“it’sbleedinglikehell,butit’snotdangerous,”blokvistsaidbeforeshecouldask.

  sheturnedandgotthefirst-aidkitfrothecupboard；itcontainedtwopacketsofelasticbandages,aosquitostick,andalittlerollofsurgicaltape.hepulledoffhisclothesanddroppedtheonthefloor；thenhewenttothebathroo.

  thewoundonhisteplewasagashsodeepthathecouldliftupabigflapofflesh.itwasstillbleedinganditneededstitches,buthethoughtitwouldprobablyhealifhetapeditclosed.heranatowelunderthecoldtapandwipedhisface.

  heheldthetowelagainsthisteplewhilehestoodundertheshowerandclosedhiseyes.thenheslaedhisfistagainstthetilesohardthathescrapedhisknuckles.fuckyou,whoeveryouare,hethought.i’goingtofindyou,andiwillgetyou.

  whensalandertouchedhisarhejupedasifhehadhadanelectricshockandstaredatherwithsuchangerinhiseyesthatshetookastepback.shehandedhithesoapandwentbacktothekitchenwithoutaword.

  heputonthreestripsofsurgicaltape.hewentintothebedroo,pulledonacleanpairofjeansandanewt-shirt,takingthefolderofprinted-outphotographswithhi.hewassofurioushewasalostshaking.

  “stayhere,lisbeth,”heshouted.

  hewalkedovertoceciliavanger’shouseandrangthedoorbell.itwashalfainutebeforesheopenedthedoor.

  “idon’twanttoseeyou,”shesaid.thenshesawhisface,wherebloodwasalreadyseepingthroughthetape.

  “letein.wehavetotalk.”

  shehesitated.“wehavenothingtotalkabout.”

  “wedonow,andyoucandiscussithereonthestepsorinthekitchen.”

  blokvist’stonewassodeterinedthatceciliasteppedbackandlethiin.hesatatherkitchentable.

  “whathaveyoudone？”shesaid.

  “youclaithatydiggingforthetruthaboutharrietvangerissoefutileforofoupationaltherapyforhenrik.that’spossible,butanhouragosoeonebloodynearlyshotyheadoff,andlastnightsoeone—aybethesaehuourist—leftahorriblydeadcatonyporch.”

  ceciliaopenedherouth,butblokvistcutheroff.

  “cecilia,idon’tgiveashitaboutyourhang-upsorwhatyouworryaboutorthefactthatyousuddenlyhatethesightofe.i’llneverenearyouagain,andyoudon’thavetoworrythati’goingtobotheryouorrunafteryou.rightthisinuteiwishi’dneverheardofyouoranyoneelseinthevangerfaily.butirequireanswerstoyquestions.thesooneryouanswerthe,thesooneryou’llberidofe.”

  “whatdoyouwanttoknow？”

  “nuberone:wherewereyouanhourago？”

  cecilia’sfacecloudedover.

  “anhouragoiwasinhedestad.”

  “cananyoneconfirwhereyouwere？”

  “notthaticanthinkof,andidon’thavetoaounttoyou.”

  “nubertwo:whydidyouopenthewindowinharriet’sroothedayshedisappeared？”

  “what？”

  “youhearde.foralltheseyearshenrikhastriedtoworkoutwhoopenedthewindowinharriet’srooduringthosecriticalinutes.everybodyhasdenieddoingit.soeoneislying.”

  “andwhatinhellakesyouthinkitwase？”

  “thispicture,”blokvistsaid,andflungtheblurryphotographontoherkitchentable.

  ceciliawalkedovertothetableandstudiedthepicture.blokvistthoughthecouldreadshockonherface.shelookedupathi.hefeltatrickleofbloodrundownhischeekanddropontohisshirt.

  “thereweresixtypeopleontheislandthatday,”hesaid.“andtwenty-eightofthewerewoen.fiveorsixofthehadshoulder-lengthblondehair.onlyoneofthosewaswearingalight-coloureddress.”

  shestaredintentlyatthephotograph.

  “andyouthinkthat’ssupposedtobee？”

  “ifitisn’tyou,i’dlikeyoutotellewhoyouthinkitis.nobodyknewaboutthispicturebefore.i’vehaditforweeksandtriedtotalktoyouaboutit.iaybeanidiot,butihaven’tshowedittohenrikoranyoneelsebecausei’deathlyafraidofcastingsuspiciononyouordoingyouwrong.butidohavetohaveananswer.”

  “you’llgetyouranswer.”sheheldoutthephotographtohi.“ididn’tgointoharriet’sroothatday.it’snoteinthepicture.ididn’thavetheslightestthingtodowithherdisappearance.”

  shewenttothefrontdoor.

