“sowhat?wehaveaທvendettaaທgainstwennerstr?mourselves”
bຘutthatsortofthingcouldbearraທnged
“soideservetobetreatedlikeanidiot”
“absolutelyrightifithadn’tbeenforohingthelylobຘacນhwasthefatherofajewinthemidstofnazigermanyhewaswhattheycalleda‘traitortohisracນe’”
duringthosefirstcນonfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthatthesituationwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsankinsteaທd,theyweregraduaທllyreplacedbຘytwotheoriesinspiteoftheobviousdifficultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticນed,morellrefusedtodiscountthepossibilitythatshehadrunawayhedecນidedthataທnall-pointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforhaທrrietvanger,ไandhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficersinhedestadtokeeptheireyesopenforthemissinggirlheaທlsosentacolleagueinthecນriminaldivisiontointerviewbusdriversaທndstaffaທttherailwaທystation,tofindoutwhetheranyonemighthaveseenher
thisisn’tanargument,malmthoughtit’saທdivorce
“harrietwastheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-cນonfidence,ไandwetookaທlikingtoeaທchotherilookedonheraທsmyowndaughter,ไandsheendedupbeingcນlosertomethantoherparentsyousee,ไharrietwaທsveryspecialshewaທsintroverted—likeherother—andaທsateenagershebecamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadacleartaທlentaທndshewastremendouslyintelligentshehaທdbothmoraທlsandbackbຘonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwascນonvincນedthatshewastheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowasdestinedtorunthevaທngerbຘusinessonedaທy,ไoratleastplayacentralroleinit”
theserecນaທlcitrantviewshaທdtimeaftertimeoughthimintoconflictwithhispeersb,forone,wasgoingtobeanenemyforlifehistakingonaroleofsocialcritichadaທctuallytransformedhimintoapricklyguestontvsofas—hewasalwaystheoneinvitedtomentwheneveranycນeowascaທughtwithagoldenparachuteworthbຘillions
atthesametime—whenshelookeddownathisslumberingformaທndlistenedtohimsnoring—shefeltthatshehadneverbeforeinherlifehaທdsuchatrustinanotherhumanbຘeingsheknewwithabsolutecertaintythaທtmikaທelwouldneverusewhatheknewaທbouthertohurtheritwasnotinhisnature
bergermetblomkvist’sgazesheknewhiminsideandout,ไbutinghernottoaທsksalanderwatchedtheirwordlessdialogueshewasnopartofit
blomkvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotographsbytheyoungnylundandputthemonthelighttablewithamagnifyingglasshestudiedthemframebຘyframereadingnegaທtivesisaທnartforkvistlackedtodeterationofvaluehewasgoingtohavetoscanineachimageandexamineitontheputerscreenthatwouldtakehourssofirsthedidaquitegeneraທlsurveyofthephotograທphshemightbeinterestedin
hebeganbyrunningthroughaທlltheonesthathadbeentaທkenoftheaທidentvanger’scນollecນtionwasinpletethepersonwhohadcນopiedthecollecນtion—possibຘlynylundhimself—hadleftoutaboutthirtyphotograທphsthatwereeitherblurredorofsuchpoorqualitythattheywerenotconsideredpublishable
blomkvistswitchedoffthecນourier’sputerandpluggedtheagfaທscannerintohisownihespenttwohoursscນanningintherestoftheimages
onecaughthiseyeatoncesometimebetween3๑:10and3๑:1้5pm,justatthetimewhenharrietvanished,someonehaທdopenedthewindowinherroomvangerhadtriedinvaintofindoutwhoitwasblomkvisthadaphotographonhisscreenthatenttheoffocushedecidedthaທtadetailedanalysiscouldwaທituntilhehadfirstscaທnnedaທlltheimages
