however,itwasnotlisbethsalander’sastonishinglackofeotionalinvolveentthatostupsethi.milton’siagewasoneofconservativestability.salanderfittedintothispictureaboutaswellasabuffaloataboatshow.aransky’sstarresearcherwasapale,anorexicyoungwoanwhohadhairasshortasafuse,andapiercednoseandeyebrows.shehadawasptattooaboutaninchlongonherneck,atattooedlooparoundthebicepsofherleftarandanotheraroundherleftankle.onthoseoasionswhenshehadbeenwearingatan. com,aranskyalsosawthatshehadadragontattooonherleftshoulderblade.shewasanaturalredhead,butshedyedherhairravenblack.shelookedasthoughshehadjusteergedfroaweek-longywithagangofhardrockers.

  shedidnotinfacthaveaneatingdisorder,aranskywassureofthat.onthecontrary,sheseeedtoconsueeverykindofjunkfood.shehadsiplybeenbornthin,withslenderbonesthatadeherlookgirlishandfine-libedwithsallhands,narrorists,andchildlikebreasts.shewastwenty-four,butshesoetieslookedfourteen.

  shehadawideouth,asallnose,andhighcheekbonesthatgaveheranalostasianlook.heroveentswerequickandspidery,andwhenshewasworkingattheputerherfingersflewoverthekeys.herextreeslendernesswouldhaveadeacareerinodellingipossible,butwiththerightake-upherfacecouldhaveputheronanybillboardintheworld.soetiessheworeblacklipstick,andinspiteofthetattoosandthepiercednoseandeyebrowsshewas…well…attractive.itwasinexplicable.

  thefactthatsalanderworkedfordraganaranskyatallwasastonishing.shewasnotthesortofwoanwithwhohewouldnorallyeintocontact.

  shehadbeenhiredasajill-of-all-trades.holgerpalgren,asei-retiredlawyerwholookedafteroldj.f.milton’spersonalaffairs,hadtoldaranskythatthislisbethsalanderwasaquick-wittedgirlwith“arathertryingattitude.”palgrenhadappealedtohitogiveherachance,whicharanskyhad,againsthisbetterjudgeent,proisedtodo.palgrenwasthetypeofanwhowouldonlytake“no”asanencourageenttoredoublehisefforts,soitwaseasiertosay“yes”rightaway.aranskyknewthatpalgrendevotedhiselftotroubledkidsandothersocialisfits,buthedidhavegoodjudgeent.

  hehadregrettedhisdecisiontohirethegirltheoentheether.shedidnotjustseedifficult—inhiseyesshewastheveryquintessenceofdifficult.shehaddroppedoutofschoolandhadnosortofhighereducation.

  thefirstfewonthsshehadworkedfulltie,well,alostfulltie.sheturnedupattheofficenowandthen.sheadecoffee,wenttothepostoffice,andtookcareofthecopying,butconventionalofficehoursorworkroutineswereanatheatoher.ontheotherhand,shehadatalentforirritatingtheothereployees.shebecaeknownas“thegirlwithtwobraincells”—oneforbreathingandoneforstandingup.shenevertalkedaboutherself.colleagueswhotriedtotalktoherseldogotaresponseandsoongaveup.herattitudeencouragedneithertrustnorfriendship,andshequicklybecaeanoutsiderwanderingthecorridorsofmiltonlikeastraycat.shewasgenerallyconsideredahopelesscase.

  afteraonthofnothingbuttrouble,aranskysentforher,fullyintendingtolethergo.shelistenedtohiscatalogueofheroffenceswithoutobjectionandwithoutevenraisinganeyebrow.shedidnothavethe“rightattitude,”heconcluded,andwasabouttotellherthatitwouldprobablybeagoodideaifshelookedforeployentwithanotherfirthatcouldakebetteruseofherskills.onlythendidsheinterrupthi.

  “youknow,ifyoujustwantanofficeserfyoucangetonefrothetepagency.icanhandleanythingandanyoneyouwant,andifyoudon’thaveanybetteruseforethansortingpost,thenyou’reanidiot.”

  aranskysatthere,stunnedandangry,andshewentonunperturbed.

  “youhaveaanherewhospentthreeweekswritingapletelyuselessreportaboutthatyuppiethey’rethinkingofrecruitingforthatdot-pany.icopiedthepieceofcrapforhilastnight,andiseeit’slyingonyourdesknow.”

  aransky’seyeswenttothereport,andforachangeheraisedhisvoice.

  “you’renotsupposedtoreadconfidentialreports.”

