Nuberptesinthesixtiesbeganwithacodeindicatingthecounty,andasachildBlokvisthadeorisedthecountycodes.“AC”wasforVsterbotten.
Thenhespottedsoethingelse.Onthebackwindoasastickerofsoesort.Hezooedin,butthetextdissolvedinablur.Hecroppedoutthestickerandadjustedthecontrastandsharpness.Ittookhiawhile.Hestillcouldnotreadthewords,butheatteptedtofigureoutwhattheletterswere,basedonthefuzzyshapes.Manyletterslookedsurprisinglysiir.An“O”couldbeistakenfora“D,”a“B”foran“E,”andsoon.Afterworkingwithapenandpaperandexcludingcertainletters,hewasleftwithanunreadabletext,inoneline.
RJNIKRIFARIK
Hestaredattheiageuntilhiseyesbegantowater.Thenhesawthetext.“NORSJSNICKERIFABRIK,”followedbyfiguresinasallersizethatwereutterlyipossibletoread,probablyatelephonenuber.
CHAPTER17
Wednesday,June11–Saturday,June14
Blokvistgotheiththethirdjigsawpiecefroanunexpectedquarter.
Afterworkingontheiagespracticallyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafteoon.Heawokewithaheadache,tookashower,andwalkedtoSusannesforbreakfast.HeoughttohavegooseeVangerandreportwhathehaddiscovered.Instead,whenhecaeback,hewenttoCeciliashouseandknockedonthedoor.HeneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohiaboutbeinginHarrietsroo.Noonecaetothedoor.
Hewasjustleavingwhenheheard:“Yourwhoreisnthoe.”
Golluhadeergedfrohiscave.Hewasoncetall,alostsixfootsix,butnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithBlokvists.Hisfaceandneckweresplotchedwithdarkliverspots.Hewasinhispyjaasandabrowndressinggown,leaningonacane.HelookedlikeaCentralCastingnastyoldan.
“Whatdidyousay”
“Isaidthatyourwhoreisnthoe.”
BlokviststeppedsoclosethathewasalostnosetonosewithHaraldVanger.
“Youretalkingaboutyourowndaughter,youfuckingpig.”
“Inottheonewhoessneakingoverhereinthenight,”Haraldsaidwithatoothlesssile.Heselledfoul.Blokvistsidesteppedhiandwentdowntheroadwithoutlookingback.HefoundVangerinhisoffice.
“Ivejusthadthepleasureofeetingyourbrother,”Mikaelsaid.
“HaraldWell,well,so,hesventuredout.Hedoesthatacoupleoftiesayear.”
“IwasknockingonCeciliasdoorwhenthisvoicebehindesaid,quote,Yourwhoreisnthoe,unquote.”
“ThatsoundslikeHarald,”Vangersaidcally.
“Hecalledhisowndaughterawhore,forGodssake.”
“Hesbeendoingthatforyears.Thatswhytheydonttalkuch.”
“Whydoeshecallherthat”
“Cecilialosthervirginitywhenshewastwentyone.IthappenedhereinHedestadafterasuerroance,theyearafterHarrietdisappeared.”
“And”
“TheanshefellinlovewithwascalledPeterSauelsson.HewasafinanciassistantattheVangerCorporation.Abrightboy.TodayheworksforABB.ThekindofanIwouldhavebeenproudtohaveasysoninwifshewereydaughter.HaraldeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfailytreeorsoethinganddiscoveredthathewasonequarterJewish.”
“GoodLord.”
“Hescalledherawhoreeversince.”
“HeknewthatCeciliaandIhave”
“EverybodyinthevilgeprobablyknowsthatwiththepossibleexceptionofIsabel,becausenooneinhisrightindwouldtellheranything,andthankheavensshesniceenoughtogotobedat8:00everynight.Haraldontheotherhandhaspresuablybeenfollowingeverystepyoutake.”
Blokvistsatdown,lookingfoolish.
“Youeanthateveryoneknows”
“Ofcourse.”
“Andyoudontind”
“MydearMikael,itsreallynoneofybusiness.”
“WhereisCecilia”
“Theschoolterisover.ShewenttoLondononSaturdaytovisithersister,andafterthatsheshavingaholidayinh,IthinkitwasFlorida.Shellbebackinaboutaonth.”
Blokvistfeltevenorefoolish.
“Wevesortofputourretionshiponholdforawhile.”
“SoIunderstand,butitsstillnoneofybusiness.Howsyourworkingalong”
BlokvistpouredhiselfacupofcoffeefroVangerstheros.
“IthinkIvefoundsoenewaterial.”
HetookhisioutofhisshoulderbagandscrolledthroughtheseriesofiagesshowinghowHarriethadreactedonJvgsgatan.HeexpinedhowhehadfoundtheotherspectatorswiththecaeraandtheircarwiththeNorsjCarpentryShopsign.WhenhewasfinishedVangerwantedtoseeallthepicturesagain.Whenhelookedupfrotheputerhisfacewasgrey.BlokvistwassuddenlyaredandputahandonVangersshoulder.Vangerwavedhiawayandsatinsilenceforawhile.
“YouvedonewhatIthoughtwasipossible.Youvetuedupsoethingpletelynew.Whatareyougoingtodonext”
“Iagoingtolookforthatsnapshot,ifitstillexists.”
Hedidnotentionthefaceinthewindow.
Harald船说