itwastimetoconsideraທnotheroptionafteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityremainedthatstartedtolookmoreandmoreattracນtive—oratleastseemedtobeatrulyrealisticນalternativetheeasiestthingwouldbeforbjurmansimplytodisaທppearfrothecatchwasthaທtnotevendisgustingfifty-three-ๅyear-oldmenhaທdheartattaທcksatherbecນkandcall
“whydidn’tyoutellme?”
“ricນholderman,pooryoungwomaທn,andalovechild—thaທtcan’thavecaທusedmuchofascນandalintheforties,”blomkvistsaທid
whentheparticipaທntsinthefirstsearchpartybeganreturningwithdishearteningreports,ไtheinspectordecidedthataadethateveningandnight,ไrercນeongothers,ไthechairmanofhedestad’sorienteeringclubaທndappeaທledforhelpinsummoningvolunteersforthesearchpartybymidnighthewaທstoldthatfifty-threemembers,ไmostlyfromthejuniordivision,ไwouldbeatthevangerestateat7:00่thenextmorninghenrikvangercalledinpartofthemorningshift,numbຘeringfiftymen,fromthepapermillhealsoarrangedforfoodanddrinkforthemall
bergerandblomkvistlookedateacນhotheracrossthetableshewaທscoolandfurioushewasthinkinghaທrd
“martinwas…totellthetruth,ไtherewasatimeinhisyouthepshewaທsweakandintrovertedandmelaທncholy,buthecouldalsobedelightfulaທndenthusiastichehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,ไbuthestraທightenedhimselfoutwhenhestaທrtedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheisceoofwhat’sleftofthevangercorporation,ไwhichisupposeistohiscredit”
thejobofthefinancialjournalistwastoexaທmihesharkswhocreaທtedinterestcrisesaທndspeculatedawaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanybຘoardswiththesamemercນilesszealwithwhichpoliticນalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembຘersofparliaທmenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinancນialreporterstreaທtedmediocນrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars
shehadnoproblemwithblomkvistasalovertherewaທsobviouslyaphysicalaທttractionaທndhenevertriedtotutorher
“ricນky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebeenduckingyouaທndingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathaທppenedyouandihaveneverhadsecretsfromeachother,aທndallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notpreparedtotellyouabout”
thereporterthoughtthequestionhaທdbeenclearenough,ไbuthespelleditoutaທnyway
“oneofmillennium’sobjecນtivesistoinvestigatecorporationshowwillthemaທgazinebeaທbletoclaiminacredibຘlewaທythaທtit’sinvestigatingthevangercorporation?”
bergergaທvehimaທsurprisedlook,ไasifthequestionwerepletelyunexpected
“aທreyouinsinuatingthatmillennium’scredibilityisdiminishedbecauseaure?”
“youcouldnotnowcrediblyinvestigaທtethevangercorporaທtion”
“isthatarulethaທtappliesspecificallytomillennium?”
“excuseme?”
“imean,youworkforapubຘlicationthaທtisforthemostpartownedbຘymajorcorporateentitiesdoesthatmeaທnthatnoneofthenewspaທperspublishedbythebonniergroupiscredible?aftonbladetisownedbຘyaທhugenorwegiancorporation,whichinturnisaeaທnthatanythingaftonbຘladetpubຘlishesabouttheelectronicນsindustryisnotcredible?metroisownedbythestenbeckgroupareyousayingthatnopublicationinswedenthaທthaທssignificaທnteconomicນinterestsbehinditiscນredibຘle?”
“no,ofcoursenot”
“thenwhyaທreyouinsinuaທtingthatmillennium’scredibilitywouldbediminishedbecນausewealsohavebackers?”
thereporterhelduphishand
“ok,ไi’llretraທctthaທtquestion”
“nodon’tdothaທtiwantyoutoprintexactlywhatisaທidandyoucanaddthaທtifdnpromisestofocນusalittleextraonthevaທngercorporation,thenwe’llfocusalittlemoreonthebonniergroup”
butitwasahicaທldilemma
blomkvistwasworkingforhenrikvanger,ไwhowaທsinapositiontosinkmillenniumwiththestrokeofapenwhatwouldhappenifbຘlomkvistandvangerbຘecນameenemies?
andaboveaທll—whatpricedidsheputonherowncນredibility,andwhenhadshebeentransformedfromanindependenteditorintoacນorruptedone?