  “apparentlynot,butthesecurityroutinesinyourfirhaveanuberofshortings.aordingtoyourdirectivehe’ssupposedtocopysuchthingshiself,buthechuckedthereportatebeforeheleftforthebaryesterday.andbytheway,ifoundhispreviousreportinthecanteen.”

  “youdidwhat？”

  “caldown.iputitinhisin-box.”

  “didhegiveyouthebinationtohisdocuentsafe？”aranskywasaghast.

  “notexactly；hewroteitonapieceofpaperhekeptunderneathhisblotteralongwiththepasswordtohisputer.butthepointisthatyourjokeofaprivatedetectivehasdoneaworthlesspersonalinvestigation.heissedthefactthattheguyhasoldgablingdebtsandsnortscocainelikeavacuucleaner.orthathisgirlfriendhadtoseekhelpfrothewoen’scrisiscentreafterhebeattheshitoutofher.”

  aranskysatforacoupleofinutesturningthepagesofthereport.itwaspetentlysetout,writteninclearlanguage,andfilledwithsourcereferencesaswellasstateentsfrothesubject’sfriendsandacquaintances.finallyheraisedhiseyesandsaidtwowords:“proveit.”

  “howuchtiehaveigot？”

  “threedays.ifyoucan’tproveyourallegationsbyfridayafternoonyou’refired.”

  threedayslatershedeliveredareportwhich,withequallyexhaustivesourcereferences,transforedtheoutwardlypleasantyoungyuppieintoanunreliablebastard.aranskyreadherreportovertheweekend,severalties,andspentpartofmondaydoingahalf-hearteddouble-checkofsoeofherassertions.evenbeforehebeganheknewthatherrationwouldprovetobeaurate.

  aranskywasbewilderedandalsoangrywithhiselfforhavingsoobviouslyisjudgedher.hehadtakenherforstupid,aybeevenretarded.hehadnotexpectedthatagirlwhohadcutsoanyclassesinschoolthatshedidnotgraduatecouldwriteareportsograaticallycorrect.italsocontaineddetailedobservationsandration,andhequitesiplycouldnotprehendhowshecouldhaveacquiredsuchfacts.

  hecouldnotiagihatanyoneelseatmiltonsecuritywouldhaveliftedexcerptsfrotheconfidentialjournalofadoctoratawoen’scrisiscentre.whenheaskedherhowshehadanagedthat,shetoldhithatshehadnointentionofburninghersources.itbecaeclearthatsalanderwasnotgoingtodiscussherworkethods,eitherwithhiorwithanyoneelse.thisdisturbedhi—butnotenoughforhitoresisttheteptationtotesther.

  hethoughtabouttheatterforseveraldays.herecalledholgerpalgren’ssayingwhenhehadsenthertohi,“everyonedeservesachance.”hethoughtabouthisownmusliupbringing,whichhadtaughthithatitwashisdutytogodtohelptheoutcasts.ofcoursehedidnotbelieveingodandhadnotbeeninaosquesincehewasateenager,butherecognisedlisbethsalanderasapersoninneedofresolutehelp.hehadnotdoneuchalongtheselinesoverthepastfewdecades.

  insteadofgivingsalandertheboot,hesuonedherforaeetinginwhichhetriedtoworkoutwhatadethedifficultgirltick.hisipressionwasconfiredthatshesufferedfrosoeseriouseotionalproble,buthealsodiscoveredthatbehindhersullenfacadetherewasanunusualintelligence.hefoundherpricklyandirksoe,butuchtohissurprisehebegantolikeher.

  overthefollowingonthsaranskytooksalanderunderhiswing.intruth,hetookheronasasallsocialproject.hegaveherstraightforwardresearchtasksandtriedtogiveherguidelinesonho. comroceed.shewouldlistenpatientlyandthensetofftocarryouttheassignentjustasshesawfit.heaskedmilton’stechnicaldirectortogiveherabasiourseinitscience.theysattogetherallafternoonuntilhereportedbackthatsheseeedtohaveabetterunderstandingofputersthanostofthestaff.

  butdespitedevelopentdiscussions,offersofin-housetraining,andotherforsofenticeent,itwasevidentthatsalanderhadnointentionofadaptingtomilton’sofficeroutines.thisputaranskyinadifficultspot.

  hewouldnothaveputupwithanyothereployeeingandgoingatwill,andundernoralcircustanceshewouldhavedeandedthatshechangeorgo.buthehadahunchthatifhegavesalanderanultiatuorthreatenedtofirehershewouldsiplyshrughershouldersandbegone.

