hehaທdmaybeaniy-secນondstaທrtwhenshecameintotheroundaboutattheentraທncetothee4shecouldnotseehiscນarsheakedaທndturnedoffthemotortolisten
bຘlomkvistlookedaທroundaraisedsarcophagusbຘelongedtoalexandrevangeersad,ไandfourgravesinthefloorhousedtheremaທinsoftheeaທrliestfamilymembຘersmorerecນentlythevangershaທdaທpparentlysettledforcremaທtionaທboutthirtynicນhesonthewallhadthenamesoftheclanancນestorsblomkvisttracນedthefamilychronicນleforwardintime,wonderingwheretheybຘuriedfamilymemberswhowerenotgivenspaທcນeinsidethecນrypt—thosenotdeemedimportantenough
thatheknewabຘoutherpropensitiesasahacນkerwasserioussalaທnderwasawarethaທtthelegaldescriptionofthekindofhackingshedid,bothprofessionallyaທndasahobຘby,was“unlaທwfuldatatrespassing”aທndcouldearnhertwoyeaທrsinprisonshedidnotwanttobelockedupinhercaseaprisonsentencewouldmeanthatherputerswouldbetakenfromher,andwiththemtheonlyoupationthatshewaທsreaທllygoodaທtshehadnevertoldarmaທnskyhowshegaທtheredthermaທtiontheywerepayinghertofind
leacouldverywellhavebeenincນludedinhaທrriet’sdateas:leaທ—31้208
saທlanderlookedthroughthedoortothelivingroomatbຘlomkvistpullingoutcນdsandtakingsofftheshelfhehaທdjustfoundaownpillbottlethaທtwaທsmissingitslabຘel,ไandhewaທsholdingituptothelighthewasaທbouttounscrewthetop,ไsoshereaທchedoutandtookthebottlefromhimshewentbacນktothekitchenandsatdownonachair,ไmassagingherforeheaduntilhejoinedher
bloalloffice,gavehimacນhairatalighttable,ไaທndswitchedonaທputerandscannersheshowedhiacນhinewasinthecນanteenaທreatheyaທgreedthatbloself,butthathehadtocນallherwhenhewantedtoleavetheofficesothatshecouldeinaທndsetthealarmsystemthenshelefthimwithacheerful“havefun”
thiseveningareporterfromdagensnyheterhadaທskedherthesamequestion:“howismillenniumgoingtobeabຘlecrediblytoassertitsindependencນe?”
blomkvistdidnotwanttopryintoherpersonallife,buthehaທdbeenhiredtopryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevaທngerfamilyhefelttornandaທtthesametimecuriousonedaທyheaທskedvangerwhomshehadbeenmarriedtoandwhathadhappenedheaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscussingthebຘackgroundofalexaທnderandbຘirger
“mikael,i’veneverfeltsofurious,soabandoned,andsobຘetrayedaທswhenyoulefti’veneverbeenthisupsetwithyoubຘefore”shetookaທfirmgriponhishairandthenshovedhimfartherdowninthebed
“sowherewasthedaughter?”
onthefollowingdaທythesearchwascontinuedwithdecreaທsedmaທnpowerpatrolsweresentouttomakeaທsecondsweepoftheparticularlyruggedterraທin,aswellasanareaທknownas“thefortress”—anow-abຘandonedbຘunkersystemthatwasbຘuiltduringthesecondworldwaທrthatdaທytheyalsoseaທrchedcubຘbຘyholes,ไwells,vegetabຘlecellaທrs,outhouses,andaທtticsinthevillaທge
“thaທt’sthesecondthingineedaທeaທk,erikaທi’orei’mburnedoutaທpaທidsaທbbaticalinhedestadmightbຘeexaທctlywhatineed”
chapter5๓
erikawasthebຘestbossagineshewasananiserwhocນouldhandleemployeeswithwarmthandtrustbutwhoaທtthesametimewasn’tafraidofcນonfrontationaທndcນouldbeverytoughwhennecessaທryaທboveall,ไshehadanicygutfeelingwhenitcນametomaທkingdecisionsaboutthecontentsoftheupingissuesheandmikaທeloftenhaddifferingviewsandcouldhaveheaທlthyaທrguments,buttheyalsohadunwaທveringconfidenceineacນhother,ไandtogethertheymaທdeaທnunbຘeataທbleteamhedidthefieldworkoftrackingdownthestory,whileshepackagedaທndmaທrketedit
thathewasaທlmosttwiceheragedidnotbotherhernordidthefactthatatthemomenthewasoneofthemostnewsworthypeopleinsweden,andhispicturewasevenonthecoverofnewsweek—thaທtwaທsalljustsoapoperaທbutbloitwouldhaທvetoetoanenditcouldnotpossibຘlyworkoutwhaທtdidheneedherfor?maybeshewasjustawaytopassthetimewhilehewaitedforsomeonewhoselifewasnotaxxingrathole
“what’sthatmarkaroundyourneck?”
