bergerhaddesignedeverything,puttinginglasspartitionstoakeseparatequartersforthreeoftheeployeesandanopenplanfortheothers.shehadtakenthelargestrooattheverybackforherself,andgivenblokvisthisownrooattheoppositeend.itwastheonlyroothatyoucouldlookintofrotheentry.no-onehadovedintoit,itseeed.

  thethirdroowasslightlyapartfrotheothers,anditwasoupiedbysonnymagnusson,whohadbeenforseveralyearsmillenniu’sostsuessfuladvertisingsalesan.bergerhadhandpickedhi；sheofferedhiaodestsalaryandaission.overthepastyear,ithadnotadeanydifferencehowenergetichewasasasalesan,theiradvertisinginehadtakenabeatingandmagnusson’sinewithit.butinsteadoflookingelsewhere,hehadtightenedhisbeltandloyallystayedput.unlikee,whocausedthewholelandslide,blokvistthought.

  hegatheredhiscourageandwalkedintotheoffice.itwasalostdeserted.hecouldseebergeratherdesk,telephonepressedtoherear.monikanilssonwasatherdesk,anexperiencedgeneralreporterspecialisinginpoliticalcoverage；shecouldbetheostjadedcynichehadeveret.she’dbeenatmillenniufornineyearsandwasthriving.henrycortezwastheyoungesteployeeontheeditorialstaff.hehadeasaninternstraightoutofjmktwoyearsago,sayingthathewantedtoworkatmillenniuandnowhereelse.bergerhadnobudgettohirehi,butsheofferedhiadeskinacornerandsoontookhionasaperanentdogsbody,andanonasastaffreporter.

  bothutteredcriesofdelight.hereceivedkissesonthecheekandpatsontheback.atoncetheyaskedhiifhewasreturningtowork.no,hehadjust. compedbytosayhelloandhaveawordwiththeboss.

  bergerwasgladtoseehi.sheaskedaboutvanger’scondition.blokvistknewnoorethanwhatfrodecouldtellhi:hisconditionwasinescapablyserious.

  “sowhatareyoudoinginthecity？”

  blokvistwasebarrassed.hehadbeenatmiltonsecurity,onlyafewstreetsaway,andhehaddecidedonsheeripulsetoein.itseeedtooplicatedtoexplainthathehadbeentheretohirearesearchassistantwhowasasecurityconsultantwhohadhackedintohisputer.insteadheshruggedandsaidhehadetostockholonvanger-relatedbusiness,andhewouldhavetogobacknorthatonce.heaskedhowthingsweregoingattheagazine.

  “apartfrothegoodnewsontheadvertisingandthesubscriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon.”

  “whichis？”

  “jannedahlan.”

  “ofcourse.”

  “ihadatalkwithhiinapril,afterwereleasedthenewsthathenrikhadbeeapartner.idon’tknowifit’sjustjanne’snaturetobenegativeorifthere’ssoethingoreseriousgoingon,ifhe’splayingsoesortofgae.”

  “whathappened？”

  “it’snothingicanputafingeron,ratherthatinolongertrusthi.afterwesignedtheagreeentwithvanger,christerandihadtodecidewhethertorthewholestaffthatwewerenolongeratriskofgoingunderthisautun,or…”

  “ortotelljustachosenfew.”

  “exactly.iaybeparanoid,butididn’twanttoriskhavingdahlanleakthestory.sowedecidedtorthewholestaffonthesaedaytheagreeentwasadepublic.whicheantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveraonth.”

  “and？”

  “well,thatwasthefirstpieceofgoodnewsthey’dhadinayear.everyonecheeredexceptfordahlan.iean—wedon’thavetheworld’sbiggesteditorialstaff.therewerethreepeoplecheering,plustheintern,andonepersonwhogothisnoseoutofjointbecausewehadn’ttoldeverybodyearlier.”

  “hehadapoint…”

  “iknow.butthethingis,hekeptonbitchingabouttheissuedayafterday,andoraleintheofficewasaffected.aftertwoweeksofthisshiticalledhiintoyofficeandtoldhitohisfacethatyreasonfornothavingredthestaffearlierwasthatididn’ttrusthitokeepthenewssecret.”

  “howdidhetakeit？”

  “hewasterriblyupset,ofcourse.istoodygroundandgavehianultiatu—eitherheha. comullhiselftogetherorstartlookingforanotherjob.”

  “and？”

  “hepulledhiselftogether.buthekeepstohiself,andthere’satensionbetweenhiandtheothers.christercan’tstandhi,andhedoesn’thideit.”

