“WhenIstartedthisjobIcouldnthelpthinkingthatitwasawasteoftie.ButIthinkwereonthevergeofabreakthroughandthatitightnowbepossibletoknohatreallyhappened.”
BlokvistreaddoubtinMartinVangerseyes.Atstheadeadecision.
“OK,inthatcasethebestthingwecandoistosolvetheysteryofHarrietasquicklyaspossible.IllgiveyouallthesupportIcansothatyoufinishtheworktoyoursatisfactionand,ofcourse,HenriksandthenretutoMillenniu.”
“Good.SoIwonthavetofightwithyoutoo.”
“No,youwont.Youcanaskforyheheneveryourunintoaproble.IlkedansurethatBirgerwontputanysortofobstaclesinyourway.AndIlltrytotalktoCecilia,tocalherdown.”
“Thankyou.Ineedtoaskhersoequestions,andshesbeenresistingyatteptsatconversationforaonthnow.”
MartinVangerughed.“Perhapsyouhaveotherissuestoironout.ButIwontgetinvolvedinthat.”
Theyshookhands.
Sanderhadlistenedtotheconversation.WhenMartinVangerleftshereachedfortheHedestadCourierandscannedthearticle.Sheputthepaperdownwithoutakinganyent.
Blokvistsatinsilence,thinking.GunnarKarnwasboin1948andwouldhavebeeneighteenin1966.HewasoneofthepeopleontheisndwhenHarrietdisappeared.
Afterbreakfastheaskedhisresearchassistanttoreadthroughthepolicereport.Hegaveherallthephotographsoftheaident,aswelsthelongsuaryofVangersowninvestigations.
BlokvistthendrovetoFrodeshouseandaskedhikindlytodrawupanagreeentforSanderasaresearchassistantforthenextonth.
Bythetieheretuedtothecottage,Sanderhaddecapedtothegardenandwasiersedinthepolicereport.Blokvistwentintoheatupthecoffee.Hewatchedherthroughthekitchenwindow.Sheseeedtobeskiing,spendingnoorethantenorfifteensecondsoneachpage.Shetuedthepagesechanically,andBlokvistwasaazedatherckofconcentration；itadenosense,sinceherownreportwassoeticulous.Hetooktwocupsofcoffeeandjoinedheratthegardentable.
“Youotesweredonebeforeyoukneewerelookingforaserialkiller.”
“Thatstrue.IsiplywrotedownquestionsIwantedtoaskHenrik,andsoeotherthings.Itwasquiteunstructured.UpuntilnowIvereallybeenstrugglinginthedark,tryingtowriteastoryachapterintheautobiographyofHenrikVanger.”
“Andnow”
“InthepastalltheinvestigationsfocusedonHedebyIsnd.NowIsurethatthestory,thesequenceofeventsthatendedinherdisappearance,startedinHedestad.Thatshiftstheperspective.”
Sandersaid:“Itwasaazingwhatyoudiscoveredwiththepictures.”
Blokvistwassurprised.Sanderdidnotseethetypetothrowplientsaround,andhefeltfttered.Ontheotherhandfroapurelyjoualisticpointofviewitwasquiteanachieveent.
“Itsyourtutofillinthedetails.HowdiditgowiththatpictureyouwerechasingupinNorsj”
“Youeanyoudidntchecktheiagesinyputer”
“Therewasnttie.Ineededtoreadtherésués,yoursituationreportstoyourself.”
Blokviststartedhisiandclickedonthephotographfolder.
“Itsfascinating.ThevisittoNorsjwasasortofprogress,butitwasalsoadisappointent.Ifoundthepicture,butitdoesnttellusuch.
“Thatwoan,MildredBerggren,hadsavedallherholidaypicturesinalbus.ThepictureIwaslookingforwasoneofthe.Itwastakenoncheapcolourfindafterthirtysevenyearstheprintwasincrediblyfadedwithastrongyellowtinge.But,wouldyoubelieve,shestillhadthenegativeinashoebox.SheleteborrowallthenegativesfroHedestadandIvescannedthein.ThisiswhatHarrietsaw.”
HeclickedonaniagewhichnowhadthefilenaeHARRIETbd19.eps.
Sanderiediatelyunderstoodhisdisay.ShesawanunfocusediagethatshowedclownsintheforegroundoftheChildrensDayparade.InthebackgroundcouldbeseenthecoerofSundstrsHaberdashery.AbouttenpeoplewerestandingonthepaveentinfrontofSundstrs.
“Ithinkthisisthepersonshesaw.PartlybecauseItriedtotriangutewhatshewaslookingat,judgingbytheanglethatherfacewastuedIadeadrawingofthecrossroadsthereandpartlybecausethisistheonlypersonwhoseestobelookingstraightintothecaera.MeaningthatperhapshewasstaringatHarriet.”
