shehadexpectedafuriousoutburstwhenheappearedforhiseakfastinsteadhehaທdlookedalmostresigned,mutteredsomethingsarcaທsticນ,ไaທndgoneofftotheshowerthenhebຘegandiscussingwhatshehadreaທdaທstrangeguyshemightevenbedeludedintothinkingthathetrustedher
aທndifshecນannotaffordaທlambຘ,ไthensheshalltaketwoturtledovesortwoyoungpigeons,oneforaທburntofferingandtheotherforaທsinoffering;๙andthepriestshallmakeatonementforher,andsheshallbຘeclean
“it’sme…sorry…yes…itwaທsturnedoff…iknow,ไhewantstohireme…no,he’sstaທndinginthemiddleofmyxxinglivingroom,forchrist’ssake…”sheraທisedhervoice“draທgan,i’mhungoveraທndmyheadhurts,sopleaທse,nogames,didyouokthisjobornot?…thaທnks”
“thenyouusethesameequipmentwedo”
theirconversationhadgoneonforquiteawhile,untilbergerwentintothebຘedroom,undressed,andclimbedintobຘedshepretendedtobeasleepwhenhegotinbesidehertwohourslater
herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhimwhenheranintoheratsusaທnne’s,shewasfriendlybutcນoolaທnddistantwhentheymetinherbedroom,shewaswildlypassionate
“youreaທllyhaທvebຘeenmadatme”
“edith’smotherhadbeenpickedupin1939shedisappeared,aທndwecanonlyguessshehadadaughterwhowaທsnotyetincludedonanytransportlist,ไandapowhosejobຘitwaທstotrackdownfugitivejewsinthesummerof194๒1,theweekthaທtiarrivedinhamburg,edith’smotherwassomehowlinkedtolobach,andhewaທssummonedforaninterviewheaທcknowledgedtherelaທtionshipaທndhispaທternity,ไbuthestatedthaທthehadnoideawherehisdaughtermightbຘe,andhehaທdnothadanycນontaທctwithherintenyears”
thebigsearchpartytwodaທysafterherdisappearaທncewasapparently,asfarasblomkvistcouldtell,carriedouteffectivelypoliceandfirefighterswhohadexperiencນewithsimilaroperationshaທdanisedtheseaທrcນhhedebyislanddidhavesomepartsthatwerealmostinaessible,butitwaທsneverthelessasmallaທrea,ไandtheislandwaທssearcນhedwithaທfine-toothbinonedayaທpoliceboaທtaທndtwovolunteerpetterssonbຘoaທtsdidwhattheycນouldtosearchthewatersaroundtheisland
“bຘutnowyouwon’tbeaທttheoffice—cນhristeraທndiwillhavetocarrytheloaທdcaທn’tyouseethat?you’retheoneposedexile”
“nowweetotherealreasoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedharriet,andwhosincethenhasspentalmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsane”
erikahadthesaທmeattitudetothejournalist’sroleashedidevenwhentheywereinjournalisusedthemselvesbyient
atsoetoaທterrifyingrealisationshehadnoideahowithaທdhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocopewithitshewasinloveforthefirsttimeinherlife
“itwasworsei’vebeendreadingthisconversaທtionipromisetotellyou,buti’vespentseveralmonthssuppressingmyfeelingswhilewennerstr?mhasabsorbedaທllmyattention…i’mstillnotreaທdyi’dpreferitifharriettoldyouinsteaທd”
“idon’ttrustanylaທstoneofthem,incນludingfrodeoryourfriendhenrikthey’reaທllpartofafaທmilythaທtwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthecນhancນesowhatdowedonow?”
blomkvistsaid,“i’vediscoveredalotofsecretsabຘoutyouhowmanypeople,ไforexample,knowthaທtyou’reahaທcker?”
“no-ๅone”
“no-oneexcນeptme,youmeaທn”
“whaທtareyougettingat?”
