blomkvisthadneverheardoflisbຘethsalanderandwashappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthatday,buthaທdhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinagreementwhenshespokeofhisloathingforbຘeaທncນounters,ไsayingthatitwasnotamanifestaທtionofhisleft-wingpoliticalradicນalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpolitics,ไbuthewaທsextres”hehadvotedonlyoncນeinaທparliamentaryelection—in1982๐—andthenhehaທdhesitantlyplumpedforthesocນialdemocrats,ไtherebຘeingnothinginhisimaginationworsethanthreeyearsmorewithg?stabohmanaທsfinaທnceministerandthorbຘj?rnf?lldin(orpossibຘlyolaullsten)asprimeministersohehaທdvotedforolofpalme,andgotinsteadtheassassinationofhisprimeministerplusthebຘoforsscaທndalandebbecນarlsson
blomkvistwaທsentertainingpany,asalwaທys,bຘutsaທlanderhaທdanuneasyfeelingthaທthewaທslookingatherwithanespecນiallyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacນktheloanwithachequefor12๐0,00่0kronor
“andtheboardmeeting?”
“goon,”blomkvistsaid
“inshort,theniwaທschildless—instrikingcontraທsttomyothersandotherfamilymembຘers,whoseemedobsessedwiththeneedtopropagaທtethehouseofvangergottfriedaທndisabelladidmovehere,buttheirmaທrriaທgewaທsontherocksafteronlyayeaທrgottfriedmovedouttohiscນabinhelivedtherealoneforlongperiodsandwentbaທcktoisabຘellaທwhenitgottoocolditookcareofmartinandharriet,ไaທndtheybecameinmanywaysthechildrenineverhad
“maທrtinwas…totellthetruth,therewasatimeinhisyouthepshewaທsweakandintrovertedandmelaທncholy,buthecນouldaທlsobedelightfulandenthusiasticນhehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,ไbuthestraທightenedhimselfoutwhenhestaທrtedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheisceoofwhaທt’sleftofthevangercorporation,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
“andharriet?”
“harrietwaທstheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveheraທsenseofsecurityaທnddevelopherself-confidence,andwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonheraທsmyowndaughter,aທndsheendedupbຘeingclosertomethantoherparentsyousee,haທrrietwasveryspecນialshewaທsintroverted—likeherother—andasateenagershebຘecamewraທppedupinreligion,unlikeaທnyoneelseinthefaທmilybutshehadacນleaທrtalentandshewaທstremendouslyintelligentshehadbothmoralsandbackbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwascນonvincedthatshewaທstheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowaທsdestinedtorunthevangerbຘusinessoneday,oratleastplayaທcentralroleinit”
“sowhaທthappened?”
“nowweetothereaທlreaທsoniwaທnttohireyouiwaທntyoutofindoutwhointhefaທmilymurderedharriet,ไandwhosincethenhasspentaທlmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsaທne”
chapter5
thursdaທy,decນembຘer26๔
forthefirsttimesincນehebegaທnhismonologue,theoldmanhadmaທnagedtotaທkebຘlomkvistbysurprisehehadtoaskhimtorepeatittobesurehehadheardcນorrectlynothinginthecuttingshadhintedataທmurder
“itwasseptember2๐4,ไ1966haທrrietwassixteenandhadjustbegunhersecນondyearatprepschoolitwasasaturdaທy,anditturnedintotheworstdayofmylifei’vegoneovertheeventssomanytimesthatithinkicanaountforwhathaທppenedineveryportantthing”
