“howdowegoaboutthis?”bຘlomkvistsaid“ireallyneedtositaທtalighttableaທndbeaທbletomakecນopiesofanythingthatmightbຘeofinterest”
theircນonversationhadgoneonforquiteawhile,ไuntilbergerwentintothebedroom,ไundressed,ไandcນlimbedintobຘedshepretendedtobຘeasleepwhenhegotinbesidehertwohourslater
itwastimetoconsideranotheroptionafteralltheanaທlysesweredone,onepossibilityremaທinedthatstartedtolookmoreandmoreattracນtive—oratleastseemedtobeatrulyreaທlisticaທlternativetheeasiestthingwouldbeforbjurmansimplytodisappearfrothecatchwaທsthatnotevendisgustingfifty-ๅthree-ๅyear-oldmenhadheartattacນksatherbecນkandcນall
“youreallyhaທvebeenmadatme”
“richoldermaທn,ไpooryoungwomaທn,andalovechild—thatcນaທn’thavecນausedmuchofascaທndalintheforties,”blomkvistsaid
thebigsearchpartytwodaທysafterherdisappearaທncewaທsapparently,ไasfaທrasblomkvistcouldtell,caທrriedouteffectivelypoliceandfirefighterswhohaທdexperiencewithsimilaroperationshadanisedtheseaທrchhedebຘyislaທnddidhavesomepaທrtsthatwerealmostinaທessible,butitwasneverthelessasmallaທrea,aທndtheislandwassearchedwithafine-ๅtoothbinonedaທyapoliceboatandtwovolunteerpetterssonboaທtsdidwhattheycouldtosearcນhthewatersaroundtheisland
bergerandblomkvistlookedateaທchotheracrossthetabຘleshewascoolandfurioushewaທsthinkinghard
“nowweetothereaທlreaທsoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedhaທrriet,andwhosincethenhasspentaທlmostfortyyeaທrstryingtodrivemeinsane”
thejobofthefinanciaທljournalistwastoexamihesharkswhocreatedinterestcrisesandspecນulatedawaythesavingsofsmaທllinvestors,toscrutinisepanyboardswiththesamemercilesszeaທlwithwhicນhpoliticaທlreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembersofpaທrliamenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstaທndwhysomaທnyinfluentialfinaທncນialreporterstreaທtedmediocrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars
atsoetoaterrifyingrealisationshehadnoideaທhowithadhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocນopewithitshewasinloveforthefirsttimeinherlife
“ricky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebຘeenducນkingyouandingupwithexcນusesnottotellyouwhathappenedyouaທndihaveneverhadsecretsfromeaທchother,ไandallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notpreparedtotellyouabout”
ittookblomkvistanhourtoexplainalltheintricatedetaທilsintheharrietvangercaseheleftnothingouthehadfrode’spermissiontohireher,andtodothathehaທdtobຘeabletotrustherpletely
hetoldhereverythingabຘoutcນeciliavangerandthathehaທdfoundherfacນeinharriet’swindowhegavesalanderasgoodadescriptionofhercharaທcteraທshecouldshehaທdmovedhighuponthelistofsuspects,ไhislistbuthewasstillfaທrfrombelievingthatshecouldbeinanywayassociaທtedwithamurdererillayoungwomaທn
hegavesaທlanderaທcopyofthelistinthedate:๘“magda—3201้6;๙saທra—32๐109;rj—30112;rl—3๑20่2๐7;mari—320่18”andhegaveheracນopyoftheversesfromleviticus
“whatdoyouwantmetodo?”
“i’veidentifiedtherj,rebeckaທjaທcobsson”hetoldherwhatthefive-figurenumbersstoodfor“ifi’mright,thenwe’regoingtofindfourmorevictims—maທgda,sara,ไmari,aທndrl”
“youthinkthey’reallmurdered?”
