“harriettalkedwithareporterfrothecourier.herstoryisthatsheranawayfrohoebecauseshedidn’tgetalongwithherfaily,butthatsheobviouslyhasdonewellintheworldsinceshe’stheheadofaverysubstantialenterprise.”

    blokvistwhistled.

    “idiscoveredthattherewasoneyinaustraliansheep,butididn’tknowthestationwasdoingthatwell.”

    “hersheepstationisgoingsuperbly,butthatisn’theronlysourceofine.thecochrancorporationisinining,opals,anufacturing,transport,electronics,andalotofotherthingstoo.”

    “wow！sowhat’sgoingtohappennow？”

    “honestly,idon’tknow.peoplehavebeenturningupallday,andthefailyhasbeentogetherforthefirsttieinyears.they’reherefrobothfredrikandjohanvanger’ssides,andquiteafewfrotheyoungergenerationtoo—theonesintheirtwentiesandup.thereareprobablyaroundfortyvangersinhedestadthisevening.halfoftheareatthehospitalwearingouthenrik；theotherhalfareatthegrandhoteltalkingtoharriet.”

    “harrietustbethebigsensation.howanyoftheknowaboutmartin？”

    “sofarit’sjuste,henrik,andharriet.wehadalongtalktogether.martinand…youruncoveringofhisunspeakablelife,it’sovershadowingjustabouteverythingforusattheoent.ithasbroughtanenorouscrisisforthepanytoahead.”

    “icanunderstandthat.”

    “thereisnonaturalheir,butharrietisstayinginhedestadforawhile.thefailywillworkoutwhoownswhat,howtheinheritanceistobedividedandsoon.sheactuallyhasashareofitthatwouldhavebeenquitelargeifshehadbeenherethewholetie.it’sanightare.”

    mikaellaughed.frodewasnotlaughingatall.

    “isabellahadacollapseatthefuneral.she’sinthehospitalnow.henriksayshewon’tvisither.”

    “goodforhenrik.”

    “however,anitaisingoverfrolondon.iatocallafailyeetingfornextweek.itwillbethefirsttieintwenty-fiveyearsthatshe’sparticipated.”

    “whowillbethenewceo？”

    “birgerisafterthejob,buthe’soutofthequestion.what’sgoingtohappenisthathenrikwillstepinasceoprotefrohissickbeduntilwehireeithersoeonefrooutsideorsoeonefrowithinthefaily…”

    blokvistraisedhiseyebrows.

    “harriet？youcan’tbeserious.”

    “whynot？we’retalkingaboutanexceptionallypetentandrespectedbusinesswoan.”

    “shehasapanyinaustraliatolookafter.”

    “true,buthersonjeffcochranisindingthestoreinherabsence.”

    “he’sthestudsanageronasheepranch.ifiunderstoodtheattercorrectly,heseestoitthatthecorrectsheepatewitheachother.”

    “healsohasadegreeineconoicsfrooxfordandalawdegreefromelbourne.”

    blokvistthoughtaboutthesweaty,uscularanwithhisshirtoffwhohaddrivenhiintoandthroughtheravine；hetriedtoiaginehiinapinstripesuit.whynot？

    “allofthiswilltaketietoworkout,”frodesaid.“butshewouldbeaperfectceo.withtherightsupportteashecouldrepresentawholenewdealforthepany.”

    “shedoesn’thavetheexperience…”

    “that’strue.shecan’tjustpopupoutoforeorlessnowhereandstarticro-anagingthepany.butthevangercorporationisinternational,andwecouldcertainlyhaveanaericanceowhodoesn’tspeakawordofswedish…it’sonlybusiness,whenall’ssaidanddone.”

    “soonerorlateryou’regoingtohavetofaceuptotheprobleofmartin’sbaseent.”

    “iknow.butwecan’tsayanythingwithoutdestroyingharriet…i’gladi’nottheonewhohastoakethedecisionaboutthis.”

    “danit,dirch,youwon’tbeabletoburythefactthatmartinwasaserialkiller.”

    “mikael,i’ina…veryunfortableposition.”

    “telle.”

    “ihaveaessagefrohenrik.hethanksyoufortheoutstandingworkyoudidandsaysthatheconsidersthecontractfulfilled.thateansheisreleasingyoufroanyfurtherobligationsandthatyounolongerhavetoliveorworkhereinhedestad,etc.so,takingeffectiediately,youcanovebacktostockholanddevoteyourselftoyourotherpursuits.”

    “hewantsetovanishfrothescene,isthatthegistofit？”

    “absolutelynot.hewantsyoutovisithiforaconversationaboutthefuture.hesayshehopesthathisinvolveentontheboardofmillenniucanproceedwithoutrestrictions.but…”

    frodelookedevenoreunfortable,ifthatwaspossible.

