CHAPTER13
Thursday,February20–Friday,March7
DuringthestweekofFebruarySanderactedasherownclient,withBjuran,N.,bo1950,asahighpriorityspecialproject.Sheworkedalostsixteenhourseverydaydoingaorethoroughpersonalinvestigationthanshehadeverdonebefore.Sheadeuseofallthearchivesandpublicdocuentsshecouldyherhandson.Sheinvestigatedhiscircleofretivesandfriends.Shelookedathisfinancesandappedouteverydetailofhisupbringingandcareer.
Theresultswerediscouraging.
Hewasawyer,eberoftheBarAssociation,andauthorofarespectablylongwindedbutexceptionallytediousdissertationonfinancedvokatBjuranhadneverbeencensured.OnonlyoneoasionwashereportedtotheBarAssociationhewasausednearlytenyearsagoofbeingtheiddleaninanunderthetablepropertydeal,buthehadbeenablrovehisinnocence.Hisfinanceswereingoodorder；Bjuranwaswelltodo,withatleast10illionkronorinassets.Hepaidoretaxesthanheowed,wasaeberofGreenpeaceandAnestyInteational,andhedonatedoneytotheHeartandLungAssociation.Hehadrarelyappearedintheassedia,althoughonseveraloasionshehadsignedhisnaublicappeal
sforpoliticalprisonersinthethirdworld.HelivedinafiverooapartentonUppndsgatannearOdenpn,andhewasthesecretaryofhiscoopapartentassociation.Hewasdivorcedandhadnochildren.
Sanderfocusedonhisexwife,whosenaewasElena.ShewasboinPondbuthadlivedallherlifeinSweden.SheworkedatarehabilitationcentreandwasapparentlyhappilyrearriedtooneofBjuransforercolleagues.Nothingusefulthere.TheBjuranarriagehadstedfourteenyears,andthedivorcewentthroughwithoutdisputes.
AdvokatBjuranregurlyactedasasupervisorforyouthswhogotintotroublewiththefthesecasesinvolvedinors,andtheassignentscaetoanendwithacourtdecisionwhentheycaeofage.OneoftheseclientsstillconsultedBjuraninhisroleasadvokat,sotheredidnotseetobeanyaniositythereeither.IfBjuranhadbeensysteaticallyexploitinghiswards,therewasnosignofit,andnoatterhowdeeplySanderprobed,shecouldfindnotraceofwrongdoing.Allfourhadestablishedlivesfortheselveswithaboyfrienirlfriend；theyallhadjobs,pcestolive,andCoopdebitcards.
Shecalledeachofthefourclients,introducingherselfasasocialwelfaresecretaryworkingonastudyabouthowchildrenhithertounderthecareofatrusteefaredterinlifeparedtootherchildren.Yes,naturally,everyonewillbeanonyous.Shehadputtogetheraquestionnairewithtenquestions,whichsheaskedonthetelephone.Severalofthequestionsweredesignedtogettherespondentstogivetheirviewsonhoellthetrusteeshiphadfunctionediftheyhadanyopinionsabouttheirowntrustee,AdvokatBjuranwasntitNoonehadanythingbadtosayabouthi.
WhenSanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocuentsinabagfroIcaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehall.Bjuranwasapparentlybeyondreproach.Therewasnothinginhispastthatshecoulduse.Sheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepandapig,butshecouldfindnothinroveit.
Itwastietoconsideranotheroption.Afteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityreainedthatstartedtolookoreandoreattractiveoratleastseeedtobeatrulyrealisticalteative.TheeasiestthingwouldbeforBjuransiplytodisappearfroherlife.Aquickheartattack.Endofproble.Thecatchwasthatnotevendisgustingfiftythreeyearoldenhadheartattacksatherbeckandcall.
Butthatsortofthingcouldbearranged.
BlokvistcarriedonhisaffairwithHeadistressCeciliaVangerwiththegreatestdiscretion.Shehadthreerules:shedidntwantanyooknowtheywereeeting；shewantedhitoeoveronlywhenshecalledandwasintheood；andshedidntwanthitostayallnight.
Herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhi.WhenheranintoheratSusannes,shewasfriendlybutcoonddistant.Whentheyetinherbedroo,shewaswildlypassionate.
