whensalaທnderpletedherferreting,shegaທtheredupthedocumentsinabຘagfromicນaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspaທpersoutthehaທllbjurmaທnwasappaທrentlybeyondreproachtherewasnothinginhispastthatshecນouldusesheknewbeyondadoubtthaທthewasaທcreepandapig,butshecນouldfindnothingtoproveit
“ohyes,”shesaid“decນidedlyyoudo”
“lobaທchhadbeenmarriedforfortyyears,butin1้919hemetawildlybຘeautifulwomaທnhalfhisage,andhefellhopelesslyinlovewithhershewasapoor,ไsimpleseamstresslobaທchcourtedher,aທndlikesomaທnyotherwealthymen,hecouldaffordtoinstallherinanaທparthisofficນeshebecaທmehismistressin1921shehaທdadaທughter,whowaschristenededith”
asthenegaທtivereportscນaທmein,itbecaທmeincreaທsinglylikelythatharrietvangerhadfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdaທys
heshutuphelovedmakingpictureshelovedworkingwithgraທphicນshehadnevercນonsideredhimselfanartist,butheknewhewasaທdamnedgooddesignerontheotherhand,ไhewashelplessatintrigueandpolicydecນisions
“sowhathappened?”
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancນialjournaທlistswaທsbasedonsomethingthaທtinhisopinionwasaທsplainasmoralitytheequaທtionwassiillionsonfoolhaທrdyspecນulaທtionsshouldnotkeephisjobamanagingdirecນtorwhoplaysshellpanygamesshoulddotimeaslumlaທndlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetabຘleforaone-roomapaທrtmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbຘehungouttodry
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwaທstheirrelationshiptoeachothershedidnotdaທre,aທndblomkvistneveroachedthesubຘject
“shekeptherword”
thereporterthoughtthequestionhadbeencນleaທrenough,ไbuthespelleditoutanyway
“oneofmillennium’sobjecນtivesistoinvestigatecorporationshowwillthemaທgazinebeabletoclaiminacredibຘlewaທythatit’sinvestigatingthevaທngercorporation?”
bergergaທvehimaທsurprisedlook,asifthequestionwerepletelyunexpected
“areyouinsinuaທtingthatmillennium’scredibຘilityisdiminishedbຘecaທuseaure?”
“youcouldnotnowcນrediblyinvestigaທtethevangercນorporation”
“isthatarulethatappliesspecນificນallytomillennium?”
“excນuseme?”
“imean,youworkforapublicationthatisforthemostpaທrtownedbຘymajorcorporateentitiesdoesthatmeanthatnoneofthenewspaທperspublishedbຘythebonniergroupiscredibຘle?aທftonbຘladetisownedbyaທhugenorwegiaທncorporaທtion,whichinturnisaທeanthatanythingaທftonbladetpubຘlishesabຘouttheelectronicນsindustryisnotcredibຘle?metroisownedbythestenbeckgroupareyousaທyingthaທtnopublicationinswedenthathaທssignificaທnteconomicນinterestsbehinditiscນredible?”
“no,ofcoursenot”
“thenwhyareyouinsinuatingthatmillennium’scredibilitywouldbediminishedbecauseweaທlsohavebຘackers?”
thereporterhelduphishaທnd
“ok,ไi’llretractthatquestion”
“nodon’tdothatiwantyoutoprintexactlywhatisaidandyoucນanaddthatifdnpromisestofocນusalittleextraonthevangercorporaທtion,thenwe’llfocusaທlittlemoreonthebonniergroup”
butitwaທsaທhicaldilemma
blomkvistwaທsworkingforhenrikvanger,whowasinapositiontosinkmillenniumwiththestrokeofapenwhatwouldhappenifblomkvistandvangerbຘecameenemies?
aທndabຘoveaທll—whatpricedidsheputonherowncredibility,andwhenhadshebຘeentransformedfromanindependenteditorintoaທcນorruptedone?
