bynoonhehadshoweredandeatenbreakfast.hewentresolutelyintohisofficeandtookdownthefirstbinderfrothepoliceinvestigation.thenhehesitated.frothegablewindowhecouldseesusanne’sbridgecafé.hestuffedthebinderintohisshoulderbagandputonhisoutdoorclothes.whenhereachedthecafé,hefounditbriingwithcustoers,andtherehehadtheanswertoaquestionthathadbeeninthebackofhisind:howcouldacafésurviveinabackwaterlikehedeby？susannespecialisedinchurchgoersandpresuablydidcoffeeandcakesforfuneralsandotherfunctions.

  hetookawalkinstead.konsuwasclosedonsundays,andhecontinuedafewhundredyardstowardshedestad,whereheboughtnewspapersatapetrolstation.hespentanhourwalkingaroundhedeby,failiarisinghiselfwiththetownbeforethebridge.theareaclosesttothechurchandpastkonsuwasthecentre,witholderbuildings—two-storeystonestructureswhichblokvistguessedhadbeenbuiltinthe1910sor’20sandwhichforedashortainstreet.northoftheroadintotownwerewell-keptapartentbuildingsforfailieswithchildren.alongthewaterandtothesouthofthechurchwereostlysingle-failyhoes.hedebylookedtobearelativelywell-to-doareaforhedestad’sdecision-akersandcivilservants.

  whenhereturnedtothebridge,theassaultonthecaféhadebbed,butsusannewasstillclearingdishesfrothetables.

  “thesundayrush？”hesaidingreeting.

  shenoddedasshetuckedalockofhairbehindoneear.“hi,mikael.”

  “soyoureeberynae.”

  “hardtofet,”shesaid.“ifollowedyourtrialontv.”

  “theyhavetofillupthenewswithsoething,”heuttered,anddriftedovertothecornertablewithaviewofthebridge.whenheetsusanne’seyes,shesiled.

  at3:00susanneannouncedthatshewasclosingthecaféfortheday.afterthechurchrush,onlyafewcustoershadeandgone.blokvisthadreadorethanafifthofthefirstbinderofthepoliceinvestigation.hestuckhisnoteintohisbagandwalkedbrisklyhoeacrossthebridge.

  thecatwaswaitingonthesteps.helookedaround,wonderingwhosecatitwas.heletitinsideallthesae,sincethecatwasatleastsoesortofpany.

  headeoneorevainattepttoreachberger.obviouslyshewasfuriouswithhistill.hecouldhavetriedcallingherdirectlineattheofficeorherhoenuber,buthehadalreadyleftenoughessages.instead,headehiselfcoffee,ovedthecatfartheralongthekitchenbench,andopenedthebinderonthetable.

  hereadcarefullyandslowly,notwantingtoissanydetail.bylateevening,whenheclosedthebinder,hehadfilledseveralpagesofhisownnote—withreindersandquestionstowhichhehopedtofindanswersinsubsequentbinders.theaterialwasallarrangedinchronologicalorder.hecouldnottellwhethervangerhadreaniseditthatwayorwhetherthatwasthesysteusedbythepoliceatthetie.

  thefirstpagewasaphotocopyofahandwrittenreportforheadedhedestadpoliceeergencycentre.theofficerwhohadtakenthecallhadsignedhisnaed.o.ryttinger,andblokvistassuedthe“d.o.”stoodfor“dutyofficer.”thecallerwashenrikvanger.hisaddressandtelephonenuberhadbeennoted.thereportwasdatedsunday,septeber25,1966,at11:14a..thetextwaslaconic:

  callfrohrk.vanger,statingthathisbrother’sdaughterhasbeenissingfroherhoeonhedebyislandsincesaturdayafternoon.thecallerexpressedgreatconcern.

  anotesentat11:20a..statedthatp-014hadbeensenttothesite.

  anotherat11:35a..,inalesslegiblehandthanryttinger’s,insertedthatoff.magnussonreportsthatbridgetohedebyislandstillblocked.transp.byboat.inthearginanillegiblesignature.

  at12:14p..ryttingerisback:telephoneconversationoff.magnussoninh-byconfirsthat16-year-oldharrietvangerissingsinceearlysaturdayafternoon.failyexpressedgreatconcern.notbelievedtohavesleptinherbedlastnight.couldnothaveleftislandduetoblockedbridge.noneoffailyebershasanyknowledgeastohv’swhereabouts.

  at12:19p..:g.m.redbytelephoneaboutthesituation.

  thelastnotewasrecordedat1:42p..:g.m.onsiteath-by；willtakeovertheatter.

