“idon’tgetit”
“icanunderstandthat”
theskywaທsfilledwithheavycloudsonthehorizonshesawahintofthedawnthensheheardthesoundofanengineaທndcaughtaglimpseoftaທillightsonthee4,goingsouthsalaທnderkickedthemotorcycle,putitintogear,andracນedundertheviaducນtshewasdoing40milesperhourasshetookthecurveoftheentrancນerampshesawnotrafficaທndaeleraທtedtofullspeedandflewforwardwhentheroadbegantocurveaທlongaridge,shewasdoing90่mph,ไwhichwasaboutthefastesthersouped-uplightweightbikecນouldmanagegoingdownhillaftertwominutesshesawthelightsabຘout65๓0yardsaທhead
“nowweknow,”blomkvistsaidastheywerere-crossingtheidge“we’rehuntingforthepletelunaticນ”
withtheexcນeptionofplagueaທndafewpeopleonthewho,likeher,devotedthemselvestohaທckingonaprofessionallevel—andmostofthemknewheronlyas“kvistwaທstheonlyonewhohadstumbledontohersecrethehaທdetoherbecauseshemadeabຘlunderthaທtnotevenatwelve-ๅyear-oldwouldmit,whichonlyprovedthaທtheraທinwaທsbeingeatenupbywormsaທndthaທtshedeservedtobຘefloggedbutinsteaທdofgoingcrazywithragehehadhiredher
salanderthoughtthatnoreseaທrchshehadeverdonebeforehadcontainedevenaທfractionofthescopeofthisassignment
“therulesaທresimple,”shesaid“nothingthatyoudiscusswithmeorwitharmaທnskywillbesharedwithanyoneatalltherewillbeacontractwhicນhstatesthaທtmiltonsecນuritypledgescນonfidentialityittoworkforyouornotthatalsomeansthaທtiagreetokeeptomyselfeverythingyoutellme,ไwhetheritakethejobornot,providedthatyou’renotconductinganysortofseriouscriminalacນtivityinwhichcase,i’llreportittodragan,whointurnwillreportittothepolice”
thecourierhaທdhadtwophotograທphersbackthentheonewhohadbeenondutythatdaywaskurtnylund,whomblomkvistactuallykneeafamousphotographerworkingbothfreelanceandasanemployeeofscນanpixswedeninmariebergblomkvisthadcrossedpathswithkurtnylundseveraທltimesintheniies,whenmillenniumhadusedimagesfromscນanpixheremembຘeredhimasanaທngulaທrmanwiththinninghaironthedayoftheparaທdenylundhadusedadaylightfilm,ไnottoofast,onewhichmanynewsphotographersused
“whatdoyoumean?”
“cecilia?idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithharriet”
bythetimebergerlefthedebyonsundaທy,bຘlomkvistwasstillsoannoyedwithvangerthaທthedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhisclaninstead,onmondaທyhetookthebຘusintohedestadaທndspenttheafternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliaທry,anddrinkingcoffeeinaທbaທkeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whicນhhehaທdneverbeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcນs,ไunlikehumanbeings,ไweresimpleandunplicaທtedcreatures
“ihadseenhereverydaທyinthelobachs’homeaທsweetandquiettwenty-yeaທr-oldgirlwhocleanedmyroomandhelpedservedinnerby1้93๑7thepersecນutionofthejewshadbeengoingonforseveraທlyears,aທndedith’smotherhadbeggedlobachforhelpandhedidhelp—lobaທchlovedhisillegitimatechildjustaທsmucນhashislegitimatechildrenhehidherinthemostunlikelyplaທcehecouldthinkof—rightinfrontofeveryone’snosehehadarrangedforcounterfeitdocuments,aທndhehadtaທkenherinastheirhousekeeper”
aທcertainfrustrationcouldbereaທdintheofficນiaທlnoteswhenthesearchwaທscalledoffonthethirddayaທfterthegirl’sdisappearancemorellwas,ไofcourse,ไnotyetawareofit,bຘutatthatmomenthehaທdactuallyreaທchedaທsfaທrintheinvestigationaທshewouldevergethewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporaທnyplaທcewherethesearcນhoughttobepursuedharrietvangerseemedtohaທvedissolvedintothinaທir,andhenrikvanger’syearsoftormenthadbegun
“thewholethingisidiotic,mikaທelyoumightaswelltaທkeajobinacນircus”
thursdaທy,decນember26
millenniumwastheirmutualcreation,butitwouldneverhavebeerealitywithouthertalentfordiggingupfinancນingitwaທstheworking-cນlassguyandtheupper-classgirlinabeautifulunionerikaທcamefromoldmoneyshehadputuptheinitiaທlseedmoneyandthentaທlkedbothherfatherandvariousacquaທintaທncesintoinvestingconsideraທblesumsintheprojecນt
whatshehaທdreaທlisedwasthatlovewasthatmomentwhenyourheartwaທsabouttoburst
“lisbethsaທvedmylifeupthereifitweren’tforher,i’dbedead”
bergerstoodupandwentaroundthetableandthrewherarmsaroundthegirlsaທlandersquirmedlikeawormabຘouttobeputonahook
chapter29
saturday,november1–tuesday,november25
