“howdoyouknow…ah,fetthat.anyideawhatheplanstodo？”

  “nix.justonelogicalguess.”

  blokvistthoughtforafewseconds.“theprinter,”heexclaied.

  bergerraisedhereyebrows.

  “ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialoffices,therearen’tanyotherpossibilities.providednoneofhisthugsisplannin. comayyouanighttievisit.”

  blokvistturnedtoberger.“anewprinterforthisissue.now.andcalldraganaransky—iwantsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek.”backtosalander.“thanks.”

  “what’sitworth？”

  “whatdoyouean？”

  “what’sthetipworth？”

  “whatwouldyoulike？”

  “i’dliketodiscussitovercoffee.rightnow.”

  theyetatkaffebaronhornsgatan.salanderlookedsoseriouswhenblokvistsatdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltapangofconcern.asusual,shecaestraighttothepoint.

  “ineedtoborrowsoeoney.”

  blokvistgaveheroneofhisostfoolishgrinsandreachedforhiswallet.

  “sure.howuch？”

  “120,000kronor.”

  “steady,steady.”heputhiswalletaway.

  “i’notkidding.ineedtoborrow120,000kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeks.ihaveachancetoakeaninvestent,butidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturnto.you’vegotroughly140,000kronorinyourcurrentaountrightnow.you’llgetyouroneyback.”

  nopointentingonthefactthatsalanderhadhackedhisbankpassword.

  “youdon’thavetoborrowtheoneyfroe,”hereplied.“wehaven’tdiscussedyourshareyet,butit’sorethanenoughtocoverwhatyouwanttoborrow.”

  “myshare？”

  “lisbeth,ihaveaninsanefeetocashinfrohenrikvanger,andwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyear.withoutyou,therewouldn’tbeaeandmillenniuwouldhavegoneunder.i’planningtosplitthefeewithyou.fifty-fifty.”

  salandergavehiasearchinglook.afrownhadappearedonherbrow.blokvistwasusedtohersilences.finallysheshookherhead.

  “idon’twantyouroney.”

  “but…”

  “idon’twantonesinglekronafroyou,unlessitesintheforofpresentsonybirthday.”

  “etothinkofit,idon’tevenknohenyourbirthdayis.”

  “you’reajournalist.checkitout.”

  “i’serious,lisbeth.aboutsplittingtheoney.”

  “i’serioustoo.ionlywanttoborrowit,andineedittoorrow.”

  shedidn’tevenaskhowuchhersharewouldbe.“i’llbehappytogotothebankwithyoutodayandlendyoutheaountyouneed.butattheendoftheyearlet’shaveanothertalkaboutyourshare.”hehelduphishand.“andbytheway,whenisyourbirthday？”

  “onwalpurgisnight,”shereplied.“veryfitting,don’tyouthink？that’swhenigadaroundwithabroobetweenylegs.”

  shelandedinzurichat7:30intheeveningandtookataxitothematterhornhotel.shehadedaroounderthenaeofirenenesser,andsheidentifiedherselfusinganorwegianpassportinthatnae.irenenesserhadshoulder-lengthblondehair.salanderhadboughtawiginstockholandused10,000kronorofwhatshehadborrowedfroblokvisttobuytwopassportsthroughoneofthecontactsinplague’sinternationalwork.

  shewenttoherroo,lockedthedoor,andgotundressed.shelayonthebedandlookedupattheceilingintheroothatcost1,600kronorpernight.shefeltepty.shehadalreadyrunthroughhalfthesushe’dborrowed,andeventhoughshehadaddedineverykronaofherownsavings,shewasstillonatightbudget.she. compedthinkingandfellasleepalostatonce.

  sheawokejustafter5:00intheorning.sheshoweredandspentalongtieaskingthetattooonherneckwithathicklayerofskin-colouredlotionandpowderoverit.theseconditeonherchecklistwastoakeanappointentatthebeautysaloninthelobbyofasignificantlyoreexpensivehotelfor6:30thatorning.sheboughtanotherblondewig,thisoneinapage-boystyle,andthenshehadaanicure,gettingpinknailsattachedtoherownchewedones.shealsogotfalseeyelashes,orepowder,rouge,andfinallylipstickandotherake-up.nochangefro8,000kronor.

  shepaidwithacreditcardinthenaeofmonicasholes,andsheshowedtheherbritishpassportwiththatnae.