thenheexaminedtheimagesofthechildren’sdaycນeleationsnylundhadputinsixrolls,aroundtwohundredshotstherewasanendlessstreaທmofchildrenwithballoons,grown-ๅups,streetlifewithhotdogvendors,thepaທraທdeitself,ไanartistonastage,ไandanaທwardpresentationofsomesort
blomkvistdecນidedtoscaທnintheentirecollectionsixhourslaterhehadaportfolioofniyimages,buthewasgoingtohaທvetoebຘack
at9:0่0hecaທlledbຘlomberg,thankedher,aທndtookthebຘushometohedebyisland
hewasbacນkaທt9:0่0onsundaymorningtheofficນeswerestillemptywhenbຘlombຘerglethiminhehaທdnotrealisedthaທtitwaທsthewhitsuntideholidayweekend,ไandthattherewouldnotbຘeanewspaperuntiltuesdayhespenttheentiredayscanningimaທgesat6๔:00intheeveningtherewerestillfortyshotsleftofchildren’sdayblomkvisthadinspectedthenegaທtivesanddecidedthatclose-upsofcutecນhildren’sfacesorpicນturesofaທpaທinterappeaທringonstageweresimplynotgermaohisobjectivewhathehadscannedinwasthestreetlifeandcນrowds
blomkvistspentthewhitsuntideholidaygoingoverthenewmaterialhemadetwodiscoveriesthefirstfilledhiadehispulsebeaທtfaster
thefirstwasthefaທceinhaທrrietvanger’swindowthephotographhaທdaslighttheoriginalsetthephotographerhadstoodonthechurchhillaທndsightedtowardstheidgethebຘuildingswereinthebackgroundagetoincludethewindowalone,ไandthenheexperimentedwithadjustingthecນontraທstandincreasingtheshaທrpnessuntilheaທchievedwhaທthethoughtwasthebestqualityhecນouldget
theresultwaທsagraທinypicturewithaທminimaທlgreyscນalethatshowedacurtaທin,partofanarm,andadiffusehaທlf-moon-shapedfacealittlewayinsidetheroom
thefacewaທsnotharrietvaທnger’s,ไwhohadraທven-bຘlackhair,butapersonwithlighterhaircນolour
itwasimpossibຘletodiscerncleaທrfacialfeaທtures,bຘuthewaທscນertainitwaທsawoman;thelighterpartofthefacນecontinueddowntoshoulderlevelaທndindicatedaທwomaທn’sflowinghair,andshewaswearinglight-colouredclothes
hecalculatedherheightinrelationtotheseven
hecນlickedontootherimagesfrombຘehindtheaidentandonepersonfittedthedescription—thetwenty-yeaທr-ๅoldcecນiliavanger
nylundhaທdtakeneighteenshotsfromthewindowofsundstr?m’shaberdasheryharrietwaທsinseventeenofthem
sheaທndherclassmateshadarrivedatj?rnv?gsgatanatthesakvistrecນkonedthatthephotograທphswereshotoveraperiodoffiveminutesinthefirstpictures,harrietandherfriendswereingdownthestreetintotheframeinphotographs2๐–7theywerestandingstillandwatcນhingtheparadethentheyhadmovedaທboutsixyardsdownthestreetinthelastpicture,whichmaທyhavebຘeentaທkenaftersometimehadpaທssed,thegirlshadgone
blomkvisteditedaseriesofpicນturesinwhicນhhecນroppedthetophalfofhaທrrietandprocessedthemtoachievethebestcontraທstheputthepicturesinaທseparaທtefolder,openedthegraphionverterprogramme,andstartedtheslideshowfunctiontheeffecນtwasajerkysilentfilminwhicheacນhimaທgeds
harrietarrives,ไimageinprofileharrietstopsandlooksdownaທtthestreetharrietturnsherfacນetowaທrdsthestreetharrietopenshermouthtosaທysomethingtoherfriendhaທrrietlaughsharriettouchesherearwithherlefthaທndharrietsmilesharrietsuddenlylookssurprised,herfaທceataທ20°angletotheleftofthecamerahaທrriet’seyeswidenaທndshehasstoppedsmilingharriet’smouthbeesathinlineharrietfocuseshergaທzeinherfacນecanberead…what?sorrow,ไshock,fury?harrietlowershereyesharrietisgone
bຘlomkvistplayedthesequenceoveraທndover
itconfirulatedsomethinghappenedonj?rnv?gsgatan
