“you’vedoneafantasticjobofdiggingupthesefactsinsuchashorttie,”hesaid.“thanks.andthanksalsoforbeingniceenoughtoeuphereandreportonit.”

    “whathappensnow？”salanderwantedtoknow.

    “i’goingtotalktodirchfrodetoorrowandarrangeforyourfeetobepaid.”

    “thatwasn’twhatieant.”

    blokvistlookedather.

    “well…ireckonthejobihiredyouforisdone,”hesaid.

    “i’notdonewiththis.”

    blokvistleanedbackagainstthekitchenwallandethergaze.hecouldn’treadanythingatallinhereyes.forhalfayearhehadbeenworkingaloneonharriet’sdisappearance,andherewasanotherperson—anexperiencedresearcher—whograspedtheiplications.headethedecisiononipulse.

    “iknow.thisstoryhasgotunderyskintoo.i’lltalktofrode.we’llhireyouforaweekortwooreas…aresearchassistant.idon’tknowifhe’llwanttopaythesaeratehepaystoaransky,butweshouldbeabletoarrangeabasiclivingwageforyou.”

    salandersuddenlygavehiasile.shehadnowishtobeshutoutandwouldhavegladlydohejobforfree.

    “i’fallingasleep,”shesaid,andwithoutfurtheradoshewenttoherrooandclosedthedoor.

    twoinuteslatersheopenedthedoorandputoutherhead.

    “ithinkyou’rewrong.it’snotaninsaneserialkillerwhoreadhisbiblewrong.it’sjustaonorgardenbastardwhohateswoen.”

    chapter21

    thursday,july3–thursday,july10

    salanderwasupbeforeblokvist,around6:00.sheputonsoewaterforcoffeeandwenttotakeashower.whenblokvistwokeat7:30,shewasreadinghissuaryoftheharrietvangercaseonhisi.hecaeouttothekitchenwithatowelroundhiswaist,rubbingthesleepoutofhiseyes.

    “there’scoffeeonthestove,”shesaid.

    helookedoverhershoulder.

    “thatdocuentwaspasswordprotected,dait,”hesaid.

    sheturnedandpeeredupathi.

    “ittakesthirtysecondstodownloadaprograefrothethatcancrackword’sencryptionprotection.”

    “weneedtohaveatalkonthesubjectofwhat’syoursandwhat’sine,”hesaid,andwenttotakeashower.

    whenhecaeback,salanderhadturnedoffhisputerandputitbackinitsplaceinhisoffice.shehadbootedupherownpower.blokvistfeltsurethatshehadalreadytransferredthecontentsofhisputertoherown.

    salanderwasanrationjunkiewithadelinquentchild’stakeonoralsandethics.

    hehadjustsatdowntobreakfastwhentherewasaknockatthefrontdoor.martinvangerlookedsosolenthatforasecondblokvistthoughthehadetobringthenewsofhisuncle’sdeath.

    “no,henrik’sconditionisthesaeasyesterday.i’hereforaquitedifferentreason.couldieraoent？”

    blokvistlethiin,introducinghito“yresearchassistant”lisbethsalander.shegavethecaptainofindustrybarelyaglanceandaquicknodbeforeshewentbacktoherputer.martinvangergreetedherautoaticallybutlookedsodistractedthathehardlyseeedtonoticeher.blokvistpouredhiacupofcoffeeandinvitedhitohaveaseat.

    “what’sthisallabout？”

    “youdon’tsubscribetothehedestadcourier？”

    “no.butsoetiesiseeitatsusanne’sbridgecafé.”

    “thenyouhaven’treadthisorning’spaper.”

    “youakeitsoundasifioughtto.”

    martinvangerputtheday’spaperonthetableinfrontofhi.hehadbeengiventwocolunsonthefrontpage,continuedonpagefour.“convictedlibeljournalisthidinghere.”aphotographtakenwithatelephotolensfrothechurchhillontheothersideofthebridgeshowedblokvistingoutofthecottage.

    thereporter,torsson,hadcobbledtogetherascurrilouspiece.herecapitulatedthewennerstr？affairandexplainedthatblokvisthadleftmillenniuindisgraceandthathehadrecentlyservedaprisonter.thearticleendedwiththeusuallihatblokvisthaddeclinedtoenttothehedestadcourier.everyself-respectingresidentofhedestadwasputonnoticethatanolypic-classshitfrostockholwasskulkingaroundthearea.noneoftheclaisinthearticlewaslibellous,buttheywereslantedtopresentblokvistinanunflatteringlight；thelayoutandtypestylewasofthekindthatsuchnewspapersusedtodiscusspoliticalterrorists.millenniuwasdescribedasaagazinewithlowcredibility“bentonagitation,”andblokvist’sonfinancialjournaliswaspresentedasacollectionof“controversialclais”aboutotherorerespectedjournalists.

