r’siaterialsinceithadbeenobtainedthroughillegaທlmeans
but,ofcourse,theycນoulduseitblomkvistpointedoutthattheyhadnoobligationtoexplainhowtheyhadacນquiredthemateriaທltheycouldjustaswellhaveasourcນewithaesstowennerstr?m’sputerwhohaທdburnedeverythingonhishaທrddrivetoacd
finallybຘergerrealisedwhataທweaponshehadinherhandsshefeltexhaustedaທndstillhaທdquestions,butshedidnotknowwheretobeginaທtlastsheleanedbackagaທinstthesofaທandthrewoutherhaທnds
“mikael,whaທthappenedupinhedestaທd?”
salaທnderlookedupshaທrplybຘlomkvistansweredwithaquestion
“howareyougettingalongwithharrietvanger?”
“fineithinki’vemethertwicນechristerandidroveuptohedestadforaທboardmeetinglaທstweekwegotdrunkonwine”
“andtheboardmeeting?”
“shekeptherword”
“ricky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebຘeenduckingyouandingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathappenedyouandihaທveneverhadsecretsfromeacນhother,aທndallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notpreparedtotellyouabຘout”
bergermetblomkvist’sgaທzesheknewhiminsideandout,butinghernottoaທsksaທlanderwaທtchedtheirwordlessdialogueshewasnopaທrtofit
“wasitthatbaທd?”
“itwasworsei’vebeendreaທdingthisconversationipromisetotellyou,bຘuti’vespentseveraທlmonthssuppressingmyfeelingswhilewennerstr?mhasaທbsorbedaທllmyattention…i’mstillnotreaທdyi’dpreferitifhaທrriettoldyouinstead”
“whaທt’sthatmaທrkaroundyourneck?”
“lisbethsavedmylifeupthereifitweren’tforher,ไi’dbedeaທd”
berger’seyeswidenedshestaredatthegirlintheleatherjaທcket
“andrightnowyouneedtoetoanagreementwithhersheisoursourcນe”
bergersaທtforatime,ไthinkingthenshedidsomethingthaທtastonishedbຘlomkvistandstartledsalander;๙shesurprisedevenherselfthewholetimeshehaທdbeensittingatmikael’sliving-roomtabຘle,shehaທdfeltsalander’seyesonheratacນiturngirlwithhostileviations
bຘergerstoodupaທndwentaroundthetableandthrewheraທrmsaroundthegirlsalaທndersquirmedlikeawormabouttobeputonaທhook
chapter29
saturday,ไnovembຘer1–tuesday,ไnovember2๐5
saທlanderwassurfingthroughwennerstr?m’scyber-ๅempireshehadbeenstaringaທtherputerscreenforalmostelevenhourstheideathathaທdmateriaທlisedinsomeunexplorednookofherainduringthelaທstweekatsandhamnhadgrownintoamanicpreoupationforfourweeksshehadisolaທtedherselfinherapartanskyshehadspenttwelvehoursaທdayinfrontofherputer,somedaysmore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehadoodedoverthesaທmeproblem
duringthepastkvisthetoowaທspreoupied,bຘusyatthemillenniumofficestheyhadconferredbytelephoneaທcoupleoftimeseaທchweek,andshehadkepthimupdatedonwennerstr?m’scorrespondenceandotheraທctivities
forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetailshewasnotafraidthatshehaທdmissedanything,ไbutshewaທsnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricateconnecນtionsfittedtogether
thismuch-discussedempirewaslikeaທliving,formless,pulsatinganismthatkeptchangingshapeitconsistedofoptions,ไbonds,shares,partnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,ไbankaທounts,paymenttransfers,andthousandsofotherelementsanincນrediblylargeproportionoftheaທssetswasdepositedinpost-ๅoffice-bຘoxpaທniesthatownedoneanother
thefinancນiaທlpundits’mostinflatedanaທlysesofthewennerstr?mgroupestimaທteditsvaທlueatmorethaທn900่billionkronorthaທtwaທsabluff,oratleaທstaທfigurethatwasgrosslyexaggeratedobviouslywennerstr?mhimselfwasbynomeanspoorshecaທlculatedtherealassetstobຘeworthbetween90and10่0่billionkronor,whicນhwasnothingtosneezeatathoroughauditoftheentirecorporaທtionwouldtakeyeaທrsaທllinallsaທlanderhaທdidentifiedcນlosetothreethousandseparaທteaທountsandbankholdingsalloverthehaທtwassoextensiveitwasnolongermerelycriminal—itwasbusiness
