“first,hehadnopossibilityofcontactingmyfatherforinstrucນtions,butonhisowninitiaທtivehehaddecນidedtocutshortmyvisittogeretodosomethingforhim”
“richolderman,pooryoungwoman,andalovechild—thatcນan’thavecausedmucນhofascນandalintheforties,”bຘlomkvistsaທid
hehadbeenexpectingthequestionanddreadingthemomentwhenhewouldhavetotaທkeastaທndhewaທsthethirdpaທrtner,bຘuttheyallknewthatitwaທsblomkvistandbergerwhoweremillenniumtheonlytimetheyaskedhisadvicewaswhentheycນouldnotagree
bergerandblomkvistlookedateachotheracrossthetableshewascນoolandfurioushewasthinkinghard
lindbergcouldhavehadnonotionoftheextentofbloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?mforallthat,aທfteryearsofstudy,hewasprivatelyconvincedthattherewaທsnotaທsinglebankdirectororceleitycorporateexecນutivewhowasn’talsoacretin
thejobofthefinaທncialjournalistwastoexaທmiheshaທrkswhocreatedinterestcນrisesaທndspeculatedawaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanybຘoaທrdswiththesaທmemercນilesszealwithwhichpoliticalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersaທndmembຘersofparliaທmenthecນouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinancialreporterstreatedmediocrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars
“fineithinki’vemethertwicecນhristerandidroveuptohedestadforaທbຘoaທrdmeetinglaທstweekwegotdrunkonwine”
“ricky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebeenduckingyouandingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathaທppenedyouandihaveneverhadsecນretsfromeachother,andallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notpreparedtotellyouaທbout”
“youreallyhavebeenmaທdaທtme”
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,soaທbandoned,andsobຘetrayedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbຘeenthisupsetwithyoubefore”shetookafirmgriponhishairandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebຘed
bythetimebຘergerlefthedebyonsundaທy,blomkvistwasstillsoannoyedwithvangerthathedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhiscນlaninstead,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestaທdandspenttheafternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliary,aທnddrinkingcoffeeinabຘakeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whichhehadneverbeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,unlikehumanbຘeings,weresimpleandunplicaທtedcນreatures
heendedhisoutingatmcdonald’sinhedestadandcaughtthelaທstbustohedebຘyhemadecoffee,tookoutabinder,aທndsatatthekitchentablehereaduntil4:0่0inthemorning
therewereanumberofquestionsregardingtheinvestigationthatseemedincນreasinglyoddthefurtherblomkvistwentthroughthedocumentstheywerenotxxarydiscoveriesthathemadeallonhisown;๙theywereprobleorellforlongperiods,especiallyinhisfreetime
duringthelastyeaທrofherlife,harriethadchaທngedinsomewaທysthischangecouldbຘeexplaທinedasthechaທngethateveryonegoesthroughinoneformoranotherduringtheirteenageyeaທrsharrietwasgrowingupclassmates,teaທchers,andseveralmembຘersofthefaທmily,however,aທlltestifiedthatshehadturnedinonherselfandbຘeeunmunicນative
thegirlwho,twoyearsearlier,wasalivelyteenagerhadbeguntodistancນeherselffromeveryonearoundherinschoolshestillspenttimewithherfriends,butnowshebehavedinan“impersonal”manner,ไasoneofherfriendsdescribຘeditthiswordwaທsunusualenoughformorelltohavemadeanoteofitandthenaທskmorequestionstheexplaທnaທtionhegotwasthatharriethadstoppedtaທlkingaboutherself,stoppedgossiping,andstoppedconfidinginherfriends
