“you’vedoneafantasticjobofdiggingupthesefactsinsuchashorttie,”hesaid.“thanks.andthanksalsoforbeingniceenoughtoeuphereandreportonit.”

  “whathappensnow？”salanderwantedtoknow.

  “i’goingtotalktodirchfrodetoorrowandarrangeforyourfeetobepaid.”

  “thatwasn’twhatieant.”

  blokvistlookedather.

  “well…ireckonthejobihiredyouforisdone,”hesaid.

  “i’notdonewiththis.”

  blokvistleanedbackagainstthekitchenwallandethergaze.hecouldn’treadanythingatallinhereyes.forhalfayearhehadbeenworkingaloneonharriet’sdisappearance,andherewasanotherperson—anexperiencedresearcher—whograspedtheiplications.headethedecisiononipulse.

  “iknow.thisstoryhasgotunderyskintoo.i’lltalktofrode.we’llhireyouforaweekortwooreas…aresearchassistant.idon’tknowifhe’llwan. comaythesaeratehepaystoaransky,butweshouldbeabletoarrangeabasiclivingwageforyou.”

  salandersuddenlygavehiasile.shehadnowishtobeshutoutandwouldhavegladlydohejobforfree.

  “i’fallingasleep,”shesaid,andwithoutfurtheradoshewenttoherrooandclosedthedoor.

  twoinuteslatersheopenedthedoorandputoutherhead.

  “ithinkyou’rewrong.it’snotaninsaneserialkillerwhoreadhisbiblewrong.it’sjustaonorgardenbastardwhohateswoen.”

  chapter21

  thursday,july3–thursday,july10

  salanderwasupbeforeblokvist,around6:00.sheputonsoewaterforcoffeeandwenttotakeashower.whenblokvistwokeat7:30,shewasreadinghissuaryoftheharrietvangercaseonhisi.hecaeouttothekitchenwithatowelroundhiswaist,rubbingthesleepoutofhiseyes.

  “there’scoffeeonthestove,”shesaid.

  helookedoverhershoulder.

  “thatdocuentwaspasswordprotected,dait,”hesaid.

  sheturnedandpeeredupathi.

  “ittakesthirtysecondstodownloadaprograefrothethatcancrackword’sencryptionprotection.”

  “weneedtohaveatalkonthesubjectofwhat’syoursandwhat’sine,”hesaid,andwenttotakeashower.

  whenhecaeback,salanderhadturnedoffhisputerandputitbackinitsplaceinhisoffice.shehadbootedupherownpower.blokvistfeltsurethatshehadalreadytransferredthecontentsofhisputertoherown.

  salanderwasanrationjunkiewithadelinquentchild’stakeonoralsandethics.

  hehadjustsatdowntobreakfastwhentherewasaknockatthefrontdoor.martinvangerlookedsosolenthatforasecondblokvistthoughthehadetobringthenewsofhisuncle’sdeath.

  “no,henrik’sconditionisthesaeasyesterday.i’hereforaquitedifferentreason.couldieraoent？”

  blokvistlethiin,introducinghito“yresearchassistant”lisbethsalander.shegavethecaptainofindustrybarelyaglanceandaquicknodbeforeshewentbacktoherputer.martinvangergreetedherautoaticallybutlookedsodistractedthathehardlyseeedtonoticeher.blokvistpouredhiacupofcoffeeandinvitedhitohaveaseat.

  “what’sthisallabout？”

  “youdon’tsubscribetothehedestadcourier？”

  “no.butsoetiesiseeitatsusanne’sbridgecafé.”

  “thenyouhaven’treadthisorning’spaper.”

  “youakeitsoundasifioughtto.”

  martinvangerputtheday’spaperonthetableinfrontofhi.hehadbeengiventwocolunsonthefrontpage,continuedonpagefour.“convictedlibeljournalisthidinghere.”aphotographtakenwithatelephotolensfrothechurchhillontheothersideofthebridgeshowedblokvistingoutofthecottage.

  thereporter,torsson,hadcobbledtogetherascurrilouspiece.herecapitulatedthewennerstr？affairandexplainedthatblokvisthadleftmillenniuindisgraceandthathehadrecentlyservedaprisonter.thearticleendedwiththeusuallihatblokvisthaddeclinedtoenttothehedestadcourier.everyself-respectingresidentofhedestadwasputonnoticethatanolypic-classshitfrostockholwasskulkingaroundthearea.noneoftheclaisinthearticlewaslibellous,buttheywereslante. comresentblokvistinanunflatteringlight；thelayoutandtypestylewasofthekindthatsuchnewspapersusedtodiscusspoliticalterrorists.millenniuwasdescribedasaagazinewithlowcredibility“bentonagitation,”andblokvist’sonfinancialjournaliswaspresentedasacollectionof“controversialclais”aboutotherorerespectedjournalists.