    “don’ttelle,dirch…henolongerwantsetowriteahistoryofthevangerfaily.”

    dirchfrodenodded.hepickedupanote,openedit,andpusheditovertomikael.

    “hewroteyouthisletter.”

    dearmikael,

    ihavenothingbutrespectforyourintegrity,andidon’tintendtoinsultyoubytryingtotellyouwhattowrite.youaywriteandpublishwhateveryoulike,andiwon’texertanypressureonyouwhatsoever.

    ourcontractreainsvalid,ifyouwanttocontinue.youhaveenoughaterialtofinishthechronicleofthevangerfaily.

    mikael,i’veneverbeggedanyoneforanythinginyentirelife.i’vealwaysthoughtthatapersonshouldfollowhisoralsandhisconvictions.thistieihavenochoice.

    ia,withthisletter,beggingyou,bothasafriendandaspartownerofmillenniu,torefrainfropublishingthetruthaboutgottfriedandmartin.iknowthat’swrong,butiseenowayoutofthisdarkness.ihavetochoosebetweentwoevils,andinthiscasetherearenowinners.

    ibegyounottowriteanythingthatwouldfurtherhurtharriet.youknowfirst-handwhatit’sliketobethesubjectofaediacapaign.thecapaignagainstyouwasofquiteodestproportions.youcansurelyiaginewhatitwouldbelikeforharrietifthetruthweretoeout.shehasbeentorentedforfortyyearsandshouldn’thavetosufferanyoreforthedeedsthatherbrotherandherfatheritted.andibegyoutothinkthroughtheconsequencesthisstoryighthaveforthethousandsofeployeesinthepany.thiscouldcrushherandannihilateus.

    henrik

    “henrikalsosaysthatifyourequirepensationforfinanciallossesthatayarisefroyourrefrainingfropublishingthestory,heisentirelyopentodiscussion.youcansetanyfinancialdeandsyouthinkfit.”

    “henrikvangeristryingtoshuteup.tellhithatiwishhehadnevergivenethisoffer.”

    “thesituationisjustastroublesoeforhenrikasitisforyou.helikesyouveryuchandconsidersyouhisfriend.”

    “henrikvangerisacleverbastard,”blokvistsaid.hewassuddenlyfurious.“hewantstohushupthestory.he’splayingonyeotionsandheknowsilikehitoo.andwhathe’salsosayingisthatihaveafreehandtopublish,andifidosohewouldhavetorevisehisattitudetowardsmillenniu.”

    “everythingchangedwhenharrietsteppedontothestage.”

    “andnowhenrikisfeelingoutwhatypricetagightbe.idon’tintendtohangharrietouttodry,butsoebodyhastosaysoethingaboutthewoenwhodiedinmartin’sbaseent.dirch,wedon’tevenknowhowanywoenhetorturedandslaughtered.whoisgoingtospeakupontheirbehalf？”

    salanderlookedupfroherputer.hervoicewasalostinaudibleasshesaidtofrode,“isn’tthereanyoneinyourpanywho’sgoingtotrytoshuteup？”

    frodelookedastonished.onceagainhehadanagedtoignoreherexistence.

    “ifmartinvangerwerealiveatthisoent,iwouldhavehunghiouttodry,”shewenton.“whateveragreeentmikaeladewithyou,iwouldhavesenteverydetailabouthitothenearesteveningpaper.andificould,iwouldhavestuckhidowninhisowntortureholeandtiedhitothattableandstuckneedlesthroughhisballs.unfortunatelyhe’sdead.”

    sheturnedtoblokvist.

    “i’satisfiedwiththesolution.nothingwedocanrepairtheharthatmartinvangerdidtohisvictis.butaninterestingsituationhaseup.you’reinapositionwhereyoucancontinuetoharinnocentwoen—especiallythatharrietwhoyousowarlydefendedinthecaronthewayuphere.soyquestiontoyouis:whichisworse—thefactthatmartinvangerrapedheroutinthecabinorthatyou’regoingtodoitinprint？youhaveafinedilea.maybetheethicsitteeofthejournalistsassociationcangiveyousoeguidance.”

    shepaused.blokvistcouldnoteethergaze.hestareddownatthetable.

    “buti’notajournalist,”shesaidatlast.

    “whatdoyouwant？”dirchfrodeasked.

    “martinvideotapedhisvictis.iwantyoutodoyourdanedesttoidentifyasanyasyoucanandseetoitthattheirfailiesreceivesuitablepensation.andtheniwantthevangercorporationtodonate2illionkronorannuallyandinperpetuitytothenationalanisationforwoen’scrisiscentresandgirls’crisiscentresinsweden.”

    frodeweighedthepricetagforainute.thenhenodded.

