“Yousaidbeforethatwedontknoweachother,andIsaidthatyes,wedo.”Hepointedatthereport.“Icantpetewithyou.Iveonlydonearapidroutinecheck,togetyouraddressanddateofbirth,stufflikethat.Butyoucertainlyknowagreatdeaboute.Muchofwhichisprivate,dait,thingsthatonlyyclosestfriendsknow.AndnowhereIa,sittinginyourkitchenandeatingbagelswithyou.Wehaveknowneachotherhalfanhour,butIhavethefeelingthatwevebeenfriendsforyears.Doesthatakesensetoyou”
Shenodded.
“Youhavebeautifuleyes,”hesaid.
“Youhaveniceeyesyourself,”shesaid.
Longsilence.
“Whyareyouhere”shesaid.
KalleBlokvistshereeberedhisnicknaeandsuppressedtheipulsetosayitoutloudsuddenlylookedserious.Healsolookedverytired.Theselfconfidencethathehadshownwhenhefirstwalkedintoherapartentwasnowgone.Theclowningwasover,oratleasthadbeenputaside.Shefelthistudyingherclosely.
Sanderfeltthatherposurewasbarelyskindeepandthatshereallywasntinpletecontrolofheerves.Thistotallyunlookedforvisithadshakenherinawaythatshehadneverexperiencedinconnectionwithherwork.Herbreadandbutterwasspyingonpeople.InfactshehadneverthoughtofwhatshedidforAranskyasarealjob；shethoughtofitoreasaplicatedpastie,asortofhobby.
Thetruthwasthatsheenjoyeddiggingintothelivesofotherpeopleandexposingthesecretstheyweretryingtohide.Shehadbeendoingit,inonefororanother,foraslongasshecouldreeber.Andshewasstilldoingittoday,notonlywhenAranskygaveheranassignent,butsoetiesforthesheerfunofit.Itgaveherakick.Itwaslikeaplicatedputergae,exceptthatitdealtwithreallivepeople.Andnowoneofherhobbieswassittingrighthereinherkitchen,feedingherbagels.Itwastotallyabsurd.
“Ihaveafascinatingproble,”Blokvistsaid.“Tellethis,whenyouweredoingyourresearchoneforHerrFrode,didyouhaveanyideawhatitwasgoingtobeusedfor”
“No.”
“ThepurposewastofindoutallthatrationaboutebecauseFrode,orratherhiseployer,wantedtogiveeafreencejob.”
“Isee.”
Hegaveherafaintsile.
“OneofthesedaysyouandIshouldhaveadiscussionabouttheethicsofsnoopingintootherpeopleslives.ButrightnowIhaveadifferentproble.ThejobIwasoffered,andwhichinexplicablyIagreedtodo,iswithoutdoubttheostarreassignentIveeverundertaken.BeforeIsayoreIneedtobeabletotrustyou,Lisbeth.”
“Whatdoyouean”
“Aranskytellseyoure100percentreliable.ButIstillwanttoaskyouthequestion.CanItellyouconfidentialthingswithoutyourtellingthetoanyoneelse,byanyeans,ever”
“Waitainute.YouvetalkedtoDraganIshetheonewhosentyouhere”Igoingtokillyou,youfuckingstupidArenian.
“Notexactly.Yourenottheonlyonewhocanfindoutsoeonesaddress；Ididthatallonyown.Ilookedyouupinthenationalregistry.TherearethreeLisbethSanders,andtheothertwowerentagoodatch.ButIhadalongtalkwithAranskyyesterday.HetoothoughtthatIwantedtoaketroubleoveryourferretingaroundinyprivatelife.IntheendIconvin
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cedhithatIhadalegitiatepurpose.”
“Whichiswhat”
“AsItoldyou,Frodeseployerhiredetodoajob.IvereachedapointwhereIneedaskilledresearcher.Frodetoldeaboutyouandsaidthatyouwereprettygood.Hehadnteanttoidentifyyou,itjustslippedout.IexpinedtoAranskywhatIwanted.HeOKdthewholethingandtriedtocallyou.AndhereIa.Callhiifyouwant.”
IttookSanderainutetofindherobileaongtheclothesthatMiihadpulledoffher.Blokvistwatchedherebarrassedsearchwithinterestashepatrolledtheapartent.Allherfuitureseeedtobestrays.ShehadastateoftheartPoweronanapologyforadeskinthelivingroo.ShehadaCDpyeronashelf.HerCDcollectionwasapitifultotaloftenCDsbygroupshehadneverheardof,andtheusiciansonthecoverslookedlikevapiresfroouterspace.Musicwasprobablynotherbiginterest.
