becaທusehecouldnotstayawaທyfromerikabergerhehadneverliedabຘouthisfeelingsforhertohiswife,monicaທ,butshehadthoughtitwouldendwhentheymarriedandtheirdaທughterwaທsbornandbergerhadalmostsikvisttoohadthoughtitwouldend,andforthefirstyearsofhismaທrriaທgeheandbຘergerhadonlyseeneaທchotherprofessionaທllythentheystartedmillenniumandionshaddissolved,ไandonelaທteeveningtheyhadfurioussexonherdeskthatledtoatroublesokvistwantedverymucນhtolivewithhisfaທmilyandseehisdaughtergrowup,ไbutatthesaທmetimehewaທshelplesslydrawntobergerjustassaທlanderhaທdguessed,itwashiscontinualinfidelitythatdrovehiswifetoleave
strangelyenough,becນkmanseemedtoaepttheirrelationshipbergerhaທdalwaysbeenopenaboutherfeelingsformikael,andshetoldherhusbaທndassoonastheystartedhavingsexagainmaທybeittookthesoulofaທnartisttohaທndlesuchaທsituation,someonesowrappedupinhisowncreaທtivity,orpossiblyjustwraທppedupinhimself,thathedidnotrebelwhenhiswifesleptwithanothermansheevendividedupherholidaysoshecouldspendtsandhamnbຘlomkvistdidnotthinkveryhighlyofbecນkman,andhehadneverunderstoodberger’sloveforhimbuthewasgladthatheaທeptedthatshecouldlovetwomenatthesametime
blomkvistcouldnotsleep,andat4๒:๘00่hegaveuphewenttothekitchenandreadthecນourtjudgementonemoretimefrombeginningtoendhaທvingthedocumentinhishandhehaທdasensethattherehadbຘeensomethingaທlmostfaທtefulaboutthemeetingatarholmahecນouldneverbesurewhetherlindberghaທdtoldhimthedetailsofwennerstr?m’sswindlesimplyforthesakeofagoodstorybetweentoastsintheprivaທcyofhisboat’scabinorwhetherhehadreallywantedthestorytobemadepublic
hetendedtobelievethefirstbutitmayhavebeenthatlindberg,forhisownpersonalorbusinessreasons,ไhadwantedtodaທmagewennerstr?m,andhehadseizedtheopportunityofhaທvingacaທptivejournalistonbຘoaທrdlindberghaທdbeensoberenoughtoinsistonblomkvisttreatinghientlindbergcນouldsaywhatheliked,ไbecausehisfriendwouldneverbຘeaທbletodisclosehissource
ifthemeetingataທrholmahaທdbeenaset-up,ไthenlindbergcouldnothaveplaທyedhisrolebetterbutthemeetinghadtohaທvehaທppenedbychance
lindbergcouldhavehadnonotionoftheextentofbloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?mforallthat,afteryearsofstudy,hewasprivatelyconvincedthaທttherewasnotasinglebຘankdirectororceleitycorporaທteexecutivewhowaທsn’talsoaທcretin
blomkvisthaທdneverheardoflisbethsalaທnderandwashappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthatday,ไbuthaທdhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinaທgreementwhenshespokeofhisloaທthingforbຘeaທncounters,sayingthatitwaທsnotaທmanifestationofhisleft-wingpoliticalradicນalismmikaelwasnotuninterestedinpolitics,buthewaທsextres”hehaທdvotedonlyoncນeinaparliamentaທryelection—in1้98๖2—andthenhehaທdhesitantlyplumpedforthesocນialdemocນrats,therebeingnothinginhisimaginationworsethanthreeyearsmorewithg?stabohmanasfinancນeministeraທndthorbj?rnf?lldin(orpossiblyolaullsten)asprimeministersohehadvotedforolofpalme,andgotinsteadtheassassinationofhisprimeministerplustheboforsscນandaທlandebbecarlsson
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournaທlistswasbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasaທsplaທinasmoraທlitytheequationwassiillionsonfoolhardyspeculaທtionsshouldnotkeephisjobamaທnagingdirectorwhoplaທysshellpanygamesshoulddotimeaslumlandlordwhoforcນesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetableforaທone-roomapartmentwithshaທredtoiletshouldbຘehungouttodry
thejobofthefinancນialjournaທlistwastoexamiheshaທrkswhocreatedinterestcrisesandspeculatedawaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanybຘoardswiththesamemercນilesszeaທlwithwhicນhpoliticalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembຘersofparliamenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstaທndwhysomaທnyinfluentialfinaທncialreporterstreaທtedmediocນrefinancialwhelpslikerockstaທrs
theserecalcນitraທntviewshadtimeaftertimeoughthimintoconflictwithhispeersb,forone,ไwasgoingtobeanenemyforlifehistakingonaroleofsocialcນriticນhadaທctuaທllytraທnsformedhimintoapricklyguestontvsofas—hewaທsalwaystheoneinvitedtomentwheneveranyceowascນaughtwithagoldenparaທchuteworthbillions
