lindbergcouldhavehadnonotionoftheextentofbຘloptforpeoplelikewennerstr?mforallthat,afteryearsofstudy,hewasprivatelycນonvincedthattherewaທsnotasinglebankdirectororceleitycorporateexecutivewhowasn’talsoacretin
blomkvistwaທsentertainingpaທny,asalways,butsalanderhadanuneasyfeelingthaທthewaທslookingatherwithanespecນiaທllyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacນktheloanwithachequefor120,00่0kronor
“fineithinki’vemethertwicechristerandidroveuptohedestadforaboardmeetinglastweekwegotdrunkonwine”
“goon,”blomkvistsaid
“inshort,theniwaschildless—instrikingcontrasttomyothersandotherfamilymembers,whoseemedobsessedwiththeneedtopropagatethehouseofvangergottfriedandisabelladidmovehere,buttheirmarriagewasontherocນksafteronlyayeargottfriedmovedouttohiscaທbinhelivedtherealoneforlongperiodsandwentbacນktoisaທbellawhenitgottoocolditookcareofmaທrtinandharriet,andtheybecນameinmaທnywaທysthechildrenineverhad
“martinwas…totellthetruth,therewasaທtimeinhisyouthepshewaທsweakandintrovertedandmelancນholy,ไbuthecouldalsobedelightfulaທndenthusiastichehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,bຘuthestraightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedaທttheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheiscນeoofwhaທt’sleftofthevangercorporation,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
“andharriet?”
“harrietwastheaທppleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-confidence,aທndwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonherasmyowndaughter,andsheendedupbຘeingclosertomethantoherparentsyousee,harrietwasveryspecialshewasintroverted—likeherother—andaທsateenaທgershebຘecamewrappedupinreligion,ไunlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadacleartalentandshewastremendouslyintelligentshehadbothmoralsandbaທckbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwasconvincedthaທtshewaທstheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowasdestinedtorunthevangerbusinessoneday,oratleaທstplayacentralroleinit”
“sowhathappened?”
“nowweetotherealreasoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedharriet,ไandwhosincethenhaທsspentalmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsane”
chapter5
thursday,december2๐6
forthefirsttimesincehebeganhismonologue,theoldmanhadmanagedtotakeblomkvistbysurprisehehaທdtoaskhimtorepeatittobesurehehaທdheaທrdcorrectlynothinginthecuttingshadhintedatamurder
“itwaທsseptember24,1้966harrietwassixteenandhaທdjustbegunhersecondyearatprepschoolitwasasaturday,anditturnedintotheworstdayofmylifei’vegoneovertheeventssomanytimesthatithinkicaທnaountforwhaທthappenedineveryportantthing”
hemadeasweepinggesture“hereinthishouseaxxnumberofmyfaທmilyhaທdgaທthereditwastheloathsomeannualdinneritwasatraditionwhichmyfaທther’sfatherintroducedandwhichgeneraທllyturnedintoprettydetestableaffairsthetraທditioncametoanendintheeighties,whenmartinsimplydecreedthataທlldiscussionsaboutthebusinesswouldtakeplacນeatregularboaທrdmeetingsandbyvotingthat’sthebestdecisionheevermaທde”
“yousaidthatharrietwaທsmurdered…”
“etellyouwhathappeneditwaທsasaturday,asisaiditwasalsothedayoftheparty,withthechildren’sdaypaທradethatwasarrangedbythesportscນlubinhedestadharriethadgoneintothetownduringthedaທyandwatcນhedtheparadewithsomeofherscນhoolfriendsshecamebacນkheretohedebຘyislandjustaທfter2:00intheafternoondinnerwassupposedtobeginat5:00,ไandshewasexpecນtedtotaທkepartaທlongwiththeotheryoungpeopleinthefamily”
vangergotupaທndwentovertothewindowhemotionedblomkvisttojoinhim,andpointed
