“hi,pappa,”pernillaabrahassonsaid.

  hegavehisdaughteralonghug.

  “whereintheworlddidyouspringfro？”

  “frohoe,ofcourse.i’onywaytoskellefte？.canistaythenight？”

  “ofcourseyoucan,buthowdidyougethere？”

  “maaknehereyouwere.andiaskedatthecaféiftheyknehereyouwerestaying.thewoantoldeexactlyhowtogethere.areyougladtoseee？”

  “certainlyia.ein.youshouldhavegivenesoewarningsoicouldbuysoegoodfoodorsoething.”

  “i. compedonipulse.iwantedtoweleyouhoefroprison,butyounevercalled.”

  “i’sorry.”

  “that’sok.maatoldehowyou’realwaysgettinglostinyourownthoughts.”

  “isthatwhatshesaysaboute？”

  “moreorless.butitdoesn’tatter.istillloveyou.”

  “iloveyoutoo,butyouknow…”

  “iknow.i’prettygrown-upbynow.”

  headeteaandputoutpastries.

  whathisdaughterhadsaidwastrue.shewasostassuredlynolongeralittlegirl；shewasalostseventeen,practicallyagrownwoan.hehadtolearnto. comtreatingherlikeachild.

  “so,hoasit？”

  “hoaswhat？”

  “prison.”

  helaughed.“wouldyoubelieveeifisaidthatitwaslikehavingapaidholidaywithallthetieyouwantedforthinkingandwriting？”

  “iwould.idon’tsupposethere’suchdifferencebetweenaprisonandacloister,andpeoplehavealwaysgoocloistersforself-reflection.”

  “well,thereyougo.ihopeithasn’tbeenaprobleforyou,yourfatherbeingagaolbird.”

  “notatall.i’proudofyou,andineverissachancetobragaboutthefactthatyouwen. comrisonforwhatyoubelievein.”

  “believein？”

  “isawerikabergerontv.”

  “pernilla,i’notinnocent.i’sorrythatihaven’ttalkedtoyouaboutwhathappened,butiwasn’tunfairlysentenced.thecourtadetheirdecisionbasedonwhattheyweretoldduringthetrial.”

  “butyounevertoldyoursideofthestory.”

  “no,becauseitturnedoutthatididn’thaveproof.”

  “ok.thenanswereonequestion:iswennerstr？ascoundrelorisn’the？”

  “he’soneoftheblackestscoundrelsi’veeverdealtwith.”

  “that’sgoodenoughfore.i’vegotapresentforyou.”

  shetookapackageoutofherbag.heopeneditandfoundacd,thebestofeurythics.sheknewitwasoneofhisfavouriteoldbands.heputitinhisi,andtheylistenedto“sweetdreas”together.

  “whyareyougoingtoskellefte？？”

  “bibleschoolatasuercapwithacongregationcalledthelightoflife,”pernillasaid,asifitweretheostobviouschoiceintheworld.

  blokvistfeltacoldfirerundownthebackofhisneck.herealisedhowalikehisdaughterandharrietvangerwere.pernillawassixteen,exactlytheageharrietwaswhenshedisappeared.bothhadabsentfathers.bothwereattractedtothereligiousfanaticisofstrangesects—harriettothepentecostalsandpernillatoanoffshootofsoethingthatwasjustaboutascrackpotasthewordoflife.

  hedidnotknowhowheshouldhandlehisdaughter’snewinterestinreligion.hewasafraidofencroachingonherrighttodecideforherself.atthesaetie,thelightoflifewasostdefinitelyasectofthetypethathewouldnothesitatetolabastinmillenniu.hewouldtakethefir. comportunitytodiscussthisatterwithherother.

  pernillasleptinhisbedwhilehewrappedhiselfinblanketsonthebenchinthekitchen.hewokewithacrickinhisneckandachinguscles.pernillawaseagertogetgoing,soheadebreakfastandwentwithhertothestation.theyhadalittletie,sotheyboughtcoffeeattheini-artandsatdownonabenchattheendoftheplatfor,chattingaboutallsortsofthings.untilshesaid:“youdon’tliketheideathati’goingtoskellefte？,doyou？”

  hewasnon-plussed.

  “it’snotdangerous.butyou’renotachristian,areyou？”

  “well,i’notagoodchristian,atanyrate.”

  “youdon’tbelieveingod？”

  “no,idon’tbelieveingod,butirespectthefactthatyoudo.everyonehastohavesoethingtobelievein.”

  whenhertrainarrived,theygaveeachotheralonghuguntilpernillahadtogetonboard.withonefootonthestep,sheturned.