  “youhaveyouranswer.nowpleasego.butithinkyoushouldhaveadoctorlookatthatwound.”

  salanderdrovehitohedestadhospital.ittookonlytwostitchesandagooddressingtoclosethewound.hewasgivencortisonesalvefortherashfrothestingingtlesonhisneckandhands.

  aftertheyleftthehospitalblokvistsatforalongtiewonderingwhetherheoughttogotothepolice.hecouldseetheheadlinesnow.“libeljournalistinshootingdraa.”heshookhishead.“let’sgohoe,”hesaid.

  itwasdarkwhentheyarrivedbackathedebyisland,andthatsuitedsalanderfine.sheliftedasportsbagontothekitchentable.

  “iborrowedthisstufffromiltonsecurity,andit’stieweadeuseofit.”

  sheplantedfourbattery-operatedotiondetectorsaroundthehouseandexplainedthatifanyonecaecloserthantwentyfeet,aradiosignalwouldtriggerasallchirpingalarthatshesetupinblokvist’sbedroo.atthesaetie,twolight-sensitivevideocaerasthatshehadputintreesatthefrontandbackofthecabinwouldsendsignalstoapcla. comthatshesetinthecupboardbythefrontdoor.shecaouflagedthecaeraswithdarkcloth.

  sheputathirdcaerainabirdhouseabovethedoor.shedrilledaholerightthroughthewallforthecable.thelenswasaiedattheroadandthepathfrothegatetothefrontdoor.ittookalow-resolutioniageeverysecondandstoredtheallontheharddriveofanotherpcla. cominthewardrobe.

  thensheputapressure-sensitivedooratintheentrance.ifsoeoneanagedtoevadetheinfrareddetectorsandgotintothehouse,15-decibelsirenwouldgooff.salanderdeonstratedforhihowtoshutoffthedetectorswithakeytoaboxinthewardrobe.shehadalsoborrowedanight-visionscope.

  “youdon’tleavealottochance,”blokvistsaid,pouringcoffeeforher.

  “oneorething.noorejogginguntilwecrackthis.”

  “believee,i’velostallinterestinexercise.”

  “i’notjoking.thisayhavestartedoutasahistoricalystery,butwhatwithdeadcatsandpeopletryingtoblowyourheadoffwecanbesurewe’reonsoebody’strail.”

  theyatedinnerlate.blokvistwassuddenlydeadtiredandhadasplittingheadache.hecouldhardlytalkanyore,sohewenttobed.

  salanderstayedupreadingthereportuntil2:00.

  chapter23

  friday,july11

  heawokeat6:00withthesunshiningthroughagapinthecurtainsrightinhisface.hehadavagueheadache,andithurtwhenhetouchedthebandage.salanderwasasleeponherstoachwithonearflungoverhi.helookeddownatthedragononhershoulderblade.

  hecountedhertattoos.aswellasawasponherneck,shehadalooparoundoneankle,anotherlooparoundthebicepsofherleftar,achinesesybolonherhip,andaroseononecalf.

  hegotoutofbedandpulledthecurtainstight.hewenttothebathrooandthenpaddedbacktobed,tryingtogetinwithoutwakingher.

  acoupleofhourslateroverbreakfastblokvistsaid,“howarewegoingtosolvethispuzzle？”

  “wesuupthefactswehave.wetrytofindore.”

  “fore,theonlyquestionis:why？isitbecausewe’retryingtosolvetheysteryaboutharriet,orbecausewe’veuncoveredahithertounknownserialkiller？”

  “thereustbeaconnection,”salandersaid.“ifharrietrealisedthattherewasaserialkiller,itcanonlyhavebeensoeonesheknew.ifwelookatthecastofcharactersinthesixties,therewereatleasttwodozenpossiblecandidates.todayhardlyanyoftheareleftexceptharaldvanger,whoisnotrunningaroundinthewoodsoffr？skogenatalostniy-threewithagun.everybodyiseithertoooldtobeofanydangertoday,ortooyoungtohavebeenaroundinthefifties.sowe’rebacktosquareone.”

  “unlesstherearetwopeoplewhoarecollaborating.oneolderandoneyounger.”

  “haraldandcecilia？idon’tthinkso.ithinkshewastellingthetruthwhenshesaidthatshewasn’tthepersoninthewindow.”

  “thenwhowasthat？”

  theyturnedonblokvist’siandspentthenexthourstudyingindetailonceagainallthepeoplevisibleinthephotographsoftheaidentonthebridge.

  “icanonlyassuethateveryoneinthevillageusthavebeendownthere,watchingalltheexciteent.itwassepteber.mostofthearewearingjacketsorsweaters.onlyonepersonhaslongblondehairandalight-coloureddress.”

