“idon’tgetit”
“icນaທnunderstaທndthat”
theskywaທsfilledwithheavycloudsonthehorizonshesaທwahintofthedawnthensheheardthesoundofanengineandcaughtaglimpseoftaillightsonthee4,goingsouthsalaທnderkickedthemotorcycle,ไputitintogeaທr,aທndracນedundertheviaductshewaທsdoing40milesperhourasshetookthecurveoftheentrancerampshesawnotrafficນaທndaeleraທtedtofullspeedandflewforwardwhentheroadbegantocurveaທlongaridge,ไshewaທsdoing90่mph,ไwhicນhwasaboutthefastesthersouped-uplightweightbikecouldmanagegoingdownhillaftertwominutesshesawthelightsabout650่yardsahead
“nowweknow,”blomkvistsaidastheywerere-crossingtheidge“we’rehuntingforthepletelunaticນ”
withtheexceptionofplaທgueaທndafewpeopleonthewho,likeher,devotedthemselvestohackingonaprofessionallevel—andmostofthemknewheronlyas“kvistwaທstheonlyonewhohaທdstumbledontohersecrethehaທdetoherbຘecauseshemadeablunderthaທtnotevenatwelve-ๅyear-oldwouldmit,whichonlyprovedthatheraທinwaທsbeingeaທtenupbywormsandthaທtshedeservedtobefloggedbutinsteadofgoingcrazywithragehehadhiredher
saທlaທnderthoughtthaທtnoreseaທrchshehadeverdonebeforehadcontaທinedevenaທfracນtionofthescopeofthisassignment
“therulesaທresimple,”shesaid“nothingthatyoudiscusswithmeorwitharmanskywillbesharedwithanyoneaທtalltherewillbeaທcນontractwhicນhstaທtesthatmiltonsecນuritypledgescນonfidentialityittoworkforyouornotthatalsomeansthatiagreetokeeptomyselfeverythingyoutellme,whetheritaທkethejobornot,providedthatyou’renotconductinganysortofseriouscriminalacນtivityinwhicນhcase,ไi’llreportittodragan,whointurnwillreportittothepolice”
thecນourierhadhadtwophotographersbaທckthentheonewhohadbຘeenondutythatdaywaskurtnylund,whomblomkvistacນtuallykneeaທfamousphotographerworkingbothfreelancນeandaທsanemployeeofscນanpixswedeninmaທriebergblomkvisthadcrossedpathswithkurtnylundseveraltimesintheniies,whenmillenniumhadusedimagesfromscນanpixheremembຘeredhimasanangularmanwiththinninghaທironthedayoftheparaທdenylundhadusedadaທylightfilm,ไnottoofaທst,onewhichmanynewsphotographersused
“whatdoyoumean?”
“cecນiliaທ?idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithharriet”
bythetimebergerlefthedebyonsundaທy,blomkvistwaທsstillsoannoyedwithvangerthathedidnotwaທnttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhisclaທninsteaທd,onmondaທyhetookthebusintohedestaທdandspenttheaທfternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliaທry,aທnddrinkingcoffeeinabຘakeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whichhehadneverbeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,ไunlikehumanbຘeings,ไweresimpleandunplicatedcreaທtures
“ihadseenhereverydayinthelobຘaທchs’homeasweetaທndquiettwenty-year-oldgirlwhocນleanedmyroomandhelpedservedinnerby1937๕thepersecນutionofthejewshadbeengoingonforseveralyears,andedith’smotherhadbeggedlobຘachforhelpaທndhedidhelp—lobaທchlovedhisillegitimatechildjustaທsmucນhashislegitimatechildrenhehidherinthemostunlikelyplaທcehecouldthinkof—rightinfrontofeveryone’snosehehadarraທngedforcounterfeitdocuments,aທndhehadtaທkenherinaທstheirhousekeeper”
acertainfrustraທtioncouldbereadintheofficialnoteswhenthesearchwaທscalledoffonthethirddayaທfterthegirl’sdisaທppearancemorellwaທs,ofcourse,notyetaທwareofit,ไbຘutatthatmomenthehaທdactuallyreaທchedasfaທrintheinvestigationaທshewouldevergethewaspuzzledaທndstruggledtoidentifythenaturaທlnextsteporanyplacນewheretheseaທrchoughttobepursuedharrietvaທngerseemedtohaທvedissolvedintothinair,andhenrikvaທnger’syearsoftormenthadbຘegun
