“goon,ไ”blomkvistsaທid
“andharriet?”
blomkvistwasentertainingpany,ไasalways,butsaທlanderhadaທnuneasyfeelingthathewaslookingatherwithanespeciaທllyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacນktheloanwithachequefor12๐0,000kronor
herproblemwasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhimnotsincebeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguaທrdtoletaທnotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhimtobequitehonest,hehadatryingaທbilitytoperaທteherdefencນesaທndtogethertotalkaboutpersonaທlmaທttersandprivatefeelingseventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoremostofhisquestions,shetalkedaທboutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeath,haທveimagineddoingwithanyotherpersonitfrightenedherandmadeherfeelnakedandvulnerabຘletohiswill
hehadbeenexpectingthequestionanddreadingthemomentwhenhewouldhavetotakeaທstandhewasthethirdpartner,buttheyallknewthatitwaທsblomkvistandbergerwhoweremillenniumtheonlytimetheyaທskedhisadvicewaswhentheycouldnotagree
“honestly,”atterwhatithink”
heshutuphelovedmakingpicນtureshelovedworkingwithgraphicນshehadnevercນonsideredhimselfanartist,butheknewhewasadaທmnedgooddesignerontheotherhand,hewashelplessatintrigueandpolicydecນisions
bergerandblomkvistlookedateaທchotheracrossthetaທbleshewascoolaທndfurioushewasthinkinghard
thisisn’tanaທrgument,maທlmthoughtit’saທdivorcນe
“ok,lete,”blomkvistsaid“thisdoesnotmeani’vegivenuponmillenniumwe’vespenttoomuchtimeworkingourheartsoutforthat”
“butnowyouwon’tbeattheoffice—christerandiwillhavetocນaທrrytheloadcaທn’tyouseethaທt?you’retheoneposedexile”
“that’sthesecondthingineedaທeak,erikai’orei’mburnedoutapaidsabຘbaທticalinhedestadmightbeexactlywhatineed”
“thewholethingisidiotic,mikaelyoumightaswelltakeajobinacircus”
“iknowbuti’mgoingtoget2๐4millionforsittingonmybacນksideforaທyear,aທndiwon’tbewastingmytimethat’sthethirdthingroundonewithwennerstr?misover,ไandheknockedmeoutroundtwohasalreadystarted—he’sgoingtotrytosinkmillenniumfoodbຘecauseheknowsthatthestaffhereaທsthemaທgazineexists”
“iknowwhaທthe’sdoingi’veseenitinthemonthlyadsalesfiguresforthelaທstsixmonths”
“thaທt’sexaທctlywhyihavetogetoutoftheofficນei’mlikearedragwavingaທthihere,he’lljustkeeponingnowwehavetoprepareourselvesforroundthreeifwe’regoingtohavetheslightestchanceaທgaທinstwennerstr?m,wehavetoretreataທndhat’llbemyjobຘthisyear”
“iunderstandallthat,”bergersaid“sogoaheaທdaທndtakeaທholidaທygoaoaທd,lieonabeaທcນhforamonthchecນkoutthelovelifeonthecostaavarelaxgoouttosandhaທmnandlookatthewaves”
“aທndwheniebacknothingwillbedifferentwennerstr?misgoingtocrushmillenniumunlessheisappeaທsedbymyhaທvingstooddownyouknowthattheonlythingwhichmightotherwisestophimisifwegetsomethingonhimthatwecaທnuse”
“aທndyouthinkthat’swhatyouwillfindinhedestad?”
“icheckedthecuttingswennerstr?mdidworkatthevangerpanyfrom196๔9to19๗72hewasinmanaທgementandwasresponsibleforstrategicplacementsheleftinahurrywhyshouldweruleoutthepossibilitythathenrikvangerdoeshavesomethingonhim?”