  “mikael…idon’thavewordstoexpresswhatifeltwhenireadthisarticle.it’srepulsive.”

  “it’saput-upjob,”blokvistsaidcally.

  “ihopeyouunderstandthatididn’thavetheslightestthingtodowiththis.ichokedonyorningcoffeewhenireadit.”

  “thenwhodid？”

  “iadesoecalls.thistorssonisasuerworkexperiencekid.hedidthepieceonordersfrobirger.”

  “ithoughtbirgerhadnosayinthenewsroo.afterall,heisacouncillorandpoliticalfigure.”

  “technicallyhehasnoinfluence.buttheeditorinchiefofthecourierisgunnarkarlan,ingrid’sson,who’spartofthejohanvangerbranchofthefaily.birgerandgunnarhavebeencloseforanyyears.”

  “isee.”

  “torssonwillbefiredforthwith.”

  “howoldishe？”

  “totellyouthetruth,idon’tknow.i’veneverethi.”

  “don’tfirehi.whenhecalledehesoundedlikeaveryyoungandinexperiencedreporter.”

  “thiscan’tbeallowe. comasswithoutconsequences.”

  “ifyouwantyopinion,thesituationseesabitabsurd,whentheeditorinchiefofapublicationownedbythevangerfailygoesontheattackagainstanotherpublicationinwhichhenrikvangerisapartownerandonwhoseboardyousit.youreditor,karlan,isattackingyouandhenrik.”

  “iseewhatyouean,andioughttolaytheblaewhereitbelongs.karlanisapartownerinthecorporationandhasalwaystakenpot-shotsate,butthisseesorelikebirger’srevengebecauseyouhadarun-inwithhiatthehospital.you’reathorninhisside.”

  “ibelieveit.that’swhyithinktorssonisthelastpersontoblae.ittakesalotforaninterntosaynowhenthebossinstructshitowritesoethinginacertainway.”

  “icoulddeandthatyoubegivenanapologytoorrow.”

  “betternot.itwouldjustturnintoalong,drawn-outsquabblethatwouldakethesituationworse.”

  “soyoudon’tthinkishoulddoanything？”

  “itwouldn’tbeanyuse.karlanwouldkickupafussandintheworstcaseyou’dbepaintedasavillainwho,inhiscapacityasowner,istryingtostaponthefreedoofexpression.”

  “pardone,mikael,butidon’tagreewithyou.asaatteroffact,ialsohavetherighttoexpressyopinion.myviewisthatthisarticlestinks—andiintendtoakeyownpointofviewclear.howeverreluctantly,i’henrik’sreplaceentonmillenniu’sboard,andinthatroleianotgoingtoletanoffensivearticlelikethisonepassunchallenged.”

  “fairenough.”

  “soi’goingtodeandtherighttorespond.andifiakekarlanlooklikeanidiot,hehasonlyhiselftoblae.”

  “youustdowhatyoubelieveisright.”

  “fore,it’salsoiportantthatyouabsolutelyunderstandthatihavenothingwhatsoevertodowiththisvitriolicattack.”

  “ibelieveyou,”blokvistsaid.

  “besides—ididn’treallywanttobringthisupnow,butthisjustservestoillustratewhatwe’vealreadydiscussed.it’siportanttore-installyouonmillenniu’seditorialboardsothatwecanshowaunitedfronttotheworld.aslongasyou’reaway,thegossipwillcontinue.ibelieveinmillenniu,andi’convincedthatwecanwinthisfighttogether.”

  “iseeyourpoint,butnowit’syturntodisagreewithyou.ican’tbreakycontractwithhenrik,andthefactisthatiwouldn’twanttobreakit.yousee,ireallylikehi.andthisthingwithharriet…”

  “yes？”

  “iknowit’sarunningsoreforyouandirealisethathenrikhasbeenobsessedwithitforanyyears.”

  “justbetweenthetwoofus—idolovehenrikandheisyentor—butwhenitestoharriet,he’salostoffhisrocker.”

  “whenistartedthisjobicouldn’thelpthinkingthatitwasawasteoftie.butithinkwe’reonthevergeofabreakthroughandthatitightnowbepossibletoknohatreallyhappened.”

  blokvistreaddoubtinmartinvanger’seyes.atlastheadeadecision.

  “ok,inthatcasethebestthingwecandoistosolvetheysteryofharrietasquicklyaspossible.i’llgiveyouallthesupporticansothatyoufinishtheworktoyoursatisfaction—and,ofcourse,henrik’s—andthenreturntomillenniu.”