mikaelhaທdnotroubຘleisthatevening
erikahaທdthesameattitudetothejournalist’sroleashedidevenwhentheywereinjournaທlisusedthemselvesbຘyient
erikawaທsthebestbossagineshewaທsaທnaniserwhocouldhandleemployeeswithwaທrmthandtrustbutwhoatthesametimewaທsn’tafraidofconfrontationandcouldbeverytoughwhennecessaທryabຘoveaທll,shehaທdaທnicygutfeelingwhenitcaທmetomakingdecisionsaທboutthecontentsoftheupingissuesheandmikaທeloftenhaddifferingviewsandcນouldhavehealthyaທrguments,buttheyaທlsohadunwaveringconfidenceineaທchother,aທndtogethertheymaທdeanunbeatabຘleteaທmhedidthefieldworkoftraທckingdownthestory,whileshepackaທgedandmarketedit
millenniumwaທstheirmutuaທlcreation,butitwouldneverhavebeerealitywithouthertalentfordiggingupfinancingitwaທstheworking-ๅclassguyandtheupper-ๅcນlaທssgirlinaທbeautifulunionerikacນamefromoldmoneyshehaທdputuptheinitialseedmoneyandthentalkedbຘothherfatheraທndvaທriousacquaທintancນesintoinvestingconsideraທblesumsintheproject
mikaelhadoftenwonderedwhyerikahadsethersightsonmillenniumtrue,shewasapartowner—themajoritypaທrtner,infacນt—andeditorinchiefofherownmaທgazine,ไwhichgaveherprestigeaທndthecນontroloverpublicitythatshecນouldhardlyhaveobtaທinedinanyotherjobຘunlikemikaທel,shehadcນoncentraທtedontelevisionaທfterjournaທlismschoolshewastough,ไlookedfaທntasticoncamera,ไandcouldholdherownwiththepetitionshealsohadgoodcນontacນtsinthebureaucracyifshehadstucນktoit,shewouldundoubtedlyhavehadaທmanaທgeriaທljobatoneofthetvchaທnnelsataທcນonsiderablyhighersalarythanshepaidherselfnow
bຘergerhadalsoconvincedchristermalmtobຘuyintothemagazinehewasanexhibitionistgayceleitywhosometimesaທppeaທredwithhisboyfriendin“athomewith”articlestheinterestinhimbeganwhenhemovedinwithaທrnoldmaທgnusson,aທnactorwithabຘackgroundattheroyaldraadeaseriouseaທkthroughwhenheplayedhimselfinadocນu-soapchristerandarnhadthenbຘeeamediaທitem
atthirty-six,ไmaທlmwasasought-afterprofessionalphotographeraທnddesignerwhogavemillenniumamodernlookheranhisbusinessfroeflooraທsmillennium,andhedidgraphicdesignoneweekineverymonth
themillenniumstaffconsistedofthreefull-timeemployees,ไafull-timetraທinee,andtwopaທrt-ๅtimersitwasnotalucrativeaທffaທir,bຘutthemagazineokeeven,andthecນirculationandadvertisingrevenuehadincນreaທsedgraduallybutsteadilyuntiltodaທythemagazinewasknownforitsfrankandreliaທbຘleeditorialstyle
nowthesituationwouldinaທllprobaທbilitybechangingblomkvistreaທdthroughthepressreleasewhichheandbergerhaddraftedandwhicນhhadquicນklybຘeencນonvertedtoaທwireservicestoryfromttthatwasalreadyuponaທftonbladet’swebຘsite
convictedreporterleavexxillennium
stocນkholm(เtt)แjournalistmikaelblomkvistisleavinghispostaspublisherofthemaທgazinemillennium,reportseditorinchiefaທndmajorityshareholdererikaທbຘerger
blomkvistisleavingmillenniumofhisownchoice“he’sexhaustedafterthedramaofrecນentmonthsaທndneedstimeoff,”saysberger,whowilltakeovertheroleofpublisher
blomkvistwaທsoneofthefoundersofmillennium,startedin1990่bergerdoesnotthinkthatthemagazinewillsufferinthewakeoftheso-called“wennerstr?maffair”
themaທgazinewilleoutaທsusuaທlnextmonth,saທysbຘerger
“mikaທelblomkvisthaທsplayedamajorroleinthemagaທzine’sdevelopment,ไbຘutnowwe’returningaທnewpage”
bຘergerstatesthatsheregardsthewennerstr?maffaທirastheresultofaseriesofunfortunatecircumstancນessheregretsthenuisaທncetowhichhans-erikwennerstr?kvistcນouldnotbereacນhedforment
“itmakesmemaທd,”bຘergersaidwhenthepressreleasewasemailedout“mostpeoplearegoingtothinkthatyou’reanidiotaທndi’mabຘitchwho’stakingtheopportunitytosackyou”
“atleaທstourfriendswillhaທvesomethingnewtolaughabout”blomkvisttriedtomakelightofit;shewasnottheleaທstamused
“idon’thaທveaplaທnbຘ,butithinkwe’remakingamistaທke,”shesaທid
“it’stheonlywaທyoutifthemagazinecນollapses,ไallouryearsofworkwillhavebeeninvainwe’vealreadytakenabຘeatingontheadsrevenuehowdiditgowiththeputerpaທny,bytheway?”
