thenextsecondmikaelstraightenedup,hardlyabletobelievehiseyes.salanderhadwrittenabriefpassagegivingherassessentofwhatwouldhappenafterthetrial.shehadreproducedvirtuallywordforwordthepressreleasethatheandbergerhadsubittedafterheresignedaspublisherofmillenniu.

  butsalanderhadusedhisoriginalwording.heglancedagainatthecoverofthereport.itwasdatedthreedaysbeforeblokvistwassentenced.thatwasipossible.thepressreleaseexistedtheninonlyoneplaceinthewholeworld.inblokvist’sputer.inhisi,notonhisputerattheoffice.thetextwasneverprintedout.notevenbergerhadacopy,althoughtheyhadtalkedaboutthesubject.

  blokvistputdownsalander’sreport.heputonhisjacketandwentoutintothenight,whichwasverybrightoneweekbeforemidsuer.hewalkedalongtheshoreofthesound,pastceciliavanger’spropertyandtheluxuriousotorboatbelowmartinvanger’svilla.hewalkedslowly,ponderingashewent.finallyhesatonarockandlookedattheflashingbuoylightsinhedestadbay.therewasonlyoneconclusion.

  “you’vebeeninyputer,fr？kensalander,”hesaidaloud.“you’reafuckinghacker.”

  chapter18

  wednesday,june18

  salanderawokewithastartfroadrealesssluber.shefeltfaintlysick.shedidnothavetoturnherheadtoknowthatmiihadleftalreadyforwork,butherscentstilllingeredinthestuffyairofthebedroo.salanderhaddrunktooanybeersthenightbeforewiththeevilfingersatthemill.miihadturnedupnotlongbeforeclosingtieandehoewithherandintobed.

  salander—unlikemii—hadneverthoughtofherselfasalesbian.shehadneverbroodedoverwhethershewasstraight,gay,orevenbisexual.shedidnotgiveadanaboutlabels,didnotseethatitwasanyoneelse’sbusinesswhoshespenthernightswith.ifshehadtochoose,shepreferredguys—andtheywereinthelead,statisticallyspeaking.theonlyproblewasfindingaguywhowasnotajerkandonewhowasalsogoodinbed；miiwasasweetproise,andsheturnedsalanderon.theyhadetinabeertentatthepridefestivalayearago,andmiiwastheonlypersonthatsalanderhadintroducedtotheevilfingers.butitwasstilljustacasualaffairforbothofthe.itwasnicelyingclosetomii’swar,softbody,andsalanderdidnotindwakingupwithherandtheirhavingbreakfasttogether.

  herclocksaiditwas9:30,andshewaswonderingwhatcouldhavewokenherwhenthedoorbellrangagain.shesatupinsurprise.no-onehadeverrungherdoorbellatthishour.veryfewpeoplerangherdoorbellatall.shewrappedasheetaroundherandwalkedunsteadilytothehalltoopenthedoor.shestaredstraightintotheeyesofmikaelblokvist,feltpanicracethroughherbody,andtookastepback.

  “goodorning,fr？kensalander,”hegreetedhercheerfully.“itwasalatenight,isee.caniein？”

  withoutwaitingforananswer,hewalkedin,closingthedoorbehindhi.heregardedwithcuriositythepileofclothesonthehallfloorandtherapartofbagsfilledwithnewspapers；thenhepeeredthroughthebedroodoorwhilesalander’sworldstartedspinninginthewrongdirection.how？what？who？blokvistlookedatherbewilderentwithauseent.

  “iassuedthatyouwouldnothavehadbreakfastyet,soibroughtsoefilledbagelswithe.igotonewithroastbeef,onewithturkeyanddijonustard,andonevegetarianwithavocado,notknowingyourpreference.”hearchedintoherkitchenandstartedrinsinghercoffeeaker.“wheredoyoukeepcoffee？”hesaid.salanderstoodinthehallasiffrozenuntilsheheardthewaterrunningoutofthetap.shetookthreequickstrides.

  “. com！. comatonce！”sherealisedthatshewasshoutingandloweredhervoice.“danitall,youcan’tebarginginhereasifyouownedtheplace.wedon’tevenknoweachother.”

  blokvistpaused,holdingajugandturnedtolookather.