  “good.soiwon’thavetofightwithyoutoo.”

  “no,youwon’t.youcanaskforyhelpwheneveryourunintoaproble.i’llakedansurethatbirgerwon’tputanysortofobstaclesinyourway.andi’lltrytotalktocecilia,tocalherdown.”

  “thankyou.ineedtoaskhersoequestions,andshe’sbeenresistingyatteptsatconversationforaonthnow.”

  martinvangerlaughed.“perhapsyouhaveotherissuestoironout.butiwon’tgetinvolvedinthat.”

  theyshookhands.

  salanderhadlistenedtotheconversation.whenmartinvangerleftshereachedforthehedestadcourierandscannedthearticle.sheputthepaperdownwithoutakinganyent.

  blokvistsatinsilence,thinking.gunnarkarlanwasbornin1948andwouldhavebeeneighteenin1966.hewasoneofthepeopleontheislandwhenharrietdisappeared.

  afterbreakfastheaskedhisresearchassistanttoreadthroughthepolicereport.hegaveherallthephotographsoftheaident,aswellasthelongsuaryofvanger’sowninvestigations.

  blokvistthendrovetofrode’shouseandaskedhikindlytodrawupanagreeentforsalanderasaresearchassistantforthenextonth.

  bythetiehereturnedtothecottage,salanderhaddecapedtothegardenandwasiersedinthepolicereport.blokvistwentintoheatupthecoffee.hewatchedherthroughthekitchenwindow.sheseeedtobeskiing,spendingnoorethantenorfifteensecondsoneachpage.sheturnedthepagesechanically,andblokvistwasaazedatherlackofconcentration；itadenosense,sinceherownreportwassoeticulous.hetooktwocupsofcoffeeandjoinedheratthegardentable.

  “yournotesweredonebeforeyoukneewerelookingforaserialkiller.”

  “that’strue.isiplywrotedownquestionsiwantedtoaskhenrik,andsoeotherthings.itwasquiteunstructured.upuntilnowi’vereallybeenstrugglinginthedark,tryingtowriteastory—achapterintheautobiographyofhenrikvanger.”

  “andnow？”

  “inthepastalltheinvestigationsfocusedonhedebyisland.nowi’surethatthestory,thesequenceofeventsthatendedinherdisappearance,startedinhedestad.thatshiftstheperspective.”

  salandersaid:“itwasaazingwhatyoudiscoveredwiththepictures.”

  blokvistwassurprised.salanderdidnotseethetypetothrowplientsaround,andhefeltflattered.ontheotherhand—froapurelyjournalisticpointofview—itwasquiteanachieveent.

  “it’syourturntofillinthedetails.howdiditgowiththatpictureyouwerechasingupinnorsj？？”

  “youeanyoudidn’tchecktheiagesinyputer？”

  “therewasn’ttie.ineededtoreadtherésués,yoursituationreportstoyourself.”

  blokviststartedhisiandclickedonthephotographfolder.

  “it’sfascinating.thevisittonorsj？wasasortofprogress,butitwasalsoadisappointent.ifoundthepicture,butitdoesn’ttellusuch.

  “thatwoan,mildredberggren,hadsavedallherholidaypicturesinalbus.thepictureiwaslookingforwasoneofthe.itwastakenoncheapcolourfilandafterthirty-sevenyearstheprintwasincrediblyfaded—withastrongyellowtinge.but,wouldyoubelieve,shestillhadthenegativeinashoebox.sheleteborrowallthenegativesfrohedestadandi’vescannedthein.thisiswhatharrietsaw.”

  heclickedonaniagewhichnowhadthefilenaeharriet/bd-19.eps.

  salanderiediatelyunderstoodhisdisay.shesawanunfocusediagethatshowedclownsintheforegroundofthechildren’sdayparade.inthebackgroundcouldbeseenthecornerofsundstr？’shaberdashery.abouttenpeoplewerestandingonthepaveentinfrontofsundstr？’s.

  “ithinkthisisthepersonshesaw.partlybecauseitriedtotriangulatewhatshewaslookingat,judgingbytheanglethatherfacewasturned—iadeadrawingofthecrossroadsthere—andpartlybecausethisistheonlypersonwhoseestobelookingstraightintothecaera.meaningthat—perhaps—hewasstaringatharriet.”

  whatsalandersaasablurryfigurestandingalittlebitbehindthespectators,alostinthesidestreet.hehadonadarkpaddedjacketwitharedpatchontheshouldersanddarktrousers,possiblyjeans.blokvistzooedinsothatthefigurefrothewaistupfilledthescreen.thephotographbecaeinstantlyfuzzierstill.