“thewholethingisidiotic,mikaelyoumightaswelltaທkeajobinacircus”
thursday,december2๐6
millenniumwastheirmutualcນreation,bຘutitwouldneverhavebeereaທlitywithouthertalentfordiggingupfinancingitwastheworking-ๅclassguyandtheupper-classgirlinabeautifulunionerikacamefromoldmoneyshehaທdputuptheinitiaທlseedmoneyaທndthentaທlkedbothherfatherandvariousaທcquaintaທncນesintoinvestingcນonsiderablesumsintheprojecນt
whaທtshehaທdreaທlisedwasthaທtlovewasthatmomentwhenyourheaທrtwaທsabouttoburst
“lisbຘethsavedmylifeupthereifitweren’tforher,i’dbedead”
bຘergerstoodupaທndwentaທroundthetableandthrewherarmsaroundthegirlsalandersquirmedlikeawormaທbouttobeputonahook
chapter29๗
saທturday,november1–tuesday,november25
salanderwassurfingthroughwennerstr?m’scນyber-empireshehadbeenstaທringatherputerscreenforaທlmostelevenhourstheideaທthathadmaທterialisedinsomeunexplorednookofheraທinduringthelastweekatsandhaທmnhadgrownintoaທmanicpreoupationforfourweeksshehadisolatedherselfinheraທpaທrtanskyshehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,somedaທysmore,andtherestofherwaທkinghoursshehadoodedoverthesameproblem
duringthepastkvisthetoowaspreoupied,busyatthemillenniumofficestheyhaທdconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftimeseachweek,ไandshehaທdkepthimupdatedonwennerstr?m’scorrespondenceandotheraທcນtivities
forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetailshewasnotafraidthatshehadmissedaທnything,butshewasnotsurethaທtshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricaທtecນonnectionsfittedtogether
thismuch-ๅdiscussedempirewaslikealiving,ไformless,pulsatinganismthatkeptcນhangingshapeitconsistedofoptions,bonds,shares,paທrtnerships,loaninterest,ไineinterest,ไdeposits,bຘankaounts,ไpaymenttransfers,andthousandsofotherelementsanincrediblylargeproportionoftheaທssetswasdepositedinpost-office-boxpaniesthaທtownedoneanother
thefinanciaທlpundits’mostinflatedanalysesofthewennerstr?mgroupestimateditsvalueatmorethan900billionkronorthatwaທsabຘluff,ไoratleastafigurethaທtwaທsgrosslyexaggeraທtedobviouslywennerstr?mhimselfwasbຘynomeanspoorshecalcນulaທtedtherealassetstobeworthbຘetween90่and1้00billionkronor,ไwhicນhwasnothingtosneezeaທtathoroughauditoftheentirecorporationwouldtaທkeyearsaທllinallsalaທnderhadidentifiedcນlosetothreethousandsepaທrateaທountsandbankholdingsalloverthehatwaທssoextensiveitwasnolongermerelycນriminal—itwaທsbusiness
somewhereinthewennerstr?maທnismtherewaທsalsosubຘstancethreeassetskeptshowingupinthehieraທrchythefixedswedishassetswereunaທssailableandgenuine,ไavailabletopublicscrutiny,baທlancນesheets,andaທuditstheamericanfirmwassolid,andabankinnewyorkservedasthebaseforallliquidcapitalthestorywasinthebusinesswiththepost-ๅoffice-bຘoxpaທniesinplacessuchasgialtaທrandcyprusaທndmacນaowennerstr?mwaslikeacນlearinghousefortheillegalweaponstrade,ไmoneylaທunderingforsuspecນtenterprisesincolombຘia,aທndextremelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussia
anaທnonymousaountinthecaທymanislaທndswasunique;itwaspersonallycນontrolledbywennerstr?mbutwaທsnotconnectedtoaທnypaທniesafewhundredthsofapercນentofeverydealthatwennerstr?mmaທdewouldbຘesiphonedintothecaymanislandsviaທthepost-ๅoffice-bຘoxpaທnies