SandersawthatAranskyhadcalledherseventiesthenightbeforeandtwicethisoing.ShepunchedinhisnuberwhileBlokvistleanedagainstthedoorfraeandlistenedtotheconversation.
“ItsesorryyesitwastuedoffIknow,hewantstohireeno,hesstandingintheiddleofyfuckinglivingroo,forChristssake”Sheraisedhervoice.“Dragan,Ihungoverandyheadhurts,soplease,nogaes,didyouOKthisjobootThanks.”
SanderlookedthroughthedoortothelivingrooatBlokvistpullingoutCDsandtakingsofftheshelf.Hehadjustfoundabrownpillbottlethatwasissingitsbel,andhewasholdingituptothelight.Hewasabouttounscrewth,soshereachedoutandtookthebottlefrohi.Shewentbacktothekitchenandsatdownonachair,assagingherforeheaduntilhejoinedher.
“Therulesaresiple,”shesaid.“NothingthatyoudiscusswitheorwithAranskywillbesharedwithanyoneatall.TherewillbeacontractwhichstatesthatMiltonSecuritypledgesconfidentiality.IwanttoknohatthejobisaboutbeforeIdecidewhetherIwanttoworkforyouoot.ThatalsoeansthatIagreetokeeptoyselfeverythingyoutelle,whetherItakethejoboot,providedthatyourenotconductinganysortofseriouscriinactivity.Inwhichcase,IllreportittoDragan,whointuwillreportittothepolice.”
“Fine.”Hehesitated.“AranskyaynotbepletelyawareofwhatIwanttohireyoufor”
“Soehistoricalresearch,hesaid.”
“Well,yes,thatsright.Iwantyoutohelpetoidentifyaurderer.”
IttookBlokvistanhourtoexpinalltheintricatedetailsintheHarrietVangercase.Heleftnothingout.HehadFrodesperissiontohireher,andtodothathehadtobeabletotrustherpletely.
HetoldhereverythingaboutCeciliaVangerandthathehadfoundherfaceinHarrietswindow.HegaveSanderasgoodadescriptionofhercharacterashecould.Shehadovedhighuponthelistofsuspects,hislist.Buthewasstillfarfrobelievingthatshecouldbeinanywayassociatedwithaurdererwhowasactivewhenshewasstilyoungwoan.
HegaveSanderacopyofthelistinthedate:“Magda32016；Sara32109；R.J.30112；R.L.32027；Mari32018.”AndhegaveheracopyoftheversesfroLeviticus.
“Whatdoyouwantetodo”
“IveidentifiedtheR.J.,RebeckaJacobsson.”Hetoldherwhatthefivefigurenubersstoodfor.“IfIright,thenweregoingtofindfourorevictisMagda,Sara,Mari,andR.L.”
“Youthinktheyreallurdered”
“WhatIthinkisthatwearelookingforsoeonewhoiftheotheubersandinitialsalsoprovetobeshorthandforfourorekillingsisaurdererwhowasactiveinthefiftiesandaybealsointhesixties.AndwhoisinsoewaylinkedtoHarrietVanger.IvegohroughbackissuesoftheHedestadCourier.RebeckasurderistheonlygrotesquecriethatIcouldfindwithaconnectiontoHedestad.Iwantyoutokeepdigging,alloverSwedenifnecessary,untilyouakesenseoftheotheaesandverses.”
SanderthoughtinexpressionlesssilenceforsuchalongtiethatBlokvistbegantogrowipatient.Hewaswonderingwhetherhehadchosenthewrongpersonwhensheatstraisedherhead.
“Illtakethejob.ButfirstyouhavetosignacontractwithAransky.”
AranskyprintedoutthecontractthatBlokvistwouldtakebacktoHedestadforFrodessignature.WhenheretuedtoSandersoffice,hesawhowsheandBlokvistwereleaningoverherPower.Hehadhishandonhershoulderhewastouchingherandpointing.Aranskypausedinthecorridor.
BlokvistsaidsoethingthatseeedtosurpriseSander.Thensheughedoutloud.
Aranskyhadneveronceheardherughbefore,andforyearshehadbeentryingtowinhertrust.Blokvisthadknownherforfiveinutesandshewaspracticallygigglingwithhi.HefeltsuchaloathingforBlokvistatthatoentthathesurprisedhiself.Heclearedhisthroatashestoodinthedoorwayandputdownthefolderwiththecontract.
BlokvistpaidaquickvisittotheMillenniuofficeintheafteoon.Itwashisfirsttieback.Itfeltveryoddtoberunningupthosefailiarstairs.Theyhadnotchangedthecodeonthedoor,andhewasabletoslipinunnoticedandstandforaoent,lookingaround.
Mille船说