Ontheotherhand,therewasnoquestionofAdvokatBjurangoingunpunished.Sandeeverfotaninjustice,andbynatureshewasanythingbutfiving.
Butherlegalstatuswasdifficult.Foraslongasshecouldreeber,shewasregardedascunningandunjustifiablyviolent.Thefirstreportsinhercasecaefrothefilesoftheschoolnursefroeleentaryschool.Sanderhadbeensenthoebecauseshehitacssateandshovedhiagainstacoatpeganddrewblood.ShestillreeberedhervictiwithannoyanceanoverweightboybythenaeofDavidGustavssonwhousedtoteaseherandthrowthingsather；hewouldgrowuptobeanarchbully.Inthosedaysshedidnotknohattheword“harassent”eant,butwhenshecaetoschoolthenextday,theboyhadthreatenedrevenge.Soshehaddeckedhiwitharightjabfortifiedwithagolfballwhichledtoorebloodshedandanewentryinhercase.
Therulesforsocialinteractioninschoolhadalwaysbaffledher.Sheindedherownbusinessanddidnotinterferewithwhatanyonearoundherdid.Yettherewasalwayssoeonewhoabsolutelywouldnotleaveherinpeace.
Iniddleschoolshehadseveraltiesbeensenthoeaftergettingintoviolentfightswithcssates.Muchstrongerboysinhercsssoonleaedthatitcouldbequiteunpleasanttofightwiththatskinnygirl.Unliketheothergirlsinthecss,sheneverbackeddown,andshewouldnotforasecondhesitatetouseherfistsoranyweaponathanrotectherself.Shewentaroundwiththeattitudethatshewouldratherbebeatentodeaththantakeanyshit.
Andshealwaysgotrevenge.
Sanderoncefoundherselfinafightwithauchbiggerandstrongerboy.Shewasnoatchforhiphysically.Atfirstheausedhiselfshovinghertothegroundseveralties,thenhesppedherwhenshetriedtofightback.Butnothingdidanygood；noatterhowuchstrongerhewas,thestupidgirlkeptattackinghi,andafterawhileevenhiscssatesbegantorealisethatthingshadgooofar.Shewassoobviouslydefencelessitwaspainfultowatch.Finallytheboypunchedherintheface；itsplenherlipandadeherseestars.Theyleftheronthegroundbehindthegy.Shestayedathoefortwodays.Ontheoingofthethirddayshewaitedforhertorentorwithabaseballbat,andshewhackedhiovertheearwithit.Forthatprankshewassenttoseetheheadteacher,whodecidedtoreporthertothepoliceforassault,whichresultedinaspecialwelfareinvestigation.
Hercssatesthoughtshewascrazyandtreatedheraordingly.Shealsoarousedverylittlesypathyaongtheteachers.Shehadneverbeenparticurlytalkative,andshebecaeknownasthepupilwhoneverraisedherhandandoftendidnotanswerwhenateacheraskedheradirectquestion.Noonewassurewhetherthiswasbecauseshedidnotknowtheansweroriftherewassoeotherreason,whichwasreflectedinhergrades.Nodoubtthatshehadprobles,butnoonewantedtotakeresponsibilityforthedifficultgirl,eventhoughshewasfrequentlydiscussedatvariousteacherseetings.Thatwaswhysheendedupinthesituationwheretheteachersignoredherandallowedhertositinsullensilence.
Sheleftiddleschoondovedtoanother,withouthavingasinglefriendtosaygoodbyeto.Anunlovedgirlwithoddbehaviour.
Then,asshewasonthethresholdofherteenageyears,AllTheEvilhappened,whichshedidnotwanttothinkabout.Thestoutburstsetthepatteandproptedareviewofthecaseentriesfroeleentaryschool.Afterthatshewasconsideredtobelegallywell,crazy.Afreak.Sanderhadneveeededanydocuentstoknowthatshewasdifferent.ButitwasnotsoethingthatbotheredherforaslongasherguardianwasHolgerPalgren；iftheneedarose,shecouldwraphiaroundherlittlefinger.
