船说 “Youvedoneafantasticjobofdiggingupthesefactsinsuchashorttie,”hesaid.“Thanks.Andthanksalsoforbeingniceenoughtoeuphereandreportonit.”
“Whathappensnow”Sanderwantedtoknow.
“IgoingtotalktoDirchFrodetoorrowandarrangeforyourfeetobepaid.”
“ThatwasntwhatIeant.”
Blokvistlookedather.
“WellIreckonthejobIhiredyouforisdone,”hesaid.
“Inotdonewiththis.”
Blokvistleanedbackagainstthekitchenwalndethergaze.Hecouldntreadanythingatallinhereyes.ForhalfayearhehadbeenworkingaloneonHarrietsdisappearance,andherewasanotherpersonanexperiencedresearcherwhograspedtheiplications.Headethedecisiononipulse.
“IknoktoFrode.Wellhireyouforaweekortwooreasaresearchassistant.IdontknowifhellwanaythesaeratehepaystoAransky,butweshouldbeabletoarrangeabasiclivingwageforyou.”
Sandersuddenlygavehiasile.Shehadnowishtobeshutoutandwouldhavegdlydohejobforfree.
“Ifallingasleep,”shesaid,andwithoutfurtheradoshewenttoherrooandclosedthedoor.
Twoinutestersheopenedthedoorandputoutherhead.
“Ithinkyourewrong.ItsnotaninsaneserialkillerwhoreadhisBiblewrong.Itsjustaoardenbastardwhohateswoen.”
CHAPTER21
Thursday,July3–Thursday,July10
SanderwasupbeforeBlokvist,around6:00.Sheputonsoewaterforcoffeeandwenttotakeashower.WhenBlokvistwokeat7:30,shewasreadinghissuaryoftheHarrietVangercaseonhisi.Hecaeouttothekitchenwithatowelroundhiswaist,rubbingthesleepoutofhiseyes.
“Therescoffeeonthestove,”shesaid.
Helookedoverhershoulder.
“Thatdocuentwaspasswordprotected,dait,”hesaid.
Shetuedandpeeredupathi.
“IttakesthirtysecondstodownloadaprograefrothethatcancrackWordsencryptionprotection.”
“Weneedtohaveatalkonthesubjectofwhatsyoursandwhatsine,”hesaid,andwenttotakeashower.
Whenhecaeback,Sanderhadtuedoffhisputerandputitbackinitspceinhisoffice.ShehadbootedupherownPower.Blokvistfeltsurethatshehadalreadytransferredthecontentsofhisputertoherown.
Sanderwasanrationjunkiewithadelinquentchildstakeonoralsandethics.
Hehadjustsatdowntobreakfastwhentherewasaknockatthefrontdoor.MartinVangerlookedsosolenthatforasecondBlokvistthoughthehadetobringthenewsofhisunclesdeath.
“No,Henriksconditionisthesaeasyesterday.Ihereforaquitedifferentreason.CouldIeraoent”
Blokvistlethiin,introducinghito“yresearchassistant”LisbethSander.Shegavethecaptainofindustrybarelyagnceandaquicknodbeforeshewentbacktoherputer.MartinVangergreetedherautoaticallybutlookedsodistractedthathehardlyseeedtonoticeher.Blokvistpouredhiacupofcoffeeandinvitedhitohaveaseat.
“Whatsthisalbout”
“YoudontsubscribetotheHedestadCourier”
“No.ButsoetiesIseeitatSusannesBridgeCafé.”
“Thenyouhaventreadthisoingspaper.”
“YouakeitsoundasifIoughtto.”
MartinVangerputthedayspaperonthetableinfrontofhi.Hehadbeengiventwocolunsonthefrontpage,continuedonpagefour.“ConvictedLibelJoualistHidingHere.”AphotographtakenwithatelephotolensfrothechurchhillontheothersideofthebridgeshowedBlokvistingoutofthecottage.
Thereporter,Torsson,hadcobbledtogetherascurrilouspiece.HerecapitutedtheWennerstraffairandexpinedthatBlokvisthadleftMillenniuindisgraceandthathehadrecentlyservedaprisonter.ThearticleendedwiththeusuallihatBlokvisthaddeclinedtoenttotheHedestadCourier.EveryselfrespectingresidentofHedestadwasputonnoticethatanOlypssshitfroStockholwasskulkingaroundthearea.Noneofthecisinthearticlewaslibellous,buttheyweresnteresentBlokvistinanunftteringlight；theyoutandtypestylewasofthekindthatsuchnewspapersusedtodiscusspoliticalterrorists.Millenniuwasdescribedasaagazinewithlowcredibility“bentonagitation,”andBlokvistsonfinancialjoualiswaspresentedasacollectionof“controversialcis”aboutotherorerespectedjoualists.