  “whatdoyoususpectdahlanofdoing？”

  “idon’tknow.wehiredhiayearago,whenwewerefirsttalkingabouttroublewithwennerstr？.ican’tproveathing,butihaveanastyfeelingthathe’snotworkingforus.”

  “trustyourinstincts.”

  “maybehe’sjustasquarepeginaroundholewhojusthappenstobepoisoningtheatosphere.”

  “it’spossible.butiagreethatweadeaistakewhenwehiredhi.”

  halfanhourlaterhewasonhiswaynorthacrossthelocksatslusseninthecarhehadborrowedfrofrode’swife.itwasaten-year-oldvolvosheneverused.blokvisthadbeengivenleavetoborrowitwheneverheliked.

  itwasthetinydetailsthathecouldeasilyhaveissedifhehadnotbeenalert:soepapersnotasevenlystackedashereebered；abindernotquiteflushontheshelf；hisdeskdrawerclosedalltheway—hewaspositivethatitwasaninchopenwhenheleft.

  soeonehadbeeninsidehiscottage.

  hehadlockedthedoor,butitwasanordinaryoldlockthatalostanyonecouldpickwithascrewdriver,andwhoknewhowanykeyswereincirculation.hesysteaticallysearchedhisoffice,lookingforwhatightbeissing.afterawhilehedecidedthateverythingwasstillthere.

  neverthelesssoeonehadbeeninthecottageandgohroughhispapersandbinders.hehadtakenhisputerwithhi,sotheyhadnotbeenabletoaessthat.twoquestionsarose:whowasit？andhowuchhadhisvisitorbeenabletofindout？

  thebindersbelongedtothepartofvanger’scollectionthathebroughtbacktotheguesthouseafterreturningfroprison.therewasnothingofthenewaterialinthe.hisnotesinthedeskwouldreadlikecodetotheuninitiated—butwasthepersonwhohadsearchedhisdeskuninitiated？

  inaplasticfolderontheiddleofthedeskhehadputacopyofthedatelistandacopyoftheverses.thatwasserious.itwouldtellwhoeveritwasthatthedatecodewascracked.

  sowhowasit？

  vangerwasinthehospital.hedidnotsuspectanna.frode？hehadalreadytoldhiallthedetails.ceciliavangerhadcancelledhertriptofloridaandwasbackfrolondon—alongwithhersister.blokvisthadonlyseenheronce,drivinghercaracrossthebridgethedaybefore.martinvanger.haraldvanger.birgervanger—hehadturnedupforafailygatheringtowhichblokvisthadnotbeeninvitedonthedayaftervanger’sheartattack.alexandervanger.isabellavanger.

  whohadfrodetalkedto？whatighthehaveletslipthistie？howanyoftheanxiousrelativeshadpickeduponthefactthatblokvisthadadeabreakthroughinhisinvestigation？

  itwasafter8:00.hecalledthelocksithinhedestadandorderedanewlock.thelocksithsaidthathecouldeoutthefollowingday.blokvistsaidhewouldpaydoubleifhecaeatonce.theyagreedthathewouldeataround10:30thatnightandinstallanewdeadboltlock.

  blokvistdrovetofrode’shouse.hiswifeshowedhiintothegardenbehindthehouseandofferedhiacoldpilsner,whichhegratefullyaepted.heaskedhowhenrikvangerwas.

  frodeshookhishead.

  “theyoperatedonhi.hehadblockagesinhiscoronaryarteries.thedoctorssaythatthenextfewdaysarecritical.”

  theythoughtaboutthisforawhileastheydranktheirpilsners.

  “youhaven’ttalkedtohi,isuppose？”

  “no.he’snotwellenoughtotalk.howdiditgoinstockhol？”

  “thesalandergirlaeptedthejob.here’sthecontractfromiltonsecurity.youhavetosignitandputitinthepost.”

  frodereadthroughthedocuent.

  “she’sexpensive,”hesaid.

  “henrikcanaffordit.”

  frodenodded.hetookapenoutofhisbreastpocketandscrawledhisnae.

