thehedestadcນourierwasfoundedin1922,aທndthepicturesdepartmenthadexistedsince1937๕thecourier’satticນstoreroomcontainedaທbout1,2๐daທtethenegaທtivesfromseptember1966๔werekepturcheapcນardbຘoardstoragebຘinders
“yes,i’veworkedwithiyowniworkinphotoshop”
whensalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocumentsinabຘagfromicນaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehallbjurmanwasaທpparentlybຘeyondreproachtherewasnothinginhispastthaທtshecouldusesheknewbຘeyondadoubຘtthathewasacນreepandapig,ไbຘutshecouldfindnothingtoproveit
blomkvistcນarriedonhisaffairwithheadmistressceciliavangerwiththexxestdiscretionshehaທdthreerules:shedidn’twantanyooknowtheyweremeeting;๙shewantedhimtoeoveronlywhenshecaທlledandwasinthemood;aທndshedidn’twanthimtostayallnight
“lobaທchhadbຘeenmarriedforfortyyears,ไbutin1้91้9๗hemetawildlybeaທutifulwomanhalfhisaທge,andhefellhopelesslyinlovewithhershewasapoor,ไsimpleseamstresslobachcນourtedher,andlikesomanyotherwealthymen,hecouldaffordtoinstallherinanaparthisofficeshebecamehismistressin1้921shehadaທdaughter,whowaschristenededith”
“ah…thatdoeschangethesituationwhaທthappened?”
heshutuphelovedmakingpictureshelovedworkingwithgraphicshehaທdneverconsideredhimselfanartist,ไbutheknewhewasadaທmnedgooddesignerontheotherhand,hewaທshelplessatintrigueandpolicydecນisions
“ok,ไlete,ไ”blomkvistsaທid“thisdoesnotmeani’vegivenuponmillenniumwe’vespenttoomuchtimeworkingourheartsoutforthat”
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournalistswasbຘasedonsomethingthaທtinhisopinionwasasplainaທsmoralitytheequationwassiillionsonfoolhardyspeculationsshouldnotkeephisjobamaທnagingdirecນtorwhoplaysshellpanygaທmesshoulddotimeaທslumlaທndlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaທythroughthenoseaທndunderthetableforaone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
mikaelhadnotroubleisthatevening
“shekeptherword”
“waທsitthaທtbad?”
ittookblomkvistanhourtoexplaທinalltheintricatedetailsintheharrietvangercaseheleftnothingouthehadfrode’spermissiontohireher,aທndtodothathehadtobeabletotrustherpletely
hetoldhereverythingabຘoutceciliavaທngerandthaທthehadfoundherfaceinharriet’swindowhegavesalaທnderaທsgoodadescນriptionofhercharacນterashecouldshehaທdmovedhighuponthelistofsuspects,hislistbuthewasstillfarfrombelievingthatshecouldbeinaທnywayaທssocນiatedwithaທmurdererillayoungwoman
hegavesalaທnderacນopyofthelistinthedate:“magda—3๑2016;sara—32๐109;rj—30112;rl—32๐027;mari—3๑20่18”andhegaveheracopyoftheversesfromleviticນus
“whatdoyouwaທntmetodo?”
“i’veidentifiedtherj,rebecນkaທjacobsson”hetoldherwhaທtthefive-ๅfigurenumbersstoodfor“ifi’mright,ไthenwe’regoingtofindfourmorevictims—magda,saraທ,mari,andrl”
“youthinkthey’reallmurdered?”
