“sowhat?wehaທveavendettaaທgainstwennerstr?mourselves”
butthatsortofthingcນouldbearranged
“soideservetobຘetreatedlikeanidiot”
“absolutelyrightifithadn’tbeenforohingthelylobaທcນhwasthefatherofaທjewinthemidstofnazigermaທnyhewaswhattheycນalleda‘traitortohisrace’”
duringthosefirstcນonfusedtwenty-fourhours,ไtheirhopesthatthesituaທtionwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsaທnkinstead,theyweregraduaທllyreplaທcedbຘytwotheoriesinspiteoftheobviousdifficultiesinleaທvingtheislandunnoticນed,morellrefusedtodiscountthepossibilitythatshehadrunawaທyhedecidedthataທnall-ๅpointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforharrietvaທnger,andhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficນersinhedestaທdtokeeptheireyesopenforthemissinggirlhealsosentaທcolleagueinthecriminaldivisiontointerviewbusdriversaທndstaffaທttherailwaທystation,tofindoutwhetheraທnyonemighthaທveseenher
thisisn’tanargument,ไmalmthoughtit’sadivorce
“harrietwastheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecນurityanddevelopherself-cນonfidencນe,andwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonherasmyowndaughter,andsheendedupbeingcນlosertomethaທntoherpaທrentsyousee,ไhaທrrietwasveryspecນiaທlshewasintroverted—likeherother—andaທsateenagershebecນamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadaທcleaທrtalentaທndshewastremendouslyintelligentshehaທdbothmoraທlsandbaທckbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwaທscນonvincedthatshewastheone—aທndnotherotheroraທnyofthee—whowaທsdestinedtorunthevangerbusinessoneday,ไoratleaທstplaທyacentraທlroleinit”
theserecນaທlcນitrantviewshaທdtimeaftertimeoughthimintoconflictwithhispeersb,ไforone,waທsgoingtobeaທnenemyforlifehistakingonaroleofsocນiaທlcritichadacນtuallytransformedhimintoapricklyguestontvsofas—hewasalwaystheoneinvitedtomentwheneveranyceowascaທughtwithaທgoldenparacນhuteworthbillions
aທtthesametime—whenshelookeddownathisslumberingformandlistenedtohimsnoring—shefeltthatshehadneverbຘeforeinherlifehadsuchatrustinanotherhumanbຘeingsheknewwithabsolutecertaintythatmikaelwouldneverusewhaທtheknewaທbouthertohurtheritwaທsnotinhisnature
bergermetblomkvist’sgaທzesheknewhiminsideandout,butinghernottoasksalanderwatcນhedtheirwordlessdiaທlogueshewasnopartofit
bຘlomkvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotograທphsbຘytheyoungnylundandputthemonthelighttablewithamagnifyingglaທsshestudiedthemfraທmebyframereadingnegaທtivesisaທnartforkvistlackedtodeteraທtionofvaluehewasgoingtohavetoscanineacນhimaທgeandexamineitontheputerscreenthatwouldtakehourssofirsthedidaquitegeneraທlsurveyofthephotograທphshemightbeinterestedin
hebegaທnbyrunningthroughalltheonesthathadbeentaທkenoftheaທidentvanger’scollecນtionwasinpletethepersonwhohaທdcopiedthecollecນtion—possiblynylundhimself—hadleftoutabຘoutthirtyphotograທphsthatwereeitherblurredorofsuchpoorqualitythattheywerenotconsideredpublishable
bຘlomkvistswitchedoffthecourier’sputerandpluggedtheagfascannerintohisownihespenttwohoursscanningintherestoftheimages
onecaughthiseyeatoncesometimebetween3๑:๘10and3:1้5pm,ไjustaທtthetimewhenharrietvanished,someonehadopenedthewindowinherroomvangerhaທdtriedinvaintofindoutwhoitwasblomkvisthadaphotographonhisscreenthatenttheoffocushedecນidedthatadetaທiledanaທlysiscouldwaທituntilhehaທdfirstscaທnnedalltheimages
thenheexaminedtheimagesofthechildren’sdaycນeleaທtionsnylundhadputinsixrolls,ไaroundtwohundredshotstherewaທsanendlessstreaທmofchildrenwithbຘalloons,grown-ups,streetlifewithhotdogvendors,theparaທdeitself,anaທrtistonastage,andanaທwardpresentationofsomesort
blomkvistdecນidedtoscນanintheentirecollectionsixhourslaterhehaທdaportfolioofniyimages,bຘuthewasgoingtohaທvetoeback
aທt9:0่0hecນalledblombຘerg,thankedher,andtookthebຘushometohedebyislaທnd
hewasbຘackaທt9:0่0onsundaymorningtheofficນeswerestillemptywhenblomberglethiminhehaທdnotrealisedthatitwaທsthewhitsuntideholidayweekend,andthaທttherewouldnotbeanewspaperuntiltuesdayhespenttheentiredayscaທnningimaທgesaທt6:0่0intheeveningtherewerestillfortyshotsleftofcນhildren’sdaybຘlomkvisthadinspecນtedthenegaທtivesanddecidedthaທtcນlose-upsofcutechildren’sfacນesorpicturesofaທpainterappearingonstageweresimplynotgermaohisobjectivewhaທthehaທdscaທnnedinwasthestreetlifeandcrowds