somewhereinthewennerstr?maທnismtherewasalsosubstancນethreeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchythefixedswedishassetswereunassailaທbleandgenuine,aທvaທilaທbletopublicນscrutiny,balaທncesheets,aທndauditstheamericນanfirmwassolid,ไandabຘankinnewyorkservedaທsthebຘaທseforaທllliquidcapitalthestorywasinthebຘusinesswiththepost-officນe-boxpaniesinplaທcessuchaທsgiaທltarandcນyprusandmacaທowennerstr?mwaslikeaທcleaທringhousefortheillegalweaponstrade,moneylaunderingforsuspectenterprisesincolombiaທ,ไandextremelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussia
ananonymousaທountinthecaymanislandswasunique;๙itwaທspersonaທllycontrolledbywennerstr?mbutwasnotcນonnectedtoanypaniesaທfewhundredthsofaທpercນentofeverydealthatwennerstr?mmadewouldbesiphonedintothecaymaທnislandsviathepost-office-boxpanies
salanderworkedinaທtrance-likestaທtetheaount—cນlicນk—emaທil—cນlick—bຘaທlaທncesheets—cນlickshenoteddownthelatesttraທnsfersshetraທcນkedasmaທlltransaທctioninjapantosingaporeaທndonvialuxembourgtothecaທymanislaທndssheunderstoodhowitgesthelatestemaທiloneiefmessageofsomewhaທtperipheralinterestwassentat10่:๘00่pe(rattle,rattle)waທsajokeforanyonewhowaທsalreadyinsidehisputerandcouldreaທdthemessageinplaintext:
bergerhaທsstoppedarguingabouttheadshaທsshegivenupordoesshehaທvesomethingcນooking?yoursourceattheeditorialofficນesassuredusthattheywereontheinkofruin,butitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredanewpersonfindoutwhat’shappeningblomkvisthasbeenworkingatsandhamnforthepastfewweeks,butno-ๅoneknoorialofficນesthepastfewdayscanyouarrangeforanadvancນecopyofthenextissue?hew
nothingdraan
at5๓:3๑0inthemorningsheturnedoffherputerandgotoutaທnewpackofcigaທrettesshehaddrunkfour,no,fivecokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthandwenttositonthesofashewaທsweaທringonlyknicນkersandaທwashed-outcນamouflageshirtadvertisingsoldieroffortunemagaທzine,withtheslogankillthemaທllandletgodsortthemoutsherealisedthatshewascold,soshereaທcນhedforabຘlanket,ไwhichshewrappedaroundherself
shefelthigh,asifshehadcນonsumedsomeinappropriateandpresumablyillegalsubstancນeshefocusedhergazeonthestreetlampoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherainworkedattopspeedgrenevilfingersandarmanskythejobharrietvaທngerclickmartinvangerclickthegolfclubຘclickthelawyerbຘjurmaທnclickeverysinglexxingdetailthaທtshecouldn’tfetevenifshetried
shewonderedwhetherbjurmanwouldevertakehisclothesoffinfrontofaທwomaທnagaທin,aທndifhedid,howwashegoingtoexplainthetattoosonhisstomaທch?andthenexttimehewenttothedoctorhowwouldheavoidtakingoffhisclothes?
aທndmikaelbຘlomkvistclick
shecນonsideredhimtobeagoodperson,ไpossibຘlywithapraທcticນalpigplexthatwassometimesalittletooaທpparentandhewasunbeaທrablynaivewithregardtocertainelementarymoralissueshehadaທnindulgentandfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexplaທnationsaທndexcusesforthewaທypeoplebehaທved,ไandhewouldnevergetitthattheraທptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelanguageshefeltalmostaທwkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhim
shedidnotrememberfallingasleep,bຘutshewokeupat9๗:๘0่0aທmwithacrickinherneckandwithherheadleaningagaທinstthewallbຘehindthesofaທshetotteredtothebedroomaທndfellbຘacktosleep
itwaswithoutaທdoubຘtthebiggeststoryoftheirlivesforthefirsttimeinayearandahaທlf,bຘergerwaທshaທppyinthewaທythaທtonlyaneditorwhohasaທspecນtacularscoopintheovencanbesheandbloewhensalaທndercນaທlledhimonhismobile
“ifottosaທythatwennerstr?misstartingtogetworriedaboutwhatyou’vebeendoinglately,ไaທndhe’saທskedforaທnadvancecopyofthenextissue”
“howdoyouknow…ah,fetthaທtanyideaທwhatheplanstodo?”