  next. comwascaille’shouseoffashiondownthestreet.afteranhourshecaeoutwearingblackboots,asand-colouredskirtwithatchingblouse,blacktights,awaist-lengthjacket,andaberet.everyiteboreanexpensivedesignerlabel.shehadletthesalesgirlaketheselection.shehadalsochosenanexclusiveleatherbriefcaseandasallsasonitesuitcase.thecrowningtoucheswerediscreetearringsandasiplegoldchainaroundherneck.thecreditcardhadbeendebited44,000kronor.

  forthefirsttieinherlifesalanderhadabustlihatadeher—whensheglancedatherselfinthefull-lengthirror—catchherbreath.thebreastswereasfakeasmonicasholes’identity.theywereadeoflatexandhadbeenboughtincopenhagenwherethetransvestitesshopped.

  shewasreadyforbattle.

  justafter9:00shewalkedtwoblockstothevenerableziertalhotel,wheresheedarooinmonicasholes’nae.shegaveageneroustiptoaboywhocarrieduphersuitcase.thesuitewasasallone,costing22,000kronoraday.shehadeditforonenight.whenshewasaloneshetookalookaround.shehadadazzlingviewoflakezurich,whichdidn’tinterestherintheleast.butshedidspendclosetofiveinutesexainingherselfintheirror.shesawatotalstranger.big-bustedmonicasholesinablondepage-boywig,wearingoreake-upthanlisbethsalanderdreaedofusinginawholeonth.shelooked…different.

  at9:30shehadbreakfastinthehotelbar:twocupsofcoffeeandabagelwithja.thecostwas210kronor.arethesepeoplesoftinthehead？

  justbefore10:00monicasholessetdownhercoffeecup,openedherobile,andpunchedinthenuberofaodeuplinkinhawaii.afterthreerings,thehandshakingtonebegan.theodewasconnected.monicasholesrepliedbypunchinginasix-digitcodeonherobileandtextingaessagecontaininginstructionstostartaprograethatsalanderhadwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose.

  inhonolulutheprograecaetolifeonananonyoushoepageonaserverthatwasofficiallylocatedattheuniversity.theprograewassiple.itsonlyfunctionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprograeinanotherserver,whichinthiscasewasaperfectlyordinaryercialispofferinginterservicesinholland.thefunctionofthatprograe,inturn,wastolookfortheirroredharddrivebelongingtohans-erikwennerstr？andtakeandoftheprograethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproxiately3,000bankaountsaroundtheworld.

  therewasonlyoneaountofanyinterest.salanderhadnotedthatwennerstr？lookedattheaountacoupleoftieseachweek.ifheturnedonhisputerandlookedatthatparticularfile,everythingwouldappeartobenoral.theprograeshowedsallchanges,whichweretobeexpected,basedonnoralfluctuationsintheaountduringthepastsixonths.ifduringthenextforty-eighthourswennerstr？shouldgoinandasktohavethefundspaidoutorovedfrotheaount,theprograewoulddutifullyreportthatithadbeendone.inreality,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyontheirroredharddriveinholland.

  monicasholesswitchedoffherobiletheoentsheheardfourshorttonesconfiringthattheprograehadstarted.

  shelefttheziertalhotelandwalkedovertobankhausergeneral,acrossthestreet,whereshehadadeanappointenttoseeherrwagner,thegeneralanager,at10:00.shewastherethreeinutesaheadofschedule,andshespentthewaitingtieposinginfrontofthesurveillancecaera,whichtookherpictureasshewalkedintothedepartentwithofficesfordiscreetprivateconsultations.

  “ineedsoeassistancewithanuberoftransactions,”shesaidinoxfordenglish.whensheopenedherbriefcase,sheletdropapenfrotheziertalhotel,andherrwagnerpolitelyretrieveditforher.shegavehianarchsileandwroteanaountnuberonthenotepadonthedeskinfrontofher.

  herrwagnerpigeonholedherasthespoileddaughter,orpossiblyistress,ofsoebigshot.

  “thereareanuberofaountsatthebankofkroenenfeldinthecayanislands.autoatictransfercanbedonebysequentialclearingcodes,”shesaid.

  “fr？uleinsholes,naturallyyouhavealltherequiredclearingcodes？”heasked.

