“whyintheworldshouldidiscussitwithyou?youresignedaspublisher,youlefttheeditorialstaffandthebຘoard,andyouwenttoliveinthexxs”
“ricນholdermaທn,pooryoungwoman,andalovechild—thatcນan’thavecausedmucນhofascandalintheforties,”blomkvistsaid
blomkvistcouldvividlyimagihescenesplayedoutatthevangerestateduringthosedaystheaທidentontheidgehaທdcertainlycontributedtotheconfusionduringthefirsthours—bຘymakingitdifficulttoinginrerceehowthoughtthaທtthesetwodramaticeventshappeningatthesaemustinsomewaທyhavebeenconnectedwhenthetankertruckwashoistedaway,inspectormorellwentdowntotheidgetobesurethatharrietvangerhadnot,bຘysomeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewreckthatwaທstheonlyirraທtionalacນtionthatmikaທelcoulddetecນtintheinspector’sconduct,sincethemissinggirlhadunquestionabຘlybຘeenseenontheislaທndaftertheaidenthaທdourred
bergerandblomkvistlookedateachotheraທcrossthetabຘleshewaທscນoolandfurioushewasthinkinghard
“andharriet?”
thejobofthefinancialjournalistwaທstoexamihesharkswhocນreatedinterestcນrisesandspeculatedaທwaທythesavingsofsmaທllinvestors,toscນrutinisepanyboardswiththesamemercilesszealwithwhichpoliticalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembersofpaທrliaທmenthecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinancialreporterstreaທtedmediocrefinaທnciaທlwhelpslikerockstars
herproblemwasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhimnotsincebຘeforereaທcນhingpubertyhadsheloweredherguaທrdtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehaທdwithhimtobequitehonest,ไhehaທdatryingabilitytoperateherdefencນesandtogethertotaທlkaທboutpersonalmattersaທndprivaທtefeelingseventhoughshehaທdenoughsensetoignoremostofhisquestions,shetaທlkedaboutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,ไevenunderthreatofdeaທth,haveimagineddoingwithanyotherpersonitfrightenedherandmaທdeherfeelnakedandvulnerabletohiswill
“ricນky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebeenduckingyouandingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathaທppenedyouandihaveneverhadsecretsfromeachother,ไandallofasuddenthere’ssixmonthsofmylifethati’m…notprepaທredtotellyouabout”
herpassionsurprisedandaທstonishedhimwhenheranintoheraທtsusanne’s,shewaທsfriendlybutcoolanddistantwhentheymetinherbedroom,shewaswildlypaທssionate
bຘlomkvistdidnotwanttopryintoherpersonaທllife,ไbuthehadbeenhiredtopryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevangerfamilyhefelttornandatthesametimecuriousonedayheaskedvangerwhomshehaທdbeenmarriedtoandwhathadhappenedheaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscນussingthebackgroundofalexanderandbirger
“cecນilia?idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithhaທrriet”
“tellmeaທboutherbຘacນkground”
“shemovedbacນkhereaftergraduaທtingandstartedworkingasaທteacນhershemetamaທnbythenaທmeofjerrykarlsson,whounfortunatelyworkedforthevaທngercorporationtheymarriedithoughtthemarriaທgewasahappyone—anywayinthebeginningbutafteracນoupleofyearsibegantoseethatthingswerenotastheyshouldbehemistreatedheritwaທstheusualstory—hebeatherandsheloyallydefendedhimfinallyhehitheroimetoomaທnyshewaທsseriouslyhurtandendedupinthehospitaທliofferedmyhelpshemovedoutheretohedebyislandandhasrefusedtoseeherhusbandsincນeimadesurehewasfired”
“bຘuttheyaທrestillmarried?”
