“wasn’tthereanyonewhowantedtohelpharriet？”

  “henrik,ofcourse.intheendsheovedintohishouse.butdon’tfetthathewaspreoupiedplayingtheroleofthebigindustrialist.hewasusuallyofftravellingsoewhereanddidn’thavealotoftietospendwithharrietandmartin.iissedalotofthisbecauseiwasinuppsalaandtheninstockhol—andletetellyou,ididn’thaveaneasychildhoodyselfwithharaldasyfather.inhindsighti’verealisedthattheproblewasthatharrietneverconfidedinanyone.shetriedhardtokeepupappearancesandpretendthattheywereonebighappyfaily.”

  “denial.”

  “yes.butshechangedwhenherfatherdrowned.shecouldnolongerpretendthateverythingwasok.upuntilthenshewas…idon’tknowhowtoexplainit:extreelygiftedandprecocious,butonthewholearatherordinaryteenager.duringthelastyearshewasstillbrilliant,gettin. comarksineveryexaandsoon,butitseeedasifshedidn’thaveanysoul.”

  “howdidherfatherdrown？”

  “intheostprosaicwaypossible.hefelloutofarowingboatrightbelowhiscabin.hehadhistrousersopenandanextreelyhighalcoholcontentinhisblood,soyoucanjustiaginehowithappened.martinwastheonewhofoundhi.”

  “ididn’tknowthat.”

  “it’sfunny.martinhasturnedouttobeareallyfineperson.ifyouhadaskedethirty-fiveyearsago,iwouldhavesaidthathewastheoneinthefailywhoneededpsychiatriare.”

  “whyso？”

  “harrietwasn’ttheonlyonewhosufferedilleffectsfrothesituation.foranyyearsmartinwassoquietandintrovertedthathewaseffectivelyantisocial.bothchildrenhadaroughtieofit.iean,wealldid.ihadyownprobleswithyfather—iassueyourealisethathe’sstarkravingad.mysister,anita,hadthesaeproble,asdidalexander,ycousin.itwastoughbeingyounginthevangerfaily.”

  “whathappenedtoyoursister？”

  “shelivesinlondon.shewentthereintheseventiestoworkinaswedishtravelagency,andshestayed.shearriedsoeone,neverevenintroducedhitothefaily,andanontheyseparated.todayshe’sasenioranagerofbritishairways.sheandigetalongfine,butwearenotuchincontactandonlyseeeachothereveryotheryearorso.sheneverestohedestad.”

  “whynot？”

  “aninsanefather.isn’tthatexplanationenough？”

  “butyoustayed.”

  “idid.alongwithbirger,ybrother.”

  “thepolitician.”

  “areyouakingfunofe？birgerisolderthananitaande.we’veneverbeenveryclose.inhisowneyeshe’safantasticallyiportantpoliticianwithafutureinparliaentandaybeinisterialrank,iftheconservativesshouldwin.inpointoffacthe’saoderatelytalentedlocalcouncillorinareotecornerofsweden,whichwillprobablybeboththehighpointandthewholeextentofhiscareer.”

  “ohingthattickleseaboutthevangerfailyisthatyouallhavesuchlowopinionsofeachother.”

  “that’snotreallytrue.i’veryfondofmartinandhenrik.andialwaysgotonwellwithysister,forallthatweseldoseeeachother.idetestisabellaandcan’tabidealexander.andineverspeaktoyfather.sothat’saboutfifty-fiftyinthefaily.birgeris…well,oreofapopousfatheadthanabadperson.butiseewhatyouean.lookatitthisway:ifyou’reaeberofthevangerfaily,youlearnearlyontospeakyourind.wedosaywhatwethink.”

  “ohyes,i’venoticedthatyouallgetstraighttothepoint.”blokviststretchedouthishandtotouchherbreast.“iwasn’therefifteeninutesbeforeyouattackede.”

  “tobehonest,i’vebeenwonderinghowyouwouldbeinbedeversinceifirstsawyou.anditfeltrighttotryitout.”

  forthefirsttieinherlifesalanderfeltastrongneedtoasksoeoneforadvice.theproblewasthataskingforadviceeantthatshewouldhavetoconfideinsoeone,whichinturnwouldeanrevealinghersecrets.whoshouldshetell？shewassiplynotverygoodatestablishingcontactwithotherpeople.

  aftergoingthroughheraddressinherind,shehad,strictlyspeaking,tenpeoplewhoightbeconsideredhercircleofacquaintances.

  shecouldtalktoplague,whowasoreorlessasteadypresenceinherlife.buthewasdefinitelynotafriend,andhewasthelastpersononearthwhowouldbeabletohelpsolveherproble.notanoption.