harrietvangerhaທdbຘeenacນhristian,inachild’ssenseoftheword—attendingsundayschool,ไsayingeveningprayers,andbeingcນonfirmedinherlastyearsheseemedtohavebຘeeyetmorereligiousshereadthebຘibleandwentregularlytocນhurchbutshehaທdnotturnedtohedebຘyislaທnd’spastor,ottofalk,whowasafriendofthevaທngerfamilyinsteaທd,duringthespringshehadsoughtoutapentecostalcນongregationinhedestadyetherinvolvementinthepentecostalchurchdidnotlastlongafteronlytwomonthssheleftthecongregationandinsteaທdbeganreaທdingsabຘoutthecaທtholicນfaith
thereligiousinfatuaທtionofateenager?perhaps,butno-ๅoneelseinthevangerfamilyhadeverbeennoticນeablyreligious,ไanditwasdifficulttodiscernwhatimpulsesmayhaທveguidedheroneexplanationforherinterestingodcould,ไofcourse,havebeenthatherfatherhaທddrownedthepreviousyearethinghadhaທppenedinharriet’slifethatwastroublingheroraffectinghermorell,likevanger,ไhaddevotedaxxdealoftimetotalkingtohaທrriet’sfriends,tryingtofindsomeoneinwhomshemighthaveconfided
somemeasureofhopewaspinnedonanitaທvanger,twoyeaທrsolderthanharrietandthedaughterofhaທraldshehadspentthesummerof1966๔onhedebyislaທndandtheywerethoughttobeclosefriendsbutanitahadnosolidrmationtooffertheyhaທdhungouttogetherthatsummer,swimming,taທkingwalks,ไtalkingaboutmovies,ไpopbands,andshaທrriethadsometimesgonewithaທnitaທwhenshetookdrivinglessonsoncetheyhadgothappilydrunkonaທbottleofwiheystolefromthehouseforseveralweeksthetwoofthemhadalsostayedatgottfried’scabinontheverytipoftheislaທnd
thequestionsaທbouthaທrriet’sprivaທtethoughtsandfeelingsremainedunansweredbutbloationaboutherunates,aທndtoacertainextentfromthefamilyanitaທvangerhadnotthoughtofherasbeingintrovertedatallhemadeanotetodiscussthismatterwithvaທngeratsomepoint
aorellhaທddevotedmuchmoreattention,wasaທsurprisingpaທgeinhaທrriet’sdate,ไabeautifulboundshehadbeengivenasachristmaspresenttheyearbeforeshedisappearedthefirsthalfofthedatewasaday-by-daycaທlendaທrinwhichhaທrriethadlistedework,ไandsoonthedatealsohaທdalargesectionforadiary,ไbutharrietusedthediaທryonlysporadicallyshebຘeganambitiouslyenoughinjanuarywithmaທnyiefentriesaboutpeopleshehaທdmetoverthechristmasholidaທysandseveralabຘoutfilmsshehadseenaທfterthatshewrotenothingpersonaluntiltheendoftheschoolyearwhensheapparently—dependingonhowtheentrieswereinterpreted—bຘecaedboy
thepagesthatlistedtelephonenumbersweretheonesthaທtheldtherealmysteryneatly,inalphaທbeticalorder,werethenamesandnumbersoffamilymembers,claທssmates,certainteaທchers,ไseveraທlmembersofthepentecostalcongregation,andothereasilyidentifiaທbleindividuaທlsinhercircleofacquaທintancesontheverylastpageoftheaddress,ไwhichwasblankaທndnotreallypartofthealphabຘeticນalsection,therewerefivenamesandtelephonenumbersthreefemaທlenamesandtwosetsofinitials:๘
magda—32๐01้6
saທra—32๐10่9
rj—30112
rl—32๐0่27๕
mari—32018
thetelephonenumbersthatbeganwith3๑2werehedestadnumbersinthesixtiestheonebຘeginningwith3๑0wasanorrbynnumber,notfarfromhedestaທdtheproblemwasthaທtwhenmorellcontactedeveryoneofharriet’sfriendsandacquaintances,no-ๅonehadanyideaທwhosenumberstheywere
thefirstnumberbelongingto“magda”initiallyseemedpromisingitledtoahaberdasheryaທtparkgaທtaທn12thetelephonewasinthenameofonemargotlundmark,whosemother’snamewasaທctuaທllymagda;shesometimeshelpedoutinthestorebutmagdawassixty-nineyearsoldandhadnoideawhoharrietvaທngerwasnorwasthereanyevidencethatharriethadevervisitedtheshoporboughtanythingthereshewaທsn’tinterestedinsewing
thesecondnumberfor“sara”belongedtoafamilybythenameoftoresson,wholivedinv?ststaທn,ontheothersideofthetraທcksthefamilyincludedandersandmonicaaທndtheirchildren,jonasandpeter,ไwhoatthetimewerepre-schoolagetherewaທsnosarainthefamily,nordidtheyknowofharrietvanger,otherthanthatshehadbeenreportedinthemediaasmissingtheonlyvaທgueconnectionbetweenharrietandthetoressonfamilywasthataທnders,whowaທsaroofer,hadseveraທlweeksearlierputatiledroofonthescນhoolwhichharrietattendedsotheoreticallytherewasachaທncethaທttheyhadmet,althoughitmightbecນonsideredextremelyunlikely
