“Youadeaistake.”
Shehadquotedfroatextthatwasonlyonhisputer.
Sandersatinsilence.Finallyshelookedupathi,hereyesexpressionless.
“Howdidyoudoit”heasked.
“Mysecret.Whatareyouthinkingofdoingaboutit”
Mikaelshrugged.
“WhatcanIdo”
“Itsexactlywhatyoudoasajoualist.”
“Ofcourse.Andthatswhywejoualistshaveahicsitteethatkeepstrackoftheoralissues.WhenIwriteanarticleaboutsoebastardinthebankingindustry,Ileaveout,forinstance,hisorherprivatelife.Idontsaythataferisalesbiaetstuedonbyhavingsexwithherdogoranythinglikethat,evenifithappenstobetrue.Bastardstoohavearighttotheirprivatelives.Doesthatakesense”
“Yes.”
“Soyouencroachedonyintegrity.MyeployerdoesntneedtoknohoIhavesexwith.Thatsybusiness.”
Sandersfacewascreasedbyacrookedsile.
“YouthinkIshouldnthaveentionedthat”
“Inycaseitdidntakealotofdifference.HalfthecityknowsaboutyretionshithErika.Butitsaatterofprinciple.”
“Inthatcase,itightauseyoutoknowthatIalsohaveprinciplesparabletoyourethicsittees.IcalltheSandersPrinciples.Oneoftheisthatabastardisalwaysabastard,andifIcanhurtabastardbydiggingupshitabouthi,thenhedeservesit.”
“OK,”Blokvistsaid.“Myreasoningisnttoodifferentfroyours,but”
“ButthethingisthatwhenIdoaPI,IalsolookatwhatIthinkabouttheperson.Inotneutral.Ifthepersonseeslikeagoodsort,Iighttonedownyreport.”
“Really”
“InyourcaseItoneditdown.Icouldhavewrittenaaboutyoursexlife.IcouldhaveentionedtoFrodethatErikaBergerhasapastinClubXtreeandpyedaroundwithBDSMintheeightieswhichwouldhaveproptedcertainunavoidablenotionsaboutyoursexlifeandhers.”
BlokvistetSandersgaze.Afteraoentheughed.
“Yourereallyeticulous,arentyouWhydidntyouputitinthereport”
“Youareadultswhoobviouslylikeeachother.Whatyoudoinbedisnobodysbusiness,andtheonlythingIwouldhaveachievedbytalkingaboutherwastohurtbothofyou,orovidesoeonewithbckaiterial.IdontknowFrodetherationcouldhaveendedithWennerstr.”
“AndyoudontwanrovideWennerstrwithration”
“IfIhadtochoosebetweenyouandhi,Idprobablyendupinyourcourt.”
“ErikaandIhaveaourretionshipis”
“Please,Ireallydontgiveatossaboutwhatsortofretionshipyouhave.Butyouhaventansweredyquestion:whatdoyoupntodoaboutyhackingintoyourputer”
“Lisbeth,Inotheretobckailyou.Iheretoaskyoutohelpedosoeresearch.Youcansayyesoo.Ifyousayno,fine,Illfindsoeoneelseandyoullneverhearfroeagain.”
CHAPTER19
Thursday,June19–Sunday,June29
WhilehewaitedforwordonwhetherVangerwasgoinullthroughoot,Blokvistspentthedaysgoingoverhisaterials.HekeptinclosetouchwithFrode.OnThursdayeveningFrodebroughthithenewsthattheiediatecrisisseeedtobeover.
“Iwasabletotalktohiforawhiletoday.Hewantstoseeyouassoonaspossible.”
Soitwasthat,around1:00ontheafteoonofMidsuerEve,BlokvistdrovetoHedestadHospitandwentinsearchoftheward.HeencounteredanangryBirgerVanger,whoblockedhisway.Henrikcouldnotpossiblyreceivevisitors,hesaid.
“Thatsodd,”Blokvistsaid,“Henriksentwordsayingthatheexpresslywantedtoseeetoday.”
“Yourenotaeberofthefaily；youhavenobusinesshere.”
“Youreright.Inotaeberofthefaily.ButIworkingforHenrikVanger,andItakeordersonlyfrohi.”
ThisighthaveledtoaheatedexchangeifFrodehadnotatthatoenteoutofVangersroo.
“Oh,thereyouare.Henrikhasbeenaskingafteryou.”
FrodeheldopenthedoorandBlokvistwalkedpastBirgerintotheroo.
Vangerlookedtohaveagedtenyears.Hewaslyingwithhiseyeshalfclosed,anoxygentubeinhisnose,andhishairoredishevelledthanever.AnursepedBlokvist,puttingahandfirlyonhisar.
“Twoinutes.Noore.Anddontupsethi.”BlokvistsatonavisitorschairsothathecouldseeVangersface.Hefeltatendeessthatastonishedhi,andhestretchedouthishandtogentlysqueezetheoldanshand.
“Anynews”Thevoicewasweak.
Blokvistnodded.
“Illgiveyouareportassoonasyourebetter.Ihaventsolvedtheysteryyet,butIvefoundorenewstuffandIfollowingupanuberofleads.Inaweek,perhapstwo,Illbeabletotelltheresults.”
TheostVangercouldanagewastoblink,indicatingthatheunderstood.
“Ihavetobeawayforafewdays.”
Henrikraisedhiseyebrows.
“Inotjupingship.Ihavesoeresearchtodo.IvereachedanagreeentwithDirchthatIshouldreporttohi.IsthatOKwithyou”
“Dirchisyaninaltters.”
BlokvistsqueezedVangershandagain.
“MikaelifIdontIwantyoutofinishthejob.”
“Iwillfinishthejob.”
“Dirchhasfull”
“Henrik,Iwantyoutogetbetter.IdbefuriouswithyouifyouwentanddiedafterIveadesuchprogress.”
“Twoinutes,”thenursesaid.
“Nexttiewellhavealongtalk.”
BirgerVangerwaswaitingforhiwhenhecaeout.Hepedhibyyingahandonhisshoulder.
“IdontwantyoubotheringHenrikanyore.Hesveryill,andhesnotsupposedtobeupsetordisturbed.”
“Iunderstandyourconce,andIsypathise.AndInotgoingtoupsethi.”
“EveryoneknowsthatHenrikhiredyookearoundinhislittlehobbyHarriet.DirchsaidthatHenrikbecaeveryupsetafteraconversationyouhadwithhibeforehehadtheheartattack.Heevensaidthatyouthoughtyouhadcausedtheattack.”
“Idontthinksoanyore.Henrikhadsevereblockagesinhisarteries.Hecouldhavehadaheartattackjustbyhavingapee.Isureyouknowthatbynow.”
“Iwantfulldisclosureintothislunacy.Thisisyfailyyoureuckingaroundin.”
“Itoldyou,IworkforHenrik,notforthefaily.”
BirgerVangerwasapparentlynotusedtohavinganyonestanduptohi.ForaoenthestaredatBlokvistwithanexpressionthatwaspresuablyeanttoinst船说