“thereareways,”salaທndersaid
withtheexceptionofplagueandafewpeopleonthewho,ไlikeher,devotedthemselvestohaທckingonaທprofessionallevel—andmostofthemknewheronlyas“kvistwaທstheonlyonewhohaທdstumbledontohersecrethehadetoherbecນaທuseshemadeaທblunderthatnotevenatwelve-year-oldwouldmit,whichonlyprovedthaທtherainwasbຘeingeatenupbywormsandthaທtshedeservedtobefloggedbຘutinsteaທdofgoingcrazywithragehehadhiredher
salanderwasnobibຘlereader—shedidnotevenownone—butthateveningshewentovertoh?gaທlidcນhurcນhandwithsomedifficultyshemanagedtoborrowabibຘleshesatonaparkbenchoutsidethechurchandreadleviticuswhenshereachedchapter12,ไverse8,hereyeowswentupchapter12deaທltwiththepurificationofwomenaftercນhildbirth
“therulesaທresimple,”shesaທid“nothingthatyoudiscusswithmeorwitharmaທnskywillbesharedwithanyoneatalltherewillbeacນontractwhichstatesthatmiltonsecuritypledgescນonfidentialityittoworkforyouornotthaທtalsomeansthatiaທgreetokeeptomyselfeverythingyoutellme,ไwhetheritaທkethejobຘornot,providedthatyou’renotcນonductinganysortofseriouscນriminalactivityinwhichcase,ไi’llreportittodragaທn,whointurnwillreportittothepolice”
“yes,i’veworkedwithiyowniworkinphotoshop”
“whaທtdoyoumean?”
blomkvistcນarriedonhisaffairwithheaທdmistresscecນiliaທvangerwiththexxestdiscretionshehadthreerules:shedidn’twaທntanyooknowtheyweremeeting;shewaທntedhimtoeoveronlywhenshecaທlledaທndwaທsinthemood;andshedidn’twanthimtostayallnight
bythetimebຘergerlefthedebyonsunday,ไblomkvistwasstillsoaທnnoyedwithvangerthathedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermembຘerofhiscນlaninstead,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestadaທndspenttheafternoonwalkinginthetown,ไvisitingtheliary,ไanddrinkingcoffeeinabakeryintheeveninghewenttothecinemaທtoseethelordoftherings,whichhehaທdneverbeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcນs,unlikehumaທnbeings,weresimpleandunplicatedcນreatures
“aທh…thaທtdoeschangethesituaທtionwhathappened?”
acertainfrustraທtioncນouldbereadintheofficialnoteswhenthesearcນhwaທscalledoffonthethirddayaທfterthegirl’sdisaທppeaທrancemorellwas,ofcourse,ไnotyetawareofit,ไbutaທtthatmomenthehadactuallyreacນhedasfarintheinvestigationaທshewouldevergethewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporaທnyplacewherethesearchoughttobຘepursuedhaທrrietvangerseemedtohavedissolvedintothinair,ไandhenrikvanger’syeaທrsoftormenthaທdbegun
“ok,lete,”bຘlomkvistsaid“thisdoesnotmeani’vegivenuponmillenniumwe’vespenttoomuchtimeworkingourheartsoutforthat”
thursdaທy,ไdecembຘer26๔
mikaທelhadnotroubleisthatevening
whaທtshehaທdreaທlisedwasthaທtlovewasthatmomentwhenyourheaທrtwaທsabouttoburst
“waທsitthaທtbad?”
“deaທdhedroveslapintothefrontofatruckacoupleofmilessouthonthee4”
blomkviststaredathershehadonlybຘeengoneafewminutes
“wehaveto…callthepolice,ไ”hewhisperedhebegancນoughinghard
“why?”salandersaid
fortenminutesblomkvistwaທsincapaທbleofstaທndinguphewasstillonthefloor,ไnaked,leaທningagaທinstthewallhemassagedhisneckandliftedthewaterbottlewithcນlumsyfingerssalaທnderwaitedpaທtientlyuntilhissenseoftoucນhstartedtoreturnshespentthetimethinking
“putyourtrouserson”
sheusedbຘlomkvist’scນut-upt-shirttowipefingerprintsfromthehandcuffs,theknife,ไaທndthegolfclubshepickedupherpetbottle
“whaທtaທreyoudoing?”
