ifthemeetingataທrholmahadbeenaset-up,thenlindbergcouldnothaveplaທyedhisrolebetterbຘutthemeetinghadtohavehappenedbຘycນhancນe
shehadnoproblemwithblomkvistasalovertherewasobຘviouslyaphysicaທlattractionandhenevertriedtotutorher
“howareyougettingaທlongwithharrietvanger?”
“goon,”blomkvistsaທid
“inshort,theniwaschildless—instrikingcontrasttomyothersandotherfamilymembers,ไwhoseemedobsessedwiththeneedtopropagatethehouseofvangergottfriedandisaທbelladidmovehere,buttheirmarriagewasontherocksafteronlyayeargottfriedmovedouttohiscabຘinhelivedtherealoneforlongperiodsandwentbຘacນktoisabຘellawhenitgottoocນolditookcareofmartinandharriet,andtheybຘecameinmaທnywaysthecນhildrenineverhaທd
“martinwas…totellthetruth,ไtherewasatimeinhisyouthepshewasweakaທndintrovertedandmelaທncholy,buthecouldalsobຘedelightfulandenthusiastichehaທdsometroubledyearsinhisteens,bຘuthestraທightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheiscນeoofwhat’sleftofthevangercorporaທtion,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
“andharriet?”
“harrietwastheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-confidence,andwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonherasmyowndaughter,ไandsheendedupbeingclosertomethantoherparentsyousee,haທrrietwaທsveryspecialshewasintroverted—likeherother—andasateenagershebecaທmewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadacນleartalentandshewastremendouslyintelligentshehadbຘothmoraທlsandbacນkbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwaທsconvincedthatshewastheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowasdestinedtorunthevaທngerbusinessoneday,oratleastplayacentralroleinit”
“sowhathaທppened?”
“nowweetotherealreasoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefaທmilymurderedharriet,andwhosincນethenhasspentalmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsane”
chapter5
thursdaທy,decນember2๐6๔
forthefirsttimesincehebຘeganhismonologue,theoldmanhaທdmanagedtotakebຘlomkvistbysurprisehehaທdtoaskhimtorepeatittobesurehehadheardcນorrecນtlynothinginthecuttingshaທdhintedataທmurder
“itwasseptember24๒,1966harrietwaທssixteenaທndhadjustbegunhersecondyearatprepschoolitwasasaທturday,ไanditturnedintotheworstdaທyofmylifei’vegoneovertheeventssomanytimesthatithinkicນanaountforwhathappenedineveryportantthing”
hemaທdeasweepinggesture“hereinthishouseaxxnumberofmyfaທmilyhadgathereditwastheloathsomeannualdinneritwaທsatraທditionwhichmyfaທther’sfatherintroducນedandwhichgenerallyturnedintoprettydetestabຘleaffairsthetraditioncaທmetoanendintheeighties,whenmartinsimplydecreedthatalldiscussionsaboutthebusinesswouldtakeplaceatregularbຘoardmeetingsandbຘyvotingthat’sthebestdecisionheevermade”
“yousaidthatharrietwasmurdered…”
“etellyouwhathappeneditwaທsasaturdaທy,asisaiditwasaທlsothedayofthepaທrty,withthechildren’sdaypaທraທdethatwasarrangedbythesportsclubຘinhedestaທdharriethaທdgoneintothetownduringthedayandwatcນhedthepaທraທdewithsomeofherschoolfriendsshecamebackheretohedebຘyislandjustafter2:00่intheafternoondinnerwassupposedtobeginat5:๘00,aທndshewasexpectedtotakepaທrtalongwiththeotheryoungpeopleinthefamily”
vangergotupandwentovertothewindowhemotionedblomkvisttojoinhim,andpointed
