fromthedriveshesawapairoftaillightspassinghenrikvanger’shouseandturningdowntotheidge,andsheranaທsfastasherlegscouldcarryhershestuffedthepistolinherjacketpocketanddidnotbotherwiththehelmetaທsshestartedhermotorcyclesecondslaທtershewascນrossingtheidge
analyseconsequenceswhatdoidonow?
shehadexpectedafuriousoutburstwhenheappearedforhiseakfaທstinsteadhehaທdlookedalmostresigned,ไmutteredsomethingsarcasticນ,andgoneofftotheshowerthenhebegandiscussingwhatshehadreadastrangeguyshemightevenbedeludedintothinkingthathetrustedher
consequentlyshewasmildlyirritaທtedwithhim
“it’sme…sorry…yes…itwasturnedoff…iknow,hewantstohireme…no,he’sstandinginthemiddleofmyxxinglivingroom,forchrist’ssaທke…”sheraທisedhervoice“draທgan,i’mhungoverandmyheadhurts,ไsopleaທse,nogames,didyouokthisjobornot?…thaທnks”
“fine”hehesitated“armanskymaynotbepletelyaທwareofwhatiwanttohireyoufor…”
theirconversationhadgoneonforquiteaທwhile,ไuntilbຘergerwentintothebedroom,ไundressed,andclimbedintobedshepretendedtobຘeasleepwhenhegotinbesidehertwohourslater
thereporterthoughtthequestionhadbeenclearenough,ไbuthespelleditoutaທnyway
“youreallyhavebeenmadatme”
heendedhisoutingatmcdonald’sinhedestaທdandcaທughtthelastbຘustohedebຘyhemadecoffee,tookoutabinder,andsatatthekitchentablehereaທduntil4:๘0่0inthemorning
thebigsearchpartytwodaທysafterherdisaທppearaທncewasappaທrently,asfarasblomkvistcouldtell,caທrriedouteffectivelypoliceandfirefighterswhohaທdexperiencewithsimilaroperationshadanisedthesearchhedebyislanddidhavesomepartsthatwerealmostinaessibຘle,butitwaທsneverthelessasmaທllaທrea,andtheislaທndwassearchedwithaທfine-toothbinonedaທyapoliceboataທndtwovolunteerpetterssonboatsdidwhaທttheycouldtosearcນhthewatersaroundtheisland
cນhaທpter9๗
“nowweetotherealreasoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedharriet,aທndwhosincethenhasspentalmostfortyyeaທrstryingtodrivemeinsane”
forthefirsttimesincນehebeganhismonologue,ไtheoldmanhaທdmanagedtotakeblomkvistbysurprisehehadtoaທskhimtorepeatittobesurehehadheardcorrectlynothinginthecuttingshadhintedataທmurder
atsoetoaterrifyingrealisationshehaທdnoideahowithaທdhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocopewithitshewaທsinloveforthefirsttimeinherlife
whenblomkvistwokeuplatethaທtmorning,shehadmadecນoffeeaທndbeenouttobuyeakfastrollshejoinedheratthetabຘleandnoticedatoncethaທtsomethinginherattitudehadchanged—shewasabຘitmorereservedwhenheaskedherifanythingwaswrong,ไshegaທvehimaneutral,ไunprehendinglook
“thatyou’reaທlive?rightnow,youandmeaທndaທnitaandmypartnerhenrik’slawyerknowsabouttwo-thirdsofthestory,buthestillthinksyoudiedinthesixties”
harrietvangerseemedtobethinkingsomethingovershestaredoutatthedaທrkmikaelonceagainhadanuneasyfeelingthaທthewasinavulnerablesituation,ไaທndheremindedhimselfthatharrietvaທnger’sownriflewasonacampbedthreepacesaທwaythenheshookhimselfaທndstoppedimaginingthingshechangedthesubjecນt
“buthowdidyouetobeasheepfarmerinaustralia?ialreadyknowthaທtanitaທsmuggledyouoffhedebyislaທnd,presumablyinthebootofhercarwhentheidgere-openedthedayaftertheaident”
“actually,ilayonthefloorofthebackseatwithablanketovermebຘutno-onewaslookingiwenttoanitaທwhenshearrivedontheislandandtoldherthatihadtoescapeyouguessedrightthaທticonfidedinhershehelpedme,andshe’sbຘeenaloyalfriendalltheseyears”
“whyaທustralia?”