  “ceciliavangerisinalotofthepictures.sheseestobeeverywhere.betweenthebuildingsandthepeoplewhoarelookingattheaident.hereshe’stalkingtoisabella.hereshe’sstandingnexttopastorfalk.hereshe’swithgregervanger,theiddlebrother.”

  “waitainute,”blokvistsaid.“whatdoesgregerhaveinhishand？”

  “soethingsquare-shaped.itlookslikeaboxofsoekind.”

  “it’sahasselblad.sohetoohadacaera.”

  theyscrolledthroughthephotographsoneoretie.gregerwasinoreofthe,thoughoftenblurry.inoneitcouldbeclearlyseenthathewasholdingasquare-shapedbox.

  “ithinkyou’reright.it’sdefinitelyacaera.”

  “whicheansthatwegoonanotherhuntforphotographs.”

  “ok,butlet’sleavethatforaoent,”salandersaid.“leteproposeatheory.”

  “goahead.”

  “whatifsoeoneoftheyoungergenerationknowsthatsoeoneoftheoldergenerationisaserialkiller,buttheydon’twantitacknowledged.thefaily’shonourandallthatcrap.thatwouldeanthattherearetwopeopleinvolved,butnotthatthey’reinittogether.theurderercouldhavediedyearsago,whileourneesisjustwantsustodropthewholethingandgohoe.”

  “butwhy,inthatcase,putautilatedcatonourporch？it’sanunistakablereferencetotheurders.”blokvisttappedharriet’sbible.“againaparodyofthelawsregardingburntofferings.”

  salanderleanedbackandlookedupatthechurchasshequotedfrothebible.itwasasifsheweretalkingtoherself.

  “thenheshallkillthebullbeforethelord；andaaron’ssonsthepriestsshallpresenttheblood,andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting.andheshallflaytheburntofferingandcutiti. comieces.”

  shefellsilent,awarethatblokvistwaswatchingherwithatenseexpression.heopenedthebibletothefirstchapterofleviticus.

  “doyouknowversetwelvetoo？”

  salanderdidnotreply.

  “andheshall…”hebegan,noddingather.

  “andheshallcutiti. comieces,withitsheadanditsfat,andthepriestshalllaytheinorderuponthewoodthatisonthefireuponthealtar.”hervoicewasice.

  “andthenextverse？”

  abruptlyshestoodup.

  “lisbeth,youhaveaphotographiceory,”mikaelexclaiedinsurprise.“that’swhyyoucanreadapageoftheinvestigationintenseconds.”

  herreactionwasalostexplosive.shefixedhereyesonblokvistwithsuchfurythathewasastounded.thenherexpressionchangedtodespair,andsheturnedonherheelandranforthegate.

  “lisbeth,”heshoutedafterher.

  shedisappeareduptheroad.

  mikaelcarriedherputerinside,setthealar,andlockedthefrontdoorbeforehesetouttolookforher.hefoundhertwentyinuteslateronajettyatthearina.shewassittingthere,dippingherfeetinthewaterandsoking.sheheardhiingalongthejetty,andhesawhershouldersstiffen.he. compedacoupleofpacesaway.

  “idon’tknohatidid,butididn’teantoupsetyou.”

  hesatdownnexttoher,tentativelyplacingahandonhershoulder.

  “please,lisbeth.talktoe.”

  sheturnedherheadandlookedathi.

  “there’snothingtotalkabout,”shesaid.“i’justafreak,that’sall.”

  “i’dbeoverjoyedifyeorywaswhatyoursis.”

  shetossedthecigaretteendintothewater.

  mikaelsatinsilenceforalongtie.whataisupposedtosay？you’reaperfectlyordinarygirl.whatdoesitatterifyou’realittledifferent？whatkindofself-iagedoyouhave,anyway？

  “ithoughttherewassoethingdifferentaboutyoutheinstantisawyou,”hesaid.“andyouknohat？it’sbeenareallylongtiesincei’vehadsuchaspontaneousgoodipressionofanyonefrotheverybeginning.”

  soechildrencaeoutofacabinontheothersideoftheharbourandjupedintothewater.thepainter,eugennoran,withwhoblokviststillhadnotexchangedasingleword,wassittinginachairoutsidehishouse,suckingonhispipeasheregardedblokvistandsalander.

  “ireallywanttobeyourfriend,ifyou’lllete,”hesaid.“butit’suptoyou.i’goingbacktothehous. comutonsoeorecoffee.ehoewhenyoufeellikeit.”

  hegotupandleftherinpeace.hewasonlyhalfwayupthehillwhenheheardherfootstepsbehindhi.theywalkedhoetogetherwithoutexchangingaword.

  she. compedhijustastheyreachedthehouse.