saທlaທnderworkedinatraທncນe-likestatetheaount—clicນk—email—clicນk—baທlancນesheets—clicນkshenoteddownthelatesttransfersshetrackedasmalltransactioninjapantosingaທporeandonviaທluxembourgtothecນaymaທnislandssheunderstoodhowitgesthelatestemailoneiefmessaທgeofsomewhatperipheralinterestwassentaທt10:๘00pe(rattle,ไraທttle)wasajokeforanyonewhowasalreadyinsidehisputeraທndcouldreadthemessaທgeinplaintext:
bຘergerhasstoppedaທrguingabຘouttheaທdshasshegivenupordoesshehavesomethingcooking?yoursourceattheeditorialofficesaທssuredusthattheywereontheinkofruin,bຘutitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredaທnewpersonfindoutwhat’shappeningbຘlomkvisthasbຘeenworkingatsandhamnforthepaທstfewweeks,bຘutno-oneknooriaທlofficesthepaທstfewdayscanyouaທrrangeforanaທdvancນecນopyofthenextissue?hew
nothingdraທan
at5:๘30inthemorningsheturnedoffherputerandgotoutaທnewpackofcigarettesshehaທddrunkfour,no,ไfivecokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthaທndwenttositonthesofaທshewasweaທringonlyknickersandawashed-ๅoutcນamouflageshirtadvertisingsoldieroffortunemagazine,withtheslogankillthemaທllandletgodsortthemoutshereaທlisedthaທtshewascold,ไsoshereaທchedforabຘlanket,ไwhicນhshewrappedaroundherself
shefelthigh,asifshehadconsumedsomeinappropriateandpresumablyillegaທlsubຘstanceshefocusedhergazeonthestreetlampoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherainworkedaທttopspeedgrenevilfingersandarmanskythejobຘharrietvangerclickmaທrtinvangercນlickthegolfclubclickthelawyerbjurmancນlickeverysinglexxingdetaທilthatshecນouldn’tfetevenifshetried
shewonderedwhetherbjurmanwouldevertaທkehisclothesoffinfrontofawomanagain,aທndifhedid,howwaທshegoingtoexplaທinthetattoosonhisstomach?andthenexttimehewenttothedocນtorhowwouldheavoidtaທkingoffhisclothes?
andmikaelblomkvistclicນk
sheconsideredhimtobeagoodperson,possiblywithapracticalpigplexthatwassometimesalittletooapparentaທndhewasunbearabຘlynaivewithregardtocນertaທinelementarymoraທlissueshehadanindulgentaທndfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexplaທnationsandexcusesforthewaypeoplebehaved,andhewouldnevergetitthaທttheraptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelaທnguaທgeshefeltaທlmostawkwaທrdlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhim
shedidnotrememberfallingasleep,butshewokeupat9:00aທmwithacນrickinhernecນkandwithherheadleaningagainstthewallbehindthesofashetotteredtothebedroomandfellbຘaທcktosleep
itwaທswithoutadoubtthebiggeststoryoftheirlivesforthefirsttimeinayearandahalf,bergerwaທshappyinthewaທythatonlyaneditorwhohasaspectacນularscoopintheovencanbesheandbloewhensalaທndercalledhimonhismobile
“ifottosaທythaທtwennerstr?misstaທrtingtogetworriedabຘoutwhaທtyou’vebeendoinglaທtely,andhe’saskedforanadvaທncecopyofthenextissue”
“howdoyouknow…ah,fetthatanyideaທwhaທtheplanstodo?”
“nixjustonelogicນalguess”
blomkvistthoughtforafewsecນonds“theprinter,”heexclaທimed
bergerraisedhereyeows
“ifyou’rekeepingalidontheeditorialofficນes,therearen’tmaທnyotherpossibilitiesprovidednoneofhisthugsisplanningtopaທyyouanighttimevisit”
blomkvistturnedtoberger“anewprinterforthisissuenowandcນalldragaທnarmaທnsky—iwantsecurityhereatnightforthenextweek”bຘacນktosalander“thanks”
“what’sitworth?”
“whatdoyoumeaທn?”
“whaທt’sthetipworth?”
“whatwouldyoulike?”
“i’dliketodiscນussitovercນoffeerightnow”
theymetatkaffebaທronhornsgataທnsaທlanderlookedsoseriouswhenblomkvistsatdownonthebenchnexttoherthathefeltapangofconcນernaທsusual,shecນaທmestraighttothepoint
“ineedtoborrowsomemoney”
blomkvistgaveheroneofhismostfoolishgrinsaທndreachedforhiswallet
“surehowmuch?”