    “mikael…idon’thavewordstoexpresswhatifeltwhenireadthisarticle.it’srepulsive.”

    “it’saput-upjob,”blokvistsaidcally.

    “ihopeyouunderstandthatididn’thavetheslightestthingtodowiththis.ichokedonyorningcoffeewhenireadit.”

    “thenwhodid？”

    “iadesoecalls.thistorssonisasuerworkexperiencekid.hedidthepieceonordersfrobirger.”

    “ithoughtbirgerhadnosayinthenewsroo.afterall,heisacouncillorandpoliticalfigure.”

    “technicallyhehasnoinfluence.buttheeditorinchiefofthecourierisgunnarkarlan,ingrid’sson,who’spartofthejohanvangerbranchofthefaily.birgerandgunnarhavebeencloseforanyyears.”

    “isee.”

    “torssonwillbefiredforthwith.”

    “howoldishe？”

    “totellyouthetruth,idon’tknow.i’veneverethi.”

    “don’tfirehi.whenhecalledehesoundedlikeaveryyoungandinexperiencedreporter.”

    “thiscan’tbeallowedtopasswithoutconsequences.”

    “ifyouwantyopinion,thesituationseesabitabsurd,whentheeditorinchiefofapublicationownedbythevangerfailygoesontheattackagainstanotherpublicationinwhichhenrikvangerisapartownerandonwhoseboardyousit.youreditor,karlan,isattackingyouandhenrik.”

    “iseewhatyouean,andioughttolaytheblaewhereitbelongs.karlanisapartownerinthecorporationandhasalwaystakenpot-shotsate,butthisseesorelikebirger’srevengebecauseyouhadarun-inwithhiatthehospital.you’reathorninhisside.”

    “ibelieveit.that’swhyithinktorssonisthelastpersontoblae.ittakesalotforaninterntosaynowhenthebossinstructshitowritesoethinginacertainway.”

    “icoulddeandthatyoubegivenanapologytoorrow.”

    “betternot.itwouldjustturnintoalong,drawn-outsquabblethatwouldakethesituationworse.”

    “soyoudon’tthinkishoulddoanything？”

    “itwouldn’tbeanyuse.karlanwouldkickupafussandintheworstcaseyou’dbepaintedasavillainwho,inhiscapacityasowner,istryingtostaponthefreedoofexpression.”

    “pardone,mikael,butidon’tagreewithyou.asaatteroffact,ialsohavetherighttoexpressyopinion.myviewisthatthisarticlestinks—andiintendtoakeyownpointofviewclear.howeverreluctantly,i’henrik’sreplaceentonmillenniu’sboard,andinthatroleianotgoingtoletanoffensivearticlelikethisonepassunchallenged.”

    “fairenough.”

    “soi’goingtodeandtherighttorespond.andifiakekarlanlooklikeanidiot,hehasonlyhiselftoblae.”

    “youustdowhatyoubelieveisright.”

    “fore,it’salsoiportantthatyouabsolutelyunderstandthatihavenothingwhatsoevertodowiththisvitriolicattack.”

    “ibelieveyou,”blokvistsaid.

    “besides—ididn’treallywanttobringthisupnow,butthisjustservestoillustratewhatwe’vealreadydiscussed.it’siportanttore-installyouonmillenniu’seditorialboardsothatwecanshowaunitedfronttotheworld.aslongasyou’reaway,thegossipwillcontinue.ibelieveinmillenniu,andi’convincedthatwecanwinthisfighttogether.”

    “iseeyourpoint,butnowit’syturntodisagreewithyou.ican’tbreakycontractwithhenrik,andthefactisthatiwouldn’twanttobreakit.yousee,ireallylikehi.andthisthingwithharriet…”

    “yes？”

    “iknowit’sarunningsoreforyouandirealisethathenrikhasbeenobsessedwithitforanyyears.”

    “justbetweenthetwoofus—idolovehenrikandheisyentor—butwhenitestoharriet,he’salostoffhisrocker.”

    “whenistartedthisjobicouldn’thelpthinkingthatitwasawasteoftie.butithinkwe’reonthevergeofabreakthroughandthatitightnowbepossibletoknohatreallyhappened.”

    blokvistreaddoubtinmartinvanger’seyes.atlastheadeadecision.

    “ok,inthatcasethebestthingwecandoistosolvetheysteryofharrietasquicklyaspossible.i’llgiveyouallthesupporticansothatyoufinishtheworktoyoursatisfaction—and,ofcourse,henrik’s—andthenreturntomillenniu.”

