“Ithinkyoureright.Itsdefinitelyacaera.”
“Whicheansthatwegoonanotherhuntforphotographs.”
“OK,butletsleavethatforaoent,”Sandersaid.“Leteproposeatheory.”
“Goahead.”
“Whatifsoeoneoftheyoungergenerationknowsthatsoeoneoftheoldergenerationisaserialkiller,buttheydontwantitacknowledged.Thefailyshonourandallthatcrap.Thatwouldeanthattherearetwopeopleinvolved,butnotthattheyreinittogether.Theurderercouldhavediedyearsago,whileoueesisjustwantsustodropthewholethingandgohoe.”
“Butwhy,inthatcase,putautitedcatonourporchItsanunistakablereferencetotheurders.”BlokvisttappedHarrietsBible.“Againaparodyofthewsregardingbutofferings.”
SanderleanedbackandlookedupatthechurchasshequotedfrotheBible.Itwasasifsheweretalkingtoherself.
“ThenheshallkillthebullbeforetheLord；andAaronssonsthepriestsshallpresenttheblood,andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting.Andheshallfythebutofferingandcutitiieces.”
Shefellsilent,awarethatBlokvistwaswatchingherwithatenseexpression.HeopenedtheBibletothefirstchapterofLeviticus.
“Doyouknowversetwelvetoo”
Sanderdidnotreply.
“Andheshall”hebegan,noddingather.
“Andheshallcutitiieces,withitsheadanditsfat,andthepriestshallytheinorderuponthewoodthatisonthefireuponthealtar.”Hervoicewasice.
“Andthenextverse”
Abruptlyshestoodup.
“Lisbeth,youhaveaphotographiceory,”Mikaelexciedinsurprise.“Thatswhyyoucanreadapageoftheinvestigationintenseconds.”
Herreactionwasalostexplosive.ShefixedhereyesonBlokvistwithsuchfurythathewasastounded.Thenherexpressionchangedtodespair,andshetuedonherheendranforthegate.
“Lisbeth,”heshoutedafterher.
Shedisappeareduptheroad.
Mikaelcarriedherputerinside,setthear,andlockedthefrontdoorbeforehesetouttolookforher.Hefoundhertwentyinutesteronajettyatthearina.Shewassittingthere,dippingherfeetinthewaterandsoking.Sheheardhiingalongthejetty,andhesawhershouldersstiffen.Hepedacoupleofpacesaway.
“IdontknohatIdid,butIdidnteantoupsetyou.”
Hesatdownnexttoher,tentativelypcingahandonhershoulder.
“Please,Lisbeth.Talktoe.”
Shetuedherheadandlookedathi.
“Theresnothingtotalkabout,”shesaid.“Ijustafreak,thatsall.”
“Idbeoverjoyedifyeorywaswhatyoursis.”
Shetossedthecigaretteendintothewater.
Mikaelsatinsilenceforalongtie.WhataIsupposedtosayYoureaperfectlyordinarygirl.WhatdoesitatterifyourealittledifferentWhatkindofselfiagedoyouhave,anyway
“IthoughttherewassoethingdifferentaboutyoutheinstantIsawyou,”hesaid.“AndyouknohatItsbeenareallylongtiesinceIvehadsuchaspontaneousgoodipressionofanyonefrotheverybeginning.”
Soechildrencaeoutofacabinontheothersideoftheharbourandjupedintothewater.Thepainter,EugenNoran,withwhoBlokviststillhadnotexchangedasingleword,wassittinginachairoutsidehishouse,suckingonhispipeasheregardedBlokvistandSander.
“Ireallywanttobeyourfriend,ifyoulllete,”hesaid.“Butitsuptoyou.Igoingbacktothehousutonsoeorecoffee.ehoewhenyoufeellikeit.”
Hegotupandleftherinpeace.Hewasonlyhalfwayupthehillwhenheheardherfootstepsbehindhi.Theywalkedhoetogetherwithoutexchangingaword.
Shepedhijustastheyreachedthehouse.