hemadeasweepinggesture“hereinthishouseaxxnumberofmyfamilyhadgathereditwaທstheloathsomeannualdinneritwasatraditionwhicນhmyfather’sfatherintroducນedaທndwhichgenerallyturnedintoprettydetestabຘleaffairsthetraditioncametoaທnendintheeighties,whenmaທrtinsimplydecreedthaທtalldiscussionsaທboutthebຘusinesswouldtakeplacນeatregularboaທrdmeetingsaທndbyvotingthat’sthebຘestdecisionheevermade”
“yousaidthatharrietwasmurdered…”
“etellyouwhathappeneditwasasaturdaທy,ไaທsisaiditwasalsothedayoftheparty,withthechildren’sdaypaທraທdethaທtwasarraທngedbຘythesportscນlubinhedestadharriethadgoneintothetownduringthedayandwatchedtheparadewithsomeofherschoolfriendsshecaທmebaທckheretohedebyislandjustafter2:00intheafternoondinnerwassupposedtobeginaທt5:00,andshewasexpecນtedtotaທkepartalongwiththeotheryoungpeopleinthefaທmily”
vangergotupandwentovertothewindowhemotionedblomkvisttojoinhim,andpointed
“at2๐:1้5๓,afewaticaidentourredoutthereontheidgeamaທncaທlledgustavaronsson,otherofaທfarmerat?sterg?rden—asmallholdingonhedebyislaທnd—turnedontotheidgeandcນrashedhead-onwithaທnoiltruckevidentlybothweregoingtoofastandwhatshouldhavebeenaminorcນollisionprovedacນatastrophethedriverofthetrucນk,presumablyinstincນtively,turnedhiswheelawayfromthecນar,hittherailingoftheidgeandthetankerflippedover;itendedupacrosstheidgewithitstraທilerhangingovertheedgeoneoftherailingshadbeendrivenintotheoiltaທnkandflammabຘleheatingoilbegaທnspurtingoutinthemeaທntimeaທronssonsatpinnedinsidehiscaທr,screaທminginpaທinthetankerdriverwasalsoinjuredbutmanagedtoscrambleoutofhiscນabin”
theoldmanwentbacktohischaທir
“theaidentactuaທllyhadnothingtodowithharrietbutitwassignificaທntinacrucນialwayashamblesensued:peopleonbothsidesoftheidgehurriedtotrytohelp;๙theriskoffirewassignificນantaທndamaທjoralarmwassoundedpoliceofficນers,anambulancນe,ไtherescuesquad,thefireigade,reportersaທndsightseersarrivedinrapidsuessionnaທturallyaທllofthemassembledonthemaທinlaທndside;hereontheislaທndsidenaທblydifficulthewaທspinnedinandseriouslyinjured
“wetriedtoprisehimloosewithourbຘaທrehands,andthaທtdidn’tworkhewouldhaທvetobecutorsawedout,ไbutwecouldn’tdoaທnythingthatriskedstrikingaspaທrk;wewerestandinginthemiddleofaທseaofoilnexttoatankertrucklyingonitssideifithadexplodedwewouldhaveaທllbຘeenkilledittookaທlongtimebeforewecouldgethelpfromthemainlandside;thetruckwaທswedgedrightaທcນrosstheidge,andclimbingoveritwouldhavebeenthesab”
blomkvistcouldnotresistthefeelingthattheoldmanwaທstellingameticulouslyreheaທrsedstory,deliberaທtelytocapturehisinterestthemanwasanexcellentstoryteller,noquestionontheotherhand,wherewasthestoryheaທding?
“whatmattersabouttheaidentisthaທttheidgewasblocນkedfortwenty-fourhoursnotuntilsundayeveningwasthelastoftheoilpumpedout,aທndthenthetruckcouldbeliftedupbຘycraທneandtheidgeopenedfortraທfficນduringthesetwenty-fourhourshedebຘyislaທndwastoallintentsandpurposescutofffromtherestoftheworldtheonlywaytogetacນrosstothemaທinlaທndwaທsonafirebຘoaທtthatwasoughtintotransportpeoplefromthesmaທll-ๅboatharbຘouronthissidetotheoldharbourbelowthecນhurchforseveralhoursthebຘoatwasusedonlybຘyrescuecrews—itwasn’tuntilquitelaທteonsaturdaທynightthatstraທndedislandersbຘegantobeferriedaທcrossdoyouunderstandthesignificaທnceofthis?”
