ashetalked,dusksetinthemenquitworkfortheday,fireswerestaທrted,andpotsbegaທntosimmerblomkvistnoticedthaທtjeffstaທyedcນlosetohisbossandkeptawatchfuleyeonhimthecookservedthemdinnertheyeachhadaທnotherbeerwhenhewasfinishedharrietsatforalongtimeinsilence
analysecນonsequenceswhatdoidonow?
therewasagreatdealofbloodonthefloor,notallofitdry,ไaswellasaboltcນutter,whicນhtheyrecນkonedhadbຘeenusedtocutoffthecນat’shead
cນonsequentlyshewasmildlyirritatedwithhim
andifshecaທnnotaffordalamb,thensheshalltaທketwoturtledovesortwoyoungpigeons,oneforaburntofferingandtheotherforaທsinoffering;andthepriestshaທllmakeatonementforher,andsheshallbecນlean
“fine”hehesitaທted“armaທnskymaynotbຘepletelyaທwareofwhatiwanttohireyoufor…”
“thenyouusethesameequipmentwedo”
thereporterthoughtthequestionhaທdbeencleaທrenough,buthespelleditoutanywaທy
herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhimwhenheranintoheratsusanne’s,shewasfriendlybຘutcoolanddistantwhentheymetinherbຘedroom,shewaswildlypassionaທte
heendedhisoutingatmcdonaທld’sinhedestadandcນaughtthelaທstbustohedebຘyhemaທdecoffee,tookoutabinder,andsaທtaທtthekitcນhentaທbຘlehereaduntil4๒:00inthemorning
“edith’smotherhadbeenpickedupin1939๗shedisappeared,aທndwecanonlyguessshehadadaughterwhowaທsnotyetincນludedonanytransportlist,andapowhosejobຘitwaທstotrackdownfugitivejewsinthesummerof194๒1,theweekthatiarrivedinhamburg,edith’smotherwassomehowlinkedtolobach,andhewaທssummonedforaninterviewheacknowledgedtherelaທtionshipandhispaທternity,ไbuthestaທtedthathehadnoideawherehisdaughtermightbຘe,andhehadnothadanycນontaທctwithherintenyears”
chapter9
“butnowyouwon’tbຘeattheoffice—christerandiwillhavetocນarrytheloadcນan’tyouseethat?you’retheoneposedexile”
forthefirsttimesincehebຘeganhismonologue,ไtheoldmanhadmanaທgedtotakeblomkvistbysurprisehehaທdtoaທskhimtorepeaທtittobesurehehadheardcorrectlynothinginthecuttingshaທdhintedaທtaທmurder
erikahadthesameattitudetothejournaທlist’sroleashedidevenwhentheywereinjournalisusedthemselvesbyient
whenblomkvistwokeuplaທtethaທtmorning,shehadmadecນoffeeandbeenouttobຘuyeakfastrollshejoinedheraທtthetableandnoticedatoncethaທtsomethinginherattitudehadchanged—shewasabitmorereservedwhenheaທskedherifanythingwaswrong,ไshegavehimaທneutral,ไunprehendinglook
“itwasworsei’vebeendreadingthisconversationipromisetotellyou,bຘuti’vespentseveralmonthssuppressingmyfeelingswhilewennerstr?mhasabsorbedaທllmyattention…i’mstillnotreadyi’dpreferitifhaທrriettoldyouinsteaທd”
“anditwaທsafaທke”
“itwasaທllafakefrombeginningtoendthedocumentswereskilfulferieswennerstr?m’slawyerwasabletoprovethatthephotographofwennerstr?m’ssubordinaທteandtheustasheleaderwasamontageoftwodifferentimages”
“fascນinating,ไ”salandersaid
“inhindsightitwasveryeasytoseehowwehaທdbeenmanipulatedouroriginalstoryreallyhaທddamagedwennerstr?mnowthatstorywasdrownedinaທcleverferywepublishedastorythatwennerstr?mcouldpickaທpartpointbypointandprovehisinnocນence”
“youcouldn’tbຘackdownaທndtellthetruth?youhaທdabsolutelynoproofthatwennerstr?mhadmittedthefalsification?”
“ifwehadtriedtotellthetruthandausedwennerstr?mofbeingbຘehindthewholething,nobodywouldhaທvebelievedusitwouldhavelookedlikeadesperateaທttempttoshifttheblamefromourstupidityontoaninnocນentleaທderofindustry”
“isee”
“wennerstr?mhaທdtwolayersofprotecນtionifthefakehaທdbeenrevealed,hewouldhaທvebeenaທbletoclaimthaທtitwasoneofhisenemiestryingtoslaທnderhimaທndweatmillenniumwouldoncນeagaທinhaທvelostallcredibility,sincewefellforsomethingthatturnedouttobefalse”
“soyoucນhosenottodefendyourselfaທndtaທketheprisonsentence”
“ideservedit,”blomkvistsaid“ihadmittedlibelnowyouknowcanigobacນktosleepnow?”
heturnedoffthelampandshuthiseyessalanderlaທydownnexttohim
“wennerstr?misagangster”
“iknow”
“no,ไimeaທn,iknowthathe’saທgangsterheworkswitheverybodyfromtherussianmaທfiatothecolombiaທndrugcartels”
“whaທtdoyoumeaທn?”
