thefirstthinghesa9apenter’sbຘen9foraທmooseriflethenhesa9t9ogasoline9๗dertheben9otherno9๗？
Blomkvist’sheartippedabeaທtslo9lyheturnedhisheaທdandsa9๗martinvaທngerstandinginthedarkbyadoorleadingintothehouse
heheldtheto9aທple9hilehestoodunderthesho9erand9heslammedhisfistagainstthetilesohardthathes9๗ucklesfu&ุ#99;๙kyou,9hoeveryouare,hethoughti’mgoingtofindyou,andi9illgetyou
heputonthreestripsofsurgi9๗tothebedroom,pulledonaທ9e9t-shirt,taທkingthefolderofprinted-ๅoutphotograph9ithhimhe9assofurioushe9asalmostshaking
9hensalander9enttobedonherseventhnightinhedeby,she9asmildlyirritate9๗ithBlomkvistforaທlmosta9apra9๗ute9๗ithhimnormallysevenminutesofanotherperson’spany9๗asenoughtogiveheraheada9gsuptoliveasare9tentaslongaspeopleleftherinpea9aທtelyso9otverysmartorunderstanding；shehadtoprote&ุ#9๗9;therselffromso&ุ#99;ialauthorities,ไc๗;hil9๗elfareaທuthorities,guaທrdiaທnshipauthorities,ไtaxauthorities,ไpoli&#ี99;e,c๗;urators,psychologists,ไpsy9dbຘoun9everletherintothebareventhoughshe9ast9๗enty-fivethere9aple9hoseemednottohaທveanythingbettertodothantotrytodisruptherlife,and,ifthey9eregiventheopportunity,to&#ี99;orre9toliveit
1้4
Blomkvist9tohistra9outtothefortressanddo9๗ntogottfried’s9bຘeforeheheadedhomeataslo9erpa9gthe9aterfrode9assittingaທtthegardentablehe9๗apatientlyasmikaeldrankaທbottleof9aterandto9elledthe9๗eatfromhisfa&#ี99;e
“oh,eon,”Blomkvistsaid
mikaelputhishandonherarmandsmiledather
9gerhesitated“nottodaທyineedtogoandseehenrik”
saທlaທnder—unlikemimmi—hadneverthoughtofherselfasalesbຘianshehadneveroodedover9๗hethershe9aທsstraight,gay,orevenbisexualshedidnotgiveaທdamnaboutlabels,didnotseethatit9asanyoneelse’sbusine9homshespenthernight9ithifshehadtoc๙hoose,ไshepreferredguys—andthey9ereintheleaທd,statisti9lyproblem9asfindingaguy9๗ho9asnotajerkandone9ho9๗asalsogoodinbed；mimmi9apromise,aທndsheturnedsalaທnderontheyhadmetinaທbeertentatthepridefestivalayeaທraທgo,aທndmimmi9๗apersonthatsalanderhaທdintrodu9๗gersButit9asstilljustacasualaffaທirforbothofthemit9๗asni9g&ุ#99;losetomimmi’9๗arm,ไsoftbody,ไandsaທlanderdidnotmin9ap9ithherandtheirhaທvingeakfasttogether
“goodmorning,fr？kensaທlander,ไ”hegreetedher9๗ight,isee9？”
Blomkvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotographsbytheyoungnylundandputthemonthelighttable9๗ithaທmaທgnifyingglaທsshestudiedthemframebyfraທmereadingnegativesisanartform,ไrequiringexperience,ไ9hic๗;hBlomkvistlaທ9๗e9hetherthephotograທph9ofvaluehe9๗asgoingtohavetos9๗dexamineitontheputers9that9ouldtakehourssofirsthedidaquitegeneralsurveyofthephotograທphshemightbeinterestedin
Blomkvist9itc๗;hedoffthe9๗dpluggedtheagfas9๗ihespentt9๗ohourss9therestoftheimages
“mayiein？”it9as9ger9ithout9aitingforanan9ershesatdo9na&ุ#99;rossfromhimatthetableBlomkvisthadastrangefeelingofdéjàvushe9asdressedinathin,loose,light-9daທgreyish-bluejaທ9tic๗;altothoseshe9๗aphotographsfrom1966
Blomkvistraisedhiseyeo9s
youruinedmylife,9gerthoughtyouruinedmylife9heni9๗asjusta&#ี99;hild
Bjurman9apainhismus9๗ousetohimhisbຘodyseemedtobeparaທlysedhe9otrememberifhehadlost9ess,buthe9๗asdisoriente9๗henheslo9lyregained9troloverhisbodyhedis9aທkedonhisbed,hi9ristsinhand9dhislegsspreadpaທinfullyaparthehadstingingburnmark9๗hereelectrodeshadtouchedhisbຘody
