bergerhaddesignedeverything,puttinginglasspartitionstoakeseparatequartersforthreeoftheeployeesandanopenplanfortheothers.shehadtakenthelargestrooattheverybackforherself,andgivenblokvisthisownrooattheoppositeend.itwastheonlyroothatyoucouldlookintofrotheentry.no-onehadovedintoit,itseeed.

    thethirdroowasslightlyapartfrotheothers,anditwasoupiedbysonnymagnusson,whohadbeenforseveralyearsmillenniu’sostsuessfuladvertisingsalesan.bergerhadhandpickedhi；sheofferedhiaodestsalaryandaission.overthepastyear,ithadnotadeanydifferencehowenergetichewasasasalesan,theiradvertisinginehadtakenabeatingandmagnusson’sinewithit.butinsteadoflookingelsewhere,hehadtightenedhisbeltandloyallystayedput.unlikee,whocausedthewholelandslide,blokvistthought.

    hegatheredhiscourageandwalkedintotheoffice.itwasalostdeserted.hecouldseebergeratherdesk,telephonepressedtoherear.monikanilssonwasatherdesk,anexperiencedgeneralreporterspecialisinginpoliticalcoverage；shecouldbetheostjadedcynichehadeveret.she’dbeenatmillenniufornineyearsandwasthriving.henrycortezwastheyoungesteployeeontheeditorialstaff.hehadeasaninternstraightoutofjmktwoyearsago,sayingthathewantedtoworkatmillenniuandnowhereelse.bergerhadnobudgettohirehi,butsheofferedhiadeskinacornerandsoontookhionasaperanentdogsbody,andanonasastaffreporter.

    bothutteredcriesofdelight.hereceivedkissesonthecheekandpatsontheback.atoncetheyaskedhiifhewasreturningtowork.no,hehadjuststoppedbytosayhelloandhaveawordwiththeboss.

    bergerwasgladtoseehi.sheaskedaboutvanger’scondition.blokvistknewnoorethanwhatfrodecouldtellhi:hisconditionwasinescapablyserious.

    “sowhatareyoudoinginthecity？”

    blokvistwasebarrassed.hehadbeenatmiltonsecurity,onlyafewstreetsaway,andhehaddecidedonsheeripulsetoein.itseeedtooplicatedtoexplainthathehadbeentheretohirearesearchassistantwhowasasecurityconsultantwhohadhackedintohisputer.insteadheshruggedandsaidhehadetostockholonvanger-relatedbusiness,andhewouldhavetogobacknorthatonce.heaskedhowthingsweregoingattheagazine.

    “apartfrothegoodnewsontheadvertisingandthesubscriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon.”

    “whichis？”

    “jannedahlan.”

    “ofcourse.”

    “ihadatalkwithhiinapril,afterwereleasedthenewsthathenrikhadbeeapartner.idon’tknowifit’sjustjanne’snaturetobenegativeorifthere’ssoethingoreseriousgoingon,ifhe’splayingsoesortofgae.”

    “whathappened？”

    “it’snothingicanputafingeron,ratherthatinolongertrusthi.afterwesignedtheagreeentwithvanger,christerandihadtodecidewhethertorthewholestaffthatwewerenolongeratriskofgoingunderthisautun,or…”

    “ortotelljustachosenfew.”

    “exactly.iaybeparanoid,butididn’twanttoriskhavingdahlanleakthestory.sowedecidedtorthewholestaffonthesaedaytheagreeentwasadepublic.whicheantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveraonth.”

    “and？”

    “well,thatwasthefirstpieceofgoodnewsthey’dhadinayear.everyonecheeredexceptfordahlan.iean—wedon’thavetheworld’sbiggesteditorialstaff.therewerethreepeoplecheering,plustheintern,andonepersonwhogothisnoseoutofjointbecausewehadn’ttoldeverybodyearlier.”

    “hehadapoint…”

    “iknow.butthethingis,hekeptonbitchingabouttheissuedayafterday,andoraleintheofficewasaffected.aftertwoweeksofthisshiticalledhiintoyofficeandtoldhitohisfacethatyreasonfornothavingredthestaffearlierwasthatididn’ttrusthitokeepthenewssecret.”

    “howdidhetakeit？”

    “hewasterriblyupset,ofcourse.istoodygroundandgavehianultiatu—eitherhehadtopullhiselftogetherorstartlookingforanotherjob.”

    “and？”

    “hepulledhiselftogether.buthekeepstohiself,andthere’satensionbetweenhiandtheothers.christercan’tstandhi,andhedoesn’thideit.”