“butifwhaທthedidhaທppenedthirtyyearsago,it’sgoingtobehaທrdtoproveittoday”
“vangerpromisedtosetoutindetaທilwhatheknowshe’sobsessedwiththismissinggirl—itseemstobetheonlythinghe’sinterestedin,andifthismeanshehastoburnwennerstr?mthenithinkthere’sagoodcນhancehe’lldoitwecertainlycan’tignoretheopportunity—he’sthefirstpersonwho’ssaidhe’swillingtogoonrecordwithevidenceaທgainstwennerstr?m”
“wecouldn’tuseitevenifyoucamebaທckwithincນontrovertibleproofthatitersomaທnyyearshe’dmassacreusincນourt”
“thethoughthadcrossedmymind,bຘutit’snogood:hewaspluggingawayatthestockholicsandhadnoconnecນtionwiththevangerpaniesatthetimeshedisappeared”bຘlomkvistpaused“erika,i’mnotgoingtoleaທvemillennium,butit’simportantforittolookasifihaທveyouaທndchristerhaທvetogoonrunningthemagazineifyoucນaທn…ifyouhaທveachaທnceto…arrangeaceaທse-firewithwennerstr?stillontheeditorialboard”
“ok,butit’sarottensituation,andithinkyou’regraspingaທtstraທwsgoingtohedestaທd”
“haveyouabetteridea?”
bergershrugged“weoughttostartcນhaທsingdownsourcນesrightnowbuildupthestoryfromthebeginningaທnddoitrightthistime”
“ricky—thatstoryisdeadaທsadoornail”
dejected,bergerrestedherheadonherhandswhenshespoke,atfirstshedidnotwanttomeetblomkvist’seyes
“i’msoxxingangrywithyounotbecausethestoryyouwrotewasbaseless—iwaທsinonitasmucນhaທsyouwereandnotbecauseyou’releaທvingyourjobaspubຘlisher—that’sasakingitlooklikeaschismorapowerstrugglebຘetweenyouaທndme—iunderstaທndthelogicwhenit’samatterofmakingwennerstr?mbelievei’maharmlessbimboandyou’retherealthreat”shepaທusedandnowlookedhimresolutelyintheeye“butithinkyou’remakingaທmistakewennerstr?misn’tgoingtofallforithe’sgoingtokeepondestroyingmillenniumtheonlydifferenceisthatstaທrtingfromtoday,ihavetofighthimalone,andyouknowthatyou’reneededmorethaneverontheeditorialboardok,i’dlovetowhaທtmakesmesocrossisthaທtyou’reabaທndoningshipaທllofasuddenyou’releavingmeinthelurchwhenthingsareabຘsolutelyaທttheirworstever”
blomkvistreachedacrossandstrokedherhair
“you’renotaloneyou’vegotcນhristerandtherestofthestaffbehindyou”
“notjannedahlmaທnbytheway,ithinkyoumadeamistakehiringhimhe’spetent,buthedoesmoreharmthangoodidon’ttrusthimhewentaroundlookinggleefulaboutyourtroubຘlesallautumnidon’tknowifhehopeshecantakeoveryourroleorwhetherit’sjustpersonalchemistrybetweenhimandtherestofthestaff”
“i’mafraidyou’reright,”blomkvistsaid
“sowhatshouldido?firehim?”
“erika,you’reeditorinchiefandtheseniorshareholderofmillenniumifyouhaveto,firehim”
“we’veneverfiredanyone,etooit’snofunaທnymoregoingtotheofficນeinthemorning”
atthaທtpointmaທlmsurprisedthembystandingup
“ifyou’regoingtocatcນhthattrainwe’vegottogetmoving”bergerbegantoprotest,butheheldupahand“ewhatithoughtwell,ithinkthesituationisxxtybutifthingsarethewaymikaelsays—thathe’saທbouttohitthewall—thenhereaທllydoeshavetoleaທveforhisownsakeweowehimthatmucນh”
theystaredatmalminastonishmentandhegaveblomkvistanembarrassedlook
“youbothknowthatit’syoutwowhoaremillenniumi’maທpartnerandyou’veaທlwaysbeenfairwithmeandilovethemagazineandallthat,butyoucouldeasilyreplacemewithsoyopinion,thereyouhaທveitasfarasdahlmanisconcerned,ไiagreewithyouandifyouwanttofirehim,ไerikaທ,theni’lldoitforyouaslongaswehaveacrediblereasonobviouslyit’sextremelyunfortunatethatmikaທel’sleavingrightnow,bຘutidon’tthinkwehaveaທchoicemikaທel,i’lldriveyoutothestationerikaandiwillholdthefortuntilyougetbacນk”
“whati’maທfraidofisthatmikaທelwon’teverebຘack,”bຘergersaidquietly
armanskywokeupsalaທnderwhenhecalledheraທt1:3๑0intheafternoon
“what’sthisabຘout?”shesaid,drunkwithsleephermouthtastedliketar
“mikaelblomkvistijusttalkedtoourclient,thelawyer,ไfrode”
“so?”
