船说 BergerandMalweretakingcareoftheannualChristasarrangeentswhileBlokvistsatinErikaschair,drinkingglggandlookingon.AllthestaffandanyoftheregurfreencerswouldreceiveaChristasgiftthisyearashoulderbagwiththenewMillenniupublishinghouselogo.Afterwrappingthepresents,theysatdowntowriteandstapabout200cardstosenrintingpanies,photographers,andediacolleagues.
Blokvisttriedforthelongesttietowithstandtheteptationbutfinallyhecouldntresist.Hepickeduptheverystcardandwrote:MerryChristasandHappyNewYear.Thanksforyoursplendideffortsduringthepastyear.
HesignedhisnaeandaddressedthecardtoJanneDahn,cotheeditorialofficesofMonopolyFinancialMagazine.
WhenBlokvistgothoethateveningtherewasaslipnotifyinghiofapostalpackage.Hewenickitupthenextoing,openingitwhenhegottotheoffice.ThepackagecontainedaosquitorepellentstickandabottleofReiersholsaquavit.Thecardread:Ifyoudonthaveotherpns,IllbedockedatArhoonMidsuerEve.ItwassignedRobertLindberg.
TraditionallytheMillenniuofficeswereclosedtheweekbeforeChristasandthroughtheNewYearsholiday.Thisyearitdidnotworkoutthatway.Thestrainonthesallstaffhadbeenenorous,andjoualistswerestillcallingfroallovertheworldonadailybasis.ItwasthedaybeforeChristasEvewhenBlokvist,alostbychance,happenedtoreadanarticleintheFinancialTiessuingupthefindingsoftheinteationalbankingissionthathadbeenestablishedinallhastetoscrutinisethecolpseoftheWennerstrepire.ThearticlesaidthattheissionwasworkingonthehypothesisthatWennerstrhadprobablybeentippedoffatthestinuteabouttheipendingdisclosures.
HisaountatBankofKroenenfeldintheCayanIsnds,containing260illionapproxiately2.5billionSwedishkronorhadbeeneptiedthedaybeforeMillenniupublisheditsexposé.
Theoneyhadbeenspreadoveranuberofaounts,andonlyWennerstrpersonallycouldakewithdrawals.Hedidnothavetobepresentatthebank；itwasenoughforhresentaseriesofclearingcodesinordertotransfertheoneytoanybankintheworld.TheoneyhadbeentransferredtoSwitzernd,whereafealeassociatehadconvertedthefundsintoanonyousprivatebonds.Alltheclearingcodeswereinorder.
EuropolhadunchedasearchforthewoanwhohadusedastolenBritishpassportinthenaeofMonicaSholesandwhowassaidtohavelivedalifeofluxuryatoneofZürichsostexpensivehotels.Aretivelyclearpicture,consideringthatitcaefroasurveilncecaera,showedashortwoanwithablondepageboy,widelips,andproinentbreastswearingfashionabledesignerclothesandgoldjewellery.
Blokviststudiedthepicture,givingitfirstaquickgnceandthenlookingatitwithincreasingsuspicion.Afterseveralsecondsheruagedinhisdeskforaagnifyinggssandtriedtoakeoutthedetailsofthefacialfeaturesinthenewspapersscreenediage.
Atstheputdownthepaperandsatthere,speechless,forseveralinutes.ThenhestartedughingsohystericallythatMalstuckhisheadroundthedoortofindoutwhatwasgoingon.
OntheoingofChristasEveBlokvistwentouttorstatoseehisexwifeandhisdaughter,Peil,andexchangegifts.Peilgottheputershewanted,whichBlokvistandMonicahadboughttogether.BlokvistgotatiefroMonicaandadetectivenovelbykeEdwardsonfrohisdaughter.UnlikethepreviousChristas,theywereinhighspiritsbecauseoftheedia
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draathathadbeenpyingoutaroundMillenniu.
Theyhadlunchtogether.BlokviststoleasidelonggnceatPeil.HehadnotseenhisdaughtersinceshetueduptovisithiinHedestad.HerealisedthathehadfailedtodiscussheraniaforthatsectinSkelleftewithherother.HecouldnottellthethatitwashisdaughtersobviouslyprofoundknowledgeoftheBiblethathadsethiontherighttrackregardingHarrietVangersdisappearance.Hehadnottalkedtohisdaughtersincethen.
Hewasnotagoodfather.
HekissedhisdaughtergoodbyeafterthelunchandetSanderatSlussen.TheywentouttoSandhan.TheyhadnotseenuchofeachothersincetheMillenniubobexploded.TheyarrivedteonChristasEveandstayedfortheholidays.
Blokvistwasentertainingpany,asalways,butSanderhadanuneasyfeelingthathewaslookingatherwithanespeciallyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacktheloanwithachequefor120,000kronor.
TheytookawalktoTrovilndback,hadChristasdinnerattheinn,andwentbacktothecabinwheretheylitafireinthewoodstove,putonanElvisCD,anddevotedtheselvestosoepinoldsex.WhenSanderfrotietotiecaeupforair,shetriedtoanalyseherfeelings.
ShehadnoproblewithBlokvistasalover.Therewasobviouslyaphysicattraction.Andhenevertriedtotutorher.
Herproblewasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhi.Notsincebeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhi.Tobequitehonest,hehadatryingabiliterateherdefencesandtogethertotalkaboutpersonattersandprivatefeelings.Eventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoreostofhisquestions,shetalkedaboutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeath,haveiagineddoingwithanyotherperson.Itfrightenedherandadeherfeelnakedandvulnerabletohiswill.
Atthesaetiewhenshelookeddownathissluberingforandlistenedtohisnoringshefeltthatshehadneverbeforeinherlifehadsuchatrustinanotherhuanbeing.ShekneithabsolutecertaintythatMikaelwouldneverusewhatheknewabouthertohurther.Itwasnotinhisnature.
Theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirretionshiptoeachother.Shedidnotdare,andBlokvistneverbroachedthesubject.
Atsoepointontheoingoftheseconddayshecaetoaterrifyingrealisation.Shehadnoideahowithadhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocopewithit.Shewasinloveforthefirsttieinherlife.
Thathewasalosttwiceheragedidnotbotherher.NordidthefactthatattheoenthewasoneoftheostnewsworthypeopleinSweden,andhispicturewasevenonthecoverofNewsweekthatwasalljustsoapopera.ButBlokvistwasnoeroticfantasyordaydrea.Itwouldhavetoetoanend.Itcouldnotpossiblyworkout.WhatdidheneedherforMaybeshewasjustawaassthetiewhilehewaitedforsoeonewhoselifewasnotafuckingrathole.
Whatshehadrealisedwasthatlovewasthatoentwhenyourheartwasabouttoburst.
WhenBlokvistwokeuptethatoing,shehadadecoffeeandbeenouttobuybreakfastrolls.Hejoinedheratthetableandnoticedatoncethatsoethinginherattitudehadchangedshewasabitorereserved.Whenheaskedherifanythingwaswrong,shegavehianeutral,unprehendinglook.
OnthefirstdaybetweenChristasandNewYears,BlokvisttookthetrainuptoHedestad.HewaswearinghiswarestclothesandhisproperwintershoeswhenFrodeethiatthestationandquietlycongratutedhiontheediasuess.ItwasthefirsttiesinceAugustthathehadvisitedHedestad,anditwasalostexactlyoneyearagosincehehadvisiteditforthefirsttie.Theychattedpolitely,buttherewasalsoagreatdealthathadgoneunsaidbetweenthe,andBlokvistfeltunfortable.
Everythinghadbeenprepared,andthebusinesswithFrodetookonlyafewinutes.Frodeofferedtodeposittheoneyinaconvenientforeignbankaount,butBlokvistinsistedthatitshouldbepaidlikeanoral,legitiatefeetohispany.
“Icantaffordanyothertypeofpayent,”hesaidcurtlywhenFrodepersisted.
Thepurposeofhisvisitwasnotsolelyfinancial.Blokvisthadleftclothes,s,andanuberofhisownthingsinthecottagewhenheandSanderhadabandonedHedebyingreathaste.
Vangerwasstillfraifterhisillness,buthewasathoe.Hewasbeinglookedafterbyaprivatenurse,whorefusedtoallowhitotakelongwalks,orwalkupstairs,ordiscussanythingthatightupsethi.Duringtheholidayshehadalsoedownwithaslightcoldandwasorderedtobed.
“Besideswhich,shesexpensive,”Vangerpined.
Blokvistknewthattheoldancouldaffordanysuchexpenseconsideringhowanykronorhehadwrittenoffhistaxesallhislife.Vangergavehiasullenlookuntilhestartedughing.
“Whatthehell,youwerewortheverykrona.Iknewyouwouldbe.”
“Totellyouthetruth,IneverthoughtIdsolveit.”
“Ihavenointentionofthankingyou,”Vangersaid.
“Ididntexpectyouwould.IjustheretotellyouthatIconsiderthejobdone.”
Vangercurledhislips.“Youhaventfinishedthejob,”hesaid.
“Iknowthat.”
“YouhaventwrittentheVangerfailychronicle,whichwasagreed.”
“Iknowthat.Inotgoingtowriteit.Infact,Icantwriteit.IcantwriteabouttheVangerfailyandleaveouttheostcentraleventofthepastdecades.HowcouldIwriteachapteraboutMartinsperiodasCEOandpretendthatIdontknohatsinhisbaseentIalsocantwritethestorywithoutdestroyingHarrietslifealloveragain.”
“Iunderstandyourdilea,andIgratefulforthedecisionthatyouveade.”
“Congratutions.Youveanagedtocorrupte.IgoingtodestroyallynotesandthetaperecordingsIveadeofourconversations.”
“Idontthinkthatyouvebeencorrupted,”Vangersaid.
“Thatswhatitfeelslike.AndIthinkthatswhatitis.”
“Youhadtochoosebetweenyourroleasajoualistandyourroleasahuanbeing.Icouldneverhaveboughtyoursilence.AndIquitecertainthatyouwouldhaveexposedusifHarriethadtuedoutinsoewaytohavebeeniplicated,orifyouthoughtIwasacretin.”
Blokvistdidnotreply.
“WevetoldCeciliathewholestory.FrodeandIwillsoonbegone,andHarrietisgoingtoneedsupportfrosoeoneinthefaily.Ceciliawillpyanactiveroleontheboard.SheandHarrietwillbeinchargeofthefirfronowon.”