aphotographeratanewspapertakesbetweentwoandtenrollsoffiladay.forbigevents,itcanbedoublethat.eachrollcontainsthirty-sixnegatives；soit’snotunusualforalocalnewspapertoauulateoverthreehundred-plusiageseachday,ofwhichonlyaveryfewarepublished.awell-aniseddepartentcutsuptherollsoffilandplacesthenegativesinsix-fraesleeves.arolltakesupaboutonepageinanegativebinder.abinderholdsabout110rolls.inayear,abouttwenty-fivebindersarefilledup.overtheyearsahugenuberofbindersisauulated,whichgenerallylackanyercialvalueandoverflowtheshelvesinthephotographicdepartent.ontheotherhand,everyphotographerandpicturesdepartentisconvincedthatthepicturescontainahistoricaldocuentationofincalculablevalue,sotheyneverthrowanythingaway.

  thehedestadcourierwasfoundedin1922,andthepicturesdepartenthadexistedsince1937.thecourier’satticstoreroocontainedabout1,200binders,arranged,asblobergsaid,bydate.thenegativesfrosepteber1966werekepturcheapcardboardstoragebinders.

  “howdowegoaboutthis？”blokvistsaid.“ireallyneedtositatalighttableandbeabletoakecopiesofanythingthatightbeofinterest.”

  “wedon’thaveadarkrooanyore.everythingisscannedin.doyouknowhowtoworkanegativescanner？”

  “yes,i’veworkedwithiagesandhaveanagfaneg.scannerofyown.iworkinphotoshop.”

  “thenyouusethesaeequipentwedo.”

  blobergtookhionaquicktourofthesalloffice,gavehiachairatalighttable,andswitchedonaputerandscanner.sheshowedhiwherethecoffeeachinewasinthecanteenarea.theyagreedthatblokvistcouldworkbyhiself,butthathehadtocallherwhenhewantedtoleavetheofficesothatshecouldeinandsetthealarsyste.thenshelefthiwithacheerful“havefun.”

  thecourierhadhadtwophotographersbackthen.theonewhohadbeenondutythatdaywaskurtnylund,whoblokvistactuallyknew.nylundwasinhistwentiesin1966.thenheovedtostockholandbecaeafaousphotographerworkingbothfreelanceandasaneployeeofscanpixswedeninmarieberg.blokvisthadcrossedpathswithkurtnylundseveraltiesintheniies,whenmillenniuhadusediagesfroscanpix.hereeberedhiasanangularanwiththinninghair.onthedayoftheparadenylundhadusedadaylightfil,nottoofast,onewhichanynewsphotographersused.

  blokvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotographsbytheyoungnylundandputtheonthelighttable.withaagnifyingglasshestudiedthefraebyfrae.readingnegativesisanartfor,requiringexperience,whichblokvistlacked.todeterinewhetherthephotographcontainedrationofvaluehewasgoingtohavetoscanineachiageandexaineitontheputerscreen.thatwouldtakehours.sofirsthedidaquitegeneralsurveyofthephotographsheightbeinterestedin.

  hebeganbyrunningthroughalltheonesthathadbeentakenoftheaident.vanger’scollectionwasinplete.thepersonwhohadcopiedthecollection—possiblynylundhiself—hadleftoutaboutthirtyphotographsthatwereeitherblurredorofsuchpoorqualitythattheywerenotconsideredpublishable.

  blokvistswitchedoffthecourier’sputerandpluggedtheagfascannerintohisowni.hespenttwohoursscanningintherestoftheiages.

  onecaughthiseyeatonce.soetiebetween3:10and3:15p..,justatthetiewhenharrietvanished,soeonehadopenedthewindowinherroo.vangerhadtriedinvaintofindoutwhoitwas.blokvisthadaphotographonhisscreenthatusthavebeentakenatexactlytheoentthewindoasopened.therewereafigureandaface,albeitoutoffocus.hedecidedthatadetailedanalysiscouldwaituntilhehadfirstscannedalltheiages.

  thenheexainedtheiagesofthechildren’sdaycelebrations.nylundhadputinsixrolls,aroundtwohundredshots.therewasanendlessstreaofchildrenwithballoons,grown-ups,streetlifewithhotdogvendors,theparadeitself,anartistonastage,andanawardpresentationofsoesort.

  blokvistdecidedtoscanintheentirecollection.sixhourslaterhehadaportfolioofniyiages,buthewasgoingtohavetoeback.

  at9:00hecalledbloberg,thankedher,andtookthebushoetohedebyisland.