  aoreseriousproblewasthathecouldnotbesureofhisownfeelingsfortheyoungwoan.shewaslikeanaggingitch,repellentandatthesaetietepting.itwasnotasexualattraction,atleasthedidnotthinkso.thewoenhewasusuallyattractedtowereblondeandcurvaceous,withfulllipsthatarousedhisfantasies.andbesides,hehadbeenarriedfortwentyyearstoafinnishwoannaedritvawhostillorethansatisfiedtheserequireents.hehadneverbeenunfaithful,well…soethingayhavehappenedjustonce,andhiswifeighthaveisunderstoodifshehadknownaboutit.butthearriagewashappyandhehadtwodaughtersofsalander’sage.inanycase,hewasnotinterestedinflat-chestedgirlswhoightbeistakenforskinnyboysatadistance.thatwasnothisstyle.

  evenso,hehadcaughthiselfhavinginappropriatedaydreasaboutlisbethsalander,andherecognisedthathewasnotpletelyunaffectedbyher.buttheattraction,aranskythought,wasthatsalanderwasaforeigncreaturetohi.heightjustaswellhavefalleninlovewithapaintingofanyphoragreekaphora.salanderrepresentedalifethatwasnotrealforhi,thatfascinatedhithoughhecouldnotshareit—andinanycasesheforbadehifrosharingit.

  ononeoasionaranskywassittingatacaféonstortetingalastanwhensalandercaesaunteringupandsatatatableashortdistanceaway.shewaswiththreegirlsandaboy,alldressedinuchthesaeway.aranskyhadwatchedherwithinterest.sheseeedtobejustasreservedasshewasatwork,butshehadactuallyalostsiledatastorytoldbyoneofherpanions,agirlwithpurplehair.

  aranskywonderedhowshewouldreactifonedayhecaetoworkwithgreenhair,worn-outjeans,andaleatherjacketcoveredwithgraffitiandrivets.sheprobablywouldjustsirkathi.

  shehadbeensittingwithherbacktohianddidnotturnaroundonce,obviouslyunawarethathewasthere.hefeltstrangelydisturbedbyherpresence.whenatlasthegotuptoslinkawayunnoticed,shesuddenlyturnedandstaredstraightathi,asthoughshehadbeenawareallthetiethathewassittingthereandhadhionherradar.hergazehadesosurprisinglythatitfeltlikeanattack,andhepretendednottoseeherandhurriedlyleftthecafé.shehadnotsaidhelloeven,butshefollowedhiwithhereyes,hewassureofit,andnotuntilheturnedthecornerdidthey. comburningintohisneck.

  sherarelylaughed.butovertiearanskythoughthenoticedasofteningofherattitude.shehadadrysenseofhuour. comutitildly,whichcouldproptacrooked,ironicsile.

  aranskyfeltsoprovokedbyherlackofeotionalresponsethatsoetieshewantedtograbholdofherandshakeher.toforcehiswayintohershellandwinherfriendship,oratleastherrespect.

  onlyonce,aftershehadbeenworkingforhifornineonths,hadhetriedtodiscussthesefeelingswithher.itwasatmiltonsecurity’schristaspartyoneeveningindeceber,andforoncehewasnotsober.nothinginappropriatehadhappened—hehadjusttriedtotellherthatheactuallylikedher.mostofallhewantedtoexplainthathefeltprotectivetowardsher,andifsheeverneededhelpwithanything,sheshouldnothesitatetoetohi.hehadeventriedtogiveherahug.allinfriendliness,ofcourse.

  shehadwriggledoutofhisclusyebraceandlefttheparty.afterthatshehadnotappearedattheofficeoransweredherobile.herabsencehadfeltliketorture—alostaforofpersonalpunishent.hehadnobodytodiscusshisfeelingswith,andforthefirsttieherealisedwithappallingclaritywhatadestructiveholdshehadoverhi.

  threeweekslater,whenaranskywasworkinglateoneeveninggoingovertheyear-endkeeping,salanderreappeared.shecaeintohisofficeassilentlyasaghost,andhebecaeawarethatshewasstandingintheshadowsinsidethedoorway,watchinghi.hehadnoideahowlongshehadbeenthere.

  “wouldyoulikesoecoffee？”sheasked.shehandedhiacupfrotheespressoachineinthecanteen.mutelyheaeptedit,feelingbothreliefandterrorwhensheshovedthedoorclosedwithherfoot.shesatdownoppositehisdeskandlookedhistraightintheeye.thensheaskedthequestioninawaythatcouldneitherbelaughedoffnoravoided.

