shefoundoresubstantialrationinthearticle“thelovisacaseshookthewholecountryside,”whichwaspublishedintheagazinev？rlandskultur.alloftheagazine’stextshadbeenloadedontothe.writtenwithobviousgleeandinachattyandtitillatingtone,thearticledescribedhowlovisasj？berg’shusband,theluberjackholgersj？berg,hadfoundhiswifedeadwhenhecaehoefroworkaround5:00.shehadbeensubjectedtogrosssexualassault,stabbed,andfinallyurderedwiththeprongsofapitchfork.theurderourredinthefailybarn,butwhatarousedtheostattentionwasthefactthattheperpetrator,afterittingtheurder,hadtiedherupinakneelingpositioninsideahorsestall.

    itwaslaterdiscoveredthatoneoftheanialsonthefar,acow,hadsufferedastabwoundonthesideofitsneck.

    initiallythehusbandwassuspectedoftheurder,buthehadbeeninthepanyofhisworkcolleaguesfro6:00intheorningataclearingtwenty-fiveilesfrohishoe.itcouldbeverifiedthatlovisasj？berghadbeenaliveaslateas10:00intheorning,whenshehadavisitfroawoanfriend.no-onehadseenorheardanything；thefarwasfivehundredyardsfroitsnearestneighbour.

    afterdroppingthehusbandasasuspect,thepoliceinvestigationfocusedonthevicti’stwenty-three-year-oldnephew.hehadrepeatedlyfallenfoulofthelaw,wasextreelyshortofcash,andanytieshadborrowedsallsusfrohisaunt.thenephew’salibiwassignificantlyweaker,andhewastakenintocustodyforawhile,butreleasedforlackofevidence.evenso,anypeopleinthevillagethoughtithighlyprobablethathewasguilty.

    thepolicefollowedanotherlead.apartoftheinvestigationconcernedthesearchforapedlarwhowasseeninthearea；therewasalsoaruourthatagroupof“thievinggypsies”hadcarriedoutaseriesofraids.whytheyshouldhaveittedasavage,sexuallyrelatedurderwithoutstealinganythingwasneverexplained.

    foratiesuspicionwasdirectedataneighbourinthevillage,abachelorwhoinhisyouthwassuspectedofanallegedlyhoosexualcrie—thiswasbackwhenhoosexualitywasstillapunishableoffence—andaordingtoseveralstateents,hehadareputationforbeing“odd.”whysoeonewhowassupposedlyhoosexualwoulditasexcrieagainstawoanwasnotexplainedeither.noneoftheseleads,oranyothers,ledtoacharge.

    salanderthoughttherewasaclearlinktothelistinharrietvanger’sdate.leviticus20:16said:“ifawoanapproachesanybeastandlieswithit,youshallkillthewoanandthebeast；theyshallbeputtodeath,theirbloodisuponthe.”itcouldn’tbeacoincidencethatafarer’swifebythenaeofmagdahadbeenfoundurderedinabarn,withherbodysoarrangedandtiedupinahorsestall.

    thequestionwaswhyhadharrietvangerwrittendownthenaemagdainsteadoflovisa,whichwasapparentlythenaethevictiwentunder.ifherfullnaehadnotbeenprintedinthetvlisting,salanderwouldhaveissedit.

    and,ofcourse,theoreiportantquestionwas:wastherealinkbetweenrebecka’surderin1949,theurderofmagdalovisain1960,andharrietvanger’sdisappearancein1966？

    onsaturdayorningburantookblokvistonanextensivetourofnorsj？.intheorningtheycalledonfiveforereployeeswholivedwithinwalkingdistanceofburan’shouse.everyoneofferedthecoffee.allofthestudiedthephotographsandshooktheirheads.

    afterasiplelunchattheburanhoe,theygotinthecarforadrive.theyvisitedfourvillagesnearnorsj？,whereforereployeesofthecarpentryshoplived.ateachstopburanwasgreetedwithwarth,butno-onewasabletohelpthe.blokvistwasbeginningtodespair.

    at4:00intheafternoon,buranparkedhiscaroutsideatypicalredv？sterbottenfarnearnorsj？vallen,justnorthofnorsj？,andintroducedmikaeltohenningforsan,aretiredastercarpenter.

    “yes,that’sassarbr？nnlund’slad,”forsansaidassoonasblokvistshowedhithephotographs.bingo.

    “oh,sothat’sassar’sboy,”buransaid.“assarwasabuyer.”

    “howcanifindhi？”

    “thelad？well,you’llhavetodig.hisnaewasgunnar,andheworkedatthebolidenine.hediedinablastingaidentintheid-seventies.”

    blokvist’sheartsank.