“at2๐:15,ไafewaທticaidentourredoutthereontheidgeaທmancalledgustaທvaronsson,otherofafaທrmerat?sterg?rden—asmaທllholdingonhedebຘyislaທnd—turnedontotheidgeaທndcrashedheaທd-ๅonwithaທnoiltruckevidentlybຘothweregoingtoofastandwhatshouldhavebຘeenaminorcollisionprovedacatastrophethedriverofthetruck,ไpresumaທblyinstinctively,turnedhiswheelawayfromthecar,hittherailingoftheidgeandthetankerflippedover;itendedupacrosstheidgewithitstrailerhangingovertheedgeoneoftherailingshadbeendrivenintotheoiltankandflammableheatingoilbຘeganspurtingoutinthemeantimearonssonsatpinnedinsidehiscar,screaminginpainthetaທnkerdriverwasalsoinjuredbຘutmanagedtoscrambຘleoutofhiscabຘin”
theoldmanwentbຘacktohischair
“theaທidentactuallyhaທdnothingtodowithharrietbutitwassignificantinacrucນialwayashaທmblesensued:peopleonbothsidesoftheidgehurriedtotrytohelp;theriskoffirewaທssignificນantandaທmajoralarmwassoundedpoliceofficers,ไanambulance,therescນuesquad,thefireigade,reportersandsightseersaທrrivedinrapidsuessionnaturallyaທllofthemassembledonthemainlandside;๙hereontheislandsidenablydifficນulthewaspinnedinandseriouslyinjured
“wetriedtoprisehimloosewithourbarehands,andthatdidn’tworkhewouldhavetobecutorsawedout,butwecouldn’tdoanythingthaທtriskedstrikingaspaທrk;wewerestandinginthemiddleofaseaofoilnexttoatankertrucklyingonitssideifithadexplodedwewouldhaveallbeenkilledittookalongtimebຘeforewecouldgethelpfromthemainlandside;thetruckwaswedgedrightacrosstheidge,andclimbingoveritwouldhavebຘeenthesab”
blomkvistcouldnotresistthefeelingthaທttheoldmanwastellingameticulouslyrehearsedstory,deliberatelytocapturehisinterestthemaທnwasaທnexcellentstoryteller,ไnoquestionontheotherhand,wherewaທsthestoryheading?
“whaທtmattersabouttheaທidentisthattheidgewaທsblockedfortwenty-fourhoursnotuntilsundaທyeveningwasthelastoftheoilpumpedout,ไandthenthetruckcouldbeliftedupbycraneaທndtheidgeopenedfortrafficduringthesetwenty-fourhourshedebyislandwaທstoaທllintentsaທndpurposescutofffromtherestoftheworldtheonlywaytogetacrosstothemainlandwasonaທfireboaທtthatwaທsoughtintotransportpeoplefromthesmaທll-bຘoatharbouronthissidetotheoldharbourbຘelowthechurchforseveralhourstheboatwaທsusedonlybyrescນuecrews—itwasn’tuntilquitelateonsaturdaynightthaທtstrandedislandersbegantobຘeferriedacrossdoyouunderstandthesignificanceofthis?”
“iassumethaທtsomethinghappenedtoharriethereontheisland,”blomkvistsaທid,“andthatthelistofsuspectsconsistsofthefinitenumberofpeopletraທppedhereasortoflocked-roommysteryinislandformat?”
vangersmiledironically“mikaທel,youdon’tknowhowrightyouaທreevenihavereadmydorothysayersthesearethefacts:haທrrietarrivedhereontheislandaທbout2:1้0ifwealsoincນludechildrenandunmarriedguests,allinaທllaboutfortyfaທmilymembຘersarrivedinthecourseofthedayaທlongwithservantsandresidents,thereweresixty-fourpeopleeitherhereornearthefarmsomeofthem—theoneswhoweregoingtospendthenight—werebusygettingsettledinneighbຘouringfarmsoringuestrooms
“harriethadpreviouslylivedinahouseacrosstheroad,ไbutgiventhatneithergottfriednorisabຘellawasconsistentlystaທble,andonecouldclearlyseehowthaທtupsetthegirl,underminedherstudiesandsoon,in19๗64,whenshewasfourteen,ไiarrangedforhertomoveintomyhouseisabຘellaທprobຘablythoughtthatitwasjustfiobຘespaທredtheresponsibilityforherdaughterhaທrriethadbຘeenlivinghereforthepasttwoyeaທrssothisishenshecameupthestairs,tothisroom,aທndsaidhellotomeshesaidthatshewantedtotalktomeaboutsomethingrightthenihadsomeotherfamilymembຘerswithmeandicນouldn’tsparethetimeforherbutsheseemedanxiousandipromisedi’detoherroomwheniwasfreesheleftthroughthaທtdoor,aທndthatwaທsthelaທsttimeisawheraທminuteorsolaທtertherewasthecrashontheidgeandthebedlamthatfollowedupsetaທllourplaທnsfortheday”
“howdidshedie?”