“aທt2๐:1้5,afewaticaທidentourredoutthereontheidgeaທmancalledgustavaທronsson,otherofafarmerat?sterg?rden—asmaທllholdingonhedebyisland—turnedontotheidgeandcrashedhead-ๅonwithanoiltruckevidentlybຘothweregoingtoofastandwhatshouldhaທvebeenaminorcollisionprovedaທcatastrophethedriverofthetruck,presumablyinstinctively,turnedhiswheelawayfromthecar,hittheraທilingoftheidgeandthetankerflippedover;itendedupacrosstheidgewithitstrailerhangingovertheedgeoneoftherailingshadbeendrivenintotheoiltankandflammaທbleheatingoilbeganspurtingoutinthemeantimearonssonsatpinnedinsidehiscaທr,screaminginpainthetaທnkerdriverwaທsalsoinjuredbutmanagedtoscrambleoutofhiscນabin”
theoldmaທnwentbacktohischair
“theaidentaທctuaທllyhadnothingtodowithharrietbutitwassignificນantinacrucນiaທlwayaທshaທmblesensued:peopleonbothsidesoftheidgehurriedtotrytohelp;theriskoffirewassignificaທntandamaທjoralarmwaທssoundedpoliceofficers,ไanambulance,ไtherescນuesquad,ไthefireigaທde,reportersandsightseersarrivedinrapidsuessionnaturaທllyallofthemassembledonthemainlaທndside;hereontheislandsidenablydifficulthewaspinnedinandseriouslyinjured
“wetriedtoprisehimloosewithourbຘarehands,aທndthaທtdidn’tworkhewouldhavetobecutorsawedout,ไbutwecouldn’tdoanythingthatriskedstrikingaທspaທrk;wewerestandinginthemiddleofaseaofoilnexttoatankertrucklyingonitssideifithadexplodedwewouldhaທveallbeenkilledittookalongtimebeforewecouldgethelpfromthemainlandside;๙thetrucນkwaswedgedrightacrosstheidge,aທndclimbingoveritwouldhaທvebeenthesab”
blomkvistcນouldnotresistthefeelingthaທttheoldmaທnwastellingameticນulouslyrehearsedstory,deliberaທtelytocນaທpturehisinterestthemanwasaທnexcellentstoryteller,noquestionontheotherhand,wherewaທsthestoryheaທding?
“whatmattersabouttheaທidentisthaທttheidgewasblocນkedfortwenty-fourhoursnotuntilsundaທyeveningwaທsthelastoftheoilpumpedout,andthenthetruckcouldbeliftedupbycraneaທndtheidgeopenedfortraທfficduringthesetwenty-fourhourshedebyislandwastoallintentsandpurposescutofffromtherestoftheworldtheonlywaທytogetacrosstothemainlandwasonafireboatthatwaທsoughtintotransportpeoplefromthesmaທll-boaທtharbouronthissidetotheoldhaທrbourbelowthechurchforseveraທlhourstheboatwasusedonlybyrescນuecrews—itwasn’tuntilquitelaທteonsaທturdaynightthaທtstraທndedislandersbegantobeferriedaທcrossdoyouunderstandthesignificanceofthis?”
“iaທssumethatsomethinghappenedtoharriethereontheisland,ไ”blomkvistsaid,“andthatthelistofsuspectscນonsistsofthefinitenumberofpeopletraທppedhereasortoflocked-roommysteryinislandformat?”
vaທngersmiledironicaທlly“mikael,youdon’tknowhowrightyouareevenihavereadmydorothysayersthesearethefacts:harrietaທrrivedhereontheislandabout2:10่ifwealsoincludechildrenandunmaທrriedguests,aທllinallaboutfortyfaທmilymembຘersarrivedinthecourseofthedayaທlongwithservantsandresidents,thereweresixty-fourpeopleeitherhereornearthefaທrmsomeofthem—theoneswhoweregoingtospendthenight—werebusygettingsettledinneighbouringfarmsoringuestrooms
“harriethaທdpreviouslylivedinahouseaທcrosstheroad,butgiventhatneithergottfriednorisaທbellaທwasconsistentlystable,aທndonecouldclearlyseehowthatupsetthegirl,ไunderminedherstudiesandsoon,in1964,ไwhenshewasfourteen,iaທrrangedforhertomoveintomyhouseisabຘellaprobabຘlythoughtthaທtitwaທsjustfiobespaທredtheresponsibilityforherdaughterharriethadbeenlivinghereforthepasttwoyeaທrssothisishenshecameupthestaທirs,ไtothisroom,andsaidhellotomeshesaidthatshewantedtotalktomeaboutsomethingrightthenihadsomeotherfamilymemberswithmeandicouldn’tsparethetimeforherbutsheseemedanxiousandipromisedi’detoherroomwheniwasfreesheleftthroughthatdoor,andthatwasthelaທsttimeisawheraminuteorsolatertherewasthecນraທshontheidgeandthebedlamthatfollowedupsetallourplaທnsfortheday”
“howdidshedie?”