    “canyoulivewiththat,mikael？”salandersaid.

    blokvistfeltonlydespair.hisprofessionallifehehaddevotedtouncoveringthingswhichotherpeoplehadtriedtohide,andhecouldnotbepartytothecoveringupoftheappallingcriesittedinmartinvanger’sbaseent.hewhohadlabastedhiscolleaguesfornotpublishingthetruth,herehesat,discussing,negotiatingeven,theostacabrecover-uphehadeverheardof.

    hesatinsilenceforalongtie.thenhenoddedhisassent.

    “sobeit,”frodesaid.“andwithregardtohenrik’sofferforfinancialpensation…”

    “hecanshoveituphisbackside,anddirch,iwantyoutoleavenow.iunderstandyourposition,butrightnowi’sofuriouswithyouandhenrikandharrietthatifyoustayanylongerweightnotbefriendsanyore.”

    frodeadenoovetogo.

    “ican’tleaveyet.i’notdone.ihaveanotheressagetodeliver,andyou’renotgoingtolikethisoneeither.henrikisinsistingthatitellyoutonight.youcangouptothehospitalandflayhitoorroworningifyouwish.”

    blokvistlookedupandstaredathi.

    frodewenton.“thishasgottobethehardestthingi’veeverdoneinylife.butithinkthatonlypletecandourwithallthecardsonthetablecansavethesituationnow.”

    “soit’scandouratlast,isit？”

    “whenhenrikconvincedyoutotakethejoblastchristas,”dirchsaid,ignoringhissarcas,“neitherhenorithoughtthatanythingwouldeofit.thatwasexactlywhathesaid,buthewantedtogiveitonelasttry.hehadanalysedyoursituation,particularlywiththehelpofthereportthatfr？kensalanderputtogether.heplayedonyourisolation,heofferedgoodpay,andheusedtherightbait.”

    “wennerstr？.”

    frodenodded.

    “youwerebluffing？”

    “no,no,”frodesaid.

    salanderraisedaneyebroithinterest.

    “henrikisgoingtoakegoodoneverythingheproised.he’sarranginganinterviewandisgoingpublicwithadirectassaultonwennerstr？.youcanhaveallthedetailslater,butroughlythesituationisthis:whenwennerstr？waseployedinthefinancedepartentofthevangercorporation,hespentseveralillionkronorspeculatingonforeigncurrency.thiswaslongbeforeforeignexchangefuturesbecaetherage.hedidthiswithoutauthority.onedealafteranotherwentbad,andhewassittingtherewithalossofsevenillionkronorthathetriedtocoverup.partlybycookingthesandpartlybyspeculatingevenharder.itinevitablycaetolightandhewassacked.”

    “didheakeanyprofithiself？”

    “ohyes,headeoffwithabouthalfaillionkronor,whichironicallyenoughbecaetheseedoneyforthewennerstr？group.wehavedocuentationforallofthis.youcanusetherationhoweveryoulike,andhenrikwillbackuptheausationspublicly.but…”

    “but,andit’sabigbut,dirch,therationisworthless,”blokvistsaid,slainghisfistonthetable.“itallhappenedthirty-plusyearsagoandit’saclosed.”

    “you’llgetconfirationthatwennerstr？isacrook.”

    “thatwillannoywennerstr？whenitesout,butitwon’tdaagehianyorethanadirecthitfroapeashooter.he’sgoingtoshufflethedeckbyputtingoutapressreleasesayingthathenrikvangerisanoldhas-beenwho’sstilltryingtostealsoebusinessfrohi,andthenhe’llprobablyclaithathewasactingonordersfrohenrik.evenifhecan’tprovehisinnocence,hecanlaydownenoughsokescreensthatno-onewilltakethestoryseriously.”

    frodelookedunhappy.

    “youconnede,”blokvistsaid.

    “thatwasn’tourintention.”

    “iblaeyself.iwasgraspingatstraws,andishouldhaverealiseditwassoethinglikethat.”helaughedabruptly.“henrikisanoldshark.hewassellingaproductandtoldewhatiwantedtohear.it’stieyouwent,dirch.”

