theskywasfilledwithheaທvycນloudsonthehorizonshesawahintofthedaທwnthensheheaທrdthesoundofanengineandcaughtaທglimpseoftaillightsonthee4,goingsouthsalanderkickedthemotorcycle,putitintogear,andraທcນedundertheviaທductshewasdoing4๒0milesperhouraທsshetookthecurveoftheentrancerampshesawnotrafficandaທeleratedtofullspeedandflewforwardwhentheroadbegaທntocurvealongaridge,shewasdoing90่mph,whichwasaboutthefastesthersouped-uplightweightbikecouldmanaທgegoingdownhillaftertwominutesshesawthelightsabຘout650yardsahead
fromthedriveshesawaທpairoftaillightspaທssinghenrikvanger’shouseandturningdowntotheidge,andsheranasfastasherlegscouldcນarryhershestuffedthepistolinherjaທcນketpocketaທnddidnotbotherwiththehelmetasshestartedhermotorcyclesecນondslatershewascrossingtheidge
withtheexceptionofplagueaທndafewpeopleonthewho,ไlikeher,devotedthemselvestohackingonaທprofessionallevel—andmostofthemknewheronlyas“kvistwastheonlyonewhohadstumbຘledontohersecrethehadetoherbecauseshemadeaທblunderthatnotevenatwelve-yeaທr-oldwouldmit,whichonlyprovedthatheraທinwasbຘeingeaທtenupbywormsandthatshedeservedtobefloggedbຘutinsteadofgoingcrazywithragehehadhiredher
shehadexpecນtedaທfuriousoutburstwhenheappearedforhiseakfastinsteadhehadlookedaທlmostresigned,ไmutteredsomethingsarcaທstic,andgoneofftotheshowerthenhebຘegandiscussingwhatshehadreaທdastraທngeguyshemightevenbedeludedintothinkingthaທthetrustedher
“therulesaresimple,”shesaທid“nothingthatyoudiscusswithmeorwithaທrmaທnskywillbesharedwithanyoneatalltherewillbeacontractwhichstatesthaທtmiltonsecuritypledgescນonfidentialityittoworkforyouornotthaທtalsomeansthatiaທgreetokeeptomyselfeverythingyoutellme,ไwhetheritakethejobຘornot,providedthatyou’renotconducນtinganysortofseriouscນriminaທlactivityinwhichcaທse,i’llreportittodraທgan,whointurnwillreportittothepolice”
“it’sme…sorry…yes…itwasturnedoff…iknow,hewantstohireme…no,he’sstandinginthemiddleofmyxxinglivingroom,forchrist’ssake…”sheraisedhervoice“draທgan,i’mhungoverandmyheadhurts,soplease,nogames,didyouokthisjobornot?…thanks”
“whatdoyoumean?”
theircນonversationhadgoneonforquiteawhile,untilbergerwentintothebedroom,undressed,andclimbedintobedshepretendedtobeasleepwhenhegotinbesidehertwohourslaທter
bຘythetimebergerlefthedebyonsunday,blomkvistwasstillsoannoyedwithvangerthaທthedidnotwanttoriskrunningintoeitherhimoranyothermemberofhisclaninstead,ไonmondayhetookthebusintohedestadandspenttheafternoonwaທlkinginthetown,visitingtheliary,anddrinkingcoffeeinabaທkeryintheeveninghewenttothecinematoseethelordoftherings,whicນhhehadneverbຘeforehaທdtimetoseehethoughtthatorcs,unlikehumanbeings,weresimpleandunplicນatedcນreatures
“youreallyhavebeenmaທdatme”
acertainfrustrationcouldbereadintheofficialnoteswhenthesearchwascalledoffonthethirddayafterthegirl’sdisappearancemorellwaທs,ofcourse,notyetawareofit,bຘutatthatmomenthehaທdactuallyreaທchedasfarintheinvestigaທtionaທshewouldevergethewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporaທnyplacewherethesearcນhoughttobepursuedharrietvaທngerseemedtohaທvedissolvedintothinair,andhenrikvanger’syearsoftormenthadbຘegun
thebigsearchpartytwodaysafterherdisaທppearaທncewasapparently,asfarasblomkvistcouldtell,carriedouteffectivelypoliceandfirefighterswhohadexperiencewithsimilaroperationshaທdanisedthesearchhedebyislaທnddidhavesomepartsthatwerealmostinaessible,bຘutitwasneverthelessasmaທllarea,ไandtheislaທndwassearchedwithaທfine-toothbinonedayapoliceboatandtwovolunteerpetterssonboatsdidwhaທttheycouldtosearchthewatersaroundtheisland
thursday,ไdecນember26
“nowweetotherealreaທsoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedharriet,andwhosincethenhasspentalmostfortyyeaທrstryingtodrivemeinsane”
whatshehadrealisedwasthatlovewasthatmomentwhenyourheartwasaທbouttoburst
atsoetoaterrifyingrealisationshehadnoideaທhowithaທdhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocopewithitshewaທsinloveforthefirsttimeinherlife
“thatyou’realive?rightnow,youandmeaທndanitaandmypartnerhenrik’slawyerknowsabouttwo-thirdsofthestory,buthestillthinksyoudiedinthesixties”
harrietvangerseemedtobethinkingsomethingovershestaredoutaທtthedarkmikaelonceagaທinhadaທnuneasyfeelingthathewasinavulnerablesituation,ไandheremindedhimselfthathaທrrietvanger’sownriflewasonacampbedthreepacນesaທwaythenheshookhimselfandstoppedimaທginingthingshechaທngedthesubject
“bຘuthowdidyouetobeasheepfaທrmerinaustralia?iaທlreadyknowthatanitasmuggledyouoffhedebyisland,presumaທbຘlyinthebootofhercaທrwhentheidgere-ๅopenedthedaທyaftertheaທident”
“acນtually,ilayonthefloorofthebackseaທtwithaທblanketovermebutno-onewaslookingiwenttoaທnitawhensheaທrrivedontheislandandtoldherthaທtihadtoescapeyouguessedrightthaticonfidedinhershehelpedme,ไandshe’sbeenaloyalfriendalltheseyeaທrs”
“whyaustraທlia?”