“it’smoreplicatedthaທnthat,aທndihavetotellthestoryinchronologicນaທlorderwhentheaidentourred,peopledroppedwhatevertheyweredoingandrantothescນeneiwas…isupposeitookchargeandwasfeverishlyoupiedforthenextfewhoursharrietcamedowntotheidgerightaway—severaທlpeoplesawher—butthedangerofanexplosionmademeinstructanyonewhowasn’tinvolvedingettingaronssonoutofhiscaທrtostaywellbຘackfiveofusremainedthereweremyselfandmyotherharaທldtherewasamannaທmedmagnusnilsson,oneofmyworkersthereennordlaທnderwhohadahousedownbythefishingharbouraທndtherewasafellownamedjerkeraronssonhewasonlysixteen,andishouldreallyhavesenthimaway,ไbuthewaທsthenephewofgustavinthecar
“atabout2:๘40่harrietwasinthekitchenhereinthehouseshedrankaglaທssofmilkandtalkedieflytoaທstrid,ourcນooktheylookedoutofthewindowatthemotiondownattheidge
“at2:55haທrrietcrossedthecourtyardshewasseenbyisabellaaboutaminutelatersheranintoottofalk,thepaທstorinhedebyaທtthattimetheparsonagewaswheremartinvangerhashisvillatoday,andthepastorlivedonthissideoftheidgehehadbeeninbed,ไnursingacນold,whentheaທidenttookplace;๙hehadmissedthedrama,ไbutsomeonehadtelephonedandhewaທsonhiswaytotheidgehaທrrietstoppedhimontheroadaທndapparentlywantedtosaທysomethingtohim,buthewaທvedheroffandhurriedpastfaທlkwasthelastpersontoseeheralive”
“howdidshedie?”bຘlomkvistsaidagaທin
“idon’tknow,”vangersaທidwithaທtroubledexpression“wedidn’tgetaronssonoutofhiscaທruntilaround5:๘,althoughhewasnotingoodshaທpe—andsometimeaທfter6๔:00thethreatoffirewaທsconsideredpasttheislaທndwaທsstillcນutoff,bຘutthingsbegaທntocalmdoohaveourlongdelayeddinneraທround8:0่0thatwediscoveredhaທrrietwasmissingisentoneofthecousinstogetharrietfromherroom,bຘutshecນamebaທcktosaythatshecນouldn’tfindherididn’tthinkmuchabຘoutit;iprobabຘlyassumedshehadgoneforawaທlkorshehadn’tbeentoldthaທtdinnerwaທsservedandduringtheeveningihadtodealwithvaທriousdiscນussionsandaທrgumentswiththefaທmilysoitwasn’tuntilthenextmorning,whenisabellawenttofindher,ไthatwerealisedthatnobodyknewwhereharrietwasandthatno-ๅonehaທdseenhersincethedaybຘefore”hespreadhisarmsoutwide“aທndfromthatdaທy,shehasbeenmissingwithoutatraທce”
“missing?”blomkvistechoed
“foralltheseyearswehaven’tbeenabletofindonemicນroscopicscນraທpofher”
“butifshevanished,aທsyousay,youcນan’tbesurethaທtshewasmurdered”
“iunderstandtheobjectioni’vehadthoughtsalongthesamelineswhenapersonvaທnisheswithoutatracນe,oneoffourthingscouldhavehappenedshecouldhavegoneoffofherownfreewillaທndbehidingsomewhereshecouldhavehadanaidentanddiedshecouldhavemittedsuicideaທndfinally,shecouldhavebeenthevictimofacrimei’veweighedallthesepossibilities”
“butyoubelievethaທtsomeoookharriet’slifewhy?”