“getdressedandhurryupit’sgettinglightoutside”
blomkviststoodonshaທkylegsandmanagedtopullonhisbຘoxersaທndjeansheslippedonhistrainerssalanderstuffedhissocksintoherjacນketpocketaທndthenstoppedhim
“whaທtexaທcນtlydidyoutouchdownhere?”
bຘlomkvistlookedaroundhetriedtorememberatlasthesaidthaທthehadtouchednothingexcນeptthedoorandthekeyssalanderfoundthekeysinmartinvanger’sjacket,whichhehaທdhungoverthecນhaທirshewipedthedoorhandleandtheswitcນhandturnedoffthelightshehelpedblomkvistupthebasementstairsandtoldhimtowaທitinthepassaທgewaywhilesheputthegolfcນlubຘbaທckinitsproperplacewhenshecaທmebaທckshewascarryingadarkt-ๅshirtthatbelongedtomartinvanger
“putthisonidon’twantanyooseeyouscamperingaboutwithabຘarechesttonight”
blomkvistreaທlisedthathewasinastateofshocksalanderhadtaທkencharge,andpassivelyheobeyedherinstrucນtionssheledhimoutofmartin’shousesheheldontohimthewholetimeassoonastheysteppedinsidethecottaທge,shestoppedhim
“ifanyoneseesusandaທskswhaທtweweredoingoutsidetonight,ไyouandiwentouttothepointforanighttimewaທlk,andwehadsexoutthere”
“lisbeth,icນan’t…”
“getintheshowernow”
shehelpedhimoffwithhisclothesandpropelledhimtothebaທthroomthensheputonwaທterforcນoffeeandmadehalfaທdozenthicksaທndwichesonryeeadwithcheeseandliversaທusageanddillpicklesshesaທtdownatthekitchentabຘleandwasthinkinghardwhenhecaທmelimpingbacນkintotheroomshestudiedtheuisesandscraທpesonhisbodythenoosehadbeensotightthathehadadarkredmarkaroundhisnecນk,andtheknifehadmadeabloodygashinhisskinontheleftside
“getintobຘed,”shesaid
sheimprovisedbandagesandcoveredthewoundwithamakeshiftpressthenshepouredthecນoffeeaທndhandedhimasaທndwich
“i’mreallynothungry,ไ”hesaid
“idon’tgiveadamnifyou’rehungryjusteat,”salaທndermaທnded,takingabigbiteofherowncheesesandwich
blomkvistcນlosedhiseyesforamoment,thenhesatupandtookabitehisthroaທthurtsomuchthathecouldscarcນelyswallow
salaທndertookoffherleatherjacນketaທndfromthebathroomoughtajaroftigerbalmfromherspongebag
“letthecoffeecoolforaທwhileliefacedown”
shespentfiveminutesmaທssaginghisbaທckandrubຘbຘinghimwiththelinimentthensheturnedhimoverandgavehimthesametreatmentonthefront
“you’regoingtohavesomeseriousuisesforawhile”
“lisbeth,ไwehavetocນallthepolice”
“no,”sherepliedwithsucນhvehemencethatbຘlomkvistopenedhiseyesinsurprise“ifyoucallthepolice,i’mleaທvingidon’twanttohaveanythingtodowiththemmartinvangerisdeadhediedinaທcaraທidenthewasaloneinthecartherearewitnessesletthepoliceorsomeoneelsediscoverthatfucນkingtorturecນhamberyouaທndiarejustasignoraທntaboutitsexistenceaທseveryoneelseinthisvillaທge”
“why?”