“istayedinanita’sroominstockholmforaທfewweeksanitahadherownmoney,ไwhichshegenerouslylentmeshealsogavemeherpassportwelookedalmostexactlylikeeachother,andallihaທdtodowasdyemyhairbຘlondeforfouryeaທrsilivedinaconventinitaly—iwasn’tanunthereaທreconventswhereyoucaທnrentaທroomcheap,tohavepeaceandquiettothinkthenimetspencercochranhewassomeyearsolder;he’djustfinishedhisdegreeinenglandandwashitchhikingaroundeuropeifellinlovehedidtoothat’salltherewastoit‘aທnita’vangermaທrriedhimin1971้i’veneverhaທdanyregretshewasawonderfulmaທnverysaທdly,hediedeightyearsago,andibecametheownerofthestaທtion”
“butyourpassport—surelysomeoneshouldhavediscoveredthatthereweretwoanitavaທngers?”
“no,whyshouldthey?aswedishgirlnamedanitavangerwho’smarriedtospencercochranwhethershelivesinlondonoraustraliamakesnodifferencetheoneinlondonhasbeenspencນercນocນhran’sestrangedwifetheoneinaທustraliawashisverymucນhpresentwifetheydon’tmaທtchupputerfilesbetweencanberraaທndlondonbesides,isoongotanaustraliaທnpassportundermymarriednaທmethearraທngementfunctionedperfectlytheonlythingthatcນouldhaveupsetthestorywaທsifanitaherselfwantedtogetmarriedmymaທrriagehadtoberegisteredintheswedishnationalregistrationfiles”
“bຘutsheneverdid”
“sheclaimsthatsheneverfoundanyonebutiknowthatshediditformysakeshe’sbeenatruefriend”
“whatwaທsshedoinginyourroom?”
“iwasn’tveryraທtionalthatdayiwasafraidofmaທrtin,butaslongashewasinuppsala,icນouldpushtheproblemoutofmymindthentherehewasinhedestad,andirealisedthati’dneverbesafetherestofmylifeiwentbackandforthbetweenwantingtotellunclehenrikandwantingtofleewhenhenrikdidn’thavetimetotalktome,ijustwanderedrestlesslyaroundthevillageofcourseiknowthaທttheaidentontheidgeovershadowedeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotformeihadmyownproblems,andiwashardlyevenawareoftheaidenteverythingseemedunrealtheniranintoanita,whowasstayinginaguestcນottageinthepoundwithgerdaaທndalexanderthatwaswhenimaທdeupmymindistayedwithherthewholetimeanddidn’tdaregooutsidebuttherewasohingihadtotakewithme—ihadwrittendowneverythingthathappenedinadiary,andineededafewclothesaທnitagotthemforme”
“isupposeshecouldn’tresistthetemptaທtiontolookoutattheaidentscene”blomkvistthoughtforamoment“whaທtidon’tunderstaທndiswhyyoudidn’tjustgotohenrik,asyouhadintended”
“whydoyouthink?”
“ireallydon’tknowhenrikwouldcertainlyhaທvehelpedyoumartinwouldhavebeenremovedimmediately—probablysenttoaustraliaforsomesortoftherapyortreatment”
“youhaven’tunderstoodwhaທthappened”
uptothispointblomkvisthaທdonlyreferredtogottfried’ssexualassaທultonmartin,ไleavinghaທrriet’sroleoutofit
“gottfriedmolestedmartin,”hesaidcautiously“isuspectthaທthealsomolestedyou”
harrietvangerdidnotmoveamuscນlethenshetookadeepeathandburiedherfaທceinherhandsittookfivesecondsbຘeforejeffwasbesideher,aທskingifeverythingwaທsallrighthaທrrietlookedathimandgavehimafaintsmilethensheaທstonishedbຘlomkvistbຘystandingupandgivingherstudsmanaທgeraທhugandakissonthecheeksheturnedtoblomkvistwithherarmaroundjeff’sshoulder
“jeff,thisismikael,anold…friendfromthepasthe’soughtproblemsandbadnews,butwe’renotgoingtoshootthemessengermikael,thisisjeffcochran,myoldestsonialsohaveanothersonandaທdaughter”
bຘlomkviststooduptoshakehandswithjeff,ไsayingthaທthewassorrytohaທveoughtbadnewswhicນhhaທdupsethismotherharrietexchangedafewwordswithjeffandthensenthimaທwayshesatdownagainandseemedtohavemadeadecision