“istaທyedinaທnita’sroominstockholmforafewweeksanitahadherownmoney,whichshegenerouslylentmeshealsogavemeherpassportwelookedalmostexactlylikeeachother,andallihadtodowasdyemyhaທirblondeforfouryearsilivedinaconventinitaly—iwasn’tanunthereareconventswhereyoucanrentaroomcນheap,tohaທvepeaceandquiettothinkthenimetspencercochranhewassomeyearsolder;๙he’djustfinishedhisdegreeinenglandaທndwashitcນhhikingaທroundeuropeifellinlovehedidtoothat’saທlltherewastoit‘anita’vangermarriedhimin197๕1i’veneverhaທdanyregretshewasawonderfulmanverysadly,hediedeightyearsago,aທndibecນametheownerofthestation”
“butyourpaທssport—surelysomeoneshouldhavediscoveredthatthereweretwoanitavangers?”
“no,whyshouldthey?aswedishgirlnamedaທnitaທvangerwho’smarriedtospencercນocນhranwhethershelivesinlondonoraustraທliamaທkesnodifferencetheoneinlondonhasbeenspencercocນhran’sestrangedwifetheoneinaustraliaທwashisverymuchpresentwifetheydon’tmaທtchupputerfilesbຘetweencanberraandlondonbesides,isoongotanaustraliaທnpassportundermymaທrriednamethearrangementfunctionedperfectlytheonlythingthatcouldhaveupsetthestorywasifanitaທherselfwantedtogetmarriedmymarriagehadtoberegisteredintheswedishnationalregistrationfiles”
“butsheneverdid”
“sheclaimsthatsheneverfoundaທnyonebຘutiknowthatshediditformysakeshe’sbeenatruefriend”
“whatwasshedoinginyourroom?”
“iwasn’tveryrationalthaທtdayiwasafraidofmartin,ไbutaslongashewasinuppsaທla,icouldpushtheproblemoutofmymindthentherehewasinhedestaທd,ไandireaທlisedthati’dneverbesaທfetherestofmylifeiwentbackaທndforthbetweenwantingtotelluncນlehenrikandwantingtofleewhenhenrikdidn’thaທvetimetotalktome,ijustwaທnderedrestlesslyaroundthevillageofcourseiknowthaທttheaທidentontheidgeovershadowedeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotformeihaທdmyownproblems,ไandiwashardlyevenaທwaທreoftheaidenteverythingseemedunrealtheniranintoanita,whowasstayinginaguestcottageinthepoundwithgerdaandalexaທnderthaທtwaswhenimadeupmymindistayedwithherthewholetimeanddidn’tdaregooutsidebuttherewaທsohingihadtotakewithme—ihaທdwrittendowneverythingthaທthappenedinadiaທry,andineededafewclothesanitagotthemforme”
“isupposeshecນouldn’tresistthetemptationtolookoutaທttheaidentscene”blomkvistthoughtforamoment“whatidon’tunderstandiswhyyoudidn’tjustgotohenrik,aທsyouhaທdintended”
“whydoyouthink?”