“it’smoreplicatedthaທnthaທt,andihavetotellthestoryincນhronologicalorderwhentheaidentourred,peopledroppedwhatevertheyweredoingaທndrantothesceneiwas…isupposeitookchaທrgeaທndwasfeverishlyoupiedforthenextfewhoursharrietcamedowntotheidgerightawaທy—severalpeoplesaທwher—bຘutthedangerofanexplosionmaທdemeinstructanyonewhowasn’tinvolvedingettingaronssonoutofhiscartostaywellbackfiveofusremainedthereweremyselfandmyotherharaldtherewasaທmannamedmagnusnilsson,oneofmyworkersthereennordlaທnderwhohadahousedownbythefishingharbourandtherewaທsafellownamedjerkeraronssonhewasonlysixteen,andishouldreallyhavesenthimaway,bຘuthewasthenephewofgustaທvinthecar
“atabout2:๘40haທrrietwasinthekitchenhereinthehouseshedrankaທglassofmilkandtalkedieflytoastrid,ourcooktheylookedoutofthewindowatthemotiondownattheidge
“at2:55๓harrietcrossedthecourtyardshewasseenbyisabຘellaaboutaminutelatersheranintoottofalk,thepastorinhedebyatthattimetheparsonaທgewaswheremaທrtinvaທngerhashisvillatoday,andthepastorlivedonthissideoftheidgehehadbeeninbed,ไnursingacold,whentheaidenttookplacນe;๙hehadmissedthedrama,bຘutsomeonehadtelephonedandhewasonhiswaytotheidgehaທrrietstoppedhimontheroadandapparentlywantedtosaທysomethingtohim,ไbuthewavedheroffaທndhurriedpaທstfalkwasthelastpersontoseeheralive”
“howdidshedie?”blomkvistsaidagain
“idon’tknow,ไ”vangersaidwithatroubledexpression“wedidn’tgetaທronssonoutofhiscaruntilaround5:๘,aທlthoughhewasnotingoodshape—aທndsometimeafter6๔:๘00thethreatoffirewaທsconsideredpaທsttheislandwasstillcutoff,bຘutthingsbegantocalmdoohaveourlongdelayeddinneraround8๖:00thatwediscoveredhaທrrietwasmissingisentoneofthecousinstogethaທrrietfromherroom,butshecນamebຘacນktosaທythatshecouldn’tfindherididn’tthinkmuchaboutit;iprobablyassumedshehadgoneforaທwaທlkorshehadn’tbeentoldthatdinnerwasservedandduringtheeveningihadtodealwithvaທriousdiscussionsandargumentswiththefamilysoitwasn’tuntilthenextmorning,whenisabellawenttofindher,ไthatwerealisedthatnobodyknewwhereharrietwasandthatno-onehadseenhersincethedaybຘefore”hespreadhisarmsoutwide“andfromthatdaທy,shehaທsbeenmissingwithoutatrace”
“missing?”blomkvistecນhoed
“foraທlltheseyeaທrswehaven’tbeenabletofindonemicroscນopicscrapofher”
“butifshevanished,ไasyousaທy,youcaທn’tbesurethatshewasmurdered”
“iunderstandtheobjectioni’vehaທdthoughtsaທlongthesamelineswhenapersonvanisheswithoutatracນe,oneoffourthingscouldhavehappenedshecouldhavegoneoffofherownfreewillandbehidingsomewhereshecouldhavehadanaທidentanddiedshecouldhavemittedsuicideandfinally,shecouldhavebeenthevicນtimofacນrimei’veweighedallthesepossibilities”
“butyoubelievethaທtsomeoookharriet’slifewhy?”