  salander’ssexlifewasn’tquiteasodestasshehadledadvokatbjurantobelieve.ontheotherhand,sexhadalwaysourredonherconditionsandatherinitiative.shehadhadoverfiftypartnerssincetheageoffifteen.thattranslatedintoapproxiatelyfivepartnersperyear,whichwasokforasinglegirlwhohadetoregardsexasanenjoyablepastie.butshehadhadostofthesecasualpartnersduringatwo-yearperiod.thosewerethetuultuousyearsinherlateteenswhensheshouldhaveeofage.

  therewasatiewhensalanderhadstoodatacrossroadsanddidnotreallyhavecontroloverherownlife—whenherfuturecouldhavetakentheforofanotherseriesofcaseentriesaboutdrugs,alcohol,andcustodyinvariousinstitutions.aftersheturnedtwentyandstartedworkingatmiltonsecurity,shehadcaleddownappreciablyand—shethought—hadgotagriponherlife.

  shenolongerfeltthenee. comleaseanyonewhoboughtherthreebeersinapub,andshedidnotexperiencetheslightestdegreeofself-fulfilentbygoinghoewithsoedrunkwhosenaeshecouldnotreeber.duringthepastyearshehadhadonlyoneregularsexpartner—hardlyproiscuous,ashercaseentriesduringherlateteenshaddesignatedher.

  forher,sexhadostoftenbeenwithoneofaloosegroupoffriends；shewasnotreallyaeber,butshewasaeptedbecausesheknewcillanorén.sheetcillainherlateteenswhen,atpalgren’sinsistence,shewastryingtogettheschoolcertificateshehadfaile. comleteatkovux.cillahadplu-redhairstreakedwithblack,blackleathertrousers,aringinhernose,andasanyrivetsonherbeltassalander.theyhadglaredsuspiciouslyateachotherduringthefirstclass.

  forsoereasonsalanderdidnotunderstand,theyhadstartedhangingouttogether.salanderwasnottheeasiestpersontobefriendswith,andespeciallynotduringthoseyears,butcillaignoredhersilencesandtookheralongtothebar.throughcilla,shehadbeeaeberof“evilfingers,”whichhadstartedasasuburbanbandconsistingoffourteenagegirlsinenskedewhowereintohardrock.tenyearslater,theywereagroupoffriendswhoetatkvarnenontuesdaynightstotalktrashaboutboysanddiscussfeinis,thepentagra,usic,andpoliticswhiletheydranklargequantitiesofbeer.theyalsoliveduptotheirnae.

  salanderfoundherselfonthefringeofthegroupandrarelycontributedtothetalk,butshewasaeptedforwhoshewas.shecouldeandgoasshepleasedandwasallowedtositinsilenceoverherbeerallevening.shewasalsoinvitedtobirthdaypartiesandchristasgl？ggcelebrations,thoughsheusuallydidn’tgo.

  duringthefiveyearsshehungoutwith“evilfingers,”thegirlsbegantochange.theirhaircolourbecaelessextree,andtheclothingcaeoreoftenfrotheh＆ap；mboutiquesratherthanfrofunkymyrorna.theystudiedorworked,andoneofthegirlsbecaeaother.salanderfeltasifsheweretheonlyonewhohadnotchangedabit,whichcouldalsobeinterpretedasthatshewassiplyarkingtieandgoingnowhere.

  buttheystillhadfun.iftherewasoneplacewhereshefeltanysortofgroupsolidarity,itwasinthepanyofthe“evilfingers”and,byextension,withtheguyswhowerefriendswiththegirls.

  “evilfingers”wouldlisten.theywouldalsostandupforher.buttheyhadnocluethatsalanderhadadistrictcourtorderdeclaringhernonposentis.shedidn’twantthetobeeyeingherthewrongway,too.notanoption.

  apartfrothat,shedidnothaveasingleex-classateinheraddress.shehadnoworkorsupportgrouporpoliticalcontactsofanykind.sowhocouldsheturntoandtellaboutherprobles？

  thereightbeoneperson.shedeliberatedforalongtieaboutwhethersheshouldconfideindraganaransky.hehadtoldherthatifsheneededhelpwithanything,sheshouldnothesitatetoetohi.andshewassurethatheeantit.

  aranskyhadgropedheroietoo,butithadbeenafriendlygroping,noillintentions,andnotadeonstrationofpower.buttoaskhiforhelpwentagainstthegrain.hewasherboss,anditwouldputherinhisdebt.salandertoyedwiththeideaofhowherlifewouldtakeshapeifaranskywereherguardianinsteadofbjuran.shesiled.theideawasnotunpleasant,butaranskyighttaketheassignentsoseriouslythathewouldsotherherwithattention.thatwas…well,possiblyanoption.

