船说 Theoodtuedcheerful.Blokvistwonderedhowhewouldhavefeltifhewereoneofthesittinglisteningtoallthis.DubiousMostlikely.Butapparentlyhestillhadsoe“trustcapital”aongMillenniussallgroupofeployees.Hehelduphishand.
“Ifthisisgoingtowork,itsiportantthatWennerstrbelievesthatMillenniuisonthevergeofcolpsebecauseIdontwanthitostartsoesortofretaliationorindeedgetridoftheevidencewhichweeantoexpose.Soweregoingtostartwritingascriptthatyoullfollowduringtheingonths.Firstofall,itsiportantthatnothingwediscussheretodayiswrittendownorisreferredtoineails.WedontknowtowhatifanyextentDahnhasbeendiggingaroundinourputers,andIvebeeawarethatitsaringlysipletoreadcoworkersprivateeail.Soweregoingtodothisorally.Ifyoufeeltheneedtoairanything,goandseeChristerathoe.Verydiscreetly.”
Blokvistwrote“noeail”onthewhiteboard.
“Second,Iwantyoutostartsquabblingaongyourselves,piningaboutewhenDahnisaround.Dontexaggerate.Justgiveyouaturalbitchyselvesfullrein.Christer,IwantyouandErikatohaveaseriousdisagreeent.Useyouriaginationandbesecretiveaboutthecause.”
Hewrote“startbitching”onthewhiteboard.
“Third,whenErikaeshoe,herjobwillbetoseetoitthatJanneDahnthinksouragreeentwiththeVangerCorporationwhichisinfactgivingusitsfullsupporthasfallenthroughbecauseHenrikVangerisseriouslyilndMartinVangerdiedinacarcrash.”
Hewrotetheword“disration.”
“Buttheagreeentreallyissolid”Nilssonsaid.
“Believee,”Blokvistsaid,“theVangerCorporationwillgotogreatlengthstoensurethatMillenniusurvives.Inafeeeks,letssayattheendofAugust,Erikawillcaleetingtowayouaboutyoffs.Youallknowthatitsasca,andthattheonlyonewhosgoingtobeleavingisDahn.ButstarttalkingaboutlookingfoewjobsandsaywhatalousyreferenceitistohaveMillenniuonyourC.V.”
“AndyoureallythinkthatthisgaewillendupsavingMillenniu”Magnussonsaid.
“Iknowitwill.AndSonny,Iwantyouttogetherafakereporteachonthshowingfallingadvertisingsalesandshowingthatthenuberofsubscribershasalsodropped.”
“Thissoundsfun,”Nilssonsaid.“Shouldwekeepitintealhereintheoffice,orshouldweleakittootherediatoo”
“Keepitinteal.Ifthestoryshowsupanywhere,wellknohoputitthere.Inaveryfewonths,ifanyoneasksusaboutit,wellbeabletotellthe:youvebeenlisteningtobaselessruours,andweveneverconsideredclosingMillenniudown.ThebestthingthatcouldhappenisforDahntogooutandtipofftheotherassedia.IfyoureabletogiveDahnatipaboutapusiblebutfundaentallyidioticstory,souchthebetter.”
Theyspentanhourconcoctingascriptanddividingupthevariousroles.
AftertheeetingBlokvisthadcoffeewithMatJavaonHogatspuckeln.
“Christer,itsreallyiportantthatyoupickupErikaattheairportandfillherin.Youhavetoconvinceheyalongwiththegae.IfIknowher,shellwanttoconfrontDahninstantlybutthatcanthappen.IdontwantWennerstrtohearanykindofbuzzandthenanagetoburytheevidence.”
“Willdo.”
“AndseetoitthatErikastaysawayfrohereailuntilsheinstallsthePGPencryptionprograeandleashowtouseit.ItsprettylikelythatthroughDahn,Wennerstrisabletoreadeverythingweeailtoeachother.IwantyouandeveryoneelseintheeditorialofficestoinstallPGP.Doitinanaturalway.Getthenaeofaputerconsultanttocontactandhavehieovertoinspecttheworkandalltheputersintheoffice.Lethiinstallthesoftwareasifitwereaperfectlynaturalpartoftheservice.”
“Illdoybest.ButMikaelwhatareyouworkingon”
“Wennerstr.”
“Whatexactly”
“Forthetiebeing,thathastoreainysecret.”
Mallookedunfortable.“Ivealwaystrustedyou,Mikael.Doesthiseanthatyoudonttruste”
Blokvistughed.
“OfcourseItrustyou.ButrightnowIinvolvedinratherseriouscriinactivitiesthatcouldgetetwoyearsinprison.ItsthenatureofyresearchthatsalittledubiousIpyingwiththesaeunderhandethodsasWennerstruses.IdontwantyouorErikaoranyoneelseatMillenniutobeinvolvedinanyway.”
“Youreakingeawfullynervous.”
“Staycool,Christer,andtellErikathatthestoryisgoingtobeabigone.Reallybig.”
“Erikawillinsistonknowingwhatyoureworkingon”
Mikaelthoughtforasecond.Thenhesiled.
