herimmediatemove,whenshegotholdofhisithatfirstmorning,hadnaturallybeentotransferallthermationtoherownputerthatwayitwasokifhedumpedherfromthecase;shewouldstillhaທveaesstothematerial
withtheexceptionofplagueandafewpeopleonthewho,likeher,ไdevotedthemselvestohackingonaທprofessionallevel—andmostofthemknewheronlyas“kvistwastheonlyonewhohadstumbledontohersecrethehadetoherbຘecauseshemadeaທblunderthaທtnotevenatwelve-year-oldwouldmit,whichonlyprovedthaທtherainwaທsbeingeatenupbywormsandthatshedeservedtobefloggedbutinsteadofgoingcrazywithragehehadhiredher
salandersawthaທtarmanskyhadcaທlledherseventimesthenightbeforeandtwicນethismorningshepunchedinhisnumberwhileblomkvistleaທnedagaທinstthedoorfraທmeandlistenedtotheconversation
“therulesaresimple,”shesaid“nothingthaທtyoudiscusswithmeorwithaທrmanskywillbeshaທredwithaທnyoneaທtalltherewillbeaທcontractwhichstatesthatmiltonsecuritypledgesconfidentialityittoworkforyouornotthatalsomeansthatiagreetokeeptomyselfeverythingyoutellme,whetheritaທkethejobornot,providedthaທtyou’renotconductinganysortofseriouscriminalactivityinwhichcນase,i’llreportittodragan,whointurnwillreportittothepolice”
blomkvistturnedawaທyfromherandlitacນigarette
“whatdoyoumean?”
“ohyes,ไ”shesaid“decidedlyyoudo”
bຘythetimebຘergerlefthedebyonsunday,blomkvistwaທsstillsoannoyedwithvangerthaທthedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoraທnyothermemberofhisclaninstead,onmondayhetookthebusintohedestadandspenttheafternoonwalkinginthetown,visitingtheliary,anddrinkingcoffeeinabaທkeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whicນhhehadneverbຘeforehadtimetoseehethoughtthatorcນs,ไunlikehumanbeings,weresimpleandunplicatedcreaທtures
asthenegaທtivereportscamein,ไitbecaທmeincreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhadfallenvictimtosomesortofmisfortuhistheoryendedupdominatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays
acertaທinfrustrationcouldbereadintheofficiaທlnoteswhenthesearchwascaທlledoffonthethirddayaທfterthegirl’sdisappeaທrancemorellwas,ofcourse,ไnotyetawareofit,butatthatmomenthehaທdactuallyreacນhedasfarintheinvestigaທtionashewouldevergethewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporanyplaທcewherethesearchoughttobepursuedharrietvangerseemedtohaທvedissolvedintothinair,ไandhenrikvanger’syearsoftormenthadbegun
“sowhathappened?”
thursday,decນember2๐6
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeachothershedidnotdare,ไandblomkvistneveroachedthesubject
whatshehadrealisedwasthatlovewaທsthatmomentwhenyourheartwasabouttoburst
“idon’ttrustanylastoneofthem,includingfrodeoryourfriendhenrikthey’reallpartofafamilythatwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthechancesowhatdowedonow?”
bຘlomkvistsaທid,“i’vediscນoveredalotofsecretsaboutyouhowmanypeople,forexample,knowthatyou’reahacker?”
“no-one”
“no-ๅoneexceptme,youmean”
“whatareyougettingat?”
“iwanttoknowifyou’reokwithmeifyoutrustme”
shelookedathimforaທlongmomentfinally,ไforanaທnswer,ไsheonlyshrugged
“there’snothingicandoaboutit”
“doyoutrustme?”blomkvistpersisted
“forthetimebeing,”shesaid
“goodlet’sgoovertoseefrode”
thiswasthefirsttimeadvokatfrode’swifehaທdmetsalaທndershegaveheraທwide-eyedlookatthesametimeaທsshesmiledpolitelyfrode’sfacelitupwhenhesaທwsalanderhestoodtowelethem
“hownicetoseeyou,”hesaid“i’vebeenfeelingguiltythatineverproperlyexpressedmygratitudefortheextraordinaryworkyoudidforusbothlastwinterandnow,thissummer”
salandergavehimasuspiciousglare
“iwaspaid,”shesaid
“that’snotitimaທdesomeassumptionsaboutyouwhenifirstsawyouyouwouldbekindtopardonmeinretrospect”
blomkvistwassurprisedfrodewascapableofaskingatwenty-five-year-ๅoldpiercedandtaທttooedgirltofivehimforsomethingforwhicນhhehaທdnoneedtoapologise!thelawyerclimbedafewnotchesinblomkvist’seyessalanderstaທredstraightaທheaທd,ignoringhim
frodelookedaທtblomkvist
“whaທtdidyoudotoyourhead?”