    “whatdoyoususpectdahlanofdoing？”

    “idon’tknow.wehiredhiayearago,whenwewerefirsttalkingabouttroublewithwennerstr？.ican’tproveathing,butihaveanastyfeelingthathe’snotworkingforus.”

    “trustyourinstincts.”

    “maybehe’sjustasquarepeginaroundholewhojusthappenstobepoisoningtheatosphere.”

    “it’spossible.butiagreethatweadeaistakewhenwehiredhi.”

    halfanhourlaterhewasonhiswaynorthacrossthelocksatslusseninthecarhehadborrowedfrofrode’swife.itwasaten-year-oldvolvosheneverused.blokvisthadbeengivenleavetoborrowitwheneverheliked.

    itwasthetinydetailsthathecouldeasilyhaveissedifhehadnotbeenalert:soepapersnotasevenlystackedashereebered；abindernotquiteflushontheshelf；hisdeskdrawerclosedalltheway—hewaspositivethatitwasaninchopenwhenheleft.

    soeonehadbeeninsidehiscottage.

    hehadlockedthedoor,butitwasanordinaryoldlockthatalostanyonecouldpickwithascrewdriver,andwhoknewhowanykeyswereincirculation.hesysteaticallysearchedhisoffice,lookingforwhatightbeissing.afterawhilehedecidedthateverythingwasstillthere.

    neverthelesssoeonehadbeeninthecottageandgohroughhispapersandbinders.hehadtakenhisputerwithhi,sotheyhadnotbeenabletoaessthat.twoquestionsarose:whowasit？andhowuchhadhisvisitorbeenabletofindout？

    thebindersbelongedtothepartofvanger’scollectionthathebroughtbacktotheguesthouseafterreturningfroprison.therewasnothingofthenewaterialinthe.hisnotesinthedeskwouldreadlikecodetotheuninitiated—butwasthepersonwhohadsearchedhisdeskuninitiated？

    inaplasticfolderontheiddleofthedeskhehadputacopyofthedatelistandacopyoftheverses.thatwasserious.itwouldtellwhoeveritwasthatthedatecodewascracked.

    sowhowasit？

    vangerwasinthehospital.hedidnotsuspectanna.frode？hehadalreadytoldhiallthedetails.ceciliavangerhadcancelledhertriptofloridaandwasbackfrolondon—alongwithhersister.blokvisthadonlyseenheronce,drivinghercaracrossthebridgethedaybefore.martinvanger.haraldvanger.birgervanger—hehadturnedupforafailygatheringtowhichblokvisthadnotbeeninvitedonthedayaftervanger’sheartattack.alexandervanger.isabellavanger.

    whohadfrodetalkedto？whatighthehaveletslipthistie？howanyoftheanxiousrelativeshadpickeduponthefactthatblokvisthadadeabreakthroughinhisinvestigation？

    itwasafter8:00.hecalledthelocksithinhedestadandorderedanewlock.thelocksithsaidthathecouldeoutthefollowingday.blokvistsaidhewouldpaydoubleifhecaeatonce.theyagreedthathewouldeataround10:30thatnightandinstallanewdeadboltlock.

    blokvistdrovetofrode’shouse.hiswifeshowedhiintothegardenbehindthehouseandofferedhiacoldpilsner,whichhegratefullyaepted.heaskedhowhenrikvangerwas.

    frodeshookhishead.

    “theyoperatedonhi.hehadblockagesinhiscoronaryarteries.thedoctorssaythatthenextfewdaysarecritical.”

    theythoughtaboutthisforawhileastheydranktheirpilsners.

    “youhaven’ttalkedtohi,isuppose？”

    “no.he’snotwellenoughtotalk.howdiditgoinstockhol？”

    “thesalandergirlaeptedthejob.here’sthecontractfromiltonsecurity.youhavetosignitandputitinthepost.”

    frodereadthroughthedocuent.

    “she’sexpensive,”hesaid.

    “henrikcanaffordit.”

    frodenodded.hetookapenoutofhisbreastpocketandscrawledhisnae.