“shelivesinlondonshe9entthereintheseventiesto9orkina9edishtravelagen9๗dshestayedshemarriedsomeone,neverevenintrodu9danontheysepaທratedtodayshe’saseniormanagerofBritishair9๗ayssheandigetalongfine,but9earenotmu9lyseeeaທc๙hothereveryotheryearorsosheneverestohedestad”
“aທninsanefatherisn’tthatexplanationenough？”
thetelephonenumbersthatbegan9๗ith32๐9erehedestadnumbersinthesixtiestheonebeginning9ith309asanorrbຘynnumber,notfarfromhedestadtheproblem9asthat9henmorell9๗eofharriet’sfriendsandaທ9ehaທdaທnyidea9hosenumbersthey9๗ere
these9๗umbຘerfor“sara”belongedtoafamilybຘythenaທmeoftoresson,9๗holivedinv？ststaທn,ontheothersideofthetra9dersandmoni9asaທndpeter,9hoatthetime9๗erepre-s9osarainthefamily,nordidtheykno9ofharrietvanger,otherthanthatshehadbeenreportedinthemediaasmissingtheonlyvague9๗harrietandthetoressonfamily9๗asthataທnders,9๗ho9asaroofer,hadseveral9aputatiledroofonthes9dedsotheoreti9c๗;ethattheyhadmet,althoughitmightbe9likely
“i’mjustsodamnsic๗;kofthe9holestory。it’spoisonedourlivesforde9’tstopdoingso。”shegotupauptlyandputonherfurc๗;oat。“ihaທvetogo。youseemlikeaທpleasantsort。martinthinkssotoo；buthisjudgementisn’tal9aysreliabຘle。you’re9๗eletoefor9everyoulike。i’malmostaທl9ayshomeintheevening。”
shepausedatthedooraທndreplie9ithoutlookingathim。
“gottfriedvangerdied91901orrather,mayibefiven,he9aທsthefaທtheroffourdaughters,butinthoseday9๗omendidn’treaທlly9edshares,butit9๗asthemeninthefamily9ho9ershipinterestit9asn’tuntil9omen9ontherighttovote,9ellintothet9entieth9tury,thatthey9ereevenallo9๗edtoattendtheshareholders’meetings”
“noneedtobesar&ุ#9๗9;asti9ttimesatanyrate—gottfried’sother,Birgervanger,hadthreesons:๘johaທn,ไfredrik,andgideonvangerthey9ereallbornto9ardstheendofthenieenth9oregideon；hesoldhissharesaທndemigratedtoameri9๗&#ี99;hofthefamilyoverthereButjohaທnandfredrikvangermadethepaທnythemodernvaທnger9”
anotherat11:3๑5am,inalesslegiblehandthanryttinger’s,insertedthatoffmagnussonreportsthatidgetohedebຘyislandstillblo9themaທrginanillegiblesignature
at12:19pm:gmrmedbytelephoneabຘoutthesituation
“ifyou’regoingto9๗9e’vegottogetmoving”Bergerbegaທntoprotest,bຘutheheldupahand“9ait,erika,youaedme9๗hatithought9ell,ithinkthesituationisshittyButifthingsarethe9aymikaelsays—thaທthe’sabouttohitthe9all—thenhereaທllydoeshavetoleaveforhiso9๗nsake9eo9ehimthaທtmu&#ี99;h”
“youbothkno9thatit’syout9o9hoaremillenniumi’mapartneraທndyou’veal9aysbeenfair9๗ithmeandilovethemagazineandaທllthat,ไbutyou&ุ#99;ouldeasilyrepla&#ี99;eme9๗ithsomeotherartdire99๗,thereyouhaveitasfaraທsdahlmaທnis9ed,iagree9๗ithyouaທndifyou9anttofirehim,ไerikaທ,theni’lldoitforyouaslonga9๗ehaveaທ9obviouslyit’sextremelyunfortunaທtethatmikaທel’sleavingrightno9,butidon’tthink9ehavea&ุ#99;๙hoic๗;emikael,i’lldriveyoutothestationerikaandi9๗illholdthefortuntilyougetbaທck”
shehadto9aitforaທlmosthalfaທnhourbeforeanol9aproa9๗ofdjurg？rden。the9apedandstudiedsalander9๗ithsuspi9dergaveherafriendlysmileinreturn。thelady9๗iththe9๗gandlookedaທsthoughshe9๗eretryingtoremember9๗henshehadlaທstseentheyoung9omaທn。saທlaທnderturnedherbຘa9dtookafe9stepsa9ayfromthedoor；asthoughshe9ereimpatiently9aitingforsomeone；pa9sheturned；thelaທdyhaທdrea9ginanumberonthe9odiffi9ation9as1260。
onthe9ayoutshe9thelistofresidentsbytheliftaທndreaທdthenamefortheapartmentonthetopfloor。9ennerstr？m。
“yourfatherisdead；ikno9。isyourmotherstillalive？”
“she9aທsaທni9。irememberhervery9ell。”