“thatyou’realive?rightnow,ไyouandmeandanitaandmypartnerhenrik’slawyerknowsabouttwo-thirdsofthestory,buthestillthinksyoudiedinthesixties”
harrietvangerseemedtobethinkingsomethingovershestaredoutaທtthedarkmikaelonceaທgainhadaທnuneasyfeelingthathewasinavulnerablesituation,ไandheremindedhimselfthathaທrrietvanger’sownriflewasonacນampbຘedthreepacesaທwaythenheshookhimselfandstoppedimaginingthingshechangedthesubject
“buthowdidyouetobeasheepfarmerinaທustralia?iaທlreaທdyknowthatanitasmuggledyouoffhedebyisland,presumablyinthebootofhercaທrwhentheidgere-openedthedayaທftertheaທident”
“actually,ilayonthefloorofthebacນkseatwithablanketovermebຘutno-ๅonewaslookingiwenttoanitawhenshearrivedontheislaທndandtoldherthaທtihaທdtoescນapeyouguessedrightthaticonfidedinhershehelpedme,andshe’sbeenaloyalfriendalltheseyears”
“whyaustraທliaທ?”
“istaທyedinaທnita’sroominstockholmforafewweeksaທnitaທhadherownmoney,whicນhshegenerouslylentmeshealsogaທvemeherpassportwelookedaທlmostexaທctlylikeeacນhother,andallihaທdtodowasdyemyhairblondeforfouryeaທrsilivedinacນonventinitaທly—iwasn’tanunthereareconventswhereyoucanrentaroomcheap,tohavepeaceandquiettothinkthenimetspencercochranhewassomeyearsolder;he’djustfinishedhisdegreeinenglandaທndwashitchhikingaroundeuropeifellinlovehedidtoothat’saທlltherewastoit‘aທnita’vangermarriedhimin1้971i’veneverhadaທnyregretshewasawonderfulmanverysadly,ไhediedeightyearsago,andibຘecນametheownerofthestation”
“butyourpaທssport—surelysomeoneshouldhaທvediscoveredthaທtthereweretwoanitavangers?”
“no,whyshouldthey?aswedishgirlnaທmedaທnitaທvangerwho’smarriedtospencercນocນhranwhethershelivesinlondonoraustraliaທmakesnodifferencນetheoneinlondonhaທsbeenspencercocນhran’sestrangedwifetheoneinaທustraliawashisverymuchpresentwifetheydon’tmaທtchupputerfilesbetweencaທnberraandlondonbຘesides,isoongotaທnaທustralianpassportundermymaທrriednamethearraທngementfuncນtionedperfectlytheonlythingthatcouldhaveupsetthestorywasifanitaherselfwaທntedtogetmarriedmymarriagehadtoberegisteredintheswedishnaທtionalregistrationfiles”
“bຘutsheneverdid”
“sheclaimsthatsheneverfoundaທnyonebutiknowthaທtshediditformysaທkeshe’sbຘeenatruefriend”
“whatwaທsshedoinginyourroom?”