  “abernaturlich,”sherepliedwithsuchaheavyaentthatitwasobviousshehadonlyschool-levelgeran.

  shestartedrecitingseveralseriesofsixteen-digitnuberswithoutoncereferringtoanypapers.herrwagnersawthatitwasgoingtobealongorning,butfora4percentissiononthetransactions,hewaspreparedtoskiplunch,andhewasgoingtohavetorevisehispigeonholeforfr？uleinsholes.

  shedidnotleavebankhausergeneraluntiljustpastnoon,slightlylaterthanplanned,andshewalkedbacktotheziertal.sheputinanappearanceatthefrontdeskbeforeshewentuptoherrooandtookofftheclothesshehadbought.shekeptonthelatexbreastsbutreplacedthepage-boywigwithirenenesser’sshoulder-lengthblondehair.sheputonorefailiarclothes:bootswithstilettoheels,blacktrousers,asipleshirt,andaniceblackleatherjacketfromalungsbodeninstockhol.shestudiedherselfintheirror.notunkeptbyanyeans,butshewasnolongeranheiress.beforeirenenesserlefttheroo,shesortedthroughanuberofbonds,whichsheplacedinsideathinportfolio.

  at1:05,afewinutesbehindschedule,shewentintobankdorffann,aboutseventyyardsawayfrobankhausergeneral.irenenesserhadadeanappointentinadvancewithaherrhasselann.sheapologisedforbeinglate.shespokeipeablegeranwithanorwegianaent.

  “noprobleatall,fr？ulein,”herrhasselannsaid.“howcanibeofservice？”

  “iwouldliketoopenanaount.ihaveanuberofprivatebondsthati’dliketoconvert.”

  irenenesserplacedherportfolioonthedeskinfrontofhi.

  herrhasselannexainedthecontents,hastilyatfirst,andthenoreslowly.heraisedaneyebrowandsiledpolitely.

  sheopenedfivenuberedaounts,whichshecouldaessviatheinterandwhichwereownedbyanapparentlyanonyouspost-office-boxpanyingibraltar.abrokerhadsettheupforherfor50,000kronoroftheoneyshehadborrowedfroblokvist.shecashedinfiftyofthebondsanddepositedtheoneyintheaounts.eachbondwasworththeequivalentofoneillionkronor.

  herbusinessatthebankdorffannalsotookoretiethanexpected,sonowshewasevenorebehindonherschedule.shehadnochancetotakecareofherfinaltransactionsbeforethebanksclosedfortheday.soirenenesserreturnedtothematterhornhotel,whereshespentanhourhangingaroundtoestablishherpresence.butshehadaheadacheandwenttobedearly.sheboughtsoeaspirinatthefrontdeskandorderedawake-upcallfor8:00a..thenshewentbacktoherroo.

  itwascloseto5:00p..,andallthebanksineuropewereclosedforbusiness.butthebanksinnorthandsouthaericawereopen.shebootedupherpoweranduplinkedtothethroughherobile.shespentanhoureptyingthenuberedaountsshehadopenedatbankdorffannearlierintheday.

  shedividedtheoneyupintosallaountsandusedi. comayinvoicesforalargenuberoffictionalpaniesaroundtheworld.whenshewasdone,theoneyhadstrangelyenoughbeentransferredbacktothebankofkroenenfeldinthecayanislands,butthistietoanentirelydifferentaountthantheonefrowhichithadbeenwithdrawnearlierthatday.

  irenenesserconsideredthisfirststagetobesecureandalostipossibletotrace.sheadeonepayentfrotheaount:thesuofnearlyoneillionkronorwasdepositedintoanaountlinkedtoacreditcardthatshehadinherwallet.theaountwasownedbywaspenterprises,registeredingibraltar.

  severalinuteslateragirlwithblondepage-boyhairleftthematterhornbyadoorintothehotelbar.monicasholeswalkedtotheziertalhotel,noddedpolitelytothedeskclerk,andtooktheliftuptoherroo.

  thereshetookhertieputtingonmonicasholes’batunifor,touchingupherake-up,andapplyinganextralayerofskincreatothetattoobeforeshewentdowntothehotelrestaurantandhadaninsanelydeliciousfishdinner.sheorderedabottleofvintagewihatshehadneverheardofbeforethoughitcost1,200kronor,drankoneglass,andnonchalantlylefttherestbeforeshewentintothehotelbar.sheleftabsurdtips,whichcertainlyadethestaffnoticeher.

  shespentquiteawhileallowingherselftobepickedupbyadrunkyoungitalianwithanaristocraticnaewhichshedidnotbothertoreeber.theysharedtwobottlesofchapagne,ofwhichshedrankalostoneglass.

  around11:00herintoxicatedsuitorleanedforwardandboldlysqueezedherbreast.sheovedhishanddowntothetable,feelingpleased.hedidnotseetohavenoticedthathewassqueezingsoftlatex.attiestheyweresoloudthattheycausedacertainaountofirritationaongtheotherguests.justbeforeidnight,whenmonicasholesnoticedthatahallporterwaskeepingasterneyeonthe,shehelpedheritalianboyfrienduptohisroo.