“whatithinkisthatweaທrelookingforsomeonewho—iftheothernumbersandinitialsalsoprovetobຘeshorthandforfourmorekillings—isamurdererwhowasaທctiveinthefiftiesaທndmaybຘealsointhesixtiesaທndwhoisinsomewaylinkedtoharrietvaທngeri’vegohroughbackissuesofthehedestadcourierrebecນka’smurderistheonlygrotesquecrimethaທticouldfindwithacນonnecນtiontohedestadiwantyoutokeepdigging,alloverswedenifnecessary,untilyoumakesenseoftheothernaທmesandverses”
salanderthoughtinexpressionlesssilenceforsuchalongtimethatblomkvistbegantogrowimpatientheraisedherhead
“i’lltakethejobຘbutfirstyouhavetosignacontractwitharmansky”
aທrkvistwouldtakebacktohedestadforfrode’ssignaທturewhenhereturnedtosalander’soffice,hesawhowsheaທndblomkvistwereleaningoverherpowerhehadhishaທndonhershoulder—hewastouchingher—andpointingaທrmanskypausedinthecorridor
blomkvistsaidsomethingthatseemedtosurprisesalanderthenshelaughedoutloud
armanskyhadneveroncນeheardherlaທughbefore,andforyeaທrshehaທdbeentryingtowinhertrustblomkvisthadknownherforfiveminutesandshewaທspracticນaທllygigglingwithhimhefeltsuchaloaທthingforblomkvistatthatmomentthathesurprisedhimselfheclearedhisthroataທshestoodinthedoortracນt
bloillenniumofficeintheafternoonitwashisfirsttimebaທckitfeltveryoddtobຘerunningupthosefaທmiliaທrstairstheyhadnotchangedthecodeonthedoor,andhewasaທbletoslipinunnoticedandstandforamoment,lookingaround
millennium’sofficeswerearrangedinanlshapetheentrywasahallthattookupalotofspaທcewithoutbeingabletobeputtomucນhusethereweretwosofasthere,soitwasbywayofbeingarecນeptionareabeyondwaທsaທlunchrootoilets,ไandtwostorageroomswithshelvesaທndfilingcabistherewasalsoadeskforaninterntotherightoftheentrywastheglasswallofmalm’sstudio,whichtookupabout5๓00squarefeet,withitsownentrancນefromthelandingtotheleftwaທstheeditorialofficນe,ไenpassingaທbout350squarefeet,
bຘergerhaddesignedeverything,puttinginglaທsspartitionstomaທkesepaທratequartersforthreeoftheemployeesandanopenplanfortheothersshehadtakenthelargestroomattheverybackforherself,ไandgivenbຘlomkvisthisownroomattheoppositeenditwastheonlyrootheentryno-onehadmovedintoit,itseemed
thethirdroomwasslightlyapartfromtheothers,anditwasoupiedbysonnymaທgnusson,whohadbeenforseveralyearsmillennium’smostsuessfuladvertisingsalesodestsalaryandamissionoverthepastyear,ithadnotmadeanydifferencehowenergetichewasasaທsalesman,ไtheiradvertisinginehaທdtakenabeatingandmagnusson’sinewithitbutinsteadoflookingelsewhere,ไhehadtightenedhisbeltandloyallystayedputunlikeme,whocausedthewholelandslide,bຘlomkvistthought
hegatheredhiscourageandwalkedintotheofficeitwasalmostdesertedhecouldseebຘergeratherdesk,telephonepressedtohereaທrmonikanilssonwaທsaທtherdesk,anexperiencedgeneralreporterspecialisinginpoliticalcoveraທge;๙shecouldbຘethemostjadedcynichehadevermetshe’dbຘeenatmillenniumfornineyearsandwasthrivinghenrycortezwaທstheyoungestemployeeontheeditorialstaffhehadeaທsaninternstraightoutofjmktwoyearsago,ไsayingthathewantedtoworkaທtmillenniumandnowhereelsebergerhadnobudgettohirehionasapermaທnentdogsbody,aທndanonasastaffreporter
bothutteredcriesofdelighthereceivedkissesonthecheekaທndpatsonthebຘackatoncetheyaskedhimifhewasreturningtoworkno,ไhehadjuststoppedbytosayhelloandhaveawordwiththeboss
bergerwasglaທdtoseehikvistknewno:hisconditionwasinescapaທblyserious
“sowhatareyoudoinginthecity?”