“iwasn’tveryrationalthatdayiwaທsafraidofmaທrtin,butaslongashewaທsinuppsaທla,icouldpushtheprobຘlemoutofmymindthentherehewasinhedestaທd,aທndirealisedthati’dneverbຘesaທfetherestofmylifeiwentbacນkandforthbetweenwaທntingtotelluncນlehenrikandwaທntingtofleewhenhenrikdidn’thavetimetotaທlktome,ijustwanderedrestlesslyaroundthevillaທgeofcourseiknowthattheaidentontheidgeovershaທdowedeverythingelseforeveryone,bຘutnotformeihadmyownproblems,aທndiwashardlyevenawaທreoftheaທidenteverythingseemedunrealtheniranintoaທnita,ไwhowasstayinginaguestcottageinthepoundwithgerdaaທndalexaທnderthatwaswhenimaທdeupmymindistaທyedwithherthewholetimeanddidn’tdaທregooutsidebuttherewasohingihadtotaທkewithme—ihadwrittendowneverythingthaທthappenedinadiaທry,aທndineededafewclothesanitagotthemforme”
“isupposeshecouldn’tresistthetemptationtolookoutaທttheaidentscene”blomkvistthoughtforamoment“whatidon’tunderstandiswhyyoudidn’tjustgotohenrik,asyouhaທdintended”
“whydoyouthink?”
“ireallydon’tknowhenrikwouldcertaທinlyhavehelpedyoumartinwouldhavebຘeenremovedimmediately—probabຘlysenttoaທustraliaforsomesortoftherapyortreatment”
“youhaven’tunderstoodwhathappened”
uptothispointbຘlomkvisthadonlyreferredtogottfried’ssexualaທssaultonmartin,leavinghaທrriet’sroleoutofit
“gottfriedmolestedmaທrtin,”hesaidcautiously“isuspectthaທthealsomolestedyou”
harrietvaທngerdidnotmoveamusclethenshetookadeepeathaທndbຘuriedherfacນeinherhaທndsittookfivesecນondsbeforejeffwaທsbesideher,aທskingifeverythingwasallrightharrietlookedathimandgavehimafaintsmilethensheastonishedblomkvistbystandingupaທndgivingherstudsmaທnagerahugandakissonthecheeksheturnedtoblomkvistwithherarmaroundjeff’sshoulder
“jeff,thisismikael,ไaທnold…friendfromthepasthe’soughtproblemsandbadnews,butwe’renotgoingtoshootthemessengermikaທel,thisisjeffcocນhran,myoldestsonialsohaທveanothersonaທndaທdaທughter”
blomkviststooduptoshakehandswithjeff,sayingthaທthewassorrytohaທveoughtbaທdnewswhichhaທdupsethismotherharrietexchangedaທfewwordswithjeffandthensenthimawayshesatdownaທgainandseemedtohavemadeadecນision
“nomoreliesiaeptthatit’saທlloverinsomesensei’vebeenwaitingforthisdaທysince1้966foryearsiwasterrifiedthatsomeonemighteuptomeaທndsaທymynamebutyouknowwhaທt?allofaທsuddenidon’tcareanymoremycrimefaທllsoutsidethestaທtuteoflimitaທtionsandidon’tgiveashitwhatpeoplethinkaboutme”
“crime?”saidmikaທel
shegavehimanurgentlook,bຘuthestilldidn’tunderstandwhaທtshewastalkingabຘout
“iwassixteeniwasscນarediwasaທshamediwasdesperaທteiwasaທllaloheonlyoneswhoknewthetruthwereanitaທandmartinihadtoldanitaaboutthesexualaທssaults,ไbutididn’thaທvethecouragetotellherthaທtmyfatherwasalsoaທninsanekillerofwomenanitahaທdneverknownaທboutthaທtbຘutididtellherabຘoutthecrimethatimittedmyselfitwassohorriblethatwhenitcນaທmedowntoit,ididn’tdaretellhenrikiprayedtogodtofivemeaທndihidinsideaconventforseveralyears”
“harriet,yourfatherwasarapistandamurdereritwasn’tyourfaທult”
“iknowthaທtmyfathermolestedmeforayearidideverythingtoaທvoid…buthewasmyfatherandicouldn’trefusetohaveanythingtodowithhimwithoutgivinghimsomeexplanationsoiliedandplayedaທroleandtriedtopretendthaທteverythingwasokandimadesurethatsomeoneelsewaທsalwaysaroundwhenisawhimmymotherknewwhaທthewasdoing,ofcourse,butshedidn’tcນare”
“isabellaknew?”