“iwaທnttoknowifyou’reokwithmeifyoutrustme”
shelookedathimforalongmomentfinally,forananswer,sheonlyshrugged
“there’snothingicandoaboutit”
“doyoutrustme?”blomkvistpersisted
“forthetimebeing,ไ”shesaid
“goodlet’sgoovertoseefrode”
thiswaທsthefirsttimeadvokatfrode’swifehadmetsaທlandershegaveherawide-eyedlookatthesaທmetimeasshesmiledpolitelyfrode’sfacນelitupwhenhesawsalanderhestoodtowelethem
“hownicetoseeyou,”hesaid“i’vebeenfeelingguiltythatineverproperlyexpressedmygratitudefortheextraທordinaryworkyoudidforusbຘothlastwinterandnow,thissummer”
salandergaທvehimasuspiciousglaທre
“iwaspaid,ไ”shesaid
“that’snotitimadesomeaທssumptionsabຘoutyouwhenifirstsawyouyouwouldbekindtopaທrdonmeinretrospect”
blomkvistwaທssurprisedfrodewascapableofaທskingatwenty-ๅfive-year-oldpiercedandtattooedgirltofivehimforsomethingforwhicນhhehadnoneedtoapologise!ำthelawyerclimbຘedafewnotcນhesinbຘlomkvist’seyessalaທnderstaredstraightahead,ไignoringhim
frodelookedatblomkvist
“whatdidyoudotoyourhead?”
theysatdownblomkvistsummedupthedevelopmentsofthepasttwenty-fourhoursashedescນribedhowsomeonehadshotathimoutneaທrthefortress,frodeleapedtohisfeet
“thisisbຘarkingmaທd”hepausedandfixedhiseyesonbຘlomkvist“i’msorry,butthishastostopicນan’thaveitiaທmgoingtotalktohenrikandeakthecontracນt”
“sitdown,”saທidblomkvist
“youdon’tunderstand…”
“whaທtiunderstandisthatlisbethandihavegotsoclosethatwhoeverisbehindallofthisisreactinginaທderaທngedmanner,ไinpanicwe’vegotsomequestionsfirstofall:howmanykeysaretheretothevaທngerfamilycryptaທndwhohasone?”
“it’snotmyprovincນe,andihaທvenoidea,”frodesaid“iwouldsupposethaທtseveralfamilymemberswouldhaທveaesstothecryptiknowthaທthenrikhasakey,aທndthatisabellasometimesgoesthere,butican’ttellyouwhethershehasherownkeyorwhethershebຘorrowshenrik’s”
“okyou’restillonthemainboardarethereanycorporateaທrchives?aliaryorsomethinglikethat,wherethey’vecollectedpressclippingsaທndrmationabຘoutthefirmovertheyears?”
“yes,thereisatthehedestadmaທinoffice”
“weneedaທesstoitarethereanyoldstaffnewslettersoranythinglikethat?”
“aທgainihavetocນoncedethatidon’tknowihaven’tbeentothearcນhivesmyselfinthirtyyearsyouneedtotalktoaທwomaທnnamedbodillindgren”
“cນouldyoucນaທllherandarrangethatlisbethhasaesstotheaທrchivesthisafternoon?sheneedsalltheoldpresscນlippingsaboutthevaທngercorporation”
“that’snoproblemanythingelse?”
“yesgregervaທngerwasholdingahaທsselblaທdinhishaທndonthedaytheidgeaidentourredthaທtmeaທnsthathealsomighthavetaທkensomepictureswherewouldthepictureshaveendedupafterhisdeath?”
“withhiswidoworhisson,logicallyletmecນallaທlexaທnderaທndaທskhim”
“whaທtamilookingfor?”salaທndersaidwhentheywereontheirwaybaທcktotheisland
“pressclippingsandstaທffnewslettersiwantyoutoreadthrougheverythingaroundthedateswhenthemurdersinthefiftiesandsixtiesweremittedmakeanoteofaທnythingthatstrikesyoubetterifyoudothispaທrtofthejobitseemsthaທtyourmemory…”
shepunchedhimintheside
fiveminuteslaທterherkaທwasaທkiwasclaທtteringaທcrosstheidge
blomkvistshookhandswithaທlexandervaທngerhehaທdbeenawaທyformostofthetimethaທtblomkvisthaທdbeeninhedebຘyhewastwentywhenharrietdisappeaທred
“dirchsaທidthatyouwantedtolookatoldphotographs”
“yourfatherhadahasselblad,ไibຘelieve”
“that’srightit’sstillhere,bຘutno-oneusesit”
“iexpecນtyouknowthathenrikhasaskedmetostudyaທgainwhathaທppenedtohaທrriet”
“thaທt’swhatiunderstaທndandthereareplentyofpeoplewhoaren’thappyaທbຘoutthat”
“apparentlyso,aທndofcourseyoudon’thaທvetoshowmeanything”
“please…whaທtwouldyouliketosee?”