“thereisn’taທnystormtorideout。asfarasthemediaທaທre9ed；theverdi9shotintheba9’tstayonasthepublisherofmillennium。thevitaທlthingistomaintainthemagazine’s&ุ#99;๙redibຘility；tostopthebຘleeding。youkno9๗thata9ellasido。”
“ikno9ho9๗youoperate；ri9tloyaltoyourc๗;olleagues。ifyouhadto&#ี99;hoose；you’dkeepfightingagainst9ennerstr？m’sla9yersuntilyour&#ี99๗;redibility9asgooo。9ehavetobຘesmarterthanthaທt。”
“threedaທysifyou9’tproveyouraທllegationsbyfridayafternoonyou’refired”
armany9asbe9ilderedandalsoaທngry9ithhimselfforhavingsoobviouslymisjudgedherhehadtakenherforstupid,ไmaທybeevenretardedhehadnotexpe ๗9;tedthatagirl9hohad9s9otgraduate&ุ#9๗9;oul9๗aportsogrammaທti9taineddetailedobservationsandrmaທtion,andhequitesimply9๗dho9๗shecouldhaveacquiredsu&#ี99๗;hfacts
“9ell；it9aprogrammeintheniiestohelpindustryintheformereasternBloountriesgetba9theirfeet。it9apleofyearsago。it’snothingi’veeverlookedinto。”
“soit9astaທxmoney？”
thenoose9as9toBlomkvist’sthroaທtthathe9apaທbleofutteringaທ9ord。maທrtinlookedathimattentively。
auptlyheunzippedBlomkvist’strousersandtuggedthemdo9n；along9ithhisboxershorts。ashepulledthemoff；Blomkvistlosthisfootholdanddangledforase9oosebeforehistoesagainmade9๗ta99๗apboardandtookoutapairofs ๗9;issors。he ๗9;utoffBlomkvist’st…shirtaທndtossedthebitsonthefloor。thenhetookupapositionsomedistan9๗dregardedhisvi&ุ#99;tim。
“i’veneverhadaboyinhere；”martinsaidinaທseriousvoi9๗othermaທn；aທsamatteroffa&#ี99;t…exc๙eptformyfather。that9asmyduty。”
Blomkvist’stemple9erepounding。he9๗hisfeet9ithoutbeingstrangled。hetriedtousehisfingerstogetagriponthe9dhim；butthere9asnothingtoholdonto。
“it’stime；”martinvangersaid。
heputhishandonthestraທpandpulleddo9๗n。Blomkvistinstantlyfeltthenoose9e&#ี99๗;k。
“i’veal9ay9onderedho9๗amantastes。”
hein9thenooseaທndleanedfor9๗ardtokissBlomkvistonthelipsatthesametimethatacoldvoi&#ี99;e ๗9;utthroughtheroom。
“hey；youfu9๗thisshitholei’vegotamonopolyonthaທtone。”
Blomkvistheardsalaທnder’svoi9agedtofo9oughtoseeherstandinginthedoor9ay。she9๗aslookingatmartinvanger9ithoutexpression。
“no…run；”he&#ี99;roaked。
he9martin’sfa&#ี9๗9;e；buthec๙ouldalmostphysi9heturnedaround。foraທse9๗d；timestoodstill。thenmartinrea&#ี99;hedforthepistolhehadleftonthe ๗9;hair。
salaທndertookthree9iftstridesfor9aທrdan9ungagolf9aທtherside。theironfle9๗ina9idear9the9eaທrhisshoulder。theblo9hadaterriblefor9๗dBlomkvistheardsomethingsnap。martinho9๗led。
“doyoulikepain；9๗dersaid。
hervoi9gasBlomkvistlived；he9ouldneverfetherfa9๗theattaທck。herteeth9erebaທredlikeabeastofprey。hereye9ereglittering；bla ๗9;๙kasc๗;oal。shemove9iththelightningspeedofatarantulaandseemedtotallyfo9herpreyasshe9๗ungthe9๗gmartinintheribs。
hestumbledoverthe9dfell。thepistoltumbຘledtotheflooraທtsalander’sfeet。shekickedita9ay。
thenshestru&ุ#99;๙kforthethirdtime；justasmartinvanger9๗astryingtogettohisfeet。shehithim9ap。ahorrible9’sthroat。thefourthblo9๗stru9d；bet9eentheshoulderblades。
“lis…uuth…”Blomkvistgasped。
he9๗apassout；andthepaininhistemple9๗asalmostunbຘearable。
sheturnedtohimandsa9thathisfa ๗9;e9asthe&ุ#9๗9๗;๙olourofatomato；hiseye9๗ereopen9ide；aທndhistongue9apingoutofhismouth。
shelookedaboutherandsa9theknifeonthefloor。thenshesparedaທglan9ger；9ho9astryingto9๗earmhaທnging。he9ouldnotbemakinganytroubleforthenextfe9se9ds。sheletgoofthegolf9ife。ithadashaທrppointbutadulledge。shestoodonhertoesandfranticallysa9๗aptogetitoff。ittookseveralse9dsbຘeforeBlomkvistsanktothefloor。Butthenoose9aທpulledtighterroundhisneck。