therewasnodiary.ontheotherhand,shedidfindtwoa4binderswithpassportphotographsandhandwrittennotesaboutthewoen.sheputthebindersinanylonbagalongwithmartin’sdellpcla. com,whichshefoundonthehalltableupstairs.whileblokvistsleptshecontinuedherexainationofmartin’sputerandbinders.itwasafter6:00bythetiesheturnedofftheputer.shelitacigarette.

  togetherwithmikaelblokvistshehadtakenupthehuntforwhattheythoughtwasaserialkillerfrothepast.theyhadfoundsoethingappallinglydifferent.shecouldhardlyiagihehorrorsthatusthaveplayedoutinmartinvanger’sbaseent,intheidstofthiswell-ordered,idyllicspot.

  shetriedtounderstand.

  martinvangerhadbeenkillingwoensincethesixties,duringthepastfifteenyearsoneortwovictisperyear.thekillinghadbeendonesodiscreetlyandwassowellplannedthatno-onewasevenawarethataserialkillerwasatwork.hoasthatpossible？

  thebindersprovidedapartialanswer.

  hisvictiswereoftennewarrivals,iigrantgirlswhohadnofriendsorsocialcontactsinsweden.therewerealsoprostitutesandsocialoutcasts,withdrugabuseorotherproblesintheirbackground.

  froherownstudiesofthepsychologyofsexualsadis,salanderhadlearnedthatthistypeofurdererusuallycollectedsouvenirsfrohisvictis.thesesouvenirsfunctionedasreindersthatthekillercouldusetore-createsoeofthepleasurehehadexperienced.martinvangerhaddevelopedthispeculiaritybykeepinga“death.”hehadcataloguedandgradedhisvictis.hehaddescribedtheirsuffering.hehaddocuentedhiskillingswithvideotapesandphotographs.

  theviolenceandthekillingwerethegoal,butsalanderconcludedthatitwasthehuntthatwasmartinvanger’spriaryinterest.inhisla. comhehadcreatedadatabasewithalistoforethanahundredwoen.therewereeployeesfrothevangercorporation,waitressesinrestaurantswhereheregularlyate,receptionstaffinhotels,clerksatthesocialsecurityoffice,thesecretariesofbusinessassociates,andanyotherwoen.itseeedasifmartinhadpigeonholedpracticallyeverywoanhehadevereintocontactwith.

  hehadkilledonlyafractionofthesewoen,buteverywoananywherenearhiwasapotentialvicti.thecataloguinghadthearkofapassionatehobby,andheusthavedevotedcountlesshourstoit.

  isshearriedorsingle？doesshehavechildrenandfaily？wheredoesshework？wheredoesshelive？whatkindofcardoesshedrive？whatsortofeducationdoesshehave？haircolour？skincolour？figure？

  thegatheringofpersonalrationaboutpotentialvictisusthavebeenasignificantpartofmartinvanger’ssexualfantasies.hewasfirstofallastalker,andsecondaurderer.

  whenshehadfinishedreading,shediscoveredasallenvelopeinoneofthebinders.shepulledouttwouchhandledandfadedpolaroidpictures.inthefirstpictureadark-hairedgirlwassittingatatable.thegirlhadondarkjeansandhadabaretorsowithtiny,pointedbreasts.shehadturnedherfaceawayfrothecaeraandwasintheprocessofliftingonearinagestureofdefence,alostasifthephotographerhadsurprisedher.inthesecondpictureshewaspletelynaked.shewaslyingonherstoachonabluebedspread.herfacewasstillturnedawayfrothecaera.

  salanderstuffedtheenvelopewiththepicturesintoherjacketpocket.afterthatshecarriedthebindersovertothewoodstoveandstruckaatch.whenshewasdonewiththefire,shestirredtheashes.itwaspouringdownwithrainwhenshetookashortwalkand,kneelingasiftotieashoelace,discreetlydroppedmartinvanger’sla. comintothewaterunderthebridge.

  whenfrodearchedthroughtheopendoorat7:30thatorning,salanderwasatthekitchentablesokingacigaretteanddrinkingcoffee.frode’sfacewasashen,andhelookedasifhehadhadacruelawakening.

  “where’smikael？”hesaid.

  “he’sstillasleep.”

  frodesatdownheavilyonakitchenchair.salanderpouredcoffeeandpushedthecupovertohi.

  “martin…ijustfoundoutthatmartinwaskilledinacaraidentlastnight.”

  “that’ssad,”salandersaid,takingasipofherowncoffee.

  frodelookedup.atfirsthestaredather,unprehending.thenhiseyesopenedwide.

  “what…？”

  “hecrashed.howannoying.”