  “wrong！youknowebetterthanalostanyoneelsedoes.isn’tthatso？”

  heturnedhisbackonherandpouredthewaterintotheachine.thenhestartedopeninghercupboardsinsearchofcoffee.“speakingofwhich,iknowhowyoudoit.iknowyoursecrets.”

  salandershuthereyes,wishingthatthefloorwould. compitchingunderherfeet.shewasinastateofentalparalysis.shewashungover.thissituationwasunreal,andherbrainwasrefusingtofunction.neverhadsheetoneofhersubjectsfacetoface.heknowswhereilive！hewasstandinginherkitchen.thiswasipossible.itwasoutrageous.heknowswhoia！

  shefeltthesheetslipping,andshepulledittighteraroundher.hesaidsoething,butatfirstshedidn’tunderstandhi.“wehavetotalk,”hesaidagain.“butithinkyou’dbettertakeashowerfirst.”

  shetriedtospeaksensibly.“youlistentoe—ifyou’rethinkingofakingtrouble,i’nottheoneyoushouldbetalkingto.iwasjustdoingajob.youshouldtalktoyboss.”

  hehelduphishands.auniversalsignofpeace,orihavenoweapon.

  “i’vealreadytalkedtoaransky.bytheway,hewantsyoutoringhi—youdidn’tanswerhiscalllastnight.”

  shedidnotsenseanythreat,butshestillsteppedbackapacewhenhecaecloser,tookherarandescortedhertothebathroodoor.shedislikedhavinganyoouchherwithoutherleave.

  “idon’twanttoaketrouble,”hesaid.“buti’quiteanxioustotalktoyou.afteryou’reawake,thatis.thecoffeewillbereadybythetieyouputonsoeclothes.first,ashower.vaoose！”

  passivelysheobeyed.lisbethsalanderisneverpassive,shethought.

  sheleanedagainstthebathroodoorandstruggledtocollectherthoughts.shewasoreshakenthanshewouldhavethoughtpossible.graduallysherealisedthatashowerwasnotonlygoodadvicebutanecessityafterthetuultofthenight.whenshewasdone,sheslippedintoherbedrooandputonjeans,andat-shirtwiththesloganarmageddonwasyesterday—todaywehaveaseriousproblem.

  afterpausingforasecond,shesearchedthroughherleatherjacketthatwasslungoverachair.shetookthetaseroutofthepocket,checkedtoseethatitwasloaded,andstuckitinthebackpocketofherjeans.thesellofcoffeewasspreadingthroughtheapartent.shetookadeepbreathandwentbacktothekitchen.

  “doyounevercleanup？”hesaid.

  hehadfilledthesinkwithdirtydishesandashtrays；hehadputtheoldilkcartonsintoarubbishsackandclearedthetableoffiveweeksofnewspapers；hehadwashedthetablecleanandputoutugsand—hewasn’tjokingafterall—bagels.ok,let’sseewherethisisheading.shesatdownoppositehi.

  “youdidn’tansweryquestion.roastbeef,turkey,orvegetarian？”

  “roastbeef.”

  “theni’lltaketheturkey.”

  theyateinsilence,scrutinisingeachother.whenshefinishedherbagel,shealsoatehalfofthevegetarianone.shepickedupacrupledpackofcigarettesfrothewindowsillanddugoneout.

  hebrokethesilence.“iaynotbeasgoodasyouatinvestigations,butatleasti’vefoundoutthatyou’renotavegetarianor—asherrfrodethought—anorexic.i’llincludethatrationinyreport.”

  salanderstaredathi,buthelookedsoausedthatshegavehiacrookedsile.thesituationwasbeyondallrhyeorreason.shesippedhercoffee.hehadkindeyes.shedecidedthatwhateverelseheightbe,hedidnotseetobeaaliciousperson.andtherewasnothinginthepishehaddohatwouldindicatehewasaviciousbastardwhoabusedhisgirlfriendsoranythinglikethat.shereindedherselfthatshewastheonewhokneweverything.knowledgeispower.

  “whatareyougrinningat？”shesaid.

  “i’sorry.ihadnotinfactplannedtoakeyentranceinthisway.ididn’teantoalaryou.butyoushouldhaveseenyourfacewhenyouopenedthedoor.itwaspriceless.”

  silence.tohersurprise,salanderfoundhisuninvitedintrusionaeptable—well,atleastnotunpleasant.

  “you’llhavetothinkofitasyrevengeforyourpokingaroundinypersonallife,”hesaid.“areyoufrightened？”

  “nottheleastbit,”salandersaid.

  “good.i’notheretoaketroubleforyou.”

  “ifyoueventrytohurtei’llhavetodoyouaninjury.you’llbesorry.”

  blokviststudiedher.shewasbarelyfourfootelevenanddidnotlookasthoughshecouldputupuchresistanceifhewereanassailantwhohadforcedhiswayintoherapartent.buthereyeswereexpressionlessandcal.

  “well,thatwon’tbenecessary,”hesaidatlast.“ionlyneedtotalktoyou.ifyouwantetoleave,allyouhavetodoissayso.it’sfunnybut…oh,nothing…”

  “what？”

  “thisaysoundcrazy,butfourdaysagoididn’tevenknowyouexisted.thenireadyouranalysisofe.”hesearchedthroughhisshoulderbagandbroughtoutthereport.“itwasnotentertainingreading.”

  helookedoutofthekitchenwindowforawhile.“couldibuacigarette？”sheslidthepackacrossthetable.