  “pappa,i’notgoin. comroselytise.itdoesn’tattertoewhatyoubelieve,andi’llalwaysloveyou.butithinkyoushouldcontinueyourbiblestudies.”

  “whydoyousaythat？”

  “isawthequotesyouhadonthewall,”shesaid.“butwhysoglooyandneurotic？kisses.seeyoulater.”

  shewavedandwasgone.hestoodontheplatfor,baffled,watchingthetrainpullaway.notuntilitvanishedaroundthebenddidtheeaningsinkin.

  mikaelhurriedoutofthestation.itwouldbealostanhourbeforethenextbusleft.hewastoouchonedgetowaitthatlong.herantothetaxistandandfoundhusseinwiththenorrlandaent.

  teninuteslaterhewasinhisoffice.hehadtapedthenoteabovehisdesk.

  magda—32016

  sara—32109

  r.j.—30112

  r.l.—32027

  mari—32018

  helookedaroundtheroo.thenherealisedwherehe’dbeabletofindabible.hetookthenotewithhi,searchedforthekeys,whichhehadleftinabowlonthewindowsill,andjoggedthewholewaytogottfried’scabin.hishandswerepracticallyshakingashetookharriet’sbibledownfroitsshelf.

  shehadnotwrittendowntelephonenubers.thefiguresindicatedthechapterandverseinleviticus,thethirdofthepentateuch.

  leviticus,20:16

  “ifawoanapproachesanybeastandlieswithit,youshallkillthewoanandthebeast；theyshallbeputtodeath,theirbloodisuponthe.”

  leviticus,21:9

  “andthedaughterofanypriest,ifsheprofanesherselfbyplayingtheharlot,profanesherfather；sheshallbeburnedwithfire.”

  leviticus,1:12

  “andheshallcutiti. comieces,withitsheadanditsfat,andthepriestshalllaytheinorderuponthewoodthatisonthefireuponthealtar.”

  leviticus,20:27

  “aanorawoanwhoisaediuorawizardshallbeputtodeath；theyshallbestonedwithstones,theirbloodshallbeuponthe.”

  leviticus,20:18

  “ifaanlieswithawoanhavinghersickness,anduncovershernakedness,hehasadenakedherfountain,andshehasuncoveredthefountainofherblood；bothoftheshallbecutofffroaongtheirpeople.”

  hewentoutandsatontheporch.eachversehadbeenunderlinedinharriet’sbible.helitacigaretteandlistenedtothesingingofbirdsnearby.

  hehadthenubers.buthedidn’thavethenaes.magda,sara,mari,r.j.,andr.l.

  allofasuddenanabyssopenedasmikael’sbrainadeanintuitiveleap.hereeberedthefirevictiinhedestadthatinspectormorellhadtoldhiabout.therebeckacase,whichourredinthelateforties.thegirlwasrapedandthenkilledbyhavingherheadplacedonsoulderingcoals.“andheshallcutiti. comieces,withitsheadanditsfat,andthepriestshalllaytheinorderuponthewoodthatisonthefireuponthealtar.”rebecka.r.j.whatwasherlastnae？

  whatingod’snaehadharrietgottenherselfixedupin？

  vangerhadbeentakenill.hewasinbedwhenblokvistknockedonhisdoor.butannaagreedtolethiin,sayinghecouldvisittheoldanforafewinutes.

  “asuercold,”henrikexplained,sniffling.“whatdidyouwant？”

  “ihaveaquestion.”

  “yes？”

  “didyoueverhearofaurderthattookplaceinhedestadsoetieintheforties？agirlcalledrebecka—herheadwasputonafire.”

  “rebeckajacobsson,”henriksaidwithoutasecond’shesitation.“that’sanaei’llneverfet,althoughihaven’thearditentionedinyears.”

  “butyouknowabouttheurder？”

  “indeedido.rebeckajacobssonwastwenty-threeortwenty-fourwhenshedied.thatusthavebeenin…itwasin1949.therewasatreendoushueandcry,ihadasallpartinityself.”

  “youdid？”

  “ohyes.rebeckawasonourclericalstaff,apopulargirlandveryattractive.butwhyareyouasking？”

  “i’notsure,henrik,butiaybeontosoething.i’goingtohavetothinkthisthrough.”

  “areyousuggestingthatthere’saconnectionbetweenharrietandrebecka？therewere…alostseventeenyearsseparatingthetwo.”

  “letedoythinkingandi’llebackandseeyoutoorrowifyou’refeelingbetter.”

  blokvistdidnotseevangerthefollowingday.justbefore1:00a..hewasstillatthekitchentable,readingharriet’sbible,whenheheardthesoundofacarakingitswayathighspeedacrossthebridge.helookedoutthewindowandsawtheflashingbluelightsofanabulance.

  filledwithforeboding,heranoutside.theabulanceparkedbyvanger’shouse.onthegroundfloorallthelightswereon.hedasheduptheporchstepsintwoboundsandfoundashakenannainthehall.