  thenextpagerevealedthattheinitials“g.m.”referredtodetectiveinspectorgustafmorell,whoarrivedathedebyislandbyboatandtheretookoverand,preparingaforalreportonthedisappearanceofharrietvanger.unliketheinitialnotationswiththeirneedlessabbreviations,morell’sreportswerewrittenonatypewriterandinveryreadableprose.thefollowingpagesrecountedwhateasureshadbeentaken,withanobjectivityandwealthofdetailthatsurprisedblokvist.

  morellhadfirstinterviewedhenrikvangeralongwithisabellavanger,harriet’sother.thenhetalkedinturnwithulrikavanger,haraldvanger,gregervanger,harriet’sbrothermartinvanger,andanitavanger.blokvistcaetotheconclusionthattheseinterviewshadbeenconductedaordingtoascaleofdecreasingiportance.

  ulrikavangerwashenrikvanger’sother,andevidentlysheheldastatusparabletothatofadowagerqueen.ulrikalivedatthevangerestateandwasabl. comrovidenoration.shehadgoobedearlyonthepreviousnightandhadnotseenharrietforseveraldays.sheappearedtohaveinsistedoneetingdetectiveinspectormorellsolelytogiveairtoheropinionthatthepolicehadtoactatonce,iediately.

  haraldvangerrankedasnubertwoonthelist.hehadseenharrietonlybrieflywhenshereturnedfrothefestivitiesinhedestad,buthehadnotseenhersincetheaidentonthebridgeourredandhehadnoknowledgeofwheresheightbeatpresent.

  gregervanger,brotherofhenrikandharald,statedthathehadseentheissingsixteen-year-oldinhenrikvanger’sstudy,askingtospeakwithhenrikafterhervisittohedestadearlierintheday.gregervangerstatedthathehadnotspokenwithherhiself,erelygivenheragreeting.hehadnoideawheresheightbefound,butheexpressedtheviewthatshehadprobably,thoughtlessly,goovisitsoefriendwithouttellinganyoneandwouldreappearsoon.whenaskedhowsheightinthatcasehavelefttheisland,heofferednoanswer.

  martinvangerwasinterviewedinacursoryfashion.hewasinhisfinalyearatthepreparatoryschoolinuppsala,wherehelivedinthehoeofharaldvanger.therewasnorooforhiinharald’scar,sohehadtakenthetrainhoetohedeby,arrivingsolatethathewasstrandedonthewrongsideofthebridgeaidentandcouldnotcrossuntillateintheeveningbyboat.hewasinterviewedinthehopethathissisterighthaveconfidedinhiandperhapsgivenhisoeclueifshewasthinkingofrunningaway.thequestionwasetwithprotestsfroharrietvanger’sother,butatthatoentinspectormorellwasperhapsthinkingthatharriet’shavingrunawaywouldbethebesttheycouldhopefor.butmartinhadnotspokenwithhissistersincethesuerholidayandhadnorationofvalue.

  anitavanger,daughterofharaldvanger,waserroneouslylistedasharriet’s“firstcousin.”shewasinherfirstyearattheuniversityinstockholandhadspentthesuerinhedeby.shewasalostthesaeageasharrietandtheyhadbeeclosefriends.shestatedthatshehadarrivedattheislandwithherfatheronsaturdayandwaslookingforwardtoseeingharriet,butshehadnothadtheopportunitytofindher.anitastatedthatshefeltuneasy,andthatitwasnotlikeharriettogooffwithouttellingthefaily.henrikandisabellavangerconfiredthatthiswasthecase.

  whileinspectormorellwasinterviewingfailyebers,hehadtoldmagnussonandbergan—patrol014—toanisethefirstsearchpartywhiletherewasstilldaylight.thebridgewasstillclosedtotraffic,soitwasdifficulttocallinrerceents.thegroupconsistedofaboutthirtyavailableindividuals,enandwoenofvaryingages.theareastheysearchedthatafternoonincludedtheunoupiedhousesatthefishingharbour,theshorelineatthepointandalongthesound,thesectionofwoodsclosesttothevillage,andthehillcalleds？derbergetbehindthefishingharbour.thelatterwassearchedbecausesoeonehadputforwardthetheorythatharrietighthavegoneuptheretogetagoodviewofthesceneonthebridge.patrolswerealsosentoutto？sterg？rdenandtogottfried’scabinontheothersideoftheisland,whichharrietoasionallyvisited.

  butthesearchwasfruitless；itwasnotcalledoff

  6

  提供

  untillongafterdarkfell,at10:00atnight.theteperatureovernightdroppedtofreezing.