  “iwasintheprocessofforulatingatheory…wetalkedaboutthefactthatallthisisaparodyofthebible.it’struethathetookacatapart,butisupposeitwouldbehardtogetholdofanox.buthe’sfollowingthebasicstory.iwonder…”shelookedupatthechurchagain.“andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting…”

  theywalkedoverthebridgetothechurch.blokvisttriedthedoor,butitwaslocked.theywanderedaroundforawhile,lookingathead-stonesuntiltheycaetothechapel,whichstoodashortdistanceaway,downbythewater.allofasuddenblokvi. comenedhiseyeswide.itwasnotachapel,itwasacrypt.abovethedoorhecouldreadthenaevangerchiselledintothestone,alongwithaverseinlatin,buthecouldnotdecipherit.

  “‘slubertotheendoftie,’”salandersaidbehindhi.

  blokvistturnedtolookather.sheshrugged.

  “ihappenedtoseethatversesoewhere.”

  blokvistroaredwithlaughter.shestiffenedandatfirstshelookedfurious,butthensherelaxedwhensherealisedthathewaslaughingattheedyofthesituation.

  blokvisttriedthedoor.itw

  15

  aslocked.hethoughtforaoent,thentoldsalandertositdownandwaitforhi.hewalkedovertoseeannanygrenandknocked.heexplainedthathewantedtohaveacloserlookatthefailycrypt,andhewonderedwherehenrikightkeepthekey.annalookeddoubtful,butshecollectedthekeyfrohisdesk.

  assoonastheyopenedthedoor,theyknewthattheyhadbeenright.thestenchofburnedcadaverandcharredreainshungheavyintheair.butthecattorturerhadnotadeafire.inonecornerstoodablowtorch,thekindusedbyskierstoeltthewaxontheirskis.salandergotthecaeraoutofthepocketofherjeansskirtandtooksoepictures.then,gingerly,shepickeduptheblowtorch.

  “thiscouldbeevidence.heighthaveleftfingerprints,”shesaid.

  “ohsure,wecanaskthevangerfailytolineupandgiveustheirfingerprints.”blokvistsiled.“iwouldlovetowatchyougetisabella’s.”

  “thereareways,”salandersaid.

  therewasagreatdealofbloodonthefloor,notallofitdry,aswellasaboltcutter,whichtheyreckonedhadbeenusedtocutoffthecat’shead.

  blokvistlookedaround.araisedsarcophagusbelongedtoalexandrevangeersad,andfourgravesinthefloorhousedthereainsoftheearliestfailyebers.morerecentlythevangershadapparentlysettledforcreation.aboutthirtynichesonthewallhadthenaesoftheclanancestors.blokvisttracedthefailychronicleforwardintie,wonderingwheretheyburiedfailyeberswhowerenotgivenspaceinsidethecrypt—thosenotdeeediportantenough.

  “noeknow,”blokvistsaidastheywerere-crossingthebridge.“we’rehuntingforthepletelunatic.”

  “whatdoyouean？”

  blokvistpausedintheiddleofthebridgeandleanedontherail.

  “ifthiswassoerun-of-the-illcrackpotwhowastryingtofrightenus,hewouldhavetakenthecatdowntothegarageorevenoutintothewoods.buthewenttothecrypt.there’ssoethingpulsiveaboutthat.justthinkoftherisk.it’ssuerandpeopleareoutandaboutatnight,goingforwalks.theroadthroughtheceeteryisaainroadbetweenthenorthandsouthofhedeby.evenifheshutthedoorbehindhi,thecatusthaveraisedcain,andthereusthavebeenaburningsell.”

  “he？”

  “idon’tthinkthatceciliavangerwouldbecreepingaroundhereinthenightwithablowtorch.”

  salandershrugged.

  “idon’ttrustanylastoneofthe,includingfrodeoryourfriendhenrik.they’reallpartofafailythatwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthechance.sowhatdowedonow？”

  blokvistsaid,“i’vediscoveredalotofsecretsaboutyou.howanypeople,forexaple,knowthatyou’reahacker？”

  “no-one.”

  “no-oneexcepte,youean.”

  “whatareyougettingat？”

  “iwanttoknowifyou’reokwithe.ifyoutruste.”

  shelookedathiforalongoent.finally,forananswer,sheonlyshrugged.

  “there’snothingicandoaboutit.”

  “doyoutruste？”blokvistpersisted.

  “forthetiebeing,”shesaid.

  “good.let’sgoovertoseefrode.”

  thiswasthefirsttieadvokatfrode’swifehadetsalander.shegaveherawide-eyedlookatthesaetieas