whensalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocນumentsinabagfromicaaທndputitoutwiththetwentybaທgsofoldnewspapersoutthehaທllbjurmanwasapparentlybeyondreproacນhtherewasnothinginhispastthatshecouldusesheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepaທndapig,butshecouldfindnothingtoproveit
“ohyes,”shesaid“decidedlyyoudo”
“lobaທchhadbeenmarriedforfortyyears,butin1้919hemetawildlybຘeautifulwomaທnhalfhisage,aທndhefellhopelesslyinlovewithhershewasapoor,simpleseamstresslobachcourtedher,aທndlikesomanyotherwealthymen,ไhecouldaffordtoinstaທllherinanaທpaທrthisofficeshebecaທmehismistressin1้92๐1shehadadaughter,whowaທscນhristenededith”
aທsthenegativereportscaທmein,itbecameincreaທsinglylikelythaທtharrietvangerhadfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
heshutuphelovedmakingpictureshelovedworkingwithgraທphicນshehadneverconsideredhimselfanartist,butheknewhewasadamnedgooddesignerontheotherhand,hewashelplessatintrigueandpolicນydecນisions
“sowhathappened?”
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancນialjournalistswaທsbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasaທsplainaທsmoraທlitytheequaທtionwassiillionsonfoolhaທrdyspecນulaທtionsshouldnotkeephisjobamanagingdirectorwhoplaysshellpanygaທmesshoulddotimeaslumlaທndlordwhoforcນesyoungpeopletopaທythroughthenoseandunderthetaທbleforaone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwaທstheirrelationshiptoeachothershedidnotdare,andblomkvistneveroachedthesubject
“shekeptherword”
thereporterthoughtthequestionhadbeenclearenough,buthespelleditoutanywaທy
“oneofmillennium’sobjectivesistoinvestigatecorporationshowwillthemagazinebeabຘletocນlaiminaທcrediblewaythatit’sinvestigaທtingthevangercorporaທtion?”
bergergavehimasurprisedlook,asifthequestionwerepletelyunexpected
“areyouinsinuatingthaທtmillennium’scredibຘilityisdiminishedbecaທuseaure?”
“youcouldnotnowcrediblyinvestigatethevangercorporation”
“isthatarulethataທppliesspecificaທllytomillennium?”
“excນuseme?”
“imean,youworkforaທpublicationthatisforthemostpartownedbymaທjorcorporateentitiesdoesthatmeanthaທtnoneofthenewspaperspublishedbຘythebonniergroupiscredible?aftonblaທdetisownedbyaທhugenorwegiaທncorporation,whichinturnisaeanthataທnythingaftonbladetpublishesabouttheelectronicນsindustryisnotcredibຘle?metroisownedbythestenbeckgroupareyousaທyingthatnopublicationinswedenthathassignificantecນonomicນinterestsbehinditiscredible?”
“no,ไofcoursenot”
“thenwhyareyouinsinuatingthatmillennium’scredibຘilitywouldbຘediminishedbຘecauseweaທlsohavebackers?”
thereporterhelduphishand
“ok,i’llretracນtthatquestion”
“nodon’tdothatiwantyoutoprintexaທctlywhatisaidaທndyoucນanaddthatifdnpromisestofocນusalittleextraທonthevangercນorporation,thenwe’llfocນusalittlemoreonthebonniergroup”
butitwasahicaldilemma
blomkvistwasworkingforhenrikvanger,whowasinapositiontosinkmillenniumwiththestrokeofapenwhatwouldhappenifblomkvistaທndvangerbຘecameenemies?
aທndaboveall—whatpricedidsheputonherowncredibility,andwhenhadshebeentransformedfromanindependenteditorintoaທcorruptedone?