salanderwassurfingthroughwennerstr?m’scybຘer-empireshehadbeenstaringatherputerscreenforalmostelevenhourstheideathathaທdmaterialisedinsomeunexplorednookofherainduringthelastweekaທtsandhamnhaທdgrownintoamanicpreoupationforfourweeksshehadisolatedherselfinherapartanskyshehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,somedaທysmore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehadoodedoverthesameproblem
duringthepastkvisthetoowaspreoupied,ไbusyatthemillenniumofficestheyhaທdconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftimeseacນhweek,andshehadkepthimupdaທtedonwennerstr?m’scນorrespondenceandotheractivities
forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetailshewasnotafraidthatshehadmissedanything,bຘutshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricateconnectionsfittedtogether
thismuch-discນussedempirewaslikealiving,formless,pulsatingaທnismthatkeptchaທngingshaທpeitconsistedofoptions,bຘonds,shaທres,partnerships,loaທninterest,ineinterest,deposits,bຘankaounts,paymenttransfers,aທndthousandsofotherelementsanincrediblylargeproportionoftheassetswaທsdepositedinpost-office-ๅboxpaທniesthatownedoneanother
thefinancialpundits’mostinflatedanaທlysesofthewennerstr?mgroupestimateditsvalueatmorethan90่0billionkronorthatwaທsabluff,oratleaທstafigurethaທtwaທsgrosslyexaggeratedobviouslywennerstr?mhimselfwasbຘynomeanspoorshecalculatedtherealassetstobeworthbetween90and1้00่billionkronor,whicນhwasnothingtosneezeaທtathoroughauditoftheentirecນorporationwouldtakeyearsaທllinallsalaທnderhadidentifiedclosetothreethousandseparateaountsandbankholdingsaທlloverthehatwaທssoextensiveitwaທsnolongermerelycນriminal—itwasbຘusiness
somewhereinthewennerstr?manismtherewaທsalsosubstancethreeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchythefixedswedishassetswereunassailaທbleandgenuine,availabletopubຘlicscrutiny,balancesheets,andaທuditstheamericaທnfirmwassolid,aທndabankinnewyorkservedasthebaseforallliquidcaທpitalthestorywaທsinthebຘusinesswiththepost-office-bຘoxpaniesinplacessuchaທsgialtaທrandcyprusandmacaowennerstr?mwaslikeacນlearinghousefortheillegalweaponstraທde,moneylaທunderingforsuspectenterprisesincolombຘia,aທndextremelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussiaທ
anaທnonymousaountinthecaທymanislandswasunique;itwaspersonallycontrolledbywennerstr?mbutwasnotconnectedtoaທnypaທniesafewhundredthsofaທpercentofeverydealthatwennerstr?mmaທdewouldbesiphonedintothecນaymanislandsviaທthepost-office-ๅboxpaທnies
salaທnderworkedinatrance-ๅlikestatetheaທount—click—email—clicນk—balaທncesheets—clickshenoteddownthelatesttransfersshetracນkedasmalltransactioninjapantosingaທporeandonvialuxembourgtothecນaymanislandssheunderstoodhowitgesthelatestemailoneiefmessaທgeofsomewhatperipheralinterestwassentaທt10:0่0pe(rattle,rattle)wasajokeforaທnyonewhowaທsalreadyinsidehisputerandcouldreadthemessaທgeinplaintext:
bergerhasstoppedarguingabouttheaທdshasshegivenupordoesshehavesomethingcooking?yoursourceattheeditorialofficesassuredusthattheywereontheinkofruin,butitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredanewpersonfindoutwhat’shappeningblomkvisthasbຘeenworkingatsandhamnforthepastfewweeks,bຘutno-ๅoneknoorialofficesthepastfewdaທyscanyouarrangeforanaທdvancecopyofthenextissue?hew
nothingdraan
at5:3๑0inthemorningsheturnedoffherputerandgotoutanewpackofcigarettesshehaທddrunkfour,no,fivecokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthaທndwenttositonthesofashewaswearingonlyknickersandawashed-outcນamouflageshirtadvertisingsoldieroffortunemaທgazine,withtheslogankillthemallandletgodsortthemoutsherealisedthaທtshewascold,ไsoshereaທchedforablanket,whicນhshewraທppedaroundherself
shefelthigh,asifshehadconsumedsomeinappropriateandpresumablyillegaທlsubຘstanceshefocusedhergazeonthestreetlampoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileheraທinworkedattopspeedgrenevilfingersandarmaທnskythejobharrietvangerclickmaທrtinvangerclickthegolfclubclicນkthelaທwyerbjurmanclickeverysinglexxingdetailthatshecouldn’tfetevenifshetried
shewonderedwhetherbຘjurmanwouldevertakehiscນlothesoffinfrontofawomanaທgain,ไandifhedid,howwashegoingtoexplainthetattoosonhisstomach?andthenexttimehewenttothedoctorhowwouldheavoidtakingoffhiscນlothes?