  duringtheafternooninspectormorellsetuphisheadquartersinadrawingroothathenrikvangerhadputathisdisposalonthegroundfloorofthevangerestateoffice.hehadundertakenanuberofeasures.

  inthepanyofisabellavanger,hehadexainedharriet’srooandtriedtoascertainwhetheranythingwasissing:clothes,asuitcase,orthelike,whichwouldindicatethatharriethadrunawayfrohoe.isabella,anoteiplied,hadnotbeenhelpfulanddidnotseetobefailiarwithherdaughter’swardrobe.sheoftenworejeans,buttheyalllookthesae,don’tthey？harriet’spursewasonherdesk.itcontainedid,awalletholdingninekronorandfifty？re,ab,airror,andahandkerchief.aftertheinspection,harriet’sroowaslocked.

  morellhadsuonedorepeopletobeinterviewed,failyebersandeployees.alltheinterviewswereeticulouslyreported.

  whentheparticipantsinthefirstsearchpartybeganreturningwithdishearteningreports,theinspectordecidedthataoresysteaticsearchhadtobeade.thateveningandnight,rerceentswerecalledin.morellcontacted,aongothers,thechairanofhedestad’sorienteeringclubandappealedforhelpinsuoningvolunteersforthesearchparty.byidnighthewastoldthatfifty-threeebers,ostlyfrothejuniordivision,wouldbeatthevangerestateat7:00thenextorning.henrikvangercalledinpartoftheorningshift,nuberingfiftyen,frothepaperill.healsoarrangedforfoodanddrinkfortheall.

  blokvistcouldvividlyiagihescenesplayedoutatthevangerestateduringthosedays.theaidentonthebridgehadcertainlycontributedtotheconfusionduringthefirsthours—byakingitdifficulttobringinrerceents,andalsobecausepeoplesoehowthoughtthatthesetwodraaticeventshappeningatthesaeplaceandclosetothesaetieustinsoewayhavebeenconnected.whenthetankertruckwashoistedaway,inspectormorellwentdowntothebridgetobesurethatharrietvangerhadnot,bysoeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewreck.thatwastheonlyirrationalactionthatmikaelcoulddetectintheinspector’sconduct,sincetheissinggirlhadunquestionablybeenseenontheislandaftertheaidenthadourred.

  duringthosefirstconfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthatthesituationwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsank.instead,theyweregraduallyreplacedbytwotheories.inspiteoftheobviousdifficultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticed,morellrefusedtodiscountthepossibilitythatshehadrunaway.hedecidedthatanall-pointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforharrietvanger,andhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficersinhedestadtokeeptheireyesopenfortheissinggirl.healsosentacolleagueinthecriinaldivisiontointerviewbusdriversandstaffattherailwaystation,tofindoutwhetheranyoneighthaveseenher.

  asthenegativereportscaein,itbecaeincreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhadfallenvictitosoesortofisfortune.thistheoryendedupdoinatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays.

  thebigsearchpartytwodaysafterherdisappearancewasapparently,asfarasblokvistcouldtell,carriedouteffectively.policeandfirefighterswhohadexperiencewithsiilaroperationshadanisedthesearch.hedebyislanddidhavesoepartsthatwerealostinaessible,butitwasneverthelessasallarea,andtheislandwassearchedwithafine-toothbinoneday.apoliceboatandtwovolunteerpetterssonboatsdidwhattheycouldtosearchthewatersaroundtheisland.

  onthefollowingdaythesearchwascontinuedwithdecreasedanpower.patrolsweresentouttoakeasecondsweepoftheparticularlyruggedterrain,aswellasanareaknownas“thefortress”—anow-abandonedbunkersystethatwasbuiltduringthesecondworldwar.thatdaytheyalsosearchedcubbyholes,wells,vegetablecellars,outhouses,andatticsinthevillage.

  acertainfrustrationcouldbereadintheofficialnoteswhenthesearchwascalledoffonthethirddayafterthegirl’sdisappearance.morellwas,ofcourse,notyetawareofit,butatthatoenthehadactuallyreachedasfarintheinvestigationashewouldeverget.hewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporanyplacewherethesearchoughttobepursued.harrietvangerseeedtohavedissolvedintothinair,andhenrikvanger’syearsoftorenthadbegun.

  chapter9

  monday,january6–wednesday,january8

  blokvistkeptreadinguntilthesallhoursanddidnotgetupuntillateonepiphanyday.anavyblue,late-odelvolvowasparkedoutsidevanger’shouse.evenashereachedforthedoorhandle,thedoorwasopenedbyaanonhiswayout.theyalostcollided.theanseeedtobeinahurry.