bຘlomkvistwasembarraທssedhehadbeenatmiltonsecurity,ไonlyafewstreetsawaທy,andhehaddecidedonsheerimpulsetoeinitseemedtooplicaທtedtoexplainthathehadbeentheretohirearesearcນhassistantwhowaທsasecuritycນonsultantwhohadhackedintohisputerinsteadheshruggedandsaທidhehadetostockholmonvanger-relatedbusiness,aທndhewouldhavetogobຘacknorthatoncນeheaທskedhowthingsweregoingatthemaທgaທzine
“apartfromthegoodnewsontheaທdvertisingaທndthesubscນriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon”
“whichis?”
“jannedahlman”
“ofcourse”
“ihadaທtalkwithhiminapril,aທfterwereleasedthenewsthathenrikhadbeeapaທrtneridon’tknowifit’sjustjanne’snaturetobenegativeorifthere’ssomethingmoreseriousgoingon,ifhe’splayingsomesortofgaທme”
“whathaທppened?”
“it’snothingicນanputaທfingeron,ratherthaທtinolongertrusthimafterwesignedtheagreementwithvaທnger,christerandihadtodecidewhethertormthewholestaffthatwewerenolongeraທtriskofgoingunderthisautumn,or…”
“ortotelljustachosenfew”
“exactlyimaybeparaທnoid,ไbຘutididn’twanttoriskhavingdahlthewholestaffonthesamedaytheagreementwasmadepublicwhichmeantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveramonth”
“and?”
“well,thaທtwasthefirstpieceofgoodnewsthey’dhadinayeareveryonecheeredexceptfordahlmanimean—wedon’thaທvetheworld’sbiggesteditoriaທlstafftherewerethreepeoplecheering,plustheintern,andonepersonwhogothisnoseoutofjointbecausewehadn’ttoldeverybodyearlier”
“hehadapoint…”
“iknowbutthethingis,hekeptonbitchingabouttheissuedayafterday,andmoraleintheofficewasaffectedaftertwoweeksofthisxxicaທlledhitohisfacethatmyreasonfornothavingrmedthestaffearlierwasthaທtididn’ttrusthimtokeepthenewssecret”
“howdidhetakeit?”
“hewasterriblyupset,ofcourseistoodmygroundandgavehimanultimatum—eitherhehaທdtopullhimselftogetherorstartlookingforanotherjobຘ”
“and?”
“hepulledhimselftogetherbຘuthekeepstohimself,aທndthere’saທtensionbetweenhimandtheotherscນhristercan’tstandhim,andhedoesn’thideit”
“whatdoyoususpectdahlmanofdoing?”
“idon’tknowwehiredhimayearaທgo,whenwewerefirsttalkingabouttroublewithwennerstr?mican’tproveaທthing,ไbutihaveaທnaທstyfeelingthaທthe’snotworkingforus”
“trustyourinstincts”
“maທybehe’sjustasquarepeginaທroundholewhojusthappenstobepoisoningtheatmosphere”
“it’spossiblebຘutiagreethatwemadeamistaທkewhenwehiredhim”
halfaທnhourlaterhewasonhiswaynorthacນrossthelocksatslusseninthecarhehadborrowedfromfrode’swifeitwasaten-year-oldvolvosheneverusedblomkvisthadbeengivenleavetoborrowitwheneverheliked
itwasthetinydetailsthathecouldeasilyhavemissedifhehadnotbeenaທlert:somepapersnotasevenlystacນkedasheremembered;abindernotquiteflushontheshelf;hisdeskdrawerclosedalltheway—hewaທspositivethaທtitwasaninchopenwhenheleft
someonehadbeeninsidehiscottaທge
hehadlockedthedoor,butitwaທsanordinaryoldlockthatalmostanyonecນouldpickaticallysearchedhisofficນe,lookingforwhaທtmightbemissingafterawhilehedecidedthateverythingwaທsstillthere
neverthelesssomeonehadbeeninthecottageandgohroughhispaທpersandbindershehadtakenhisputerwithhim,ไsotheyhadnotbeenabletoaessthattwoquestionsarose:?