“wheniturnedinmyreporttofrodehegavemeanextraassignmentheaທskedmetotrytofindoutwhatreaທllyhappenedatthetrialihadjuststartedworkingonitwhenhecaທlledarmaທnskyandcaທncelledthejob”
“iwonderwhy”
“iaທssumethattheyscrappedtheinvestigationaທssoonasyouaທeptedhenrikvaທnger’sassignmentitwouldnolongerhavebຘeenofimmediaທteinterest”
“and?”
“well,idon’tlikeleaທvingthingsunresolvedihadafewweeks…freelaທstspringwhenarmanskydidn’thaທveanyjobຘsforme,soididsomediggingintowennerstr?mforfun”
blomkvistsaທtupandturnedonthelampandlookedatsalanderhemethereyessheacນtuallylookedguilty
“didyoufindoutanything?”
“ihavehisentireharddiskonmyputeryoucanhaveasmucນhproofasyouneedthathe’sagangster”
chapter2๐8
tuesday,july29–fridaທy,october24
blomkvisthaທdbeenporingoversaທlander’sputerprintoutsforthreedays—boxesfullofpaທperstheproblemwaທsthatthesubjectskeptchangingallthetimeanoptiondealinlondonacນurrencydealinpaທristhroughanaທgentapanywithaທpost-officນeboxingialtarasuddendoubຘlingoffundsinanaທountatthechaທsemanhaທttaທnbຘankinnewyork
andthenaທllthosepuzzlingquestionmarks:aທtradingpanywith2๐00,000kronorinanuntouchedaທountregisteredfiveyearsearlierinsaທntiaທgo,cນhile—oneofneaທrlythirtysuchpaທniesintwelvedifferentcountries—aທndnotahintofwhattypeofacນtivitywaທsinvolvedaທdormantpany?eotherkindofactivity?theputergavenoclueastowhaທtwasgoingoninwennerstr?m’smindorwhatmayhaທvebຘeenperfectlyobvioustohimaທndsowasneverformulatedinanelectronicdocນument
salaທnderwaspersuaທdedthatmostofthesequestionswouldneverbeaທnsweredtheycouldseethemessage,butwithoutaທkeytheywouldneverbຘeaທbletointerpretthemeaningwennerstr?m’sempirewaslikeaທnonionfromwhichonelayerafteranothercນouldberemoved;alabyrinthofenterprisesownedbyoneaທnotherpanies,aounts,ไfunds,securitiestheyreckonedthatnobody—perhaທpsnotevenwennerstr?mhimself—couldhaveapleteoverviewwennerstr?m’sempirehaທdalifeofitsown
bຘuttherewasaທpattern,ไoratleastahintofapatternalabyrinthofenterprisesownedbຘyeachotherwennerstr?m’sempirewaທsvariouslyvaທluedatbetween100่and4๒00billionkronor,ไdependingonwhomyouaskedaທndhowitwascaທlculatedbຘutifpaniesowneaທchother’sassets—whatthenwouldbຘetheirvalue?
theyhadlefthedebຘyislandingreathasteearlyinthemorningaftersalanderdroppedthebຘombthatwaທsnowoupyingeverywaທkingmomentofbຘlomkvist’slifetheydrovetosalander’splaceaທndspenttwodaysinfrontofherputerwhilesheguidedhimthroughwennerstr?m’suniversehehadplentyofquestionsoneofthemwaspurecuriosity
“lisbeth,howareyouaທbletooperatehisputer,fromapurelypraທcticນalpointofview?”
“it’salittleinventionthatmyfriendplaທguecameupwithwennerstr?mhasanibຘmlaptopthatheworkson,ไbothathomeaທndattheofficethaທtmeaທnsthatallthermationisonaທsinglehaທrddrivehehaທsaoadbandconnecນtiontohispropertyaທthomeplagueinventedaທtypeofcuffthatyoufaທstenaທroundtheoaທdbaທndcable,andi’mtestingitoutforhimeverythingthatwennerstr?mseesisregisteredbythecນuff,ไwhicນhforwardsthedataທtoaserversomewhereelse”
“doesn’thehaveaທfirewall?”
salaທndersmiled
“ofcນoursehehasafirewallbຘutthepointisthatthecນuffaທlsofunctionsaທsaທtypeoffirewallittakesawhiletohacktheputerthiswaylet’ssaythatwennerstr?mgetsanemail;itgoesfirsttoplaທgue’scນuffaທndwecນaທnreaditbeforeitevenpassesthroughhisfirewallbuttheingeniouspartisthattheemaທilisrewrittenandafewbytesofsourcນecodeareaddedthisisrepeaທtedeverytimehedownloadsaທnythingtohisputerpicturesareevenbetterhedoesalotofsurfingontheeaທchtimehepicksupaທpornpictureoropensanewhomepaທge,weaddseveralrowsofsourcນecນodeafterawhile,inseveralhoursorseveraldaທys,dependingonhowmucນhheusestheputer,wennerstr?mhasdownloaທdedanentireprogrammeofapproximaທtelythreemegaທbຘytesinwhicນheacນhbitislinkedtothenextbit”
“and?”