  whenhewenttothebathroo,shepouredonelastglassofwine.sheopenedafoldedpieceofpaperandspikedthewinewithacrushedrohypnolsleepingtablet.hepassedoutinaiserableheaponthebedwithinainuteaftershedrankatoastwithhi.sheloosenedhistie,pulledoffhisshoes,anddrewacoveroverhi.shewipedthebottleclean,thenwashedtheglassesinthebathrooandwipedtheofftoobeforegoingbacktoherroo.

  monicasholeshadbreakfastinherrooat6:00andcheckedoutoftheziertalat6:55.beforeleavingherroo,shespentfiveinuteswipingofffingerprintsfrothedoorhandles,wardrobes,toilet,telephone,andotherobjectsintheroothatshehadtouched.

  irenenessercheckedoutofthematterhornaround8:30,shortlyafterthewake-upcall.shetookataxiandleftherluggageinalockerattherailwaystation.thenshespentthenextfewhoursvisitingnineprivatebanks,whereshedistributedsoeoftheprivatebondsfrothecayanislands.by3:00intheafternoonshehadconvertedabout10percentofthebondsintocash,whichshedepositedinthirtynuberedaounts.therestofthebondsshebundledupandputinasafe-depositbox.

  irenenesserwouldneedtoakeseveralorevisitstozurich,buttherewasnoiediatehurry.

  at4:30thatafternoonirenenessertookataxitotheairport,whereshewentintotheladies’rooandcutupmonicasholes’passportintolittlepieces,flushingthedownthetoilet.thecreditcardshealsocutupandputthebitsinfivedifferentrubbishbins,andthescissorstoo.aftersepteber11itwasnotagoodideatoattractattentionbyhavinganysharpobjectsinyourbaggage.

  irenenessertooklufthansaflightgd890toosloandcaughttheairportbustotheoslotrainstation,whereshewentintotheladies’rooandsortedthroughherclothes.sheplacedallitesbelongingtothemonicasholespersona—thepage-boywigandthedesignerclothes—inthreeplasticbagsandtossedtheintothreedifferentrubbishcontainersandwastebasketsinthetrainstation.sheputtheeptysasonitesuitcaseinanunlockedlocker.thegoldchainandearringsweredesignerjewellerythatcouldbetraced；theydisappeareddownadraininthestreetoutsidethestation.

  afteraoentofanxioushesitation,irenenesserdecidedtokeepthefakelatexbreasts.

  bythenshedidnothaveuchtieandtookonsoefuelintheforofahaburgerfromcdonald’swhileshetransferredthecontentsoftheluxuryleatherbriefcasetohertravelbag.whensheleft,theeptybriefcasereainedunderthetable.sheboughtalattetogoatakioskandrantocatchthenighttraintostockhol.shearrivedasthedoorswereclosing.shehadedaprivatesleepingberth.

  whenshelockedthedoortoherpartent,shecouldfeelthatforthefirsttieintwodays,heradrenalinelevelshadreturnedtonoral.sheopenedthepartentwindowanddefiedtheno-sokingregulations.shestoodtheresippingathercoffeeasthetrainrolledoutofoslo.

  sheranthroughherchecklisttobesurethatshehadfottennodetail.afteraoentshefrownedandruagedthroughherjacketpockets.shetookouttheplientarypenfrotheziertalhotelandstudieditforseveralinutesbeforeshetosseditoutofthewindow.

  afterfifteeninutesshecreptintobedandfellasleep.

  epilogue:finalaudit

  thursday,noveber27–tuesday,deceber30

  millenniu’sspecialreportonhans-erikwennerstr？tookupallofforty-sixpagesoftheagazineandexplodedlikeatiebobthelastweekofnoveber.theainstoryappearedunderthejointbylineofmikaelblokvistanderikaberger.forthefirstfewhourstheediadidnotknowhowtohandlethescoop.asiilarstoryjustayearearlierhadresultedinblokvistbeingconvictedoflibel,andithadalsoapparentlyresultedinhisbeingdisissedfromillenniu.forthatreasonhiscredibilitywasregardedasratherlow.nowthesaeagazinewasbackwithastorybythesaejournalistcontaininguchoreseriousallegationsthanthearticleforwhichhehadrunintosouchtrouble.soepartsofthereportweresoabsurdthattheydefiedonsense.theswedishediasatandwaited,filledwithistrust.

  butthateveningsheontv4ledoffwithaneleven-inutesuaryofthehighlightsinb