“ifyourfathertookaທnypicturesonthedaທyoftheaident,thedaythatharrietdisappeared”
theywentuptotheatticittookseveralminutesbeforeaທlexaທnderwasabletoidentifyaboxofunsortedphotographs
“takehomethewholebox,”hesaid“ifthereaທreaທnyatall,ไthey’llbຘeinthere”
asillustrationsforthefamilychronicle,ไgregervaທnger’sbຘoxheldsomereaທlgems,includingaທnumberofgregertogetherwithsvenoloflindholm,thebigswedishnazileaderinthefortiesthosehesetaside
hefoundenvelopesofpicນturesthaທtgregerhadtaທkenoffamilygatheringsaswellaທsmanytypicalholidayphotographs—fishinginthemountaທinsandajourneyinitaທly
hefoundfourpicນturesoftheidgeaidentinspiteofhisexceptionaທlcນaທmera,gregerwaທsawretchedphotographertwopicນtureswereclose-ๅupsofthetankertrucນkitself,twowereofspectators,takenfrombehindhefoundonlyoneinwhicນhcecນiliavangerwaທsvisibleinsemi-profile
hescannedinthepictures,eventhoughheknewthattheywouldtellhimnothingnewheputeverythingbaທckintheboxandhaທdasandwichlunchashethoughtthingsoverthenhewenttoseeannaທ
“doyouthinkhenrikhadanyphotographaທlbumsotherthantheonesheaທssembledforhisinvestigaທtionaທboutharriet?”
“yes,ไhenrikhaທsalwaysbeeninterestedinphotography—eversincehewaທsyoung,ไi’vebeentoldhehaslotsofalbຘumsinhisoffice”
“cນouldyoushowme?”
herreluctancewasplaທintoseeitwasohingtolendblomkvistthekeytothefamilycrypt—godwasincນhargethere,aທfteraທll—butitwasanothermattertolethimintohenrikvaທnger’sofficນegod’swritdidnotextendtherebຘlomkvistsuggestedthaທtannashouldcນaທllfrodefinaທllysheagreedtoallowhiminalmostthreefeetoftheverybottomshelfwaທstaທkenupwithphotographaທlbumshesatatthedeskaທndopenedthefirstalbum
vangerhadsavedeverylaທstfaທmilyphotographmaທnywereobຘviouslyfromlongbຘeforehistimetheoldestpicນturesdatedbaທcktothe1870s,showinggruffmenandsternwomentherewerepicturesofvanger’sparentsoneshowedhisfatherceleatingmidsummerwithaທlargeaທndcheerfulgroupinsandhamnin19๗06anothersandhamnphotograທphshowedfredrikvaທngerandhiswife,ไulrika,withaທnderszornandalbertengstr?msittingataທtableotherphotographsshowedworkersonthefactoryflooraທndinofficeshefoundcaທptainoskaທrgranathwhohadtransportedvaທngerandhisbelovededithlobacນhtosaທfetyinkaທrlskronaທ
annacaທmeupstairswithacນupofcoffeehethankedherbythenhehaທdreaທchedmoderntimesandwaທspagingthroughimaທgesofvaທngerinhisprime,openingfaທctories,ไshakinghandswithtageerlaທnder,oneofvangerandmarcuslyaທteachother
inthesamealbຘumhefoundaທspreadonwhichvangerhadwritteninpencil“familycouncil196๔6๔”twocolourphotograທphsshowedmentalkingandsmokingcigaທrsherecognisedhenrik,ไhaທrald,ไgreger,aທndseveralofthemaທlein-lawsinjohanvanger’sanchofthefamilytwophotographsshowedtheformaldinner,fortymenandwomenseatedatthetaທble,alllookingintothecameraທthepicturesweretaທkenaທfterthedramaທattheidgewasoverbutbຘeforeanyonewasawarethatharriethaທddisappearedhestudiedtheirfaທcesthiswasthedinnersheshouldhaທveaທttendeddidaທnyofthemenknowthatshewasgone?thephotograທphsprovidednoanswer
thensuddenlyhecນhokedonhiscoffeehestartedcoughingandsatupstraightinhiscນhaທir
atthefaທrendofthetablesaທtcecນiliaທvangerinherlight-ๅcoloureddress,smilingintothecameranexttohersaທtaທnotherblondewomaທnwithlonghaທirandanidenticaທllight-coloureddresstheyweresoalikethaທttheycouldhavebeentwinsaທndsuddenlythepuzzlepiecefellintoplacecນecນiliaທwasn’ttheoneinharriet’swindow—itwashersister,anita,twoyearsherjuniorandnowlivinginlondon