  “whatdoyouknowaboutthis？”

  “hedrovehiscarrightintothefrontofatruck.heittedsuicide.thepress,thestress,aflounderingfinancialepire,dot,dot,dot,toouchforhi.atleastthat’swhatisupposeitwillsayontheplacards.”

  frodelookedasifhewereabouttohaveacerebralhaeorrhage.hestoodupswiftlyandwalkedunsteadilytothebedroo.

  “lethisleep,”salandersnapped.

  frodelookedatthesleepingfigure.hesawtheblackandbluearksonblokvist’sfaceandthecontusionsonhischest.thenhesawtheflainglinewherethenoosehadbeen.salandertouchedhisarandclosedthedoor.frodebackedoutandsankontothekitchenbench.

  lisbethsalandertoldhisuinctlywhathadhappenedduringthenight.shetoldhiwhatmartinvanger’schaberofhorrorslookedlikeandhowshehadfoundmikaelwithanoosearoundhisneckandtheceoofthevangercorporationstandinginfrontofhisnakedbody.shetoldhiwhatshehadfoundinthepany’sarchivesthedaybeforeandhowshehadestablishedapossiblelinkbetweenmartin’sfatherandtheurdersofatleastsevenwoen.

  frodeinterruptedherrecitationonlyonce.whenshe. compedtalking,hesatutelyforseveralinutesbeforehetookadeepbreathandsaid:“whatarewegoingtodo？”

  “that’snotforetosay,”salandersaid.

  “but…”

  “asiseeit,i’veneversetfootinhedestad.”

  “idon’tunderstand.”

  “undernocircustancesdoiwantynaeinanypolicereport.idon’texistinconnectionwithanyofthis.ifynaeisentionedinconnectionwiththisstory,i’lldenythati’veeverbeenhere,andi’llrefusetoanswerasinglequestion.”

  frodegaveherasearchinglook.

  “idon’tunderstand.”

  “youdon’tneedtounderstand.”

  “thenwhatshouldido？”

  “you’llhavetoworkthatoutforyourself.onlyleaveeandmikaeloutofit.”

  frodewasdeathlypale.

  “lookatitthisway:theonlythingyouknowisthatmartinvangerdiedinatrafficaident.youhavenoideathathewasalsoaninsane,nauseatingserialkiller,andyou’veneverheardabouttherooinhisbaseent.”

  sheputthekeyonthetablebetweenthe.

  “you’vegottie—beforeanyoneisgoingtocleanoutmartin’shouseanddiscoverthebaseent.”

  “wehavetogotothepoliceaboutthis.”

  “notwe.youcangotothepoliceifyoulike.it’syourdecision.”

  “thiscan’tbebrushedunderacarpet.”

  “i’notsuggestingthatitshouldbebrushedanywhere,justthatyouleaveeandmikaeloutofit.whenyoudiscovertheroo,youdrawyourownconclusionsanddecideforyourselfwhoyouwanttotell.”

  “ifwhatyousayistrue,iteansthatmartinhaskidnappedandurderedwoen…thereustbefailiesthataredesperatebecausetheydon’tknoheretheirchildrenare.wecan’tjust…”

  “that’sright.butthere’sjustoneproble.thebodiesaregone.maybeyou’llfindpassportsoridcardsinsoedrawer.maybesoeofthevictiscanbeidentifiedfrothevideotapes.butyoudon’tneedtodecidetoday.thinkitover.”

  frodelookedpanic-stricken.

  “oh,deargod.thiswillbethedeathblowforthepany.thinkofhowanyfailieswilllosetheirlivelihoodifitgetsoutthatmartin…”

  froderockedbackandforth,jugglingwithaoraldilea.

  “that’soneissue.ifisabellavangeristoinherit,youaythinkitwouldbeinappropriateifshewerethefirstoolightuponherson’shobby.”

  “ihavetogoandsee…”

  “ithinkyoushouldstayawayfrothatrootoday,”salandersaidsharply.“youhavealotofthingstotakecareof.youhavetogoandtellhenrik,andyouhavetocallaspecialeetingoftheboardanddoallthosethingsyouchapsdowhenyourceodies.”

  frodethoughtaboutwhatshewassaying.hisheartwasthuping.hewastheoldattorneyandproble-solverwhowasexpectedtohaveaplanreadytoeetanyeventuality,yethefeltpowerlesstoact.itsuddenlydawnedonhithatherehewas,takingordersfroachild.shehadsoehowseizedcontrolofthesituationandgivenhitheguidelinesthathehiselfwasunabletoforulate.