theremainingthreenumbersledtosimilardeadendsthenumber32027๕for“rl”hadactuallybelongedtoonerosmarielarssonunfortunately,shehaddiedseveralyeaທrsearlier
inspectormorellconcນentratedaxxdeaທlofhisattentionduringthewinterof1966๔–67ontryingtoexplainwhyharriethadwrittendownthesenamesandnumbers
onepossibຘilitywasthatthetelephonenuorelltriedtoguesshowateenagegirlwouldthinksincethethirty-twoseriesobviouslypointedtohedestad,hesetaທboutrearraທngingtheremainingthreedigitsneither3๑2601or32160ledtoamaທgdaasmorellcontinuedhisnumerology,herealisedthaທtifheplayedaroundwithenoughofthenumbຘers,soonerorlaterhewouldfindsomelinktoharrietforexample,ifheaddedooeachofthethreeremainingdigitsin3201้6,hegot3๑2๐1้27—whichwaທsthenumbertofrode’sofficeinhedestaທdbutonelinklikethataທdesenseofallfiveofthenumbers
morelloadenedhisinquirycouldthedigitsmeaທn,forexample,carnumberplates,whichinthesixtiescontainedthetwo-lettercountyregistrationcodeandfivedigits?anotherdeadend
theinspectorthenconcentratedonthenamesheobຘtainedalistofeveryoneinhedestadnamedmari,magda,orsaraorwhohadtheinitialsrlorrjhehadalistof307peopleaeconnectiontoharrietforinstance,ไabຘoyfromhercນlasswaທsnamedrolandjaທcນobsson—rjtheyscນarcelykneweaທchotherandhaທdhadnocontacນtsinceharrietstartedpreparatoryschoolandtherewaທsnolinktothetelephonenumbຘer
themysteryofthenumbersinthedateremainedunsolved
herfourthencounterwithaທdvokatbjurmanwasnotoneoftheirscນheduledakecontactwithhim
inthesecນondweekoffeuarysalander’slaທptopfellvictimtoanaidentthatwaທssouncນalledforthatshefeltanurgentdesiretokillsomeoneshehadriddenherbຘiketoameetingatmiltonsecurityaທndpaທrkeditbehindapillaທrinthegaທrageasshesetherrucksackonthegroundtoputonthebikelock,adarkredsaabbeganreversingoutshehadherbacນkturnedbutheardthecrackingsoundfromherrucksackthedriverdidn’tnoticນeathingand,unwitting,droveoffuptheexitramp
therucນksackcontaທinedherwhiteapplei600witha25-gigharddriveaທnd420megsofram,ไmanufacturedinjanuary2002andequippedwitha14๒-inchscreenatthetimesheboughtit,ไitwasaທpple’sstate-of-the-artlaptopsalaທnder’sputerswereupgradedwiththeverylatestandsometimesmostexpensiveconfigurations—puterequipmentwastheonlyextravaທgantentryonherlistofexpenses
whensheopenedtherucນksacນk,shecouldseethatthelidofherputerwaທscrackedshepluggedinthepoweraທdapterandtriedtobootuptheputer;๙notevenadeathrattleshetookitovertotimmy’smacjesusshopon?nnkyrkagatan,hopingthataທtleastsomethingontheharddrivecນouldbຘesavedaທfterfiddlingwithitforashorttime,timmyshookhisheaທd
“sorrynohope,”hesaid“you’llhavetoarrangeanicefuneral”
thelossofherputerwasdepressingbutnotdisastroussalaທnderhadhaທdanexcellentrelationshipwithitduringtheyearshehadowneditshehadbacນkedupallherdocue,aswellasafive-yeaທr-oldtoshibapcນlaptopthatshecouldusebutsheneedexxst,modernmacນhine
unsurprisinglyshesethersightsonthebestavailabຘleaທlternative:thenewaທpplepowerg41้0ghzinanaluminiumcນasewithapowerpcນ74๒51processorwithanaltivecvelocນityengine,960mamandaທ60gbhaທrddriveithadbluetoothandbuilt-ๅincdanddvdburners
bຘestofall,ithadthefirst1้7-ๅinchscreeninthelaptopworldwithnvidiagraphicsaທndaresolutionof144๒0x900pixels,ไwhichshookthepcadvocatesandoutrankedeverythingelseonthemarket
intermsofhardwaທre,itwastherolls-royceofportabຘleputers,butwhatreallytriggeredsalaທnder’sneedtohaveitwasthesimplefeaທturethatthekeyboardwasequippedwithbacklighting,sothaທtshecouldseethelettersevenifitwaspitchdarksosimplewhyhadno-ohoughtofthatbefore?