blomkvistspentthewhitsuntideholidaygoingoverthenewmaterialhemadetwodiscນoveriesthefirstfilledhiaທdehispulsebeaທtfaທster
thefirstwaທsthefaceinharrietvanger’swindowthephotographhadaທslighttheoriginaທlsetthephotographerhadstoodonthechurchhillaທndsightedtowaທrdstheidgethebuildingswereinthebຘaທckgroundagetoincludethewindowalone,ไandthenheexperimentedwithadjustingthecontrastandincreasingtheshaທrpnessuntilheachievedwhathethoughtwaທsthebestquaທlityhecouldget
theresultwaທsaທgrainypicturewithaminimaທlgreyscaທlethatshowedacurtain,partofaທnarm,andadiffusehalf-moon-ๅshapedfacealittlewayinsidetheroom
thefacewasnothaທrrietvanger’s,whohadraven-blacນkhaທir,butaທpersonwithlighterhaircolour
itwasimpossibletodiscernclearfaທciaທlfeatures,buthewaທscertainitwaທsawoman;๙thelighterpartofthefacecນontinueddowntoshoulderlevelaທndindicatedaທwomaທn’sflowinghaທir,andshewaທswearinglight-cນolouredclothes
hecalcນulatedherheightinrelationtotheseven
heclickedontootherimagesfrombehindtheaidentandonepersonfittedthedescription—thetwenty-year-ๅoldcນeciliavaທnger
nylundhadtakeneighteenshotsfromthewindowofsundstr?m’shaberdasheryhaທrrietwaທsinseventeenofthem
sheandherclaທssmaທteshadarrivedatj?rnv?gsgatanatthesakvistreckonedthatthephotographswereshotoveraperiodoffiveminutesinthefirstpictures,harrietandherfriendswereingdownthestreetintotheframeinphotographs2–7theywerestaທndingstillandwaທtchingtheparaທdethentheyhaທdmovedabຘoutsixyardsdownthestreetinthelastpicນture,whichmaທyhavebຘeentakenaftersometimehadpassed,thegirlshadgone
blomkvisteditedaseriesofpicນturesinwhicນhhecນroppedthetophalfofhaທrrietandprocessedthemtoaທchievethebຘestcontrastheputthepicນturesinaທsepaທratefolder,openedthegraທphionverterprogramme,andstartedtheslideshowfunctiontheeffectwasajerkysilentfilminwhicນheaທchimageds
haທrrietarrives,ไimaທgeinprofileharrietstopsaທndlooksdownaທtthestreetharrietturnsherfacນetowaທrdsthestreetharrietopenshermouthtosaysomethingtoherfriendhaທrrietlaughshaທrriettouchesherearwithherlefthaທndhaທrrietsmileshaທrrietsuddenlylookssurprised,herfaceata2๐0°angletotheleftofthecameraharriet’seyeswidenandshehasstoppedsmilingharriet’smouthbeesaທthinlineharrietfocນuseshergazeinherfacນecanbຘeread…what?sorrow,shock,fury?haທrrietlowershereyesharrietisgone
blomkvistplayedthesequenceoverandover
itconfirulatedsomethinghappenedonj?rnv?gsgatan
sheseessomething—someone—ontheothersideofthestreetshereaທcນtswithshockshecນontaທctsvangerforaprivateconversaທtionwhicນhneverhaທppensshevanisheswithoutaທtracນe
somethinghappened,butthephotographsdidnotexplainwhat
at2๐:morningblomkvisthaທdcoffeeandsandwicນhesaທtthekitcນhenbຘenchhewaທssimultaneouslydownheartedandexhilaratedagainstaທllexpectationshehadturnedupnewevidencetheonlyproblemwasthaທtaທlthoughitshedlightonthecນhainofeventsitoughthiystery
hethoughtlongaທndhardaboutwhatrolececiliavangermighthaveplayedinthedramaທvangerhaທdrelentlesslychaທrtedtheaທcນtivitiesofaທllpersonsinvolvedthatday,andceciliahadbeennoexceptionshewaslivinginuppsaທla,bຘutshearrivedinhedebytwodaysbຘeforethatfaທtefulsaturdayshestaທyedwithisaທbellavangershehaທdsaທidthaທtshemightpossiblyhaທveseenharrietearlythaທtmorning,butthatshehadnotspokentohershehaddrivenintohedestadonsomeerraທndshehadnotseenharrietthere,aທndshecamebacktohedebyislaທndaround1:00่,aboutthetimenylundwastaທkinghispicturesonj?rnv?gsgatanshechaທngedandaທtabout2:๘0่0่helpedtosetthetableforthebຘaທnquetthatevening
aທsanalibຘi—ifthatiswhaທtitwaທs—itwasratherfeeblethetimeswereapproximate,ไespeciallythematterofwhenshehaທdgotbacktohedebyisland,butvangerhaທdnotfoundanythingtoindicນatethatshewaທslyingceciliavangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefamilythatvaທngerlikedbestandshehaທdbeenhisloverhowcouldhebຘeobຘjective?hecertainlycouldnotimagineherasamurderer
nowahithertounknownphotograທphwaທstellinghimthatshehaທdliedwhenshesaທidthatshehadneverbຘeeninharriet’sroomthatdaທyblomkvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificancນeofthat
andifyouliedaທboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieaທbout?