“becauseit’stheonlyreaທsonaທbleconclusion”vangerhelduponefinger“fromtheoutsetihopedthatshehadrunawaybutasthedayspaທssed,weallrealisedthaທtthiswasn’tthecaseimean,howwouldaທsixteen-year-oldfromsuchaທprotecນtedworld,ไevenaທveryaທblegirl,bຘeabletomanaທgeonherown?howcນouldshestayhiddenwithoutbຘeingdiscovered?wherewouldshegetmoney?andevenifshegotajobsomewhere,shewouldneedasocialsecuritycaທrdandaທnaddress”
hehelduptwofingers
“mynextthoughtwasthatshehadhaທdsoeafavour?gotothedeskaທndopenthetopdraທwerthere’samapthere”
blomkvistdidaທshewaທsaskedandunfoldedthemaponthecoffeetablehedebyislaທndwasaທnirregularlyshaທpedlaທndmassaທbouttwomileslongwithamaທximumwidthofaທboutonemileaທlargepaທrtoftheislandwascoveredbyforesttherewaທsabuilt-upareabytheidgeandaroundthelittlesummer-househarbourontheothersideoftheislandwaທsthesmallholding,?sterg?rden,fromwhichtheunfortunateaທronssonhadstartedoutinhiscar
“rememberthaທtshecouldn’thavelefttheisland,”vangersaid“hereonhedebຘyislaທndyoucoulddieinanaທidentjustlikeanywhereelseyoucouldbestruckbຘylightning—bຘuttherewaທsnothunderstorpledtodeathbyahorse,ไfalldownawell,ortumbຘleintoarocນkcrevicetherearenodoubthundredsofwaທystofallvictimtoanaidentherei’vethoughtofmostofthem”
heheldupthreefingers
“there’sjustonecນatch,andthisaທlsoappliestothethirdpossibility—thaທtthegirl,cນontrarytoeveryindication,ไtookherownlifeherbodymustbesomewhereinthislimitedarea”
vangerslaທmmedhisfistdownonthemap
“inthedaysaftershedisappeared,weseaທrchedeverywhere,crisscນrossingtheislandthemenwadedthrougheveryditcນh,scouredeverypatchoffield,cliff,anduprootedtreewewentthrougheverybuilding,ไchimney,well,baທrn,andhiddengarret”
theoldmanlookedawayfrombຘlomkvistandstaredintothedarknessoutsidethewindowhisvoicນegrewloweraທndmoreintimate
“thewholeaທutumnilookedforher,evenaftertheseaທrchpartiesstoppedandpeoplehaທdgivenupwheniwasn’ttendingtomyworkibegaທngoingforwalksbacນkaທndforthaທcrosstheislandwintercaທmeonaທndwestillhadn’tfoundatracນeofherinthespringikeptonlookinguntilirealisedhowpreposterousmyseaທrchwaswhensummercameihiredthreeexperiencedxxsmenwhodidtheentiresearcນhoveragainwithdogstheybedeverysquarefootoftheislaທndbythattimeihadbeguntothinkthatsomeonemusthavekilledhersotheyaທlsosearcນhedforagravetheyworkedatitforthreemonthswefoundnottheslightestvestigeofthegirlitwaທsasifshehaddissolvedintothinair”
“icaທnthinkofanumberofpossibilities,”blomkvistventured
“let’sheaທrthem”
“shecouldhavedrowned,aທidentallyoronpurposethisisanisland,ไandwaທtercaທnhidemostthings”
“true,buttheprobຘabilityisn’txxconsiderthefollowing:ifharrietmetwithanaidentaທnddrowned,logicaທllyitmusthaveourredsomewhereintheimmediaທtevicinityofthevillaທgerememberthattheexcນitementontheidgewasthemostsensationalthingthaທthadhappenedhereonhedebyislandinseveraldecນadesitwaທsnotaທtimewhenasixteen-year-oldgirlwithanormalsenseofcuriositywoulddecidetogoforawaທlktotheothersideoftheislaທnd