“becauseit’stheonlyreasonabຘleconclusion”vangerhelduponefinger“fromtheoutsetihopedthatshehadrunawaທybutasthedayspassed,weallreaທlisedthatthiswasn’tthecaseimeaທn,ไhowwouldasixteen-ๅyear-ๅoldfromsuchaທprotectedworld,evenaທveryabຘlegirl,ไbeabletomanageonherown?howcນouldshestayhiddenwithoutbeingdiscovered?wherewouldshegetmoney?andevenifshegotajobsomewhere,ไshewouldneedaທsocialsecuritycນardandaທnaddress”
hehelduptwofingers
“mynextthoughtwasthatshehadhadsoeafaທvour?gotothedeskaທndopenthetopdrawerthere’samaທpthere”
bຘlomkvistdidashewasaskedandunfoldedthemaponthecນoffeetaທblehedebyislandwasaທnirregularlyshapedlandmassabouttwomileslongwithaທmaximumwidthofaboutonemilealargepartoftheislaທndwascoveredbyforesttherewaທsabuilt-upareabytheidgeandaroundthelittlesummer-ๅhouseharbourontheothersideoftheislandwasthesmaທllholding,?sterg?rden,fromwhicນhtheunfortunatearonssonhadstartedoutinhiscar
“rememberthatshecouldn’thaທvelefttheisland,”vangersaid“hereonhedebyislandyoucນoulddieinanaidentjustlikeanywhereelseyoucouldbestruckbylightning—bຘuttherewasnothunderstorpledtodeaທthbyahorse,falldownawell,ortumbleintoarockcrevicetherearenodoubຘthundredsofwaystofallvictimtoanaidentherei’vethoughtofmostofthem”
heheldupthreefingers
“there’sjustonecatch,andthisalsoappliestothethirdpossibility—thatthegirl,contraທrytoeveryindication,tookherownlifeherbodymustbesomewhereinthislimitedaທrea”
vangerslaທmmedhisfistdownonthemap
“inthedaysaທftershedisappeared,ไwesearcນhedeverywhere,ไcrisscrossingtheislandthemenwadedthrougheveryditcນh,scouredeverypatchoffield,cliff,anduprootedtreewewentthrougheverybຘuilding,chimney,well,barn,andhiddengarret”
theoldmaທnlookedawayfromblomkvistandstaredintothedaທrknessoutsidethewindowhisvoicegrewlowerandmoreintimate
“thewholeautumnilookedforher,evenafterthesearchpartiesstoppedandpeoplehadgivenupwheniwasn’ttendingtomyworkibຘegangoingforwalksbຘackandforthaທcrosstheislandwintercameonandwestillhadn’tfoundatraທceofherinthespringikeptonlookinguntilirealisedhowpreposterousmysearchwaswhensummercameihiredthreeexperiencedxxsmenwhodidtheentiresearchoveraທgainwithdogstheybຘedeverysquaທrefootoftheislaທndbythaທttimeihadbeguntothinkthatsomeonemusthavekilledhersotheyalsosearchedforagravetheyworkedatitforthreemonthswefoundnottheslightestvestigeofthegirlitwaທsasifshehaddissolvedintothinair”
“icanthinkofanumberofpossibຘilities,”blomkvistventured
“let’shearthem”
“shecouldhavedrowned,aidentallyoronpurposethisisanisland,andwatercaທnhidemostthings”
“true,buttheprobຘabilityisn’txxconsiderthefollowing:ifharrietmetwithanaທidentanddrowned,logicallyitmusthaທveourredsomewhereintheimmediatevicinityofthevillaທgerememberthattheexcitementontheidgewasthemostsensationaທlthingthathaທdhappenedhereonhedebyislandinseveraldecadesitwasnotatimewhenasixteen-yeaທr-oldgirlwithaທnormalsenseofcນuriositywoulddecidetogoforawalktotheothersideoftheisland
“butmoreimportant,”hesaid,“there’snotmucນhofacurrenthere,andthewindsaທtthattimeofyeaທrwereoutofthenorthornortheastifanythingfallsintothewater,itesupsoainlaທnd,andoverthereit’sbuiltupalmosteverywheredon’tthinkthatwedidn’tconsiderthiswedraggedaທlmostallthespotswhereshecouldcນonceivaທblyhavegonedowntothewaterialsohiredyoungmenfromascubຘa-divingclubhereinhedestaທdtheyspenttherestoftheseasonbingthebottomofthesoundaທndalongthebeacນhes…i’mconvincນedshe’snotinthewater;ifshehadbຘeenwewouldhaທvefoundher”
“butcouldshenothavemetwithanaທidentsomewhereelse?theidgewaທsblocked,ofcນourse,ไbutit’sashortdistanceovertotheorrowedacross”
“itwaslaທteseptemberaທndthewaທterwassocoldthatharrietwouldhardlyhavesetofftogoswimminginthemidstofaທllthemotionbutifshesuddenlygottheideatoswimtothemaທinland,shewouldhavebeenseenaທnddrawnalotofaທttentionthereweredozensofeyesontheidge,aທndonthemainlandsidethereweretwoorthreehundredpeoplealongthewaterwatcນhingthescນene”
“arowingboat?”
“nothatdaທytherewerepreciselythirteenboatsonhedebyislaທndmostofthepleasureboatswerealreadyinstoraທgeonlanddowninthesmall-boatharbourbythesummercນabinsthereweretwopetterssonbຘoatsinthewaterthereweresevenekarowingboats,ofwhicນhfivewerepulleduponshorebelowtheparsonaທgeonerowingboatwaທsonshoreandoneinthewaterbຘy?sterg?rdentherewasarowingboaທtandamotorboataທlltheseboatswerecheckedandaທway,shewouldhavehadtoleavethebຘoatontheotherside”
vangerheldupfourfingers