“TellherthatsheadeitverycleartoeinthespringwhenshesignedacontractwithHenrikVangerbehindybackthatInowjustanordinaryortalfreencerwhonolongersitsontheboardandhasnoinfluenceonMillenniupolicy.WhicheansthatInolongerhaveanyobligationtokeepherred.ButIproisethatifshebehavesherself,Illgiveherfirtiononthestory.”
“Shesgoingtogothroughtheroof,”Malsaidcheerfully.
BlokvistknewthathehadnotbeenentirelyhonestwithMal.HewasdeliberatelyavoidingBerger.Theostnaturalthingwouldhavebeentocontactheratonceandtellherabouttherationinhispossession.Buthedidnotwanttotalktoher.Adozentieshehadstoodwithhisobileinhishand,startingtocallher.Eachtiehechangedhisind.
Heknehattheproblewas.Hecouldnotlookherintheeyes.
ThecoverupinwhichhehadparticipatedinHedestadwasunfivablefroaprofessionalpointofview.Hehadnoideahowhecouldexpinittoherwithoutlying,andiftherewasohinghehadneverthoughtofdoing,itwaslyingtoErikaBerger.
Aboveall,hedidnothavetheenergytodealwiththatprobleatthesaetieashewastacklingWennerstr.Soheputoffseeingher,tuedoffhisobile,andavoidedtalkingtoher.Butheknewthatthereprievecouldonlybeteporary.
Rightaftertheeditorialeeting,MikaelovedouttohiscabininSandhan；hehadntbeenthereinoverayear.HisbaggageincludedtwoboxesofprintoutsandtheCDsthatSanderhadgivenhi.Hestockeduponfood,lockedthedoor,openedhisi,andstartedwriting.Eachdayhetookashortwalk,boughtthenewspapers,andshoppedroceries.Theguestarinawasstillfilledwithyachts,andyoungpeoplewhohadborrowedtheirfathersboatwereusuallysittingintheDiversBar,drinkingtheselvessilly.Blokvistscarcelytookinhissurroundings.Hesatinfrontofhisputeroreorlessfrotheoentheopenedhiseyesuntilhefellintobedatnight,exhausted.
Encryptedeailfroeditorinchieublisheronleaveofabsence:Mikael.Iwanttoknohatsgoingongoodgrief,Iveebackfroholidaytototalchaos.ThenewsaboutJanneDahnandthisdoublegaeyouveeith.MartinVangerdead.HarrietVangeralive.WhatsgoingoninHedebyWhereareyouIsthereastoryWhydontyouansweryourobileE.
P.S.IunderstoodtheinsinuationthatChristerreyedwithsuchglee.Youregoingtohavetoeatyourwords.Areyouseriouslycrosswithe
P.P.S.Iatrustingyouforthetiebeing,butyouaregoingtohavetogiveproofyoureeber,thestuffthatstandsupincourtonJ.D.
Fro
To:
HiRicky.No,forGodssake,Inotcross.Fiveefootkeepingyouupdated,butthepastfewonthsofylifehavebeesyturvy.Illtellyoueverythingwhenweseeeachother,butnotbyeail.IatSandhan.Thereisastory,butthestoryisnotHarrietVanger.Igoingtobegluedtoyputerhereforawhile.Thenitllbeover.Truste.Hugsandkisses.M.
Fro
To:
SandhanIingtoseeyouiediately.
Fro
To:
Notrightnow.Waitacoupleofweeks,atleastuntilIvegotthestoryanised.Besides,Iexpectingpany.
Fro
To:
Inthatcase,ofcourseIllstayaway.ButIhavetoknohatsgoingon.HenrikVangerhasbeeCEOagain,andhedoesntanswerycalls.IfthedealwithVangerisoff,Iabsolutelyneedtoknow.Ricky
P.S.Whoisshe
Fro
To
Firstofall:noquestionofHenrikpullingout.Butheisstillworkingonlyashortday,andIguessingthatthechaosafterMartinsdeathandHarrietsresurrectionistakingitstollonhisstrength.
Second:Millenniuwillsurvive.Iworkingontheostiportantreportofourlives,andwhenwepublishit,itsgoingtosinkWennerstronceandforall.
Third:Mylifeisupanddownrightnow,butasforyouandeandMillenniunothinghaschanged.Truste.KissesMikael.
P.S.Illintroduceyouassoonasanopportunitypresentsitself.
WhenSanderwentouttoSandhanshefoundanunshavenandholloweyedBlokvist,whogaveheraquickhugandaskedhertoakesoecoffeeandwaitwhilehefinishedwhathewaswriting.
Sanderlookedaroundhiscabinanddecidedalostatoncethatshelikedit.Itwasrightnexttoajetty,withthewaterthreepacesfrothedoor.Itwasonlyfifteenbyeighteenfeetbutithadsuchahighceilingthattherewasspaceforasleepingloft.Shecouldstandupstraightthere,just.Blokvistwouldhavetostoop.Thebedwaswideenoughforbothofthe.
Thecabinhadonergewindowfacingthewater,rightnexttothefrontdoor.Thatwaswherehiskitchentablestood,doublingashisdesk.OnthewallnearthedeskwasashelfwithaCDpyerandabigcollectionofElvisandhardrock,whichwasnotSandersfirstchoice.