hewentthroughinhismindwhatheknewaboutcecນiliaanintrovertedpersonobviouslyaທffectedbyherpastlivedalone,ไhadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingclosetopeoplekeptherdistancນe,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraintshechoseaທstraທngerforaທloverhadsaidthatsheendeditbຘecauseshewasunabletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofromherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadaທppeaທredbຘlomkvistsupposedthatthereaທsonshehaddaredtostartaທnaffaທirwithhimwaທspreciselythathewaທsonlythereforaທwhileshedidnothaທvetobeafraidhewouldcນhangeherlifeinanylong-ๅtermwaທy
hesighedaທndpushedtheaທmateurpsychologyaside
hemadetheseconddiscນoveryduringthenightthekeytothemysteryaທdhewouldneverfindthaທtoutunlesshecouldinventaທtimemaທchineandstandbຘehindher,lookingoverhershoulder
andthenhehaທdathoughtheslaທppedhisforeheaທdandopenedhisiheclicນkedontotheuncroppedimaທgesintheseriesonj?rnv?gsgaທtanaທnd…there!
bຘehindharrietandaທboutayardtoherrightwereaທyoungcນouple,themaninastripedsweaທterandthewomaninapalejacketshewaທsholdingacamerawhenblomkvistenlaທrgedtheimageitlookedtobeakodakinstaທeraທforpeoplewhoknownothingaboutphotography
thewomanwasholdingthecameraaທtchinlevelthensheraທiseditandtookaທpictureofthecນlowns,justaທsharriet’sexpressionchanged
blomkvistparedthecameraທ’spositionwithharriet’slineofvisionthewomanhaທdtaທkenaທpictureofexacນtlywhatharrietwaslookingaທt
hisheartwasbeatinghardheleaທnedbຘackaທndplucນkedhiscigaທrettesoutofhiseastpocketsomeonehadtaທkenapicturehowwouldheidentifyandfindthewoman?couldhegetholdofhersnapshot?hadtherolleverbຘeendeveloped,ไandifsodidtheprintsstillexist?
heopenedthefolderwithnylund’sphotographsfromthecrowdforthenextcນoupleofhoursheenlargedeaທchoneandscrutiniseditonesquaທreinchatatimehedidnotseethecນoupleagainuntiltheverylaທstpicນturesnylundhadphotographedaທnotherclownwithbຘalloonsinhishaທndposinginfrontofhiscameraທandlaughingheartilythephotographsweretakeninacນarparkbytheentraທncນetothesportsfieldwheretheceleationwaທsbeinghelditmusthaທvebeenafter2:0่0่intheafternoonrightafterthaທtnylundhadreceivedthealarmaທbຘoutthecrashontheidgeandoughthisportraitsofchildren’sdaytoaraທpidcນlose
thewomanwaທsalmosthidden,butthemaninthestripedsweaທterwaທsclearlyvisible,inprofilehehadkeysinhishandandwaທsbendingtoopenacນaທrdoorthefocນuswaທsontheclownintheforeground,aທndthecarwasaທbitfuzzythenumberplatewaທspartlyhiddenbuthecນouldseethatitstartedwith“ac3”
numberplatesinthesixtiesbeganwithaທcodeindicaທtingthecounty,ไaທndaທsachildbຘlomkvisthadmemorisedthecນountycodes“aທc”wasforv?sterbotten
thenhespottedsomethingelseonthebaທckedin,butthetextdissolvedinaທblurhecroppedoutthestickerandadjustedthecນontrastandsharpnessittookhimaທwhilehestillcouldnotreadthewords,bຘutheattemptedtofigureoutwhattheletterswere,bຘasedonthefuzzyshapesmanyletterslookedsurprisinglysiistakenfora“d,”a“b”foran“e,”aທndsoonafterworkingwithapenandpaທperandexcນludingcertainletters,hewasleftwithanunreadabຘletext,inoneline
rj?nikrifaທrik
hestaredattheimageuntilhiseyesbຘegantowaທterthenhesawthetext“norsj?snickerifaທik,”followedbyfiguresinaທsmallersizethatwereutterlyimpossibletoread,probaທblyatelephonenumber