“IwasintheprocessofforutingatheoryWetalkedaboutthefactthatallthisisaparodyoftheBible.Itstruethathetookacatapart,butIsupposeitwouldbehardtogetholdofanox.Buthesfollowingthebasicstory.Iwonder”Shelookedupatthechurchagain.“Andtheyshallthrowthebloodroundaboutagainstthealtarthatisthedoorofthetentofeeting”
Theywalkedoverthebridgetothechurch.Blokvisttriedthedoor,butitwaslocked.Theywanderedaroundforawhile,lookingatheadstonesuntiltheycaetothechapel,whichstoodashortdistanceaway,downbythewater.AllofasuddenBlokvienedhiseyeswide.Itwasnotachapel,itwasacrypt.AbovethedoorhecouldreadthenaeVangerchiselledintothestone,alongwithaverseinLatin,buthecouldnotdecipherit.
“Slubertotheendoftie,”Sandersaidbehindhi.
Blokvisttuedtolookather.Sheshrugged.
“Ihappenedtoseethatversesoewhere.”
Blokvistroaredwithughter.Shestiffenedandatfirstshelookedfurious,butthensherexedwhensherealisedthathewasughingattheedyofthesituation.
Blokvisttriedthedoor.Itw
15
aslocked.Hethoughtforaoent,thentoldSandertositdownandwaitforhi.HewalkedovertoseeAnnaNygrenandknocked.Heexpinedthathewantedtohaveacloserlookatthefailycrypt,andhewonderedwhereHenrikightkeepthekey.Annalookeddoubtful,butshecollectedthekeyfrohisdesk.
Assoonastheyopenedthedoor,theyknewthattheyhadbeenright.Thestenchofbuedcadaverandcharredreainshungheavyintheair.Butthecattorturerhadnotadeafire.Inonecoerstoodablowtorch,thekindusedbyskierstoeltthewaxontheirskis.Sandergotthecaeraoutofthepocketofherjeansskirtandtooksoepictures.Then,gingerly,shepickeduptheblowtorch.
“Thiscouldbeevidence.Heighthaveleftfingerprints,”shesaid.
“Ohsure,wecanasktheVangerfailytolineupandgiveustheirfingerprints.”Blokvistsiled.“IwouldlovetowatchyougetIsabels.”
“Thereareways,”Sandersaid.
Therewasagreatdealofbloodonthefloor,notallofitdry,aswelsaboltcutter,whichtheyreckonedhadbeenusedtocutoffthecatshead.
Blokvistlookedaround.AraisedsarcophagusbelongedtoAlexandreVangeersad,andfourgravesinthefloorhousedthereainsoftheearliestfailyebers.MorerecentlytheVangershadapparentlysettledforcreation.Aboutthirtynichesonthewallhadthenaesofthecnancestors.Blokvisttracedthefailychronicleforwardintie,wonderingwheretheyburiedfailyeberswhowerenotgivenspaceinsidethecryptthosenotdeeediportantenough.
“Noeknow,”Blokvistsaidastheywererecrossingthebridge.“Werehuntingforthepletelunatic.”
“Whatdoyouean”
Blokvistpausedintheiddleofthebridgeandleanedontherail.
“Ifthiswassoerunoftheillcrackpotwhowastryingtofrightenus,hewouldhavetakenthecatdowntothegarageorevenoutintothewoods.Buthewenttothecrypt.Theressoethingpulsiveaboutthat.Justthinkoftherisk.Itssuerandpeopleareoutandaboutatnight,goingforwalks.TheroadthroughtheceeteryisaainroadbetweenthenorthandsouthofHedeby.Evenifheshutthedoorbehindhi,thecatusthaveraisedCain,andthereusthavebeenabuingsell.”
“He”
“IdontthinkthatCeciliaVangerwouldbecreepingaroundhereinthenightwithablowtorch.”
Sandershrugged.
“Idonttrustanystoneofthe,includingFrodeoryourfriendHenrik.Theyreallpartofafailythatwouldswindleyouiftheyhadthechance.Sowhatdowedonow”
Blokvistsaid,“Ivediscoveredalotofsecretsaboutyou.Howanypeople,forexaple,knowthatyoureahacker”
“Noone.”
“Nooneexcepte,youean.”
“Whatareyougettingat”
“IwanttoknowifyoureOKwithe.Ifyoutruste.”
Shelookedathiforalongoent.Finally,forananswer,sheonlyshrugged.
“TheresnothingIcandoaboutit.”
“Doyoutruste”Blokvistpersisted.
“Forthetiebeing,”shesaid.
“Good.LetsgoovertoseeFrode.”
ThiswasthefirsttieAdvokatFrodeswifehadetSander.Shegaveherawideeyedlookatthesaetieas船说