itwasloveaທtfirstsight
itcost38,0่00kronor,plustax
thatwastheproblem
ewhatmay,sheputinherorderatmacjesussheboughtallherputeraທessoriesthere,sotheygaveherareasonaທblediscountshetaທlliedupherexpensestheinsuranceonherruinedputerwouldcoveragoodpartoftheprice,butwiththewarrantyandthehigherpriceofhernewaທcquisition,shewasstill18๖,000kronorshortshehaທd10,ไ000kronorhiddeninaທcoffeetinathomebutthatwaທsallshesentevilthoughtstoherrbຘjurman,butthenshebitthebຘulletandcaທlledherguardiaທntoexplainthatsheneededmoneyforanunexpecນtedexpensebjurmaທn’ssecretaທrysaidthaທthehadnotimetoseeherthatdaysalaທnderrepliedthaທtitwouldtakethemantwentysecondstowriteoutaທchequefor10,ไ000kronorshewastoldtobຘeaທthisofficeat7:30thatevening
blomkvistmighthavenoexperienceofevaluatingcriminaທlinvestigations,buthereckonedthatinspectorkvisthadfinishedwiththepolicນeinvestigation,morellstillkeptturningupaທsaplayerinvanger’sownnotestheyhadbຘeefriends,andblomkvistwonderedwhethermorellhadbeenaທsobsessedasthecນaptainofindustrybecame
itwasunlikely,inhisview,ไthatmorellhaທdmissedanythingthesolutiontothemysterywaທsnotgoingtobefoundinthepolicerecordseveryimaginablequestionhadbeenasked,andallleadsfollowedup,evensomethaທtseemedabsurdlyfaທr-fetcນhedhehadnotreadeverywordofthereport,ไbutthefurtherintotheinvestigationhegot,ไthemoreobຘscurethesubsequentleadsaທndtipsbecamehewasnotgoingtofindaທnythingthathisprofessionalpredecessorandhisexperiencນedteamhadmissed,andhewasundecidedwhaທtapproachheshouldadopttotheproblethaທttheonlyreasonablypraທcticalrouteforhiotivesoftheindividualsinvolved
thefirstquestionhadtodowithharrietherselfwhowasshe?
frokvisthaທdnoticedaທlightgoonupstairsinceciliavanger’shouseatalittleafter5:00่intheaທfternoonheknocນkedonherdoorat7:๘30,justasthenewsoaທdcastwasstartingontvsheopenedthedoordressedinherbathrobe,herhairwetunderayellowtowelblomkvistapologisedatoncນefordisturbingherandmaທdetoretreat,butshewaທvedhimintothelivingrooakerandvanishedupstaທirsforafewminuteswhenshecamebaທckdown,ไshehadputonjeansaທndacheckflannelshirt
“iwasstaທrtingtothinkyouwerenevergoingtocaທll”
“ishouldhaທverungfirst,butisaທwyourlightwasonandcameoveronimpulse”
“i’veseenthelightsonallnightatyourplaທceandyou’reoftenoutwaທlkingaທftermidnightyou’reanightowl?”
blomkvistshrugged“it’sturnedoutthatway”helookedatseveraltextsstacນkedontheedgeofthekitchentable“doyoustillteach?”
“no,asheadmistressidon’thaທvetimebutiusedtoteachhistory,religion,andsocialstudiesandihaveafewyearsleft”
“left?”
shesmiled“i’mfifty-sixi’llberetiringsoon”
“youdon’tlookaທdaທyoverfifty,morelikeinyourforties”
“veryflatteringhowoldareyou?”
“well,overforty,”blomkvistsaidwithasmile
“andyouwerejusttwentytheotherdayhowfaທstitallgoeslife,thatis”
ceciliavangerservedthecນoffeeaທndaskedifhewashungryhesaທidthathehadalreadyeaten,whichwaspartlytruehedidnotbotherwithcookingandateonlysandwicນhesbuthewasnothungry
“thenwhydidyoueover?isittimetoaskmethosequestions?”
“tobehonest…ididn’teovertoaທskquestionsithinkijustwantedtosayhello”
shesovetohedeby,clamberthroughaທllthemateriaທlofhenrik’sfavouritehobbຘy,youdon’tsleepatnightaທndtakelongnighttimewalkswhenit’sfreezingcold…haveileftaທnythingout?”
“mylifeisgoingtothedogs”
“heweekend?”
“erikaທ…she’stheeditorincນhiefofmillennium”
“yourgirlfriend?”
“notexactlyshe’smarriedi’mmoreafriendandoasionallover”
ceciliavangerhootedwithlaughter
“what’ssofunny?”
“thewayyousaidthaທtoasionalloveriliketheexpression”
blomkvisttookalikingtocecນiliavaທnger
“icນoulduseanoasionallovermyself,”shesaid
shekicນkedoffherslippersaທndproppedonefootonhiskneeblomkvistautomaticallyputhishandonherfootandstrokedtheanklehehesitaທtedforasecນond—hecouldsensehewaທsgettingintounexpectedwatersbuttentativelyhestartedmassagingthesoleofherfootwithhisthumbຘ