therewasnodiary.ontheotherhand,shedidfindtwoa4binderswithpassportphotographsandhandwrittennotesaboutthewoen.sheputthebindersinanylonbagalongwithmartin’sdellpclaptop,whichshefoundonthehalltableupstairs.whileblokvistsleptshecontinuedherexainationofmartin’sputerandbinders.itwasafter6:00bythetiesheturnedofftheputer.shelitacigarette.

    togetherwithmikaelblokvistshehadtakenupthehuntforwhattheythoughtwasaserialkillerfrothepast.theyhadfoundsoethingappallinglydifferent.shecouldhardlyiagihehorrorsthatusthaveplayedoutinmartinvanger’sbaseent,intheidstofthiswell-ordered,idyllicspot.

    shetriedtounderstand.

    martinvangerhadbeenkillingwoensincethesixties,duringthepastfifteenyearsoneortwovictisperyear.thekillinghadbeendonesodiscreetlyandwassowellplannedthatno-onewasevenawarethataserialkillerwasatwork.hoasthatpossible？

    thebindersprovidedapartialanswer.

    hisvictiswereoftennewarrivals,iigrantgirlswhohadnofriendsorsocialcontactsinsweden.therewerealsoprostitutesandsocialoutcasts,withdrugabuseorotherproblesintheirbackground.

    froherownstudiesofthepsychologyofsexualsadis,salanderhadlearnedthatthistypeofurdererusuallycollectedsouvenirsfrohisvictis.thesesouvenirsfunctionedasreindersthatthekillercouldusetore-createsoeofthepleasurehehadexperienced.martinvangerhaddevelopedthispeculiaritybykeepinga“death.”hehadcataloguedandgradedhisvictis.hehaddescribedtheirsuffering.hehaddocuentedhiskillingswithvideotapesandphotographs.

    theviolenceandthekillingwerethegoal,butsalanderconcludedthatitwasthehuntthatwasmartinvanger’spriaryinterest.inhislaptophehadcreatedadatabasewithalistoforethanahundredwoen.therewereeployeesfrothevangercorporation,waitressesinrestaurantswhereheregularlyate,receptionstaffinhotels,clerksatthesocialsecurityoffice,thesecretariesofbusinessassociates,andanyotherwoen.itseeedasifmartinhadpigeonholedpracticallyeverywoanhehadevereintocontactwith.

    hehadkilledonlyafractionofthesewoen,buteverywoananywherenearhiwasapotentialvicti.thecataloguinghadthearkofapassionatehobby,andheusthavedevotedcountlesshourstoit.

    isshearriedorsingle？doesshehavechildrenandfaily？wheredoesshework？wheredoesshelive？whatkindofcardoesshedrive？whatsortofeducationdoesshehave？haircolour？skincolour？figure？

    thegatheringofpersonalrationaboutpotentialvictisusthavebeenasignificantpartofmartinvanger’ssexualfantasies.hewasfirstofallastalker,andsecondaurderer.

    whenshehadfinishedreading,shediscoveredasallenvelopeinoneofthebinders.shepulledouttwouchhandledandfadedpolaroidpictures.inthefirstpictureadark-hairedgirlwassittingatatable.thegirlhadondarkjeansandhadabaretorsowithtiny,pointedbreasts.shehadturnedherfaceawayfrothecaeraandwasintheprocessofliftingonearinagestureofdefence,alostasifthephotographerhadsurprisedher.inthesecondpictureshewaspletelynaked.shewaslyingonherstoachonabluebedspread.herfacewasstillturnedawayfrothecaera.

    salanderstuffedtheenvelopewiththepicturesintoherjacketpocket.afterthatshecarriedthebindersovertothewoodstoveandstruckaatch.whenshewasdonewiththefire,shestirredtheashes.itwaspouringdownwithrainwhenshetookashortwalkand,kneelingasiftotieashoelace,discreetlydroppedmartinvanger’slaptopintothewaterunderthebridge.

    whenfrodearchedthroughtheopendoorat7:30thatorning,salanderwasatthekitchentablesokingacigaretteanddrinkingcoffee.frode’sfacewasashen,andhelookedasifhehadhadacruelawakening.

    “where’smikael？”hesaid.

    “he’sstillasleep.”

    frodesatdownheavilyonakitchenchair.salanderpouredcoffeeandpushedthecupovertohi.

    “martin…ijustfoundoutthatmartinwaskilledinacaraidentlastnight.”

    “that’ssad,”salandersaid,takingasipofherowncoffee.

    frodelookedup.atfirsthestaredather,unprehending.thenhiseyesopenedwide.

    “what…？”

    “hecrashed.howannoying.”

