船说 Blokvistrestrainedtheurgetough.Thiswasnopceforughter,inthecorridoroutsideVangerssickbed,whichightalsotuouttobehisdeathbed.ButhethoughtofaversefroLennartHyndsrhyingalphabet.ItwastheletterM.Andalloheoosehestood,ughinginashotood.
InthehospitallobbyheranintoCeciliaVanger.Hehadtriedcallingherobileadozentiessinceshecaebackfroherinterruptedholiday,butshehadneveransweredorretuedhiscalls.AndshewasneverhoeatherpceonHedebyIsndwheneverhewalkedpastandknockedonthedoor.
“Hi,Cecilia,”hesaid.“IsosorryaboutallthiswithHenrik.”
“Thanks,”shesaid.
“Weneedtotalk.”
“IsorrythatIveshutyououtlikethis.Icanunderstandthatyouustbecross,butInothavinganeasytieofitthesedays.”
Mikaelputhishandonherarandsiledather.
“Wait,youvegotitwrong,Cecilia.Inotcrossatall.Iastillhopingthatwecanbefriends.Canwehaveacupofcoffee”Henoddedinthedirectionofthehospitalcafeteria.
CeciliaVangerhesitated.“Nottoday.IneedtogoandseeHenrik.”
“OK,butIstillneedtotalktoyou.Itspurelyprofessional.”
“Whatdoesthatean”Shewassuddenlyalert.
“Doyoureeberthefirsttieweet,whenyoucaetothecottageinJanuaryIsaidthatweweretalkingofftherecord,andthatifIneededtoaskyouanyrealquestions,Iwouldtellyou.IthastodowithHarriet.”
CeciliaVangersfacewassuddenlyflushedwithanger.
“Youreallyarethefuckingpits.”
“Cecilia,IvefoundsoethingsthatIreallydohavetotalktoyouabout.”
Shetookastepawayfrohi.
“DontyourealisethatthisbloodyhuntforthatcursedHarrietisjustoupationaltherapyforHenrikDontyouseethatheightbeuptheredying,andthattheverystthingheneedsistogetupsetagainandbefilledwithfalsehopesand”
“ItaybeahobbyforHenrik,butthereisnoworeaterialtogoonthananyonehashadtoworkwithinaverylongtie.Therearequestionsthatdonowneedtobeanswered.”
“IfHenrikdies,thatinvestigationisgoingtobeoverawfullydanedfast.Thenyoullbeoutonyourgrubby,snivellinginvestigativebackside,”Ceciliasaid,andshewalkedaway.
Everythingwasclosed.Hedestadwaspracticallydeserted,andtheinhabitantsseeedtohaveretreatedtotheirMidsuerpolesattheirsuercottages.BlokvistadefortheStadshotelterrace,whichwasactuallyopen,andtherehewasabletoordercoffeeandasandwichandreadtheeveningpapers.Nothingofiportancewashappeningintheworld.
HeputthepaperdownandthoughtaboutCeciliaVanger.HehadtoldnooneapartfrotheSandergirlthatshewastheonewhohadopenedthewindowinHarrietsroo.Hewasafraidthatitwouldakeherasuspect,andthestthinghewantedtodowashurther.Butthequestionwasgoingtohavetobeasked,soonerorter.
HesatontheterraceforanhourbeforehedecidedtosetthewholeprobleasideanddevoteMidsuerEvetosoethingotherthantheVangerfaily.Hisobilewassilent.Bergerwasawayausingherselfsoewherewithherhusband,andhehadnoootalkto.
HewentbacktoHedebyIsndataround4:00intheafteoonandadeanotherdecisiontosoking.Hehadbeenworkingoutregurlyeversincehedidhisilitaryservice,bothatthegyandbyrunningalongSderMrstrand,buthadfallenoutofthehabitwhentheprobleswithWennerstrbegan.ItwasatRullkerPrisonthathehadstartingpupingironagain,ostlyastherapy.Butsincehisreleasehehadtakenalostnoexercise.Itwastietostartagain.HeputonhistracksuitandsetoffatazypacealongtheroadtoGottfriedscabin,tuedofftowardstheFortress,andtookaroughercoursecrosscountry.Hehaddonenoorienteeringsincehewasintheilitary,buthehadalwaysthoughtitwasorefuntorunthroughawoodedterrainthanonafttrack.Hefollowedthefencearoundstergrdenbacktothevilge.Hewasachingalloverandoutofbreathbythetiehetooktheststepsuptotheguesthouse.
At6:00hetookashower.Heboiledsoepotatoesandhadopensandwichesofpickledherringinustardsaucewithchivesandeggonaricketytableoutsidethecottage,facingthebridge.Hepouredhiselfashotofaquavitanddrankatoasttohiself.AfterthatheopenedacrienovelbyValMcDeridentitledTheMeraidsSinging.
Ataround7:00Frodedroveupandsatheavilyinthechairacrossfrohi.BlokvistpouredhiashotofSkneaquavit.
“Youstirredupsoeratherlivelyeotionstoday,”Frodesaid.
“Icouldseethat.”
“Birgerisaconceitedfool.”
“Iknowthat.”
“ButCeciliaisnotaconceitedfool,andshesfurious.”
Mikaelnodded.
“Shehasinstructedetoseethatyoupokingaroundinthefailysaffairs.”
“Isee.Andwhatdidyousaytoher”
FrodelookedathisgssofSkneanddownedtheliquorinonegulp.
“MyresponsewasthatHenrikhasgiveneclearinstructionsaboutwhathewantsyoutodo.Aslongashedoesntchangethoseinstructions,youwillcontinuetobeeployedunderthetersofyourcontract.Iexpectyoutodoyourbesttofulfilyourpartofthecontract.”
Blokvistlookedupatthesky,whereraincloudshadbeguntogather.
“Lookslikeastorisbrewing,”Frodesaid.“Ifthewindsgettoostrong,Illhavetobackyouup.”
“Thankyou.”
Theysatinsilenceforawhile.
“CouldIhaveanotherdrink”
OnlyinutesafterFrodehadgonehoe,MartinVangerdroveupandparkedhiscarbytheroadinfrontofthecottage.Hecaeoverandsaidhello.MikaelwishedhiahappyMidsuerandaskedifhedlikeadrink.
“No,itsbetterifIdont.IjustheretochangeyclothesandthenIgoingtodrivebacktotowntospendtheeveningwithEva.”
Blokvistwaited.
“IvetalkedtoCecilia.ShesalittletrauatisedjustnowsheandHenrikhavealwaysbeenclose.Ihopeyoullfiveherifshesaysanythingunpleasant.”
“IveryfondofCecilia.”
“Iknowthat.Butshecanbedifficult.Ijustwantyoutoknowthatshesveryuchagainstyourgoingondiggingintoourpast.”
Blokvistsighed.EveryoneinHedestadseeedtoknohyVangerhadhiredhi.
“Whatsyourfeeling”
“ThisthingwithHarriethasbeenHenriksobsessionfordecades.IdontknowHarrietwasysister,butsoehowitfeelsallsofaraway.DirchsaysthatyouhaveacontractthatonlyHenrikcanbreak,andIafraidthatinhispresentconditionitwoulddooreharthangood.”
“Soyouwantetocontinue”
“Haveyouadeanyprogress”