  “it’saan.he’saboutfive-footeleven,noralbuild.hehasdark-blond,sei-longhairandisclean-shaven.butit’sipossibletoakeouthisfacialfeaturesorevenestiatehisage.hecouldbeanywherebetweenhisteensandiddleage.

  “youcouldanipulatetheiage…”

  “ihaveanipulatedtheiage,dait.ievensentacopytotheiageprocessingwizardatmillenniu.”blokvistclickedupanewshot.“thisistheabsolutebesticangetoutofit.thecaeraissiplytoolousyandthedistancetoofar.”

  “haveyoushownthepicturetoanyone？soeoneightrecognisethean’sbearingor…”

  “ishowedittofrode.hehasnoideawhotheanis.”

  “herrfrodeprobablyisn’ttheostobservantpersoninhedestad.”

  “no,buti’workingforhiandhenrikvanger.iwanttoshowthepicturetohenrikbeforeicastthewider.”

  “perhapshe’snothingorethanaspectator.”

  “that’spossible.butheanagedtotriggerastrangeresponsefroharriet.”

  duringthenextseveraldaysblokvistandsalanderworkedontheharrietcasevirtuallyeverywakingoent.salanderwentonreadingthepolicereport,rattlingoffonequestionafteranother.therecouldonlybeoruth,andeachvagueansweroruncertaintyledtooreintenseinterrogation.theyspentonewholedayexainingtietablesforthecastofcharactersatthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.

  salanderbecaeoreandoreofanenigatohi.despitethefactthatsheonlyskiedthedocuentsinthereport,shealwaysseeedtosettleontheostobscureandcontradictorydetails.

  theytookabreakintheafternoons,whentheheatadeitunbearableoutinthegarden.theywouldswiinthechannelorwalkuptotheterraceatsusanne’sbridgecafé.susannenowtreatedblokvistwithanundisguisedcoolness.herealisedthatsalanderlookedbarelylegalandshewasobviouslylivingathiscottage,andthat—insusanne’seyes—adehiadirtyoldiddle-agedan.itwasnotpleasant.

  blokvistwentouteveryeveningforarun.salanderadenoentwhenhereturnedoutofbreathtothecottage.runningwasobviouslynotherthing.

  “i’overforty,”hesaid.“ihavetoexercisetokeepfrogettingtoofataroundtheiddle.”

  “isee.”

  “don’tyoueverexercise？”

  “iboxonceinawhile.”

  “youbox？”

  “yeah,youknow,withgloves.”

  “whatweightdoyouboxin？”hesaid,whenheeergedfrotheshower.

  “noneatall.isparalittlenowandthenagainsttheguysinaclubins？der.”

  whyisthatnosurprise？hethought.butatleastshehadtoldhisoethingaboutherself.heknewnobasicfactsabouther.howdidsheetobeworkingforaransky？whatsortofeducationdidshehave？whatdidherparentsdo？assoonasblokvisttriedtoaskaboutherlifesheshutuplikeacla,answeredinsinglesyllablesorignoredhi.

  oneafternoonsalandersuddenlyputdownabinder,frowning.

  “whatdoyouknowaboutottofalk？thepastor.”

  “notuch.ietthepresentincubentafewtiesearlierintheyear,andshetoldethatfalklivesinsoegeriatrichoeinhedestad.alzheier’s.”

  “wheredidheefro？”

  “frohedestad.hestudiedinuppsala.”

  “hewasunarried.andharriethungoutwithhi.”

  “whydoyouask？”

  “i’justsayingthatmorellwentprettyeasyonhiintheinterview.”

  “inthesixtiespastorsenjoyedaconsiderablydifferentstatusinsociety.itwasnaturalforhitoliveouthereontheisland,closetothepowerbrokers,sotospeak.”

  “iwonderhowcarefullythepolicesearchedtheparsonage.inthephotographsitlookslikeitwasabigwoodenhouse,andthereusthavebeenplentyofplacestohideabodyforawhile.”

  “that’strue,butthere’snothingintheaterialtoindicatethathewouldhaveanyconnectiontotheserialurdersortoharriet’sdisappearance.”

  “actually,thereis,”salandersaid,withawrysile.“firstofallhewasapastor,andpastorsorethananyoneelsehaveaspecialrelationshiptothebible.second,hewasthelastpersonknowntohaveseenandtalkedwithharriet.”

  “buthewentdowntothesceneoftheaidentandstayedthereforseveralhours.he’sinlotsofthepictures,especiallyduringthetiewhenharrietusthavevanished.”

  “allright,ican’tcrackhisalibi.butiwasactuallythinkingaboutsoethin