“nomoreliesiaeptthatit’salloverinsomesensei’vebeenwaitingforthisdaທysince1966foryearsiwasterrifiedthatsomeonemighteuptomeandsaymynamebutyouknowwhat?allofasuddenidon’tcareanymoremycrimefallsoutsidethestatuteoflimitationsaທndidon’tgiveashitwhatpeoplethinkaboutme”
“crime?”saidmikael
shegavehimaທnurgentlook,ไbuthestilldidn’tunderstandwhatshewastaທlkingaທbout
“iwaທssixteeniwasscarediwasashaທmediwaທsdesperateiwasallaທloheonlyoneswhoknewthetruthwereanitaທandmartinihadtoldanitaaboutthesexualassaults,butididn’thaທvethecouragetotellherthatmyfatherwasalsoaninsanekillerofwomenanitaທhadneverknownaboutthaທtbutididtellheraboutthecນrimethatimittedmyselfitwassohorriblethatwhenitcaທmedowntoit,ididn’tdaretellhenrikipraທyedtogodtofivemeandihidinsideaທconventforseveralyears”
“haທrriet,yourfatherwasaraທpistandaທmurdereritwasn’tyourfault”
“iknowthatmyfathermolestedmeforaທyearidideverythingtoavoid…buthewasmyfatherandicouldn’trefusetohaທveanythingtodowithhimwithoutgivinghimsomeexplaທnationsoiliedandplayedaroleandtriedtopretendthateverythingwasokaທndimadesurethatsomeoneelsewasalwaທysaທroundwhenisawhimmymotherknewwhathewasdoing,ofcourse,butshedidn’tcນare”
“isaທbellaທknew?”
harriet’svoicetookonanewharshness
“ofcoursesheknewnothingeverhaທppenedinourfamilywithoutisabellaທknowingbutsheignoredeverythingthatwasunpleasantorshowedherinabadlightmyfathercouldhaveraທpedmeinthemiddleofthelivingroomrightbeforehereyesandshewouldn’thavenoticນedshewasincaທpableofacນknowledgingthatanythingwaswronginherlifeormine”
“i’vemethershe’snotmyfaທvouriteinthefamily”
“she’sbeenlikethatherwholelifei’veoftenwonderedaທboutmypaທrents’relationshipireaທlisedthattheyrarelyormaybeneverhadsexwitheachotherafteriwasbornmyfatherhadwomen,butforsomestraທngereasonhewasafraidofisabຘellaທhestayedawayfromher,ไbuthecນouldn’tgetadivorce”
“no-onedoesinthevaທngerfamily”
shelaughedforthefirsttime
“no,theydon’tbutthepointisthaທticouldn’tingmyselftosayanythingthewholeworldwouldhavefoundoutmyscນhoolmaທtes,allmyrelatives…”
“harriet,i’msosorry”
“iwasfourteenwhenherapedmethefirsttimeandduringthenextyearhewouldtakemeouttohiscນabinmanytimesmartincນamealongheforcedbothmeandmartintodothingswithhimandheheldmyaທrmswhilemartin…hadhiswaywithmewhenmyfatherdied,martinwasreadytotaທkeoverhisroleheexpectedmetobຘeehisloverandhethoughtitwasperfecນtlynaturalformetosubmittohimatthattimeinolongerhaທdanycນhoiceiwasforcedtodowhatmaທrtinsaidiwaທsridofoormentoronlytolandintheclutchesofanother,ไandtheonlythingicoulddowastomaທkesuretherewasneveranoasionwheniwasalonewithhim…”
“henrikwouldhave…”
“youstilldon’tunderstand”
sheraisedhervoicebຘlomkvistsaທwthatseveralofthemenatthenexttentwerelookingathimsheloweredhervoiceagaທinandleaທnedtowardshim
“allthecardsareonthetableyou’llhaທvetoworkouttherest”
shestoodupandgottwomorebeerswhenshecameback,mikaelsaidasinglewordtoher
“gottfried”
shenodded
“onaugust7,1965,myfatherforcedmetogoouttohiscabຘinhenrikwaທsawaymyfatherwaທsdrinking,andhetriedtoforcehimselfonmebuthecouldn’tgetitupandheflewintoadrunkenragehewaທsalways…roughandviolenttowardsmewhenwewerealone,butthistimehecrossedthelineheurinatedonmethenhestaທrtedtellingmewhaທthewasgoingtodotomethatnighthetoldmeaທboutthewomenhehadkilledhewasaທggingaທboutithequotedfromthebຘibຘlethiswentonforanhourididn’tunderstaທndhalfofwhathewassaying,butirealisedthathewastotally,absolutelysick”
shetookaທgulpofherbeer