  eventhoughshewaswellawareofwhatawoen’scrisiscentrewasfor,itneverourredtohertoturntooneherself.crisiscentresexisted,inhereyes,forvictis,andshehadneverregardedherselfasavicti.consequently,heronlyreainingoptionwastodowhatshehadalwaysdone—takeattersinherownhandsandsolveherproblesonherown.thatwasdefinitelyanoption.

  anditdidnotbodewellforherradvokatnilsbjuran.

  chapter13

  thursday,february20–friday,march7

  duringthelastweekoffebruarysalanderactedasherownclient,withbjuran,n.,born1950,asahigh-priorityspecialproject.sheworkedalostsixteenhourseverydaydoingaorethoroughpersonalinvestigationthanshehadeverdonebefore.sheadeuseofallthearchivesandpublicdocuentsshecouldlayherhandson.sheinvestigatedhiscircleofrelativesandfriends.shelookedathisfinancesandappedouteverydetailofhisupbringingandcareer.

  theresultswerediscouraging.

  hewasalawyer,eberofthebarassociation,andauthorofarespectablylong-windedbutexceptionallytediousdissertationonfinancelaw.hisreputationwasspotless.advokatbjuranhadneverbeencensured.ononlyoneoasionwashereportedtothebarassociation—hewasausednearlytenyearsagoofbeingtheiddleaninanunder-the-tablepropertydeal,buthehadbeenabl. comrovehisinnocence.hisfinanceswereingoodorder；bjuranwaswell-to-do,withatleast10illionkronorinassets.hepaidoretaxesthanheowed,wasaeberofgreenpeaceandanestyinternational,andhedonatedoneytotheheartandlungassociation.hehadrarelyappearedintheassedia,althoughonseveraloasionshehadsignedhisna. comublicappeal

  9

  sforpoliticalprisonersinthethirdworld.helivedinafive-rooapartentonupplandsgatannearodenplan,andhewasthesecretaryofhisco-opapartentassociation.hewasdivorcedandhadnochildren.

  salanderfocusedonhisex-wife,whosenaewaselena.shewasborninpolandbuthadlivedallherlifeinsweden.sheworkedatarehabilitationcentreandwasapparentlyhappilyrearriedtooneofbjuran’sforercolleagues.nothingusefulthere.thebjuranarriagehadlastedfourteenyears,andthedivorcewentthroughwithoutdisputes.

  advokatbjuranregularlyactedasasupervisorforyouthswhogotintotroublewiththelaw.hehadbeentrusteeforfouryouthsbeforehebecaesalander’sguardian.allofthesecasesinvolvedinors,andtheassignentscaetoanendwithacourtdecisionwhentheycaeofage.oneoftheseclientsstillconsultedbjuraninhisroleasadvokat,sotheredidnotseetobeanyaniositythereeither.ifbjuranhadbeensysteaticallyexploitinghiswards,therewasnosignofit,andnoatterhowdeeplysalanderprobed,shecouldfindnotraceofwrongdoing.allfourhadestablishedlivesfortheselveswithaboyfriendorgirlfriend；theyallhadjobs,placestolive,andco-opdebitcards.

  shecalledeachofthefourclients,introducingherselfasasocialwelfaresecretaryworkingonastudyabouthowchildrenhithertounderthecareofatrusteefaredlaterinlifeparedtootherchildren.yes,naturally,everyonewillbeanonyous.shehadputtogetheraquestionnairewithtenquestions,whichsheaskedonthetelephone.severalofthequestionsweredesignedtogettherespondentstogivetheirviewsonhoellthetrusteeshiphadfunctioned—iftheyhadanyopinionsabouttheirowntrustee,advokatbjuranwasn’tit？no-onehadanythingbadtosayabouthi.

  whensalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocuentsinabagfroicaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehall.bjuranwasapparentlybeyondreproach.therewasnothinginhispastthatshecoulduse.sheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepandapig,butshecouldfindnothin. comroveit.

  itwastietoconsideranotheroption.afteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityreainedthatstartedtolookoreandoreattractive—oratleastseeedtobeatrulyrealisticalternative.theeasiestthingwouldbeforbjuransiplytodisappearfroherlife.aquickheartattack.endofproble.thecatchwasthatnotevendisgustingfifty-three-year-oldenhadheartattacksatherbeckandcall.

  butthatsortofthingcouldbearranged.