    “buthiswifeisstillalive.theoneinthepicturehere.hernaeismildred,andshelivesinbjursele.”

    “bjursele？”

    “it’saboutsixilesdowntheroadtobastutr？sk.shelivesinthelongredhouseontheright-handsideasyou’reingintothevillage.it’sthethirdhouse.iknowthefailywell.”

    “hi,ynaeislisbethsalander,andi’writingythesisonthecriinologyofviolenceagainstwoeninthetwentiethcentury.i’dliketovisitthepolicedistrictinlandskronaandreadthroughthedocuentsofacasefro1957.ithastodowiththeurderofawoanbythenaeofrakellunde.doyouhaveanyideawherethosedocuentsaretoday？”

    bjurselewaslikeaposterforthev？sterbottencountryvillage.itconsistedofabouttwentyhousessetrelativelyclosetogetherinaseicircleatoneendofalake.inthecentreofthevillagewasacrossroadswithanarrowpointingtowardsheingen,101/2iles,andanotherpointingtowardsbastutr？sk,7iles.nearthecrossroadswasasallbridgewithacreekthatblokvistassuedwasthewater,thesel.attheheightofsuer,itwasasprettyasapostcard.

    heparkedinthecourtyardinfrontofakonsuthatwasnolongeropen,alostoppositethethirdhouseontheright-handside.whenheknockedonthedoor,no-oneanswered.

    hetookanhour-longwalkalongtheroadtowardsheingen.hepassedaspotwherethestreabecaerushingrapids.heettwocatsandsawadeer,butnotasingleperson,beforeheturnedaround.mildredbr？nnlund’sdoorwasstillshut.

    onapostnearthebridgehefoundapeelingflyerannouncingthebt,soethingthatcouldbedecipheredasthebjurseletuktingcarchapionship2002.“tukting”acarwasapparentlyawintersportthatinvolvedsashingupavehicleontheice-coveredlake.

    hewaiteduntil10:00p..beforehegaveupanddrovebacktonorsj？,wherehehadalatedinnerandthenwenttobedtoreadthedenoueentofvalmcderid’snovel.

    itwasgrisly.

    at10:00salanderaddedoneorenaetoharrietvanger’slist.shedidsowithsoehesitation.

    shehaddiscoveredashortcut.atquiteregularintervalsarticleswerepublishedaboutunsolvedurders,andinasundaysuppleenttotheeveningnewspapershehadfoundanarticlefro1999withtheheadli

    13

    提供

    ne“manymurderersofwoengofree.”itwasashortarticle,butitincludedthenaesandphotographsofseveralnoteworthyurdervictis.therewasthesolveigcaseinnorrt？lje,theanitaurderinnorrk？ping,margaretainhelsingb,andanuberofothers.

    theoldestcasetoberecountedwasfrothesixties,andnoneoftheurdersatchedthelistthatsalanderhadbeengivenbyblokvist.butonecasedidattractherattention.

    injune1962aprostitutebythenaeofleaperssonfrog？tebhadgoouddevallatovisitherotherandhernine-year-oldson,whoherotherwastakingcareof.onasundayevening,afteravisitofseveraldays,leahadhuggedherother,saidgoodbye,andcaughtthetrainbacktog？teb.shewasfoundtwodayslaterbehindacontaineronanindustrialsitenolongerinuse.shehadbeenraped,andherbodyhadbeensubjectedtoextraordinaryviolence.

    theleaurderarousedagreatdealofattentionasasuerserialstoryinthenewspaper,butnokillerhadeverbeenidentified.therewasnoleaonharrietvanger’slist.nordidtheannerofherdeathfitwithanyofharriet’sbiblequotes.

    ontheotherhand,therewassuchaarrecoincidencethatsalander’santennaeinstantlybuzzed.abouttenyardsfrowherelea’sbodywasfoundlayaflowerpotwithapigeoninside.soeonehadtiedastringroundthepigeon’sneckandpulleditthroughtheholeinthebottoofthepot.thenthepotwasputonalittlefirethathadbeenlaidbetweentwobricks.therewasnocertaintythatthiscrueltyhadanyconnectionwiththeleaurder.itcouldhavebeenachildplayingahorriblegae,butthepressdubbedtheurderthepigeonmurder.

    salanderwasnobiblereader—shedidnotevenownone—butthateveningshewentovertoh？galidchurchandwithsoedifficultysheanagedtoborrowabible.shesatonaparkbenchoutsidethechurchandreadleviticus.whenshereachedchapter12,verse8,hereyebrowswentup.chapter12dealtwiththepurificationofwoenafterchildbirth.

    andifshecannotaffordalab,thensheshalltaketwoturtledovesortwoyoungpigeons,oneforaburntofferingandtheotherforasinoffering；andthepriestshallakeatoneentforher,andsheshallbeclean.

    leacouldverywellhavebeenincludedinharriet’sdateas:lea—31208.

    salanderthoughtthatnoresearchshehadeverdonebeforehadcontainedevenafractionofthescopeofthisassignent.

    mildredbr？nnlund,rearriedandnowmildredberggren,openedthedoorwhenblokvistknockedaround10:00onsundayorning.thewoanwasucholder,ofcourse,andhadbynowfilledoutagooddeal,butherecognisedheratonce.