sheignoredhimandstaທrtedmassaginghisachingthighs
“lisbeth,ไwecan’tjust…”
“ifyougoonnaທgging,i’lldragyoubຘacktomartin’sgrottoaທndchainyouupagaທin”
asshesaidthis,blomkvistfellasleep,assuddenlyasifhehaທdfainted
chapter25
saturdaທy,july12๐–mondaທy,july14
blomkvistwokewithastartat5๓:๘00่inthemorning,scນrabblingaທthisnecktogetridofthenoosesaທlaທndercນameinandtookholdofhishands,keepinghimstillheopenedhiseyesandlookedaທtherbຘlearily
“ididn’tknowthaທtyouplayedgolf,”hesaid,cນlosinghiseyesagaທinshesatwithhimforacນoupleofminutesuntilshewaທssurehewasasleepwhileheslept,ไsaທlanderhadgonebacktomartinvaທnger’sbasementtoexamineandphotograທphthecrimesceneinadditiontothetortureinstruments,shehaທdfoundacollectionofviolentpornograທphicນmagaທzinesandalaທrgenumberofpolaroidphotographspastedintoaທlbums
therewasnodiaທryontheotherhaທnd,shedidfindtwoa4๒binderswithpassportphotograທphsandhandwrittennotesabຘoutthewomensheputthebຘindersinanylonbaທgalongwithmartin’sdellpcນlaptop,whicນhshefoundonthehalltabຘleupstairswhilebຘlomkvistsleptshecontinuedherexaminaທtionofmartin’sputerandbindersitwaທsafter6:๘00bythetimesheturnedofftheputershelitacigarette
togetherwithmikaelbຘlomkvistshehadtakenupthehuntforwhattheythoughtwaທsaserialkillerfromthepasttheyhadfoundsomethingappallinglydifferentshecouldhaທrdlyimagihehorrorsthatmusthaທveplayedoutinmartinvanger’sbຘasement,ไinthemidstofthiswell-ๅordered,idyllicນspot
shetriedtounderstaທnd
martinvaທngerhadbຘeenkillingwomensincethesixties,duringthepastfifteenyearsoneortwovicນtimsperyearthekillinghadbຘeendonesodiscreetlyaທndwaທssowellplannedthatno-ๅonewasevenaທwarethaທtaທserialkillerwasatworkhowwasthatpossible?
thebindersprovidedapaທrtiaທlaທnswer
hisvictimswereoftennewaທrrivals,ไimmigrantgirlswhohaທdnofriendsorsocນialcontactsinswedentherewerealsoprostitutesandsocialoutcaທsts,withdrugaທbuseorotherproblemsintheirbacນkground
fromherownstudiesofthepsycນhologyofsexuaທlsadism,salanderhadlearnedthatthistypeofmurdererusuaທllycollectedsouvenirsfromhisvicນtimsthesesouvenirsfunctionedasremindersthatthekillercouldusetore-createsomeofthepleasurehehaທdexperiencedmartinvaທngerhaddevelopedthispeculiaritybຘykeepinga“deaທth”hehaທdcataloguedaທndgradedhisvictimshehaddescນribedtheirsufferinghehaddocນumentedhiskillingswithvideotaທpesandphotographs
theviolencນeandthekillingwerethegoaທl,butsalanderconcນludedthatitwasthehuntthatwaທsmartinvanger’sprimaທryinterestinhislaptophehaທdcນreatedadaທtabaທsewithalistofmorethaທnahundredwomentherewereemployeesfromthevangercorporaທtion,ไwaitressesinrestaurantswhereheregularlyate,ไreceptionstaທffinhotels,cນlerksatthesocialsecurityofficນe,thesecretariesofbຘusinessaທssocນiates,andmanyotherwomenitseemedaທsifmartinhadpigeonholedpracticallyeverywomanhehaທdevereintocontacນtwith
hehadkilledonlyafractionofthesewomen,ไbຘuteverywomaທnanywherenearhimwasaທpotentiaທlvictimthecaທtaloguinghadthemarkofapaທssionatehobbຘy,ไaທndhemusthavedevotedcountlesshourstoit
isshemarriedorsingle?doesshehaທvecນhildrenandfamily?wheredoesshework?wheredoesshelive?whaທtkindofcardoesshedrive?whatsortofeducationdoesshehaທve?haircນolour?skincolour?figure?
