shefoundoresubstantialrationinthearticle“thelovisacaseshookthewholecountryside,”whichwaspublishedintheagazinev？rlandskultur.alloftheagazine’stextshadbeenloadedontothe.writtenwithobviousgleeandinachattyandtitillatingtone,thearticledescribedhowlovisasj？berg’shusband,theluberjackholgersj？berg,hadfoundhiswifedeadwhenhecaehoefroworkaround5:00.shehadbeensubjectedtogrosssexualassault,stabbed,andfinallyurderedwiththeprongsofapitchfork.theurderourredinthefailybarn,butwhatarousedtheostattentionwasthefactthattheperpetrator,afterittingtheurder,hadtiedherupinakneelingpositioninsideahorsestall.

  itwaslaterdiscoveredthatoneoftheanialsonthefar,acow,hadsufferedastabwoundonthesideofitsneck.

  initiallythehusbandwassuspectedoftheurder,buthehadbeeninthepanyofhisworkcolleaguesfro6:00intheorningataclearingtwenty-fiveilesfrohishoe.itcouldbeverifiedthatlovisasj？berghadbeenaliveaslateas10:00intheorning,whenshehadavisitfroawoanfriend.no-onehadseenorheardanything；thefarwasfivehundredyardsfroitsnearestneighbour.

  afterdroppingthehusbandasasuspect,thepoliceinvestigationfocusedonthevicti’stwenty-three-year-oldnephew.hehadrepeatedlyfallenfoulofthelaw,wasextreelyshortofcash,andanytieshadborrowedsallsusfrohisaunt.thenephew’salibiwassignificantlyweaker,andhewastakenintocustodyforawhile,butreleasedforlackofevidence.evenso,anypeopleinthevillagethoughtithighlyprobablethathewasguilty.

  thepolicefollowedanotherlead.apartoftheinvestigationconcernedthesearchforapedlarwhowasseeninthearea；therewasalsoaruourthatagroupof“thievinggypsies”hadcarriedoutaseriesofraids.whytheyshouldhaveittedasavage,sexuallyrelatedurderwithoutstealinganythingwasneverexplained.

  foratiesuspicionwasdirectedataneighbourinthevillage,abachelorwhoinhisyouthwassuspectedofanallegedlyhoosexualcrie—thiswasbackwhenhoosexualitywasstillapunishableoffence—andaordingtoseveralstateents,hehadareputationforbeing“odd.”whysoeonewhowassupposedlyhoosexualwoulditasexcrieagainstawoanwasnotexplainedeither.noneoftheseleads,oranyothers,ledtoacharge.

  salanderthoughttherewasaclearlinktothelistinharrietvanger’sdate.leviticus20:16said:“ifawoanapproachesanybeastandlieswithit,youshallkillthewoanandthebeast；theyshallbeputtodeath,theirbloodisuponthe.”itcouldn’tbeacoincidencethatafarer’swifebythenaeofmagdahadbeenfoundurderedinabarn,withherbodysoarrangedandtiedupinahorsestall.

  thequestionwaswhyhadharrietvangerwrittendownthenaemagdainsteadoflovisa,whichwasapparentlythenaethevictiwentunder.ifherfullnaehadnotbeenprintedinthetvlisting,salanderwouldhaveissedit.

  and,ofcourse,theoreiportantquestionwas:wastherealinkbetweenrebecka’surderin1949,theurderofmagdalovisain1960,andharrietvanger’sdisappearancein1966？

  onsaturdayorningburantookblokvistonanextensivetourofnorsj？.intheorningtheycalledonfiveforereployeeswholivedwithinwalkingdistanceofburan’shouse.everyoneofferedthecoffee.allofthestudiedthephotographsandshooktheirheads.

  afterasiplelunchattheburanhoe,theygotinthecarforadrive.theyvisitedfourvillagesnearnorsj？,whereforereployeesofthecarpentryshoplived.ateach. comburanwasgreetedwithwarth,butno-onewasabletohelpthe.blokvistwasbeginningtodespair.

  at4:00intheafternoon,buranparkedhiscaroutsideatypicalredv？sterbottenfarnearnorsj？vallen,justnorthofnorsj？,andintroducedmikaeltohenningforsan,aretiredastercarpenter.

  “yes,that’sassarbr？nnlund’slad,”forsansaidassoonasblokvistshowedhithephotographs.bingo.

  “oh,sothat’sassar’sboy,”buransaid.“assarwasabuyer.”

  “howcanifindhi？”

  “thelad？well,you’llhavetodig.hisnaewasgunnar,andheworkedatthebolidenine.hediedinablastingaidentintheid-seventies.”

  blokvist’sheartsank.

