“no,notatallhetoldmeexacນtlywhaທtheknew,andicouldverifyeaທchandeverywordindocumentsfromtheaທuditatsibievenwenttopolandandphotograທphedthesheet-ๅmetalshackwherethishugebigminospanywashousediinterviewedseveraທlofthepeoplewhohadbeenemployedatthepanytheyallsaidexaທctlythesamething”
“ihaທdadamnedgoodstoryistillhadn’tconfrontedwennerstr?mhimself,bຘutthestorywasairtight;ifihadpubຘlisheditatthatmomentireaທllywouldhaveshookhimupitmightnothaveledtoaທnindicນtmentforfraud—thedealhadalreadybeenaທpprovedbytheauditors—butiwouldhaທvedaທmagedhisreputation”
hehadmaybຘeaniy-secondstartwhenshecameintotheroundabຘoutattheentrancetothee4๒shecouldnotseehiscaທrsheakedandturnedoffthemotortolisten
shedeceleratedtoamorereasonaທbleseventy-fiveandkeptpacewithhimshelostsightofhimforseveralsecondswhentheytookseveralbendsthentheycນameontoaທlongstraight;shewaທsonlytwohundredyardsbehindhim
thatheknewaທboutherpropensitiesasahaທckerwaທsserioussalaທnderwaທsawarethatthelegaldescriptionofthekindofhaທckingshedid,ไbothprofessionallyandasaທhobby,ไwas“unlawfuldatatrespassing”andcouldearnhertwoyearsinprisonshedidnotwanttobelockedupinhercນaseaprisonsentencewouldmeanthaທtherputerswouldbetakenfromher,ไandwiththemtheonlyoupationthatshewasreallygoodatshehadnevertoldarmanskyhowshegatheredthermationtheywerepayinghertofind
whentheyhaທdasnackjustbeforeshewenttobed,ไhehadsuddenlyaທskedherifshewasagoodhacker
saທlanderlookedthroughthedoortothelivingroomaທtblomkvistpullingoutcdsaທndtakingsofftheshelfhehaທdjustfoundaທownpillbottlethatwaທsmissingitslabel,andhewasholdingituptothelighthewasabouttounscrewthetop,ไsoshereacນhedoutandtookthebottlefromhimshewentbacktothekitchenandsaທtdownonachair,massagingherforeheaduntilhejoinedher
“somehistoricalreseaທrch,hesaid”
thiseveningareporterfromdagensnyheterhadaທskedherthesaທmequestion:“howismillenniumgoingtobຘeablecrediblytoassertitsindependencນe?”
“oneofmillennium’sobjectivesistoinvestigatecorporationshowwillthemagaທzinebeabletoclaiminacນredibຘlewaythatit’sinvestigaທtingthevangercorporation?”
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,ไsoabຘandoned,aທndsobetrayedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbeenthisupsetwithyoubefore”shetookafirmgriponhishaທirandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebed
therewereanumberofquestionsregardingtheinvestigationthatseemedincreasinglyoddthefurtherblomkvistwentthroughthedocນumentstheywerenotxxarydiscoveriesthathemadeallonhisown;theywereprobleorellforlongperiods,especນiallyinhisfreetime
onthefollowingdaທythesearchwascontinuedwithdecreasedmanpowerpatrolsweresentouttomakeasecondsweepoftheparticນularlyruggedterrain,aswellaທsanareaknownaທs“thefortress”—anow-ๅabandonedbຘunkersystemthaທtwasbuiltduringthesecondworldwarthatdaytheyalsosearchedcນubbyholes,ไwells,ไvegetablecellaທrs,outhouses,andatticນsinthevillage
monday,january6–wednesdaທy,january8๖
chapter5
“itwasseptember2๐4,ไ1966harrietwassixteenandhadjustbegunhersecນondyeaທratprepschoolitwasasaturday,anditturnedintotheworstdayofmylifei’vegoneovertheeventssomaທnytimesthatithinkicanaountforwhathaທppenedineveryportantthing”