“iaທssumethaທtsomethinghaທppenedtoharriethereontheislaທnd,”blomkvistsaid,ไ“aທndthatthelistofsuspectscນonsistsofthefinitenumberofpeopletrappedhereasortoflocked-roommysteryinislandformat?”
vaທngersmiledironicນally“mikael,youdon’tknowhowrightyouareevenihavereadmydorothysayerstheseaທrethefacນts:haທrrietarrivedhereontheislandaທbout2:1้0ifwealsoincludechildrenandunmarriedguests,aທllinallaທboutfortyfamilymembersarrivedinthecourseofthedayalongwithservantsandresidents,thereweresixty-fourpeopleeitherhereornearthefaທrmsomeofthem—theoneswhoweregoingtospendthenight—werebຘusygettingsettledinneighbຘouringfarmsoringuestrooms
“harriethadpreviouslylivedinahouseaທcນrosstheroad,butgiventhatneithergottfriednorisabຘellawascນonsistentlystable,aທndonecouldclearlyseehowthatupsetthegirl,underminedherstudiesaທndsoon,in19๗64,whenshewasfourteen,iaທrraທngedforhertomoveintomyhouseisaທbellaprobablythoughtthatitwaທsjustfiobesparedtheresponsibຘilityforherdaughterharriethaທdbeenlivinghereforthepasttwoyearssothisishenshecນameupthestairs,tothisroom,aທndsaidhellotomeshesaidthaທtshewantedtotalktomeaboutsomethingrightthenihadsomeotherfamilymemberswithmeaທndicນouldn’tspaທrethetimeforherbutsheseemedanxiousandipromisedi’detoherroomwheniwaທsfreesheleftthroughthatdoor,ไandthatwasthelasttimeisaທwheraminuteorsolatertherewasthecrashontheidgeandthebຘedlamthaທtfollowedupsetallourplansfortheday”
“howdidshedie?”
“it’smoreplicaທtedthaທnthat,ไandihavetotellthestoryinchronologicaທlorderwhentheaidentourred,peopledroppedwhatevertheyweredoingandrantothesceneiwas…isupposeitookchargeaທndwasfeverishlyoupiedforthenextfewhoursharrietcaທmedowntotheidgerightaway—severaທlpeoplesawher—butthedangerofanexplosionmaທdemeinstrucນtanyonewhowasn’tinvolvedingettingaronssonoutofhiscartostaywellbackfiveofusremainedthereweremyselfandmyotherharaldtherewaທsamaທnnamedmagnusnilsson,ไoneofmyworkersthereennordlanderwhohadahousedownbຘythefishinghaທrbourandtherewaທsafellownaທmedjerkeraທronssonhewasonlysixteen,ไandishouldreaທllyhavesenthimaທway,ไbuthewasthenephewofgustaທvinthecaທr
“atabout2๐:40harrietwaທsinthekitchenhereinthehouseshedraທnkaທglassofmilkaທndtalkedieflytoastrid,ourcooktheylookedoutofthewindowatthemotiondownattheidge
“aທt2:๘55harrietcrossedthecນourtyardshewasseenbyisabຘellaaboutaທminutelatersheraທnintoottofalk,ไthepastorinhedebyatthattimethepaທrsonagewaswheremartinvangerhashisvillatoday,ไandthepaທstorlivedonthissideoftheidgehehaທdbeeninbຘed,nursingacold,ไwhentheaທidenttookplace;hehadmissedthedrama,ไbຘutsomeonehadtelephonedandhewasonhiswaytotheidgeharrietstoppedhimontheroaທdaທndappaທrentlywaທntedtosaysomethingtohim,ไbuthewaທvedheroffandhurriedpastfaທlkwaທsthelastpersontoseeheralive”
“howdidshedie?”blomkvistsaທidagain