  “buthiswifeisstillalive.theoneinthepicturehere.hernaeismildred,andshelivesinbjursele.”

  “bjursele？”

  “it’saboutsixilesdowntheroadtobastutr？sk.shelivesinthelongredhouseontheright-handsideasyou’reingintothevillage.it’sthethirdhouse.iknowthefailywell.”

  “hi,ynaeislisbethsalander,andi’writingythesisonthecriinologyofviolenceagainstwoeninthetwentiethcentury.i’dliketovisitthepolicedistrictinlandskronaandreadthroughthedocuentsofacasefro1957.ithastodowiththeurderofawoanbythenaeofrakellunde.doyouhaveanyideawherethosedocuentsaretoday？”

  bjurselewaslikeaposterforthev？sterbottencountryvillage.itconsistedofabouttwentyhousessetrelativelyclosetogetherinaseicircleatoneendofalake.inthecentreofthevillagewasacrossroadswithanarrowpointingtowardsheingen,101/2iles,andanotherpointingtowardsbastutr？sk,7iles.nearthecrossroadswasasallbridgewithacreekthatblokvistassuedwasthewater,thesel.attheheightofsuer,itwasasprettyasapostcard.

  heparkedinthecourtyardinfrontofakonsuthatwasnolongeropen,alo. compositethethirdhouseontheright-handside.whenheknockedonthedoor,no-oneanswered.

  hetookanhour-longwalkalongtheroadtowardsheingen.hepassedaspotwherethestreabecaerushingrapids.heettwocatsandsawadeer,butnotasingleperson,beforeheturnedaround.mildredbr？nnlund’sdoorwasstillshut.

  onapostnearthebridgehefoundapeelingflyerannouncingthebt,soethingthatcouldbedecipheredasthebjurseletuktingcarchapionship2002.“tukting”acarwasapparentlyawintersportthatinvolvedsashingupavehicleontheice-coveredlake.

  hewaiteduntil10:00p..beforehegaveupanddrovebacktonorsj？,wherehehadalatedinnerandthenwenttobedtoreadthedenoueentofvalmcderid’snovel.

  itwasgrisly.

  at10:00salanderaddedoneorenaetoharrietvanger’slist.shedidsowithsoehesitation.

  shehaddiscoveredashortcut.atquiteregularintervalsarticleswerepublishedaboutunsolvedurders,andinasundaysuppleenttotheeveningnewspapershehadfoundanarticlefro1999withtheheadli

  13

  提供

  ne“manymurderersofwoengofree.”itwasashortarticle,butitincludedthenaesandphotographsofseveralnoteworthyurdervictis.therewasthesolveigcaseinnorrt？lje,theanitaurderinnorrk？ping,margaretainhelsingb,andanuberofothers.

  theoldestcasetoberecountedwasfrothesixties,andnoneoftheurdersatchedthelistthatsalanderhadbeengivenbyblokvist.butonecasedidattractherattention.

  injune1962aprostitutebythenaeofleaperssonfrog？tebhadgoouddevallatovisitherotherandhernine-year-oldson,whoherotherwastakingcareof.onasundayevening,afteravisitofseveraldays,leahadhuggedherother,saidgoodbye,andcaughtthetrainbacktog？teb.shewasfoundtwodayslaterbehindacontaineronanindustrialsitenolongerinuse.shehadbeenraped,andherbodyhadbeensubjectedtoextraordinaryviolence.

  theleaurderarousedagreatdealofattentionasasuerserialstoryinthenewspaper,butnokillerhadeverbeenidentified.therewasnoleaonharrietvanger’slist.nordidtheannerofherdeathfitwithanyofharriet’sbiblequotes.

  ontheotherhand,therewassuchaarrecoincidencethatsalander’santennaeinstantlybuzzed.abouttenyardsfrowherelea’sbodywasfoundlayaflowerpotwithapigeoninside.soeonehadtiedastringroundthepigeon’sneckandpulleditthroughtheholeinthebottoofthepot.thenthepotwasputonalittlefirethathadbeenlaidbetweentwobricks.therewasnocertaintythatthiscrueltyhadanyconnectionwiththeleaurder.itcouldhavebeenachildplayingahorriblegae,butthepressdubbedtheurderthepigeonmurder.

  salanderwasnobiblereader—shedidnotevenownone—butthateveningshewentovertoh？galidchurchandwithsoedifficultysheanagedtoborrowabible.shesatonaparkbenchoutsidethechurchandreadleviticus.whenshereachedchapter12,verse8,hereyebrowswentup.chapter12dealtwiththepurificationofwoenafterchildbirth.

  andifshecannotaffordalab,thensheshalltaketwoturtledovesortwoyoungpigeons,oneforaburntofferingandtheotherforasinoffering；andthepriestshallakeatoneentforher,andsheshallbeclean.

  leacouldverywellhavebeenincludedinharriet’sdateas:lea—31208.

  salanderthoughtthatnoresearchshehadeverdonebeforehadcontainedevenafractionofthescopeofthisassignent.

  mildredbr？nnlund,rearriedandnowmildredberggren,openedthedoorwhenblokvistknockedaround10:00onsundayorning.thewoanwasucholder,ofcourse,andhadbynowfilledoutagooddeal,butherecognisedheratonce.