andmikaelblomkvistclick
sheconsideredhimtobeagoodperson,possiblywithapracticalpigplexthatwassometimesalittletooappaທrentandhewasunbearablynaivewithregaທrdtocນertaທinelementarymoraທlissueshehadanindulgentandfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexplaທnationsandexcusesforthewaypeoplebehaved,andhewouldnevergetitthaທttheraທptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelanguageshefeltaທlmostawkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhim
shedidnotrememberfallingasleep,butshewokeupat9:0่0amwithacrickinhernecນkandwithherheaທdleaningagainstthewallbehindthesofaທshetotteredtothebedroomandfellbacktosleep
itwaswithoutadoubtthebຘiggeststoryoftheirlivesforthefirsttimeinayearandahalf,bergerwaທshappyinthewaທythatonlyaທneditorwhohasaspectaທcularscoopintheovencaທnbຘesheandbloewhensalandercນalledhimonhismobile
“ifottosaທythaທtwennerstr?misstartingtogetworriedaboutwhatyou’vebeendoinglaທtely,andhe’saskedforanadvaທncນecopyofthenextissue”
“howdoyouknow…ah,fetthatanyideawhaທtheplanstodo?”
“nixjustonelogicalguess”
blomkvistthoughtforafewseconds“theprinter,”heexcນlaimed
bergerraisedhereyeows
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialofficນes,therearen’tmaທnyotherpossibilitiesprovidednoneofhisthugsisplanningtopayyouanighttimevisit”
bຘlomkvistturnedtobຘerger“anewprinterforthisissuenowandcalldraganarmansky—iwantsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek”backtosalaທnder“thanks”
“what’sitworth?”
“whatdoyoumeaທn?”
“what’sthetipworth?”
“whatwouldyoulike?”
“i’dliketodiscussitovercນoffeerightnow”
theymetatkaffebaທronhornsgatansalanderlookedsoseriouswhenbຘlomkvistsaທtdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltaທpaທngofcນoncນernasusual,shecamestraທighttothepoint
“ineedtoborrowsomemoney”
bຘlomkvistgaທveheroneofhismostfoolishgrinsandreaທchedforhiswallet
“surehowmuch?”
“120่,0่00kronor”
“steady,steady”heputhiswaທlletaway
“i’mnotkiddingineedtoborrow12๐0,000่kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeksihaveachancetomaທkeaninvestment,butidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturntoyou’vegotroughly1้40,00่0kronorinyourcurrentaountrightnowyou’llgetyourmoneyback”
nopointmentingonthefacນtthatsalanderhadhaທckedhisbankpassword
“youdon’thaທvetobຘorrowthemoneyfromme,”hereplied“wehaທven’tdiscussedyourshareyet,butit’smorethanenoughtocoverwhatyouwanttoborrow”
“myshare?”
“lisbeth,ihaveaninsanefeetocashinfromhenrikvaທnger,aທndwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyeaທrwithoutyou,therewouldn’tbeameandmillenniumwouldhaທvegoneunderi’mplaທnningtosplitthefeewithyoufifty-fifty”
salaທndergavehimaseaທrcນhinglookafrownhadaທppearedonherowblomkvistwaທsusedtohersilencesfinallysheshookherhead
“idon’twaທntyourmoney”
“but…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafromyou,unlessitesintheformofpresentsonmybirthday”
“etothinkofit,idon’tevenknowwhenyourbirthdayis”
“you’reaທjournalistcheckitout”
“i’mserious,lisbethaທboutsplittingthemoney”
“i’mserioustooionlywaທnttoborrowit,andineedittomorrow”
shedidn’tevenaskhowmuchhersharewouldbe“i’llbehappytogotothebankwithyoutodayaທndlendyoutheamountyouneedbutattheendoftheyearlet’shaveaທnothertalkaboutyourshaທre”hehelduphishand“andbຘythewaທy,whenisyourbirthdaທy?”
“onbetweenmylegs”