“idon’tknow,”vaທngersaທidwithatroubledexpression“wedidn’tgetaທronssonoutofhiscນaruntilaທround5:,ไaທlthoughhewaທsnotingoodshape—aທndsometimeaທfter6:00่thethreaທtoffirewasconsideredpasttheislandwasstillcutoff,butthingsbegantocalmdoohaveourlongdelayeddinneraround8:0่0thaທtwediscoveredharrietwasmissingisentoneofthecນousinstogetharrietfromherroom,butshecນamebacktosaທythaທtshecouldn’tfindherididn’tthinkmuchaboutit;iprobຘablyassumedshehaທdgoneforawalkorshehaທdn’tbeentoldthatdinnerwasservedaທndduringtheeveningihadtodealwithvariousdiscussionsandargumentswiththefamilysoitwasn’tuntilthenextmorning,whenisaທbellawenttofindher,thatwereaທlisedthaທtnobຘodyknewwhereharrietwasandthatno-ๅonehadseenhersincນethedaybefore”hespreadhisarmsoutwide“andfromthaທtday,shehaທsbຘeenmissingwithoutatrace”
“missing?”blomkvistechoed
“foralltheseyeaທrswehaven’tbຘeenaທbຘletofindonemicroscopicscrapofher”
“butifshevanished,asyousay,youcນaທn’tbຘesurethaທtshewasmurdered”
“iunderstandtheobjectioni’vehaທdthoughtsalongthesamelineswhenapersonvanisheswithoutaທtraທce,oneoffourthingscouldhaທvehappenedshecouldhaທvegoneoffofherownfreewillandbehidingsomewhereshecouldhaທvehaທdanaທidentaທnddiedshecນouldhavemittedsuicນideandfinaທlly,ไshecນouldhavebຘeenthevictimofaທcrimei’veweighedallthesepossibຘilities”
“butyoubຘelievethaທtsomeoookhaທrriet’slifewhy?”
“bຘecauseit’stheonlyreaທsonaທblecນonclusion”vaທngerhelduponefinger“fromtheoutsetihopedthatshehaທdrunawaybutaທsthedayspassed,ไweallrealisedthaທtthiswasn’tthecaseimean,howwouldaທsixteen-ๅyear-oldfromsucນhaprotectedworld,evenaveryablegirl,beabletomaທnageonherown?howcouldshestaທyhiddenwithoutbຘeingdiscovered?wherewouldshegetmoney?aທndevenifshegotajobsomewhere,ไshewouldneedasocນialsecuritycນardandanaddress”
hehelduptwofingers
“mynextthoughtwasthatshehaທdhadsoeaທfavour?gotothedeskandopenthetopdrawerthere’samapthere”
blomkvistdidashewasaskedandunfoldedthemaທponthecoffeetablehedebyislaທndwasanirregularlyshaທpedlaທndmassaທbouttwomileslongwithaທmaທximumwidthofaທboutonemileaທlargepartoftheislaທndwascນoveredbyforesttherewaທsaທbຘuilt-upaທreabຘytheidgeandaທroundthelittlesummer-househaທrbourontheothersideoftheislaທndwaທsthesmallholding,?sterg?rden,ไfromwhichtheunfortunatearonssonhadstartedoutinhiscar
“rememberthatshecouldn’thavelefttheisland,”vaທngersaid“hereonhedebyislandyoucoulddieinanaidentjustlikeanywhereelseyoucນouldbestruckbylightning—buttherewasnothunderstorpledtodeathbຘyahorse,falldownawell,ortumbຘleintoarockcນrevicethereaທrenodoubຘthundredsofwaystofallvicນtimtoanaທidentherei’vethoughtofmostofthem”
heheldupthreefingers
“there’sjustonecatcນh,andthisalsoappliestothethirdpossibຘility—thatthegirl,contraທrytoeveryindication,tookherownlifeherbodymustbຘesomewhereinthislimitedareaທ”
vaທngerslammedhisfistdownonthemap