    “hi,ynaeismikaelblokvist.youustbemildredberggren.”

    “that’sright.”

    “i’sorryforknockingonyourdoorlikethis,buti’vebeentryingtofindyou,andit’sratherplicatedtoexplain.”hesiledather.“iwonderificouldeinandtakeupasallaountofyourtie.”

    mildred’shusbandandasonwhowasaboutthirty-fivewerehoe,andwithoutuchhesitationsheinvitedblokvisttoeandsitintheirkitchen.heshookhandswitheachofthe.hehaddrunkorecoffeeduringthepasttwenty-fourhoursthanatanytieinhislife,butbynowhehadlearnedthatinnorrlanditwasrudetosayno.whenthecoffeecupswereonthetable,mildredsatdownandaskedwithsoecuriosityhowshecouldhelphi.itwasobviousthathedidnoteasilyunderstandhernorsj？dialect,sosheswitchedtostandardswedish.

    blokvisttookadeepbreath.“thisisalongandpeculiarstory,”hesaid.“insepteber1966youwereinhedestadwithyourthenhusband,gunnarbr？nnlund.”

    shelookedsurprised.hewaitedforhertonodbeforehelaidthephotographfroj？rnv？gsgatanonthetableinfrontofher.

    “whenwasthispicturetaken？doyoureebertheoasion？”

    “oh,ygoodness,”mildredberggrensaid.“thatwasalifetieago.”

    herpresenthusbandandsoncaetostandnexttohertolookatthepicture.

    “wewereonourhoneyoon.wehaddrivendowntostockholandsigtunaandwereonourwayhoeandhappenedtostopsoewhere.wasitinhedestad,yousaid？”

    “yes,hedestad.thisphotographwastakenatabout1:00intheafternoon.i’vebeentryingtofindyouforsoetienow,andithasn’tbeenasipletask.”

    “youseeanoldphotographofeandthenactuallytrackedown.ican’tiaginehowyoudidit.”

    blokvistputthephotographfrothecarparkonthetable.

    “iwasabletofindyouthankstothispicture,whichwastakenalittlelaterintheday.”heexplainedhow,viathenorsj？carpentryshop,hehadfoundburan,whointurnhadledhitohenningforsaninnorsj？vallen.

    “youusthaveagoodreasonforthislongsearch.”

    “ido.thisgirlstandingclosetoyouinthisphotographiscalledharriet.thatdayshedisappeared,andshewasneverseenorheardofagain.thegeneralassuptionisthatshefellpreytoaurderer.canishowyousoeorephotographs？”

    hetookouthisiandexplainedthecircustanceswhiletheputerbootedup.thenheplayedhertheseriesofiagesshowinghowharriet’sfacialexpressionchanged.

    “itwaswheniwentthroughtheseoldiagesthatifoundyou,standingwithacaerarightbehindharriet,andyouseetobetakingapictureinthedirectionofwhateveritisshe’slookingat,whatevercausedhertoreactinthatway.iknowthatthisisareallylongshot,butthereasoni’vebeenlookingforyouistoaskyouifbyanyiracleyoustillhavethepicturesfrothatday.”

    hewaspreparedformildredberggrentodisisstheideaandtellhithatthephotographshadlongsincevanished.insteadshelookedathiwithherclearblueeyesandsaid,asifitweretheostnaturalthingintheworld,thatofcourseshestillhadheroldhoneyoonpictures.

    shewenttoanotherrooandcaebackafterseveralinuteswithaboxinwhichshehadstoredaquantityofpicturesinvariousalbus.ittookawhiletofindthehoneyoonones.shehadtakenthreephotographsinhedestad.onewasblurryandshowedtheainstreet.anothershowedherhusbandatthetie.thethirdshowedtheclownsintheparade.

    blokvisteagerlyleanedforward.hecouldseeafigureontheothersideofthestreetbehindaclown.butthephotographtoldhiabsolutelynothing.

    chapter20

    tuesday,july1–wednesday,july2

    thefirstthingblokvistdidtheorninghereturnedtohedestadwastogotofrode’shousetoaskaboutvanger’scondition.helearnedtohisdelightthattheoldanhadiprovedquiteabitduringthepastweek.hewasweakstill,andfragile,butnowhecouldsitupinbed.hisconditionwasnolongerregardedascritical.