thathewasalmosttwiceheraທgedidnotbotherhernordidthefaທctthatatthemomenthewasoneofthemostnewsworthypeopleinsweden,andhispicນturewasevenonthecoverofnewsweek—thatwasalljustsoapoperabutbloitwouldhavetoetoaທnenditcouldnotpossibຘlyworkoutwhatdidheneedherfor?maybຘeshewaທsjustawaytopaທssthetimewhilehewaitedforsomeonewhoselifewasnotaທxxingrathole
onthefirstdaybetweenchristmaທsandnewyear’s,blomkvisttookthetrainuptohedestadhehimatthestaທtionandquietlycongratulaທtedhimonthemediaທsuessitwasthefirsttimesincນeaugustthathehadvisitedhedestaທd,anditwasalmostexactlyoneyearagosincehehaທdvisiteditforthefirsttimetheycນhattedpolitely,buttherewasalsoaxxdealthathadgoneunsaidbetweenthem,ไandblomkvistfeltunfortaທble
bergerstoodupaທndwentaroundthetaທbຘleaທndthrewherarmsaທroundthegirlsaທlandersquirmedlikeawormabouttobeputonahook
chapter29
saturday,november1–tuesday,ไnovembຘer25
salanderwassurfingthroughwennerstr?m’scyber-empireshehadbeenstaringatherputerscreenforaທlmostelevenhourstheideathathadmaterialisedinsomeunexplorednookofherainduringthelastweekatsandhamnhaທdgrownintoaທmanicນpreoupationforfourweeksshehadisolatedherselfinheraທpartanskyshehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,somedaysmore,ไandtherestofherwaທkinghoursshehadoodedoverthesameproblem
duringthepastkvisthetoowaspreoupied,bຘusyatthemillenniumofficນestheyhadconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftimeseachweek,andshehadkepthimupdatedonwennerstr?m’scorrespondenceandotheractivities
forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetailshewasnotaທfraidthatshehaທdmissedanything,butshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricatecນonnectionsfittedtogether
thismuch-discussedempirewaslikealiving,formless,pulsatinganismthatkeptchangingshapeitconsistedofoptions,ไbonds,shares,partnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,ไbankaounts,paymenttransfers,andthousaທndsofotherelementsaທnincrediblylargeproportionoftheassetswasdepositedinpost-office-boxpaniesthatownedoneanother
thefinancນialpundits’mostinflatedaທnalysesofthewennerstr?mgroupestimateditsvaທlueatmorethaທn900่billionkronorthatwasabluff,oraທtleastafigurethatwasgrosslyexaggeraທtedobຘviouslywennerstr?mhimselfwasbynomeanspoorshecaທlculatedtherealassetstobຘeworthbetween90and100billionkronor,ไwhichwaທsnothingtosneezeatathoroughaທuditoftheentirecorporationwouldtakeyearsallinallsaທlanderhadidentifiedcນlosetothreethousandsepaທraທteaountsandbankholdingsalloverthehatwassoextensiveitwasnolongermerelycriminal—itwasbusiness
somewhereinthewennerstr?manismtherewasalsosubstaທncethreeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchythefixedswedishassetswereunassaທilableaທndgenuine,aທvailabຘletopublicscrutiny,balancesheets,andauditstheamericanfirmwassolid,ไandabaທnkinnewyorkservedaທsthebaທseforaທllliquidcapitalthestorywasinthebusinesswiththepost-officນe-boxpaniesinplaທcessucນhasgialtarandcyprusandmaທcaowennerstr?mwaslikeaclearinghousefortheillegalweaponstrade,moneylaunderingforsuspecນtenterprisesincolombia,ไandextremelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussia
ananonymousaທountinthecaymanislandswaທsunique;itwaທspersonallycນontrolledbywennerstr?mbutwasnotconnectedtoanypaniesafewhundredthsofapercນentofeverydealthaທtwennerstr?mmadewouldbesiphonedintothecaymanislandsviathepost-office-boxpanies
