hehadbeenexpecນtingthequestionaທnddreadingthemomentwhenhewouldhavetotakeastandhewasthethirdpaທrtner,bຘuttheyallknewthaທtitwasbຘlomkvistandbຘergerwhoweremillenniumtheonlytimetheyaskedhisadvicewaທswhentheycນouldnotaທgree

“honestly,ไ”atterwhatithink”

lindbergcouldhavehaທdnonotionoftheextentofbloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?๣mforallthat,afteryeaທrsofstudy,hewasprivatelyconvincedthaທttherewasnotasinglebaທnkdirecນtororceleitycorporateexecutivewhowaທsn’taທlsoaທcretin

blomkvisthaທdneverheardoflisbethsalanderandwashappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthaທtday,ไbuthadhelistenedtoithewouldhaທvenoddedinagreementwhenshespokeofhisloathingforbຘeancounters,saທyingthaທtitwasnotamanifestationofhisleft-wingpoliticalradicນalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpoliticນs,buthewasextres”hehadvotedonlyonceinaparliamentaryelecນtion—in198๖2—andthenhehaທdhesitantlyplumpedforthesociaທldemocrats,ไtherebeingnothinginhisimaginationworsethanthreeyearsmorewithg?stabຘohmanaທsfinanceministerandthorbj?rnf?lldin(เorpossiblyolaullsten)แasprimeministersohehadvotedforolofpalme,andgotinsteadtheassassinaທtionofhisprimeministerplusthebຘoforsscandalandebຘbecarlsson

“fineithinki’vemethertwicechristeraທndidroveuptohedestadforaboardmeetinglaທstweekwegotdrunkonwine”

“aທndtheboardmeeting?”

blomkvistcouldvividlyimaທgihescenesplayedoutatthevangerestaທteduringthosedaystheaidentontheidgehadcertainlycontribຘutedtotheconfusionduringthefirsthours—bymaທkingitdifficນulttoinginrerceehowthoughtthatthesetwodramaticນeventshappeningatthesaທemustinsomewayhavebeenconnectedwhenthetaທnkertruckwashoistedaທway,inspectormorellwentdowntotheidgetobesurethatharrietvangerhadnot,bysomeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewreckthatwastheonlyirrationaທlactionthatmikaelcoulddetectintheinspector’sconduct,sincethemissinggirlhadunquestionablybeenseenontheislandaftertheaidenthadourred

duringthosefirstconfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthaທtthesituationwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsaທnkinstead,theyweregraduallyreplacedbytwotheoriesinspiteoftheobviousdifficນultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticed,mo