  “it’shisheart,”shesaid.“hewokeealittlewhileago,plainingofpainsinhischest.thenhecollapsed.”

  blokvistputhisarsaroundthehousekeeper,andhewasstilltherewhentheedicscaeoutwithanunconsciousvangeronastretcher.martinvanger,lookingdecidedlystressed,walkedbehind.hehadbeeninbedwhenannacalled.hisbarefeetwerestuckinapairofslippers,andhehadn’tzippedhisfly.hegavemikaelabriefgreetingandthenturnedtoanna.

  “i’llgowithhitothehospital.callbirgerandseeifyoucanreachceciliainlondonintheorning,”hesaid.“andtelldirch.”

  “icangotofrode’shouse,”blokvistsaid.annanoddedgratefully.

  ittookseveralinutesbeforeasleepyfrodeansweredblokvist’sringathisdoor.

  “ihavebadnews,dirch.henrikhasbeentakentothehospital.itseestobeaheartattack.martinwantedetotellyou.”

  “goodlord,”frodesaid.heglancedathiswatch.“it’sfridaythethirteenth,”hesaid.

  notuntilthenextorning,afterhe’dhadabrieftalkwithdirchfrodeonhisobileandbeenassuredthatvangerwasstillalive,didhecallbergerwiththenewsthatmillenniu’snewpartnerhadbeentakentothehospitalwithaheartattack.inevitably,thenewswasreceivedwithglooandanxiety.

  lateintheeveningfrodecaetoseehiandgivehithedetailsabouthenrikvanger’scondition.

  “he’salive,buthe’snotdoingwell.hehadaseriousheartattack,andhe’salsosufferingfroaninfection.”

  “haveyouseenhi？”

  “no.he’sinintensivecare.martinandbirgeraresittingwithhi.”

  “whatarehischances？”

  frodewavedahandbackandforth.

  “hesurvivedtheattack,andthat’sagoodsign.henrikisinexcellentcondition,buthe’sold.we’lljusthavetowait.”

  theysatinsilence,deepinthought.blokvistadecoffee.frodelookedwretchedlyunhappy.

  “ineedtoaskyouaboutwhat’sgoingtohappennow,”blokvistsaid.

  frodelookedup.

  “theconditionsofyoureployentdon’tchange.they’restipulatedinacontractthatrunsuntiltheendofthisyear,whetherhenriklivesordies.youdon’thavetoworry.”

  “no,that’snotwhatieant.i’wonderingwhoireporttoinhisabsence.”

  frodesighed.

  “mikael,youknowaswellasidothatthiswholestoryaboutharrietisjustapastieforhenrik.”

  “don’tsaythat,dirch.”

  “whatdoyouean？”

  “i’vefoundnewevidence,”blokvistsaid.“itoldhenrikaboutsoeofityesterday.i’veryuchafraidthatitayhavehelpedtobringonhisheartattack.”

  frodelookedathiwithastrangeexpression.

  “you’rejoking,youustbe…”

  blokvistshookhishead.

  “overthepastfewdaysi’vefoundsignificantaterialaboutharriet’sdisappearance.whati’worriedaboutisthatweneverdiscussedwhoishouldreporttoifhenrikisnolongerhere.”

  “youreporttoe.”

  “ok.ihavetogoonwiththis.caniputyouinthepicturerightnow？”

  blokvistdescribedwhathehadfoundasconciselyaspossible,andheshowedfrodetheseriesofpicturesfroj？rnv？gsgatan.thenheexplainedhowhisowndaughterhadunlockedtheysteryofthenaesinthedate.finally,heproposedtheconnection,ashehadforvangerthedaybefore,withtheurderofrebeckajacobssonin1949,r.j.

  theonlythinghekepttohiselfwasceciliavanger’sfaceinharriet’swindow.hehadtotalktoherbeforeheputherinapositionwheresheightbesuspectedofsoething.

  frode’sbroascreasedwithconcern.

  “youreallythinkthattheurderofrebeckahassoethingtodowithharriet’sdisappearance？”

  “itseesunlikely,iagree,butthefactreainsthatharrietwrotetheinitialsr.j.inherdatenexttothereferencetotheoldtestaentlawaboutburntofferings.rebeckajacobssonwasburnedtodeath.oneconnectionwiththevangerfailyisinescapable—sheworkedforthecorporation.”

  “butwhatistheconnectionwithharriet？”

  “idon’tknowyet.butiwanttofindout.iwilltellyoueverythingiwouldhavetoldhenrik.youhavetoakethedecisionsforhi.”