“MikaelIdonthavewordstoexpresswhatIfeltwhenIreadthisarticle.Itsrepulsive.”
“Itsaputupjob,”Blokvistsaidcally.
“IhopeyouunderstandthatIdidnthavetheslightestthingtodowiththis.IchokedonyoingcoffeewhenIreadit.”
“Thenwhodid”
“Iadesoecalls.ThisTorssonisasuerworkexperiencekid.HedidthepieceonordersfroBirger.”
“IthoughtBirgerhadnosayinthenewsroo.Afterall,heisacouncillorandpoliticalfigure.”
“Technicallyhehasnoinfluence.ButtheeditorinchiefoftheCourierisGunnarKarn,Ingridsson,whospartoftheJohanVangerbranchofthefaily.BirgerandGunnarhavebeencloseforanyyears.”
“Isee.”
“Torssonwillbefiredforthwith.”
“Howoldishe”
“Totellyouthetruth,Idontknow.Iveneverethi.”
“Dontfirehi.Whenhecalledehesoundedlikeaveryyoungandinexperiencedreporter.”
“Thiscantbealloweasswithoutconsequences.”
“Ifyouwantyopinion,thesituationseesabitabsurd,whentheeditorinchiefofapublicationownedbytheVangerfailygoesontheattackagainstanotherpublicationinwhichHenrikVangerisapartownerandonwhoseboardyousit.Youreditor,Karn,isattackingyouandHenrik.”
“Iseewhatyouean,andIoughttoythebewhereitbelongs.Karnisapartownerinthecorporationandhasalwaystakenpotshotsate,butthisseesorelikeBirgersrevengebecauseyouhadaruninwithhiatthehospital.Youreathoinhisside.”
“Ibelieveit.ThatswhyIthinkTorssonisthestpersontobe.Ittakesalotforanintetosaynowhenthebossinstructshitowritesoethinginacertainway.”
“Icoulddeandthatyoubegivenanapologytoorrow.”
“Betteot.Itwouldjusttuintoalong,drawnoutsquabblethatwouldakethesituationworse.”
“SoyoudontthinkIshoulddoanything”
“Itwouldntbeanyuse.Karnwouldkickupafussandintheworstcaseyoudbepaintedasavilinwho,inhiscapacityasowner,istryingtostaponthefreedoofexpression.”
“Pardone,Mikael,butIdontagreewithyou.Asaatteroffact,Ialsohavetherighttoexpressyopinion.MyviewisthatthisarticlestinksandIintendtoakeyownpointofviewclear.Howeverreluctantly,IHenriksrepceentonMillenniusboard,andinthatroleIanotgoingtoletanoffensivearticlelikethisonepassunchallenged.”
“Fairenough.”
“SoIgoingtodeandtherighttorespond.AndifIakeKarnlooklikeanidiot,hehasonlyhiselftobe.”
“Youustdowhatyoubelieveisright.”
“Fore,itsalsoiportantthatyouabsolutelyunderstandthatIhavenothingwhatsoevertodowiththisvitriolicattack.”
“Ibelieveyou,”Blokvistsaid.
“BesidesIdidntreallywanttobringthisupnow,butthisjustservestoillustratewhatwevealreadydiscussed.ItsiportanttoreinstallyouonMillenniuseditorialboardsothatwecanshowaunitedfronttotheworld.Aslongasyoureaway,thegossillcontinue.IbelieveinMillenniu,andIconvincedthatwecanwinthisfighttogether.”
“Iseeyourpoint,butnowitsytutodisagreewithyou.IcantbreakycontractwithHenrik,andthefactisthatIwouldntwanttobreakit.Yousee,Ireallylikehi.AndthisthingwithHarriet”
“Yes”
“IknowitsarunningsoreforyouandIrealisethatHenrikhasbeenobsessedwithitforanyyears.”
“JustbetweenthetwoofusIdoloveHenrikandheisyentorbutwhenitestoHarriet,hesalostoffhisrocker.”