船说 Therewasnodiary.Ontheotherhand,shedidfindtwoA4binderswithpassportphotographsandhandwrittennotesaboutthewoen.SheputthebindersinanylonbagalongwithMartinsDellPC,whichshefoundonthehalltableupstairs.WhileBlokvistsleptshecontinuedherexainationofMartinsputerandbinders.Itwasafter6:00bythetieshetuedofftheputer.Shelitacigarette.
TogetherwithMikaelBlokvistshehadtakenupthehuntforwhattheythoughtwasaserialkillerfrothepast.Theyhadfoundsoethingappallinglydifferent.ShecouldhardlyiagihehorrorsthatusthavepyedoutinMartinVangersbaseent,intheidstofthiswellordered,idyllicspot.
Shetriedtounderstand.
MartinVangerhadbeenkillingwoensincethesixties,duringthepastfifteenyearsoneortwovictisperyear.Thekillinghadbeendonesodiscreetlyandwassowellpnnedthatnoonewasevenawarethataserialkillerwasatwork.Hoasthatpossible
Thebindersprovidedapartianswer.
Hisvictiswereoftennewarrivals,iigrantgirlswhohadnofriendsorsocialcontactsinSweden.Therewerealsoprostitutesandsocialoutcasts,withdrugabuseorotherproblesintheirbackground.
Froherownstudiesofthepsychologyofsexualsadis,Sanderhadleaedthatthistypeofurdererusuallycollectedsouvenirsfrohisvictis.Thesesouvenirsfunctionedasreindersthatthekillercouldusetorecreatesoeofthepleasurehehadexperienced.MartinVangerhaddevelopedthispeculiaritybykeepinga“death.”Hehadcataloguedandgradedhisvictis.Hehaddescribedtheirsuffering.Hehaddocuentedhiskillingswithvideotapesandphotographs.
Theviolenceandthekillingwerethegoal,butSanderconcludedthatitwasthehuntthatwasMartinVangerspriaryinterest.Inhishehadcreatedadatabasewithalistoforethanahundredwoen.TherewereeployeesfrotheVangerCorporation,waitressesinrestaurantswhereheregurlyate,receptionstaffinhotels,clerksatthesocialsecurityoffice,thesecretariesofbusinessassociates,andanyotherwoen.ItseeedasifMartinhadpigeonholedpracticallyeverywoanhehadevereintocontactwith.
Hehadkilledonlyafractionofthesewoen,buteverywoananywherenearhiwasapotentialvicti.Thecataloguinghadthearkofapassionatehobby,andheusthavedevotedcountlesshourstoit.
IsshearriedorsingleDoesshehavechildrenandfailyWheredoessheworkWheredoessheliveWhatkindofcardoesshedriveWhatsortofeducationdoesshehaveHaircolourSkincolourFigure
ThegatheringofpersonalrationaboutpotentialvictisusthavebeenasignificantpartofMartinVangerssexualfantasies.Hewasfirstofalstalker,andsecondaurderer.
Whenshehadfinishedreading,shediscoveredasallenvelopeinoneofthebinders.ShepulledouttwouchhandledandfadedPoroidpictures.Inthefirstpictureadarkhairedgirlwassittingatatable.Thegirlhadondarkjeansandhadabaretorsowithtiny,pointedbreasts.Shehadtuedherfaceawayfrothecaeraandwasintheprocessofliftingonearinagestureofdefence,alostasifthephotographerhadsurprisedher.Inthesecondpictureshewaspletelynaked.Shewaslyingonherstoachonabluebedspread.Herfacewasstilltuedawayfrothecaera.
Sanderstuffedtheenvelopewiththepicturesintoherjacketpocket.Afterthatshecarriedthebindersovertothewoodstoveandstruckaatch.Whenshewasdonewiththefire,shestirredtheashes.Itwaspouringdownwithrainwhenshetookashortwalkand,kneelingasiftotieashoece,discreetlydroppedMartinVangersintothewaterunderthebridge.
WhenFrodearchedthroughtheopendoorat7:30thatoing,Sanderwasatthekitchentablesokingacigaretteanddrinkingcoffee.Frodesfacewasashen,andhelookedasifhehadhadacruewakening.
“WheresMikael”hesaid.
“Hesstilsleep.”
Frodesatdownheavilyonakitchenchair.Sanderpouredcoffeeandpushedthecupovertohi.
“MartinIjustfoundoutthatMartinwaskilledinacaraidentstnight.”
“Thatssad,”Sandersaid,takingasipofherowncoffee.
Frodelookedup.Atfirsthestaredather,unprehending.Thenhiseyesopenedwide.