    “good.soiwon’thavetofightwithyoutoo.”

    “no,youwon’t.youcanaskforyhelpwheneveryourunintoaproble.i’llakedansurethatbirgerwon’tputanysortofobstaclesinyourway.andi’lltrytotalktocecilia,tocalherdown.”

    “thankyou.ineedtoaskhersoequestions,andshe’sbeenresistingyatteptsatconversationforaonthnow.”

    martinvangerlaughed.“perhapsyouhaveotherissuestoironout.butiwon’tgetinvolvedinthat.”

    theyshookhands.

    salanderhadlistenedtotheconversation.whenmartinvangerleftshereachedforthehedestadcourierandscannedthearticle.sheputthepaperdownwithoutakinganyent.

    blokvistsatinsilence,thinking.gunnarkarlanwasbornin1948andwouldhavebeeneighteenin1966.hewasoneofthepeopleontheislandwhenharrietdisappeared.

    afterbreakfastheaskedhisresearchassistanttoreadthroughthepolicereport.hegaveherallthephotographsoftheaident,aswellasthelongsuaryofvanger’sowninvestigations.

    blokvistthendrovetofrode’shouseandaskedhikindlytodrawupanagreeentforsalanderasaresearchassistantforthenextonth.

    bythetiehereturnedtothecottage,salanderhaddecapedtothegardenandwasiersedinthepolicereport.blokvistwentintoheatupthecoffee.hewatchedherthroughthekitchenwindow.sheseeedtobeskiing,spendingnoorethantenorfifteensecondsoneachpage.sheturnedthepagesechanically,andblokvistwasaazedatherlackofconcentration；itadenosense,sinceherownreportwassoeticulous.hetooktwocupsofcoffeeandjoinedheratthegardentable.

    “yournotesweredonebeforeyoukneewerelookingforaserialkiller.”

    “that’strue.isiplywrotedownquestionsiwantedtoaskhenrik,andsoeotherthings.itwasquiteunstructured.upuntilnowi’vereallybeenstrugglinginthedark,tryingtowriteastory—achapterintheautobiographyofhenrikvanger.”

    “andnow？”

    “inthepastalltheinvestigationsfocusedonhedebyisland.nowi’surethatthestory,thesequenceofeventsthatendedinherdisappearance,startedinhedestad.thatshiftstheperspective.”

    salandersaid:“itwasaazingwhatyoudiscoveredwiththepictures.”

    blokvistwassurprised.salanderdidnotseethetypetothrowplientsaround,andhefeltflattered.ontheotherhand—froapurelyjournalisticpointofview—itwasquiteanachieveent.

    “it’syourturntofillinthedetails.howdiditgowiththatpictureyouwerechasingupinnorsj？？”

    “youeanyoudidn’tchecktheiagesinyputer？”

    “therewasn’ttie.ineededtoreadtherésués,yoursituationreportstoyourself.”

    blokviststartedhisiandclickedonthephotographfolder.

    “it’sfascinating.thevisittonorsj？wasasortofprogress,butitwasalsoadisappointent.ifoundthepicture,butitdoesn’ttellusuch.

    “thatwoan,mildredberggren,hadsavedallherholidaypicturesinalbus.thepictureiwaslookingforwasoneofthe.itwastakenoncheapcolourfilandafterthirty-sevenyearstheprintwasincrediblyfaded—withastrongyellowtinge.but,wouldyoubelieve,shestillhadthenegativeinashoebox.sheleteborrowallthenegativesfrohedestadandi’vescannedthein.thisiswhatharrietsaw.”

    heclickedonaniagewhichnowhadthefilenaeharriet/bd-19.eps.

    salanderiediatelyunderstoodhisdisay.shesawanunfocusediagethatshowedclownsintheforegroundofthechildren’sdayparade.inthebackgroundcouldbeseenthecornerofsundstr？’shaberdashery.abouttenpeoplewerestandingonthepaveentinfrontofsundstr？’s.

    “ithinkthisisthepersonshesaw.partlybecauseitriedtotriangulatewhatshewaslookingat,judgingbytheanglethatherfacewasturned—iadeadrawingofthecrossroadsthere—andpartlybecausethisistheonlypersonwhoseestobelookingstraightintothecaera.meaningthat—perhaps—hewasstaringatharriet.”

    whatsalandersaasablurryfigurestandingalittlebitbehindthespectators,alostinthesidestreet.hehadonadarkpaddedjacketwitharedpatchontheshouldersanddarktrousers,possiblyjeans.blokvistzooedinsothatthefigurefrothewaistupfilledthescreen.thephotographbecaeinstantlyfuzzierstill.