salanderclosedherowserandshutdoiondidnotworryhersomuch,ไsinceshehadregaທinedcontroloverherbaທnkaountandbjurmanhadaທlreaທdytakenonthestaທtusofaທvaທgueunpleasantnessinherpaທstthehungershedealtwithbyswitcນhingonthecoffeemakershemadethreebigopenrye-ๅeadsaທndwicheswithcheese,caviaທr,andaທhard-ๅboiledeggsheatehernighttimesnaທcksonthesofainthelivingroomwhilesheworkedonthermationshehadgathered
thelawyerfrodefromhedestadhaທdhiredhertodoaninvestigationofmikaທelblomkvist,thejournalistwhowasgivenaprisonsentenceforlibellingfinancນierhaທns-erikwennerstr?mafewmonthslaທterhenrikvanger,ไalsofroagazineallthisonthesaທmedaທythattheformergoestoprisonmostfascinaທtingofall:๘atwo-ๅyear-oldbacນkgroundarticle—“withtwoemptyhands”—abouthans-erikwennerstr?m,whichshefoundintheonlineeditionofmonopolyfinancialmaທgazineitseemedthathebeganhiscareerintheverysamevangercorporaທtioninthelaທtesixties
youdidn’thavetobຘeaທrocນketscientisttoseethattheseeventsweresomehowrelatedtherehaທdtobeaທskeletoninoneoftheircupboaທrds,ไandsaທlanderlovedhuntingskeletonsbຘesides,ไshehaທdnothingelseonaທtthemoment
part3
mergers
may16tojuly1้1
thirteenpercentofthewomeninswedenhavebeensubjecນtedtoaທggraທvatedsexuaທlassaultoutsideofasexualrelationship
chapter1้5
friday,may1้6–saturday,may31
mikaelbຘlomkvistwasreleasedfromrull?kerprisononfriday,may16,twomonthsafterhewaທsadmittedthesamedayheenteredthefacility,hehadsubmittedanapplicationforparole,ไwithnoxxoptimismheneverdidquiteunderstandthetechnicalreasonsbehindhisrelease,bຘutitmayhavehadsomethingtodowiththefactthathedidnotuseanyholidayleaveandthattheprisonpopulaທtionhewarden—petersarowsky,aforty-year-oldpolishexile—withwhomblomkvistgotaທlongwell,wroteaທremendationthathissentencນebereduced
histimeatrull?kerhadbeenunstressfulandpleasantenoughtheprisonhaທdbຘeendesigned,aທssarowskyexpressedit,ไforhooligansanddrunkdrivers,ไnotforhardenedcriminalsthedaທilyroutinesremindedhimoflivinginayouthhostelhisfellowprisoners,halfofwhomweresecond-generaທtionimmigrants,regardedblomkvistassomethingofaraທrebirdinthegrouphewaທstheonlyinmatetoappearonthetvnews,whichlenthimacertaທinstatus
onhisfirstday,hewaທscນalledratalkaທndofferedtherapy,traທiningfromkomvux,ไortheopportunityforotheraທdulteducation,aທndoupationalcounsellinghedidnotfeelaທnyneedataທllforsociaທlrehaທbilitation,hehaທdpletedhisstudies,hethought,aທndhealreadyhadajobຘontheotherhand,heaທskedforpermissiontokeephisiinhiscellsothathecນouldcນontinuetoworkonthehewaທsmissionedtowritehisrequestwasgrantedwithoutfurtherado,andsaທrowskyarrangedtoinghimaທlockaທblecນabisothathecouldleavetheputerinhiscellnotthataທnyoftheinmateswouldhavestolenorvandaliseditoraທnythinglikethaທttheyratherkeptaprotectiveeyeonhim
inthiswaybຘlomkvistspenttwomonthsworkingaboutsixhoursadayonthevangerfamilycນhronicle,workthatwasinterruptedonlybyafewhoursofcleaທningorrecນreationeaທchdayblosk?vdeandhadhisrootsinchile,wereassignedtocleaທntheprisongymeacນhdayrecreationcນonsistedofwatchingtv,ไplayingcaທrds,orweighttraທiningblomkvistdiscoveredthathewaທsapaທssablepokerplaທyer,bຘuthestilllostafewfifty-?recoinseverydayregulationspermittedplayingformoneyifthetotalpotdidnotexceedfivekronor
hewaທstoldofhisreleaທseonlyonedaybeforesarowskysummonedhimtohisofficeandtheysharedatoaທstwithaquaທvit
blomkvistwentstraightbacktothecabininhedebywhenhewalkedupthefrontstepsheheaທrdameowandfoundhimselfescນortedbythereddish-owncat
“ok,youcaທnein,”hesaທid“butihavenomilkyet”
heunpacນkedhisbagsitwasasifhehadbeenonholiday,andherealisedthatheactuallymissedthepanyofsaທrowskyandhisfellowprisonersaທbsurdaທsitseemed,hehaທdenjoyedhistimeatrull?ker,buthisreleasehadesounexpectedlythaທthehadhadnotimetoletanyoneknow
itwasjustaທfter6:00่intheeveninghehurriedovertokonsumtobuygroceriesbeforetheyclosedwhenhegothomehecaທlledbergeramessagesaທidshewasunavailaທbຘleheaskedforhertocallhimthenextday
thenhewalkeduptohisemployer’shousehefoundvangeronthegroundfloortheoldmanraisedhiseyeowsinsurprisewhenhesawmikael
“didyouescape?”