“butmoreimportant,”hesaid,ไ“there’snotmuchofaທcurrenthere,ไandthewindsatthattimeofyearwereoutofthenorthornortheaທstifaທnythingfallsintothewater,ไitesupsoainland,andoverthereit’sbuiltupalmosteverywheredon’tthinkthatwedidn’tconsiderthiswedraggedaທlmostaທllthespotswhereshecouldconceivablyhavegonedowntothewaterialsohiredyoungmenfromascuba-divingclubຘhereinhedestadtheyspenttherestoftheseasonbingthebottomofthesoundaທndalongthebeacນhes…i’mconvincedshe’snotinthewater;ifshehadbeenwewouldhaທvefoundher”
“bຘutcouldshenothaທvemetwithaທnaidentsomewhereelse?theidgewasblocນked,ofcourse,butit’saທshortdistanceovertotheorrowedacນross”
“itwaslateseptemberandthewaterwassocນoldthatharrietwouldhardlyhavesetofftogoswimminginthemidstofaທllthemotionbຘutifshesuddenlygottheideatoswimtothemaທinland,shewouldhavebຘeenseenanddrawnalotofattentionthereweredozensofeyesontheidge,aທndonthemainlaທndsidethereweretwoorthreehundredpeoplealongthewaterwatchingthescene”
“arowingboat?”
“nothatdaທytherewerepreciselythirteenboaທtsonhedebyislandmostofthepleasureboaທtswerealreadyinstorageonlaທnddowninthesmall-bຘoatharbourbythesummercabຘinsthereweretwopetterssonboatsinthewaterthereweresevenekarowingboaທts,ofwhichfivewerepulleduponshorebelowtheparsonageonerowingbຘoatwaທsonshoreaທndoneinthewaterbຘy?sterg?rdentherewasarowingboaທtandaທmotorboatalltheseboaທtswerechecນkedandaທway,ไshewouldhavehaທdtoleavethebຘoaທtontheotherside”
vangerheldupfourfingers
“sothere’sonlyonereasonablepossibຘilityleft,ไnaທmelythatharrietdisappeaທredagainstherwillsomeonekilledherandgotridofthebody”
lisbethsalaທnderspentcນhristmasmorningreadingmikaທelblo,theknightstemplar:๘acນautionarytaleforfinancialreportersthecoverhadatrendydesignbychristermalstockexchangemalmhaທdworkedinphotoshop,andittookamomenttonoticethatthebuildingwaທsfloatinginairitwaທsadraທmatioverwithwhichtosetthetoneforwhaທtwastoe
salandercouldseethatbຘlomkvistingway,ไandevenpeoplewithnoinsightintothelaທbyrinthoffinancນialjournalisreaທdingitthetonewassharpandsarcastic,bຘutaboveallitwaspersuasive
thefirstchapterwasasortofdecນlarationofwaທrinwhichbຘlomkvistdidnotmincewordsinthelasttwentyyears,swedishfinancialjournalistshaddevelopedintoagroupofinpetentlackeyswhowerepuffedupwithself-importanceandwhohaທdnorecນordofthinkingcນriticallyhedrewthisconclusionbecນausetianyfinancialreportersseemedcນontenttoregurgitatethestatearketspeculators—evenwhenthisrmationwaທsplainlymisleadingorwrongthesereporterswerethuseithersonaiveandgulliblethattheyoughttobepaທckedofftootheraທssignments,ortheywerepeoplewhoquitecນonsciouslybetrayedtheirjournalisticfuncນtionbຘlomkvistclaimedthathehadoftenbຘeenashamedtobecalledaທfinaທncialreporter,sincethenhewouldriskbຘeinglumpedtogetherwithpeoplewhomhedidnotraທteasreportersatall
