“wasn’tthereanyonewhowantedtohelpharriet？”

    “henrik,ofcourse.intheendsheovedintohishouse.butdon’tfetthathewaspreoupiedplayingtheroleofthebigindustrialist.hewasusuallyofftravellingsoewhereanddidn’thavealotoftietospendwithharrietandmartin.iissedalotofthisbecauseiwasinuppsalaandtheninstockhol—andletetellyou,ididn’thaveaneasychildhoodyselfwithharaldasyfather.inhindsighti’verealisedthattheproblewasthatharrietneverconfidedinanyone.shetriedhardtokeepupappearancesandpretendthattheywereonebighappyfaily.”

    “denial.”

    “yes.butshechangedwhenherfatherdrowned.shecouldnolongerpretendthateverythingwasok.upuntilthenshewas…idon’tknowhowtoexplainit:extreelygiftedandprecocious,butonthewholearatherordinaryteenager.duringthelastyearshewasstillbrilliant,gettingtoparksineveryexaandsoon,butitseeedasifshedidn’thaveanysoul.”

    “howdidherfatherdrown？”

    “intheostprosaicwaypossible.hefelloutofarowingboatrightbelowhiscabin.hehadhistrousersopenandanextreelyhighalcoholcontentinhisblood,soyoucanjustiaginehowithappened.martinwastheonewhofoundhi.”

    “ididn’tknowthat.”

    “it’sfunny.martinhasturnedouttobeareallyfineperson.ifyouhadaskedethirty-fiveyearsago,iwouldhavesaidthathewastheoneinthefailywhoneededpsychiatriare.”

    “whyso？”

    “harrietwasn’ttheonlyonewhosufferedilleffectsfrothesituation.foranyyearsmartinwassoquietandintrovertedthathewaseffectivelyantisocial.bothchildrenhadaroughtieofit.iean,wealldid.ihadyownprobleswithyfather—iassueyourealisethathe’sstarkravingad.mysister,anita,hadthesaeproble,asdidalexander,ycousin.itwastoughbeingyounginthevangerfaily.”

    “whathappenedtoyoursister？”

    “shelivesinlondon.shewentthereintheseventiestoworkinaswedishtravelagency,andshestayed.shearriedsoeone,neverevenintroducedhitothefaily,andanontheyseparated.todayshe’sasenioranagerofbritishairways.sheandigetalongfine,butwearenotuchincontactandonlyseeeachothereveryotheryearorso.sheneverestohedestad.”

    “whynot？”

    “aninsanefather.isn’tthatexplanationenough？”

    “butyoustayed.”

    “idid.alongwithbirger,ybrother.”

    “thepolitician.”

    “areyouakingfunofe？birgerisolderthananitaande.we’veneverbeenveryclose.inhisowneyeshe’safantasticallyiportantpoliticianwithafutureinparliaentandaybeinisterialrank,iftheconservativesshouldwin.inpointoffacthe’saoderatelytalentedlocalcouncillorinareotecornerofsweden,whichwillprobablybeboththehighpointandthewholeextentofhiscareer.”

    “ohingthattickleseaboutthevangerfailyisthatyouallhavesuchlowopinionsofeachother.”

    “that’snotreallytrue.i’veryfondofmartinandhenrik.andialwaysgotonwellwithysister,forallthatweseldoseeeachother.idetestisabellaandcan’tabidealexander.andineverspeaktoyfather.sothat’saboutfifty-fiftyinthefaily.birgeris…well,oreofapopousfatheadthanabadperson.butiseewhatyouean.lookatitthisway:ifyou’reaeberofthevangerfaily,youlearnearlyontospeakyourind.wedosaywhatwethink.”

    “ohyes,i’venoticedthatyouallgetstraighttothepoint.”blokviststretchedouthishandtotouchherbreast.“iwasn’therefifteeninutesbeforeyouattackede.”

    “tobehonest,i’vebeenwonderinghowyouwouldbeinbedeversinceifirstsawyou.anditfeltrighttotryitout.”

    forthefirsttieinherlifesalanderfeltastrongneedtoasksoeoneforadvice.theproblewasthataskingforadviceeantthatshewouldhavetoconfideinsoeone,whichinturnwouldeanrevealinghersecrets.whoshouldshetell？shewassiplynotverygoodatestablishingcontactwithotherpeople.

    aftergoingthroughheraddressinherind,shehad,strictlyspeaking,tenpeoplewhoightbeconsideredhercircleofacquaintances.

    shecouldtalktoplague,whowasoreorlessasteadypresenceinherlife.buthewasdefinitelynotafriend,andhewasthelastpersononearthwhowouldbeabletohelpsolveherproble.notanoption.