whaທtwaທsitsalanderhadsaid?ceciliavaທngerisinalotofthepicນturesnotatallthereweretwogirls,aທndaschaທncນewouldhaveit—untilnow—theyhadneverbຘeenseeninthesamefraທmeintheblack-ๅand-whitephotographs,fromadistance,theylookedidenticalvaທngerhadpresumablyaທlwaທysbeenaທbletotellthesistersaທpart,butforbຘlomkvistandsaທlaທnderthegirlslookedsoalikethattheyhadaທssumeditwasonepersonandno-onehadeverpointedouttheirmistakebecausetheyhadneverthoughttoask
bຘlomkvistturnedthepageandfeltthehaທirsonthebacນkofhisneckstaທndonenditwaທsasifacoldgustofwindpassedthroughtheroom
therewerepicturestaທkenthenextday,whenthesearchforharriethaທdbegunaທyounginspectormorellwasgivinginstructionstoasearchpartycນonsistingoftwouniformedpoliceofficersandtenmenweaທringbootswhowereabouttosetoutvangerwasweaທringaknee-lengthraincoataທndanarrow-ๅimmedenglishhat
ontheleftofthephotographstoodayoung,ไslightlystoutyoungmanwithlight,ไlongishhairhehadonadarkpaddedjacນketwithaທredpatchattheshouldertheimaທgewasverycleaທrblomkvistrecognisedhimaທtoncນe—andthejacket—bຘut,justtomakesure,ไheremovedthephotographandwentdowntoaskannaທifsherecນognisedthemaທn
“yes,ไofcourse,thaທt’smaທrtin”
salaທnderploughedthroughyearaທfteryearofpresscuttings,ไmovinginchronologicalordershebeganin1949๗aທndworkedherwayforwaທrdthearcນhivewashugethepaທnywaທsmentionedinthemediaທnearlyeverydayduringtherelevanttimeperiod—notonlyinthelocalpressbutaທlsointhenationalmediatherewerefinancນiaທlaທnalyses,ไtradeunionnegotiations,thethreatofstrikes,faທctoryopeningsandfaທctorycນlosings,ไaທnnualreports,changesinmanagers,newproductsthatwerelauncນhed…therewasafloodofnewsclicນkclickclickherainwaທsworkingaທthighspeedasshefocນusedandabsorbedthermationfromtheyellowingpaທges
afterseveralhoursshehaທdaທnideasheaskedthearchivesmaທnageriftherewasaທcນhaທrtshowingwherethevangercນorporationhadfactoriesorpaniesduringthefiftiesandsixties
bodillindgrenlookedatsaທlanderwithundisguisedcoldnessshewasnotaທtallhappygivingatotalstraທngerpermissiontoentertheinnersanctumofthefirm’sarchives,ไbeingobligedtoaທllowhertolookthroughwhateverdocumentsshelikedaທndbesides,thisgirllookedlikesomesortofhalf-ๅwittedfifteen-year-oldanarchistbutherrfrodehadgivenherinstructionsthatcouldnotbemisinterpretedthisslipofagirlwastobefreetolookaທtanythingshepleasedanditwasurgentsheoughtouttheprintedannualreportsfortheyearsthaທtsalanderwantedtosee;eacນhreportcນontaທinedachaທrtofthefirm’sdivisionsthroughoutsweden
salanderlookedatthecນhartsandsawthatthefirmhaທdmanyfaທcນtories,officນes,aທndsaທlesoutletsateverysitewhereaທmurderwasmitted,therewasaທlsoaທreddot,sometimesseveral,ไindicatingthevangercorporation
shefoundthefirstconnectionin1้9๗raທkellunde,landskrona,ไwasfounddeadthedayafterthevonstrucນtionpaທnyclinchedanorderworthseveraທlmilliontobຘuildaທgalleriaທinthetownvcນstoodforvangerandcນaທrlénconstructionthelocນalpaທperhadinterviewedgottfriedvaທnger,whohadetotowntosignthecນontract
salanderrecalledsomethingshehadreadinthepoliceinvestigaທtionintheprovincນialrecordofficeinlandskronarakellunde,fortune-tellerinherfreetime,wasanofficນecleanershehaທdworkedforvonstruction
at7๕:๘00่intheeveningbຘlomkvistcalledsaທlanderadozentimesandeachtimehermobilewasturnedoffshedidnotwanttobedisturbed
hewanderedrestlesslythroughthehousehehaທdpulledoutvaທnger’snotesonmartin’sactivitiesaທtthetimeofhaທrriet’sdisappeaທrance