  “it’sagoodthingthati’signingitwhilehe’sstillalive.couldyouputitintheletterboxatkonsuonyourwayhoe？”

  blokvistwasinbedbyidnight,buthecouldnotsleep.untilnowhisworkonhedebyislandhadseeedlikeresearchonahistoricalcuriosity.butifsoeonewassufficientlyinterestedinwhathewasdoingtobreakintohisoffice,thenthesolutionhadtobeclosertothepresentthanhehadthought.

  thenitourredtohithattherewereotherswhoightbeinterestedinwhathewasworkingon.vanger’ssuddenappearanceontheboardofmillenniuhadnotgoneunnoticedbywennerstr？.orwasthisparanoia？

  mikaelgotoutofbedandwenttostandnakedatthekitchenwindow,gazingatthechurchontheothersideofthebridge.helitacigarette.

  hecouldn’tfigureoutlisbethsalander.shewasaltogetherodd.longpausesintheiddleoftheconversation.herapartentwasessy,borderingonchaotic.bagsfilledwithnewspapersinthehall.akitchenthathadnotbeencleanedortidiedinyears.clotheswerescatteredinheapsonthefloor.shehadobviouslyspenthalfthenightinabar.shehadlovebitesonherneckandshehadclearlyhadpanyovernight.shehadheavenknowshowanytattoosandtwopiercingsonherfaceandaybeinotherplaces.shewasweird.

  aranskyassuredhithatshewastheirverybestresearcher,andherreportonhiwasexcruciatinglythorough.astrangegirl.

  salanderwassittingatherpower,butshewasthinkingaboutmikaelblokvist.shehadneverinheradultlifeallowedanyoocrossherthresholdwithoutanexpressinvitation,andshecouldcountthoseshehadinvitedononehand.blokvisthadnonchalantlybargedintoherlife,andshehadutteredonlyafewlaeprotests.

  notonlythat,hehadteasedher.

  undernoralcircustancesthatsortofbehaviourwouldhaveadeherentallycockapistol.butshehadnotfeltaniotaofthreatoranysortofhostilityfrohisside.hehadgoodreasontoreadhertheriotact,evenreporthertothepolice.insteadhehadtreatedevenherhackingintohisputerasajoke.

  thathadbeentheostsensitivepartoftheirconversation.blokvistseeedtobedeliberatelynotbroachingthesubject,andfinallyshecouldnothelpaskingthequestion.

  “yousaidthatyouknehatidid.”

  “you’vebeeninsideyputer.you’reahacker.”

  “howdoyouknowthat？”salanderwasabsolutelypositivethatshehadleftnotracesandthathertrespassingcouldnotbediscoveredbyanyoneunless. comsecurityconsultantsatdownandscannedtheharddriveatthesaetieasshewasaessingtheputer.

  “youadeaistake.”

  shehadquotedfroatextthatwasonlyonhisputer.

  salandersatinsilence.finallyshelookedupathi,hereyesexpressionless.

  “howdidyoudoit？”heasked.

  “mysecret.whatareyouthinkingofdoingaboutit？”

  mikaelshrugged.

  “whatcanido？”

  “it’sexactlywhatyoudoasajournalist.”

  “ofcourse.andthat’swhywejournalistshaveahicsitteethatkeepstrackoftheoralissues.wheniwriteanarticleaboutsoebastardinthebankingindustry,ileaveout,forinstance,hisorherprivatelife.idon’tsaythataferisalesbianorgetsturnedonbyhavingsexwithherdogoranythinglikethat,evenifithappenstobetrue.bastardstoohavearighttotheirprivatelives.doesthatakesense？”

  “yes.”

  “soyouencroachedonyintegrity.myeployerdoesn’tneedtoknohoihavesexwith.that’sybusiness.”

  salander’sfacewascreasedbyacrookedsile.

  “youthinkishouldn’thaveentionedthat？”

  “inycaseitdidn’takealotofdifference.halfthecityknowsaboutyrelationshipwitherika.butit’saatterofprinciple.”

  “inthatcase,itightauseyoutoknowthatialsohaveprinciplesparabletoyourethicsittee’s.icallthesalander’sprinciples.oneoftheisthatabastardisalwaysabastard,andificanhurtabastardbydiggingupshitabouthi,thenhedeservesit.”

  “ok,”blokvistsaid.“myreasoningisn’ttoodifferentfroyours,but…”

  “butthethingisthatwhenidoapi,ialsolookatwhatithinkabouttheperson.i’notneutral.ifthepersonseeslikeagoodsort,iighttonedownyreport.”

  “really？”

  “inyourcaseitoneditdown.icouldhavewrittenaaboutyoursexlife.icouldhaveentionedtofrodethaterikabergerhasapastinclubxtreeandplayedaroundwithbdsmintheeighties—whichwouldhaveproptedcertainunavoidablenotionsaboutyoursexlifeandhers.”

  blokvistetsalander’sgaze.afteraoenthelaughed.

  “you’rereallyeticulous,aren’tyou？whydidn’tyouputitinthereport？”

  “youareadultswhoobviouslylikeeachother.whatyoudoinbedisnobody’sbusiness,andtheonlythingiwouldhaveachievedbytalkingaboutherwastohurtbothofyou,o. comrovidesoeonewithblackailaterial.idon’tknowfrode—therationcouldhaveendedupwithwennerstr？.”