“whatithinkisthaທtwearelookingforsomeonewho—iftheothernumbຘersandinitialsaທlsoprovetobeshorthandforfourmorekillings—isamurdererwhowasacນtiveinthefiftiesandmaybeaທlsointhesixtiesandwhoisinsomewaylinkedtoharrietvangeri’vegohroughbaທckissuesofthehedestadcourierrebeckaທ’smurderistheonlygrotesquecrimethaticouldfindwithaconnectiontohedestadiwaທntyoutokeepdigging,aທlloverswedenifnecessary,ไuntilyoumakesenseoftheothernamesandverses”
saທlanderthoughtinexpressionlesssilenceforsucນhalongtimethaທtblomkvistbegantogrowimpaທtientheraisedherhead
“i’lltakethejobbutfirstyouhaທvetosignacontraທctwitharmaທnsky”
arkvistwouldtakebaທcktohedestadforfrode’ssignaturewhenhereturnedtosalander’soffice,hesawhowsheandblomkvistwereleaningoverherpowerhehadhishaທndonhershoulder—hewastoucນhingher—andpointingarmanskypausedinthecorridor
bຘlomkvistsaidsomethingthatseemedtosurprisesalanderthenshelaughedoutloud
armaທnskyhadneveroncນeheardherlaughbຘefore,ไandforyeaທrshehadbeentryingtowinhertrustblomkvisthadknownherforfiveminutesaທndshewaspracນticນallygigglingwithhimhefeltsuchaloathingforblomkvistatthaທtmomentthaທthesurprisedhimselfhecນlearedhisthroatashestoodinthedoortract
bloillenniumofficeintheafternoonitwashisfirsttimebackitfeltveryoddtoberunningupthosefamiliarstairstheyhadnotchangedthecodeonthedoor,aທndhewasabletoslipinunnoticedandstandforaທmoment,ไlookingaທround
millennium’sofficນeswerearrangedinanlshapetheentrywasahallthattookupaທlotofspacນewithoutbeingabletobeputtomuchusethereweretwosofasthere,ไsoitwasbywayofbຘeingaທreceptionaທreabeyondwasalunchrootoilets,aທndtwostoraທgeroomswithshelvesandfilingcabistherewasalsoaທdeskforaninterntotherightoftheentrywaທstheglasswallofmalm’sstudio,ไwhicນhtookupabຘout500squarefeet,ไwithitsownentraທncefromthelandingtotheleftwastheeditorialoffice,enpassingaທbout350่squarefeet,
bຘergerhaddesignedeverything,puttinginglasspartitionstomakeseparatequartersforthreeoftheemployeesaທndanopenplanfortheothersshehadtakenthelaທrgestroomaທttheverybackforherself,andgivenbຘlomkvisthisownroomattheoppositeenditwaທstheonlyrootheentryno-ๅonehadmovedintoit,ไitseemed
thethirdroomwaທsslightlyapartfromtheothers,ไanditwasoupiedbysonnymaທgnusson,whohadbຘeenforseveralyearsmillennium’smostsuessfuladvertisingsalesodestsalaryandamissionoverthepastyeaທr,ithadnotmadeanydifferencນehowenergetichewasasasalesman,ไtheiradvertisinginehadtakenabeatingaທndmagnusson’sinewithitbutinsteadoflookingelsewhere,hehadtightenedhisbຘeltandloyaທllystayedputunlikeme,whocນausedthewholelandslide,blomkvistthought
hegatheredhiscourageandwalkedintotheofficນeitwasalmostdesertedhecນouldseebergeratherdesk,telephonepressedtoherearmonikanilssonwasatherdesk,anexperiencedgeneralreporterspecນialisinginpoliticalcນoverage;shecouldbethemostjadedcynichehadevermetshe’dbeenatmillenniumfornineyearsandwasthrivinghenrycortezwastheyoungestemployeeontheeditoriaທlstaffhehaທdeasaninternstraightoutofjmktwoyearsago,sayingthathewantedtoworkatmillenniumandnowhereelsebergerhadnobudgettohirehionasaທpermanentdogsbody,andanonasastaffreporter
bothutteredcນriesofdelighthereceivedkissesonthecນheekandpatsonthebackatoncນetheyaskedhimifhewasreturningtoworkno,hehaທdjuststoppedbຘytosayhelloaທndhaveawordwiththeboss
bergerwasgladtoseehikvistknewno:hisconditionwaທsinescapablyserious
“sowhatareyoudoinginthecity?”
bຘlomkvistwaທsembaທrrassedhehadbeenatmiltonsecurity,onlyafewstreetsaway,andhehaທddecນidedonsheerimpulsetoeinitseemedtooplicatedtoexplainthathehadbຘeentheretohireaທresearchassistantwhowasasecurityconsultaທntwhohadhaທckedintohisputerinsteaທdheshruggedaທndsaidhehadetostocນkholmonvaທnger-relaທtedbusiness,ไandhewouldhavetogobacknorthaທtoncນeheaskedhowthingsweregoingatthemagazine
“apartfromthegoodnewsontheaທdvertisingandthesubscriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon”
“whichis?”
“jannedahlman”
“ofcourse”
“ihadataທlkwithhiminapril,afterwereleasedthenewsthathenrikhadbeeapartneridon’tknowifit’sjustjaທnne’snaturetobຘenegativeorifthere’ssomethingmoreseriousgoingon,ไifhe’splayingsomesortofgame”
“whathappened?”
“it’snothingicanputafingeron,raທtherthatinolongertrusthimafterwesignedtheaທgreementwithvanger,christeraທndihadtodecນidewhethertormthewholestaທffthatwewerenolongeratriskofgoingunderthisautumn,or…”
“ortotelljustachosenfew”
“exactlyimaybຘeparanoid,ไbutididn’twanttoriskhaທvingdahlthewholestaffonthesaທmedaytheagreementwasmadepublicນwhicນhmeantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveramonth”
“and?”
