r’siaterialsinceithadbຘeenobtainedthroughillegalmeans
bຘut,ofcourse,theycນoulduseitblomkvistpointedoutthattheyhadnoobligationtoexplaທinhowtheyhadacນquiredthemateriaທltheycouldjustaswellhaveasourcນewithaesstowennerstr?m’sputerwhohadburnedeverythingonhisharddrivetoacd
finallybຘergerrealisedwhataທweaponshehadinherhandsshefeltexhaustedandstillhadquestions,bຘutshedidnotknowwheretobeginatlastsheleanedbackagainstthesofaທandthrewoutherhands
“mikael,whaທthappenedupinhedestad?”
salanderlookedupsharplyblomkvistaທnsweredwithaທquestion
“howareyougettingalongwithharrietvaທnger?”
“fineithinki’vemethertwicecນhristerandidroveuptohedestadforaboardmeetinglastweekwegotdrunkonwine”
“andtheboaທrdmeeting?”
“shekeptherword”
“ricky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebeenduckingyouandingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathappenedyouandihaທveneverhadsecretsfromeachother,andallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notprepaທredtotellyouabout”
bergermetbຘlomkvist’sgazesheknewhiminsideandout,ไbutinghernottoaທsksalaທnderwaທtchedtheirwordlessdialogueshewasnopartofit
“wasitthatbaທd?”
“itwaທsworsei’vebeendreaທdingthisconversationipromisetotellyou,buti’vespentseveralmonthssuppressingmyfeelingswhilewennerstr?mhaທsabsorbedaທllmyattention…i’mstillnotreadyi’dpreferitifharriettoldyouinstead”
“what’sthatmarkaroundyourneck?”
“lisbethsaທvedmylifeupthereifitweren’tforher,i’dbedeaທd”
berger’seyeswidenedshestaredatthegirlintheleatherjacket
“andrightnowyouneedtoetoanagreementwithhersheisoursource”
bergersatforaທtime,ไthinkingthenshedidsomethingthaທtastonishedbຘlomkvistandstartledsalaທnder;๙shesurprisedevenherselfthewholetimeshehadbeensittingatmikael’sliving-roomtable,shehadfeltsalander’seyesonherataciturngirlwithhostileviations
bergerstoodupandwentaroundthetableandthrewheraທrmsaroundthegirlsalandersquirmedlikeawormabຘouttobeputonahook
chapter29
saturday,ไnovember1–tuesday,november2๐5
saທlanderwaທssurfingthroughwennerstr?m’scyber-ๅempireshehadbeenstaທringatherputerscreenforalmostelevenhourstheideaທthathadmaterialisedinsomeunexplorednookofherainduringthelastweekatsandhamnhadgrownintoamanicpreoupationforfourweeksshehaທdisolaທtedherselfinherapartanskyshehaທdspenttwelvehoursaທdayinfrontofherputer,somedaysmore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehaທdoodedoverthesameproblem
duringthepastkvisthetoowaspreoupied,busyaທtthemillenniumofficestheyhadconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftimeseacນhweek,andshehadkepthimupdatedonwennerstr?m’scorrespondenceandotheraທctivities
forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetailshewaທsnotaທfraidthatshehadmissedaທnything,butshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricນateconnectionsfittedtogether
thismuch-discussedempirewaslikeaທliving,formless,ไpulsatinganismthatkeptchangingshapeitconsistedofoptions,bonds,shares,ไpartnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,bankaounts,paymenttransfers,aທndthousandsofotherelementsanincrediblylargeproportionoftheaທssetswaທsdepositedinpost-ๅoffice-boxpaທniesthatownedoneanother
thefinanciaທlpundits’mostinflaທtedanaທlysesofthewennerstr?mgroupestimateditsvalueatmorethan9๗00bຘillionkronorthaທtwasabຘluff,oratleaທstafigurethatwasgrosslyexaggeratedobviouslywennerstr?mhimselfwasbynomeanspoorshecalcນulatedthereaທlassetstobeworthbetween9๗0and10่0billionkronor,ไwhichwasnothingtosneezeatathoroughauditoftheentirecນorporaທtionwouldtaທkeyeaທrsallinaທllsalaທnderhadidentifiedclosetothreethousandseparateaທountsandbaທnkholdingsalloverthehaທtwaທssoextensiveitwasnolongermerelycriminal—itwasbusiness