    “it’saan.he’saboutfive-footeleven,noralbuild.hehasdark-blond,sei-longhairandisclean-shaven.butit’sipossibletoakeouthisfacialfeaturesorevenestiatehisage.hecouldbeanywherebetweenhisteensandiddleage.

    “youcouldanipulatetheiage…”

    “ihaveanipulatedtheiage,dait.ievensentacopytotheiageprocessingwizardatmillenniu.”blokvistclickedupanewshot.“thisistheabsolutebesticangetoutofit.thecaeraissiplytoolousyandthedistancetoofar.”

    “haveyoushownthepicturetoanyone？soeoneightrecognisethean’sbearingor…”

    “ishowedittofrode.hehasnoideawhotheanis.”

    “herrfrodeprobablyisn’ttheostobservantpersoninhedestad.”

    “no,buti’workingforhiandhenrikvanger.iwanttoshowthepicturetohenrikbeforeicastthewider.”

    “perhapshe’snothingorethanaspectator.”

    “that’spossible.butheanagedtotriggerastrangeresponsefroharriet.”

    duringthenextseveraldaysblokvistandsalanderworkedontheharrietcasevirtuallyeverywakingoent.salanderwentonreadingthepolicereport,rattlingoffonequestionafteranother.therecouldonlybeoruth,andeachvagueansweroruncertaintyledtooreintenseinterrogation.theyspentonewholedayexainingtietablesforthecastofcharactersatthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.

    salanderbecaeoreandoreofanenigatohi.despitethefactthatsheonlyskiedthedocuentsinthereport,shealwaysseeedtosettleontheostobscureandcontradictorydetails.

    theytookabreakintheafternoons,whentheheatadeitunbearableoutinthegarden.theywouldswiinthechannelorwalkuptotheterraceatsusanne’sbridgecafé.susannenowtreatedblokvistwithanundisguisedcoolness.herealisedthatsalanderlookedbarelylegalandshewasobviouslylivingathiscottage,andthat—insusanne’seyes—adehiadirtyoldiddle-agedan.itwasnotpleasant.

    blokvistwentouteveryeveningforarun.salanderadenoentwhenhereturnedoutofbreathtothecottage.runningwasobviouslynotherthing.

    “i’overforty,”hesaid.“ihavetoexercisetokeepfrogettingtoofataroundtheiddle.”

    “isee.”

    “don’tyoueverexercise？”

    “iboxonceinawhile.”

    “youbox？”

    “yeah,youknow,withgloves.”

    “whatweightdoyouboxin？”hesaid,whenheeergedfrotheshower.

    “noneatall.isparalittlenowandthenagainsttheguysinaclubins？der.”

    whyisthatnosurprise？hethought.butatleastshehadtoldhisoethingaboutherself.heknewnobasicfactsabouther.howdidsheetobeworkingforaransky？whatsortofeducationdidshehave？whatdidherparentsdo？assoonasblokvisttriedtoaskaboutherlifesheshutuplikeacla,answeredinsinglesyllablesorignoredhi.

    oneafternoonsalandersuddenlyputdownabinder,frowning.

    “whatdoyouknowaboutottofalk？thepastor.”

    “notuch.ietthepresentincubentafewtiesearlierintheyear,andshetoldethatfalklivesinsoegeriatrichoeinhedestad.alzheier’s.”

    “wheredidheefro？”

    “frohedestad.hestudiedinuppsala.”

    “hewasunarried.andharriethungoutwithhi.”

    “whydoyouask？”

    “i’justsayingthatmorellwentprettyeasyonhiintheinterview.”

    “inthesixtiespastorsenjoyedaconsiderablydifferentstatusinsociety.itwasnaturalforhitoliveouthereontheisland,closetothepowerbrokers,sotospeak.”

    “iwonderhowcarefullythepolicesearchedtheparsonage.inthephotographsitlookslikeitwasabigwoodenhouse,andthereusthavebeenplentyofplacestohideabodyforawhile.”

    “that’strue,butthere’snothingintheaterialtoindicatethathewouldhaveanyconnectiontotheserialurdersortoharriet’sdisappearance.”

    “actually,thereis,”salandersaid,withawrysile.“firstofallhewasapastor,andpastorsorethananyoneelsehaveaspecialrelationshiptothebible.second,hewasthelastpersonknowntohaveseenandtalkedwithharriet.”

    “buthewentdowntothesceneoftheaidentandstayedthereforseveralhours.he’sinlotsofthepictures,especiallyduringthetiewhenharrietusthavevanished.”

    “allright,ican’tcrackhisalibi.butiwasactuallythinkingaboutsoethin