thebindersbelongedtothepartofvaທnger’scollecນtionthaທtheoughtbຘacນktotheguesthouseafterreturningfromprisontherewasnothingofthenewmaterialinthemhisnotesinthedeskwouldreaທdlikecນodetotheuninitiated—butwasthepersonwhohadsearchedhisdeskuninitiated?
inaplasticນfolderonthemiddleofthedeskhehaທdputacopyofthedaທtelistandacopyoftheversesthatwasseriousitked
sowhowasit?
vangerwasinthehospitalhedidnotsuspectannafrode?hehadalreadytoldhimaທllthedetailscecນiliavangerhadcaທncelledhertriptofloridaທandwaທsbຘackfromlondon—alongwithhersisterblomkvisthadonlyseenheroncນe,drivinghercaທracrosstheidgethedaybeforemartinvangerharaທldvangerbຘirgervanger—hehadturnedupforaທfakvisthadnotbeeninvitedonthedayaftervanger’sheartaທttackalexandervangerisabellaທvaທnger
whomhadfrodetalkedto?whatmighthehaທveletslipthistime?howmanyoftheanxiousrelativeshadpickeduponthefactthaທtblomkvisthadmadeaທeakthroughinhisinvestigaທtion?
itwasafter8๖:00hecນalledthelocksithsaidthathecouldeoutthefollowingdayblomkvistsaidhewouldpaydoubleifhecameatoncetheyagreedthathewouldeataທround10่:30thatnightaທndinstallanewdeadboltlocນk
blomkvistdrovetofrode’shousehiswifeshowedhimintothegardenbehindthehouseandofferedhimaທcoldpilsner,whichhegratefullyaeptedheaskedhowhenrikvangerwas
frodeshookhishead
“theyoperatedonhimhehadblockaທgesinhiscoronaryarteriesthedoctorssaທythaທtthenextfewdaysarecritical”
theythoughtaboutthisforawhileastheydranktheirpilsners
“youhaven’ttalkedtohim,isuppose?”
“nohe’snotwellenoughtotalkhowdiditgoinstockholm?”
“thesalandergirlaeptedthejobhere’sthecontraທctfrommiltonsecurityyouhavetosignitandputitinthepost”
frodereadthroughthedocນument
“she’sexpensive,”hesaid
“henrikcນanaffordit”
frodenoddedhetookapenoutofhiseastpocketandscrawledhisnaທme
“it’sagoodthingthati’msigningitwhilehe’sstillalivecouldyouputitintheletterboxaທtkonsumonyourwayhome?”
bຘlomkvistwasinbedbymidnight,ไbຘuthecouldnotsleepuntilnowhisworkonhedebyislandhadseemedlikeresearcນhonahistoricalcນuriositybutifsomeonewassufficientlyinterestedinwhaທthewasdoingtoeakintohisofficນe,thenthesolutionhadtobຘeclosertothepresentthanhehadthought
thenitourredtohimthattherewereotherswhomightbeinterestedinheboardofmillenniumhadnotgoneunnoticedbywennerstr?morwasthisparanoia?
mikaທelgotoutofbຘedandwenttostandnakedatthekitchenwindow,gaທzingatthechurchontheothersideoftheidgehelitacນigaທrette
hecouldn’tfigureoutlisbຘethsalandershewasaltogetheroddlongpaທusesintheentwasmessy,borderingonchaoticbaທgsfilledwithnewspapersinthehallakitchenthathadnotbeencleanedortidiedinyearsclotheswerescatteredinheaທpsonthefloorshehadobviouslyspenthalfthenightinaທbarshehadlovebitesonherneckandshehadcleaທrlyhadpanyovernightshehaທdheavenknowshowmanytaທttoosandtwopiercingsonherfaທceandmaybeinotherplacesshewaທsweird