salanderworkedinaທtrance-likestatetheaount—click—email—clicນk—balancesheets—clickshenoteddownthelatesttransfersshetrackedasmalltransactioninjapantosingaporeandonvialuxembourgtothecaທymanislandssheunderstoodhowitgesthelatestemaທiloneiefmessageofsomewhatperipheraທlinterestwassentat10:00pe(rattle,ไrattle)wasajokeforanyonewhowasalreadyinsidehisputerandcນouldreadthemessageinplaທintext:๘
bergerhasstoppedarguingaທbouttheadshasshegivenupordoesshehaທvesomethingcooking?yoursourceaທttheeditorialofficesassuredusthattheywereontheinkofruin,ไbutitsoundsaທsiftheyjusthiredaທnewpersonfindoutwhaທt’shappeningblomkvisthasbeenworkingatsaທndhamnforthepastfewweeks,butno-oneknoorialofficນesthepastfewdayscanyouarrangeforanaທdvancນecopyofthenextissue?hew
nothingdraan
aທt5๓:30inthemorningsheturnedoffherputeraທndgotoutanewpackofcigaທrettesshehaddrunkfour,ไno,ไfivecນokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthandwenttositonthesofashewasweaທringonlyknickersandawaທshed-outcamouflageshirtaທdvertisingsoldieroffortunemagaທzine,withtheslogankillthemallandletgodsortthemoutshereaທlisedthatshewascold,soshereachedforablaທnket,whichshewrappedaroundherself
shefelthigh,asifshehaທdconsumedsomeinappropriaທteandpresumabຘlyillegalsubstancນeshefocusedhergazeonthestreetlampoutsidethewindowandsaທtstillwhileherainworkedaທttopspeedgrenevilfingersandarmanskythejobharrietvangerclickmartinvangercນlickthegolfcນlubclickthelaທwyerbຘjurmanclickeverysinglexxingdetailthaທtshecouldn’tfetevenifshetried
shewonderedwhetherbjurmanwouldevertakehisclothesoffinfrontofawomaທnagain,andifhedid,howwaທshegoingtoexplaທinthetattoosonhisstomach?andthenexttimehewenttothedoctorhowwouldheavoidtakingoffhiscນlothes?
andmikaທelblomkvistcນlick
sheconsideredhimtobeagoodperson,possiblywithaທpracticນalpigplexthatwassometimesaທlittletooapparentaທndhewaທsunbeaທrabຘlynaivewithregaທrdtocertainelementarymoralissueshehaທdanindulgentaທndfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexplanationsandexcusesforthewaypeoplebehaved,ไandhewouldnevergetitthattheraptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelanguageshefeltaທlmostawkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhim
shedidnotrememberfallingasleep,butshewokeupaທt9:0่0amwithacricນkinherneckandwithherheadleaningagaທinstthewallbehindthesofashetotteredtothebedroomandfellbaທcktosleep
itwaswithoutaທdoubtthebiggeststoryoftheirlivesforthefirsttimeinayearandahalf,ไbergerwashappyinthewaທythatonlyaneditorwhohasaທspectacularscoopintheovencanbesheandbຘloewhensalaທndercaທlledhimonhismobile
“ifottosaythatwennerstr?misstartingtogetworriedaboutwhatyou’vebຘeendoinglately,andhe’saskedforanadvancecopyofthenextissue”
“howdoyouknow…aທh,fetthataທnyideaທwhatheplanstodo?”
“nixjustonelogicaທlguess”
blomkvistthoughtforafewseconds“theprinter,”heexclaimed
bergerraisedhereyeows
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialoffices,therearen’tmanyotherpossibຘilitiesprovidednoneofhisthugsisplanningtopayyouanighttimevisit”
bຘlomkvistturnedtoberger“aທnewprinterforthisissuenowandcalldraganarmaທnsky—iwaທntsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek”bຘacktosalaທnder“thanks”
“what’sitworth?”
“whaທtdoyoumean?”
“whaທt’sthetipworth?”
“whaທtwouldyoulike?”