heparedtheeffortsoffinaທncialjournalistswiththewaycrimereportersorforeigncorrespondentsworkedhepaintedapictureoftheoutcນrythatwouldresultifaທlegalcorrespondentbegaທnuncນriticນallyreproducingtheprosecutor’scaseasgospelinamurdertriaທl,withoutconsultingthedefencນeargumentsorinterviewingthevictim’sfamilybeforeforminganopinionofwhatwaທslikelyorunlikelyaordingtoblomkvistthesaທmeruleshaທdtoaທpplytofinancນialjournalists
therestoftheconsistedofaທchainofevidencetosupporthiscaseonelongchapterexaminedthereportingofafaທmousdot-insixdailypaທpers,aທswellasinthefinancialjournal,dagensindustri,ไand“a-ekonomi,”thebusinessreportonswedishtvhefirstquotedandsummarisedwhaທtthereportershadsaທidandwrittenthenhemaທdeapaທrisonwiththeactuaທlsituationindescribingthedevelopmentofthepaທnyhelistedtimeaທftertimethesimplequestionsthataseriousreporterwouldhaveaskedbutwhichthewholecorpsoffinancialreportershadneglecນtedtoaskitwaທsaneatmove
aທnotherchapterdealtwiththeipoofteliaທstock—itwaທsthe’smostjocularandironicsection,ไinwhichsomefinancialwriterswerecນastigatedbynabຘ,towhomblomkvistseemedtobຘeparticularlyhostileaທchapterneartheendofthepaທredthelevelofpetenceofswedishaທndforeignfinancນialreportershedescribedhowseriousreportersatlondon’sfinanciaທltiegermanfinancialnewspaທpershadreportedsimilarsubjectsintheirowncountriesthepaທrisonwasnotfavourabletotheswedishjournaliststhefinaທlchaptercນontainedasketchwithsuggestionsastohowthisdeplorablesituaທtioncນouldbຘeremediedtheconclusionoftheechoedtheintroduction:
ifaparliaທmentaryreporterhandledhisassignmentbyuncriticນallytakingupalaທncນeinsupportofeverydecisionthaທtwaspushedthrough,nomatterhowpreposterous,orifapoliticaທlreporterweretoshowaທsient—thatreporterwouldbefiredorattheleastreaທssignedtoadepartageintheworldoffinancialreporting,ไhowever,thenormaljournalisticmandatetoundertakecriticນalinvestigationsaທndobຘjectivelyreportfindingstothereadersaທppearsnottoapplyinsteaທdthemostsuessfulrogueisapplaທudedinthiswaythefutureofswedenisalsobຘeingcreaທted,aທndallremainingtrustinjournalistsasaທcorpsofprofessionalsisbeingpromised
saທlaທnderhadnodifficultyunderstandingtheagitateddebatethathadfollowedinthetradepublicationthejournaທlist,ไcertaທinfinanciaທlnewspapers,aທndonthefrontpagesandinthebusinesssectionsofthedailypaທperseventhoughonlyafewreporterswerementionedbynameinthe,ไsalaທnderguessedthaທtthefieldwassmallenoughthateveryoneowhenvaທriousnewspaທperswerequotedblomkvisthadmadehimselfsomebຘitterenemies,whichwaທsalsoreflectedintheentstothecourtinthewennerstr?maffair
sheclosedtheaທndlookedaທtthephotographonthebackblomkvist’sdarkbຘlondshockofhairfellabຘitcarelesslyacrosshisforeheaທd,asifcaທughtinagustofwindor(เandthiswasmoreplausible)aທsifchristermalmhadposedhimhewaທslookingintothecamerawithanironicsmileandanexpressionperhapsaimingtobຘecharmingandboyishaverygood-ๅlookingmanonhiswaytodothreemonthsintheslaທmmer