somewhereinthewennerstr?manismtherewasalsosubstancethreeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchythefixedswedishassetswereunaທssaທilableandgenuine,avaທilabletopublicscrutiny,bຘalancesheets,andauditstheaທmericanfirmwassolid,andabankinnewyorkservedasthebaທseforallliquidcapitaທlthestorywasinthebຘusinesswiththepost-office-boxpaniesinplacessuchaທsgialtarandcນyprusandmacaທowennerstr?mwaslikeaທcນlearinghousefortheillegalweaponstrade,moneylaທunderingforsuspectenterprisesincolombia,andextremelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussia
ananonymousaທountinthecaymaທnislandswasunique;itwaspersonaທllycontrolledbຘywennerstr?mbutwasnotcນonnectedtoaທnypaທniesaທfewhundredthsofaທpercentofeverydealthatwennerstr?mmadewouldbesiphonedintothecaymaທnislandsviathepost-office-boxpanies
salanderworkedinaທtrance-likestatetheaທount—cນlick—email—click—balancesheets—clickshenoteddownthelatesttraທnsfersshetracນkedasmaທlltransactioninjapantosingaporeandonvialuxembຘourgtothecaymanislaທndssheunderstoodhowitgesthelatestemailoneiefmessageofsomewhaທtperipheralinterestwassentat10:00pe(เrattle,rattle)wasaທjokeforanyonewhowaທsalreaທdyinsidehisputerandcouldreadthemessaທgeinplaintext:
bergerhaທsstoppedarguingabຘouttheadshaທsshegivenupordoesshehaທvesomethingcooking?yoursourceattheeditorialofficນesassuredusthattheywereontheinkofruin,butitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredanewpersonfindoutwhat’shappeningblomkvisthasbeenworkingatsandhamnforthepastfewweeks,butno-oneknoorialofficນesthepastfewdayscanyouarrangeforanadvaທncecນopyofthenextissue?hew
nothingdraan
at5:3๑0inthemorningsheturnedoffherputerandgotoutanewpaທckofcigarettesshehaddrunkfour,ไno,ไfivecokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthandwenttositonthesofaທshewaswearingonlyknicນkersandawashed-outcamouflaທgeshirtadvertisingsoldieroffortunemagazine,withtheslogankillthemaທllandletgodsortthemoutsherealisedthatshewascold,soshereachedforaທbຘlanket,whichshewraທppedaroundherself
shefelthigh,asifshehadconsumedsomeinappropriateandpresumablyillegalsubstaທnceshefocusedhergazeonthestreetlampoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherainworkedattopspeedgrenevilfingersaທndarmanskythejobharrietvangercນlickmartinvangerclickthegolfcນlubclickthelawyerbjurmanclickeverysinglexxingdetailthatshecouldn’tfetevenifshetried
shewonderedwhetherbjurmanwouldevertakehisclothesoffinfrontofaທwomanagain,aທndifhedid,howwashegoingtoexplaທinthetattoosonhisstomach?andthenexttimehewenttothedoctorhowwouldheavoidtakingoffhiscນlothes?
andmikaelbຘlomkvistclick
sheconsideredhimtobeagoodperson,ไpossibຘlywithapracticalpigplexthatwassometimesalittletooapparentandhewasunbearablynaທivewithregardtocertainelementaທrymoralissueshehadaທnindulgentandfivingpersonaທlitythatlookedforexplaທnationsaທndexcusesforthewaypeoplebຘehaved,andhewouldnevergetitthattheraptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelanguageshefeltalmostawkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhim
shedidnotrememberfallingasleep,bຘutshewokeupaທt9:๘00amwithaທcrickinherneckandwithherheadleaningaທgainstthewallbehindthesofashetotteredtothebedroomandfellbacktosleep
itwaswithoutadoubtthebiggeststoryoftheirlivesforthefirsttimeinayearaທndaທhalf,bergerwashaທppyinthewaythaທtonlyaneditorwhohasaspectacularscນoopintheovencນanbesheandbloewhensaທlandercalledhimonhismobile
“ifottosaythatwennerstr?misstaທrtingtogetworriedabຘoutwhatyou’vebeendoinglately,ไandhe’saskedforanaທdvancນecopyofthenextissue”
“howdoyouknow…aທh,fetthatanyideawhatheplanstodo?”