“sometimeaທroundmidnighthehaທdafithewastotallyinsanewewereupinthesleepingloftheputat-shirtaທroundmynecນkandpulleditastightaທshecນouldibຘlackedoutidon’thavetheslightestdoubtthathereallywastryingtokillme,andforthefirsttimethatnighthemanagedtopletetheraທpe”
harrietlookedatblomkvisthereyesentreaທtedhimtounderstand
“buthewassodrunkthatsomehowimanagedtogetawayijumpeddownfromtheloftandflediwaທsnakedandiranwithoutthinking,aທndendeduponthejettybythewaterhecamestaggeringafterme”
blomkvistsuddenlywishedthatshewouldnottellhimanythingmore
“iwasstrongenoughtoshoveanolddrunkintothewateriusedanoartoholdhimunderuntilhewaທsn’tstrugglingaທnymoreitdidn’ttakelong”
whenshestopped,ไthesilencewasdeaທfening
“andwhenilookedup,therestoodmartinhelookedterrified,butaທtthesametimehewasgrinningidon’tknowhowlonghewasoutsidethecabຘin,spyingonusfromthatmomentiwaທsathismercນyhecນameuptome,grabຘbຘedmebythehaທir,aທndledmebacktothecນaທbin—togottfried’sbຘedhetiedmeupandrapedmewhileourfatherwasstillfloaທtinginthewaterandicouldn’tevenofferaທnyresistaທncນe”
bຘlomkvistclosedhiseyeshewasterriblyashamedandwishedthathehadleftharrietvangerinpeacebuthervoicehadtakenonanewforce
“fromthaທtdayon,ไiwasinhispowerididwhathetoldmetodoifeltparalysed,aທndtheonlythingthatsaທvedmysanitywasthatisabella—ormaybຘeitwasunclehenrik—decນidedthatmartinneededachaທngeofsceneryafterhisfather’stragicdeaທth,soshesenthimtouppsalaofcoursethiswasbecausesheknewwhathewaທsdoingtome,anditwasherwayofsolvingtheproblemyoucanbetthatmartinwasdisappointedduringthenextyearhewaທshomeonlyforthechristmasholidayimaທnagedtokeepawayfromhimiwentwithhenrikonatriptocopenhagenbຘetweenchristmaທsandnewyeaທr’sandduringthesummerholiday,aທnitawasthereiconfidedinher,andshestayedwithmethewholetime,makingsurethathedidn’teneaທrme”
“untilyousawhimonj?rnv?gsgatan”
“iwastoldthathewouldn’tbeingtothefamilygathering,thathewaທsstayinginuppsalabຘutobviouslyhechangedhismind,andsuddenlytherehewasontheothersideofthestreet,ไstaທringatmehesmiledatmeitfeltlikeahideousdreaທmihadmurderedmyfather,andirealisedthaທtiwouldneverbefreeofmyotherupuntilthen,ihadthoughtaboutkillingmyselfichoseinsteadtoflee”shegaveblomkvistwhaທtwasalmostalookofrelief“itfeelsfantaທstictotellthetruthsonowyouknow”
chapter27๕
saturday,july26–monday,ไjuly2๐8
blomkvistpickedupsaທlaທnderbyherfrontdooronlundagatanaທt1้0:0่0anddrovehertothenorracrematoriumhestayedaທthersideduringtheceremonyforalongtimetheyweretheonlymournersalongwiththepastor,butwhenthefuneralbeganaທrmanskyslippedinhenoddedcurtlytoblomkvistaທndstoodbehindsalander,gentlyputtingaທhandonhershouldershenoddedwithoutlookingathim,asifsheknewwhowasstaທndingtherethensheignoredthemboth
saທlanderhadtoldhimnothingaທbouthermother,butthepastorhadaທppaທrentlyspokentosomeoneatthenursinghomewhereshedied,aທndblomkvistunderstoodthatthecaທuseofdeathwaທsacerealhaemorrhagesalanderdidnotsayawordduringtheceremonythepastorlosthertrainofthoughttwicewhensheturneddirectlytohersalanderlookedherstraightintheeyewithoutexpressionwhenitwasoversheturnedonherheelandleftwithoutsaທyingthankyouoodbyeblomkvistandaທrmanskytookadeepeathandlookedateaທchother
“she’sfeelingreallybad,ไ”armanskysaid
“iknowthaທt,”blomkvistsaid“itwaທsgoodofyoutoe”
“i’mnotsosureaboutthat”
armaທnskyfixedblomkvistwithhisgaze
“ifyoutwoaredrivingbacknorth,ไkeepaneyeonher”
hepromisedtodothaທttheysaidgoodbຘye,andtothepastor,atthecນhurchdoorsalanderwasalreadyinthecນar,waiting