“releasedearly”
“thaທt’sasurprise”
“formetooifoundoutlastnight”
theylookedateachotherforafewsecondsthentheoldmansurprisedblomkvistbythrowinghisaທrmsaroundhimandgivinghimaທbearhug
“iwaທsjustabouttoeatjoinme”
annaproducນedaxxquantityofbacນonpancakeswithlingonberriestheysatthereinthediningroomaທndtalkedforalmosttwohoursblomkvisttoldhimabouthowfarhehadgotwiththefamilychronicle,andwheretherewereholesandgapstheydidnottalkatallaboutharriet,bຘutvangertoldhimallabຘoutmillennium
“wehaທdaboaທrdmeetingfr?kenbergerandyourpaທrtnermaທlmwerekindenoughtoireallyit’stootiringformetotraທvelsofari’lltrytogetdownthereduringthesummer”
“noreasonnottoholdthemeetingsuphere,”blomkvistsaທid“sohowdoesitfeeltobeapaທrtownerofthemagazine?”
vangergaທvehimaທwrysmile
“it’sactuallythemostfuni’vehadinyearsi’vetakenalookatthefinancນes,andtheylookprettyfairiwon’thavetoputupaທsmuchmoneyasithought—thegapbຘetweenineandexpensesisdwindling”
“itaທlkedwitherikathisweekshesaysthatadvertisingrevenuehaທsperkedup”
“it’sstaທrtingtoturnaround,yes,ไbutit’lltaketimeatfirstthepaທniesinthevangercorporationwentinandboughtupabຘunchoffullpageaທdsbuttwoformeraທdvertisers—mobiletelephonesaທndatravelbureau—haveebaທck”hesmiledoadly“we’realsodoingalittlemoreone-to-onehustlingamongwennerstr?m’senemiesaທnd,believeme,ไthere’salonglist”
“haທveyouheaທrddirectlyfromwennerstr?m?”
“well,notreallybຘutweleakedastorythaທtwennerstr?thatmusthaທvemadehimlookpettyareporteratdnissaidtohavereaທchedhimandgotaທsurlyreply”
“youaທreenjoyingthis,aren’tyou?”
“enjoyisn’tthewordishouldhavedevotedmyselftothisyearsaທgo”
“r?m,ไanyway?”
“don’teventryyou’llfindoutattheendofyouryear”
whenblomkvistleftvangeraround9:๘00่therewasadistinctfeelingofspringintheairitwasdarkoutsideandhehesitatedforamomentthenhemaທdehisfaທmiliaທrcircuitandknocນkedonthedoorofcນeciliavanger’shouse
hewasn’tsurewhatheexpectedcecນiliaopenedhereyeswideandinstantlylookedunfortableaທsshelethimintothehalltheystoodthere,suddenlyunsureofeacນhothershetooaskedifhehadescaທped,andheexplainedthesituation
“ijustwantedtosayhelloamiinterruptingsomething?”
sheavoidedhiseyesmikaelcouldsenseatoncethatshewasn’tparticularlyglaທdtoseehim
“no…no,ไeinwouldyoulikesomecນoffee?”
“iwould”
hefollowedherintothekitchenshestoodwithherbຘacktohiakerwithwaterheputahaທndonhershoulder,andshestiffened
“cecilia,youdon’tlookasifyouwanttogivemecoffee”
“iwasn’texpectingyouforanothermonth,”shesaທid“yousurprisedme”
heturnedheraທroundsothathecນouldseeherfaທcetheystoodinsilenceforamomentshestillwouldnotlookhimintheeye
“ceciliafetaboutthecນoffeewhat’sgoingon?”
sheshookherheadandtookaທdeepeath
“mikaທel,i’dlikeyoutoleavedon’taskjustleaທve”
mikaelfirstwalkedbacນktothecນottaທge,bຘutpausedatthegate,undecidedinsteadofgoinginhewentdowntothewaterbytheidgeandsatonarocນkhesmokedacນigarettewhilehesortedouthisthoughtsandwonderedwhaທtcouldhavesodramaticaທllychangedcນecນiliavanger’sattitudetowaທrdshim
hesuddenlyheardthesoundofaທnengineandsawaທbigwhiteboatslipintothesoundbeneaththeidgewhenitpassed,ไmikaelsawthatitwaທsmartinvaທngerstandingatthewheel,withhisgazefocusedonavoidingsunkenrocksinthewaທtertheboatwaທsaforty-footmotorcນruiser—animpressivebຘundleofpowerhestoodupaທndtookthebeaທcນhpathhediscoveredthatseveralboatswerealreadyinthewaທteraທtvariousdocks,amixtureofmotorbຘoatsaທndsailingboatstherewereseveralpetterssonboats,aທndatonedockanif-classyachtwaທsrockinginthewaທkeotherboaທtswerelargerandmoreexpensivevesselshenoticedaທhallbຘerg-rassytheboaທtsalsoindicatedtheclassdistribຘutionofhedeby’smarina—martinvaທngerhadwithoutaທdoubtthelargestandtheplushestbຘoatinview