    “thankgod,”hesaid.“irealisedthatiactuallylikehi.”

    frodesaid:“iknowthat.andhenriklikesyoutoo.hoasnorrland？”

    “suessfulyetunsatisfying.i’llexplainalittlelater.rightnowihaveaquestion.”

    “goahead.”

    “whatrealisticallywillhappentoyourinterestinmillenniuifhenrikdies？”

    “nothingatall.martinwilltakehisplaceontheboard.”

    “isthereanyrisk,hypotheticallyspeaking,thatmartinightcreateproblesformillenniuifidon’tputastoptotheinvestigationofharriet’sdisappearance？”

    frodegavehiasharplook.

    “what’shappened？”

    “nothing,actually.”mikaeltoldhiabouttheconversationhehadhadwithmartinvangeronmidsuereve.“wheniwasinnorsj？erikatoldethatmartinhadcalledherandsaidthathethoughtiwasveryuchneededbackattheoffice.”

    “iunderstand.myguessisthatceciliawasafterhi.butidon’tthinkthatmartinwouldputpressureonyoulikethatonhisown.he’suchtoosavvy.andreeber,i’alsoontheboardofthelittlesubsidiaryweforedwhenweboughtintomillenniu.”

    “butwhatifaticklishsituationcaeup—hoouldyouactthen？”

    “contractsexisttobehonoured.iworkforhenrik.henrikandihavebeenfriendsforforty-fiveyears,andweareinpleteagreeentinsuchatters.ifhenrikshoulddieitisinpointoffacti—notmartin—whowouldinherithenrik’sshareinthesubsidiary.wehaveacontractinwhichwehaveundertakentobackmillenniuforthreeyears.shouldmartinwishtostartanyischief—whichidon’tbelievehewill—thentheoreticallyhecouldputthebrakesonasallnuberofnewadvertisers.”

    “thelifebloodofmillenniu’sexistence.”

    “yes,butlookatitthisway—worryingaboutsuchtriviaisawasteoftie.martinispresentlyfightingforhisindustrialsurvivalandworkingfourteenhoursaday.hedoesn’thavetieforanythingelse.”

    “mayiask—iknowit’snoneofybusiness—whatisthegeneralconditionofthecorporation？”

    frodelookedgrave.

    “wehaveprobles.”

    “yes,evenaonfinancialreporterlikeyselfcanseethat.iean,howseriousisit？”

    “offtherecord？”

    “betweenus.”

    “we’velosttwolargeordersintheelectronicsindustryinthepastfeeeksandareabouttobeejectedfrotherussianarket.insepteberwe’regoingtohavetolayoff1,600eployeesin？rebroandtrollh？ttan.notuchofarewardtogivetopeoplewho’veworkedforthepanyforanyyears.eachtieweshutdownafactory,confidenceinthepanyisfurtherunderined.”

    “martinisunderpressure.”

    “he’spullingtheloadofanoxandwalkingoneggshells.”

    blokvistwentbacktohiscottageandcalledberger.shewasnotattheoffice,sohespoketomal.

    “here’sthedeal:erikacalledwheniwasinnorsj？.martinvangerhasbeenafterherandhas,howshalliputit,encouragedhertoproposethatistarttotakeoneditorialresponsibility.”

    “ithinkyoushouldtoo,”malsaid.

    “iknowthat.butthethingis,ihaveacontractwithhenrikvangerthatican’tbreak,andmartinisactingonbehalfofsoeoneupherewhowantsetostopwhatiadoingandleavetown.sohisproposalaountstoanattepttogetridofe.”

    “isee.”

    “sayhitoerikaandtellheri’llebacktostockholwheni’finishedhere.notbefore.”

    “iunderstand.you’restarkravingad,ofcourse,buti’llgivehertheessage.”

    “christer.soethingisgoingonuphere,andihavenointentionofbackingout.”

    blokvistknockedonmartinvanger’sdoor.evahasselopeneditandgreetedhiwarly.

    “hi.ismartinhoe？”

    asifinreplytothequestion,martinvangercaewalkingoutwithabriefcaseinhishand.hekissedevaonthecheekandsaidhellotomikael.

    “i’onywaytotheoffice.doyouwanttotalktoe？”

    “wecandoitlaterifyou’reinahurry.”