  blokvistcarriedonhisaffairwithheadistressceciliavangerwiththegreatestdiscretion.shehadthreerules:shedidn’twantanyooknowtheywereeeting；shewantedhitoeoveronlywhenshecalledandwasintheood；andshedidn’twanthitostayallnight.

  herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhi.whenheranintoheratsusanne’s,shewasfriendlybutcoolanddistant.whentheyetinherbedroo,shewaswildlypassionate.

  blokvistdidnotwan. comryintoherpersonallife,buthehadbeenhire. comryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevangerfaily.hefelttornandatthesaetiecurious.onedayheaskedvangerwhoshehadbeenarriedtoandwhathadhappened.heaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscussingthebackgroundofalexanderandbirger.

  “cecilia？idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithharriet.”

  “telleaboutherbackground.”

  “sheovedbackhereaftergraduatingandstartedworkingasateacher.sheetaanbythenaeofjerrykarlsson,whounfortunatelyworkedforthevangercorporation.theyarried.ithoughtthearriagewasahappyone—anywayinthebeginning.butafteracoupleofyearsibegantoseethatthingswerenotastheyshouldbe.heistreatedher.itwastheusualstory—hebeatherandsheloyallydefendedhi.finallyhehitheroietooany.shewasseriouslyhurtandendedupinthehospital.iofferedyhelp.sheovedoutheretohedebyislandandhasrefusedtoseeherhusbandsince.iadesurehewasfired.”

  “buttheyarestillarried？”

  “it’saquestionofhowyoudefineit.idon’tknohyshehasn’tfiledfordivorce.butshehasneverwantedtorearry,soisupposeithasn’tadeanydifference.”

  “thiskarlsson,didhehaveanythingtodowith…”

  “…withharriet？no,hewasn’tinhedestadin1966,andhewasn’tyetworkingforthefir.”

  “ok.”

  “mikael,i’fondofcecilia.shecanbetrickytodealwith,butshe’soneofthegoodpeopleinyfaily.”

  salanderdevotedawee. comlanningnilsbjuran’sdeise.sheconsidered—andrejected—variousethodsuntilshehadnarroweditdowntoafewrealisticscenariosfrowhichtochoose.noactingonipulse.

  onlyoneconditionhadtobefulfilled.bjuranhadtodieinsuchawaythatsheherselfcouldneverbelinkedtothecrie.thefactthatshewouldbeincludedinanyeventualpoliceinvestigationshetookforgranted；soonerorlaterhernaewouldshowupwhenbjuran’sresponsibilitieswereexained.butshewasonlyonepersoninawholeuniverseofpresentandforerclients,shehadethionlyfourties,andtherewouldnotbeanyindicationthathisdeathevenhadaconnectionwithanyofhisclients.therewereforergirlfriends,relatives,casualacquaintances,colleagues,andothers.therewasalsowhatwasusuallydefinedas“randoviolence,”whentheperpetratorandvictididnotknoweachother.

  ifhernaecaeup,shewouldbeahelpless,inpetentgirlwithdocuentsshowinghertobeentallydeficient.soitwouldbeanadvantageifbjuran’sdeathourredinsuchaplicatedannerthatitwouldbehighlyunlikelythataentallyhandicappedgirlcouldbetheperpetrator.

  sherejectedtheoptionofusingagun.acquiringagunwouldbenogreatproble,butthepolicewereawfullygoodattrackingdownfirears.

  sheconsideredaknife,whichcouldbepurchasedatanyhardwarestore,butdecidedagainstthattoo.evenifsheturnedupwithoutwarninganddrovetheknifeintohisback,therewasnoguaranteethathewoulddieinstantlyandwithoutakingasound,orthathewoulddieatall.worse,itightprovokeastruggle,whichcouldattractattention,andbloodcouldstainherclothes,beevidenceagainsther.

  shethoughtaboutusingabobofsoesort,butitwouldbeuchtooplicated.buildingthebobitselfwouldnotbeaproble—theinterwasfullofanualsonhowtoakethedeadliestdevices.itwouldbedifficult,ontheotherhand,tofindaplac. comutthebobsothatinnocentpassersbywouldnotbehurt.besides,therewasagainnoguaranteethathewouldactuallydie.

  thetelephonerang.

  “hi,lisbeth.dragan.i’vegotajobforyou.”

  “idon’thavetie.”

  “thisisiportant.”

  “i’busy.”

  sheputdownthereceiver.

  finallyshesettledonpoison.thechoicesurprisedher,butoncloserconsiderationitwasperfect.

  salanderspentseveraldaysbingtheinter.th