船说 “WasntthereanyonewhowantedtohelpHarriet”
“Henrik,ofcourse.Intheendsheovedintohishouse.Butdontfetthathewaspreoupiedpyingtheroleofthebigindustrialist.HewasusuallyofftravellingsoewhereanddidnthavealotoftietospendwithHarrietandMartin.IissedalotofthisbecauseIwasinUppsaandtheninStockhondletetellyou,IdidnthaveaneasychildhoodyselfwithHaraldasyfather.InhindsightIverealisedthattheproblewasthatHarrietneverconfidedinanyone.Shetriedhardtokeepupappearancesandpretendthattheywereonebighappyfaily.”
“Denial.”
“Yes.Butshechangedwhenherfatherdrowned.ShecouldnolongerpretendthateverythingwasOK.UpuntilthenshewasIdontknowhowtoexpinit:extreelygiftedandprecocious,butonthewholearatherordinaryteenager.Duringthestyearshewasstillbrilliant,gettinarksineveryexaandsoon,butitseeedasifshedidnthaveanysoul.”
“Howdidherfatherdrown”
“Intheostprosaicwaypossible.Hefelloutofarowingboatrightbelowhiscabin.Hehadhistrousersopenandanextreelyhighalcoholcontentinhisblood,soyoucanjustiaginehowithappened.Martinwastheonewhofoundhi.”
“Ididntknowthat.”
“Itsfunny.Martinhastuedouttobeareallyfineperson.Ifyouhadaskedethirtyfiveyearsago,Iwouldhavesaidthathewastheoneinthefailywhoneededpsychiatriare.”
“Whyso”
“Harrietwasnttheonlyonewhosufferedilleffectsfrothesituation.ForanyyearsMartinwassoquietandintrovertedthathewaseffectivelyantisocial.Bothchildrenhadaroughtieofit.Iean,wealldid.IhadyownprobleswithyfatherIassueyourealisethathesstarkravingad.Mysister,Anita,hadthesaeproble,asdidAlexander,ycousin.ItwastoughbeingyoungintheVangerfaily.”
“Whathappenedtoyoursister”
“ShelivesinLondon.ShewentthereintheseventiestoworkinaSwedishtravegency,andshestayed.Shearriedsoeone,neverevenintroducedhitothefaily,andanontheyseparated.TodayshesasenioranagerofBritishAirways.SheandIgetalongfine,butwearenotuchincontactandonlyseeeachothereveryotheryearorso.SheneverestoHedestad.”
“Whynot”
“Aninsanefather.Isntthatexpnationenough”
“Butyoustayed.”
“Idid.AlongwithBirger,ybrother.”
“Thepolitician.”
“AreyouakingfunofeBirgerisolderthanAnitaande.Weveneverbeenveryclose.InhisowneyeshesafantasticallyiportantpoliticianwithafutureinParliaentandaybeinisterialrank,iftheconservativesshouldwin.InpointoffacthesaoderatelytalentedlocalcouncillorinareotecoerofSweden,whichwillprobablybeboththehighpointandthewholeextentofhiscareer.”
“OhingthattickleseabouttheVangerfailyisthatyouallhavesuchlowopinionsofeachother.”
“Thatsnotreallytrue.IveryfondofMartinandHenrik.AndIalwaysgotonwellwithysister,forallthatweseldoseeeachother.IdetestIsabelandcantabideAlexander.AndIneverspeaktoyfather.Sothatsaboutfiftyfiftyinthefaily.Birgeriswell,oreofapopousfatheadthanabadperson.ButIseewhatyouean.Lookatitthisway:ifyoureaeberoftheVangerfaily,youleaearlyontospeakyourind.Wedosaywhatwethink.”
“Ohyes,Ivenoticedthatyouallgetstraighttothepoint.”Blokviststretchedouthishandtotouchherbreast.“Iwasntherefifteeninutesbeforeyouattackede.”
“Tobehonest,IvebeenwonderinghowyouwouldbeinbedeversinceIfirstsawyou.Anditfeltrighttotryitout.”
ForthefirsttieinherlifeSanderfeltastrongneedtoasksoeoneforadvice.Theproblewasthataskingforadviceeantthatshewouldhavetoconfideinsoeone,whichintuwouldeanrevealinghersecrets.WhoshouldshetellShewassiplynotverygoodatestablishingcontactwithotherpeople.
Aftergoingthroughheraddressinherind,shehad,strictlyspeaking,tenpeoplewhoightbeconsideredhercircleofacquaintances.
ShecouldtalktoPgue,whowasoreorlessasteadypresenceinherlife.Buthewasdefinitelynotafriend,andhewasthestpersononearthwhowouldbeabletohelpsolveherproble.Notanoption.