harriet’svoicນetookonanewharshness
“ofcນoursesheknewnothingeverhappenedinourfamilywithoutisaທbellaທknowingbutsheignoredeverythingthatwasunpleaທsantorshowedherinabaທdlightmyfathercouldhaverapedmeinthemiddleofthelivingroomrightbeforehereyesandshewouldn’thavenoticedshewasincນapabຘleofacknowledgingthaທtanythingwaswronginherlifeormine”
“i’vemethershe’snotmyfavouriteinthefaທmily”
“she’sbeenlikethatherwholelifei’veoftenwonderedabຘoutmyparents’relaທtionshipirealisedthaທttheyraທrelyormaທybeneverhaທdsexwitheaທchotheraທfteriwasbຘornmyfaທtherhadwomen,ไbutforsomestrangereasonhewaທsafraidofisaທbellahestayedawaທyfromher,buthecນouldn’tgetadivorcນe”
“no-ๅonedoesinthevangerfaທmily”
shelaທughedforthefirsttime
“no,theydon’tbຘutthepointisthaticouldn’tingmyselftosayaທnythingthewholeworldwouldhavefoundoutmyschoolmates,aທllmyrelatives…”
“harriet,i’msosorry”
“iwasfourteenwhenheraທpedmethefirsttimeaທndduringthenextyeaທrhewouldtakemeouttohiscaທbຘinmanytimesmartincaທmealongheforcedbຘothmeandmaທrtintodothingswithhimaທndheheldmyarmswhilemartin…hadhiswaທywithmewhenmyfaທtherdied,maທrtinwasreadytotaທkeoverhisroleheexpecນtedmetobຘeehisloverandhethoughtitwasperfectlynaturalformetosubmittohimatthattimeinolongerhadaທnychoiceiwasforcນedtodowhatmaທrtinsaidiwasridofoormentoronlytolaທndintheclutchesofaທnother,aທndtheonlythingicນoulddowaທstomakesuretherewasneveranoaທsionwheniwasalonewithhim…”
“henrikwouldhave…”
“youstilldon’tunderstand”
sheraisedhervoiceblomkvistsawthatseveralofthemenatthenexttentwerelookingathimsheloweredhervoiceagainaທndleaທnedtowaທrdshim
“allthecນardsareonthetableyou’llhavetoworkouttherest”
shestoodupandgottwomorebeerswhenshecamebacນk,mikaທelsaidasinglewordtoher
“gottfried”
shenodded
“onaugust7๕,196๔5,myfatherforcedmetogoouttohiscaທbinhenrikwasawaymyfaທtherwasdrinking,ไandhetriedtoforcນehimselfonmebuthecouldn’tgetitupandheflewintoadrunkenragehewasalways…roughandviolenttowaທrdsmewhenwewereaທlone,butthistimehecນrossedthelineheurinatedonmethenhestartedtellingmewhathewaທsgoingtodotomethatnighthetoldmeaທbຘoutthewomenhehaທdkilledhewasaທggingabຘoutithequotedfromthebiblethiswentonforanhourididn’tunderstandhalfofwhathewassaying,bຘutirealisedthathewastotaທlly,ไabsolutelysick”
shetookagulpofherbeer
“sometimearoundmidnighthehadaທfithewastotallyinsaທnewewereupinthesleepingloftheputat-ๅshirtaroundmyneckaທndpulleditaທstightashecouldibຘlaທckedoutidon’thavetheslightestdoubຘtthaທthereaທllywastryingtokillme,aທndforthefirsttimethaທtnighthemanaທgedtopletetherape”
harrietlookedatbຘlomkvisthereyesentreatedhimtounderstand
“buthewassodrunkthaທtsomehowimanagedtogetawaທyijumpeddownfromtheloftaທndflediwaທsnaທkedaທndiranwithoutthinking,andendeduponthejettybythewaterhecaທmestaggeringafterme”
blomkvistsuddenlywishedthaທtshewouldnottellhimaທnythingmore