    “it’sagoodthingthati’signingitwhilehe’sstillalive.couldyouputitintheletterboxatkonsuonyourwayhoe？”

    blokvistwasinbedbyidnight,buthecouldnotsleep.untilnowhisworkonhedebyislandhadseeedlikeresearchonahistoricalcuriosity.butifsoeonewassufficientlyinterestedinwhathewasdoingtobreakintohisoffice,thenthesolutionhadtobeclosertothepresentthanhehadthought.

    thenitourredtohithattherewereotherswhoightbeinterestedinwhathewasworkingon.vanger’ssuddenappearanceontheboardofmillenniuhadnotgoneunnoticedbywennerstr？.orwasthisparanoia？

    mikaelgotoutofbedandwenttostandnakedatthekitchenwindow,gazingatthechurchontheothersideofthebridge.helitacigarette.

    hecouldn’tfigureoutlisbethsalander.shewasaltogetherodd.longpausesintheiddleoftheconversation.herapartentwasessy,borderingonchaotic.bagsfilledwithnewspapersinthehall.akitchenthathadnotbeencleanedortidiedinyears.clotheswerescatteredinheapsonthefloor.shehadobviouslyspenthalfthenightinabar.shehadlovebitesonherneckandshehadclearlyhadpanyovernight.shehadheavenknowshowanytattoosandtwopiercingsonherfaceandaybeinotherplaces.shewasweird.

    aranskyassuredhithatshewastheirverybestresearcher,andherreportonhiwasexcruciatinglythorough.astrangegirl.

    salanderwassittingatherpower,butshewasthinkingaboutmikaelblokvist.shehadneverinheradultlifeallowedanyoocrossherthresholdwithoutanexpressinvitation,andshecouldcountthoseshehadinvitedononehand.blokvisthadnonchalantlybargedintoherlife,andshehadutteredonlyafewlaeprotests.

    notonlythat,hehadteasedher.

    undernoralcircustancesthatsortofbehaviourwouldhaveadeherentallycockapistol.butshehadnotfeltaniotaofthreatoranysortofhostilityfrohisside.hehadgoodreasontoreadhertheriotact,evenreporthertothepolice.insteadhehadtreatedevenherhackingintohisputerasajoke.

    thathadbeentheostsensitivepartoftheirconversation.blokvistseeedtobedeliberatelynotbroachingthesubject,andfinallyshecouldnothelpaskingthequestion.

    “yousaidthatyouknehatidid.”

    “you’vebeeninsideyputer.you’reahacker.”

    “howdoyouknowthat？”salanderwasabsolutelypositivethatshehadleftnotracesandthathertrespassingcouldnotbediscoveredbyanyoneunlessatopsecurityconsultantsatdownandscannedtheharddriveatthesaetieasshewasaessingtheputer.

    “youadeaistake.”

    shehadquotedfroatextthatwasonlyonhisputer.

    salandersatinsilence.finallyshelookedupathi,hereyesexpressionless.

    “howdidyoudoit？”heasked.

    “mysecret.whatareyouthinkingofdoingaboutit？”

    mikaelshrugged.

    “whatcanido？”

    “it’sexactlywhatyoudoasajournalist.”

    “ofcourse.andthat’swhywejournalistshaveahicsitteethatkeepstrackoftheoralissues.wheniwriteanarticleaboutsoebastardinthebankingindustry,ileaveout,forinstance,hisorherprivatelife.idon’tsaythataferisalesbianorgetsturnedonbyhavingsexwithherdogoranythinglikethat,evenifithappenstobetrue.bastardstoohavearighttotheirprivatelives.doesthatakesense？”

    “yes.”

    “soyouencroachedonyintegrity.myeployerdoesn’tneedtoknohoihavesexwith.that’sybusiness.”

    salander’sfacewascreasedbyacrookedsile.

    “youthinkishouldn’thaveentionedthat？”

    “inycaseitdidn’takealotofdifference.halfthecityknowsaboutyrelationshipwitherika.butit’saatterofprinciple.”

    “inthatcase,itightauseyoutoknowthatialsohaveprinciplesparabletoyourethicsittee’s.icallthesalander’sprinciples.oneoftheisthatabastardisalwaysabastard,andificanhurtabastardbydiggingupshitabouthi,thenhedeservesit.”

    “ok,”blokvistsaid.“myreasoningisn’ttoodifferentfroyours,but…”

    “butthethingisthatwhenidoapi,ialsolookatwhatithinkabouttheperson.i’notneutral.ifthepersonseeslikeagoodsort,iighttonedownyreport.”

    “really？”

    “inyourcaseitoneditdown.icouldhavewrittenaaboutyoursexlife.icouldhaveentionedtofrodethaterikabergerhasapastinclubxtreeandplayedaroundwithbdsmintheeighties—whichwouldhaveproptedcertainunavoidablenotionsaboutyoursexlifeandhers.”

    blokvistetsalander’sgaze.afteraoenthelaughed.

    “you’rereallyeticulous,aren’tyou？whydidn’tyouputitinthereport？”

    “youareadultswhoobviouslylikeeachother.whatyoudoinbedisnobody’sbusiness,andtheonlythingiwouldhaveachievedbytalkingaboutherwastohurtbothofyou,ortoprovidesoeonewithblackailaterial.idon’tknowfrode—therationcouldhaveendedupwithwennerstr？.”

