“Yes,Henrikhasalwaysbeeninterestedinphotographyeversincehewasyoung,Ivebeentold.Hehaslotsofalbusinhisoffice.”
“Couldyoushowe”
Herreluctancewaspintosee.ItwasohingtolendBlokvistthekeytothefailycryptGodwasinchargethere,afterallbutitwasanotherattertolethiintoHenrikVangersoffice.Godswritdidnotextendthere.BlokvistsuggestedthatAnnashouldcallFrode.Finallysheagreedtoallowhiin.Alostthreefeetoftheverybottoshelfwastakenithphotographalbus.Hesatatthedeskandopenedthefirstalbu.
Vangerhadsavedeverystfailyphotograph.Manywereobviouslyfrolongbeforehistie.Theoldestpicturesdatedbacktothe1870s,showinggruffenandstewoen.TherewerepicturesofVangersparents.OneshowedhisfathercelebratingMidsuerwithargeandcheerfulgroupinSandhanin1906.AnotherSandhanphotographshowedFredrikVangerandhiswife,Ulrika,withAndersZoandAlbertEngstrsittingatatable.Otherphotographsshowedworkersonthefactoryfloorandinoffices.HefoundCaptainOskarGranathwhohadtransportedVangerandhisbelovedEdithLobachtosafetyinKarlskrona.
Annacaeupstairswithacupofcoffee.Hethankedher.BythenhehadreachedodetiesandwaspagingthroughiagesofVangerinhisprie,openingfactories,shakinghandswithTageErnder,oneofVangerandMarcusWallenbergthetwocapitalistsstaringgrilyateachother.
InthesaealbuhefoundaspreadonwhichVangerhadwritteninpencil“FailyCouncil1966.”Twocolourphotographsshowedentalkingandsokingcigars.HerecognisedHenrik,Harald,Greger,andseveralofthealeinwsinJohanVangersbranchofthefaily.Twophotographsshowedtheforaldinner,fortyenandwoenseatedatthetable,alllookingintothecaera.ThepicturesweretakenafterthedraaatthebridgewasoverbutbeforeanyonewasawarethatHarriethaddisappeared.Hestudiedtheirfaces.Thiswasthedinnersheshouldhaveattended.DidanyoftheenknowthatshewasgoneThephotographsprovidednoanswer.
Thensuddenlyhechokedonhiscoffee.Hestartedcoughingandsatupstraightinhischair.
AtthefarendofthetablesatCeciliaVangerinherlightcoloureddress,silingintothecaera.Nexttohersatanotherblondewoanwithlonghairandanidenticallightcoloureddress.Theyweresoalikethattheycouldhavebeentwins.Andsuddenlythepuzzlepiecefellice.CeciliawasnttheoneinHarrietswindowitwashersister,Anita,twoyearsherjuniorandnowlivinginLondon.
WhatwasitSanderhadsaidCeciliaVangerisinalotofthepictures.Notatall.Thereweretwogirls,andaschancewouldhaveituntilnowtheyhadneverbeenseeninthesaefrae.Inthebckandwhitephotographs,froadistance,theylookedidentical.Vangerhadpresuablyalwaysbeenabletotellthesistersapart,butforBlokvistandSanderthegirlslookedsoalikethattheyhadassueditwasoneperson.Andnoonehadeverpointedouttheiristakebecausetheyhadneverthoughttoask.
Blokvisttuedthepageandfeltthehairsonthebackofhisneckstandonend.Itwasasifacoldgustofwindpassedthroughtheroo.
Therewerepicturestakenthenextday,whenthesearchforHarriethadbegun.AyoungInspectorMorellwasgivinginstructionstoasearchpartyconsistingoftwouniforedpoliceofficersandtenenwearingbootswhowereabouttosetout.VangerwaswearingakneelengthraincoatandanarrowbriedEnglishhat.
Ontheleftofthephotographstoodayoung,slightlystoutyounganwithlight,longishhair.Hehadonadarkpaddedjacketwitharedpatchattheshoulder.Theiagewasveryclear.Blokvistrecognisedhiatonceandthejacketbut,justtoakesure,hereovedthephotographandwentdowntoaskAnnaifsherecognisedthean.
“Yes,ofcourse,thatsMartin.”
Sanderploughedthroughyearafteryearofpresscuttings,ovinginchronologicalorder.Shebeganin1949andworkedherwayforward.Thearchivewashuge.Thepanywasentionedintheedianearlyeverydayduringtherelevanttieperiodnotonlyinthelocalpressbutalsointhenationaledia.Therewerefinancianalyses,tradeunionnegotiations,thethreatofstrikes,factoryopeningsandfactoryclosings,annualreports,changesinanagers,newproductsthatwereunchedTherewasafloodofnews.Click.Click.Click.Herbrainwasworkingathighspeedasshefocusedandabsorbedtherationfrotheyellowingpages.