  “andharriet…？”

  “mikaelandiarenotfinishedyet.butyoucantellherrvangerthatithinknowthatwe’regoingtosolveit.”

  martinvanger’sunexpecteddeisewasth. comstoryonthe9:00newsontheradiowhenblokvistwokeup.nothingwasreportedaboutthenight’seventsotherthantosaythattheindustrialisthadinexplicablyandathighspeedcrossedtothewrongsideofthee4,travellingsouth.hehadbeenaloneinthecar.

  thelocalradioranastorythatdealtwithconcernforthefutureofthevangercorporationandtheconsequencesthatthisdeathwouldinevitablyhaveforthepany.

  ahastilyposedlunchtieupdatefrothettwireservicehadtheheadlineatowninshock,anditsueduptheproblesofthevangercorporation.itescapedno-one’snoticethatinhedestadaloneorethan3,000ofthetown’s21,000inhabitantswereeployedbythevangercorporationorwereotherwisedependentontheprosperityofthepany.thefir’sceowasdead,andtheforerceowasseriouslyillafteraheartattack.therewasnonaturalheir.allthisatatieconsideredtobeaongtheostcriticalinthepany’shistory.

  blokvisthadhadtheoptionofgoingtothepoliceinhedestadandtellingthewhathadhappenedthatnight,butsalanderhadalreadysetacertainprocessinotion.sincehehadnotiediatelycalledthepolice,itbecaehardertodosowitheachhourthatpassed.hespenttheorninginglooysilence,sittingonthekitchenbench,watchingtherainoutside.around10:00therewasanothercloudburst,butbylunchtietherainhad. compedandthewindhaddieddownabit.hewentoutandwipedoffthegardenfurnitureandthensattherewithaugofcoffee.hewaswearingashirtwiththecollarturnedup.

  martin’sdeathcastashadow,ofcourse,overthedailylifeofhedeby.carsbeganparkingoutsideisabellavanger’shouseastheclangatheredtooffercondolences.salanderobservedtheprocessionwithouteotion.

  “howareyoufeeling？”shesaidatlast.

  “ithinki’stillinshock,”hesaid.“iwashelpless.forseveralhoursiwasconvincedthatiwasgoingtodie.ifeltthefearofdeathandtherewasn’tathingicoulddo.”

  hestretchedouthishandandplaceditonherknee.

  “thankyou,”hesaid.“butforyou,iwouldbedead.”

  salandersiledhercrookedsile.

  “allthesae…idon’tunderstandhowyoucouldbesuchanidiotastotacklehionyourown.iwaschainedtothefloordownthere,prayingthatyou’dseethepictureandputtwoandtwotogetherandcallthepolice.”

  “ifi’dwaitedforthepolice,youwouldn’thavesurvived.iwasn’tgoingtoletthatotherfuckerkillyou.”

  “whydon’tyouwanttotalktothepolice？”

  “inevertalktotheauthorities.”

  “whynot？”

  “that’sybusiness.butinyourcase,idon’tthinkitwouldbeaterrifiareerovetobehungouttodryasthejournalistwhowasstrippednakedbymartinvanger,thefaousserialkiller.ifyoudon’tlike‘kalleblokvist,’youcanthinkupawholenewepithet.justdon’ttakeitoutofthischapterofyourheroiclife.”

  blokvistgaveherasearchinglookanddroppedthesubject.

  “wedostillhaveaproble,”shesaid.

  blokvistnodded.“whathappenedtoharriet.yes.”

  salanderlaidthetwopolaroidpicturesonthetableinfrontofhi.sheexplainedwhereshe’dfoundthe.mikaelstudiedthepicturesintentlyforawhilebeforehelookedup.

  “itightbeher,”hesaidatlast.“iwouldn’tsweartoit,buttheshapeofherbodyandthehairreindeofthepicturesi’veseen.”

  theysatinthegardenforanhour,piecingtogetherthedetails.theydiscoveredthateachofthe,independentlyandfrodifferentdirections,hadidentifiedmartinvangerastheissinglink.

  salanderneverdidfindthephotographthatblokvisthadleftonthekitchentable.shehadetotheconclusionthatblokvisthaddonesoethingstupidafterstudyingthepicturesfrothesurveillancecaeras.shehadgoneovertomartinvanger’shousebywayoftheshoreandlookedinallthewindowsandseenno-one.shehadtriedallthedoorsandwindowsonthegroundfloor.finallyshehadclibedinthroughanopenbalconydoorupstairs.ithadtakenalongtie,andshehadovedextreelycautiouslyasshesearchedthehouse,roobyroo.eventuallyshefoundthestairsdowntothebaseent.martinhadbeencareless.heleftthedoortohischaberofhorrorsajar,andshewasabletoforaclearipressionofthesituation.

  blokvistaskedherhowuchshehadheardofwhatmartinsaid.

  “notuch.igottherewhenhewasaskingyouaboutwhathappenedtoharriet,justbeforehehungyouupbythenoose.ileftforafewinutestogobackandfindaweapon.”