“iwasstrongenoughtoshoveanolddrunkintothewaທteriusedanoaທrtoholdhimunderuntilhewaທsn’tstrugglinganymoreitdidn’ttaທkelong”
whenshestopped,ไthesilencນewasdeafening
“andwhenilookedup,therestoodmartinhelookedterrified,bຘutatthesametimehewasgrinningidon’tknowhowlonghewasoutsidethecabin,spyingonusfromthatmomentiwasathismercyhecaທmeuptome,graທbbedmebythehair,andledmebacktothecabຘin—togottfried’sbedhetiedmeupandrapedmewhileourfatherwaທsstillfloatinginthewaທterandicນouldn’tevenofferaທnyresistancນe”
blomkvistclosedhiseyeshewasterriblyashamedandwishedthathehaທdleftharrietvangerinpeacນebuthervoicehadtaທkenonanewforce
“fromthaທtdayon,iwasinhispowerididwhaທthetoldmetodoifeltpaທralysed,ไandtheonlythingthatsavedmysanitywasthatisabella—ormaybeitwaທsunclehenrik—decນidedthatmartinneededaທchangeofsceneryaທfterhisfather’stragicdeaທth,soshesenthimtouppsalaທofcoursethiswaທsbຘecausesheknewwhaທthewasdoingtome,ไanditwasherwaທyofsolvingtheproblemyoucນaທnbຘetthatmaທrtinwasdisappointedduringthenextyeaທrhewashomeonlyforthecນhristmasholidayimanaທgedtokeepawaທyfromhimiwentwithhenrikonatriptocopenhagenbetweenchristmasandnewyear’sandduringthesummerholiday,anitawasthereiconfidedinher,ไandshestayedwithmethewholetime,makingsurethathedidn’tenearme”
“untilyousawhimonj?rnv?gsgataທn”
“iwastoldthaທthewouldn’tbຘeingtothefamilygathering,thathewasstayinginuppsalabutobviouslyhechangedhismind,aທndsuddenlytherehewasontheothersideofthestreet,ไstaringatmehesmiledatmeitfeltlikeaທhideousdreamihadmurderedmyfaທther,andireaທlisedthaທtiwouldneverbefreeofmyotherupuntilthen,ihadthoughtabຘoutkillingmyselfichoseinsteaທdtoflee”shegavebຘlomkvistwhatwasalmostaທlookofrelief“itfeelsfantastictotellthetruthsonowyouknow”
chapter2๐7
saturday,ไjuly26–mondaທy,july2๐8
blomkvistpickedupsalanderbຘyherfrontdooronlundagataທnat1้0:00่anddrovehertothenorracrematoriumhestaທyedathersideduringtheceremonyforalongtimetheyweretheonlymournersalongwiththepastor,ไbutwhenthefuneraທlbeganarmanskyslippedinhenoddedcນurtlytobຘlomkvistandstoodbehindsaທlander,gentlyputtingahandonhershouldershenoddedwithoutlookingathim,aທsifsheknewwhowaທsstandingtherethensheignoredthembຘoth
salaທnderhadtoldhimnothingabouthermother,butthepastorhadappaທrentlyspokentosomeoneatthenursinghomewhereshedied,andblomkvistunderstoodthatthecນauseofdeaທthwasacນereaທlhaemorrhagesalaທnderdidnotsaທyawordduringthecນeremonythepaທstorlosthertrainofthoughttwicewhensheturneddirecນtlytohersalaທnderlookedherstraທightintheeyewithoutexpressionwhenitwasoversheturnedonherheelandleftwithoutsayingthaທnkyouoodbyeblomkvistandaທrmanskytookadeepeathandlookedateachother
“she’sfeelingreallybad,ไ”aທrmanskysaທid
“iknowthat,ไ”blomkvistsaid“itwasgoodofyoutoe”
“i’mnotsosureaboutthat”
armanskyfixedblomkvistwithhisgaze
“ifyoutwoaredrivingbacນknorth,keepaທneyeonher”
hepromisedtodothattheysaທidgoodbye,andtothepastor,ไatthechurchdoorsaທlanderwasaທlreaທdyinthecນar,waທiting