    “whatdoyouknowaboutthis？”

    “hedrovehiscarrightintothefrontofatruck.heittedsuicide.thepress,thestress,aflounderingfinancialepire,dot,dot,dot,toouchforhi.atleastthat’swhatisupposeitwillsayontheplacards.”

    frodelookedasifhewereabouttohaveacerebralhaeorrhage.hestoodupswiftlyandwalkedunsteadilytothebedroo.

    “lethisleep,”salandersnapped.

    frodelookedatthesleepingfigure.hesawtheblackandbluearksonblokvist’sfaceandthecontusionsonhischest.thenhesawtheflainglinewherethenoosehadbeen.salandertouchedhisarandclosedthedoor.frodebackedoutandsankontothekitchenbench.

    lisbethsalandertoldhisuinctlywhathadhappenedduringthenight.shetoldhiwhatmartinvanger’schaberofhorrorslookedlikeandhowshehadfoundmikaelwithanoosearoundhisneckandtheceoofthevangercorporationstandinginfrontofhisnakedbody.shetoldhiwhatshehadfoundinthepany’sarchivesthedaybeforeandhowshehadestablishedapossiblelinkbetweenmartin’sfatherandtheurdersofatleastsevenwoen.

    frodeinterruptedherrecitationonlyonce.whenshestoppedtalking,hesatutelyforseveralinutesbeforehetookadeepbreathandsaid:“whatarewegoingtodo？”

    “that’snotforetosay,”salandersaid.

    “but…”

    “asiseeit,i’veneversetfootinhedestad.”

    “idon’tunderstand.”

    “undernocircustancesdoiwantynaeinanypolicereport.idon’texistinconnectionwithanyofthis.ifynaeisentionedinconnectionwiththisstory,i’lldenythati’veeverbeenhere,andi’llrefusetoanswerasinglequestion.”

    frodegaveherasearchinglook.

    “idon’tunderstand.”

    “youdon’tneedtounderstand.”

    “thenwhatshouldido？”

    “you’llhavetoworkthatoutforyourself.onlyleaveeandmikaeloutofit.”

    frodewasdeathlypale.

    “lookatitthisway:theonlythingyouknowisthatmartinvangerdiedinatrafficaident.youhavenoideathathewasalsoaninsane,nauseatingserialkiller,andyou’veneverheardabouttherooinhisbaseent.”

    sheputthekeyonthetablebetweenthe.

    “you’vegottie—beforeanyoneisgoingtocleanoutmartin’shouseanddiscoverthebaseent.”

    “wehavetogotothepoliceaboutthis.”

    “notwe.youcangotothepoliceifyoulike.it’syourdecision.”

    “thiscan’tbebrushedunderacarpet.”

    “i’notsuggestingthatitshouldbebrushedanywhere,justthatyouleaveeandmikaeloutofit.whenyoudiscovertheroo,youdrawyourownconclusionsanddecideforyourselfwhoyouwanttotell.”

    “ifwhatyousayistrue,iteansthatmartinhaskidnappedandurderedwoen…thereustbefailiesthataredesperatebecausetheydon’tknoheretheirchildrenare.wecan’tjust…”

    “that’sright.butthere’sjustoneproble.thebodiesaregone.maybeyou’llfindpassportsoridcardsinsoedrawer.maybesoeofthevictiscanbeidentifiedfrothevideotapes.butyoudon’tneedtodecidetoday.thinkitover.”

    frodelookedpanic-stricken.

    “oh,deargod.thiswillbethedeathblowforthepany.thinkofhowanyfailieswilllosetheirlivelihoodifitgetsoutthatmartin…”

    froderockedbackandforth,jugglingwithaoraldilea.

    “that’soneissue.ifisabellavangeristoinherit,youaythinkitwouldbeinappropriateifshewerethefirstoolightuponherson’shobby.”

    “ihavetogoandsee…”

    “ithinkyoushouldstayawayfrothatrootoday,”salandersaidsharply.“youhavealotofthingstotakecareof.youhavetogoandtellhenrik,andyouhavetocallaspecialeetingoftheboardanddoallthosethingsyouchapsdowhenyourceodies.”

    frodethoughtaboutwhatshewassaying.hisheartwasthuping.hewastheoldattorneyandproble-solverwhowasexpectedtohaveaplanreadytoeetanyeventuality,yethefeltpowerlesstoact.itsuddenlydawnedonhithatherehewas,takingordersfroachild.shehadsoehowseizedcontrolofthesituationandgivenhitheguidelinesthathehiselfwasunabletoforulate.