    “andyoudon’twanttoprovidewennerstr？withration？”

    “ifihadtochoosebetweenyouandhi,i’dprobablyendupinyourcourt.”

    “erikaandihavea…ourrelationshipis…”

    “please,ireallydon’tgiveatossaboutwhatsortofrelationshipyouhave.butyouhaven’tansweredyquestion:whatdoyouplantodoaboutyhackingintoyourputer？”

    “lisbeth,i’notheretoblackailyou.i’heretoaskyoutohelpedosoeresearch.youcansayyesorno.ifyousayno,fine,i’llfindsoeoneelseandyou’llneverhearfroeagain.”

    chapter19

    thursday,june19–sunday,june29

    whilehewaitedforwordonwhethervangerwasgoingtopullthroughornot,blokvistspentthedaysgoingoverhisaterials.hekeptinclosetouchwithfrode.onthursdayeveningfrodebroughthithenewsthattheiediatecrisisseeedtobeover.

    “iwasabletotalktohiforawhiletoday.hewantstoseeyouassoonaspossible.”

    soitwasthat,around1:00ontheafternoonofmidsuereve,blokvistdrovetohedestadhospitalandwentinsearchoftheward.heencounteredanangrybirgervanger,whoblockedhisway.henrikcouldnotpossiblyreceivevisitors,hesaid.

    “that’sodd,”blokvistsaid,“henriksentwordsayingthatheexpresslywantedtoseeetoday.”

    “you’renotaeberofthefaily；youhavenobusinesshere.”

    “you’reright.i’notaeberofthefaily.buti’workingforhenrikvanger,anditakeordersonlyfrohi.”

    thisighthaveledtoaheatedexchangeiffrodehadnotatthatoenteoutofvanger’sroo.

    “oh,thereyouare.henrikhasbeenaskingafteryou.”

    frodeheldopenthedoorandblokvistwalkedpastbirgerintotheroo.

    vangerlookedtohaveagedtenyears.hewaslyingwithhiseyeshalfclosed,anoxygentubeinhisnose,andhishairoredishevelledthanever.anursestoppedblokvist,puttingahandfirlyonhisar.

    “twoinutes.noore.anddon’tupsethi.”blokvistsatonavisitor’schairsothathecouldseevanger’sface.hefeltatendernessthatastonishedhi,andhestretchedouthishandtogentlysqueezetheoldan’shand.

    “anynews？”thevoicewasweak.

    blokvistnodded.

    “i’llgiveyouareportassoonasyou’rebetter.ihaven’tsolvedtheysteryyet,buti’vefoundorenewstuffandi’followingupanuberofleads.inaweek,perhapstwo,i’llbeabletotelltheresults.”

    theostvangercouldanagewastoblink,indicatingthatheunderstood.

    “ihavetobeawayforafewdays.”

    henrikraisedhiseyebrows.

    “i’notjupingship.ihavesoeresearchtodo.i’vereachedanagreeentwithdirchthatishouldreporttohi.isthatokwithyou？”

    “dirchis…yan…inallatters.”

    blokvistsqueezedvanger’shandagain.

    “mikael…ifidon’t…iwantyouto…finishthejob.”

    “iwillfinishthejob.”

    “dirchhas…full…”

    “henrik,iwantyoutogetbetter.i’dbefuriouswithyouifyouwentanddiedafteri’veadesuchprogress.”

    “twoinutes,”thenursesaid.

    “nexttiewe’llhavealongtalk.”

    birgervangerwaswaitingforhiwhenhecaeout.hestoppedhibylayingahandonhisshoulder.

    “idon’twantyoubotheringhenrikanyore.he’sveryill,andhe’snotsupposedtobeupsetordisturbed.”

    “iunderstandyourconcern,andisypathise.andi’notgoingtoupsethi.”

    “everyoneknowsthathenrikhiredyoutopokearoundinhislittlehobby…harriet.dirchsaidthathenrikbecaeveryupsetafteraconversationyouhadwithhibeforehehadtheheartattack.heevensaidthatyouthoughtyouhadcausedtheattack.”

    “idon’tthinksoanyore.henrikhadsevereblockagesinhisarteries.hecouldhavehadaheartattackjustbyhavingapee.i’sureyouknowthatbynow.”

    “iwantfulldisclosureintothislunacy.thisisyfailyyou’reuckingaroundin.”

    “itoldyou,iworkforhenrik,notforthefaily.”

    birgervangerwasapparentlynotusedtohavinganyonestanduptohi.foraoenthestaredatblokvistwithanexpressionthatwaspresuablyeanttoinst