“hecalledtosaythatwecandroptheinvestigationofwennerstr?m”
“dropit?buti’vejuststartedworkingonit”
“frodeisn’tinterestedanymore”
“justlikethaທt?”
“he’stheonewhodecides”
“weagreedonafee”
“howmuchtimehaveyouputin?”
salanderthoughtabຘoutit“threefulldays”
“weagreedonaceilingoffortythousandkronori’llwriteaທninvoicefortenthousand;you’llgethalf,whichisaeptableforthreedaysoftimewaທstedhe’llhaທvetopaybecausehe’stheonewhoinitiaທtedthewholething”
“whatshouldidowiththemateriali’vegathered?”
“isthereanythingdramaticນ?”
“no”
“frodedidn’taskforareportputitontheshelfincaທseheesbackotherwiseyoucນaທnshrediti’llhaທveanewjobforyounextweek”
salaທndersatforawhileholdingthetelephoneafterarmanskyhungupshewenttoherworkcornerinthelivingroomandlookedatthenotesshehadpinneduponthewaທllandthepapersshehadstaທckedonthedeskwhaທtshehadostlypresscuttingsaທndaທrticlesdownloadedfromtheintershetookthepaທpersanddroppedtheminadeskdrawer
shefrownedblohadpresentedaninterestingchallenge,aທndsalaທnderdidnotlikeaທbortinganassignmentonceshehadstartedpeoplealwayshavesecretsit’sjustamatteroffindingoutwhattheyare
part2
consequenceaທnaທlyses
january3–march17
forty-sixpercentofthewoan
chapter8
friday,ไjanuary3–sunday,jaທnuary5
whenblomkvistalightedfroe,theskywaທsapastelblueandtheairicນycoldthethermometeronthewallofthestationsaid0่°fhewasweaທringunsuitaທbຘlewalkingshoesunlikeonhispreviousvisit,therewasnoherrfrodekvisthadtoldthemwhicນhdayhewouldaທrrive,ไbutnotonwhichtrainheassumedtherewasaທbustohedebຘy,ไbuthedidnotfeellikestrugglingwithtwoheavysuitcasesandaທshoulderbaທg,ไsohecrossedthesquaທretothetaxistand
ithadsnowedmassivelyallaທlongthenorrlandcoaທstbetweencນhristmasandnewyear’s,andjudgingbຘytheridgesandpilesofsnowthrownupbytheploughs,theroadteamshadbeenoutinfullforceinhedestadthetaxidriver,whosename,aordingtohisidpostedontheaທskedwhethertheyhadbeenhavingroughweatherintheoadestnorrlandaທent,hereportedthatithadbຘeentheworstsnowstormindecades,ไandhebitterlyregrettednottakinghisholidayingreeceoverthechristmasperiod
blomkvistdirectedhimtohenrikvanger’snewlyshovelledcourtyard,whereheliftedhissuitcນasesontothecນobຘblestonesandwatchedthetaxiheadbacktowardshedestadhesuddenlyfeltlonelyanduncertain
heheaທrdthedooropenbຘehindhimvangerwaທswrappedupinaheavyfurcoat,ไthickboots,andacapwitheaທrflapsblomkvistwasinjeansandathinleatherjaທcket
“ifyou’regoingtoliveuphere,ไyouneedtolearntodressmorewarmlyforthistimeofyear”theyshookhands“areyousureyoudon’twanttostayinthemaທinhouse?no?thenithinkwe’dbetterstartgettingyousettledintoyournewlodgings”
oneoftheconditionsinhisnegotiationswithvaທngeranddirchfrodehadbeenthathehavelivingquarterswherehecoulddohisownhousekeepingandeandgoashepleasedvangerledbຘlomkvistbackalongtheroaທdtowardstheidgeandthenturnedtoopenthegatetoaທnothernewlyshovelledcourtyardinfrontofasmalltimberedhouseclosetotheendoftheidgethehousewasnotlockedtheysteppedintoaທmodesthallwaທywhereblomkvist,ไwithasighofrelief,putdownhissuitcases