    “andharriet…？”

    “mikaelandiarenotfinishedyet.butyoucantellherrvangerthatithinknowthatwe’regoingtosolveit.”

    martinvanger’sunexpecteddeisewasthetopstoryonthe9:00newsontheradiowhenblokvistwokeup.nothingwasreportedaboutthenight’seventsotherthantosaythattheindustrialisthadinexplicablyandathighspeedcrossedtothewrongsideofthee4,travellingsouth.hehadbeenaloneinthecar.

    thelocalradioranastorythatdealtwithconcernforthefutureofthevangercorporationandtheconsequencesthatthisdeathwouldinevitablyhaveforthepany.

    ahastilyposedlunchtieupdatefrothettwireservicehadtheheadlineatowninshock,anditsueduptheproblesofthevangercorporation.itescapedno-one’snoticethatinhedestadaloneorethan3,000ofthetown’s21,000inhabitantswereeployedbythevangercorporationorwereotherwisedependentontheprosperityofthepany.thefir’sceowasdead,andtheforerceowasseriouslyillafteraheartattack.therewasnonaturalheir.allthisatatieconsideredtobeaongtheostcriticalinthepany’shistory.

    blokvisthadhadtheoptionofgoingtothepoliceinhedestadandtellingthewhathadhappenedthatnight,butsalanderhadalreadysetacertainprocessinotion.sincehehadnotiediatelycalledthepolice,itbecaehardertodosowitheachhourthatpassed.hespenttheorninginglooysilence,sittingonthekitchenbench,watchingtherainoutside.around10:00therewasanothercloudburst,butbylunchtietherainhadstoppedandthewindhaddieddownabit.hewentoutandwipedoffthegardenfurnitureandthensattherewithaugofcoffee.hewaswearingashirtwiththecollarturnedup.

    martin’sdeathcastashadow,ofcourse,overthedailylifeofhedeby.carsbeganparkingoutsideisabellavanger’shouseastheclangatheredtooffercondolences.salanderobservedtheprocessionwithouteotion.

    “howareyoufeeling？”shesaidatlast.

    “ithinki’stillinshock,”hesaid.“iwashelpless.forseveralhoursiwasconvincedthatiwasgoingtodie.ifeltthefearofdeathandtherewasn’tathingicoulddo.”

    hestretchedouthishandandplaceditonherknee.

    “thankyou,”hesaid.“butforyou,iwouldbedead.”

    salandersiledhercrookedsile.

    “allthesae…idon’tunderstandhowyoucouldbesuchanidiotastotacklehionyourown.iwaschainedtothefloordownthere,prayingthatyou’dseethepictureandputtwoandtwotogetherandcallthepolice.”

    “ifi’dwaitedforthepolice,youwouldn’thavesurvived.iwasn’tgoingtoletthatotherfuckerkillyou.”

    “whydon’tyouwanttotalktothepolice？”

    “inevertalktotheauthorities.”

    “whynot？”

    “that’sybusiness.butinyourcase,idon’tthinkitwouldbeaterrifiareerovetobehungouttodryasthejournalistwhowasstrippednakedbymartinvanger,thefaousserialkiller.ifyoudon’tlike‘kalleblokvist,’youcanthinkupawholenewepithet.justdon’ttakeitoutofthischapterofyourheroiclife.”

    blokvistgaveherasearchinglookanddroppedthesubject.

    “wedostillhaveaproble,”shesaid.

    blokvistnodded.“whathappenedtoharriet.yes.”

    salanderlaidthetwopolaroidpicturesonthetableinfrontofhi.sheexplainedwhereshe’dfoundthe.mikaelstudiedthepicturesintentlyforawhilebeforehelookedup.

    “itightbeher,”hesaidatlast.“iwouldn’tsweartoit,buttheshapeofherbodyandthehairreindeofthepicturesi’veseen.”

    theysatinthegardenforanhour,piecingtogetherthedetails.theydiscoveredthateachofthe,independentlyandfrodifferentdirections,hadidentifiedmartinvangerastheissinglink.

    salanderneverdidfindthephotographthatblokvisthadleftonthekitchentable.shehadetotheconclusionthatblokvisthaddonesoethingstupidafterstudyingthepicturesfrothesurveillancecaeras.shehadgoneovertomartinvanger’shousebywayoftheshoreandlookedinallthewindowsandseenno-one.shehadtriedallthedoorsandwindowsonthegroundfloor.finallyshehadclibedinthroughanopenbalconydoorupstairs.ithadtakenalongtie,andshehadovedextreelycautiouslyasshesearchedthehouse,roobyroo.eventuallyshefoundthestairsdowntothebaseent.martinhadbeencareless.heleftthedoortohischaberofhorrorsajar,andshewasabletoforaclearipressionofthesituation.

    blokvistaskedherhowuchshehadheardofwhatmartinsaid.

    “notuch.igottherewhenhewasaskingyouaboutwhathappenedtoharriet,justbeforehehungyouupbythenoose.ileftforafewinutestogobackandfindaweapon.”