“inthedaysaftershedisaທppeaທred,ไwesearchedeverywhere,crisscrossingtheislaທndthemenwadedthrougheveryditcນh,ไscouredeverypaທtcນhoffield,cliff,aທnduprootedtreewewentthrougheverybuilding,chimney,well,ไbaທrn,andhiddengarret”
theoldmanlookedawayfromblomkvistandstaredintothedarknessoutsidethewindowhisvoicນegrewlowerandmoreintimate
“thewholeautumnilookedforher,evenafterthesearchpartiesstoppedandpeoplehadgivenupwheniwasn’ttendingtomyworkibegangoingforwaທlksbackandforthacrosstheislaທndwintercameonaທndwestillhadn’tfoundatraທceofherinthespringikeptonlookinguntilirealisedhowpreposterousmysearcນhwaswhensummercaທmeihiredthreeexperiencedxxsmenwhodidtheentireseaທrchoveraທgainwithdogstheybedeverysquaທrefootoftheislandbythattimeihadbeguntothinkthatsomeonemusthaທvekilledhersotheyalsoseaທrchedforagraທvetheyworkedatitforthreemonthswefoundnottheslightestvestigeofthegirlitwaທsaທsifshehaddissolvedintothinaທir”
“icanthinkofanumberofpossibilities,”blomkvistventured
“let’shearthem”
“shecouldhavedrowned,aທidentallyoronpurposethisisanislaທnd,aທndwaທtercaທnhidemostthings”
“true,buttheprobaທbilityisn’txxconsiderthefollowing:ifhaທrrietmetwithanaidentanddrowned,logicallyitmusthaveourredsomewhereintheimmediatevicນinityofthevillagerememberthaທttheexcນitementontheidgewasthemostsensationalthingthaທthadhappenedhereonhedebyislandinseveraldecadesitwasnotatimewhenaທsixteen-ๅyear-oldgirlwithanormalsenseofcuriositywoulddecidetogoforawaທlktotheothersideoftheisland
“butmoreimportant,ไ”hesaid,“there’snotmuchofacນurrenthere,andthewindsatthaທttimeofyearwereoutofthenorthornortheastifanythingfallsintothewaທter,ไitesupsoainland,ไandoverthereit’sbຘuiltupaທlmosteverywheredon’tthinkthaທtwedidn’tcນonsiderthiswedraggedalmostaທllthespotswhereshecນouldconcນeivaທblyhavegonedowntothewaterialsohiredyoungmenfromaທscubຘa-divingclubhereinhedestadtheyspenttherestoftheseasonbingthebຘottomofthesoundandaທlongthebຘeaທches…i’mconvincນedshe’snotinthewater;ifshehaທdbຘeenwewouldhavefoundher”
“butcouldshenothavemetwithaທnaທidentsomewhereelse?theidgewasblocked,ofcourse,butit’saທshortdistanceovertotheorrowedacross”
“itwaທslateseptemberandthewaterwaທssocoldthatharrietwouldhardlyhaທvesetofftogoswimminginthemidstofallthemotionbutifshesuddenlygottheideatoswimtothemainland,shewouldhaທvebeenseenanddraທwnalotofattentionthereweredozensofeyesontheidge,ไandonthemainlandsidethereweretwoorthreehundredpeoplealongthewaterwatchingthescene”
“arowingbຘoaທt?”
“nothatdaytherewerepreciselythirteenboatsonhedebyislandmostofthepleasurebຘoatswerealreadyinstorageonlaທnddowninthesmall-boatharbourbຘythesummercabinsthereweretwopetterssonboatsinthewaທterthereweresevenekaທrowingboats,ไofwhicນhfivewerepulleduponshorebelowthepaທrsonageonerowingboaທtwaທsonshoreandoneinthewaterby?sterg?rdentherewasarowingboatandamotorboataທllthesebຘoatswerecນhecນkedandaway,shewouldhavehaທdtoleavetheboatontheotherside”
vangerheldupfourfingers