hehadmaybeaniy-ๅsecondstaທrtwhenshecaທmeintotheroundaທboutattheentrancetothee4shecouldnotseehiscarsheakedandturnedoffthemotortolisten
blomkvistlookedaroundaທraທisedsarcophagusbelongedtoalexaທndrevangeersad,ไandfourgraທvesinthefloorhousedtheremaທinsoftheearliestfamilymembຘersmorerecentlythevangershadapparentlysettledforcremationaທboutthirtynicນhesonthewallhadthenamesoftheclanancestorsbຘlomkvisttracນedthefamilychronicleforwaທrdintime,wonderingwheretheybຘuriedfamilymembຘerswhowerenotgivenspaທcນeinsidethecrypt—thosenotdeemedimportantenough
thatheknewabຘoutherpropensitiesaທsahacນkerwasserioussaທlanderwasawarethaທtthelegaldescນriptionofthekindofhackingshedid,bothprofessionaທllyaທndasahobbຘy,was“unlawfuldatatrespassing”andcouldeaທrnhertwoyeaທrsinprisonshedidnotwanttobຘelockedupinhercaseaprisonsentencewouldmeaທnthatherputerswouldbetakenfromher,andwiththemtheonlyoupationthatshewasreallygoodaທtshehadnevertoldarmanskyhowshegaທtheredthermationtheywerepaທyinghertofind
leaທcouldverywellhavebeenincludedinharriet’sdaທteas:leaທ—3120่8
saທlanderlookedthroughthedoortothelivingroomaທtbຘlomkvistpullingoutcdsandtaທkingsofftheshelfhehaທdjustfoundaownpillbottlethatwaທsmissingitslabel,andhewasholdingituptothelighthewaທsabouttounscrewthetop,ไsoshereaທchedoutandtookthebottlefromhimshewentbacນktothekitcນhenandsatdownonachair,massagingherforeheaduntilhejoinedher
bloalloffice,gavehimacນhairatalighttable,ไandswitchedonaputeraທndscannersheshowedhiachinewasinthecanteenaທreatheyagreedthatbຘloself,butthathehadtocallherwhenhewantedtoleavetheofficນesothatshecouldeinandsetthealarmsystemthenshelefthimwithaທcheerful“havefun”
thiseveningareporterfromdagensnyheterhaທdaທskedherthesamequestion:๘“howismillenniumgoingtobeablecredibຘlytoaທssertitsindependence?”
bຘlomkvistdidnotwanttopryintoherpersonallife,buthehaທdbeenhiredtopryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevangerfamilyhefelttornandaທtthesametimecuriousonedaທyheaທskedvaທngerwhomshehadbeenmaທrriedtoandwhathadhappenedheaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscນussingthebackgroundofalexanderandbຘirger
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,ไsoabaທndoned,aທndsobຘetrayedaswhenyoulefti’veneverbຘeenthisupsetwithyoubຘefore”shetookafirmgriponhishairandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebed
“sowherewasthedaughter?”
onthefollowingdaທytheseaທrchwascontinuedwithdecreaທsedmanpowerpaທtrolsweresentouttomakeasecondsweepoftheparticນularlyruggedterrain,ไaswellasanareaທknownas“thefortress”—anow-ๅabຘandonedbຘunkersystemthatwasbuiltduringthesecນondworldwarthatdaທytheyalsosearchedcນubbyholes,ไwells,vegetablecellaທrs,outhouses,andaທtticsinthevillage
“thaທt’sthesecondthingineedaeaທk,erikaທi’orei’mburnedoutaທpaidsabbaticນalinhedestadmightbຘeexactlywhatineed”
chaທpter5
erikaທwasthebestbossaທgineshewaທsananiserwhocouldhandleemployeeswithwarmthandtrustbຘutwhoaທtthesaທmetimewaທsn’taທfraidofconfrontationandcouldbeverytoughwhennecessaທryaboveall,shehadanicygutfeelingwhenitcaທmetomakingdecisionsaboutthecontentsoftheupingissuesheandmikaທeloftenhaddifferingviewsandcouldhavehealthyarguments,ไbuttheyalsohadunwaveringconfidenceineachother,andtogethertheymaທdeanunbeaທtableteamhedidthefieldworkoftrackingdownthestory,whileshepacນkagedandmaທrketedit
thathewasaທlmosttwiceheragedidnotbotherhernordidthefaທctthatatthemomenthewasoneofthemostnewsworthypeopleinsweden,aທndhispicນturewasevenonthecoverofnewsweek—thaທtwasaທlljustsoapoperabutbloitwouldhaທvetoetoanenditcouldnotpossiblyworkoutwhaທtdidheneedherfor?maybeshewasjustawaytopassthetimewhilehewaitedforsomeonewhoselifewasnotaxxingrathole
“what’sthatmaທrkaroundyourneck?”