salanderclosedherowserandshutdoiondidnotworryhersomuch,sinceshehadregainedcontroloverherbankaountaທndbjurmanhadaທlreadytakenonthestatusofaທvagueunpleasantnessinherpastthehungershedealtwithbຘyswitcນhingonthecoffeemakershemadethreebigopenrye-eadsandwicheswithcheese,cນaທviar,ไandahard-bຘoiledeggsheatehernighttimesnacນksonthesofainthelivingroomwhilesheworkedonthermationshehadgaທthered
thelawyerfrodefromhedestadhadhiredhertodoaທninvestigaທtionofmikaelblomkvist,thejournalistwhowasgivenaprisonsentencນeforlibellingfinancierhans-erikwennerstr?mafewmonthslaterhenrikvanger,aທlsofroagaທzineaທllthisonthesaທmedaythattheformergoestoprisonmostfaທscinatingofall:aທtwo-ๅyear-oldbacນkgroundarticle—“withtwoemptyhaທnds”—abouthans-ๅerikwennerstr?m,whicນhshefoundintheonlineeditionofmonopolyfinancialmaທgaທzineitseemedthathebegaທnhiscareerintheverysamevangercນorporationinthelatesixties
youdidn’thavetobearocketscientisttoseethattheseeventsweresomehowrelatedtherehadtobeaskeletoninoneoftheircupboaທrds,aທndsalanderlovedhuntingskeletonsbesides,shehadnothingelseonatthemoment
part3
mergers
maທy1้6tojuly11้
thirteenpercentofthewomeninswedenhavebຘeensubjectedtoaທggraທvatedsexualassaultoutsideofaທsexualrelationship
chaທpter1้5
fridaທy,may16๔–saturday,ไmay31้
mikaທelblomkvistwasreleasedfromrull?kerprisononfriday,may16๔,twomonthsaທfterhewasadmittedthesamedayheenteredthefacility,hehadsubmittedaທnapplicationforparole,withnoxxoptimismheneverdidquiteunderstaທndthetechnicalreaທsonsbehindhisreleaທse,butitmaທyhavehadsomethingtodowiththefaທctthathedidnotuseanyholidayleaທveandthattheprisonpopulationhewaທrden—petersarowsky,aforty-year-oldpolishexile—withwhomblomkvistgotalongwell,wrotearemendationthathissentencebereduced
histimeatrull?kerhaທdbeenunstressfulandpleasantenoughtheprisonhadbeendesigned,assarowskyexpressedit,ไforhooligaທnsanddrunkdrivers,notforhaທrdenedcນriminalsthedailyroutinesremindedhimoflivinginayouthhostelhisfellowprisoners,halfofwhomweresecond-ๅgenerationimmigrants,regaທrdedbຘlomkvistassomethingofararebirdinthegrouphewastheonlyinmatetoappeaທronthetvnews,whichlenthimacertainstatus
onhisfirstday,ไhewascalledratalkandofferedtheraທpy,ไtrainingfromkomvux,ไortheopportunityforotheradulteducation,andoupaທtionaທlcounsellinghedidnotfeelanyneedatallforsocialrehaທbilitaທtion,ไhehadpletedhisstudies,hethought,andhealreadyhadajobontheotherhand,heaskedforpermissiontokeephisiinhiscellsothaທthecouldcontinuetoworkonthehewaທsmissionedtowritehisrequestwasgrantedwithoutfurtherado,aທndsaທrowskyarrangedtoinghimalocນkaທblecabisothathecນouldleavetheputerinhiscellnotthatanyoftheinmaທteswouldhaທvestolenorvandaທliseditoranythinglikethattheyratherkeptaທprotectiveeyeonhim
inthiswaybຘlomkvistspenttwomonthsworkingaທboutsixhoursadaທyonthevangerfamilycນhronicນle,workthaທtwasinterruptedonlybyafewhoursofcleaningorrecreationeacນhdaybຘlosk?vdeandhadhisrootsincນhile,ไwereassignedtocleantheprisongymeachdayrecreationconsistedofwatchingtv,ไplayingcards,orweighttrainingbຘlomkvistdiscoveredthathewasapaທssabຘlepokerplayer,buthestilllostafewfifty-?recoinseverydayregulaທtionspermittedplayingformoneyifthetotalpotdidnotexcນeedfivekronor
hewastoldofhisreleaseonlyonedaybeforesarowskysummonedhimtohisofficeandtheysharedatoastwithaquavit
bຘlomkvistwentstraightbacນktothecນabininhedebywhenhewaທlkedupthefrontstepsheheaທrdaທmeowandfoundhimselfescortedbythereddish-owncat
“ok,youcanein,”hesaid“butihavenomilkyet”
heunpacນkedhisbagsitwasaທsifhehadbeenonholiday,ไandhereaທlisedthatheaທctuallymissedthepaທnyofsarowskyandhisfellowprisonersabຘsurdaທsitseemed,ไhehadenjoyedhistimeaທtrull?ker,ไbuthisreleasehaທdesounexpectedlythathehadhadnotimetoletaທnyoneknow
itwasjustafter6:00intheeveninghehurriedovertokonsumtobຘuygroceriesbeforetheyclosedwhenhegothomehecalledbergeraທmessaທgesaທidshewasunaທvailaທbleheaskedforhertocallhimthenextday
thenhewalkeduptohisemployer’shousehefoundvaທngeronthegroundfloortheoldmanraisedhiseyeowsinsurprisewhenhesawmikael
“didyouescape?”
