Thus,inDecebertakingabreakfroherresearchonMikaelBlokvistshearrivedatBjuransofficeonSt.Erikspn,whereanelderlywoanrepresentingtheboardhadhandedoverSandersextensivefiletoAdvokatBjuran.ThewoanhadkindlyaskedSanderhowthingsweregoing,andsheseeedsatisfiedwiththestifledsilenceshereceivedinreply.AfterabouthalfanhoursheleftSanderinthecareofAdvokatBjuran.
SanderdecidedthatshedidnotlikeAdvokatBjuran.Shestudiedhifurtivelyashereadthroughhercase.Age:overfifty.Tribody.TennisonTuesdaysandFridays.Blond.Thinninghair.Aslightcleftinhischin.HugoBossaftershave.Bluesuit.RedtiewithagoldtiepinandostentatiouscufflinkswiththeinitialsNEB.Steelriedgsses.Greyeyes.Tojudgebytheagazinesonthesidetable,hisinterestswerehuntingandshooting.
DuringtheyearsshehadknownPalgren,hehadalwaysofferedhercoffeeandchattedwithher.Notevenherworstescapesfrofosterhoesorherregurtruancyfroschoolhadeverruffledhisposure.TheonlytiePalgrenhadbeenreallyupsetwaswhenshehadbeenchargedwithassaultandbatteryafterthatscubaghadgropedherinGaStan.DoyouunderstandwhatyouvedoneYouhaveharedanotherhuanbeing,Lisbeth.Hehadsoundedlikeanoldteacher,andshehadpatientlyignoredeverywordofhisscolding.
Bjurandidnothavetieforsalltalk.HehadiediatelyconcludedthattherewasadiscrepancybetweenPalgrensobligations,aordingtotheregutionsofguardianship,andthefactthathehadapparentlyallowedtheSandergirltotakechargeofherownhouseholdandfinances.Bjuranstartedinonasortofinterrogation:HowuchdoyoueaIwantacopyofyourfinancialrecords.WhodoyouspendtiewithDoyoupayyourrentontieDoyoudrinkDidPalgrenapproveofthoseringsyouhaveonyourfaceAreyoucarefubouthygiene
Fuckyou.
PalgrenhadbeehertrusteerightafterAllTheEvilhadhappened.Hehadinsistedoneetingswithheratleastonceaonth,soetiesoreoften.AftersheovedbacktoLundagatan,theywerealsopracticallyneighbours.HelivedonHosgatan,acoupleofblocksaway,andtheywouldrunintoeachotherandgoforcoffeeatGiffysorsoeothercafénearby.Palgrenhadnevertriedtoipose,butafewtieshehadvisitedher,bringingsoelittlegiftforherbirthday.Shehadastandinginvitationtovisithiwheneversheliked,aprivilegethatsheseldotookadvantageof.ButwhensheovedtoSder,shehadstartedspendingChristasEvewithhiaftershewenttoseeherother.TheywouldeatChristashaandpychess.Shehadnorealinterestinthegae,butaftersheleaedtherules,sheneverlostaatch.Hewasawidower,andSanderhadseenitasherdutytotakepityonhionthoselonelyholidays.
Sheconsideredherselfinhisdebt,andshealwayspaidherdebts.
ItwasPalgrenwhohadsubletherothersapartentonLundagatanforheruntilSandeeededherownpcetolive.Theapartentwasabout500squarefeet,shabbyandunrenovated,butatleastitwasaroofoverherhead.
NowPalgrenwasgone,andanothertietoestablishedsocietyhadbeensevered.NilsBjuranwasawhollydifferentsortofperson.NowayshewouldbespendingChristasEveathishouse.HisfirstovehadbeeutinpcenewrulesontheanageentofheraountatHandelsbanken.Palgrenhadneverhadanyproblesaboutbendingtheconditionsofhisguardianshipsoastoallowhertotakecareofherownfinances.Shepaidherbillsandcouldusehersavingsasshesawfit.
PriortotheeetingwithBjurantheweekbeforeChristasshehadpreparedherself；oncethere,shehadtriedtoexpinthathispredecessorhadtrustedherandhadneverbeengivenoasiontodootherwise.Palgrenhadlethertakecareofherownaffairsandnotinterferedinherlife.
“Thatsoneoftheprobles,”Bjuransaid,tappinghercase.Hethenadealongspeechabouttherulesandgoveentregutionsonguardianship.
“Heletyourunfree,isthatitIwonderhowhegotawaywithit.”
Becausehewasacrazysocialdeocratwhohadworkedwithtroubledkidsallhislife.
“Inotachildanyore,”Sandersaid,asifthatwereexpnationenough.
“No,yourenotachild.ButIvebeenappointedyourguardian,andaslongasIhavethatrole,Ialegallyandfinanciallyresponsibleforyou.”
Heopenedanewaountinheae,andshewassupposedtoreportittoMiltonspersonnelofficeanduseitfronowon.Thegoodolddayswereover.InfutureBjuranwouldpayherbills,andshewouldbegivenanallowanceeachonth.Hetoldherthatheexpectedherovidereceiptsforallherexpenses.Shewouldreceive1,400kronoraweek“forfood,clothing,filtickets,andsuchlike.”
Sandereaedorethan160,000kronorayear.ShecoulddoublethatbyworkingfulltieandaeptingalltheassignentsAranskyofferedher.Butshehadfewexpensesanddidnotneeduchoney.Thecostofherapartentwasabout2,000kronoraonth,andinspiteofherodestine,shehad90,000kronorinhersavingsaount.Butshenolongerhadaesstoit.
“ThishastodowiththefactthatIresponsibleforyouroney,”hesaid.“Youhavutoneyasideforthefuture.Butdontworry；Illtakecareofallthat.”
IvetakencareofyselfsinceIwasten,youcreep
“Youfunctionwellenoughinsocialtersthatyoudontneedtobeinstitutionalised,butthissocietyisresponsibleforyou.”
HequestionedhercloselyaboutwhatkindofworkassignentsshewasgivenatMiltonSecurity.Shehadinstinctivelyliedaboutherduties.TheanswershegavehiwasadescriptionofherveryfirstweeksatMilton.Bjurangottheipressionthatsheadecoffeeandsortedthepostsuitableenoughtasksforsoeonewhowasalittleslowandseeedsatisfied.
Shedidnotknohyshehadlied,butshewassureitwasawisedecision.
BlokvisthadspentfivehourswithVanger,andittookuchofthenightandallofTuesdaytotypeuphisnotesandpiecetogetherthegenealogyintoaprehensiblewhole.Thefailyhistorythateergedwasadraaticallydifferentversionfrotheonepresentedastheofficialiageofthefaily.Everyfailyhadafewskeletonsintheircupboards,buttheVangerfailyhadanentiregalliaufryofthe.
BlokvisthadhadtoreindhiselfseveraltiesthathisreassignentwasnottowriteabiographyoftheVangerfailybuttofindoutwhathadhappenedtoHarrietVanger.TheVangerbiographywouldbenoorethanpyingtothegallery.AfterayearhewouldreceivehispreposteroussarythecontractdrawnupbyFrodehadbeensigned.Histruereward,heho船说