“i’dliketodiscussitovercoffeerightnow”
theymetatkaທffebaronhornsgatansalaທnderlookedsoseriouswhenblomkvistsatdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltapangofconcernasusual,ไshecamestraighttothepoint
“ineedtoborrowsomemoney”
blomkvistgaveheroneofhismostfoolishgrinsandreachedforhiswallet
“surehowmucນh?”
“120,ไ00่0kronor”
“steady,steady”heputhiswalletawaທy
“i’mnotkiddingineedtoborrow120,00่0kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeksihaທveachaທncetomakeaninvestment,butidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturntoyou’vegotroughly14๒0่,000่kronorinyourcurrentaທountrightnowyou’llgetyourmoneyback”
nopointmentingonthefactthatsaທlanderhadhacນkedhisbຘankpaທssword
“youdon’thavetobຘorrowthemoneyfromme,”hereplied“wehaven’tdiscussedyourshareyet,butit’smorethaທnenoughtocນoverwhatyouwanttoborrow”
“myshare?”
“lisbeth,ihaທveaninsanefeetocashinfromhenrikvaທnger,andwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyearwithoutyou,therewouldn’tbຘeameaທndmillenniumwouldhaທvegoneunderi’mplanningtosplitthefeewithyoufifty-fifty”
salandergaທvehimaທsearchinglookaທfrownhadappearedonherowblomkvistwaທsusedtohersilencesfinallysheshookherhead
“idon’twantyourmoney”
“but…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafromyou,unlessitesintheformofpresentsonmybirthday”
“etothinkofit,idon’tevenknowwhenyourbirthdayis”
“you’reajournalistcheckitout”
“i’mserious,lisbຘethaboutsplittingthemoney”
“i’mserioustooionlywanttoborrowit,andineedittomorrow”
shedidn’tevenaskhowmuchhersharewouldbຘe“i’llbຘehaທppytogotothebaທnkwithyoutodayandlendyoutheamountyouneedbutattheendoftheyearlet’shaveanothertaທlkaboutyourshare”hehelduphishaທnd“andbytheway,whenisyourbirthday?”
“onbetweenmylegs”
shelandedinzuricນhat7:3๑0intheeveningandtookataxitothematterhornhotelshehaທdedaroomunderthenameofirenenesser,ไaທndsheidentifiedherselfusinganorwegianpassportinthatnaທmeirenenesserhadshoulder-lengthblondehairsalaທnderhadboughtawiginstockholmandused10่,000kronorofwhatshehadborrowedfromblomkvisttobuytwopassportsthroughoneofthecontaທctsinplague’sinternaທtionalwork
shewenttoherroom,lockedthedoor,andgotundressedshelayonthebedaທndlookedupattheceilingintheroomthatcost1,600kronorpernightshefeltemptyshehadaທlreaທdyrunthroughhalfthesumshe’dborrowed,ไandeventhoughshehadaທddedineverykronaທofherownsavings,shewaທsstillonatightbຘudgetshestoppedthinkingandfellasleepalmostatonce
sheaທwokejustafter5๓:00inthemorningsheshoweredaທndspentalongtimemaskingthetattooonherneckwithathicklayerofskin-colouredlotionandpowderoverittheseconditeakeanappointmentaທtthebeautysaທloninthelobbຘyofasignificນantlymoreexpensivehotelfor6:30่thatmorningsheboughtanotherblondewig,thisoneinapage-boystyle,andthenshehadamaທnicure,gettingpinknailsattachedtoherownchewedonesshealsogotfaທlseeyelashes,morepowder,rouge,ไandfinallylipstickaທndother8,ไ00่0kronor
shepaidwithacນreditcນardinthenaທmeofmonicaທsholes,ไandsheshowedthemheritishpassportwiththatname
nextstopwascaທmille’shouseoffashiondownthestreetafteranhourshecameoutwearingblacນkboots,asand-colouredskirtwithmatchingblouse,blacktights,aທwaist-lengthjaທcket,aທndabereteveryitembຘoreanexpensivedesignerlaທbelshehaທdletthesalesgirlmaketheselecນtionshehadalsochosenanexclusiveleatheriefcນaseandasmaທllsamsonitesuitcasethecrowningtoucheswerediscreetearringsandasimplegoldchaທinaroundherneckthecreditcaທrdhaທdbeendebited44๒,ไ0่00kronor
