“Yes,Hedestad.Thisphotographwastakenatabout1:00intheafteoon.Ivebeentryingtofindyouforsoetienow,andithasntbeenasipletask.”
“Youseeanoldphotographofeandthenactuallytrackedown.Icantiaginehowyoudidit.”
Blokvistputthephotographfrothecarparkonthetable.
“Iwasabletofindyouthankstothispicture,whichwastakenalittleterintheday.”Heexpinedhow,viatheNorsjCarpentryShop,hehadfoundBuran,whointuhadledhitoHenningForsaninNorsjvallen.
“Youusthaveagoodreasonforthislongsearch.”
“Ido.ThisgirlstandingclosetoyouinthisphotographiscalledHarriet.Thatdayshedisappeared,andshewasneverseenorheardofagain.Thegenerassuptionisthatshefellpreytoaurderer.CanIshowyousoeorephotographs”
Hetookouthisiandexpinedthecircustanceswhiletheputerbootedup.ThenhepyedhertheseriesofiagesshowinghowHarrietsfacialexpressionchanged.
“ItwaswhenIwentthroughtheseoldiagesthatIfoundyou,standingwithacaerarightbehindHarriet,andyouseetobetakingapictureinthedirectionofwhateveritissheslookingat,whatevercausedhertoreactinthatway.Iknowthatthisisareallylongshot,butthereasonIvebeenlookingforyouistoaskyouifbyanyiracleyoustillhavethepicturesfrothatday.”
HewaspreparedforMildredBerggrentodisisstheideaandtellhithatthephotographshadlongsincevanished.Insteadshelookedathiwithherclearblueeyesandsaid,asifitweretheostnaturalthingintheworld,thatofcourseshestillhadheroldhoneyoonpictures.
Shewenttoanotherrooandcaebackafterseveralinuteswithaboxinwhichshehadstoredaquantityofpicturesinvariousalbus.Ittookawhiletofindthehoneyoonones.ShehadtakenthreephotographsinHedestad.Onewasblurryandshowedtheainstreet.Anothershowedherhusbandatthetie.Thethirdshowedtheclownsintheparade.
Blokvisteagerlyleanedforward.Hecouldseeafigureontheothersideofthestreetbehindaclown.Butthephotographtoldhiabsolutelynothing.
CHAPTER20
Tuesday,July1–Wednesday,July2
ThefirstthingBlokvistdidtheoingheretuedtoHedestadwastogotoFrodeshousetoaskaboutVangerscondition.Heleaedtohisdelightthattheoldanhadiprovedquiteabitduringthepastweek.Hewasweakstill,andfragile,butnowhecouldsitupinbed.Hisconditionwasnolongerregardedascritical.
“ThankGod,”hesaid.“IrealisedthatIactuallylikehi.”
Frodesaid:“Iknowthat.AndHenriklikesyoutoo.HoasNorrnd”
“Suessfulyetunsatisfying.Illexpinalittleter.RightnowIhaveaquestion.”
“Goahead.”
“WhatrealisticallywillhappentoyourinterestinMillenniuifHenrikdies”
“Nothingatall.Martinwilltakehispceontheboard.”
“Isthereanyrisk,hypotheticallyspeaking,thatMartinightcreateproblesforMillenniuifIdontputatotheinvestigationofHarrietsdisappearance”
Frodegavehiasharplook.
“Whatshappened”
“Nothing,actually.”MikaeltoldhiabouttheconversationhehadhadwithMartinVangeronMidsuerEve.“WhenIwasinNorsjErikatoldethatMartinhadcalledherandsaidthathethoughtIwasveryuchneededbackattheoffice.”
“Iunderstand.MyguessisthatCeciliawasafterhi.ButIdontthinkthatMartinwouldputpressureonyoulikethatonhisown.Hesuchtoosavvy.Andreeber,IalsoontheboardofthelittlesubsidiaryweforedwhenweboughtintoMillenniu.”
“Butwhatifaticklishsituationcaeuphoouldyouactthen”
“Contractsexisttobehonoured.IworkforHenrik.HenrikandIhavebeenfriendsforfortyfiveyears,andweareinpleteagreeentinsuchatters.IfHenrikshoulddieitisinpointoffactInotMartinwhowouldinheritHenriksshareinthesubsidiary.WehaveacontractinwhichwehaveundertakentobackMillenniuforthreeyears.ShouldMartinwishtostartanyischiefwhichIdontbelievehewillthentheoreticallyhecouldputthebrakesonasallnuberofnewadvertisers.”
“ThelifebloodofMillenniusexistence.”
“Yes,butlookatitthiswayworryingaboutsuchtriviaisawasteoftie.Martinispresentlyfightingforhisindustrialsurvivandworkingfourteenhoursaday.Hedoesnthavetieforanythingelse.”
“MayIaskIknowitsnoneofybusinesswhatisthegeneralconditionofthecorporation”
Frodelookedgrave.
“Wehaveprobles.”
“Yes,evenaonfinancialreporterlikeyselfcanseethat.Iean,howseriousisit”
“Offtherecord”
“Betweenus.”
“WevelosttworgeordersintheelectronicsindustryinthepastfeeeksandareabouttobeejectedfrotheRussianarket.InSepteberweregoingtohavetoyoff1,600eployeesinrebroandTrollhttan.Notuchofarewardtogiveoplewhoveworkedforthepanyforanyyears.Eachtieweshutdownafactory,confidenceinthepanyisfurtherunderined.”
“Martinisunderpressure.”
“Hespullingtheloadofanoxandwalkingoneggshells.”
BlokvistwentbacktohiscottageandcalledBerger.Shewasnotattheoffice,sohespoketoMal.
“Heresthedeal:ErikacalledwhenIwasinNorsj.MartinVangerhasbeenafterherandhas,howshallIputit,encouragedheroposethatIstarttotakeoneditorialresponsibility.”
“Ithinkyoushouldtoo,”Malsaid.
“Iknowthat.Butthethingis,IhaveacontractwithHenrikVangerthatIcantbreak,andMartinisactingonbehalfofsoeoneupherewhowantsetowhatIadoingandleavetown.Sohisproposaountstoanattepttogetridofe.”
“Isee.”
“SayhitoErikaandtellherIllebacktoStockholwhenIfinishedhere.Notbefore.”
“Iunderstand.Yourestarkravingad,ofcourse,butIllgivehertheessage.”
“Christer.Soethingisgoingonuphere,andIhavenointentionofbackingout.”
BlokvistknockedonMartinVangersdoor.EvaHasselopeneditandgreetedhiwarly.
“Hi.IsMartinhoe”
Asifinreplytothequestion,MartinVangercaewalkingoutwithabriefcaseinhishand.HekissedEvaonthecheekandsaidhellotoMikael.
“Ionywaytotheoffice.Doyouwanttotalktoe”
“Wecandoitterifyoureinahurry.”船说