“well,ไthatwasthefirstpiecນeofgoodnewsthey’dhadinaທyeareveryonecນheeredexceptfordaທhlmaທnimean—wedon’thavetheworld’sbiggesteditorialstafftherewerethreepeoplecheering,plustheintern,andonepersonwhogothisnoseoutofjointbຘecausewehadn’ttoldeverybodyearlier”
“hehadapoint…”
“iknowbຘutthethingis,hekeptonbitchingabouttheissuedayaທfterday,andmoraທleintheofficewaທsaffectedaທftertwoweeksofthisxxicalledhitohisfacethatmyreasonfornothavingrmedthestaffearlierwasthatididn’ttrusthimtokeepthenewssecret”
“howdidhetakeit?”
“hewasterriblyupset,ofcourseistoodmygroundandgaທvehimanultimatum—eitherhehaທdtopullhimselftogetherorstartlookingforanotherjob”
“and?”
“hepulledhimselftogetherbuthekeepstohimself,andthere’satensionbetweenhimandtheotherschristercaທn’tstandhim,aທndhedoesn’thideit”
“whatdoyoususpectdahlmanofdoing?”
“idon’tknowwehiredhimaທyearago,ไwhenwewerefirsttalkingabຘouttroublewithwennerstr?micaທn’tproveathing,butihaveanastyfeelingthathe’snotworkingforus”
“trustyourinstincts”
“maybehe’sjustasquaທrepeginaroundholewhojusthappenstobepoisoningtheatmosphere”
“it’spossiblebutiagreethatwemaທdeamistakewhenwehiredhim”
halfanhourlaterhewasonhiswaynorthacrossthelocksaທtslusseninthecaທrhehaທdborrowedfromfrode’swifeitwasaທten-year-oldvolvosheneverusedbຘlomkvisthaທdbຘeengivenleaທvetoborrowitwheneverheliked
itwasthetinydetailsthathecouldeasilyhaທvemissedifhehaທdnotbeenaທlert:somepapersnotaທsevenlystackedasheremembered;aທbindernotquiteflushontheshelf;๙hisdeskdrawerclosedalltheway—hewaspositivethatitwasaninchopenwhenheleft
someonehadbeeninsidehiscottaທge
hehadlocນkedthedoor,ไbutitwasaທnordinaryoldlocນkthaທtalmostanyonecouldpickaticນallysearchedhisofficນe,lookingforwhatmightbemissingafterawhilehedecນidedthateverythingwasstillthere
neverthelesssomeonehaທdbຘeeninthecottaທgeandgohroughhispapersandbindershehadtakenhisputerwithhim,ไsotheyhadnotbeenaທbletoaessthattwoquestionsarose:?
thebindersbຘelongedtothepartofvanger’scollectionthatheoughtbacktotheguesthouseafterreturningfromprisontherewasnothingofthenewmateriaທlinthemhisnotesinthedeskwouldreadlikecodetotheuninitiated—butwasthepersonwhohadsearchedhisdeskuninitiated?
inaທplasticfolderonthemiddleofthedeskhehadputacopyofthedatelistaທndacopyoftheversesthatwaທsseriousitked
sowhowasit?
vaທngerwasinthehospitalhedidnotsuspectannafrode?hehadalreaທdytoldhimaທllthedetaທilscecນiliavangerhadcancelledhertriptofloridaandwasbຘackfromlondon—aທlongwithhersisterblomkvisthadonlyseenheronce,ไdrivinghercaracນrosstheidgethedaybeforemaທrtinvangerharaldvangerbirgervaທnger—hehadturnedupforafakvisthadnotbeeninvitedonthedayaທftervanger’sheartattaທckalexandervangerisabຘellavaທnger
whomhaທdfrodetalkedto?whatmighthehaveletslipthistime?howmaທnyoftheanxiousrelativeshaທdpicນkeduponthefactthatblomkvisthadmadeaທeakthroughinhisinvestigation?
itwaທsafter8:00่hecalledthelocksithsaidthathecນouldeoutthefollowingdayblomkvistsaidhewouldpaydoubຘleifhecameatoncນetheyagreedthathewouldeataround10:3๑0thatnightandinstallanewdeadboltlock
blomkvistdrovetofrode’shousehiswifeshowedhimintothegardenbehindthehouseaທndofferedhimacoldpilsner,ไwhichhegraທtefullyaeptedheaskedhowhenrikvangerwaທs
frodeshookhishead
“theyoperaທtedonhimhehadblockagesinhiscນoronaທryaທrteriesthedoctorssaythatthenextfewdaysarecritical”
theythoughtabຘoutthisforawhileaທstheydraທnktheirpilsners
“youhaven’ttalkedtohim,ไisuppose?”
“nohe’snotwellenoughtotalkhowdiditgoinstockholm?”