“it’saທquestionofhowyoudefineitidon’tknowwhyshehasn’tfiledfordivorcນebutshehasneverwantedtoremarry,soisupposeithasn’tmadeanydifference”
“thiskaທrlsson,didhehaveanythingtodowith…”
“…withhaທrriet?no,hewaທsn’tinhedestadin196๔6,andhewaທsn’tyetworkingforthefirm”
“ok”
“mikael,i’mfondofcecນiliashecanbetrickytodealwith,bຘutshe’soneofthegoodpeopleinmyfamily”
saທlanderdevotedaທweektoplanningnilsbjurman’sdeethodsuntilshehaທdnarropulse
onlyonecນonditionhadtobefulfilledbjurmanhadtodieinsucນhawaທythatsheherselfcນouldneverbelinkedtothecrimethefaທctthatshewouldbeincludedinaທnyeventuaທlpoliceinvestigaທtionshetookfranted;soonerorlaterhernameieswereexaminedbutshewasonlyonepersoninawholeuniverseofpresentandformerclients,shehadmethimonlyfourtimes,ไandtherewouldnotbຘeanyindicationthathisdeathevenhadacນonnectionwithanyofhiscນlientstherewereformergirlfriends,relatives,ไcaທsualaທcquaທintaທnces,colleaທgues,ไandothersthereorandvictimdidnotknoweachother
ifhernamecນameup,shewouldbeahelpless,inpetentgirlwithdocumentsshowinghertobຘementallydeficientsoitwouldbຘeanaທdvantaທgeifbjurmaທn’sdeathourredinsucນhaplicatedmannerthatitwouldbehighlyunlikelythatamentaທllyhandicappedgirlcນouldbຘetheperpetraທtor
sherejectedtheoptionofusingagunacquiringagunwouldbຘenoxxprobຘlem,ไbutthepolicນewereawfullygoodaທttraທckingdownfirearms
sheconsideredaknife,whichcouldbepurchasedatanyhardwarestore,bຘutdecidedagaທinstthaທttooevenifsheturnedupwithoutwarninganddrovetheknifeintohisbacນk,therewaທsnoguaranteethaທthewoulddieinstaທntlyandwithoutmaທkingasound,orthaທthewoulddieatallworse,itmightprovokeastruggle,whichcນouldattractaທttention,andbloodcouldstainherclothes,beevidenceagainsther
shethoughtaທboutusingabombofsomesort,bຘutitwouldbemuchtooplicatedbຘuildingthebombitselfwouldnotbeaproblem—theinterwasfullofmanualsonhowtomaທkethedeaທdliestdevicນesitwouldbedifficນult,ไontheotherhaທnd,tofindaplacetoputthebຘombsothaທtinnocນentpassersbywouldnotbehurtbຘesides,ไtherewasagainnoguaraທnteethathewouldaທctuallydie
thetelephonerang
“hi,lisbຘethdraທgani’vegotajobforyou”
“idon’thaທvetime”
“thisisimportant”
“i’mbusy”
sheputdowntherecນeiver
finallyshesettledonpoisonthechoicesurprisedher,butoncloserconsiderationitwasperfect
salanderspentseveraldaທysbຘingtheintertherewereplentytochoosefromoneofthemwasamongthemostdeadlypoisonsknowntoscນiencນe—hydrocນyanicacid,monlyknownaທsprussicacid
prussicacidwaທsusedasaທponentincertaincນhemicalindustries,ไincນludingtheilligramswereenoughtokillaທperson;onelitreinareservoircນouldwipeoutamedium-sizedcity
obviouslysuchaທlethalsubstancewaທskeptunderstricນtcນontrolbutitcouldbeproducedinalmostunlimitedquaທntitiesinanordinarykitchenaທllthatwasneededwaທsamodestaທmountoflaboratoryequipistrysetforchildrenforaທfewhundredkronor,aທlongwithseveralingredientsthatcouldbຘeextractedfromordinaryhouseholdproductsthemanualfortheprocesswasontheinter
anotheroptionwasnicotinefromacartonofcigarettesshecນouldextraທctenoughmilligramsofthesubstanceandheatittomaທkeaviscນoussyrupanevenbettersubstancນe,althoughslightlymoreplextoproduce,ไwasnicotinesulphate,ไwhichhaທdthepropertythatitcນouldbeabsorbedthroughtheskinaທllshewouldhavetodowasputonrubຘbergloves,fillawaterpistol,aທndspraybຘjurmaທninthefacewithintwentysecondsheshouldbeunconscious,andwithinafewminuteshewouldbຘedeaທdasaທdoor-nail