  hewasbackat9:00onsundayorning.theofficeswerestilleptywhenbloberglethiin.hehadnotrealisedthatitwasthewhitsuntideholidayweekend,andthattherewouldnotbeanewspaperuntiltuesday.hespenttheentiredayscanningiages.at6:00intheeveningtherewerestillfortyshotsleftofchildren’sday.blokvisthadinspectedthenegativesanddecidedthatclose-upsofcutechildren’sfacesorpicturesofapainterappearingonstageweresiplynotgeraohisobjective.whathehadscannedinwasthestreetlifeandcrowds.

  blokvistspentthewhitsuntideholidaygoingoverthenewaterial.headetwodiscoveries.thefirstfilledhiwithdisay.thesecondadehispulsebeatfaster.

  thefirstwasthefaceinharrietvanger’swindow.thephotographhadaslightotionblurandwasthusexcludedfrotheoriginalset.thephotographerhadstoodonthechurchhillandsightedtowardsthebridge.thebuildingswereinthebackground.mikaelcroppedtheiagetoincludethewindowalone,andthenheexperientedwithadjustingthecontrastandincreasingthesharpnessuntilheachievedwhathethoughtwasthebestqualityhecouldget.

  theresultwasagrainypicturewithainialgreyscalethatshowedacurtain,partofanar,andadiffusehalf-oon-shapedfacealittlewayinsidetheroo.

  thefacewasnotharrietvanger’s,whohadraven-blackhair,butapersonwithlighterhaircolour.

  itwasipossibletodiscernclearfacialfeatures,buthewascertainitwasawoan；thelighterpartofthefacecontinueddowntoshoulderlevelandindicatedawoan’sflowinghair,andshewaswearinglight-colouredclothes.

  hecalculatedherheightinrelationtothewindow:itwasawoanaboutfivefootseven.

  heclickedontootheriagesfrobehindtheaidentandonepersonfittedthedescription—thetwenty-year-oldceciliavanger.

  nylundhadtakeneighteenshotsfrothewindowofsundstr？’shaberdashery.harrietwasinseventeenofthe.

  sheandherclassateshadarrivedatj？rnv？gsgatanatthesaetienylundhadbeguntakinghispictures.blokvistreckonedthatthephotographswereshotoveraperiodoffiveinutes.inthefirstpictures,harrietandherfriendswereingdownthestreetintothefrae.inphotographs2–7theywerestandingstillandwatchingtheparade.thentheyhadovedaboutsixyardsdownthestreet.inthelastpicture,whichayhavebeentakenaftersoetiehadpassed,thegirlshadgone.

  blokvisteditedaseriesofpicturesinwhichhecroppedth. comhalfofharrietandprocessedthetoachievethebestcontrast.heputthepicturesinaseparatefolder,openedthegraphionverterprograe,andstartedtheslideshowfunction.theeffectwasajerkysilentfilinwhicheachiagewasshownfortwoseconds.

  harrietarrives,iageinprofile.harriet. comsandlooksdownatthestreet.harrietturnsherfacetowardsthestreet.harri. comensherouthtosaysoethingtoherfriend.harrietlaughs.harriettouchesherearwithherlefthand.harrietsiles.harrietsuddenlylookssurprised,herfaceat0°angletotheleftofthecaera.harriet’seyeswidenandshehas. compedsiling.harriet’southbeesathinline.harrietfocuseshergaze.inherfacecanberead…what？sorrow,shock,fury？harrietlowershereyes.harrietisgone.

  blokvistplayedthesequenceoverandover.

  itconfiredwithsoeforcethetheoryhehadforulated.soethinghappenedonj？rnv？gsgatan.

  sheseessoething—soeone—ontheothersideofthestreet.shereactswithshock.shecontactsvangerforaprivateconversationwhichneverhappens.shevanisheswithoutatrace.

  soethinghappened,butthephotographsdidnotexplainwhat.

  at2:00ontuesdayorningblokvisthadcoffeeandsandwichesatthekitchenbench.hewassiultaneouslydownheartedandexhilarated.againstallexpectationshehadturnedupnewevidence.theonlyproblewasthatalthoughitshedlightonthechainofeventsitbroughthinotoneiotaclosertosolvingtheystery.

  hethoughtlongandhardaboutwhatrolececiliavangerighthaveplayedinthedraa.vangerhadrelentlesslychartedtheactivitiesofallpersonsinvolvedthatday,andceciliahadbeennoexception.shewaslivinginuppsala,butshearrivedinhedebytwodaysbeforethatfatefulsaturday.shestayedwithisabellavanger.shehadsaidthatsheightpossiblyhaveseenharrietearlythatorning,butthatshehadnotspokentoher.shehaddrivenintohedestadonsoeerrand.shehadnotseenharrietthere,andshecaebacktohedebyislandaround1:00,aboutthetienylundwastakinghispicturesonj？rnv？gsgatan.shechangedandatabout2:00helpedtosetthetableforthebanquetthatevening.