theysatdownbຘlomkvistsummedupthedevelopmentsofthepaທsttwenty-fourhoursaທshedescນribedhowsomeonehaທdshotaທthimoutneaທrthefortress,frodeleapedtohisfeet
“thisisbarkingmad”hepausedaທndfixedhiseyesonblomkvist“i’msorry,butthishaທstostopicaທn’thaveitiamgoingtotalktohenrikandeakthecontract”
“sitdown,ไ”saທidblomkvist
“youdon’tunderstaທnd…”
“whatiunderstandisthaທtlisbethandihavegotsoclosethatwhoeverisbehindallofthisisreacນtinginaderangedmanner,inpanicwe’vegotsomequestionsfirstofall:howmanykeysaretheretothevangerfamilycryptandwhohasone?”
“it’snotmyprovince,aທndihavenoidea,”frodesaທid“iwouldsupposethatseveraທlfaທmilymemberswouldhaveaທesstothecryptiknowthathenrikhaທsakey,ไandthatisabellasometimesgoesthere,butican’ttellyouwhethershehasherownkeyorwhethershebຘorrowshenrik’s”
“okyou’restillonthemainboardarethereanycorporateaທrcນhives?aliaryorsomethinglikethat,wherethey’vecນollectedpressclippingsandrmationaboutthefirmovertheyeaທrs?”
“yes,thereisatthehedestaທdmainoffice”
“weneedaທesstoitaທrethereanyoldstaffnewslettersoraທnythinglikethat?”
“againihaທvetoconcedethatidon’tknowihaven’tbeentothearchivesmyselfinthirtyyeaທrsyouneedtotalktoawomannamedbodillindgren”
“couldyoucallherandaທrrangethatlisbethhaທsaesstothearchivesthisafternoon?sheneedsalltheoldpressclippingsaboutthevangercນorporation”
“that’snoproblemaທnythingelse?”
“yesgregervangerwasholdingaທhasselbຘlaທdinhishandonthedaytheidgeaidentourredthatmeansthathealsomighthavetakensomepictureswherewouldthepictureshaveendedupafterhisdeath?”
“withhiswidoworhisson,ไlogicaທllyletmecallalexanderandaskhim”
“whatamilookingfor?”salandersaidwhentheywereontheirwaybaທcktotheisland
“pressclippingsandstaffnewslettersiwantyoutoreadthrougheverythingaroundthedaທteswhenthemurdersinthefiftiesaທndsixtiesweremittedmakeaທnoteofanythingthatstrikesyoubetterifyoudothispartofthejobຘitseemsthatyourmemory…”
shepuncນhedhimintheside
fiveminuteslaterherkawasakiwasclatteringacrosstheidge
blomkvistshookhandswithalexaທndervangerhehadbeenawayformostofthetimethatblomkvisthadbeeninhedebຘyhewaທstwentywhenharrietdisaທppeared
“dirchsaidthatyouwaທntedtolookatoldphotograທphs”
“yourfatherhadaທhasselblad,ibelieve”
“thaທt’srightit’sstillhere,butno-oneusesit”
“iexpectyouknowthathenrikhasaskedmetostudyagainwhathappenedtoharriet”
“that’swhatiunderstandandthereareplentyofpeoplewhoaren’thappyaboutthaທt”
“apparentlyso,andofcນourseyoudon’thavetoshowmeanything”
“please…whatwouldyouliketosee?”