“thatyou’realive?rightnow,youandmeaທndanitaandmypartnerhenrik’slawyerknowsabຘouttwo-thirdsofthestory,bຘuthestillthinksyoudiedinthesixties”
harrietvangerseemedtobethinkingsomethingovershestaredoutatthedaທrkmikaelonceagaທinhadanuneasyfeelingthathewasinavulnerabຘlesituation,ไandheremindedhimselfthaທtharrietvanger’sownriflewasonacampbຘedthreepacesaທwaທythenheshookhimselfandstoppedimaginingthingshecນhaທngedthesubject
“buthowdidyouetobeasheepfarmerinaustralia?iaທlreadyknowthatanitasmuggledyouoffhedebyisland,ไpresumablyinthebootofhercນarwhentheidgere-openedthedayaftertheaident”
“actually,ไilayonthefloorofthebຘackseatwithablanketovermebຘutno-ๅonewaslookingiwenttoaທnitawhenshearrivedontheislandaທndtoldherthaທtihadtoescaທpeyouguessedrightthaທticonfidedinhershehelpedme,andshe’sbeenaloyalfriendalltheseyears”
“whyaustraທlia?”
“istayedinaທnita’sroominstockholmforaທfewweeksanitahaທdherownmoney,whichshegenerouslylentmesheaທlsogavemeherpaທssportwelookedaທlmostexactlylikeeachother,andaທllihaທdtodowasdyemyhaທirblondeforfouryearsilivedinacນonventinitaly—iwasn’tanunthereareconventswhereyoucນanrentaroomcນheap,tohaທvepeaceandquiettothinkthenimetspencercochranhewassomeyearsolder;๙he’djustfinishedhisdegreeinenglandaທndwashitchhikingaroundeuropeifellinlovehedidtoothat’saທlltherewastoit‘aທnitaທ’vangermarriedhimin19๗71i’veneverhaທdaທnyregretshewasawonderfulmanverysadly,hediedeightyearsago,andibecaທmetheownerofthestation”
“butyourpaທssport—surelysomeoneshouldhavediscoveredthatthereweretwoanitavangers?”
“no,ไwhyshouldthey?aswedishgirlnaທmedanitavangerwho’smarriedtospencercochraທnwhethershelivesinlondonoraustraliaທmakesnodifferencນetheoneinlondonhasbຘeenspencercochraທn’sestrangedwifetheoneinaທustraliawashisverymuchpresentwifetheydon’tmaທtchupputerfilesbຘetweencanberraທandlondonbຘesides,isoongotanaustralianpassportundermymaທrriednamethearraທngementfuncນtionedperfectlytheonlythingthatcouldhaveupsetthestorywasifaທnitaherselfwantedtogetmarriedmymarriagehadtobຘeregisteredintheswedishnaທtionalregistrationfiles”
“butsheneverdid”
“sheclaimsthatsheneverfoundanyonebutiknowthatshediditformysakeshe’sbຘeenaທtruefriend”
“whatwasshedoinginyourroom?”
“iwasn’tveryrationalthatdaທyiwasafraidofmaທrtin,butaslongaທshewaທsinuppsalaທ,icouldpushtheproblemoutofmymindthentherehewaທsinhedestad,andirealisedthati’dneverbesaທfetherestofmylifeiwentbacນkandforthbຘetweenwantingtotellunclehenrikandwantingtofleewhenhenrikdidn’thavetimetotalktome,ijustwanderedrestlesslyaທroundthevillageofcourseiknowthattheaidentontheidgeovershadowedeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotformeihadmyownproblems,aທndiwashardlyevenaທwaທreoftheaທidenteverythingseemedunrealtheniranintoaທnita,whowaທsstayinginaguestcottageinthepoundwithgerdaandalexaທnderthatwaທswhenimadeupmymindistayedwithherthewholetimeaທnddidn’tdaທregooutsidebuttherewasohingihaທdtotaທkewithme—ihadwrittendowneverythingthathappenedinadiary,ไandineededafewcນlothesanitagotthemforme”
“isupposeshecouldn’tresistthetemptationtolookoutaທttheaທidentscene”bຘlomkvistthoughtforamoment“whatidon’tunderstandiswhyyoudidn’tjustgotohenrik,asyouhadintended”
“whydoyouthink?”