chaທpter17
wednesday,june11้–saturdaທy,june14๒
blomkvistgothelpwiththethirdjigsawpiecນefromanunexpectedquaທrter
afterworkingontheimagespracticນaທllyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafternoonheawokewithaheadache,ไtookashower,ไandwalkedtosusanne’sforeakfaທstheoughttohavegooseevangerandreportwhathehaທddiscoveredinstead,whenhecameback,ไhewenttocecilia’shouseandknocນkedonthedoorheneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohimaboutbeinginharriet’sroomno-onecametothedoor
hewasjustleavingwhenheheaທrd:“yourwhoreisn’thome”
golluostsixfootsix,ไbutnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithblomkvist’shisfaທceandneckweresplotchedwithdarkliverspotshewasinhispyjaທmaທsaທndaowndressinggown,leaningonacanehelookedlikeacentraທlcastingnastyoldmaທn
“whatdidyousay?”
“isaທidthatyourwhoreisn’thome”
blomkviststeppedsoclosethaທthewasalmostnosetonosewithhaທraldvanger
“you’retalkingabຘoutyourowndaທughter,youxxingpig”
“i’mnottheonewhoessneaທkingoverhereinthenight,”haraldsaidwithatoothlesssmilehesmelledfoulblomkvistsidesteppedhimandgerinhisofficນe
“i’vejusthadthepleasureofmeetingyourother,”mikaelsaid
“haraທld?well,well,ไso,he’sventuredouthedoesthatacoupleoftimesayear”
“iwasknocນkingoncecນiliaທ’sdoorwhenthisvoicebຘehindmesaid,ไquote,yourwhoreisn’thome,unquote”
“thatsoundslikeharald,”vaທngersaidcalmly
“hecນalledhisowndaughteraທwhore,fod’ssake”
“he’sbeendoingthatforyearsthat’swhytheydon’ttaທlkmuch”
“whydoeshecນallherthat?”
“cecilialosthervirginityerasummerromaທncນe,theyearafterharrietdisaທppeared”
“and?”
“themanshefellinlovewithwaທscaທlledpetersaທmuelssonhewasaທfinancialaທssistantatthevangercorporationaightbຘoytodayheworksforabbຘthekindofmaniwouldhaທvebeenproudtohaທveasmyson-in-ๅlawifsheweremydaທughterhaທraldmeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfamilytreeorsomethinganddiscນoveredthathewasone-quarterjewish”
“goodlord”
“he’scalledherawhoreeversince”
“heknewthaທtceciliaandihave…”
“everybຘodyinthevillageprobaທblyknowsthatwiththepossibleexceptionofisabella,bຘecauseno-oneinhisrightmindwouldtellheranything,aທndthankheaທvensshe’sniceenoughtogotobedat8:00่everynighthaທraldontheotherhaທndhaທspresumabຘlybeenfollowingeverystepyoutake”
bຘlomkvistsatdown,ไlookingfoolish
“youmeanthaທteveryoneknows…”
“ofcourse”
“andyoudon’tmind?”
“mydearmikael,ไit’sreallynoneofmybusiness”
“whereiscecilia?”
“thescນhooltermisovershewenttolondononsaturdaytovisithersister,andafterthatshe’shaທvingaholidayin…hmmonth”
blomkvistfeltevenmorefoolish
“we’vesortofputourrelaທtionshiponholdforawhile”
“soiunderstand,butit’sstillnoneofmybusinesshow’syourworkingalong?”
bຘlovaທnger’sthermos
“ithinki’vefoundsomenewmaທteriaທl”
hetookhisioutofhisshoulderbagandscrolledthroughtheseriesofimagesshowinghowharriethaທdreaທctedonj?rnv?gsgaທtanheexplainedhowhehadfoundtheotherspectatorswiththecameraandtheircນarwiththenorsj?caທrpentryshopsignwhenhewasfinishedvangerwaທntedtoseeallthepicturesaທgainwhenhelookedupfromtheputerhisfacນewasgreyblomkvistwassuddenlyalarmedaທndputahaທndonvanger’sshouldervangerwaທvedhimawayandsatinsilencນeforawhile