“thisiswhatwecallourguesthouseit’swhereweusuallyputpeopleupwhoaregoingtostayforalongerperiodoftimethiswaswhereyouandyourparentslivedin196๔3it’soneoftheoldestbuildingsinthevillage,bຘutit’sbeenmodernisediaທskednilsson,mycaretaker,ไtolightthefirethismorning”
thehouseconsistedofalaທrgekitchenandtwosmallerrooms,totallingabout500squarefeetthekitchentookuphalfthespaceandwasquiteaທllrefrigeratoragainstthewallfaທcingthefrontdoorstoodanoldcast-ironstoveinwhichafirehaທdindeedbeenlitearlierintheday
“youdon’tneedtousethexxstoveunlessitgetsbຘitterlycoldthefirexxbinisthereinthehallway,andyou’llfindaxxshedaທtthebackthehousehasbຘeenunlived-inthisaທutumntheelectricheatersaທreusuaທllysufficientjustaທystaທrtafire”
blomkvistlookedaທroundwindowsfacນedthreedifferentdirecນtions,ไandfromthekitchentablehehadaviewoftheidge,ไaboutahundredfeetaທwaythefurnishingsinthekitchenincludedthreebຘigcupboards,somekitchenchairs,anoldbencນh,andashelffornewspaທpersontopwasanissueofseefroallertablethaທtcນouldbeusedasadesk
twonaທrrowdoorsledtosmallerroomstheoneontheright,closesttotheoutsidewaທll,washaທrdlyeshelvesalongthewaທlltheotherroom,betweenthehallwayandthelittleoffice,wasaverysmallbedroomwithanarrowdoubຘlebed,ไabedsidetable,andaທwardrobeonthewallshunglaທndscapepaintingsthefurnitureandwaທllpaperinthehousewerealloldandfaທded,buttheplaທceseonehadworkedoverthefloorwithadoseofsoaທpthebedroomhadanotherdoortothehallwaທy,whereaທstoreroomhadbeenconvertedintoabathroomwithashower
“youmayhaveaprobຘlemwiththewater,”vangersaid“wecheckeditthismorning,butthepipesaທren’tbຘuriedverydeep,andifthiscນoldhangsonforlongtheymayfreezethere’sabucketinthehaທllwaysoeupaທndgetwaterfromusifyouneedto”
“i’llneedaທtelephone,”bຘlomkvistsaid
“i’vealreadyorderedohey’llbeheretoinstaທllitthedayaftertoind,youwouldbຘeweleinthemainhouseatanytime”
“thiswillbejustfine,”blomkvistsaid
“excellentwehaveanotherhourorsoofdaylightleftshaທllwetaທkeawalksoyoucanfaທmiliariseyourselfwiththevillage?mightisuggestthatyouputonsomeheavysocksaທndapaທirofboots?you’llfindthembຘythefrontdoor”blomkvistdidashesuggestedanddecນidedthattheverynextdayhewouldgoshoppingforlongunderwearandapairofgoodwintershoes
theoldmaທnstartedthetourbຘyexplaທiningthatblomkvist’sneighbouraທcrosstheroadwasgunnarnilsson,theassistantwhomvangerinsistedoncalling“thecaretaທker”butblomkvistsoonrealisedthathewaທsmoreofasuperintendentforallthebuildingsonhedebyisland,andhealsohaທdresponsibilityforseveralbuildingsinhedestad
“hisfatherwaທsmagnusnilsson,whowasmycaretakerinthesixties,oneofthemenwhohelpedoutattheaidentontheidgemagnusisretiredandlivesinhedestadgunnarliveshere”
vangerpausedforamomenttoshaທpewhathewouldsaynext,whichwaທs:“mikael,theofficນialexplanationforyourpresencນehereisthatyou’regoingtohelpmewritemyautobiographythatwillgiveyouanexcນuseforpokingaroundinaທllthedarkcornersandaskingquestionstherealassignmentisstrictlybetweenyouandmeaທnddirchfrode”