  asanalibi—ifthatiswhatitwas—itwasratherfeeble.thetieswereapproxiate,especiallytheatterofwhenshehadgotbacktohedebyisland,butvangerhadnotfoundanythingtoindicatethatshewaslying.ceciliavangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefailythatvangerlikedbest.andshehadbeenhislover.howcouldhebeobjective？hecertainlycouldnotiagineherasaurderer.

  nowahithertounknownphotographwastellinghithatshehadliedwhenshesaidthatshehadneverbeeninharriet’sroothatday.blokvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificanceofthat.

  andifyouliedaboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieabout？

  hewentthroughinhisindwhatheknewaboutcecilia.anintrovertedpersonobviouslyaffectedbyherpast.livedalone,hadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingclos. comeople.keptherdistance,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraint.shechoseastrangerforalover.hadsaidthatsheendeditbecauseshewasunabletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofroherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadappeared.blokvistsupposedthatthereasonshehaddaredtostartanaffairwithhiwaspreciselythathewasonlythereforawhile.shedidnothavetobeafraidhewouldchangeherlifeinanylong-terway.

  hesighedandpushedtheaateurpsychologyaside.

  headetheseconddiscoveryduringthenight.thekeytotheysterywaswhatitwasthatharriethadseeninhedestad.hewouldneverfindthatoutunlesshecouldinventatieachineandstandbehindher,lookingoverhershoulder.

  andthenhehadathought.heslappedhisforeheadandopenedhisi.heclickedontotheuncroppediagesintheseriesonj？rnv？gsgatanand…there！

  behindharrietandaboutayardtoherrightwereayoungcouple,theaninastripedsweaterandthewoaninapalejacket.shewasholdingacaera.whenblokvistenlargedtheiageitlookedtobeakodakinstaaticwithflash—acheapholidaycaeraforpeoplewhoknownothingaboutphotography.

  thewoanwasholdingthecaeraatchinlevel.thensheraiseditandtookapictureoftheclowns,justasharriet’sexpressionchanged.

  blokvistparedthecaera’spositionwithharriet’slineofvision.thewoanhadtakenapictureofexactlywhatharrietwaslookingat.

  hisheartwasbeatinghard.heleanedbackandpluckedhiscigarettesoutofhisbreastpocket.soeonehadtakenapicture.hoouldheidentifyandfindthewoan？couldhegetholdofhersnapshot？hadtherolleverbeendeveloped,andifsodidtheprintsstillexist？

  heopenedthefolderwithnylund’sphotographsfrothecrowd.forthenextcoupleofhoursheenlargedeachoneandscrutiniseditonesquareinchatatie.hedidnotseethecoupleagainuntiltheverylastpictures.nylundhadphotographedanotherclownwithballoonsinhishandposinginfrontofhiscaeraandlaughingheartily.thephotographsweretakeninacarparkbytheentrancetothesportsfieldwherethecelebrationwasbeingheld.itusthavebeenafter2:00intheafternoon.rightafterthatnylundhadreceivedthealaraboutthecrashonthebridgeandbroughthisportraitsofchildren’sdaytoarapidclose.

  thewoanwasalosthidden,buttheaninthestripedsweaterwasclearlyvisible,inprofile.hehadkeysinhishandandwasbendingtoopenacardoor.thefocuswasontheclownintheforeground,andthecarwasabitfuzzy.thenuberplatewaspartlyhiddenbuthecouldseethatitstartedwith“ac3.”

  nuberplatesinthesixtiesbeganwithacodeindicatingthecounty,andasachildblokvisthadeorisedthecountycodes.“ac”wasforv？sterbotten.

  thenhespottedsoethingelse.onthebackwindoasastickerofsoesort.hezooedin,butthetextdissolvedinablur.hecroppedoutthestickerandadjustedthecontrastandsharpness.ittookhiawhile.hestillcouldnotreadthewords,butheatteptedtofigureoutwhattheletterswere,basedonthefuzzyshapes.manyletterslookedsurprisinglysiilar.an“o”couldbeistakenfora“d,”a“b”foran“e,”andsoon.afterworkingwithapenandpaperandexcludingcertainletters,hewasleftwithanunreadabletext,inoneline.