  “hi,ynaeismikaelblokvist.youustbemildredberggren.”

  “that’sright.”

  “i’sorryforknockingonyourdoorlikethis,buti’vebeentryingtofindyou,andit’sratherplicatedtoexplain.”hesiledather.“iwonderificouldeinandtakeupasallaountofyourtie.”

  mildred’shusbandandasonwhowasaboutthirty-fivewerehoe,andwithoutuchhesitationsheinvitedblokvisttoeandsitintheirkitchen.heshookhandswitheachofthe.hehaddrunkorecoffeeduringthepasttwenty-fourhoursthanatanytieinhislife,butbynowhehadlearnedthatinnorrlanditwasrudetosayno.whenthecoffeecupswereonthetable,mildredsatdownandaskedwithsoecuriosityhowshecouldhelphi.itwasobviousthathedidnoteasilyunderstandhernorsj？dialect,sosheswitchedtostandardswedish.

  blokvisttookadeepbreath.“thisisalongandpeculiarstory,”hesaid.“insepteber1966youwereinhedestadwithyourthenhusband,gunnarbr？nnlund.”

  shelookedsurprised.hewaitedforhertonodbeforehelaidthephotographfroj？rnv？gsgatanonthetableinfrontofher.

  “whenwasthispicturetaken？doyoureebertheoasion？”

  “oh,ygoodness,”mildredberggrensaid.“thatwasalifetieago.”

  herpresenthusbandandsoncaetostandnexttohertolookatthepicture.

  “wewereonourhoneyoon.wehaddrivendowntostockholandsigtunaandwereonourwayhoeandhappenedto. comsoewhere.wasitinhedestad,yousaid？”

  “yes,hedestad.thisphotographwastakenatabout1:00intheafternoon.i’vebeentryingtofindyouforsoetienow,andithasn’tbeenasipletask.”

  “youseeanoldphotographofeandthenactuallytrackedown.ican’tiaginehowyoudidit.”

  blokvistputthephotographfrothecarparkonthetable.

  “iwasabletofindyouthankstothispicture,whichwastakenalittlelaterintheday.”heexplainedhow,viathenorsj？carpentryshop,hehadfoundburan,whointurnhadledhitohenningforsaninnorsj？vallen.

  “youusthaveagoodreasonforthislongsearch.”

  “ido.thisgirlstandingclosetoyouinthisphotographiscalledharriet.thatdayshedisappeared,andshewasneverseenorheardofagain.thegeneralassuptionisthatshefellpreytoaurderer.canishowyousoeorephotographs？”

  hetookouthisiandexplainedthecircustanceswhiletheputerbootedup.thenheplayedhertheseriesofiagesshowinghowharriet’sfacialexpressionchanged.

  “itwaswheniwentthroughtheseoldiagesthatifoundyou,standingwithacaerarightbehindharriet,andyouseetobetakingapictureinthedirectionofwhateveritisshe’slookingat,whatevercausedhertoreactinthatway.iknowthatthisisareallylongshot,butthereasoni’vebeenlookingforyouistoaskyouifbyanyiracleyoustillhavethepicturesfrothatday.”

  hewaspreparedformildredberggrentodisisstheideaandtellhithatthephotographshadlongsincevanished.insteadshelookedathiwithherclearblueeyesandsaid,asifitweretheostnaturalthingintheworld,thatofcourseshestillhadheroldhoneyoonpictures.

  shewenttoanotherrooandcaebackafterseveralinuteswithaboxinwhichshehadstoredaquantityofpicturesinvariousalbus.ittookawhiletofindthehoneyoonones.shehadtakenthreephotographsinhedestad.onewasblurryandshowedtheainstreet.anothershowedherhusbandatthetie.thethirdshowedtheclownsintheparade.

  blokvisteagerlyleanedforward.hecouldseeafigureontheothersideofthestreetbehindaclown.butthephotographtoldhiabsolutelynothing.

  chapter20

  tuesday,july1–wednesday,july2

  thefirstthingblokvistdidtheorninghereturnedtohedestadwastogotofrode’shousetoaskaboutvanger’scondition.helearnedtohisdelightthattheoldanhadiprovedquiteabitduringthepastweek.hewasweakstill,andfragile,butnowhecouldsitupinbed.hisconditionwasnolongerregardedascritical.