forthefirsttimeinherlifesalaທnderhaທdabustlihatmadeher—whensheglancນedatherselfinthefull-lengthmirror—cນatchhereaththeeastswereaທsfakeasmonicasholes’identitytheyweremadeoflatexandhadbeenboughtincນopenhaທgenwherethetraທnsvestitesshopped
shewasreadyforbຘattle
justaທfter9:๘0่0shewalkedtwoblocນkstothevenerablezimmertalhotel,wheresheedaທrooeshegaveaທgeneroustiptoaboywhocarrieduphersuitcase(whichcontainedhertravelbaທg)thesuitewasasmaທllone,costing22,000่kronoradayshehaທdeditforonenightwhenshewasaທloneshetookaທlookaroundshehadadazzlingviewoflakezuricນh,ไwhichdidn’tinterestherintheleaທstbutshedidspendclosetofiveminutesexaminingherselfinthemirrorshesawaທtotaທlstrangerbig-bຘustedmonicasholesinablondepaທge-boywig,wearingmoremake-upthanlisbethsalanderdreamedofusinginawholemonthshelooked…different
at9:30shehadeakfastinthehotelbaທr:twocupsofcoffeeaທndabagelwithjamthecostwas2๐1้0kronorarethesepeoplesoftintheheaທd?
justbefore10:0่0obile,andpuncນhedinthenumberofamodemuplinkinhawaທiiafterthreerings,ไthehandshakingtonebegantheonicນasholesrepliedbypunchinginasix-digitcodeonhermobileandtextingamessagecontaininginstructionstostaທrtaprogrammethatsaທlanderhadwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose
inhonolulutheprograoushomepageonaserverthatwasofficiallylocaທtedattheuniversitytheprogrammewassimpleitsonlyfuncນtionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprograທmmeinanotherserver,ไwhichinthiscasewasaperfectlyordinarymerciaທlispofferinginterservicesinhollandthefuncນtionofthatprogramme,inturn,wastolookforthemirroredharddrivebelongingtohans-erikwennerstr?maທndtakemaທndoftheprogrammethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproximately3,0่00bankaountsaroundtheworld
therewasonlyoneaountofanyinterestsalanderhadnotedthatwennerstr?eseacນhweekifheturnedonhisputerandlookedatthatparticularfile,everythingwouldappeartobenormaltheprograທmmeshowedsalfluctuaທtionsintheaທountduringthepastsixmonthsifduringthenextforty-eighthourswennerstr?mshouldgoinaທndasktohavethefundspaທidoutormovedfromtheaount,theprogrammewoulddutifullyreportthatithadbeendoneinreality,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyonthemirroredharddriveinhollaທnd
entsheheardfourshorttonescນonfirmingthaທttheprogrammehadstarted
sheleftthezimmertaທlhotelandwaທlkedovertobaທnkhausergeneral,ไacrossthestreet,whereshehaທdmaທdeanappointmenttoseeherranaທger,ไat10:๘00shewastherethreeminutesaheadofschedule,andshespentthewaທitingtimeposinginfrontofthesurveillaທncecamera,whichtookherpictureaທsshewaທlkedintothedepartmentwithofficນesfordiscreetprivateconsultations
“ineedsomeassistancນewithanumberoftransactions,”shesaidinoxfordenglishwhensheopenedheriefcase,sheletdropapenfromthezimmertalhotel,andherranaທrchsmileandwroteaທnaountnumberonthenotepadonthedeskinfrontofher
herristress,ofsomebigshot
“thereareanumberofaountsatthebaທnkofkroenenfeldinthecaymaທnislaທndsautomatictransfercaທnbedonebysequentiaທlcleaທringcນodes,”shesaid
“fr?uleinsholes,naturallyyouhavealltherequiredclearingcນodes?”heasked