WiththeappearanceofNilsBjuran,thedecrationofinpetencethreatenedtobeeatroublesoeburdeninherlife.Noatterwhoshetuedto,pitfallswouldopenup；andwhatwouldhappenifshelostthebattleWouldshebeinstitutionalisedLockedupTherewasreallynooption.
Laterthatnight,whenCeciliaVangerandBlokvistwerelyingpeacefullywiththeirlegsintertwinedandCeciliasbreastsrestingagainsthisside,shelookedupathi.
“Thankyou.Itsbeenalongtie.Andyourenotbad.”
Hesiled.Thatsortofftterywasalwayschildishlysatisfying.
“Itwasunexpected,butIhadfun.”
“Idbehappytodoitagain,”Ceciliasaid.“Ifyoufeellikeit.”
Helookedather.
“Youdonteanthatyoudliketohavealover,doyou”
“Anoasionallover,”Ceciliasaid.“ButIdlikeyoutogohoebeforeyoufalsleep.IdontwanttowakeuptoorrowoingandfindyouherebeforeIanagetodoyexercisesandfixyface.Anditwouldbegoodifyoudidnttellthewholevilgewhatwevebeenupto.”
“Wouldntthinkofit,”Blokvistsaid.
“MostofallIdontwantIsabeltoknow.Shessuchabitch.”
“AndyourclosestneighbourIveether.”
“Yes,butluckilyshecantseeyfrontdoorfroherhouse.Mikael,pleasebediscreet.”
“Illbediscreet.”
“Thankyou.Doyoudrink”
“Soeties.”
“Ivegotacravingforsoethingfruitywithgininit.Wantsoe”
“Sure.”
Shewrappedasheetaroundherselfandwentdownstairs.Blokvistwasstandingnaked,lookingathershelveswhensheretuedwithacarafeoficedwaterandtwogssesofginandlie.Theydrankatoast.
“Whydidyoueoverhere”sheasked.
“Nospecialreason.Ijust”
“Youweresittingathoe,readingthroughHenriksinvestigation.Andthenyoucaeoverhere.Apersondoesntneedtobesuperintelligenttoknohatyourebroodingabout.”
“Haveyoureadtheinvestigation”
“Partsofit.Ivelivedyentireadultlifewithit.YoucantspendtiewithHenrikwithoutbeingaffectedbytheysteryofHarriet.”
“Itsactuallyafascinatingcase.WhatIbelieveisknowninthetradeasalockedrooystery,onanisnd.Andnothingintheinvestigationseestofollownorallogic.Everyquestionreainsunanswered,everyclueleadstoadeadend.”
“Itsthekindofthingpeoplecangetobsessedabout.”
“Youwereontheisndthatday.”
“Yes.Iwashere,andIwitnessedthewholeotion.IwaslivinginStockhotthetie,studying.IwishIhadstayedathoethatweekend.”
“WhatwasshereallylikePeopleseetohavepletelydifferentviewsofher.”
“Isthisofftherecordor”
“Itsofftherecord.”
“IhaventtheleastideawhatwasgoingoninsideHarrietshead.Yourethinkingofherstyear,ofcourse.Onedayshewasareligiouscrackpot.Thenextdaysheputonakeuplikeawhoreandwenttoschoolwearingthetightestsweatershepossessed.Obviouslyshewasseriouslyunhappy.But,asIsaid,Iwasnthereandjustpickedupthegossip.”
“Whattriggeredtheprobles”
“GottfriedandIsabel,obviously.Theirarriagewastotallyhaywire.Theyeitherpartiedortheyfought.NothingphysicalGottfriedwasntthetypetohitanyone,andhewasalostafraidofIsabel.Shehadahorrendousteper.Soetieintheearlysixtiesheov船说