HeopenedafolderwithareportonsecurityatauseuwhereabigexhibitionofFrenchIpressionistswasopeningsoon.ThenheputdownthefolderandlookedatthedoorthroughwhichSanderhadjustgone.HethoughtabouthowshehadughedwithBlokvistinherofficeandwonderedifshewasfinallygrowinguporwhetheritwasBlokvistwhowastheattraction.Healsofeltastrangeuneasiness.HehadneverbeenabletoshakeoffthefeelingthatLisbethSanderwasaperfectvicti.Andhereshewas,huntingaadanoutinthebackofbeyond.
Onthewaynorthagain,SandertookonipulseadetourbywayofppelvikenNursingHoetoseeherother.ExceptforthevisitonMidsuerEve,shehadnotseenherothersinceChristas,andshefeltbadforsoseldotakingthetie.Asecondvisitwithinthecourseofafeeekswasquiteunusual.
Herotherwasinthedayroo.Sanderstayedagoodhourandtookherotherforawalkdowntotheduckpondinthegroundsofthehospital.HerotherwasstilluddlingLisbethwithhersister.Asusual,shewashardlypresent,butsheseeedtroubledbythevisit.
WhenSandersaidgoodbye,herotherdidnotwanttoletgoofherhand.Sanderproisedtovisitheragainsoon,butherothergazedafterhersadlyandanxiously.
Itwasasifshehadapreonitionofsoeapproachingdisaster.
BlokvistspenttwohoursinthegardenbehindhiscabingoingthroughtheApocryphawithoutgainingasingleinsight.Butathoughthadourredtohi.HowreligioushadHarrietVangeractuallybeenHerinterestinBiblestudieshadstartedthestyearbeforeshevanished.ShehadlinkedanuberofBiblequotestoaseriesofurdersandthenhadethodicallyreadnotonlyherBiblebutalsotheApocrypha,andshehaddevelopedaninterestinCatholicis.
HadshereallydohesaeinvestigationthatBlokvistandSanderweredoingthirtysevenyearsterWasitthehuntforaurdererthathadspurredherinterestratherthanreligiosityPastorFalkhadindicatedthatinhiseyesshewasoreofaseeker,lessagoodChristian.
HewasinterruptedbyBergercallinghionhisobile.
“IjustwantedtotellyouthatGregerandIareleavingonholidaynextweek.Illbegoneforfourweeks.”
“Whereareyougoing”
“NewYork.Gregerhasanexhibition,andthenwethoughtwedgototheCaribbean.WehaveachancetoborrowahouseonAntiguafroafriendofGregersandwerestayingtheretwoweeks.”
“Thatsoundswonderful.Haveagreattie.AndsayhitoGreger.”
“Thenewissueisfinishedandwevealostwrappedupthenextone.Iwishyoucouldtakeoveraseditor,butChristerhassaidhewilldoit.”
“Hecancalleifheneedsanyhelp.HowsitgoingwithJanneDahn”
Shehesitated.
“Hesalsogoingonholiday.IvepushedHenryintobeingtheactinganagingeditor.HeandChristerareindingthestore.”
“OK.”
“IllbebackonAugustseventh.”
IntheearlyeveningBlokvisttriedfivetiestotelephoneCeciliaVanger.Hesentheratextaskinghertocallhi.Buthereceivednoanswer.
HeputawaytheApocryphaandgotintohistracksuit,lockingthedoorbeforehesetoff.
Hefollowedthenarrowpathalongtheshoreandthentuedintothewoods.Hegroundhiswaythroughthicketsandarounduprootedtreesasfastashecouldgo,eergingexhaustedattheFortresswithhispulseracing.Hepedbyoneoftheoldartillerybatteriesandstretchedforseveralinutes.
Suddenlyheheardasharpcrackandthegreyconcretewallnexttohisheadexploded.Thenhefeltthepainasfragentsofconcreteandshrapneltoreadeepgashinhisscalp.
ForwhatseeedaeityBlokviststoodparalysed.Thenhethrewhiselfintotheartillerytrench,ndinghardonhisshoulderandknockingthewindoutofhiself.Asecondroundcaeattheinstanthedived.Thebulletsackedintotheconcretefoundation.
Hegottohisfeetandlookedalround.HewasintheiddleoftheFortress.Totherightandleftnarrow,overgrownpassagesayarddeeprantothebatteriesthatwerespreadalongalineof250yards.Inacrouch,hestartedrunningsouththroughthebyrinth.
HesuddenlyheardanechoofCaptainAdolfssonsiniitablevoicefrowinteranoeuvresattheinfantryschoolinKiruna.Blokvist,keepyourfuckingheaddownifyoudontwanttogetyourarseshotoff.YearsterhestillreeberedtheextrapractisedrillsthatCaptainAdolfssonusedtodevise.
Hepedtocatchhisbreath,hisheartpounding.Hecouldheaothingbuthisownbreathing.Thehuaneyeperceivesotionuchquickerthanshapesandfigures.Moveslowlywhenyourescouting.Blokvistslowlypeekedaninchoverthedgeofthebattery.Thesunwasstraightaheadandadeitipossibletoakeoutdetails,buthecouldseenooveent.
Hepulledhisheadbackdownandranontothenextbattery.Itdoesntatterhowgoodtheeneysweaponsare.Ifhecantseeyou,hecanthityou.Cover,cover,cover.Makesureyoureneverexposed.