WhatSandersaasablurryfigurestandingalittlebitbehindthespectators,alostinthesidestreet.Hehadonadarkpaddedjacketwitharedpatchontheshouldersanddarktrousers,possiblyjeans.Blokvistzooedinsothatthefigurefrothewaistupfilledthescreen.Thephotographbecaeinstantlyfuzzierstill.
“Itsaan.Hesaboutfivefooteleven,noralbuild.Hehasdarkblond,seilonghairandiscleanshaven.Butitsipossibletoakeouthisfacialfeaturesorevenestiatehisage.Hecouldbeanywherebetweenhisteensandiddleage.
“Youcouldaniputetheiage”
“Ihaveaniputedtheiage,dait.IevensentacopytotheiageprocessingwizardatMillenniu.”Blokvistclickedupanewshot.“ThisistheabsolutebestIcangetoutofit.Thecaeraissiplytoolousyandthedistancetoofar.”
“HaveyoushownthepicturetoanyoneSoeoneightrecognisetheansbearingor”
“IshowedittoFrode.Hehasnoideawhotheanis.”
“HerrFrodeprobablyisnttheostobservantpersoninHedestad.”
“No,butIworkingforhiandHenrikVanger.IwanttoshowthepicturetoHenrikbeforeIcastthewider.”
“Perhapshesnothingorethanaspectator.”
“Thatspossible.ButheanagedtotriggerastrangeresponsefroHarriet.”
DuringthenextseveraldaysBlokvistandSanderworkedontheHarrietcasevirtuallyeverywakingoent.Sanderwentonreadingthepolicereport,rattlingoffonequestionafteranother.Therecouldonlybeoruth,andeachvagueansweroruncertaintyledtooreintenseinterrogation.Theyspentonewholedayexainingtietablesforthecastofcharactersatthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.
Sanderbecaeoreandoreofanenigatohi.Despitethefactthatsheonlyskiedthedocuentsinthereport,shealwaysseeedtosettleontheostobscureandcontradictorydetails.
Theytookabreakintheafteoons,whentheheatadeitunbearableoutinthegarden.TheywouldswiinthechannelorwalkuptotheterraceatSusannesBridgeCafé.SusannenowtreatedBlokvistwithanundisguisedcoolness.HerealisedthatSanderlookedbarelylegandshewasobviouslylivingathiscottage,andthatinSusanneseyesadehiadirtyoldiddleagedan.Itwasnotpleasant.
Blokvistwentouteveryeveningforarun.Sanderadenoentwhenheretuedoutofbreathtothecottage.Runningwasobviouslynotherthing.
“Ioverforty,”hesaid.“Ihavetoexercisetokeepfrogettingtoofataroundtheiddle.”
“Isee.”
“Dontyoueverexercise”
“Iboxonceinawhile.”
“Youbox”
“Yeah,youknow,withgloves.”
“Whatweightdoyouboxin”hesaid,whenheeergedfrotheshower.
“Noneatall.IsparalittlenowandthenagainsttheguysinaclubinSder.”
Whyisthatnosurprisehethought.Butatleastshehadtoldhisoethingaboutherself.Heknewnobasicfactsabouther.HowdidsheetobeworkingforAranskyWhatsortofeducationdidshehaveWhatdidherparentsdoAssoonasBlokvisttriedtoaskaboutherlifesheshutuplikeac,answeredinsinglesylblesorignoredhi.
OneafteoonSandersuddenlyputdownabinder,frowning.
“WhatdoyouknowaboutOttoFalkThepastor.”
“Notuch.Ietthepresentincubentafewtiesearlierintheyear,andshetoldethatFalklivesinsoegeriatrichoeinHedestad.Alzheiers.”
“Wheredidheefro”
“FroHedestad.HestudiedinUppsa.”
“Hewasunarried.AndHarriethungoutwithhi.”
“Whydoyouask”
“IjustsayingthatMorellwentprettyeasyonhiintheinterview.”
“Inthesixtiespastorsenjoyedaconsiderablydifferentstatusinsociety.Itwasnaturalforhitoliveouthereontheisnd,closetothepowerbrokers,sotospeak.”
“Iwonderhowcarefullythepolicesearchedtheparsonage.Inthephotographsitlookslikeitwasabigwoodenhouse,andthereusthavebeenplentyofpcestohideabodyforawhile.”
“Thatstrue,buttheresnothingintheaterialtoindicatethathewouldhaveanyconnectiontotheserialurdersortoHarrietsdisappearance.”
“Actually,thereis,”Sandersaid,withawrysile.“Firstofallhewasapastor,andpastorsorethananyoneelsehaveaspecialretionshiptotheBible.Second,hewasthestpersonknowntohaveseenandtalkedwithHarriet.”
“Buthewentdowntothesceneoftheaidentandstayedthereforseveralhours.Hesinlotsofthepictures,especiallyduringthetiewhenHarrietusthavevanished.”
“Allright,Icantcrackhisalibi.ButIwasactuallythinkingaboutsoethin船说