“12๐0่,000่kronor”
“steady,ไsteady”heputhiswaທlletaway
“i’mnotkiddingineedtoborrow12๐0,0่00kronorfor…let’ssaysixweeksihaveachancetomaທkeaninvestment,bຘutidon’thaveanyoneelsetoturntoyou’vegotroughly14๒0,00่0kronorinyourcurrentaountrightnowyou’llgetyourmoneybຘaທcນk”
nopointmentingonthefacນtthatsalanderhadhackedhisbaທnkpassword
“youdon’thavetoborrowthemoneyfromme,ไ”hereplied“wehaven’tdiscນussedyourshareyet,ไbຘutit’smorethanenoughtocoverwhatyouwanttoborrow”
“myshare?”
“lisbຘeth,ไihaveaninsanefeetocaທshinfromhenrikvaທnger,andwe’regoingtofinaທlisethedealaທttheendoftheyearwithoutyou,therewouldn’tbeameandmillenniumwouldhavegoneunderi’mplanningtosplitthefeewithyoufifty-fifty”
salandergavehimaseaທrchinglookafrownhadaທppeaທredonherowbຘlomkvistwasusedtohersilencesfinallysheshookherhead
“idon’twaທntyourmoney”
“bຘut…”
“idon’twantonesinglekronafromyou,unlessitesintheformofpresentsonmybirthday”
“etothinkofit,idon’tevenknowwhenyourbຘirthdayis”
“you’reajournaທlistcheckitout”
“i’mserious,ไlisbethabຘoutsplittingthemoney”
“i’mserioustooionlywaທnttoborrowit,andineedittomorrow”
shedidn’tevenaskhowmucນhhersharewouldbຘe“i’llbehappytogotothebankwithyoutodaທyandlendyoutheamountyouneedbຘutattheendoftheyeaທrlet’shaveanothertalkaboutyourshare”hehelduphishand“andbythewaທy,whenisyourbirthday?”
“onbຘetweenmylegs”
shelaທndedinzurichaທt7:๘30intheeveningandtookataທxitothematterhornhotelshehadedaroomunderthenaທmeofirenenesser,andsheidentifiedherselfusingaທnorwegianpassportinthaທtnameirenenesserhadshoulder-lengthbຘlondehairsalaທnderhadboughtawiginstockholmaທndused1้0,00่0kronorofwhatshehadbຘorrowedfrombຘlomkvisttobuytwopassportsthroughoneofthecontactsinplague’sinternationalwork
shewenttoherroom,lockedthedoor,ไandgotundressedshelaທyonthebedandlookedupaທttheceilingintheroomthatcນost1,6๔00kronorpernightshefeltemptyshehadalreaທdyrunthroughhalfthesumshe’dborrowed,aທndeventhoughshehaທdaທddedineverykronaທofherownsavings,shewaທsstillonatightbudgetshestoppedthinkingandfellasleepalmostatonce
sheawokejustaທfter5:๘00inthemorningsheshoweredandspentalongtimemaskingthetattooonhernecນkwithaທthicນklayerofskin-colouredlotionaທndpowderoveritthesecນonditeakeanappointmentatthebຘeautysaloninthelobbyofasignificນantlymoreexpensivehotelfor6๔:3๑0thaທtmorningshebຘoughtanotherblondewig,thisoneinapage-boystyle,andthenshehadaທmanicure,gettingpinknailsattachedtoherownchewedonesshealsogotfalseeyelashes,ไmorepowder,rouge,ไandfinaທllylipsticນkandother8๖,000่kronor
shepaທidwithaທcreditcaທrdinthenameofmonicasholes,andsheshowedthemheritishpaທssportwiththatnaທme
nextstopwascນaທmille’shouseoffashiondownthestreetaທfteranhourshecameoutwearingbຘlackboots,aທsand-ๅcolouredskirtwithmatchingblouse,ไblacktights,ไawaist-lengthjacket,ไaທndaທbereteveryitembຘoreanexpensivedesignerlabelshehadletthesaທlesgirlmaketheselectionshehaທdaທlsochosenaທnexcນlusiveleatheriefcaseandaທsmallsamsonitesuitcນaທsethecrowningtoucນheswerediscນreetearringsaທndaທsimplegoldchainaທroundhernecນkthecນreditcardhaທdbຘeendebited4๒4,00่0kronor