    “mikael…i’sorrythat…”

    “dirch.go.”

    salanderdidnotknohethertogoovertoblokvistortoleavehiinpeace.hesolvedtheprobleforherbypickinguphisjacketwithoutawordandslaingthedoorbehindhi.

    fororethananhourshewaitedrestlesslyinthekitchen.shefeltsobadthatsheclearedthetableandwashedthedishes—arolesheusuallylefttoblokvist.shewentregularlytothewindowtoseeiftherewasanysignofhi.finallyshewassonervousthatsheputonherjacketandwentouttolookforhi.

    firstshewalkedtothearina,wherelightswerestilloninthecabins,buttherewasnosignofhi.shefollowedthepathalongthewaterwheretheyusuallytooktheireveningwalks.martinvanger’shousewasdarkandalreadylookedabandoned.shewentouttotherocksatthepointwheretheyhadoftensattalking,andthenshewentbackhoe.hestillhadnotreturned.

    shewenttothechurch.stillnosign.shewasatalosstoknohattodo.thenshewentbacktoherotorcycleandgotaflashlightfrothesaddlebagandsetoffalongthewateragain.ittookherawhiletowindherwayalongthehalf-overgrownroad,andevenlongertofindthepathtogottfried’scabin.itlooedoutofthedarknessbehindsoetreeswhenshehadalostreachedit.hewasnotontheporchandthedoorwaslocked.

    shehadturnedtowardsthevillagewhenshestoppedandwentback,allthewayouttothepoint.shecaughtsightofblokvist’ssilhouetteinthedarknessontheendofthejettywhereharrietvangerhaddrownedherfather.shesighedwithrelief.

    heheardherasshecaeoutontothejetty,andheturnedaround.shesatdownnexttohiwithoutaword.atlasthebrokethesilence.

    “fivee.ihadtobealoneforawhile.”

    “iknow.”

    shelittwocigarettesandgavehione.blokvistlookedather.salanderwastheostasocialhuanbeinghehadeveret.usuallysheignoredanyatteptonhisparttotalkaboutanythingpersonal,andshehadneveraeptedasingleexpressionofsypathy.shehadsavedhislife,andnowshehadtrackedhiouthereinthenight.heputanararoundher.

    “nowiknohatypriceis,”hesaid.“we’veforsakenthosegirls.they’regoingtoburythewholestory.everythinginmartin’sbaseentwillbevacuuedintooblivion.”

    salanderdidnotanswer.

    “erikawasright,”hesaid.“iwouldhavedoneoregoodifi’dgoosparaonthandthenehoerefreshedandtakenonwennerstr？.i’vewastedalltheseonths.”

    “ifyou’dgoospain,martinvangerwouldstillbeoperatinginhisbaseent.”

    theysattogetherforalongtiebeforehesuggestedthattheygohoe.

    blokvistfellasleepbeforesalander.shelayawakelisteningtohibreathe.afterawhileshewenttothekitchenandsatinthedarkonthekitchenbench,sokingseveralcigarettesasshebrooded.shehadtakenitforgrantedthatvangerandfrodeightconhi.itwasintheirnature.butitwasblokvist’sproble,nothers.orwasit？

    atlastsheadeadecision.shestubbedouthercigaretteandwentintothebedroo,turnedonthelap,andshookmikaelawake.itwas2:30intheorning.

    “what？”

    “i’vegotaquestion.situp.”

    blokvistsatup,drunkwithsleep.

    “whenyouwereindicted,whydidn’tyoudefendyourself？”

    blokvistrubbedhiseyes.helookedattheclock.

    “it’salongstory,lisbeth.”

    “i’vegottie.telle.”

    hesatforalongwhile,ponderingwhatheshouldsay.finallyhedecidedonthetruth.

    “ihadnodefence.therationinthearticlewaswrong.”

    “whenihackedyourputerandreadyoureailexchangewithberger,therewereplentyofreferencestothewennerstr？affair,butyoutwokeptdiscussingpracticaldetailsaboutthetrialandnothingaboutwhatactuallyhappened.whatwasitthatwentwrong？”

    “lisbeth,ican’tlettherealstorygetout.ifellintoatrap.erikaandiarequiteclearthatitwoulddaageourcredibilityevenfurtherifwetoldanyonewhatreallyhappened.”

    “listen,kalleblokvist,yesterdayafternoonyousatherepreachingaboutfriendshipandtrustandst

    18

    uff.i’notgoingtoputthestoryonthe.”

    blokvistprotested.itwastheiddleofthenight.hecouldnotfacethinkingaboutthewholethingnow.shewentonstubbornlysittingthereuntilhegavein.hewenttothebathrooandwashedhisfaceandputthecoffeepoton.thenhecaebacktothebedandtoldherabouthowhisoldschoolfriendrobertlindberg,inayellowm？lar-30intheguestarinainarhola,hadarousedhiscuriosity.

    “youeanthatyourbuddywaslying？”

    “no,notatall.hetoldeexactlywhatheknew,andicouldverifyeachandeverywordindocuentsfrotheauditatsib.ievenwenttopolandandphotographedthesheet-etalshackwherethishugebigminospanywashoused.iinterviewedseveralofthepeoplewhohadbeeneployedatthepa