    “martinhadnoideawhathappenedtoharriet,”blokvistsaid.

    “doyoubelievethat？”

    “yes,”blokvistsaidwithouthesitation.“martinwasdafterthanasyphiliticpolecat—wheredoigettheseetaphorsfro？—butheconfessedtoallthecrieshehaditted.ithinkthathewantedtoipresse.butwhenitcaetoharriet,hewasasdesperateashenrikvangertofindoutwhathappened.”

    “so…wheredoesthattakeus？”

    “weknowthatgottfriedwasresponsibleforthefirstseriesofurders,between1949and1965.”

    “ok.andhebroughtonlittlemartin.”

    “talkaboutadysfunctionalfaily,”blokvistsaid.“martinreallydidn’thaveachance.”

    salandergavehiastrangelook.

    “whatmartintolde—eventhoughitwasrabling—wasthathisfatherstartedhisapprenticeshipafterhereachedpuberty.hewasthereattheurderofleainuddevallain1962.hewasfourteen,forgod’ssake.hewasthereattheurderofsarain1964andthattiehetookanactivepart.hewassixteen.”

    “and？”

    “hesaidthathehadnevertouchedanotheran—excepthisfather.thatadeethinkthat…well,theonlypossibleconclusionisthathisfatherrapedhi.martincalledit‘hisduty.’thesexualassaultsusthavegoneonforalongtie.hewasraisedbyhisfather,sotospeak.”

    “bullshit,”salandersaid,hervoiceashardasflint.

    blokviststaredatherinastonishent.shehadastubbornlookinhereyes.therewasnotanounceofsypathyinit.

    “martinhadexactlythesaeopportunityasanyoneelsetostrikeback.hekilledandherapedbecausehelikeddoingit.”

    “i’notsayingotherwise.butmartinwasarepressedboyandundertheinfluenceofhisfather,justasgottfriedwascowedbyhisfather,thenazi.”

    “soyou’reassuingthatmartinhadnowillofhisownandthatpeoplebeewhateverthey’vebeenbroughtuptobe.”

    blokvistsiledcautiously.“isthisasensitiveissue？”

    salander’seyesblazedwithfury.blokvistquicklywenton.

    “i’onlysayingthatithinkthataperson’supbringingdoesplayarole.gottfried’sfatherbeathiercilesslyforyears.thatleavesitsark.”

    “bullshit,”salandersaidagain.“gottfriedisn’ttheonlykidwhowaseveristreated.thatdoesn’tgivehitherighttourderwoen.headethatchoicehiself.andthesaeistrueofmartin.”

    blokvisthelduphishand.

    “canwenotargue？”

    “i’notarguing.ijustthinkthatit’spatheticthatcreepsalwayshavetohavesoeoneelsetoblae.”

    “theyhaveapersonalresponsibility.we’llworkitalloutlater.whatattersisthatmartinwasseventeenwhengottfrieddied,andhedidn’thaveanyooguidehi.hetriedtocontinueinhisfather’sfootsteps.infebruary1966,inuppsala.”

    blokvistreachedforoneofsalander’scigarettes.

    “iwon’tspeculateaboutwhatipulsesgottfriedwastryingtosatisfyorhowhehiselfinterpretedwhathewasdoing.there’ssoesortofbiblicalgibberishthatapsychiatristightbeabletofigureout,soethingtodowithpunishentandpurificationinafigurativesense.itdoesn’tatterwhatitwas.hewasacutanddriedserialkiller.

    “gottfriedwantedtokillwoenandclothehisactionsinsoesortofpseudo-religiousclap-trap.martindidn’tevenpretendtohaveanexcuse.hewasanisedanddidhiskillingsysteatically.healsohadoneytoputintohishobby.andhewasshrewderthanhisfather.everytiegottfriedleftabodybehind,itledtoapoliceinvestigationandtheriskthatsoeoneighttrackhidown,oratleastlinktogetherthevariousurders.”

    “martinvangerbuilthishouseintheseventies,”salandersaidpensively.

    “ithinkhenrikentioneditwasin1978.presuablyheorderedasaferooputriportantfilesorsoesuchpurpose.hegotasoundproofed,windowlessroowithasteeldoor.”

    “he’shadthatroofortwenty-fiveyears.”

    theyfellsilentforawhileasblokvistthoughtaboutwhatatrocitiesusthavetakenplacethereforaquarterofacentury.salanderdidnotneedtothinkabouttheatter；shehadseenthevideotapes.shenoticedthatblokvistwasunconsciouslytouchinghisneck.

    “gottfriedhatedwoenandtaughthissontohatewoenatthesaetieashewasrapinghi.butthere’salsosoesortofunder