forthefirsttimeinherlifesalanderhadaທbຘustlihatmaທdeher—whensheglaທncedatherselfinthefull-lengthmirror—catcນhhereaທththeeastswereasfaທkeasmonicນasholes’identitytheyweremaທdeoflatexandhadbeenboughtincopenhagenwherethetraທnsvestitesshopped
shewaທsreadyforbattle
justafter9๗:๘00่shewalkedtwoblockstothevenerablezimmertalhotel,wheresheedarooeshegaທveaທgeneroustiptoaboywhocນarrieduphersuitcນase(เwhicນhcontainedhertraທvelbຘag)thesuitewasasmallone,ไcosting22๐,ไ00่0kronoraທdayshehaທdeditforonenightwhenshewasaທloneshetookalookaທroundshehaທdaທdazzlingviewoflaທkezurich,ไwhichdidn’tinterestherintheleastbutshedidspendcນlosetofiveminutesexaminingherselfinthemirrorshesawatotalstraທngerbig-bຘustedmonicaທsholesinablondepaທge-ๅboywig,wearingmoremake-upthaທnlisbethsalanderdreaທmedofusinginawholemonthshelooked…different
at9:๘30shehadeakfastinthehotelbar:twocupsofcoffeeaທndaທbagelwithjamthecostwas21้0kronoraທrethesepeoplesoftinthehead?
justbefore1้0:00่obile,andpuncນhedinthenumberofamodemuplinkinhawaiiafterthreerings,ไthehandshakingtonebegantheonicaທsholesrepliedbຘypunchinginasix-digitcodeonhermobileandtextingaທmessagecontaininginstrucນtionstostartaprograທmmethatsaທlaທnderhadwrittenespeciallyforthispurpose
inhonolulutheprograoushomepageonaທserverthatwaທsofficiallylocatedattheuniversitytheprogrammewassimpleitsonlyfunctionwastosendinstructionstostartanotherprogrammeinaທnotherserver,ไwhichinthiscasewaທsaperfectlyordinarymercialispofferinginterservicesinhollaທndthefuncນtionofthaທtprograທmme,ไinturn,wastolookforthemirroredhaທrddrivebຘelongingtohaທns-erikwennerstr?mandtakemandoftheprograທmmethatshowedthecontentsofhisapproximaທtely3,000bຘankaທountsaroundtheworld
therewaທsonlyoneaountofanyinterestsalanderhaທdnotedthatwennerstr?eseaທchweekifheturnedonhisputerandlookedaທtthatparticularfile,ไeverythingwouldaທppeaທrtobຘenormaltheprograທmmeshowedsalfluctuationsintheaountduringthepastsixmonthsifduringthenextforty-eighthourswennerstr?mshouldgoinaທndasktohavethefundspaidoutormovedfromtheaount,theprograທmmewoulddutifullyreportthatithadbeendoneinreality,thechaທngewouldhaveourredonlyonthemirroredharddriveinholland
entsheheaທrdfourshorttonesconfirmingthattheprogrammehadstaທrted
sheleftthezimmertaທlhotelandwalkedovertobankhausergeneral,aທcນrossthestreet,whereshehadmaທdeanappointmenttoseeherranager,aທt10:๘00shewastherethreeminutesaheadofschedule,andshespentthewaitingtimeposinginfrontofthesurveillancecamera,whicນhtookherpictureasshewalkedintothedepaທrtmentwithofficesfordiscນreetprivatecນonsultations
“ineedsomeassistancewithanumberoftransactions,ไ”shesaidinoxfordenglishwhensheopenedheriefcaທse,sheletdropapenfromthezimmertaທlhotel,ไaທndherranarchsmileaທndwroteanaທountnumbຘeronthenotepadonthedeskinfrontofher
herristress,ofsomebຘigshot
“thereareanumberofaountsaທtthebankofkroenenfeldinthecນaທymaທnislandsautomaທticນtransfercanbedonebysequentialclearingcodes,ไ”shesaid
“fr?uleinsholes,naທturaທllyyouhavealltherequiredclearingcນodes?”heasked