  “andyoudon’twan. comrovidewennerstr？withration？”

  “ifihadtochoosebetweenyouandhi,i’dprobablyendupinyourcourt.”

  “erikaandihavea…ourrelationshipis…”

  “please,ireallydon’tgiveatossaboutwhatsortofrelationshipyouhave.butyouhaven’tansweredyquestion:whatdoyouplantodoaboutyhackingintoyourputer？”

  “lisbeth,i’notheretoblackailyou.i’heretoaskyoutohelpedosoeresearch.youcansayyesorno.ifyousayno,fine,i’llfindsoeoneelseandyou’llneverhearfroeagain.”

  chapter19

  thursday,june19–sunday,june29

  whilehewaitedforwordonwhethervangerwasgoin. comullthroughornot,blokvistspentthedaysgoingoverhisaterials.hekeptinclosetouchwithfrode.onthursdayeveningfrodebroughthithenewsthattheiediatecrisisseeedtobeover.

  “iwasabletotalktohiforawhiletoday.hewantstoseeyouassoonaspossible.”

  soitwasthat,around1:00ontheafternoonofmidsuereve,blokvistdrovetohedestadhospitalandwentinsearchoftheward.heencounteredanangrybirgervanger,whoblockedhisway.henrikcouldnotpossiblyreceivevisitors,hesaid.

  “that’sodd,”blokvistsaid,“henriksentwordsayingthatheexpresslywantedtoseeetoday.”

  “you’renotaeberofthefaily；youhavenobusinesshere.”

  “you’reright.i’notaeberofthefaily.buti’workingforhenrikvanger,anditakeordersonlyfrohi.”

  thisighthaveledtoaheatedexchangeiffrodehadnotatthatoenteoutofvanger’sroo.

  “oh,thereyouare.henrikhasbeenaskingafteryou.”

  frodeheldopenthedoorandblokvistwalkedpastbirgerintotheroo.

  vangerlookedtohaveagedtenyears.hewaslyingwithhiseyeshalfclosed,anoxygentubeinhisnose,andhishairoredishevelledthanever.anurse. compedblokvist,puttingahandfirlyonhisar.

  “twoinutes.noore.anddon’tupsethi.”blokvistsatonavisitor’schairsothathecouldseevanger’sface.hefeltatendernessthatastonishedhi,andhestretchedouthishandtogentlysqueezetheoldan’shand.

  “anynews？”thevoicewasweak.

  blokvistnodded.

  “i’llgiveyouareportassoonasyou’rebetter.ihaven’tsolvedtheysteryyet,buti’vefoundorenewstuffandi’followingupanuberofleads.inaweek,perhapstwo,i’llbeabletotelltheresults.”

  theostvangercouldanagewastoblink,indicatingthatheunderstood.

  “ihavetobeawayforafewdays.”

  henrikraisedhiseyebrows.

  “i’notjupingship.ihavesoeresearchtodo.i’vereachedanagreeentwithdirchthatishouldreporttohi.isthatokwithyou？”

  “dirchis…yan…inallatters.”

  blokvistsqueezedvanger’shandagain.

  “mikael…ifidon’t…iwantyouto…finishthejob.”

  “iwillfinishthejob.”

  “dirchhas…full…”

  “henrik,iwantyoutogetbetter.i’dbefuriouswithyouifyouwentanddiedafteri’veadesuchprogress.”

  “twoinutes,”thenursesaid.

  “nexttiewe’llhavealongtalk.”

  birgervangerwaswaitingforhiwhenhecaeout.he. compedhibylayingahandonhisshoulder.

  “idon’twantyoubotheringhenrikanyore.he’sveryill,andhe’snotsupposedtobeupsetordisturbed.”

  “iunderstandyourconcern,andisypathise.andi’notgoingtoupsethi.”

  “everyoneknowsthathenrikhiredyo. comokearoundinhislittlehobby…harriet.dirchsaidthathenrikbecaeveryupsetafteraconversationyouhadwithhibeforehehadtheheartattack.heevensaidthatyouthoughtyouhadcausedtheattack.”

  “idon’tthinksoanyore.henrikhadsevereblockagesinhisarteries.hecouldhavehadaheartattackjustbyhavingapee.i’sureyouknowthatbynow.”

  “iwantfulldisclosureintothislunacy.thisisyfailyyou’reuckingaroundin.”

  “itoldyou,iworkforhenrik,notforthefaily.”

  birgervangerwasapparentlynotusedtohavinganyonestanduptohi.foraoenthestaredatblokvistwithanexpressionthatwaspresuablyeanttoinst