    salander’ssexlifewasn’tquiteasodestasshehadledadvokatbjurantobelieve.ontheotherhand,sexhadalwaysourredonherconditionsandatherinitiative.shehadhadoverfiftypartnerssincetheageoffifteen.thattranslatedintoapproxiatelyfivepartnersperyear,whichwasokforasinglegirlwhohadetoregardsexasanenjoyablepastie.butshehadhadostofthesecasualpartnersduringatwo-yearperiod.thosewerethetuultuousyearsinherlateteenswhensheshouldhaveeofage.

    therewasatiewhensalanderhadstoodatacrossroadsanddidnotreallyhavecontroloverherownlife—whenherfuturecouldhavetakentheforofanotherseriesofcaseentriesaboutdrugs,alcohol,andcustodyinvariousinstitutions.aftersheturnedtwentyandstartedworkingatmiltonsecurity,shehadcaleddownappreciablyand—shethought—hadgotagriponherlife.

    shenolongerfelttheneedtopleaseanyonewhoboughtherthreebeersinapub,andshedidnotexperiencetheslightestdegreeofself-fulfilentbygoinghoewithsoedrunkwhosenaeshecouldnotreeber.duringthepastyearshehadhadonlyoneregularsexpartner—hardlyproiscuous,ashercaseentriesduringherlateteenshaddesignatedher.

    forher,sexhadostoftenbeenwithoneofaloosegroupoffriends；shewasnotreallyaeber,butshewasaeptedbecausesheknewcillanorén.sheetcillainherlateteenswhen,atpalgren’sinsistence,shewastryingtogettheschoolcertificateshehadfailedtopleteatkovux.cillahadplu-redhairstreakedwithblack,blackleathertrousers,aringinhernose,andasanyrivetsonherbeltassalander.theyhadglaredsuspiciouslyateachotherduringthefirstclass.

    forsoereasonsalanderdidnotunderstand,theyhadstartedhangingouttogether.salanderwasnottheeasiestpersontobefriendswith,andespeciallynotduringthoseyears,butcillaignoredhersilencesandtookheralongtothebar.throughcilla,shehadbeeaeberof“evilfingers,”whichhadstartedasasuburbanbandconsistingoffourteenagegirlsinenskedewhowereintohardrock.tenyearslater,theywereagroupoffriendswhoetatkvarnenontuesdaynightstotalktrashaboutboysanddiscussfeinis,thepentagra,usic,andpoliticswhiletheydranklargequantitiesofbeer.theyalsoliveduptotheirnae.

    salanderfoundherselfonthefringeofthegroupandrarelycontributedtothetalk,butshewasaeptedforwhoshewas.shecouldeandgoasshepleasedandwasallowedtositinsilenceoverherbeerallevening.shewasalsoinvitedtobirthdaypartiesandchristasgl？ggcelebrations,thoughsheusuallydidn’tgo.

    duringthefiveyearsshehungoutwith“evilfingers,”thegirlsbegantochange.theirhaircolourbecaelessextree,andtheclothingcaeoreoftenfrotheh＆ap；mboutiquesratherthanfrofunkymyrorna.theystudiedorworked,andoneofthegirlsbecaeaother.salanderfeltasifsheweretheonlyonewhohadnotchangedabit,whichcouldalsobeinterpretedasthatshewassiplyarkingtieandgoingnowhere.

    buttheystillhadfun.iftherewasoneplacewhereshefeltanysortofgroupsolidarity,itwasinthepanyofthe“evilfingers”and,byextension,withtheguyswhowerefriendswiththegirls.

    “evilfingers”wouldlisten.theywouldalsostandupforher.buttheyhadnocluethatsalanderhadadistrictcourtorderdeclaringhernonposentis.shedidn’twantthetobeeyeingherthewrongway,too.notanoption.

    apartfrothat,shedidnothaveasingleex-classateinheraddress.shehadnoworkorsupportgrouporpoliticalcontactsofanykind.sowhocouldsheturntoandtellaboutherprobles？

    thereightbeoneperson.shedeliberatedforalongtieaboutwhethersheshouldconfideindraganaransky.hehadtoldherthatifsheneededhelpwithanything,sheshouldnothesitatetoetohi.andshewassurethatheeantit.

    aranskyhadgropedheroietoo,butithadbeenafriendlygroping,noillintentions,andnotadeonstrationofpower.buttoaskhiforhelpwentagainstthegrain.hewasherboss,anditwouldputherinhisdebt.salandertoyedwiththeideaofhowherlifewouldtakeshapeifaranskywereherguardianinsteadofbjuran.shesiled.theideawasnotunpleasant,butaranskyighttaketheassignentsoseriouslythathewouldsotherherwithattention.thatwas…well,possiblyanoption.