“nixjustonelogicalguess”
blomkvistthoughtforafewseconds“theprinter,ไ”heexclaimed
bergerraisedhereyeows
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialoffices,therearen’tmanyotherpossibຘilitiesprovidednoneofhisthugsisplanningtopayyouanighttimevisit”
blomkvistturnedtoberger“aທnewprinterforthisissuenowaທndcalldraທganarmansky—iwaທntsecurityhereaທtnightforthenextweek”backtosalander“thanks”
“what’sitworth?”
“whatdoyoumeaທn?”
“whaທt’sthetipworth?”
“whatwouldyoulike?”
“i’dliketodiscussitovercoffeerightnow”
theymetatkaທffebaທronhornsgatansaທlanderlookedsoseriouswhenblomkvistsaທtdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltapangofcນoncernasusuaທl,shecamestraighttothepoint
“ineedtoborrowsomemoney”
blomkvistgaທveheroneofhismostfoolishgrinsaທndreacນhedforhiswallet
“surehowmuch?”
“12๐0,000่kronor”
“steady,steady”heputhiswaທlletaway
“i’mnotkiddingineedtobຘorrow1้20,00่0kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeksihaທveachancນetomakeaninvestment,butidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturntoyou’vegotroughly140,0่00kronorinyourcນurrentaountrightnowyou’llgetyourmoneyback”
nopointmentingonthefactthatsaທlaທnderhadhacນkedhisbaທnkpassword
“youdon’thavetoborrowthemoneyfromme,ไ”hereplied“wehaven’tdiscນussedyourshareyet,butit’smorethanenoughtocນoverwhatyouwanttobຘorrow”
“myshare?”
“lisbຘeth,ihaveaninsanefeetocນashinfromhenrikvaທnger,ไandwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyearwithoutyou,therewouldn’tbeaທmeandmillenniumwouldhavegoneunderi’mplanningtosplitthefeewithyoufifty-fifty”
salandergavehimasearchinglookafrownhadappearedonherowbຘlomkvistwasusedtohersilencesfinallysheshookherhead
“idon’twantyourmoney”
“but…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafromyou,unlessitesintheformofpresentsonmybirthdaທy”
“etothinkofit,idon’tevenknowwhenyourbirthdayis”
“you’reajournalistcheckitout”
“i’mserious,ไlisbethaboutsplittingthemoney”
“i’mserioustooionlywanttoborrowit,ไandineedittomorrow”
shedidn’tevenaskhowmuchhersharewouldbe“i’llbehappytogotothebຘankwithyoutodayandlendyoutheamountyouneedbຘutaທttheendoftheyearlet’shaveanothertalkaboutyourshaທre”hehelduphishand“andbytheway,whenisyourbຘirthdaທy?”
“onbetweenmylegs”
shelandedinzurichaທt7:30intheeveningandtookataxitothemaທtterhornhotelshehadedaroomunderthenaທmeofirenenesser,andsheidentifiedherselfusingaທnorwegianpassportinthatnameirenenesserhadshoulder-lengthbຘlondehairsalanderhadboughtawiginstocນkholmaທndused10,ไ00่0kronorofwhatshehadborrowedfromblomkvisttobuytwopassportsthroughoneofthecນontactsinplaທgue’sinternaທtionalwork
shewenttoherroom,lockedthedoor,ไandgotundressedshelayonthebedandlookedupattheceilingintheroomthaທtcost1้,600kronorpernightshefeltemptyshehaທdaທlreadyrunthroughhalfthesumshe’dborrowed,andeventhoughshehaທdaddedineverykronaofherownsavings,shewasstillonatightbudgetshestoppedthinkingandfellasleepalmostatonce
sheaທwokejustafter5๓:00inthemorningsheshoweredandspentalongtimemaskingthetattooonherneckwithathicklayerofskin-colouredlotionandpowderoverittheseconditeaທkeanappointmentatthebຘeautysaloninthelobbyofasignificantlymoreexpensivehotelfor6:30thatmorningsheboughtanotherblondewig,thisoneinaທpage-boystyle,andthenshehadamanicນure,gettingpinknailsattaທchedtoherownchewedonesshealsogotfalseeyelaທshes,morepowder,rouge,andfinallylipstickandother8,000kronor
shepaທidwithacreditcardinthenaທmeofmonicasholes,aທndsheshowedthemheritishpassportwiththatname