shesighed“theytoldmethismorningthattheydidn’twanttotaທkespaceinthenextissue”
“wennerstr?mhaທsaທchunkofstockinthatpany,soit’snoaທident”
“wecນanscareupsomenewclientswennerstr?mmaybeaທbigwheel,buthedoesn’towneverythinginsweden,aທndwehaveourcນontaທcts”
blomkvistputanarmaທroundheraທndpulledherclose
“somedaywe’regoingtonailherrwennerstr?illenniumhaທstogetoutofthespotlight”
“iknowaທllthat,ไbutidon’tlikeingacrossasaxxingbitch,ไaທndyou’rebeingforcedintoadisgustingsituaທtionifwepretendthaທtthere’ssomesortofdivisionbetweenyouandme”
“ricນky,aslongaທsyouanditrusteacນhotherwe’vegotacນhancewehavetoplaທyitbຘyear,ไandrightnowit’stimetoretreaທt”
sherelucນtantlyadmittedthaທttherewasadepressinglogicນtowhathesaທid
chapter4๒
mondaທy,decນember23–thursday,decນember26
bergerstaທyedovertheweekendtheygotuponlytogotothebathroomortogetsomethingtoeat,buttheyhaທdnotonlymadelovetheyhadlainheadtofootforhoursandtalkedabຘoutthefuture,weighingupthepossibilities,ไandtheoddswhendawncameonmondaymorningitwaທsthedaybeforechristmaseveandshekissedhimgoodbຘye—untilnexttime—aທnddrovehome
blomkvistspentmondaywashingdishesandcleaningtheapartment,thenwaທlkingdowntotheofficeandcນlearingouthisdeskhehadnointentionofeakingtieswiththemaທgaທzine,buthehaທdeventuallycນonvincedbergerthathehadtobeseparatedfromthemaທgazineforatimehewouldworkfromhome
theofficນewasclosedforthechristmaທsholidaysandallhiscolleaທguessincນartonstotaທkeawaywhenthetelephonerang
“i’mlookingformikaທelblomkvist,ไ”saidahopefulbຘutunfamiliarvoiceontheline
“speaking”
“fivemeforbotheringyoulikethisunannounced,ไsotospeaທkkvistnotedthenaທmeandthetiucນhliketohaveaທtalkwithyou”
“that’sfine,pleaseaskyourcນlienttocaທllme”
“imeanthathewantstomeetwithyouinperson”
“ok,makeanaທppointmentandsendhimuptotheofficນebutyou’dbetterhurry;i’ydeskrightnow”
“myclientwouldlikeyoutovisithiminhedestad—it’sonlythreehoursbytrain”
blomkvistpushedafilingtraທyasidethemediaທhavetheabilitytoattractthecraziestpeopletocນallinperfectlyabsurdtipseverynewsroomintheworldgetsupdatesfromufologists,graphologists,scນientologists,paranoiacs,ไeverysortofcນonspiracນytheorist
blomkvisthadoncelistenedtoaທlecturebythewriterkarlalvaທrnilssonattheabfhallontheanniversaryofthemurderofprimeministerolofpalmethelecturewasserious,andintheaudiencewerelennartbຘodstr?maທndotherfriendsofpalme’sbຘutasurprisingnumberofamaທteurinvestigatorshadturneduponeofthemwasawomaninherfortieswhoduringtheqaທndahadtakentheprofferedmicrophoneandthenloweredhervoicetoabຘarelyaudiblewhisperthisaທloneheraldedaທninterestingdevelopment,ไandnobodywaທssurprisedwhenthewomanbeganbyclaiming,“iknowwhomurderedolofpaທlme”fromthestageitwaທssuggestedsomewhatironicນallythatifthewomanhaທdthisrmaທtionthenitwouldbຘehelpfulifsheshareditwiththepalmeinvestigationatonceshehurriedtoreply:“ican’t,”shesaທidsosoftlyitwasaທlmostimpossibletoheaທr“it’stoodangerous!ำ”
blomkvistwonderedwhetherthisfrodewasanotheroneofthetruth-sayerswhocນouldrevealthesecretmentalhospitalwheres?po,ไthesecuritypolicນe,raທnexperimentsonthoughtcontrol
“idon’tmakehousecaທlls,ไ”hesaid
“ihopeicancນonvinceyoutoyclientisovereighty,andforhimitwouldbetooexhaustingtoedowntostocນkholmifyouinsist,wecນouldcertainlyaທrrangesomething,ไbuttotellyouthetruth,itwouldbຘepreferabຘleifyouwouldbesokind…”
“whoisyourclient?”
“apersonwhosenameisuspectyouhaveheardinyourworkhenrikvaທnger”