  “perhapsweoughttorthepolice.”

  “no.atleastnotwithouthenrik’sblessing.thestatuteofliitationshaslongsincerunoutinthecaseofrebecka,andthepoliceinvestigationwasclosed.they’renotgoingtoreopenaninvestigationfifty-fouryearslater.”

  “allright.whatareyougoingtodo？”

  blokvistpacedalaparoundthekitchen.

  “first,iwanttofollowupthephotographlead.ifwecouldseewhatitwasthatharrietsaw…itightbethekey.ineedacartogotonorsj？andfollowthatlead,whereverittakese.andalso,iwanttoresearcheachoftheleviticusverses.wehaveoneconnectiontooneurder.wehavefourverses,possiblyfourotherclues.todothis…ineedsoehelp.”

  “whatkindofhelp？”

  “ireallyneedaresearchassistantwiththepatiencetogothrougholdnewspaperarchivestofind‘magda’and‘sara’andtheothernaes.ifi’rightinthinkingthatrebeckawasn’ttheonlyvicti.”

  “youeanyouwanttoletsoeoneelseinon…”

  “there’salotofworkthathastobedoneandinahurry.ifiwereapoliceofficerinvolvedinanactiveinvestigation,icoulddivideupthehoursandresourcesandgetpeopletodigfore.ineedaprofessionalwhoknowsarchiveworkandwhocanbetrusted.”

  “iunderstand….actuallyibelieveiknowofanexpertresearcher,”saidfrode,andbeforehecould. comhiself,headded,“shewastheonewhodidthebackgroundinvestigationonyou.”

  “whodidwhat？”blokvistsaid.

  “iwasthinkingoutloud,”frodesaid.“it’snothing.”i’gettingold,hethought.

  “youhadsoeonedoaninvestigationone？”

  “it’snothingdraatic,mikael.wewantedtohireyou,andwejustdidacheckonwhatsortofpersonyouwere.”

  “sothat’swhyhenrikalwaysseestoknowexactlywherehehase.howthoroughwasthisinvestigation？”

  “itwasquitethorough.”

  “diditlookintomillenniu’sprobles？”

  frodeshrugged.“ithadabearing.”

  blokvistlitacigarette.itwashisfifthoftheday.

  “awrittenreport？”

  “mikael,it’snothingtogetworkedupabout.”

  “iwanttoreadthereport,”hesaid.

  “oheon,there’snothingoutoftheordinaryaboutthis.wewantedtocheckuponyoubeforewehiredyou.”

  “iwanttoreadthereport,”mikaelrepeated.

  “icouldn’tauthorisethat.”

  “really？thenhere’swhatisaytoyou:eitherihavethatreportinyhandswithinthehour,oriquit.i’lltaketheeveningtrainbacktostockhol.whereisthereport？”

  thetwoeneyedeachotherforseveralseconds.thenfrodesighedandlookedaway.

  “inyoffice,athoe.”

  frodehadputupaterriblefuss.itwasnotuntil6:00thateveningthatblokvisthadlisbethsalander’sreportinhishand.itwasalosteightypageslong,plusdozensofphotocopiedarticles,certificates,andotherrecordsofthedetailsofhislifeandcareer.

  itwasastrangeexperiencetoreadabouthiselfinwhatwaspartbiographyandpartintelligencereport.hewasincreasinglyastonishedathowdetailedthereportwas.salanderhaddugupfactsthathethoughthadbeenlongburiedinthepostofhistory.shehadduguphisyouthfulrelationshipwithawoanwhohadbeenaflaingsyndicalistandwhowasnowapolitician.whointheworldhadshetalkedto？shehadfoundhisrockbandbootstrap,whichsurelyno-oodaywouldreeber.shehadscrutinisedhisfinancesdowntothelast？re.howthehellhadshedoneit？

  asajournalist,blokvisthadspentanyyearshuntingdownrationaboutpeople,andhecouldjudgethequalityoftheworkfroapurelyprofessionalstandpoint.therewasnodoubtthatthissalanderwasonehellofaninvestigator.hedoubtedthatevenhecouldhaveproducedaparablereportonanyindividualpletelyunknowntohi.

  italsodawnedonhithattherehadneverbeenanyreasonforhiandbergertokeeptheirdistanceinvanger’spresence；healreadyknewoftheirlong-standingrelationship.thereportcaeupwithadisturbinglypreciseappraisalofmillenniu’sfinancialposition；vangerknewjusthowshakythingswerewhenhefirstcontactedberger.whatsortofgaewasheplaying？

  thewennerstr？affairwaserelysuarised,butwhoeverwrotethereporthadobviouslybeenaspectatorinco