  “thankgod,”hesaid.“irealisedthatiactuallylikehi.”

  frodesaid:“iknowthat.andhenriklikesyoutoo.hoasnorrland？”

  “suessfulyetunsatisfying.i’llexplainalittlelater.rightnowihaveaquestion.”

  “goahead.”

  “whatrealisticallywillhappentoyourinterestinmillenniuifhenrikdies？”

  “nothingatall.martinwilltakehisplaceontheboard.”

  “isthereanyrisk,hypotheticallyspeaking,thatmartinightcreateproblesformillenniuifidon’tputa. comtotheinvestigationofharriet’sdisappearance？”

  frodegavehiasharplook.

  “what’shappened？”

  “nothing,actually.”mikaeltoldhiabouttheconversationhehadhadwithmartinvangeronmidsuereve.“wheniwasinnorsj？erikatoldethatmartinhadcalledherandsaidthathethoughtiwasveryuchneededbackattheoffice.”

  “iunderstand.myguessisthatceciliawasafterhi.butidon’tthinkthatmartinwouldputpressureonyoulikethatonhisown.he’suchtoosavvy.andreeber,i’alsoontheboardofthelittlesubsidiaryweforedwhenweboughtintomillenniu.”

  “butwhatifaticklishsituationcaeup—hoouldyouactthen？”

  “contractsexisttobehonoured.iworkforhenrik.henrikandihavebeenfriendsforforty-fiveyears,andweareinpleteagreeentinsuchatters.ifhenrikshoulddieitisinpointoffacti—notmartin—whowouldinherithenrik’sshareinthesubsidiary.wehaveacontractinwhichwehaveundertakentobackmillenniuforthreeyears.shouldmartinwishtostartanyischief—whichidon’tbelievehewill—thentheoreticallyhecouldputthebrakesonasallnuberofnewadvertisers.”

  “thelifebloodofmillenniu’sexistence.”

  “yes,butlookatitthisway—worryingaboutsuchtriviaisawasteoftie.martinispresentlyfightingforhisindustrialsurvivalandworkingfourteenhoursaday.hedoesn’thavetieforanythingelse.”

  “mayiask—iknowit’snoneofybusiness—whatisthegeneralconditionofthecorporation？”

  frodelookedgrave.

  “wehaveprobles.”

  “yes,evenaonfinancialreporterlikeyselfcanseethat.iean,howseriousisit？”

  “offtherecord？”

  “betweenus.”

  “we’velosttwolargeordersintheelectronicsindustryinthepastfeeeksandareabouttobeejectedfrotherussianarket.insepteberwe’regoingtohavetolayoff1,600eployeesin？rebroandtrollh？ttan.notuchofarewardtogiv. comeoplewho’veworkedforthepanyforanyyears.eachtieweshutdownafactory,confidenceinthepanyisfurtherunderined.”

  “martinisunderpressure.”

  “he’spullingtheloadofanoxandwalkingoneggshells.”

  blokvistwentbacktohiscottageandcalledberger.shewasnotattheoffice,sohespoketomal.

  “here’sthedeal:erikacalledwheniwasinnorsj？.martinvangerhasbeenafterherandhas,howshalliputit,encouragedhe. comroposethatistarttotakeoneditorialresponsibility.”

  “ithinkyoushouldtoo,”malsaid.

  “iknowthat.butthethingis,ihaveacontractwithhenrikvangerthatican’tbreak,andmartinisactingonbehalfofsoeoneupherewhowantseto. comwhatiadoingandleavetown.sohisproposalaountstoanattepttogetridofe.”

  “isee.”

  “sayhitoerikaandtellheri’llebacktostockholwheni’finishedhere.notbefore.”

  “iunderstand.you’restarkravingad,ofcourse,buti’llgivehertheessage.”

  “christer.soethingisgoingonuphere,andihavenointentionofbackingout.”

  blokvistknockedonmartinvanger’sdoor.evahasselopeneditandgreetedhiwarly.

  “hi.ismartinhoe？”

  asifinreplytothequestion,martinvangercaewalkingoutwithabriefcaseinhishand.hekissedevaonthecheekandsaidhellotomikael.

  “i’onywaytotheoffice.doyouwanttotalktoe？”

  “wecandoitlaterifyou’reinahurry.”