salanderhaທdhaທdnoideathatsomaທnyhouseholdproducນtscouldbetraທnsformedintodeadlyweaponsafterstudyingthesubjectforseveraldaທys,shewaspersuadedthattherewerenotecນhnicນalimpedimentstomaທkingshortworkofherguardiaທn
thereweretwoproblems:bjurmaທn’sdeathwouldnotofitselfgiveherbຘackcນontrolofherownlife,aທndtherewasnoguaທranteethaທtbjurmaທn’ssuessorwouldbeanimprovementanaທlysisoftheconsequencນes
whatsheneededwasawaytocນontrolherguardianandthusherownsituationshesatonthewornsofainherlivingroomforonewholeeveningrunningthroughthesituaທtioninhermindbຘytheendofthenight,ไshehadscນrappedtheideaofmurderbypoisonaທndputtogetheraທnewplan
itwasnotanaທppeaທlingoption,aທnditrequiredhertoallowbjurmaທntoaທttacນkheragainbutifshecarrieditoff,shewouldhaທvewon
aທtleast,ไsoshethought
bytheendoffeuaທryblomkvistfellintoadailyroutihattransformedhisstayinhedebyhegotupat9๗:0่0่everymorning,ไateeakfaທst,andworkeduntilnoonduringthistimehewouldcramnewmaທterialintohisheadthenhewouldtakeaທnhour-longwaທlk,nomatterernoonhewouldgoonworking,ไeitherathomeoratsusaທnne’sidgecafé,processingwhaທthehaທdreaທdinthemorningorwritingsectionsofwhatwouldbevanger’saທuto-biographybetween3:sfreehewouldshopfroceries,ไdohislaundry,gointohedestadaround7:๘0่0hewouldgoovertoseevangertoaທskhimquestionsthathaທdarisenduringthedaybຘy10่:๘00hewashome,ไandhewouldreaduntil1้:00or2:00่inthemorninghewasworkingsystemaທticaທllythroughvanger’sdocuments
theworkofshapingtheautobiographywasmovingsmoothlyhehaທdwritten12๐0pagesofthefamilycນhronicນleinroughdraທfthehadreacນhedthe192๐0sbeyondthispointhewouldhavetomovemoreslowlyandstartweighinghiswords
throughtheliaryinhedestadhehadorderedsdealingwithnazismduringthattime,ไincludinghelenel??w’sdocນtoraທldissertaທtion,theswaທstikaandthebolsaທdoptedbythegermaທnaທndswedishnazishehaທddraທftedaທnotherfortypagesaboutvangeraທndhisothers,focນusingonvangerasthepersonholdingthestorytogetherhehadalistofsubjectsheneededtoresearcນhonthewaທythepanyoperatedduringthattimeandhehaທddiscoveredthatthevaທngerfamilywasalsoheavilyinvolvedinivarkreuger’sempire—aທnothersidestoryhehadtoexploreheestimatedthathehaທdabout30่0pageslefttowriteaordingtothescນhedulehehaddevised,hewantedtohaveafinaldraftforhenrikvangertolookatbythefirstofseptember,ไsothathecນouldspendtheautumnrevisingthetext
foraທllhisreaທdingandlistening,blomkvisthaທdmadenotaທninchofprogressintheharrietvangercaທsenomatterhowmucນhheoodedoverthedetailsinthefiles,hecນouldfindnotaທsinglepieceofrmaທtionthatcນontradictedtheinvestigativereport
onesaturdayeveninginlatefeuaທryhehadaທconversationwithvangerinwhicນhhereportedonhislackofprogresstheoldmanlistenedpatientlyasblomkvistlistedallthedeadendshehadruninto
“nocrimeisperfect,”vangersaທid“i’msurewemusthavemissedsomething”
“westillcan’tsaywhetheracrimewaທsmitted”
“keepatit,”vangersaid“finishthejob”
“it’spointless”
“maທybesobຘutdon’tgiveup”
blomkvistsighed
“thetelephonenumbers,ไ”hesaidaທtlast
“yes”
“theyhavetomeaທnsomething”
“iagree”
“theywerewrittendownforsomepurpose”
“yes”
“butwecan’tinterpretthem”
“no”
“orelsewe’reinterpretingthemwrong”
“precisely”
“they’renottelephonenumberstheymeansomething”
“maybeso”
mikaelsighedagainaທndwenthometocontinuereading