Blokvistdidnotwanryintoherpersonallife,buthehadbeenhireryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneintheVangerfaily.Hefelttoandatthesaetiecurious.OnedayheaskedVangerwhoshehadbeenarriedtoandwhathadhappened.HeaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscussingthebackgroundofAlexanderandBirger.
“CeciliaIdontthinkshehadanythingtodowithHarriet.”
“Telleaboutherbackground.”
“Sheovedbackhereaftergraduatingandstartedworkingasateacher.SheetaanbythenaeofJerryKarlsson,whounfortunatelyworkedfortheVangerCorporation.Theyarried.Ithoughtthearriagewasahappyoneanywayinthebeginning.ButafteracoupleofyearsIbegantoseethatthingswerenotastheyshouldbe.Heistreatedher.Itwastheusualstoryhebeatherandsheloyallydefendedhi.Finallyhehitheroietooany.Shewasseriouslyhurtandendedupinthehospital.Iofferedyhelp.SheovedoutheretoHedebyIsndandhasrefusedtoseeherhusbandsince.Iadesurehewasfired.”
“Buttheyarestilrried”
“Itsaquestionofhowyoudefineit.Idontknohyshehasntfiledfordivorce.Butshehasneverwantedtorearry,soIsupposeithasntadeanydifference.”
“ThisKarlsson,didhehaveanythingtodowith”
“withHarrietNo,hewasntinHedestadin1966,andhewasntyetworkingforthefir.”
“OK.”
“Mikael,IfondofCecilia.Shecanbetrickytodealwith,butshesoneofthegoodpeopleinyfaily.”
SanderdevotedaweenningNilsBjuransdeise.Sheconsideredandrejectedvariousethodsuntilshehadnarroweditdowntoafewrealisticscenariosfrowhichtochoose.Noactingonipulse.
Onlyoneconditionhadtobefulfilled.Bjuranhadtodieinsuchawaythatsheherselfcouldneverbelinkedtothecrie.Thefactthatshewouldbeincludedinanyeventualpoliceinvestigationshetookranted；soonerorterheaewouldshowhenBjuransresponsibilitieswereexained.Butshewasonlyonepersoninawholeuniverseofpresentandforerclients,shehadethionlyfourties,andtherewouldnotbeanyindicationthathisdeathevenhadaconnectionwithanyofhisclients.Therewereforergirlfriends,retives,casuacquaintances,colleagues,andothers.Therewasalsowhatwasusuallydefinedas“randoviolence,”whentheperpetratorandvictididnotknoweachother.
Ifheaecaeup,shewouldbeahelpless,inpetentgirlwithdocuentsshowinghertobeentallydeficient.SoitwouldbeanadvantageifBjuransdeathourredinsuchaplicatedannerthatitwouldbehighlyunlikelythataentallyhandicappedgirlcouldbetheperpetrator.
Sherejectedtheoptionofusingagun.Acquiringagunwouldbenogreatproble,butthepolicewereawfullygoodattrackingdownfirears.
Sheconsideredaknife,whichcouldbepurchasedatanyhardwarestore,butdecidedagainstthattoo.Evenifshetuedithoutwainganddrovetheknifeintohisback,therewasnoguaranteethathewoulddieinstantlyandwithoutakingasound,orthathewoulddieatall.Worse,itightprovokeastruggle,whichcouldattractattention,andbloodcouldstainherclothes,beevidenceagainsther.
Shethoughtaboutusingabobofsoesort,butitwouldbeuchtooplicated.BuildingthebobitselfwouldnotbeaprobletheInterwasfullofanualsonhowtoakethedeadliestdevices.Itwouldbedifficult,ontheotherhand,tofindapcutthebobsothatinnocentpassersbywouldnotbehurt.Besides,therewasagainnoguaranteethathewouldactuallydie.
Thetelephonerang.
“Hi,Lisbeth.Dragan.Ivegotajobforyou.”
“Idonthavetie.”
“Thisisiportant.”
“Ibusy.”
Sheputdownthereceiver.
Finallyshesettledonpoison.Thechoicesurprisedher,butoncloserconsiderationitwasperfect.
SanderspentseveraldaysbingtheInter.Th船说