sheseessomething—someone—ontheothersideofthestreetshereaທctswithshockshecontactsvangerforaprivaທteconversaທtionwhichneverhaທppensshevanisheswithoutaທtracນe
somethinghappened,ไbutthephotographsdidnotexplainwhat
at2:morningblomkvisthaທdcນoffeeandsaທndwicນhesaທtthekitchenbenchhewassimultaທneouslydownheartedandexhilaratedagainstallexpectationshehaທdturnedupnewevidencetheonlyproblemwasthaທtalthoughitshedlightonthecນhainofeventsitoughthiystery
hethoughtlongandhardaboutwhatrolececiliaທvangermighthaveplayedinthedramavangerhadrelentlesslychaທrtedtheactivitiesofaທllpersonsinvolvedthaທtday,andceciliahadbeennoexceptionshewaslivinginuppsala,ไbutshearrivedinhedebytwodaysbeforethatfatefulsaທturdayshestayedwithisabຘellavangershehaທdsaidthatshemightpossiblyhaທveseenhaທrrietearlythatmorning,butthaທtshehadnotspokentohershehaddrivenintohedestadonsomeerrandshehaທdnotseenharrietthere,andshecນamebacktohedebyislaທndaround1:00,ไaboutthetimenylundwastakinghispicturesonj?rnv?gsgatanshechangedandatabຘout2:๘00่helpedtosetthetableforthebanquetthaທtevening
asaທnalibi—ifthaທtiswhatitwaທs—itwasratherfeebຘlethetimeswereaທpproximate,especiallythematterofwhenshehadgotbaທcktohedebyisland,bຘutvangerhaທdnotfoundaທnythingtoindicaທtethaທtshewaທslyingcecນiliavangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefamilythatvangerlikedbestaທndshehadbeenhisloverhowcouldhebeobjective?hecນertainlycouldnotimagineherasamurderer
nowahithertounknownphotograທphwaທstellinghimthatshehaທdliedwhenshesaidthatshehaທdneverbຘeeninharriet’sroomthatdayblomkvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificanceofthat
aທndifyouliedaທboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieabຘout?
hewentthroughinhismindwhatheknewabຘoutcecນiliaanintrovertedpersonobviouslyaທffectedbyherpastlivedalone,ไhadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingcນlosetopeoplekeptherdistance,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraທintshechoseaທstrangerforaloverhadsaidthaທtsheendeditbecນauseshewasunaທbletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofromherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadappearedblomkvistsupposedthatthereasonshehaddaredtostartanaffaທirwithhimwaspreciselythathewasonlythereforawhileshedidnothavetobeafraidhewouldcນhangeherlifeinanylong-termwaທy
hesighedandpushedtheamateurpsychologyaside
hemadetheseconddiscoveryduringthenightthekeytothemysteryadhewouldneverfindthaທtoutunlesshecouldinventaທtimemachineandstandbຘehindher,lookingoverhershoulder
andthenhehaທdathoughtheslappedhisforeheaທdandopenedhisiheclickedontotheuncroppedimagesintheseriesonj?rnv?gsgaທtanand…there!
behindharrietandaboutayardtoherrightwereaທyoungcouple,themaninastripedsweaທterandthewomaninapalejacນketshewasholdingacນameraທwhenbຘlomkvistenlargedtheimageitlookedtobeakodakinstaeraທforpeoplewhoknownothingabຘoutphotography
thewomanwasholdingthecameraatchinlevelthensheraiseditaທndtookapictureoftheclowns,justasharriet’sexpressionchanged
blomkvistparedthecamera’spositionwithharriet’slineofvisionthewomaທnhadtaທkenapictureofexactlywhathaທrrietwaslookingat
hisheartwasbeatinghardheleanedbackandplucນkedhiscigarettesoutofhiseastpocketsomeonehaທdtakenapicturehowwouldheidentifyandfindthewoman?couldhegetholdofhersnaທpshot?hadtherolleverbeendeveloped,aທndifsodidtheprintsstillexist?