“whenthelastbຘitsaທreinplacນe,theprogrammeisintegratedwithhisinterowsertohimitwilllookasthoughhisputerhaslocນkedup,andhehastorestartitduringtherestartawholenewsoftwaທreprograທmmeisinstalledheusesinterexplorerthenexttimehestartsexplorer,he’sreaທllystartingaທwholedifferentprogrammethat’sinvisibຘleonhisdesktopandlooksandfunctionsjustlikeexplorer,bຘutitalsodoesalotofotherthingsfirstittakescontrolofhisfirewallandmakessurethateverythingisworkingthenitstartstoscນantheputerandtraທnsmitsbitsofrmationeverytimeheclicksthemousewhilehe’ssurfingaທfterawhile,ไagaindependingonhowmuchhesurfs,we’veaumulatedaທpletemirrorimaທgeofthecontentsofhisharddriveonaserversomewhereaທndthenit’stimefortheht”
“ht?”
“sorryplaguecallsitthehthostiletakeover”
“isee”
“thereaທllysubtlethingiswhathappensnextwhenthestructureisready,ไwennerstr?mhastwopletehaທrddrives,oneonhisownmachineaທndoneonourserverthenexttimehebootsuphisputer,it’sactuaທllythemirroredputerthaທt’sstaທrtinghe’snolongerworkingonhisownputer;๙inrealityhe’sworkingonourserverhisputerwillrunalittleslower,ไbຘutit’svirtuallynotnoticeableandwheni’mcນonnecນtedtotheserver,ไicantaphisputerinreaທltimeeacນhtimewennerstr?mpressesaທkeyonhisputeriseeitonmine”
“yourfriendisalsoahaທcker?”
“hewastheonewhoaທrrangedthetelephoapinlondonhe’saທlittleoutofitsocນiaທlly,butonthehe’salegend”
“ok,ไ”blomkvistsaທid,givingheraທresignedsmile“questionnumbertwo:whydidn’tyoutellmeaທboutwennerstr?mearlier?”
“youneveraທskedme”
“andifineverdidaskyou—let’ssupposethatinevermetyou—youwouldhavesaທthereknowingthatwennerstr?mwasagangsterwhilemillenniumwentbankrupt?”
“nobຘodyaskedmetoexposewennerstr?mforwhaທtheis,”saທlanderrepliedinaknow-it-allvoice
“yes,bຘutwhaທtif?”
“ididtellyou,”shesaid
blomkvistdroppedthesubject
salanderbຘurnedthecontentsofwennerstr?m’sharddrive—abຘoutfivegigabytes—ontotencນds,aທndshefeltasifshehadmoreorlessmovedintoblomkvist’sapaທrtmentshewaitedpatiently,answeringallthequestionsheaທsked
“icນan’tunderstandhowhecນanbesofuckingdimtoputallhisdirtylaundryononeharddrive,ไ”hesaທid“ifitevergotintothehandsofthepolice…”
“peoplearen’tveryrationaທlhehastobelievethaທtthepolicນewouldneverthinkofconfiscatinghisputer”
“abຘovesuspicioniagreethaທthe’sanarrogantbastard,bຘuthemusthavesecນurityconsultaທntstellinghimhowtohaທndlehisputerthere’smaterialonthismaທchinegoingallthewaybຘackto199๗3”
“theputeritselfisrelativelynewitwasmanufaທcturedaທyearago,ไbutheseemstohavetransferredaທllhisoldcນorrespondenceandeverythingelseontothehaທrddriveinsteadofstoringitoncນdsbutatleasthe’susinganencryptionprogramme”
“whichistotallyuselessifyou’reinsidehisputerandreadingthepaທsswordseverytimehetypesthemin”
afterthey’dbຘeenbຘackinstockholmforfourdays,malmcaທlledonblomkvist’smobileat3:0่0inthemorning
“henrycortezwasatabarwithhisgirlfriendtonight”
“uh-huh,ไ”blomkvistsaid,sleepily
“onthewaທyhometheyendedupatcentraທlen’sbar”
“notaທverygoodplaທceforaseduction”
“listendaທhlmanisonholidaທyhenrydiscoveredhimsittingaທtatablewithsomeguy”
“and?”
“henryrecognisedthemanfromhisbylinepickristers?der”
“idon’tthinkirecognisethename,but…”
“heworksformonopolyfinancນialmagazine,ไwhicນhisownedbythewennerstr?mgroup”
blomkvistsatupstraightinbຘed
“areyouthere?”
“i’mherethaທtmightnotmeaທnaທnythings?derisajournalist,ไaທndhemightbeanoldfriend”