    eventhoughshewaswellawareofwhatawoen’scrisiscentrewasfor,itneverourredtohertoturntooneherself.crisiscentresexisted,inhereyes,forvictis,andshehadneverregardedherselfasavicti.consequently,heronlyreainingoptionwastodowhatshehadalwaysdone—takeattersinherownhandsandsolveherproblesonherown.thatwasdefinitelyanoption.

    anditdidnotbodewellforherradvokatnilsbjuran.

    chapter13

    thursday,february20–friday,march7

    duringthelastweekoffebruarysalanderactedasherownclient,withbjuran,n.,born1950,asahigh-priorityspecialproject.sheworkedalostsixteenhourseverydaydoingaorethoroughpersonalinvestigationthanshehadeverdonebefore.sheadeuseofallthearchivesandpublicdocuentsshecouldlayherhandson.sheinvestigatedhiscircleofrelativesandfriends.shelookedathisfinancesandappedouteverydetailofhisupbringingandcareer.

    theresultswerediscouraging.

    hewasalawyer,eberofthebarassociation,andauthorofarespectablylong-windedbutexceptionallytediousdissertationonfinancelaw.hisreputationwasspotless.advokatbjuranhadneverbeencensured.ononlyoneoasionwashereportedtothebarassociation—hewasausednearlytenyearsagoofbeingtheiddleaninanunder-the-tablepropertydeal,buthehadbeenabletoprovehisinnocence.hisfinanceswereingoodorder；bjuranwaswell-to-do,withatleast10illionkronorinassets.hepaidoretaxesthanheowed,wasaeberofgreenpeaceandanestyinternational,andhedonatedoneytotheheartandlungassociation.hehadrarelyappearedintheassedia,althoughonseveraloasionshehadsignedhisnaetopublicappeal

    9

    sforpoliticalprisonersinthethirdworld.helivedinafive-rooapartentonupplandsgatannearodenplan,andhewasthesecretaryofhisco-opapartentassociation.hewasdivorcedandhadnochildren.

    salanderfocusedonhisex-wife,whosenaewaselena.shewasborninpolandbuthadlivedallherlifeinsweden.sheworkedatarehabilitationcentreandwasapparentlyhappilyrearriedtooneofbjuran’sforercolleagues.nothingusefulthere.thebjuranarriagehadlastedfourteenyears,andthedivorcewentthroughwithoutdisputes.

    advokatbjuranregularlyactedasasupervisorforyouthswhogotintotroublewiththelaw.hehadbeentrusteeforfouryouthsbeforehebecaesalander’sguardian.allofthesecasesinvolvedinors,andtheassignentscaetoanendwithacourtdecisionwhentheycaeofage.oneoftheseclientsstillconsultedbjuraninhisroleasadvokat,sotheredidnotseetobeanyaniositythereeither.ifbjuranhadbeensysteaticallyexploitinghiswards,therewasnosignofit,andnoatterhowdeeplysalanderprobed,shecouldfindnotraceofwrongdoing.allfourhadestablishedlivesfortheselveswithaboyfriendorgirlfriend；theyallhadjobs,placestolive,andco-opdebitcards.

    shecalledeachofthefourclients,introducingherselfasasocialwelfaresecretaryworkingonastudyabouthowchildrenhithertounderthecareofatrusteefaredlaterinlifeparedtootherchildren.yes,naturally,everyonewillbeanonyous.shehadputtogetheraquestionnairewithtenquestions,whichsheaskedonthetelephone.severalofthequestionsweredesignedtogettherespondentstogivetheirviewsonhoellthetrusteeshiphadfunctioned—iftheyhadanyopinionsabouttheirowntrustee,advokatbjuranwasn’tit？no-onehadanythingbadtosayabouthi.

    whensalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocuentsinabagfroicaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehall.bjuranwasapparentlybeyondreproach.therewasnothinginhispastthatshecoulduse.sheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepandapig,butshecouldfindnothingtoproveit.

    itwastietoconsideranotheroption.afteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityreainedthatstartedtolookoreandoreattractive—oratleastseeedtobeatrulyrealisticalternative.theeasiestthingwouldbeforbjuransiplytodisappearfroherlife.aquickheartattack.endofproble.thecatchwasthatnotevendisgustingfifty-three-year-oldenhadheartattacksatherbeckandcall.

    butthatsortofthingcouldbearranged.