  “yousaidbeforethatwedon’tknoweachother,andisaidthatyes,wedo.”hepointedatthereport.“ican’tpetewithyou.i’veonlydonearapidroutinecheck,togetyouraddressanddateofbirth,stufflikethat.butyoucertainlyknowagreatdealaboute.muchofwhichisprivate,dait,thingsthatonlyyclosestfriendsknow.andnowhereia,sittinginyourkitchenandeatingbagelswithyou.wehaveknowneachotherhalfanhour,butihavethefeelingthatwe’vebeenfriendsforyears.doesthatakesensetoyou？”

  shenodded.

  “youhavebeautifuleyes,”hesaid.

  “youhaveniceeyesyourself,”shesaid.

  longsilence.

  “whyareyouhere？”shesaid.

  kalleblokvist—shereeberedhisnicknaeandsuppressedtheipulsetosayitoutloud—suddenlylookedserious.healsolookedverytired.theself-confidencethathehadshownwhenhefirstwalkedintoherapartentwasnowgone.theclowningwasover,oratleasthadbeenputaside.shefelthistudyingherclosely.

  salanderfeltthatherposurewasbarelyskin-deepandthatshereallywasn’tinpletecontrolofhernerves.thistotallyunlooked-forvisithadshakenherinawaythatshehadneverexperiencedinconnectionwithherwork.herbreadandbutterwasspyingonpeople.infactshehadneverthoughtofwhatshedidforaranskyasarealjob；shethoughtofitoreasaplicatedpastie,asortofhobby.

  thetruthwasthatsheenjoyeddiggingintothelivesofotherpeopleandexposingthesecretstheyweretryingtohide.shehadbeendoingit,inonefororanother,foraslongasshecouldreeber.andshewasstilldoingittoday,notonlywhenaranskygaveheranassignent,butsoetiesforthesheerfunofit.itgaveherakick.itwaslikeaplicatedputergae,exceptthatitdealtwithreallivepeople.andnowoneofherhobbieswassittingrighthereinherkitchen,feedingherbagels.itwastotallyabsurd.

  “ihaveafascinatingproble,”blokvistsaid.“tellethis,whenyouweredoingyourresearchoneforherrfrode,didyouhaveanyideawhatitwasgoingtobeusedfor？”

  “no.”

  “thepurposewastofindoutallthatrationaboutebecausefrode,orratherhiseployer,wantedtogiveeafreelancejob.”

  “isee.”

  hegaveherafaintsile.

  “oneofthesedaysyouandishouldhaveadiscussionabouttheethicsofsnoopingintootherpeople’slives.butrightnowihaveadifferentproble.thejobiwasoffered,andwhichinexplicablyiagreedtodo,iswithoutdoubttheostarreassignenti’veeverundertaken.beforeisayoreineedtobeabletotrustyou,lisbeth.”

  “whatdoyouean？”

  “aranskytellseyou’re100percentreliable.butistillwanttoaskyouthequestion.canitellyouconfidentialthingswithoutyourtellingthetoanyoneelse,byanyeans,ever？”

  “waitainute.you’vetalkedtodragan？ishetheonewhosentyouhere？”i’goingtokillyou,youfuckingstupidarenian.

  “notexactly.you’renottheonlyonewhocanfindoutsoeone’saddress；ididthatallonyown.ilookedyouupinthenationalregistry.therearethreelisbethsalanders,andtheothertwoweren’tagoodatch.butihadalongtalkwitharanskyyesterday.hetoothoughtthatiwantedtoaketroubleoveryourferretingaroundinyprivatelife.intheendiconvin

  12

  提供

  cedhithatihadalegitiatepurpose.”

  “whichiswhat？”

  “asitoldyou,frode’seployerhiredetodoajob.i’vereachedapointwhereineedaskilledresearcher.frodetoldeaboutyouandsaidthatyouwereprettygood.hehadn’teanttoidentifyyou,itjustslippedout.iexplainedtoaranskywhatiwanted.heok’dthewholethingandtriedtocallyou.andhereia.callhiifyouwant.”

  ittooksalanderainutetofindherobileaongtheclothesthatmiihadpulledoffher.blokvistwatchedherebarrassedsearchwithinterestashepatrolledtheapartent.allherfurnitureseeedtobestrays.shehadastate-of-the-artpoweronanapologyforadeskinthelivingroo.shehadacdplayeronashelf.hercdcollectionwasapitifultotaloftencdsbygroupshehadneverheardof,andtheusiciansonthecoverslookedlikevapiresfroouterspace.musicwasprobablynotherbiginterest.

  salandersawthataranskyhadcalledherseventiesthenightbeforeandtwicethisorning.shepunchedinhisnuberwhileblokvistleanedagainstthedoorfraeandlistenedtotheconversation.