nextstopwascນamille’shouseoffashiondownthestreetaທfteranhourshecaທmeoutwearingblaທckbຘoots,asand-colouredskirtwithmaທtchingblouse,bຘlacktights,awaist-lengthjacket,ไandaທbereteveryitemboreanexpensivedesignerlabelshehaທdletthesalesgirlmaທketheselecນtionshehadalsochosenanexcນlusiveleatheriefcaseandasmaທllsamsonitesuitcນasethecrowningtoucນheswerediscreetearringsaທndasimplegoldchainaroundhernecນkthecreditcນaທrdhadbeendebຘited44๒,000kronor
forthefirsttimeinherlifesalanderhadaທbustlihatmadeher—whensheglancedatherselfinthefull-lengthmirror—catchhereaththeeastswereasfakeasmonicasholes’identitytheyweremaທdeoflaທtexandhadbຘeenboughtincopenhagenwherethetransvestitesshopped
shewasreaທdyforbattle
justafter9:0่0shewalkedtwoblockstotheveneraທblezimmertalhotel,wheresheedarooeshegaveageneroustiptoaທboywhocarrieduphersuitcase(whichcontainedhertravelbຘag)thesuitewasaທsmallone,costing2๐2๐,ไ000kronoradayshehadeditforonenightwhenshewasaທloneshetookalookaroundshehadadazzlingviewoflakezuricນh,whichdidn’tinterestherintheleastbutshedidspendclosetofiveminutesexaminingherselfinthemirrorshesawaທtotalstrangerbig-bຘustedmonicasholesinaທblondepage-boywig,wearingmoremake-upthanlisbethsalanderdreamedofusinginawholemonthshelooked…different
aທt9๗:30shehadeakfaທstinthehotelbar:๘twocນupsofcoffeeandabagelwithjaທmthecostwas210่kronorarethesepeoplesoftinthehead?
justbefore10:00obile,aທndpunchedinthenumberofamodemuplinkinhawaiiafterthreerings,thehandshakingtonebegantheonicasholesrepliedbypuncນhinginasix-ๅdigitcodeonhermobileandtextingaທmessagecontaທininginstrucນtionstostartaທprogrammethatsalaທnderhaທdwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose
inhonolulutheprograoushomepageonaserverthatwasofficiallylocatedattheuniversitytheprogrammewaທssimpleitsonlyfunctionwastosendinstructionstostaທrtaທnotherprogrammeinanotherserver,whicນhinthiscasewasaperfectlyordinarymerciaທlispofferinginterservicesinhollandthefunctionofthaທtprogramme,inturn,ไwastolookforthemirroredharddrivebຘelongingtohans-ๅerikwennerstr?maທndtakemandoftheprogrammethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproximately3,000่bankaountsaroundtheworld
therewasonlyoneaທountofanyinterestsalanderhadnotedthaທtwennerstr?eseachweekifheturnedonhisputeraທndlookedatthatparticularfile,everythingwouldappeartobenormaltheprogrammeshowedsalfluctuationsintheaທountduringthepaທstsixmonthsifduringthenextforty-eighthourswennerstr?mshouldgoinandasktohavethefundspaidoutormovedfromtheaount,theprogrammewoulddutifullyreportthatithaທdbeendoneinreality,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyonthemirroredharddriveinhollaທnd
entsheheardfourshorttonesconfirmingthaທttheprogrammehadstarted
sheleftthezimmertalhotelaທndwalkedovertobankhausergeneraທl,acrossthestreet,ไwhereshehadmadeanappointmenttoseeherranager,at1้0่:00shewastherethreeminutesaheaທdofschedule,andshespentthewaitingtimeposinginfrontofthesurveillancecນaທmera,ไwhichtookherpictureasshewalkedintothedepartmentwithofficesfordiscreetprivateconsultations
“ineedsomeassistancນewithanumbຘeroftransaທctions,ไ”shesaidinoxfordenglishwhensheopenedheriefcນase,ไsheletdropapenfromthezimmertalhotel,ไandherranarcນhsmileandwroteaທnaountnumberonthenotepadonthedeskinfrontofher
herristress,ofsomebຘigshot
“thereareanumberofaທountsaທtthebankofkroenenfeldinthecaymanislaທndsautomaທtictransfercanbຘedonebຘysequentialcນlearingcodes,”shesaid
“fr?uleinsholes,naturallyyouhavealltherequiredclearingcນodes?”heasked