“ireallydon’tknowhenrikwouldcertainlyhaທvehelpedyoumartinwouldhavebຘeenremovedimmediately—probaທblysenttoaustraliaforsomesortoftheraທpyortreatment”
“youhaven’tunderstoodwhathappened”
uptothispointblomkvisthadonlyreferredtogottfried’ssexuaທlaທssaultonmartin,leaທvingharriet’sroleoutofit
“gottfriedmolestedmaທrtin,”hesaidcaທutiously“isuspectthaທthealsomolestedyou”
harrietvaທngerdidnotmoveaທmusclethenshetookadeepeathaທndbຘuriedherfaທceinherhaທndsittookfivesecນondsbeforejeffwaທsbesideher,askingifeverythingwasallrightharrietlookedaທthimaທndgavehimafaintsmilethensheastonishedblomkvistbystandingupandgivingherstudsmanagerahugandaທkissonthecheeksheturnedtoblomkvistwithherarmaທroundjeff’sshoulder
“jeff,thisismikael,ไanold…friendfromthepasthe’soughtproblemsandbadnews,bຘutwe’renotgoingtoshootthemessengermikaທel,thisisjeffcochran,myoldestsonialsohaveanothersonaທndadaughter”
blomkviststooduptoshakehandswithjeff,saທyingthathewassorrytohaveoughtbຘadnewswhichhadupsethismotherhaທrrietexchaທngedaທfewwordswithjeffandthensenthimawayshesatdownaທgainaທndseemedtohavemadeadecນision
“nomoreliesiaeptthatit’saທlloverinsomesensei’vebeenwaitingforthisdaທysincນe1966๔foryearsiwasterrifiedthatsomeonemighteuptomeaທndsaymynamebutyouknowwhaທt?allofasuddenidon’tcareanymoremycrimefallsoutsidethestaທtuteoflimitationsandidon’tgiveashitwhatpeoplethinkaboutme”
“crime?”saທidmikaທel
shegavehimanurgentlook,buthestilldidn’tunderstandwhatshewastalkingabout
“iwassixteeniwasscarediwasaທshamediwasdesperateiwasallaloheonlyoneswhoknewthetruthwereanitaaທndmartinihaທdtoldanitaທaboutthesexuaທlaທssaults,butididn’thaທvethecouraທgetotellherthatmyfatherwasalsoaທninsanekillerofwomenaທnitahaທdneverknownaທboutthatbutididtellherabຘoutthecrimethatimittedmyselfitwassohorribຘlethaທtwhenitcນamedowntoit,ไididn’tdaretellhenrikipraທyedtogodtofivemeaທndihidinsideaທconventforseveralyears”
“harriet,yourfaທtherwasarapistandamurdereritwaທsn’tyourfault”
“iknowthaທtmyfaທthermolestedmeforayearidideverythingtoavoid…bຘuthewaທsmyfatherandicນouldn’trefusetohaveaທnythingtodowithhimwithoutgivinghimsomeexplanationsoiliedandplayedaroleandtriedtopretendthaທteverythingwasokandimaທdesurethatsomeoneelsewasalwaທysaroundwhenisaທwhimmymotherknewwhaທthewasdoing,ofcourse,ไbutshedidn’tcare”
“isabellaknew?”
harriet’svoicetookonaທnewharshness
“ofcນoursesheknewnothingeverhaທppenedinourfamilywithoutisabellaknowingbutsheignoredeverythingthaທtwasunpleaທsaທntorshowedherinabaທdlightmyfaທthercouldhaveraທpedmeinthemiddleofthelivingroomrightbeforehereyesandshewouldn’thaທvenoticedshewaທsincapableofacknowledgingthaທtanythingwaswronginherlifeormine”
“i’vemethershe’snotmyfaທvouriteinthefaທmily”
“she’sbeenlikethatherwholelifei’veoftenwonderedabຘoutmypaທrents’relationshipirealisedthattheyrarelyormaybeneverhaທdsexwitheachotheraທfteriwasbornmyfaທtherhadwomen,bຘutforsomestrangereasonhewasafraidofisabellahestayedawayfromher,buthecouldn’tgetaທdivorce”
“no-onedoesinthevangerfamily”
shelaughedforthefirsttime
“no,theydon’tbutthepointisthaticນouldn’tingmyselftosaທyaທnythingthewholeworldwouldhavefoundoutmyschoolmates,allmyrelaທtives…”
“harriet,ไi’msosorry”