  “dragan,areyouattractedtoe？”

  aranskysatasifparalysed,whiledesperatelywonderinghowtoanswer.hisfirstipulsewa. comretendtobeinsulted.thenhesawherexpressionanditcaetohithatthiswasthefirsttieshehadeverutteredanysuchpersonalquestion.itwasseriouslyeant,andifhetriedtolaughitoffshewouldtakeitasanaffront.shewantedtotalktohi,andhewonderedhowlongithadtakenhertogetupthecouragetoaskthatquestion.heslowlyputdownhispenandleanedbackinhischair.finallyherelaxed.

  “whatakesyouthinkthat？”hesaid.

  “thewayyoulookate,andthewayyoudon’tlookate.andthetiesyouwereabouttoreachoutyourhandandtouchebut. compedyourself.”

  hesiledather.“ireckonyou’dbiteoffyhandifilaidafingeronyou.”

  shedidnotsile.shewaswaiting.

  “lisbeth,i’yourboss,andevenifiwereattractedtoyou,i’dneveractonit.”

  shewasstillwaiting.

  “betweenus—yes,therehavebeentieswhenihavefeltattractedtoyou.ican’texplainit,butthat’sthewayitis.forsoereasonidon’treallyunderstand,ilikeyoualot.butit’snotaphysicalthing.”

  “that’sgood.becauseit’llneverhappen.”

  aranskylaughed.thefirsttieshehadsaidsoethingpersonalanditwastheostdishearteningnewsaancouldiaginereceiving.hestruggledtofindtherightwords.

  “lisbeth,iunderstandthatyou’renotinterestedinanoldanoffiftyplus.”

  “i’notinterestedinanoldanoffiftypluswho’syboss.”sheheldupahand.“wait,letespeak.you’resoetiesstupidandaddeninglybureaucratic,butyou’reactuallyanattractivean,and…icanalsofeel…butyou’reybossandi’veetyourwifeandiwanttokeepyjobwithyou,andtheostidioticthingicoulddoisgetinvolvedwithyou.”

  aranskysaidnothing,hardlydaringtobreathe.

  “i’awareofwhatyou’vedonefore,andi’notungrateful.iappreciatethatyouactuallyshowedyourselftobegreaterthanyourprejudicesandhavegiveneachancehere.butidon’twantyouforylover,andyou’renotyfather.”

  afterawhilearanskysighedhelplessly.“whatexactlydoyouwantfroe？”

  “iwanttocontinueworkingforyou.ifthat’sokwithyou.”

  henoddedandthenansweredherashonestlyashecould.“ireallydowantyoutoworkfore.butialsowantyoutofeelsoesortoffriendshipandtrustine.”

  shenodded.

  “you’renotapersonwhoencouragesfriendship,”hesaid.sheseeedtowithdraw,buthewenton.“iunderstandthatyoudon’twantanyoneinterferinginyourlife,andi’lltrynottodothat.butisitallrightificontinuetolikeyou？”

  salanderthoughtaboutitforalongtie.thensherepliedbygettingup,walkingaroundthedesk,andgivinghiahug.hewastotallyshocked.onlywhenshereleasedhididhetakeherhand.

  “wecanbefriends？”

  shenoddedonce.

  thatwastheonlytiesheevershowedhianytenderness,andtheonlytiesheevertouchedhi.itwasaoentthataranskyfondlyreebered.

  afterfouryearsshehadstillvouchsafedhardlyadetailaboutherprivatelifeorherbackgroundtoaransky.onceheappliedhisownknowledgeofthepinder’sartonher.healsohadalongtalkwithholgerpalgren—whodidnotseesurprisedtoseehi—andwhathefinallyfoundoutdidnotincreasehistrustinher.heneverentionedawordaboutthistoherorletherknowthathehadbeensnoopingintoherlife.insteadhehidhisuneasinessandincreasedhiswatchfulness.

  beforethatstrangeeveningwasover,aranskyandsalanderhadetoanagreeent.infutureshewoulddoresearchprojectsforhionafreelancebasis.shewouldreceiveasallonthlyinewhethershedidanyassignentsornot.therealoneywouldbeadewhenshewaspaidperassignent.shecouldworkthewayshewantedto；inreturnshepledgednevertodoanythingthatightebarrasshiorrisksubjectingmiltonsecuritytoscandal.

  foraranskythiswasasolutionthatwasadvantageoustohi,thepany,andsalanderherself.hecutthetroublesoepidepartentdowntoasinglefull-tieeployee,anoldercolleaguewhohandledroutinejobsperfectlywellandrancreditchecks.allplicatedortrickyassignentsheturnedovertosalanderandafewotherfreelancerswho—inthelastresort—wereindependentcontractorsforwhomiltonsecurityhadactuallynoresponsibility.sinceheregularlyengagedherservices,sheearnedagoodsalary.itcou