Hewas300yardsfrotheedgeofstergrdenfar.Soe40yardsfrowhereheknelttherewasanalostiperablethicketoflowbrush.Buttoreachthethickethewouldhavetosprintdownagrassslopefrotheartillerybattery,andhewouldbepletelyexposed.Itwastheonlyway.Athisbackwasthesea.
HewassuddenlyawareofpaininhistepleanddiscoveredthathewasbleedingandthathisTshirtwasdrenchedwithblood.Scaoundsneverbleeding,hethoughtbeforeheagainconcentratedonhisposition.Oneshotcouldjusthavebeenanaident,buttwoeantthatsoebodywastryingtokillhi.Hehadnowayofknowingifthearksanwaswaitingforhitoreappear.
Hetriedtobecal,thinkrationally.Thechoicewastowaitortogetthehellout.Ifthearksanwasstillthere,thetteralteativewasassuredlynotagoodidea.Ifhewaitedwherehewas,thearksanwouldcallywalkuptotheFortress,findhi,andshoothiatcloserange.
HecantknowifIvegootherightorleft.Rifle,aybeaooserifle.Probablywithtelescopicsights.WhichwouldeanthatthearksanwouldhavealiitedfieldofvisionifhewaslookingforMikaelthroughthesights.
Ifyoureinatightspottaketheinitiative.Betterthanwaiting.Hewatchedandlistenedforsoundsfortwoinutes；thenhecberedoutofthebatteryandraceddowntheslopeasfastashecould.
Hewashalfwaydowntheslopeasathirdshotwasfired,butheonlyheardavaguesackbehindhi.Hethrewhiselfftthroughthecurtainofbrushandrolledthroughaseaofstingingtles.Thenhewasonhisfeetandovingawayfrothedirectionofthefire,crouching,running,pingeveryfiftyyards,listening.HeheardabranchcracksoewherebetweenhiandtheFortress.Hedroppedtohisstoach.
CrawlusingyourelbowswasanotherofCaptainAdolfssonsfavouriteexpressions.Blokvistcoveredthenext150yardsonhiskneesandtoesandelbowsthroughtheundergrowth.Hepushedasidetwigsandbranches.Twiceheheardsuddencracksinthethicketbehindhi.Thefirstseeedtobeveryclose,aybetwentypacestotheright.Hefroze,yperfectlystill.Afterawhilehecautiouslyraisedhisheadandlookedaround,buthecouldseenoone.Heystillforalongtie,hisnervesonfullert,readytofleeorpossiblyakeadesperatecounterattackiftheeneycaeathi.Thenextcrackwasfrofartheraway.Thensilence.
HeknowsIhere.Hashetakenupapositionsoewhere,waitingforetostartoving,orhasheretreated
Blokvistkeptcrawlingthroughtheundergrowthuntilhereachedthestergrdensfence.
Thiswasthenextcriticaloent.Apathraninsidethefence.Heystretchedoutontheground,watching.Thefarhousewas400yardsdownagentleslope.Totherightofthehousehesawcowsgrazing.WhyhadntanyoneheardtheshotsandetoinvestigateSuer.Maybenobodyisathoerightnow.
Therewasnoquestionofcrossingthepasturetherehewouldhavenocoveratall.Thestraightpathbesidethefencewasthepcehehiselfwouldhavepickedforaclearfieldoffire.Heretreatedintothebrushuntilhecaeoutontheothersideintoasparsepinewood.
HetookthelongwayaroundstergrdensfieldsandSderbergettoreachhoe.Whenhepassedstergrdenhecouldseethattheircarwasgone.AtthofSderbergethepedandlookeddownonHedeby.Intheoldfishingcabinsbythearinathereweresuervisitors；woeninbathingsuitsweresittingtalkingonadock.Heselledsoethingcookingonanoutdrill.Childrenwerespshinginthewateearthedocksinthearina.
Justafter8:00.Itwasfiftyinutessincetheshotshadbeenfired.Nilssonwaswateringhiswn,wearingshortsandnoshirt.HowlonghaveyoubeenthereVangershousewaseptybutforAnna.HaraldVangershouselookeddesertedasalways.ThenhesawIsabelVangerinherbackgarden.Shewassittingthere,obviouslytalkingtosoeone.IttookasecondforBlokvisttorealiseitwasthesicklyGerdaVanger,boin1922andlivingwithherson,Alexander,inoneofthehousesbeyondHenriks.Hehadneverether,buthehadseenherafewties.CeciliaVangershouselookedepty,butthenMikaelsawaoveentinherkitchen.Sheshoe.WasthearksanawoanHeknewthatCeciliacouldhandleagun.HecouldseeMartinVangerscarinthedriveinfrontofhishouse.Howlonghaveyoubeenhoe
OrwasitsoeoneelsethathehadnotthoughtofyetFrodeAlexanderTooanypossibilities.
HeclibeddownfroSderbergetandfollowedtheroadintothevilge；hegothoewithoutencounteringanyone.Thefirstthinghesaasthatthedoorofthecottagewasajar.Hewentintoacrouchalostinstinctively.ThenheselledcoffeeandsawSanderthroughthekitchenwindow.
Sheheardhieinthefrontdoorandtuedtowardshi.Shestiffened.Hisfacelookedterrible,searedwithbloodthathadbe船说