Afterseveralhoursshehadanidea.SheaskedthearchivesanageriftherewasachartshowingwheretheVangerCorporationhadfactoriesorpaniesduringthefiftiesandsixties.
BodilLindgrenlookedatSanderwithundisguisedcoldness.Shewasnotatallhappygivingatotalstrangerperissiontoentertheinnersanctuofthefirsarchives,beingobligedtoallowhertolookthroughwhateverdocuentssheliked.Andbesides,thisgirllookedlikesoesortofhalfwittedfifteenyearoldanarchist.ButHerrFrodehadgivenherinstructionsthatcouldnotbeisinterpreted.Thisslipofagirlwastobefreetolookatanythingshepleased.Anditwasurgent.ShebroughtouttheprintedannualreportsfortheyearsthatSanderwantedtosee；eachreportcontainedachartofthefirsdivisionsthroughoutSweden.
Sanderlookedatthechartsandsawthatthefirhadanyfactories,offices,andsalesoutlets.Ateverysitewhereaurderwasitted,therewasalsoareddot,soetiesseveral,indicatingtheVangerCorporation.
Shefoundthefirstconnectionin1957.RakelLunde,Landskrona,wasfounddeadthedayaftertheV.＆ap；C.Constructionpanyclinchedanorderworthseveralilliontobuildagalleriainthetown.V.＆ap；C.stoodforVangerandCarlénConstruction.ThelocalpaperhadinterviewedGottfriedVanger,whohadetotowntosignthecontract.
SanderrecalledsoethingshehadreadinthepoliceinvestigationintheprovincialrecordofficeinLandskrona.RakelLunde,fortellerinherfreetie,wasanofficecleaner.ShehadworkedforV.＆ap；C.Construction.
At7:00intheeveningBlokvistcalledSanderadozentiesandeachtieherobilewastuedoff.Shedidnotwanttobedisturbed.
Hewanderedrestlesslythroughthehouse.HehadpulledoutVangersnotesonMartinsactivitiesatthetieofHarrietsdisappearance.
MartinVangerwasinhisstyearatthepreparatoryschoolinUppsain1966.Uppsa.LenaAndersson,seventeenyearoldpreparatoryschoolpupil.Headseparatedfrothefat.
Vangerhadentionedthisatonepoint,butBlokvisthadtoconsulthisnotestofindthepassage.Martinhadbeenanintrovertedboy.Theyhadbeenworriedabouthi.Afterhisfatherdrowned,IsabelhaddecidedtosendhitoUppsaachangeofscenewherehewasgivenrooandboardwithHaraldVanger.HaraldandMartinIthardlyfeltright.
MartinVangerwasnotwithHaraldinthecargoingtothegatheringinHedestad,andhehadissedatrain.Hearrivedteintheafteoonandsowasaongthosestrandedonthewrongsideofthebridge.Heonlyarrivedontheisndbyboatsoetieafter6:00.HewasreceivedbyVangerhiself,aongothers.VangerhadputMartinfardownthelistofpeoplewhoighthavehadanythingtodowithHarrietsdisappearance.
MartinsaidthathehadnotseenHarrietonthatday.Hewaslying.HehadarrivedinHedestadearlierinthedayandhewasonJvgsgatan,facetofacewithhissister.Blokvistcouldprovetheliewithphotographsthathadbeenburiedforalostfortyyears.
HarrietVangerhadseenherbrotherandreactedwithshock.ShehadgoneouttoHedebyIsndandtriedtotalktoHenrik,butshewasgonebeforeanyconversationcouldtakepce.WhatwereyouthinkingoftellinghiUppsaButLenaAndersson,Uppsa,wasnotonthelist.Youcouldnothaveknownaboutit.
ThestorystilldidnotakesensetoBlokvist.Harriethaddisappearedaround3:00intheafteoon.Martinwasunquestionablyontheothersideofthewateratthattie.Hecouldbeseeninthephotographfrothechurchhill.HecouldnotpossiblyhavehurtHarrietontheisnd.Onepuzzlepiecewasstillissing.AnacpliceAnitaVanger
FrothearchivesSandercouldseethatGottfriedVangerspositionwithinthefirhadchangedovertheyears.Attheageoftwentyin1947,heetIsabelandiediatelygotherpregnant；MartinVangerwasboin1948,andwiththattherewasnoquestionbutthattheyoungpeoplewouldarry.