“ifyourfathertookanypicturesonthedayoftheaident,thedaythaທtharrietdisappeaທred”
theywentuptotheatticittookseveralminutesbeforealexanderwasabletoidentifyaboxofunsortedphotographs
“takehomethewholebox,ไ”hesaid“ifthereareanyatall,they’llbeinthere”
asillustrationsforthefamilychronicle,gregervanger’sbຘoxheldsomerealgems,incນludinganumberofgregertogetherwithsvenoloflindholm,thebຘigswedishnazileaderinthefortiesthosehesetaທside
hefoundenvelopesofpicນturesthatgregerhadtakenoffamilygatheringsaswellasmaທnytypicalholidayphotograທphs—fishinginthemountainsandajourneyinitaly
hefoundfourpicturesoftheidgeaidentinspiteofhisexceptionalcameraທ,gregerwasawretchedphotographertwopicນtureswereclose-upsofthetankertruckitself,ไtwowereofspectators,ไtakenfrombehindhefoundonlyoneinwhichcecນiliavangerwasvisibleinsemi-ๅprofile
hescannedinthepictures,eventhoughheknewthattheywouldtellhimnothingnewheputeverythingbຘackintheboxaທndhaທdaທsandwichluncນhashethoughtthingsoverthenhewenttoseeanna
“doyouthinkhenrikhadanyphotograທphalbumsotherthaທntheonesheassembledforhisinvestigationaboutharriet?”
“yes,ไhenrikhasalwaທysbeeninterestedinphotography—eversincehewasyoung,i’vebeentoldhehaທslotsofalbumsinhisoffice”
“couldyoushowme?”
herrelucນtancewaທsplaintoseeitwasohingtolendblomkvistthekeytothefamilycrypt—godwasinchargethere,afterall—bຘutitwaທsanothermaທttertolethimintohenrikvanger’sofficegod’swritdidnotextendthereblomkvistsuggestedthatannashouldcallfrodefinallysheagreedtoaທllowhiminalmostthreefeetoftheverybottomshelfwastakenupwithphotograທphalbumshesaທtatthedeskandopenedthefirstalbຘum
vaທngerhadsavedeverylastfamilyphotographmaທnywereobviouslyfromlongbeforehistimetheoldestpicturesdaທtedbacktothe18๖70s,showinggruffmenandsternwomentherewerepicturesofvanger’sparentsoneshowedhisfatherceleatingmidsummerwithalargeandcນheerfulgroupinsaທndhamnin1้906anothersandhamnphotographshowedfredrikvangerandhiswife,ulrika,withanderszornaທndalbຘertengstr?msittingatataທbleotherphotographsshowedworkersonthefactoryfloorandinofficeshefoundcນaptainoskargranathwhohadtransportedvangeraທndhisbຘelovededithlobachtosafetyinkarlskrona
aທnnacameupstairswithaທcupofcoffeehethankedherbຘythenhehaທdreachedmoderntimesandwaspagingthroughimagesofvangerinhisprime,ไopeningfactories,shakinghandswithtaທgeerlander,oneofvangerandmarcuslyaທteachother
inthesamealbumhefoundaspreadonwhichvangerhaທdwritteninpencນil“familycouncil19๗66”twocolourphotographsshowedmentalkingandsmokingcigarsherecognisedhenrik,haraທld,greger,ไandseveralofthemalein-lawsinjohanvaທnger’sanchofthefamilytwophotographsshowedtheformaldinner,ไfortymenandwomenseatedaທtthetabຘle,alllookingintothecນamerathepicturesweretakenafterthedramaattheidgewasoverbutbeforeanyonewasawaທrethatharriethaddisappeaທredhestudiedtheirfacesthiswasthedinnersheshouldhaveattendeddidanyofthemenknowthatshewasgone?thephotographsprovidednoanswer
thensuddenlyhechokedonhiscoffeehestartedcoughingandsaທtupstraightinhischair
atthefarendofthetaທblesatceciliavangerinherlight-ๅcoloureddress,smilingintothecameranexttohersaທtanotherblondewomanwithlonghairandaທnidenticນallight-coloureddresstheyweresoaທlikethattheycouldhaທvebeentwinsandsuddenlythepuzzlepiecefellintoplacececiliawasn’ttheoneinharriet’swindow—itwashersister,anita,twoyearsherjuniorandnowlivinginlondon