  “it’se…sorry…yes…itwasturnedoff…iknow,hewantstohiree…no,he’sstandingintheiddleofyfuckinglivingroo,forchrist’ssake…”sheraisedhervoice.“dragan,i’hungoverandyheadhurts,soplease,nogaes,didyouokthisjobornot？…thanks.”

  salanderlookedthroughthedoortothelivingrooatblokvistpullingoutcdsandtakingsofftheshelf.hehadjustfoundabrownpillbottlethatwasissingitslabel,andhewasholdingituptothelight.hewasabouttounscrewth. com,soshereachedoutandtookthebottlefrohi.shewentbacktothekitchenandsatdownonachair,assagingherforeheaduntilhejoinedher.

  “therulesaresiple,”shesaid.“nothingthatyoudiscusswitheorwitharanskywillbesharedwithanyoneatall.therewillbeacontractwhichstatesthatmiltonsecuritypledgesconfidentiality.iwanttoknohatthejobisaboutbeforeidecidewhetheriwanttoworkforyouornot.thatalsoeansthatiagreetokeeptoyselfeverythingyoutelle,whetheritakethejobornot,providedthatyou’renotconductinganysortofseriouscriinalactivity.inwhichcase,i’llreportittodragan,whointurnwillreportittothepolice.”

  “fine.”hehesitated.“aranskyaynotbepletelyawareofwhatiwanttohireyoufor…”

  “soehistoricalresearch,hesaid.”

  “well,yes,that’sright.iwantyoutohelpetoidentifyaurderer.”

  ittookblokvistanhourtoexplainalltheintricatedetailsintheharrietvangercase.heleftnothingout.hehadfrode’sperissiontohireher,andtodothathehadtobeabletotrustherpletely.

  hetoldhereverythingaboutceciliavangerandthathehadfoundherfaceinharriet’swindow.hegavesalanderasgoodadescriptionofhercharacterashecould.shehadovedhighuponthelistofsuspects,hislist.buthewasstillfarfrobelievingthatshecouldbeinanywayassociatedwithaurdererwhowasactivewhenshewasstillayoungwoan.

  hegavesalanderacopyofthelistinthedate:“magda—32016；sara—32109；r.j.—30112；r.l.—32027；mari—32018.”andhegaveheracopyoftheversesfroleviticus.

  “whatdoyouwantetodo？”

  “i’veidentifiedther.j.,rebeckajacobsson.”hetoldherwhatthefive-figurenubersstoodfor.“ifi’right,thenwe’regoingtofindfourorevictis—magda,sara,mari,andr.l.”

  “youthinkthey’reallurdered？”

  “whatithinkisthatwearelookingforsoeonewho—iftheothernubersandinitialsalsoprovetobeshorthandforfourorekillings—isaurdererwhowasactiveinthefiftiesandaybealsointhesixties.andwhoisinsoewaylinkedtoharrietvanger.i’vegohroughbackissuesofthehedestadcourier.rebecka’surderistheonlygrotesquecriethaticouldfindwithaconnectiontohedestad.iwantyoutokeepdigging,alloverswedenifnecessary,untilyouakesenseoftheothernaesandverses.”

  salanderthoughtinexpressionlesssilenceforsuchalongtiethatblokvistbegantogrowipatient.hewaswonderingwhetherhehadchosenthewrongpersonwhensheatlastraisedherhead.

  “i’lltakethejob.butfirstyouhavetosignacontractwitharansky.”

  aranskyprintedoutthecontractthatblokvistwouldtakebacktohedestadforfrode’ssignature.whenhereturnedtosalander’soffice,hesawhowsheandblokvistwereleaningoverherpower.hehadhishandonhershoulder—hewastouchingher—andpointing.aranskypausedinthecorridor.

  blokvistsaidsoethingthatseeedtosurprisesalander.thenshelaughedoutloud.

  aranskyhadneveronceheardherlaughbefore,andforyearshehadbeentryingtowinhertrust.blokvisthadknownherforfiveinutesandshewaspracticallygigglingwithhi.hefeltsuchaloathingforblokvistatthatoentthathesurprisedhiself.heclearedhisthroatashestoodinthedoorwayandputdownthefolderwiththecontract.

  blokvistpaidaquickvisittothemillenniuofficeintheafternoon.itwashisfirsttieback.itfeltveryoddtoberunningupthosefailiarstairs.theyhadnotchangedthecodeonthedoor,andhewasabletoslipinunnoticedandstandforaoent,lookingaround.

  mille