salaທnderclosedherowserandshutdoiondidnotworryhersomuch,sinceshehadregainedcontroloverherbankaທountandbjurmanhadalreadytakenonthestatusofaທvaທgueunpleasantnessinherpastthehungershedealtwithbyswitcນhingonthecoffeemakershemadethreebigopenrye-eaທdsaທndwicheswithcheese,caviaທr,aທndahaທrd-bຘoiledeggsheatehernighttimesnacksonthesofainthelivingroomwhilesheworkedonthermaທtionshehadgathered
thelawyerfrodefromhedestadhadhiredhertodoaທninvestigaທtionofmikaທelblomkvist,ไthejournalistwhowasgivenaprisonsentenceforlibellingfinancierhans-erikwennerstr?mafewmonthslaທterhenrikvanger,ไalsofroaທgazineaທllthisonthesaທmedaທythaທttheformergoestoprisonmostfascinaທtingofaທll:aທtwo-ๅyeaທr-ๅoldbackgroundarticle—“withtwoemptyhands”—abຘouthans-ๅerikwennerstr?m,ไwhichshefoundintheonlineeditionofmonopolyfinancialmagazineitseemedthathebeganhiscareerintheverysamevaທngercorporaທtioninthelatesixties
youdidn’thavetobearocketscນientisttoseethattheseeventsweresomehowrelatedtherehaທdtobຘeaທskeletoninoneoftheircupboards,ไandsalanderlovedhuntingskeletonsbesides,ไshehaທdnothingelseonaທtthemoment
part3
mergers
may1้6tojuly1้1
thirteenpercນentofthewomeninswedenhavebຘeensubjectedtoaທggraທvatedsexualaທssaultoutsideofasexualrelationship
chapter1้5
fridaທy,maທy16–saturday,ไmaທy31
mikaທelblomkvistwasreleasedfromrull?kerprisononfriday,may16,twomonthsafterhewasadmittedthesamedayheenteredthefacility,hehadsubmittedaທnapplicaທtionforparole,withnoxxoptimismheneverdidquiteunderstandthetechnicalreasonsbehindhisreleaທse,bຘutitmayhavehaທdsomethingtodowiththefactthathedidnotuseanyholidayleaveandthattheprisonpopulationhewarden—petersarowsky,aforty-ๅyear-ๅoldpolishexile—withwhomblomkvistgotalongwell,wrotearemendationthathissentencebereduced
histimeatrull?kerhadbຘeenunstressfulandpleasantenoughtheprisonhaທdbຘeendesigned,assarowskyexpressedit,ไforhooligansanddrunkdrivers,ไnotforhaທrdenedcriminalsthedaທilyroutinesremindedhimoflivinginayouthhostelhisfellowprisoners,halfofwhomweresecond-ๅgenerationimmigrants,regaທrdedblomkvistassomethingofaທrarebirdinthegrouphewastheonlyinmatetoappearonthetvnews,ไwhicນhlenthimacertainstatus
onhisfirstdaທy,hewascນalledratalkaທndofferedtherapy,trainingfromkomvux,ไortheopportunityforotheradulteducation,ไaທndoupationalcounsellinghedidnotfeelaທnyneedatallforsocialrehaທbilitation,ไhehadpletedhisstudies,hethought,aທndhealreaທdyhadajobontheotherhand,heaທskedforpermissiontokeephisiinhiscellsothathecນouldcontinuetoworkonthehewaທsmissionedtowritehisrequestwasgrantedwithoutfurtheraທdo,aທndsaທrowskyarrangedtoinghimalockaທblecaທbisothaທthecນouldleavetheputerinhiscellnotthaທtanyoftheinmateswouldhavestolenorvandaliseditoraທnythinglikethattheyratherkeptaprotecນtiveeyeonhim
inthiswaybຘlomkvistspenttwomonthsworkingaboutsixhoursadayonthevaທngerfamilycນhronicle,workthaທtwaທsinterruptedonlybຘyafewhoursofcleaທningorrecນreaທtioneachdaybຘlosk?vdeandhaທdhisrootsinchile,wereassignedtocleaທntheprisongymeachdayrecreationconsistedofwatchingtv,ไplayingcards,orweighttraທiningbຘlomkvistdiscoveredthathewaທsapassabຘlepokerplayer,buthestilllostafewfifty-ๅ?recoinseverydayregulaທtionspermittedplayingformoneyifthetotalpotdidnotexceedfivekronor
hewastoldofhisreleaseonlyonedaທybeforesarowskysummonedhimtohisofficນeandtheysharedatoastwithaquaທvit
blomkvistwentstraightbaທcktothecນabininhedebywhenhewaທlkedupthefrontstepsheheaທrdameowaທndfoundhimselfescນortedbythereddish-owncaທt
“ok,ไyoucaທnein,”hesaid“butihaທvenomilkyet”
heunpacນkedhisbຘagsitwasaທsifhehadbeenonholidaທy,andherealisedthatheactuallymissedthepaທnyofsarowskyandhisfellowprisonersabsurdaທsitseemed,hehadenjoyedhistimeatrull?ker,buthisreleasehadesounexpectedlythathehadhadnotimetoletanyoneknow
itwasjustaທfter6:00่intheeveninghehurriedovertokonsumtobຘuygroceriesbຘeforetheyclosedwhenhegothomehecaທlledbergeramessagesaທidshewasunavailaທbຘleheaskedforhertocaທllhimthenextday
thenhewalkeduptohisemployer’shousehefoundvaທngeronthegroundfloortheoldmanraisedhiseyeowsinsurprisewhenhesawmikael
“didyouescape?”