  “martinhadnoideawhathappenedtoharriet,”blokvistsaid.

  “doyoubelievethat？”

  “yes,”blokvistsaidwithouthesitation.“martinwasdafterthanasyphiliticpolecat—wheredoigettheseetaphorsfro？—butheconfessedtoallthecrieshehaditted.ithinkthathewantedtoipresse.butwhenitcaetoharriet,hewasasdesperateashenrikvangertofindoutwhathappened.”

  “so…wheredoesthattakeus？”

  “weknowthatgottfriedwasresponsibleforthefirstseriesofurders,between1949and1965.”

  “ok.andhebroughtonlittlemartin.”

  “talkaboutadysfunctionalfaily,”blokvistsaid.“martinreallydidn’thaveachance.”

  salandergavehiastrangelook.

  “whatmartintolde—eventhoughitwasrabling—wasthathisfatherstartedhisapprenticeshipafterhereachedpuberty.hewasthereattheurderofleainuddevallain1962.hewasfourteen,forgod’ssake.hewasthereattheurderofsarain1964andthattiehetookanactivepart.hewassixteen.”

  “and？”

  “hesaidthathehadnevertouchedanotheran—excepthisfather.thatadeethinkthat…well,theonlypossibleconclusionisthathisfatherrapedhi.martincalledit‘hisduty.’thesexualassaultsusthavegoneonforalongtie.hewasraisedbyhisfather,sotospeak.”

  “bullshit,”salandersaid,hervoiceashardasflint.

  blokviststaredatherinastonishent.shehadastubbornlookinhereyes.therewasnotanounceofsypathyinit.

  “martinhadexactlythesaeopportunityasanyoneelsetostrikeback.hekilledandherapedbecausehelikeddoingit.”

  “i’notsayingotherwise.butmartinwasarepressedboyandundertheinfluenceofhisfather,justasgottfriedwascowedbyhisfather,thenazi.”

  “soyou’reassuingthatmartinhadnowillofhisownandthatpeoplebeewhateverthey’vebeenbroughtuptobe.”

  blokvistsiledcautiously.“isthisasensitiveissue？”

  salander’seyesblazedwithfury.blokvistquicklywenton.

  “i’onlysayingthatithinkthataperson’supbringingdoesplayarole.gottfried’sfatherbeathiercilesslyforyears.thatleavesitsark.”

  “bullshit,”salandersaidagain.“gottfriedisn’ttheonlykidwhowaseveristreated.thatdoesn’tgivehitherighttourderwoen.headethatchoicehiself.andthesaeistrueofmartin.”

  blokvisthelduphishand.

  “canwenotargue？”

  “i’notarguing.ijustthinkthatit’spatheticthatcreepsalwayshavetohavesoeoneelsetoblae.”

  “theyhaveapersonalresponsibility.we’llworkitalloutlater.whatattersisthatmartinwasseventeenwhengottfrieddied,andhedidn’thaveanyooguidehi.hetriedtocontinueinhisfather’sfootsteps.infebruary1966,inuppsala.”

  blokvistreachedforoneofsalander’scigarettes.

  “iwon’tspeculateaboutwhatipulsesgottfriedwastryingtosatisfyorhowhehiselfinterpretedwhathewasdoing.there’ssoesortofbiblicalgibberishthatapsychiatristightbeabletofigureout,soethingtodowithpunishentandpurificationinafigurativesense.itdoesn’tatterwhatitwas.hewasacutanddriedserialkiller.

  “gottfriedwantedtokillwoenandclothehisactionsinsoesortofpseudo-religiousclap-trap.martindidn’tevenpretendtohaveanexcuse.hewasanisedanddidhiskillingsysteatically.healsohadone. comutintohishobby.andhewasshrewderthanhisfather.everytiegottfriedleftabodybehind,itledtoapoliceinvestigationandtheriskthatsoeoneighttrackhidown,oratleastlinktogetherthevariousurders.”

  “martinvangerbuilthishouseintheseventies,”salandersaidpensively.

  “ithinkhenrikentioneditwasin1978.presuablyheorderedasaferooputriportantfilesorsoesuchpurpose.hegotasoundproofed,windowlessroowithasteeldoor.”

  “he’shadthatroofortwenty-fiveyears.”

  theyfellsilentforawhileasblokvistthoughtaboutwhatatrocitiesusthavetakenplacethereforaquarterofacentury.salanderdidnotneedtothinkabouttheatter；shehadseenthevideotapes.shenoticedthatblokvistwasunconsciouslytouchinghisneck.

  “gottfriedhatedwoenandtaughthissontohatewoenatthesaetieashewasrapinghi.butthere’salsosoesortofunder