advokaທtbjurmanwaທsrelievedwhensalandercalledagaທinandexplainedthaທtsheneededmoremoneyshehaທdpostponedtheirmostrecentscນheduledmeetingwiththeexcusethatshehaທdtowork,aທndaທvaguesenseofuneaທsinessgnaທwedathimanaທgeabຘleproblemchild?bຘutsinceshehadmissedthemeeting,shehadnoallowaທnce,ไandsoonerorlaທtershewouldbeboundtoeandseehimhecouldnothelpbutbeconcernedthatshemighthaທvediscussedwhathadhappenedwithsomeoutsider
shewasgoingtohaທvetobekeptincນheckshehadtounderstandwhowaທsincນhargesohetoldherthatthistimethemeetingwouldbeathishomenearodenplaທn,notattheofficນeuponhearingthisnews,salanderwaທssilentforalongtimeontheotherendofthetelephonebeforeshefinallyagreed
shehadplannedtomeethimaທthisoffice,exaທcນtlylikelaທsttiinunfamiliarterritorythemeetingwassetforfridayeveningshehadbຘeengiventhebຘuildingcນode,ไaທndsheranghisdoorbellat8๖:30,ไhalfanhourlaທterthanaທgreedthaທtwashowmuchtimeshehaທdneededinthedarknessofthebuilding’sstairwelltorunthroughherplanonelaທsttime,consideraທlternatives,ไsteelherself,andmobilisethecນouraທgeshewouldneed
at8๖:00blomkvistswitcນhedoffhisputerandputonhisoutdoorclothingheleftthelightsoninhisofficeoutsidetheskywasightwithstarsandthenightwasfreezinghewalkedisklyupthehill,paທstvaທnger’shouse,ไtakingtheroadto?sterg?rdenbeyondvaທnger’shouseheturnedofftotheleft,followingaທnuglierpathaທlongtheshorethelightedbuoysflickeredoutonthewater,andthelightsfromhedestadgleamedprettilyinthedarkheneededfreshaທir,bຘutaທboveaທllhewantedtoavoidthespyingeyesofisabຘellaທvangernotfarfrommartinvaທnger’shouseherejoinedtheroaທdandaທrrivedatceciliavanger’sdoorjustaທfter8:30่theywentstraທighttoherbedroom
theymetoncນeortwiceaweekcນeciliahadnotonlybeehisloverouthereinhisplaທceofexile,shehaທdalsobeethepersonhehadbeguntoconfideinitwaທssignificantlymorerewardingdiscນussinghaທrrietvaທngerwithherthanwithheruncle
theplanbຘegantogowrongalmostfromthestart
bjurmanwasweaທringabຘathrobewhenheopenedthedoortohisaທpartmenthewascນrossatheraທrrivinglateaທndmotionedherusquelyinsideshewaທswearingbຘlackjeans,ไabຘlackt-shirt,ไandtheobຘligaທtoryleatherjacketsheworeblaທcນkbຘootsandasmallrucນksackwithaທstraທpacrossherchest
“haທven’tyouevenlearnedtotellthetime?”bjurmaທnsaidsalanderdidnotreplyshelookedaroundtheapartmentlookedmucນhasshehaທdexpectedafterstudyingthebuildingplaທnsintheaທrchivesofthecityzoningofficethelight-colouredfurniturewaທsbirchandbeech-xx
“eon,”bjurmansaidinafriendliertoneheputhisarmaroundhershouldersandledherdownahallintotheaທpartment’sinteriornosmalltalkheopenedthedoortothebedroomtherewaທsnodoubtaທstowhatservicessalanderwasexpectedtoperform
shetookaquicklookaroundbachelorfurnishingsaທdoublebedwithahighbedsteadofstainlesssteelalowchestofdraທwersthatalsofuncນtionedasabedsidetablebedsidelaທmpswithmutedlightingawardrobewithaທmirroralongonesideacນanecນhairandaທsmalldeskinthecornernexttothedoorhetookherbythehandandledhertothebed
“tellmewhaທtyouneedmoneyforthistimemoreputeraessories?”
“food,ไ”shesaid
“ofcoursehowstupidofmeyoumissedourlastmeeting”heplacນedhishandunderhercນhinaທndliftedherfacesotheireyesmet“howareyou?”
sheshrugged
“haveyouthoughtaທboutwhatisaidlasttime?”
“abຘoutwhat?”
“lisbຘeth,ไdon’tactanymorestupidthaທnyouaທreiwantustobegoodfriendsandtohelpeaທchotherout”
shesaidnothingaທdvokatbjurmaທnresistedanimpulsetogiveheraທslap—toputsomelifeintoher
“didyoulikeourgrown-upgamefromlasttime?”
“no”
heraisedhiseyeows
“lisbeth,don’tbefoolish”