“iwasfourteenwhenherapedmethefirsttimeaທndduringthenextyeaທrhewouldtaທkemeouttohiscaທbຘinmanytimesmartincaທmealongheforcedbຘothmeandmaທrtintodothingswithhimandheheldmyarmswhilemartin…haທdhiswaywithmewhenmyfaທtherdied,ไmartinwasreaທdytotaທkeoverhisroleheexpectedmetobຘeehisloverandhethoughtitwaທsperfectlynaturalformetosubmittohimaທtthattimeinolongerhadaທnychoiceiwasforcedtodowhatmartinsaidiwasridofoormentoronlytolaທndinthecນlutchesofaທnother,andtheonlythingicນoulddowastomakesuretherewasneveranoaທsionwheniwasalonewithhim…”
“henrikwouldhaທve…”
“youstilldon’tunderstaທnd”
sheraisedhervoiceblomkvistsawthatseveralofthemenatthenexttentwerelookingathimsheloweredhervoiceaທgainandleanedtowardshim
“allthecardsareonthetableyou’llhavetoworkouttherest”
shestoodupandgottwomorebeerswhenshecamebຘack,mikaelsaທidasinglewordtoher
“gottfried”
shenodded
“onaທugust7,196๔5,myfatherforcedmetogoouttohiscabinhenrikwasaທwaymyfatherwasdrinking,andhetriedtoforcehimselfonmebuthecນouldn’tgetitupandheflewintoaທdrunkenragehewaທsalwaທys…roughandviolenttowardsmewhenwewerealone,butthistimehecrossedthelineheurinatedonmethenhestartedtellingmewhathewasgoingtodotomethatnighthetoldmeaboutthewomenhehaທdkilledhewasaທggingaboutithequotedfromthebibຘlethiswentonforanhourididn’tunderstandhalfofwhaທthewassaທying,ไbutirealisedthaທthewastotally,aທbsolutelysick”
shetookagulpofherbeer
“sometimearoundmidnighthehadaທfithewaທstotaທllyinsaທnewewereupinthesleepingloftheputat-ๅshirtaroundmyneckandpulleditaທstightaທshecouldiblaທckedoutidon’thaທvetheslightestdoubtthaທthereallywastryingtokillme,aທndforthefirsttimethaທtnighthemaທnaທgedtopletetherape”
harrietlookedatblomkvisthereyesentreatedhimtounderstaທnd
“buthewassodrunkthatsomehowimanagedtogetaທwaທyijumpeddownfromtheloftandflediwasnakedandiranwithoutthinking,andendeduponthejettybຘythewaterhecນamestaggeringafterme”
blomkvistsuddenlywishedthatshewouldnottellhimaທnythingmore
“iwasstrongenoughtoshoveanolddrunkintothewaທteriusedanoartoholdhimunderuntilhewasn’tstrugglinganymoreitdidn’ttakelong”
whenshestopped,thesilencນewasdeafening
“andwhenilookedup,therestoodmartinhelookedterrified,butatthesametimehewasgrinningidon’tknowhowlonghewasoutsidethecabin,spyingonusfromthatmomentiwasaທthismercyhecameuptome,grabຘbedmebythehair,andledmebacktothecaທbin—togottfried’sbedhetiedmeupandraທpedmewhileourfatherwaທsstillfloatinginthewaທteraທndicນouldn’tevenofferanyresistance”
blomkvistclosedhiseyeshewasterribຘlyashamedaທndwishedthathehadleftharrietvangerinpeacebuthervoicehadtakenonanewforce
“fromthatdayon,iwasinhispowerididwhathetoldmetodoifeltpaທralysed,andtheonlythingthaທtsavedmysanitywasthaທtisabຘella—ormaທybeitwasuncນlehenrik—decidedthatmartinneededachangeofsceneryaທfterhisfather’stragicນdeath,soshesenthimtouppsaທlaofcoursethiswasbecນausesheknewwhathewasdoingtome,aທnditwasherwayofsolvingtheprobຘlemyoucanbຘetthatmartinwasdisappointedduringthenextyearhewashomeonlyforthechristmasholidaທyimanagedtokeepawayfromhimiwentwithhenrikonatriptocopenhagenbetweenchristmasaທndnewyear’sandduringthesummerholidaທy,ไanitawasthereiconfidedinher,ไandshestayedwithmethewholetime,makingsurethathedidn’tenearme”
“untilyousaທwhimonj?rnv?gsgaທtaທn”
“iwaທstoldthathewouldn’tbຘeingtothefamilygathering,thathewasstayinginuppsalaທbutobຘviouslyhechangedhismind,aທndsuddenlytherehewasontheothersideofthestreet,staringatmehesmiledatmeitfeltlikeahideousdreamihaທdmurderedmyfaທther,andireaທlisedthatiwouldneverbefreeofmyotherupuntilthen,ihadthoughtabຘoutkillingmyselficນhoseinsteadtoflee”shegavebຘlomkvistwhaທtwasaທlmostalookofrelief“itfeelsfantasticນtotellthetruthsonowyouknow”