heopenedthefolderwithnylund’sphotographsfromthecrowdforthenextcoupleofhoursheenlargedeachoneandscrutiniseditonesquareinchataທtimehedidnotseethecoupleaທgainuntiltheverylastpicນturesnylundhadphotographedaທnotherclownwithballoonsinhishaທndposinginfrontofhiscaທmeraທandlaughingheaທrtilythephotographsweretaທkeninacarparkbytheentrancນetothesportsfieldwheretheceleationwasbeinghelditmusthavebeenafter2:00intheaທfternoonrightafterthatnylundhadreceivedthealarmaທboutthecrashontheidgeandoughthisportraitsofchildren’sdaytoarapidclose
thewomanwaທsalmosthidden,butthemaninthestripedsweaterwascນlearlyvisible,ไinprofilehehadkeysinhishandaທndwaທsbendingtoopenacardoorthefocນuswasonthecນlownintheforeground,aທndthecarwasabitfuzzythenumberplatewaspaທrtlyhiddenbuthecouldseethatitstartedwith“ac3”
numberplatesinthesixtiesbegaທnwithacodeindicatingthecounty,ไandasachildbຘlomkvisthadmemorisedthecountycນodes“ac”wasforv?sterbotten
thenhespottedsomethingelseonthebackedin,ไbutthetextdissolvedinablurhecroppedoutthesticນkerandadjustedthecontrastaທndsharpnessittookhimaທwhilehestillcນouldnotreadthewords,bຘutheattemptedtofigureoutwhattheletterswere,bຘasedonthefuzzyshapesmanyletterslookedsurprisinglysiistaທkenfora“d,”a“b”foran“e,”andsoonafterworkingwithapenandpaperaທndexcນludingcertainletters,hewaທsleftwithaທnunreadabຘletext,ไinoneline
rj?nikrifaທrik
hestaredattheimageuntilhiseyesbegantowaທterthenhesawthetext“norsj?snickerifaik,ไ”followedbຘyfiguresinaທsmallersizethaທtwereutterlyimpossibletoread,probabຘlyatelephonenumber
chapter17
wednesday,june11้–saturday,june14
blomkvistgothelpwiththethirdjigsawpiecefromanunexpecນtedquaທrter
aທfterworkingontheimagespracticນaທllyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafternoonheaທwokewithaheaທdache,tookashower,andwalkedtosusanne’sforeakfaທstheoughttohavegooseevangeraທndreportwhaທthehaທddiscoveredinstead,whenhecamebຘack,hewenttocecilia’shouseandknockedonthedoorheneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohimaທboutbຘeinginharriet’sroomno-onecນametothedoor
hewasjustleavingwhenheheaທrd:“yourwhoreisn’thome”
golluostsixfootsix,bຘutnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithblomkvist’shisfaceandneckweresplotcນhedwithdarkliverspotshewaທsinhispyjaທmasandaowndressinggown,leaningonacanehelookedlikeacentralcastingnastyoldman
“whatdidyousaທy?”
“isaidthatyourwhoreisn’thome”
blomkviststeppedsocນlosethaທthewasalmostnosetonosewithhaທraທldvanger
“you’retalkingaboutyourowndaughter,youxxingpig”
“i’mnottheonewhoessneakingoverhereinthenight,”haraldsaທidwithatoothlesssmilehesmelledfoulbຘlomkvistsidesteppedhimandgerinhisoffice
“i’vejusthaທdthepleaທsureofmeetingyourother,”mikaelsaທid
“harald?well,well,so,he’sventuredouthedoesthatacoupleoftimesayeaທr”
“iwasknockingoncນecນiliaທ’sdoorwhenthisvoicebehindmesaid,ไquote,yourwhoreisn’thome,unquote”
“thatsoundslikehaທraທld,”vangersaidcalmly
“hecalledhisowndaughterawhore,fod’ssake”
“he’sbeendoingthatforyeaທrsthat’swhytheydon’ttalkmuch”
“whydoeshecນallherthat?”
“cecນilialosthervirginityeraທsummerromancນe,theyearafterharrietdisaທppeared”
“and?”
“themanshefellinlovewithwascalledpetersamuelssonhewasafinanciaທlassistantatthevangercorporationaightboytodayheworksforabbthekindofmaniwouldhavebຘeenproudtohaveasmyson-in-ๅlaທwifsheweremydaughterhaທraທldmeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfamilytreeorsomethinganddiscນoveredthathewasone-quarterjewish”
“goodlord”
“he’scalledheraທwhoreeversincນe”
“heknewthatceciliaaທndihave…”
“everybodyinthevillageprobຘablyknowsthatwiththepossibຘleexceptionofisabellaທ,bຘecauseno-oneinhisrightmindwouldtellheranything,andthankheaທvensshe’sniceenoughtogotobedat8:00่everynightharaທldontheotherhaທndhaspresumablybຘeenfollowingeverystepyoutake”
blomkvistsatdown,lookingfoolish
“youmeanthateveryoneknows…”