“releasedearly”
“that’sasurprise”
“formetooifoundoutlaທstnight”
theylookedateaທchotherforafewsecondsthentheoldmaທnsurprisedbຘlomkvistbຘythrowinghisarmsaroundhimandgivinghimabຘearhug
“iwaທsjustabouttoeatjoinme”
annaທproducedaxxquantityofbacນonpaທncakeswithlingonbຘerriestheysatthereinthediningroomandtalkedforalmosttwohoursblomkvisttoldhimabouthowfarhehaທdgotwiththefaທmilychronicle,ไandwheretherewereholesandgaທpstheydidnottalkaທtallaboutharriet,bຘutvaທngertoldhimaທllabຘoutmillennium
“wehaທdaboardmeetingfr?kenbergerandyourpartnermaທlmwerekindenoughtoireallyit’stootiringformetotravelsofari’lltrytogetdownthereduringthesummer”
“noreaທsonnottoholdthemeetingsuphere,”blomkvistsaທid“sohowdoesitfeeltobeapartownerofthemaທgazine?”
vaທngergavehimaທwrysmile
“it’sactuallythemostfuni’vehadinyeaທrsi’vetakenalookatthefinancນes,ไandtheylookprettyfairiwon’thaທvetoputupasmucນhmoneyasithought—thegaທpbetweenineaທndexpensesisdwindling”
“italkedwitherikathisweekshesaysthatadvertisingrevenuehaທsperkedup”
“it’sstaທrtingtoturnaທround,ไyes,butit’lltaທketimeatfirstthepaniesinthevangercorporaທtionwentinandboughtupabunchoffullpageadsbuttwoformeradvertisers—mobiletelephonesandaທtravelbຘureau—haveebaທck”hesmiledoaທdly“we’realsodoingaທlittlemoreone-to-onehustlingaທmongwennerstr?m’senemiesaທnd,believeme,there’salonglist”
“haveyouhearddirectlyfromwennerstr?m?”
“well,notreallybutweleakedastorythaທtwennerstr?thatmusthavemadehimlookpettyareporteratdnissaidtohavereaທchedhimaທndgotasurlyreply”
“youaທreenjoyingthis,aທren’tyou?”
“enjoyisn’tthewordishouldhaທvedevotedmyselftothisyearsaທgo”
“r?m,ไanyway?”
“don’teventryyou’llfindoutaທttheendofyouryear”
whenbຘlomkvistleftvaທngeraround9:๘0่0therewasadistincນtfeelingofspringintheaທiritwaທsdarkoutsideandhehesitatedforaທmomentthenhemaທdehisfamiliarcນircuitandknocນkedonthedoorofcນeciliavanger’shouse
hewasn’tsurewhatheexpectedcນeciliaopenedhereyeswideaທndinstantlylookedunfortaທbleasshelethimintothehalltheystoodthere,ไsuddenlyunsureofeachothershetooaທskedifhehadescaped,aທndheexplainedthesituation
“ijustwantedtosayhelloaທmiinterruptingsomething?”
sheavoidedhiseyesmikaelcouldsenseatoncນethatshewasn’tpaທrticularlyglaທdtoseehim
“no…no,einwouldyoulikesomecoffee?”
“iwould”
hefollowedherintothekitchenshestoodwithherbຘacktohiaທkerwithwaterheputahandonhershoulder,ไandshestiffened
“cecilia,youdon’tlookasifyouwanttogivemecoffee”
“iwasn’texpecນtingyouforanothermonth,”shesaທid“yousurprisedme”
heturnedheraທroundsothathecouldseeherfacetheystoodinsilenceforamomentshestillwouldnotlookhimintheeye
“ceciliafetaboutthecoffeewhaທt’sgoingon?”
sheshookherheadandtookadeepeath
“mikael,ไi’dlikeyoutoleavedon’taskjustleaທve”
mikaelfirstwalkedbaທcktothecນottaທge,bຘutpaທusedatthegate,undecidedinsteadofgoinginhewentdowntothewaterbຘytheidgeandsatonarockhesmokedacigarettewhilehesortedouthisthoughtsandwonderedwhaທtcouldhaທvesodramaທticນallychangedcນecນiliavanger’sattitudetowardshim
hesuddenlyheardthesoundofaທnengineaທndsaທwaທbຘigwhiteboatslipintothesoundbeneaththeidgewhenitpassed,ไmikaelsawthatitwaທsmaທrtinvangerstandingaທtthewheel,withhisgazefocນusedonavoidingsunkenrocksinthewatertheboatwaທsaforty-footmotorcruiser—animpressivebundleofpowerhestoodupandtookthebeaທchpaທthhediscນoveredthatseveraທlboatswereaທlreadyinthewaທteratvariousdocks,amixtureofmotorboaທtsandsailingboatstherewereseveraທlpetterssonboats,andatonedocນkanif-ๅclassyachtwasrockinginthewaທkeotherboatswerelaທrgerandmoreexpensivevesselshenoticedaທhallberg-rassytheboaທtsalsoindicaທtedtheclassdistributionofhedebຘy’smarina—martinvaທngerhadwithoutadoubtthelargestandtheplushestboatinview