WhenGottfriedwastwentytwo,hewasbroughtintotheainofficeoftheVangerCorporationbyHenrikVanger.Hewasobviouslytalentedandtheyayhavebeengrooinghitotakeover.Hewasprootedtotheboardattheageoftwentyfive,astheassistantheadofthepanysdevelopentdivision.Arisingstar.
Soetieintheidfiftieshisstarbegaluet.Hedrank.HisarriagetoIsabelwasontherocks.Thechildren,HarrietandMartin,werenotdoingwell.Henrikdrewtheline.Gottfriedscareerhadreacheditszenith.In1956anotherappointentwasade,anotherassistantheadofdevelopent.Twoassistantheads:onewhodidtheworkwhileGottfrieddrankandwasabsentforlongperiodsoftie.
ButGottfriedwasstilVanger,aswelscharingandeloquent.Fro1957on,hisworkseeedtoconsistoftravellingaroundthecountrytoopenfactories,resolvelocalconflicts,andspreadaniagethatpanyanageentreallydidcare.Weresendingoutoneofourownsonstolistentoyourprobles.Wedotakeyouseriously.
Sanderfoundasecondconnection.GottfriedVangerhadparticipatedinanegotiationinKarlstad,wheretheVangerCorporationhadboughtatiberpany.Onthefollowingdayafarerswife,MagdaLovisaSjberg,wasfoundurdered.
Sanderdiscoveredthethirdconnectionjustfifteeninutester.Uddeval,1962.ThesaedaythatLeaPerssondisappeared,thelocalpaperhadinterviewedGottfriedVangeraboutapossibleexpansionoftheharbour.
WhenFruLindgrenhadwantedtocloseupandgohoeat5:30,Sanderhadsnappedatherthatshewasalongwayfrofinishedyet.Shecouldgohoeaslongassheleftthekey,andSanderwouldlockup.BythattiethearchivesanagerwassoinfuriatedthatagirllikethisonecouldbossheraroundthatshecalledHerrFrode.FrodetoldherthatSandercouldstayallnightifshewantedto.WouldFruLindgrenpleasenotifysecurityattheofficesothattheycouldletSanderoutwhenshewantedtoleave
Threehourster,gettingonfor8:30,SanderhadconcludedthatGottfriedVangerhadbeenclosetowhereatleastfiveoftheeighturderswereitted,eitherduringthedaysbeforeoraftertheevent.Shewasstillissingrationabouttheurdersin1949and1954.Shestudiedanewspaperphotographofhi.Asli,handsoeanwithdarkblondhair；helookedratherlikeCrkGableinGonewiththeWind.
In1949Gottfriedwastwentytwoyearsold.Thefirsturdertookpceinhishoeterritory.Hedestad.RebeckaJacobsson,whoworkedattheVangerCorporation.WheredidthetwoofyoueetWhatdidyouproiseher
Sanderbitherlip.TheproblewasthatGottfriedVangerhaddrownedwhenhewasdrunkin1965,whilethesturderwasittedinUppsainFebruary1966.ShewonderedifshewasistakenwhenshehadaddedLenaAndersson,theseventeenyearoldschoolgirl,tothelist.No.Itightnotbethesaesignature,butitwasthesaeBibleparody.Theyustbeconnected.
By9:00itwasgettingdark.Theairwascoonditwasdrizzling.Mikaelwassittinginthekitchen,druinghisfingersonthetable,whenMartinVangersVolvocrossedthebridgeandtuedouttowardsthepoint.Thatsoehowbroughtatterstoahead.
Hedidnotknohatheshoulddo.Hiswholebeingwasbuingwithadesiretoaskquestionstoinitiateaconfrontation.ItwascertainlynotasensibleattitudetohaveifhesuspectedMartinVangerofbeinganinsaneurdererwhohadkilledhissisterandagirlinUppsa,andwhohadalsoverynearlysueededinkillinghitoo.ButMartinwasalsoaag.AndhedidnotknowthatBlokvistknew；hecouldgoandseehiwiththepretextthatwell,hewantedtoretuthekeytoGottfriedVangerscabin.Blokvistlockedthedoorbehindhiandstrolledouttothepoint.
HaraldVangershousewaspitchdark,asusual.InHenrikshousethelightswereoffexceptinoneroofacingthecourtyard.Annahadgoobed.Isabelshousewasdark.Ceciliawasntathoe.ThelightswereonupstairsinAlexandershouse,butth船说