." Anna walked over to him, glanced around to make sure no one was listening, and then lowered her voice. "The internal audit department is going to audit Koko’s books."

Werner’s fingers froze in mid-air.

He slowly put down his fountain pen and leaned back in his chair.

"Who approved it?"

"General Heinz Beck." There was a chill in Anna’s tone. "Von Brown’s old rival."

Werner lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

"What are the specifics?"

Anna pulled over a chair, sat down, and took off her damp trench coat, draping it over the back of the chair.

"Last night, there was a secret meeting within the Stasi. Beck said at the meeting that he’d received a tip that someone at Koko was embezzling funds. He demanded a special task force be formed to conduct a full audit of all the books."

"A tip?" Werner sneered. "Who tipped him off?"

"I don’t know." Anna shook her head. "Beck said the letter was anonymous, but the contents were very detailed. It mentioned several suspicious transactions and the flow of funds in the Switzerland accounts."

Werner’s brow furrowed.

"What are they going to investigate?"

"The fringe businesses you’re in charge of." Anna’s voice grew even lower. "All the books for the Special Trade Department. The focus will be on the Switzerland accounts, the triangular trade in Prague, the transit channels in Warsaw... Anything involving the flow of foreign currency will be scrutinized."

Werner fell silent. He took a drag from his cigarette, the red ember glowing in the dim light.

"Evidence? Do they have any concrete evidence?"

"Not yet." Anna paused. "But Beck doesn’t need evidence; he just needs suspicion. As long as he audits the books, he’ll find something. Werner, you and I both know Koko’s books can’t be completely clean."

She was right.

Every deal Werner had handled over the years had operated in a gray area.

The flow of funds in the Switzerland accounts, the transit operations in Warsaw... While these were all done for Koko, calling them completely legal would be a joke.

"He’s coming after Gunter?" Werner asked.

"Exactly." Anna nodded. "Beck has never liked Gunter. Koko has too much momentum now, earning the state hundreds of millions in foreign currency every year. Gunter is gaining more and more influence with Anger. Beck wants to use this audit to take him down."

"And I’m the perfect weak point to break through." Werner flicked his ash, his tone calm.

Anna stared at him. "You’re not worried?"

"Would worrying help?" Werner managed a smile, but it held no warmth. "Besides, my books are clean."

"Really clean?" Anna raised an eyebrow.

Werner stood up and walked to the window.

Rain streamed down the glass, blurring the streetscape outside. The television tower was barely visible in the distant rain and fog.

"Public and private funds are kept completely separate. My personal income is all from legitimate bonuses. The amounts may be large, but every single one is supported by official documentation." He paused and turned to look at Anna. "As for those gray-area operations..."

"The Switzerland accounts," Anna finished for him. "They were for Koko, but they do walk the line of the law. If Beck latches onto that and doesn’t let go—"

"He’ll pin the crime of illegal operations on me," Werner interrupted. "Then he’ll follow the trail up and drag Gunter down with me. Von Brown won’t get away either, given his close ties to me."

"When does the task force move in?" Werner asked.

"Next Monday," Anna said. "The team leader is Eberhard Mueller, Beck’s trusted man. I know of him. He’s a meticulous auditor and shows no mercy. Once he sinks his teeth into something, he won’t let go until he gets results."

Werner extinguished his cigarette and grabbed his coat.

"I’m going to see Gunter."

Gunter’s office was on the top floor of Koko Headquarters, twice the size of Werner’s.

When Werner knocked and entered, Gunter was standing at the window with his back to the door. He held a glass of brandy, watching the rain outside without moving.

"You’ve heard?" Gunter’s voice was low, and he didn’t turn around.

"Anna just told me." Werner closed the door and walked to his side. "Beck is going to audit the books."

"It’s not just about an audit." Gunter turned around, his expression terrifyingly dark. "He’s coming for me. Every cent Koko has earned over the years, he thinks we’ve stolen it from the state’s pockets."

Werner looked at him but said nothing.

Gunter took a sip of brandy, then slammed the glass down on the desk.

"Do you know what kind of man Beck is?"

"An old-timer in the Stasi. Von Brown’s political enemy."

"More than that." Gunter walked to his desk, pulled open a drawer, and took out a file, handing it to Werner. "Take a look at this."

Werner took the file and opened it. It was Beck’s service record.

Joined the German Unity Social Party in 1945, entered the Stasi in 1950, and rose all the way to general. The file detailed his involvement in several major political purges over the years, noting his ruthless and merciless methods.

"He was Ublis’s man," Gunter said. "When Anger came to power last year, Ublis’s faction was marginalized, but Beck didn’t fall. Do you know why?"

Werner looked up.

"Because he’s ruthless and competent." Gunter lit a cigar. "The higher-ups need men like him. So even though Anger is in charge, Beck is still as solid as a mountain."

"He can’t stand Koko." Gunter flicked his cigar ash. "He thinks those of us in foreign trade are all speculators, making money off the state without any oversight."

Werner placed the file back on the desk.

"So does he have any evidence?"

"He doesn’t need evidence." Gunter walked to the window, his back to Werner. "That’s the Stasi way—investigate first, ask questions later. As long as you investigate, you’ll always find something."

The office fell silent. Werner lit another cigarette, thinking about his next move.

"Comrade Gunter," he began, "I have an idea."

Gunter turned back.

"What is it?"

"I’ll prepare a detailed report, explaining the ins and outs of all the fringe businesses. It will state that I was the one who handled these operations, with the sole purpose of earning foreign currency for the state and for no personal gain." Werner paused. "I’ll take full responsibility. I was the one who executed the plans. If Beck wants to investigate someone, let him investigate me."

Gunter stared at him, his expression complex.

"And what about you?"

"I have my ways," Werner said, flicking his ash. "Besides, the books really are clean. They won’t find anything substantial."

"But what about the gray-area operations? The flow of funds in the Switzerland accounts, the transit trade in Poland..."

"They’re all supported by documentation," Werner said. "Every operation was designed to bypass Western financial surveillance and earn foreign currency for the state more efficiently. If Beck wants to get serious, I’ll lay out all the documents for him."

Gunter was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"You’re sure about this?"

"I’m sure."

Gunter gave him a long, deep look, then clapped him on the shoulder.

"Werner, you’re the smartest young man I’ve ever met."

Werner didn’t speak, just offered a slight smile.

Gunter poured two more glasses of brandy and handed one to Werner.

"Regardless, we’ll get through this together." He raised his glass. "For Koko."

"For Koko." Werner clinked his glass against Gunter’s.

They both downed their drinks in one go.

After leaving Gunter’s office, Werner didn’t go straight back. Instead, he headed to Von Brown’s.

The Stasi Headquarters on Normannen Street wasn’t far from Koko.

Werner drove over, getting stuck in traffic for a bit. The rain was coming down harder, and the windshield wipers scraped back and forth with a monotonous sound.

When Werner walked into Von Brown’s office, Von Brown was reading a file. He looked up, and upon seeing Werner, his expression soured.

"Perfect timing." Von Brown put down the file, took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was just about to look for you."

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