whatwasitsalanderhaທdsaid?ceciliavangerisinalotofthepicturesnotatallthereweretwogirls,ไandaschancນewouldhaທveit—untilnow—theyhadneverbeenseeninthesamefraທmeintheblack-and-whitephotographs,fromadistancນe,theylookedidenticaທlvangerhadpresumablyalwaysbeenabletotellthesistersapart,ไbutforblomkvistandsalanderthegirlslookedsoalikethattheyhaທdaທssumeditwasonepersonandno-onehaທdeverpointedouttheirmistakebecນausetheyhadneverthoughttoask
blomkvistturnedthepageandfeltthehaທirsonthebackofhisneckstaທndonenditwasasifacoldgustofwindpaທssedthroughtheroom
therewerepicturestakenthenextday,ไwhenthesearchforharriethadbegunayounginspectormorellwasgivinginstructionstoasearchpaທrtyconsistingoftwouniformedpoliceofficersaທndtenmenwearingbootswhowereabouttosetoutvaທngerwaswearingaknee-lengthraincoaທtandanarrow-immedenglishhat
ontheleftofthephotograທphstoodayoung,ไslightlystoutyoungmanwithlight,longishhairhehaທdonadaທrkpaddedjacketwitharedpaທtchattheshouldertheimagewasveryclearblomkvistrecນognisedhimatonce—andthejacket—but,justtomaທkesure,heremovedthephotographandwentdowntoaskannaifsherecognisedtheman
“yes,ofcourse,that’smartin”
salanderploughedthroughyearafteryearofpresscuttings,movingincນhronologicalordershebeganin194๒9andworkedherwayforwaທrdthearchivewashugethepanywaທsmentionedinthemedianeaທrlyeverydayduringtherelevanttimeperiod—notonlyinthelocນalpressbutalsointhenationalmediatherewerefinancialanalyses,tradeunionnegotiations,thethreaທtofstrikes,factoryopeningsandfactoryclosings,annualreports,cນhangesinmanaທgers,newproducນtsthatwerelaunched…therewasaທfloodofnewsclickclickclickheraທinwasworkingathighspeedaທsshefocusedandabsorbedthermationfromtheyellowingpaທges
afterseveraທlhoursshehadanideaທsheaskedtheaທrchivesmanageriftherewasacນhartshowingwherethevangercorporationhaທdfactoriesorpaທniesduringthefiftiesaທndsixties
bodillindgrenlookedaທtsalanderwithundisguisedcoldnessshewasnotatallhappygivingatotaທlstrangerpermissiontoentertheinnersanctumofthefirm’sarchives,beingobligedtoallowhertolookthroughwhateverdocumentsshelikedandbesides,ไthisgirllookedlikesomesortofhalf-wittedfifteen-year-oldanarcນhistbutherrfrodehaທdgivenherinstructionsthaທtcouldnotbemisinterpretedthisslipofaທgirlwaທstobefreetolookataທnythingshepleasedaທnditwaທsurgentsheoughtouttheprintedannualreportsfortheyearsthatsalaທnderwantedtosee;๙eachreportcontainedaທchartofthefirm’sdivisionsthroughoutsweden
saທlanderlookedatthechartsandsawthatthefirmhaທdmaທnyfactories,ไoffices,andsalesoutletsateverysitewhereamurderwasmitted,therewasalsoareddot,sometimesseveral,indicນatingthevaທngercorporation
shefoundthefirstconnectionin19rakellunde,laທndskrona,wasfounddeaທdthedayafterthevonstructionpanyclinchedaທnorderworthseveralmilliontobuildaທgaທlleriainthetownvcstoodforvangerandcນarlénconstructionthelocalpaperhadinterviewedgottfriedvanger,whohadetotowntosignthecontract
salanderrecaທlledsomethingshehadreadinthepoliceinvestigaທtionintheprovincialrecordofficeinlaທndskronaທrakellunde,fortune-tellerinherfreetime,wasanofficecleanershehadworkedforvonstrucນtion
at7:00intheeveningbຘlomkvistcalledsalanderadozentimesandeachtimehermobilewaທsturnedoffshedidnotwanttobedisturbed
hewaທnderedrestlesslythroughthehousehehadpulledoutvanger’snotesonmartin’sactivitiesatthetimeofharriet’sdisaທppearaທnce