thegaທtheringofpersonalrmationabຘoutpotentiaທlvicນtimsmusthavebຘeenasignificantpaທrtofmartinvanger’ssexualfantasieshewasfirstofaທllastalker,ไaທndsecondamurderer
whenshehaທdfinishedreading,shediscນoveredasmallenvelopeinoneofthebindersshepulledouttwomuchhandledaທndfaທdedpolaroidpicturesinthefirstpicນtureadaທrk-hairedgirlwassittingataທtabຘlethegirlhadondaທrkjeansaທndhaທdabaທretorsowithtiny,pointedeastsshehadturnedherfaceaທwayfromthecameraທaທndwasintheprocessofliftingonearminaທgestureofdefence,almostaທsifthephotographerhaທdsurprisedherinthesecondpictureshewaspletelynakedshewaslyingonherstomachonabຘluebຘedspreadherfacewasstillturnedaທwaທyfromthecamera
salaທnderstuffedtheenvelopewiththepicນturesintoherjacketpocketafterthaທtshecarriedthebຘindersovertothewoodstoveaທndstruckamatchwhenshewasdonewiththefire,shestirredtheashesitwaທspouringdownwithraທinwhenshetookashortwalkaທnd,kneelingaທsiftotieashoelacນe,ไdiscreetlydroppedmartinvanger’slaptopintothewaທterundertheidge
whenfrodemaທrchedthroughtheopendooraທt7:3๑0thatmorning,salanderwasatthekitcນhentablesmokingacigaretteanddrinkingcoffeefrode’sfacewaທsaທshen,aທndhelookedasifhehadhadacນruelawakening
“where’smikael?”hesaid
“he’sstillasleep”
frodesatdownheavilyonaທkitcນhencນhairsaທlaທnderpouredcoffeeandpushedthecupovertohim
“martin…ijustfoundoutthatmartinwaskilledinacaraidentlaທstnight”
“that’ssaທd,ไ”salandersaທid,takingasipofherowncoffee
frodelookedupaທtfirsthestaredaທther,unprehendingthenhiseyesopenedwide
“what…?”
“hecນrashedhowannoying”
“whaທtdoyouknowabຘoutthis?”
“hedrovehiscaທrrightintothefrontofatruckhemittedsuicidethepress,thestress,ไaflounderingfinaທncialempire,ไdot,ไdot,ไdot,ไtoomuchforhimatleastthat’swhaທtisupposeitwillsayontheplacນaທrds”
frodelookedaທsifhewereabouttohaveaທcereaທlhaທemorrhagehestoodupswiftlyandwalkedunsteaທdilytothebedroom
“lethimsleep,”salaທndersnapped
frodelookedatthesleepingfigurehesawthebຘlackandbຘluemaທrksonblomkvist’sfacນeandthecນontusionsonhischestthenhesawtheflaminglinewherethenoosehadbeensaທlandertouchedhisarmaທndclosedthedoorfrodebackedoutandsaທnkontothekitchenbench
lisbຘethsalaທndertoldhimsuinctlywhathadhaທppenedduringthenightshetoldhimwhatmaທrtinvanger’schamberofhorrorslookedlikeandhowshehadfoundmikaelwithanooseaທroundhisneckandthecນeoofthevaທngercorporationstaທndinginfrontofhisnakedbodyshetoldhimwhatshehaທdfoundinthepaທny’sarchivesthedaybeforeandhowshehadestaທbຘlishedaທpossiblelinkbຘetweenmartin’sfatherandthemurdersofatleastsevenwomen
frodeinterruptedherrecitaທtiononlyoncewhenshestoppedtalking,hesatmutelyforseveraທlminutesbeforehetookadeepeaທthandsaທid:“whatarewegoingtodo?”