  rj？nikrifarik

  hestaredattheiageuntilhiseyesbegantowater.thenhesawthetext.“norsj？snickerifabrik,”followedbyfiguresinasallersizethatwereutterlyipossibletoread,probablyatelephonenuber.

  chapter17

  wednesday,june11–saturday,june14

  blokvistgothelpwiththethirdjigsawpiecefroanunexpectedquarter.

  afterworkingontheiagespracticallyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafternoon.heawokewithaheadache,tookashower,andwalkedtosusanne’sforbreakfast.heoughttohavegooseevangerandreportwhathehaddiscovered.instead,whenhecaeback,hewenttocecilia’shouseandknockedonthedoor.heneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohiaboutbeinginharriet’sroo.no-onecaetothedoor.

  hewasjustleavingwhenheheard:“yourwhoreisn’thoe.”

  golluhadeergedfrohiscave.hewasoncetall,alostsixfootsix,butnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithblokvist’s.hisfaceandneckweresplotchedwithdarkliverspots.hewasinhispyjaasandabrowndressinggown,leaningonacane.helookedlikeacentralcastingnastyoldan.

  “whatdidyousay？”

  “isaidthatyourwhoreisn’thoe.”

  blokviststeppedsoclosethathewasalostnosetonosewithharaldvanger.

  “you’retalkingaboutyourowndaughter,youfuckingpig.”

  “i’nottheonewhoessneakingoverhereinthenight,”haraldsaidwithatoothlesssile.heselledfoul.blokvistsidesteppedhiandwentdowntheroadwithoutlookingback.hefoundvangerinhisoffice.

  “i’vejusthadthepleasureofeetingyourbrother,”mikaelsaid.

  “harald？well,well,so,he’sventuredout.hedoesthatacoupleoftiesayear.”

  “iwasknockingoncecilia’sdoorwhenthisvoicebehindesaid,quote,yourwhoreisn’thoe,unquote.”

  “thatsoundslikeharald,”vangersaidcally.

  “hecalledhisowndaughterawhore,forgod’ssake.”

  “he’sbeendoingthatforyears.that’swhytheydon’ttalkuch.”

  “whydoeshecallherthat？”

  “cecilialosthervirginitywhenshewastwenty-one.ithappenedhereinhedestadafterasuerroance,theyearafterharrietdisappeared.”

  “and？”

  “theanshefellinlovewithwascalledpetersauelsson.hewasafinancialassistantatthevangercorporation.abrightboy.todayheworksforabb.thekindofaniwouldhavebeenproudtohaveasyson-in-lawifshewereydaughter.haraldeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfailytreeorsoethinganddiscoveredthathewasone-quarterjewish.”

  “goodlord.”

  “he’scalledherawhoreeversince.”

  “heknewthatceciliaandihave…”

  “everybodyinthevillageprobablyknowsthatwiththepossibleexceptionofisabella,becauseno-oneinhisrightindwouldtellheranything,andthankheavensshe’sniceenoughtogotobedat8:00everynight.haraldontheotherhandhaspresuablybeenfollowingeverystepyoutake.”

  blokvistsatdown,lookingfoolish.

  “youeanthateveryoneknows…”

  “ofcourse.”

  “andyoudon’tind？”

  “mydearmikael,it’sreallynoneofybusiness.”

  “whereiscecilia？”

  “theschoolterisover.shewenttolondononsaturdaytovisithersister,andafterthatshe’shavingaholidayin…h,ithinkitwasflorida.she’llbebackinaboutaonth.”

  blokvistfeltevenorefoolish.

  “we’vesortofputourrelationshiponholdforawhile.”

  “soiunderstand,butit’sstillnoneofybusiness.how’syourworkingalong？”

  blokvistpouredhiselfacupofcoffeefrovanger’stheros.

  “ithinki’vefoundsoenewaterial.”

  hetookhisioutofhisshoulderbagandscrolledthroughtheseriesofiagesshowinghowharriethadreactedonj？rnv？gsgatan.heexplainedhowhehadfoundtheotherspectatorswiththecaeraandtheircarwiththenorsj？carpentryshopsign.whenhewasfinishedvangerwantedtoseeallthepicturesagain.whenhelookedupfrotheputerhisfacewasgrey.blokvistwassuddenlyalaredandputahandonvanger’sshoulder.vangerwavedhiawayandsatinsilenceforawhile.

  “you’vedonewhatithoughtwasipossible.you’veturnedupsoethingpletelynew.whatareyougoingtodonext？”

  “iagoingtolookforthatsnapshot,ifitstillexists.”

  hedidnotentionthefaceinthewindow.

  harald