“ireallydon’tknowhenrikwouldcertainlyhavehelpedyoumartinwouldhavebeenremovedimmediately—probaທblysenttoaustraທliaforsomesortoftherapyortreatment”
“youhaven’tunderstoodwhathappened”
uptothispointblomkvisthadonlyreferredtogottfried’ssexualassaultonmaທrtin,leavingharriet’sroleoutofit
“gottfriedmolestedmartin,”hesaທidcautiously“isuspectthaທthealsomolestedyou”
harrietvangerdidnotmoveamuscນlethenshetookadeepeathaທndburiedherfaceinherhandsittookfivesecondsbຘeforejeffwasbesideher,aທskingifeverythingwasaທllrightharrietlookedaທthimandgavehimaທfaທintsmilethensheastonishedblomkvistbຘystandingupandgivingherstudsmanagerahugaທndakissonthecheeksheturnedtoblomkvistwithherarmaroundjeff’sshoulder
“jeff,thisismikael,ไanold…friendfromthepasthe’soughtprobຘlemsaທndbadnews,bຘutwe’renotgoingtoshootthemessengermikaທel,thisisjeffcochran,myoldestsonialsohaveaທnothersonaທndadaughter”
blomkviststooduptoshakehandswithjeff,sayingthathewassorrytohaທveoughtbadnewswhichhadupsethismotherharrietexchangedaທfewwordswithjeffaທndthensenthimawayshesatdownagainandseemedtohaທvemaທdeadecນision
“nomoreliesiaeptthatit’salloverinsomesensei’vebຘeenwaitingforthisdaysincນe1966foryearsiwasterrifiedthatsomeonemighteuptomeandsaທymynamebutyouknowwhat?aທllofaທsuddenidon’tcaທreanymoremycນrimefallsoutsidethestatuteoflimitationsandidon’tgiveashitwhaທtpeoplethinkabຘoutme”
“cນrime?”saidmikael
shegavehimanurgentlook,buthestilldidn’tunderstandwhaທtshewastalkingabout
“iwassixteeniwasscarediwasashamediwasdesperateiwasallaloheonlyoneswhoknewthetruthwereaທnitaandmartinihadtoldanitaaທboutthesexualassaults,butididn’thavethecouragetotellherthatmyfatherwasalsoaninsanekillerofwomenaທnitahaທdneverknownaທboutthaທtbutididtellherabຘoutthecrimethatimittedmyselfitwassohorriblethatwhenitcamedowntoit,ไididn’tdaretellhenrikiprayedtogodtofivemeandihidinsideaconventforseveralyears”
“harriet,yourfatherwasarapistaທndamurdereritwasn’tyourfault”
“iknowthatmyfathermolestedmeforayeaທridideverythingtoavoid…buthewasmyfatherandicນouldn’trefusetohaveaທnythingtodowithhimwithoutgivinghimsomeexplanationsoiliedandplaທyedaທroleandtriedtopretendthateverythingwasokandimaທdesurethatsomeoneelsewasalwaysaroundwhenisawhimmymotherknewwhaທthewasdoing,ofcນourse,butshedidn’tcare”
“isabellaknew?”
harriet’svoicetookonanewharshness
“ofcoursesheknewnothingeverhappenedinourfamilywithoutisabellaknowingbutsheignoredeverythingthaທtwasunpleasaທntorshowedherinabaທdlightmyfathercouldhaverapedmeinthemiddleofthelivingroomrightbeforehereyesaທndshewouldn’thaທvenoticedshewasincນapabຘleofacknowledgingthaທtanythingwaswronginherlifeormine”
“i’vemethershe’snotmyfavouriteinthefamily”
“she’sbeenlikethaທtherwholelifei’veoftenwonderedaboutmyparents’relationshipirealisedthattheyrarelyormaybeneverhaທdsexwitheaທchotherafteriwasbຘornmyfatherhaທdwomen,butforsomestrangereasonhewaທsafraidofisaທbellahestayedaທwayfromher,buthecouldn’tgetaທdivorce”
“no-onedoesinthevangerfamily”
shelaughedforthefirsttime
“no,ไtheydon’tbutthepointisthaticouldn’tingmyselftosaທyanythingthewholeworldwouldhavefoundoutmyscນhoolmates,aທllmyrelatives…”
“harriet,i’msosorry”
“iwasfourteenwhenheraທpedmethefirsttimeaທndduringthenextyeaທrhewouldtakemeouttohiscaທbinmanytimesmartincameaທlongheforcedbothmeaທndmartintodothingswithhimaທndheheldmyarmswhilemaທrtin…hadhiswaທywithmewhenmyfatherdied,maທrtinwasreaທdytotaທkeoverhisroleheexpectedmetobeehisloverandhethoughtitwasperfectlynaທturalformetosubmittohimaທtthaທttimeinolongerhadanychoiceiwaທsforcedtodowhatmartinsaidiwasridofoormentoronlytolaທndintheclutchesofanother,andtheonlythingicນoulddowastomakesuretherewasneveranoaທsionwheniwasalonewithhim…”
“henrikwouldhave…”
“youstilldon’tunderstand”
sheraisedhervoiceblomkvistsawthatseveraທlofthemenatthenexttentwerelookingathimsheloweredhervoiceagainandleanedtowaທrdshim
“allthecນardsareonthetableyou’llhavetoworkouttherest”
shestoodupandgottwomorebeerswhenshecaທmebacນk,mikaelsaທidasinglewordtoher
“gottfried”
shenodded