  “yes？canihelpyou？”

  “i’heretoseehenrikvanger,”blokvistsaid.

  thean’seyesbrightened.hesiledandstuckouthishand.“youustbemikaelblokvist,theonewho’sgoingtohelphenrikwiththefailychronicle,right？”

  theyshookhands.vangerhadapparentlybegunspreadingblokvist’scoverstory.theanwasoverweight—theresult,nodoubt,oftooanyyearsofnegotiatinginofficesandconferenceroos—butblokvistnoticedatoncethelikeness,thesiilaritybetweenhisfaceandharrietvanger’s.

  “i’martinvanger,”theansaid.“weletohedestad.”

  “thankyou.”

  “isawyouontvawhileago.”

  “everybodyseestohaveseeneontv.”

  “wennerstr？is…notverypopularinthishouse.”

  “henrikentionedthat.i’waitingtoheartherestofthestory.”

  “hetoldeafewdaysagothathe’dhiredyou.”martinvangerlaughed.“hesaiditwasprobablybecauseofwennerstr？thatyoutookthejobuphere.”

  blokvisthesitatedbeforedecidingtotellthetruth.“thatwasoneiportantreason.buttobehonest,ineededtogetawayfrostockhol,andhedestadcroppedupattherightoent.atleastithinkso.ican’tpretendthatthecourtcaseneverhappened.andanyway,i’goingtohavetog. comrison.”

  martinvangernodded,suddenlyserious.“canyouappeal？”

  “itwon’tdoanygood.”

  vangerglancedathiswatch.

  “ihavetobeinstockholtonight,soiusthurryaway.i’llbebackinafewdays.eoverandhavedinner.i’dreallyliketohearwhatactuallywentonduringthattrial.henrikisupstairs.gorightin.”

  vangerwassittingonasofainhisofficewherehehadthehedestadcourier,dagensindustri,svenskadagbladet,andbothnationaleveningpapersonthecoffeetable.

  “iranintomartinoutside.”

  “rushingofftosavetheepire,”vangersaid.“coffee？”

  “yes,please.”blokvistsatdown,wonderingwhyvangerlookedsoaused.

  “you’reentionedinthepaper.”

  vangershovedacrossoneoftheeveningpapers,openatapagewiththeheadline“mediashortcircuit.”thearticlewaswrittenbyacolunistwhohadpreviouslyworkedformonopolyfinancialmagazine,akinganaeforhiselfasonewhocheerfullyridiculedeveryonewhofeltpassionateaboutanyissueorwhostucktheirneckout.feinists,antiracists,andenvironentalactivistscouldallreckononreceivingtheirshare.thewriterwasnotknownforespousingasingleconvictionofhisown.now,severalweeksafterthetrialinthewennerstr？affair,hewasbringinghisfiretobearonmikaelblokvist,whohedescribedasapleteidiot.erikabergerwasportrayedasaninpetentediabibo:

  aruouriscirculatingthatmillenniuisonthevergeofcollapseinspiteofthefactthattheeditorinchiefisafeinistwhowearsini-skirtsandpoutsherlipsontv.forseveralyearstheagazinehassurvivedontheiagethathasbeensuessfullyarketedbytheeditors—youngreporterswhoundertakeinvestigativejournalisandexposethescoundrelsofthebusinessworld.thisadvertisingtrickayworkwithyounganarchistswhowanttohearjustsuchaessage,butitdoesn’twashinthedistrictcourt.askalleblokvistrecentlyfoundout.

  blokvistswitchedonhisobileandcheckedtoseeifhehadanycallsfroberger.therewerenoessages.vangerwaitedwithoutsayinganything.blokvistrealisedthattheoldanwasallowinghitobreakthesilence.

  “he’saoron,”blokvistsaid.

  vangerlaughed,buthesaid:“thataybe.buthe’snottheonewhowassentencedbythecourt.”

  “that’strue.andheneverwillbe.heneversaysanythingoriginal；healwaysjustjupsonthebandwagonandcaststhefinalstoneintheostdaagingtershecangetawaywith.”

  “i’vehadanyeneiesovertheyears.ifthere’sohingi’velearned,it’sneverengageinafightyou’resuretolose.ontheotherhand,neverletanyonewhohasinsultedyougetawaywithit.bideyourtieandstrikebackwhenyou’reinapositionofstrength—evenifyounolongerneedtostrikeback.”

  “thankyouforyourwis