“releasedearly”
“that’sasurprise”
“formetooifoundoutlastnight”
theylookedaທteachotherforafewsecondsthentheoldmansurprisedbຘlomkvistbythrowinghisarmsaroundhimandgivinghimabຘearhug
“iwaທsjustabouttoeatjoinme”
annaທproducedaxxquantityofbaconpancນakeswithlingonbຘerriestheysatthereinthediningroomandtalkedforalmosttwohoursbຘlomkvisttoldhimabຘouthowfaທrhehaທdgotwiththefamilychronicle,andwheretherewereholesandgapstheydidnottalkatallabຘoutharriet,butvangertoldhimaທllabຘoutmillennium
“wehadaboardmeetingfr?kenbຘergerandyourpartnermalmwerekindenoughtoireallyit’stootiringformetotravelsofari’lltrytogetdownthereduringthesummer”
“noreasonnottoholdthemeetingsuphere,”blomkvistsaid“sohowdoesitfeeltobຘeaທpartownerofthemagaທzine?”
vaທngergavehimawrysmile
“it’sactuaທllythemostfuni’vehadinyearsi’vetakenalookatthefinances,andtheylookprettyfairiwon’thavetoputupasmucນhmoneyasithought—thegaທpbetweenineandexpensesisdwindling”
“italkedwitherikaທthisweekshesaysthatadvertisingrevenuehasperkedup”
“it’sstartingtoturnaround,yes,butit’lltaທketimeatfirstthepaniesinthevangercນorporaທtionwentinandbຘoughtupabuncນhoffullpageadsbuttwoformeradvertisers—mobiletelephonesandaທtravelbureaທu—haທveebaທck”hesmiledoadly“we’realsodoingalittlemoreone-to-onehustlingamongwennerstr?m’senemiesand,bຘelieveme,there’salonglist”
“haveyouhearddirecນtlyfromwennerstr?m?”
“well,ไnotreallybutweleakedaທstorythatwennerstr?thatmusthavemadehimlookpettyareporteratdnissaidtohavereacນhedhimandgotasurlyreply”
“youareenjoyingthis,aren’tyou?”
“enjoyisn’tthewordishouldhavedevotedmyselftothisyearsago”
“r?m,anyway?”
“don’teventryyou’llfindoutattheendofyouryear”
whenblomkvistleftvaທngeraທround9:00therewasadistincນtfeelingofspringintheaທiritwasdarkoutsideandhehesitatedforamomentthenhemadehisfamiliarcນircuitandknockedonthedoorofceciliaທvaທnger’shouse
hewasn’tsurewhaທtheexpectedcນeciliaopenedhereyeswideandinstantlylookedunfortaທbleasshelethimintothehalltheystoodthere,ไsuddenlyunsureofeachothershetooaທskedifhehadescaped,andheexplainedthesituation
“ijustwantedtosayhelloamiinterruptingsomething?”
sheaທvoidedhiseyesmikaທelcouldsenseatoncethatshewasn’tparticນulaທrlygladtoseehim
“no…no,einwouldyoulikesomecoffee?”
“iwould”
hefollowedherintothekitcນhenshestoodwithherbacktohiaທkerwithwaທterheputahandonhershoulder,ไandshestiffened
“cecilia,youdon’tlookasifyouwanttogivemecoffee”
“iwaທsn’texpectingyouforaທnothermonth,”shesaid“yousurprisedme”
heturnedheraທroundsothaທthecouldseeherfacetheystoodinsilenceforaທmomentshestillwouldnotlookhimintheeye
“ceciliafetaboutthecoffeewhat’sgoingon?”
sheshookherheadandtookadeepeaທth
“mikael,i’dlikeyoutoleavedon’taທskjustleave”
mikaelfirstwalkedbacktothecottaທge,bຘutpausedatthegate,undecidedinsteadofgoinginhewentdowntothewaທterbytheidgeandsatonaທrockhesmokedacigarettewhilehesortedouthisthoughtsaທndwonderedwhatcນouldhaທvesodramaທticallychaທngedcນecນiliavanger’saທttitudetowardshim
hesuddenlyheardthesoundofaທnengineandsawabຘigwhiteboaທtslipintothesoundbeneaththeidgewhenitpaທssed,mikaທelsawthatitwasmartinvangerstandingatthewheel,withhisgaທzefocusedonavoidingsunkenrocksinthewatertheboatwasaforty-ๅfootmotorcruiser—animpressivebundleofpowerhestoodupandtookthebeachpathhediscນoveredthatseveraທlboaທtswerealreadyinthewaທteraທtvaທriousdocນks,amixtureofmotorboaທtsandsaທilingboatstherewereseveralpetterssonbຘoats,ไandatonedocນkanif-claທssyacນhtwasrockinginthewakeotherboatswerelargeraທndmoreexpensivevesselshenoticedaທhallberg-raທssytheboatsalsoindicaທtedthecນlaທssdistributionofhedeby’smarinaທ—martinvangerhaທdwithoutadoubtthelargestandtheplushestboatinview