    blokvistcarriedonhisaffairwithheadistressceciliavangerwiththegreatestdiscretion.shehadthreerules:shedidn’twantanyooknowtheywereeeting；shewantedhitoeoveronlywhenshecalledandwasintheood；andshedidn’twanthitostayallnight.

    herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhi.whenheranintoheratsusanne’s,shewasfriendlybutcoolanddistant.whentheyetinherbedroo,shewaswildlypassionate.

    blokvistdidnotwanttopryintoherpersonallife,buthehadbeenhiredtopryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevangerfaily.hefelttornandatthesaetiecurious.onedayheaskedvangerwhoshehadbeenarriedtoandwhathadhappened.heaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscussingthebackgroundofalexanderandbirger.

    “cecilia？idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithharriet.”

    “telleaboutherbackground.”

    “sheovedbackhereaftergraduatingandstartedworkingasateacher.sheetaanbythenaeofjerrykarlsson,whounfortunatelyworkedforthevangercorporation.theyarried.ithoughtthearriagewasahappyone—anywayinthebeginning.butafteracoupleofyearsibegantoseethatthingswerenotastheyshouldbe.heistreatedher.itwastheusualstory—hebeatherandsheloyallydefendedhi.finallyhehitheroietooany.shewasseriouslyhurtandendedupinthehospital.iofferedyhelp.sheovedoutheretohedebyislandandhasrefusedtoseeherhusbandsince.iadesurehewasfired.”

    “buttheyarestillarried？”

    “it’saquestionofhowyoudefineit.idon’tknohyshehasn’tfiledfordivorce.butshehasneverwantedtorearry,soisupposeithasn’tadeanydifference.”

    “thiskarlsson,didhehaveanythingtodowith…”

    “…withharriet？no,hewasn’tinhedestadin1966,andhewasn’tyetworkingforthefir.”

    “ok.”

    “mikael,i’fondofcecilia.shecanbetrickytodealwith,butshe’soneofthegoodpeopleinyfaily.”

    salanderdevotedaweektoplanningnilsbjuran’sdeise.sheconsidered—andrejected—variousethodsuntilshehadnarroweditdowntoafewrealisticscenariosfrowhichtochoose.noactingonipulse.

    onlyoneconditionhadtobefulfilled.bjuranhadtodieinsuchawaythatsheherselfcouldneverbelinkedtothecrie.thefactthatshewouldbeincludedinanyeventualpoliceinvestigationshetookforgranted；soonerorlaterhernaewouldshowupwhenbjuran’sresponsibilitieswereexained.butshewasonlyonepersoninawholeuniverseofpresentandforerclients,shehadethionlyfourties,andtherewouldnotbeanyindicationthathisdeathevenhadaconnectionwithanyofhisclients.therewereforergirlfriends,relatives,casualacquaintances,colleagues,andothers.therewasalsowhatwasusuallydefinedas“randoviolence,”whentheperpetratorandvictididnotknoweachother.

    ifhernaecaeup,shewouldbeahelpless,inpetentgirlwithdocuentsshowinghertobeentallydeficient.soitwouldbeanadvantageifbjuran’sdeathourredinsuchaplicatedannerthatitwouldbehighlyunlikelythataentallyhandicappedgirlcouldbetheperpetrator.

    sherejectedtheoptionofusingagun.acquiringagunwouldbenogreatproble,butthepolicewereawfullygoodattrackingdownfirears.

    sheconsideredaknife,whichcouldbepurchasedatanyhardwarestore,butdecidedagainstthattoo.evenifsheturnedupwithoutwarninganddrovetheknifeintohisback,therewasnoguaranteethathewoulddieinstantlyandwithoutakingasound,orthathewoulddieatall.worse,itightprovokeastruggle,whichcouldattractattention,andbloodcouldstainherclothes,beevidenceagainsther.

    shethoughtaboutusingabobofsoesort,butitwouldbeuchtooplicated.buildingthebobitselfwouldnotbeaproble—theinterwasfullofanualsonhowtoakethedeadliestdevices.itwouldbedifficult,ontheotherhand,tofindaplacetoputthebobsothatinnocentpassersbywouldnotbehurt.besides,therewasagainnoguaranteethathewouldactuallydie.

    thetelephonerang.

    “hi,lisbeth.dragan.i’vegotajobforyou.”

    “idon’thavetie.”

    “thisisiportant.”

    “i’busy.”

    sheputdownthereceiver.

    finallyshesettledonpoison.thechoicesurprisedher,butoncloserconsiderationitwasperfect.

    salanderspentseveraldaysbingtheinter.th