SanderssexlifewasntquiteasodestasshehadledAdvokatBjurantobelieve.Ontheotherhand,sexhadalwaysourredonherconditionsandatherinitiative.Shehadhadoverfiftypartnerssincetheageoffifteen.Thattranstedintoapproxiatelyfivepartnersperyear,whichwasOKforasinglegirlwhohadetoregardsexasanenjoyablepastie.Butshehadhadostofthesecasualpartnersduringatwoyearperiod.Thosewerethetuultuousyearsinherteteenswhensheshouldhaveeofage.
TherewasatiewhenSanderhadstoodatacrossroadsanddidnotreallyhavecontroloverherownlifewhenherfuturecouldhavetakentheforofanotherseriesofcaseentriesaboutdrugs,alcohol,andcustodyinvariousinstitutions.AftershetuedtwentyandstartedworkingatMiltonSecurity,shehadcaleddownappreciablyandshethoughthadgotagriponherlife.
Shenolongerfelttheneeleaseanyonewhoboughtherthreebeersinapub,andshedidnotexperiencetheslightestdegreeofselffulfilentbygoinghoewithsoedrunkwhosenaeshecouldnotreeber.Duringthepastyearshehadhadonlyoneregursexpartnerhardlyproiscuous,ashercaseentriesduringherteteenshaddesignatedher.
Forher,sexhadostoftenbeenwithoneofaloosegroupoffriends；shewasnotreallyaeber,butshewasaeptedbecausesheknewCilNorén.SheetCilinherteteenswhen,atPalgrensinsistence,shewastryingtogettheschoolcertificateshehadfaileleteatKovux.Cilhadpluredhairstreakedwithbck,bckleathertrousers,aringinheose,andasanyrivetsonherbeltasSander.Theyhadgredsuspiciouslyateachotherduringthefirstcss.
ForsoereasonSanderdidnotunderstand,theyhadstartedhangingouttogether.Sanderwasnottheeasiestpersontobefriendswith,andespeciallynotduringthoseyears,butCilignoredhersilencesandtookheralongtothebar.ThroughCil,shehadbeeaeberof“EvilFingers,”whichhadstartedasasuburbanbandconsistingoffourteenagegirlsinEnskedewhowereintohardrock.Tenyearster,theywereagroupoffriendswhoetatKvaenonTuesdaynightstotalktrashaboutboysanddiscussfeinis,thepentagra,usic,andpoliticswhiletheydrankrgequantitiesofbeer.Theyalsoliveduptotheiae.
Sanderfoundherselfonthefringeofthegroupandrarelycontributedtothetalk,butshewasaeptedforwhoshewas.Shecouldeandgoasshepleasedandwasallowedtositinsilenceoverherbeerallevening.ShewasalsoinvitedtobirthdaypartiesandChristasglggcelebrations,thoughsheusuallydidntgo.
Duringthefiveyearsshehungoutwith“EvilFingers,”thegirlsbegantochange.Theirhaircolourbecaelessextree,andtheclothingcaeoreoftenfrotheH＆ap；MboutiquesratherthanfrofunkyMyroa.Theystudiedorworked,andoneofthegirlsbecaeaother.Sanderfeltasifsheweretheonlyonewhohadnotchangedabit,whichcouldalsobeinterpretedasthatshewassiplyarkingtieandgoingnowhere.
Buttheystillhadfun.Iftherewasonepcewhereshefeltanysortofgroupsolidarity,itwasinthepanyofthe“EvilFingers”and,byextension,withtheguyswhowerefriendswiththegirls.
“EvilFingers”wouldlisten.Theywouldalsostandupforher.ButtheyhadnocluethatSanderhadadistrictcourtorderdecringheonposentis.Shedidntwantthetobeeyeingherthewrongway,too.Notanoption.
Apartfrothat,shedidnothaveasingleexcssateinheraddress.Shehadnoworkorsupportgrouporpoliticalcontactsofanykind.Sowhocouldshetutoandtelboutherprobles
Thereightbeoneperson.ShedeliberatedforalongtieaboutwhethersheshouldconfideinDraganAransky.Hehadtoldherthatifsheneededheithanything,sheshouldnothesitatetoetohi.Andshewassurethatheeantit.
Aranskyhadgropedheroietoo,butithadbeenafriendlygroping,noillintentions,andnotadeonstrationofpower.Buttoaskhiforheentagainstthegrain.Hewasherboss,anditwouldputherinhisdebt.SandertoyedwiththeideaofhowherlifewouldtakeshapeifAranskywereherguardianinsteadofBjuran.Shesiled.Theideawasnotunpleasant,butAranskyighttaketheassignentsoseriouslythathewouldsotherherwithattention.Thatwaswell,possiblyanoption.
Eventhoughshewaswelwareofwhatawoenscrisiscentrewasfor,itneverourredtohertotutooneherself.Crisiscentresexisted,inhereyes,forvictis,andshehadneverregardedherselfasavicti.Consequently,heronlyreainingoptionwastodowhatshehadalwaysdakeattersinherownhandsandsolveherproblesonherown.Thatwasdefinitelyanoption.
AnditdidnotbodewellforHerrAdvokatNilsBjuran.