“nixjustonelogicນaທlguess”
blomkvistthoughtforafewseconds“theprinter,ไ”heexclaimed
bergerraisedhereyeows
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialoffices,therearen’tmaທnyotherpossibຘilitiesprovidednoneofhisthugsisplanningtopayyouaທnighttimevisit”
blomkvistturnedtobຘerger“anewprinterforthisissuenowaທndcaທlldraganarmansky—iwaທntsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek”backtosaທlander“thaທnks”
“whaທt’sitworth?”
“whatdoyoumean?”
“what’sthetipworth?”
“whatwouldyoulike?”
“i’dliketodiscussitovercoffeerightnow”
theymetatkaffebaທronhornsgatansalaທnderlookedsoseriouswhenbຘlomkvistsatdownonthebencນhnexttoherthathefeltapangofcນoncernasusuaທl,shecamestraທighttothepoint
“ineedtoborrowsomemoney”
bຘlomkvistgaveheroneofhismostfoolishgrinsaທndreachedforhiswallet
“surehowmucນh?”
“120,ไ000kronor”
“steady,steady”heputhiswalletawaທy
“i’mnotkiddingineedtoborrow120,00่0kronorfor…let’ssaທysixweeksihaveachaທncetomakeaninvestment,butidon’thaveaທnyoneelsetoturntoyou’vegotroughly140่,000kronorinyourcurrentaທountrightnowyou’llgetyourmoneybaທck”
nopointmentingonthefactthatsaທlaທnderhadhackedhisbankpassword
“youdon’thavetoborrowthemoneyfromme,”hereplied“wehaven’tdiscussedyourshareyet,ไbutit’smorethanenoughtocນoverwhatyouwanttoborrow”
“myshaທre?”
“lisbeth,ihaveaninsanefeetocນashinfromhenrikvanger,andwe’regoingtofinalisethedealattheendoftheyearwithoutyou,therewouldn’tbeameandmillenniumwouldhavegoneunderi’mplanningtosplitthefeewithyoufifty-fifty”
salaທndergavehimasearcນhinglookafrownhadappearedonherowblomkvistwaທsusedtohersilencນesfinallysheshookherhead
“idon’twantyourmoney”
“but…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafromyou,unlessitesintheformofpresentsonmybຘirthday”
“etothinkofit,ไidon’tevenknowwhenyourbirthdayis”
“you’reajournalistcheckitout”
“i’mserious,lisbethaboutsplittingthemoney”
“i’mserioustooionlywanttobຘorrowit,ไaທndineedittomorrow”
shedidn’tevenaskhowmuchhersharewouldbe“i’llbehaທppytogotothebankwithyoutodayandlendyoutheamountyouneedbutattheendoftheyearlet’shaveaທnothertaທlkabຘoutyourshaທre”hehelduphishaທnd“andbytheway,whenisyourbຘirthday?”
“onbetweenmylegs”
shelandedinzurichaທt7:3๑0intheeveningandtookataxitothemaທtterhornhotelshehadedaroomunderthenaທmeofirenenesser,ไandsheidentifiedherselfusinganorwegianpassportinthatnameirenenesserhadshoulder-lengthblondehairsalanderhadboughtawiginstockholmaທndused1้0,ไ000kronorofwhatshehadborrowedfromblomkvisttobuytwopaທssportsthroughoneofthecontaທctsinplaທgue’sinternaທtionalwork
shewenttoherroom,locນkedthedoor,ไandgotundressedshelayonthebຘedandlookedupaທttheceilingintheroomthatcost1,ไ6๔00่kronorpernightshefeltemptyshehaທdalreadyrunthroughhaທlfthesumshe’dborrowed,andeventhoughshehaທdaddedineverykronaofherownsavings,shewasstillonaທtightbudgetshestoppedthinkingaທndfellasleepalmostatonce
sheawokejustafter5:0่0inthemorningsheshoweredandspentalongtimemaທskingthetattooonherneckwithathicklayerofskin-ๅcນolouredlotionandpowderoverittheseconditeakeaທnappointmentatthebeautysaloninthelobbyofasignificantlymoreexpensivehotelfor6:30thatmorningsheboughtaທnotherbຘlondewig,thisoneinaທpage-ๅboystyle,andthenshehadamanicນure,ไgettingpinknailsattaທchedtoherownchewedonesshealsogotfaທlseeyelashes,morepowder,rouge,andfinallylipstickandother8,ไ000kronor
shepaທidwithacນreditcardinthenaທmeofmonicasholes,andsheshowedthemheritishpassportwiththaທtname
nextstopwaທscນamille’shouseoffaທshiondownthestreetafteraທnhourshecameoutwearingblackbຘoots,asaທnd-cນolouredskirtwithmaທtcນhingblouse,bຘlaທcktights,aທwaist-lengthjacket,ไandabຘereteveryitemboreanexpensivedesignerlaທbelshehadletthesalesgirlmaທketheselectionshehadalsochosenanexclusiveleaທtheriefcaseaທndasmallsamsonitesuitcasethecrowningtoucheswerediscreetearringsaທndasimplegoldchaທinaroundherneckthecreditcardhadbeendebຘited44๒,000่kronor
forthefirsttimeinherlifesalanderhadaທbustlihaທtmadeher—whensheglancedaທtherselfinthefull-lengthmirror—catchhereaththeeaທstswereaທsfakeasmonicນasholes’identitytheyweremadeoflaທtexandhaທdbeenboughtincopenhaທgenwherethetransvestitesshopped
shewasreadyforbattle
justaທfter9:00่shewalkedtwobຘlocນkstothevenerabຘlezimmertaທlhotel,wheresheedaທrooeshegaveageneroustiptoaທbຘoywhocaທrrieduphersuitcase(whichcontainedhertravelbaທg)thesuitewaທsasmallone,ไcນosting22๐,000่kronoradayshehadeditforonenightwhenshewaທsaloneshetookalookaທroundshehadadazzlingviewoflakezurich,ไwhichdidn’tinterestherintheleastbຘutshedidspendclosetofiveminutesexaminingherselfinthemirrorshesaທwatotalstraທngerbຘig-bຘustedmonicasholesinaທblondepaທge-boywig,wearingmoremake-upthanlisbຘethsalanderdreaທmedofusinginaທwholemonthshelooked…different
aທt9:30shehadeakfaທstinthehotelbຘar:twocນupsofcoffeeaທndabaທgelwithjamthecostwaທs210kronoraທrethesepeoplesoftintheheaທd?
justbefore10่:๘0่0obile,andpuncນhedinthenumbຘerofamodemuplinkinhawaiiafterthreerings,ไthehaທndshakingtonebegantheonicasholesrepliedbypuncນhinginasix-digitcodeonhermobຘileandtextingaທmessagecontaທininginstrucນtionstostartaprogrammethatsaທlanderhaທdwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose
inhonolulutheprograoushomepageonaserverthaທtwasofficiallylocatedattheuniversitytheprogrammewassimpleitsonlyfuncນtionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprograທmmeinanotherserver,ไwhichinthiscນasewasaperfectlyordinarymercນialispofferinginterservicesinhollandthefunctionofthaທtprogramme,inturn,waທstolookforthemirroredharddrivebelongingtohans-erikwennerstr?mandtakemandoftheprograທmmethatshowedthecນontentsofhisapproximately3,0่00bankaountsaroundtheworld
therewasonlyoneaທountofanyinterestsalanderhadnotedthaທtwennerstr?eseacນhweekifheturnedonhisputerandlookedatthatparticularfile,everythingwouldappeaທrtobenormaltheprogrammeshowedsalfluctuationsintheaountduringthepaທstsixmonthsifduringthenextforty-eighthourswennerstr?mshouldgoinaທndasktohavethefundspaidoutormovedfromtheaທount,theprogrammewoulddutifullyreportthatithaທdbeendoneinreaທlity,thechangewouldhaveourredonlyonthemirroredhaທrddriveinholland
entsheheardfourshorttonescນonfirmingthaທttheprogrammehadstarted
sheleftthezimmertalhotelandwalkedovertobຘankhausergeneraທl,acrossthestreet,whereshehaທdmadeanaທppointmenttoseeherraທnager,aທt10่:0่0shewastherethreeminutesaheaທdofschedule,ไaທndshespentthewaທitingtimeposinginfrontofthesurveillancecນamera,whichtookherpictureasshewaທlkedintothedepartmentwithofficນesfordiscreetprivaທteconsultations
“ineedsomeaທssistancນewithanumberoftransaທctions,ไ”shesaidinoxfordenglishwhensheopenedheriefcase,sheletdropapenfromthezimmertalhotel,andherranaທrchsmileandwroteanaountnumberonthenotepaທdonthedeskinfrontofher
herristress,ไofsomebigshot
“thereareanumbຘerofaountsaທtthebaທnkofkroenenfeldinthecaທymanislaທndsaທutomaticນtransfercanbຘedonebysequentiaທlcນleaທringcodes,”shesaid
“fr?uleinsholes,naturallyyouhavealltherequiredcນleaທringcodes?”heasked