“What”
“Hecrashed.Howannoying.”
“Whatdoyouknowaboutthis”
“Hedrovehiscarrightintothefrontofatruck.Heittedsuicide.Thepress,thestress,aflounderingfinancialepire,dot,dot,dot,toouchforhi.AtleastthatswhatIsupposeitwillsayonthepcards.”
Frodelookedasifhewereabouttohaveacerebralhaeorrhage.Hestoodupswiftlyandwalkedunsteadilytothebedroo.
“Lethisleep,”Sandersnapped.
Frodelookedatthesleepingfigure.HesawthebckandbluearksonBlokvistsfaceandthecontusionsonhischest.Thenhesawthefinglinewherethenoosehadbeen.Sandertouchedhisarandclosedthedoor.Frodebackedoutandsankontothekitchenbench.
LisbethSandertoldhisuinctlywhathadhappenedduringthenight.ShetoldhiwhatMartinVangerschaberofhorrorslookedlikeandhowshehadfoundMikaelwithanoosearoundhisneckandtheCEOoftheVangerCorporationstandinginfrontofhisnakedbody.ShetoldhiwhatshehadfoundinthepanysarchivesthedaybeforeandhowshehadestablishedapossiblelinkbetweenMartinsfatherandtheurdersofatleastsevenwoen.
Frodeinterruptedherrecitationonlyonce.Whenshepedtalking,hesatutelyforseveralinutesbeforehetookadeepbreathandsaid:“Whatarewegoingtodo”
“Thatsnotforetosay,”Sandersaid.
“But”
“AsIseeit,IveneversetfootinHedestad.”
“Idontunderstand.”
“UndeocircustancesdoIwantynaeinanypolicereport.Idontexistinconnectionwithanyofthis.Ifynaeisentionedinconnectionwiththisstory,IlldenythatIveeverbeenhere,andIllrefusetoanswerasinglequestion.”
Frodegaveherasearchinglook.
“Idontunderstand.”
“Youdontneedtounderstand.”
“ThenwhatshouldIdo”
“Youllhavetoworkthatoutforyourself.OnlyleaveeandMikaeloutofit.”
Frodewasdeathlypale.
“Lookatitthisway:theonlythingyouknowisthatMartinVangerdiedinatrafficaident.Youhavenoideathathewasalsoaninsane,nauseatingserialkiller,andyouveneverheardabouttherooinhisbaseent.”
Sheputthekeyonthetablebetweenthe.
“YouvegottiebeforeanyoneisgoingtocleanoutMartinshouseanddiscoverthebaseent.”
“Wehavetogotothepoliceaboutthis.”
“Notwe.Youcangotothepoliceifyoulike.Itsyourdecision.”
“Thiscantbebrushedunderacarpet.”
“Inotsuggestingthatitshouldbebrushedanywhere,justthatyouleaveeandMikaeloutofit.Whenyoudiscovertheroo,youdrawyourownconclusionsanddecideforyourselfwhoyouwanttotell.”
“Ifwhatyousayistrue,iteansthatMartinhaskidnappedandurderedwoenthereustbefailiesthataredesperatebecausetheydontknoheretheirchildrenare.Wecantjust”
“Thatsright.Buttheresjustoneproble.Thebodiesaregone.MaybeyoullfindpassportsorIDcardsinsoedrawer.Maybesoeofthevictiscanbeidentifiedfrothevideotapes.Butyoudontneedtodecidetoday.Thinkitover.”
Frodelookedpanicstricken.
“Oh,dearGod.Thiswillbethedeathblowforthepany.ThinkofhowanyfailieswilllosetheirlivelihoodifitgetsoutthatMartin”
Froderockedbackandforth,jugglingwithaoraldilea.
“Thatsoneissue.IfIsabelVangeristoinherit,youaythinkitwouldbeinappropriateifshewerethefirstoolightuponhersonshobby.”
“Ihavetogoandsee”
“Ithinkyoushouldstayawayfrothatrootoday,”Sandersaidsharply.“Youhavealotofthingstotakecareof.YouhavetogoandtellHenrik,andyouhavetocalspecialeetingoftheboardanddoallthosethingsyouchapsdowhenyourCEOdies.”
Frodethoughtaboutwhatshewassaying.Hisheartwasthuping.Hewastheoldattoeyandproblesolverwhowasexpectedtohaveapnreadytoeetanyeventuality,yethefeltpowerlesstoact.Itsuddenlydawnedonhithatherehewas,takingordersfroachild.Shehadsoehowseizedcontrolofthesituationandgivenhitheguidelinesthathehiselfwasunabletoforute.
“AndHarriet”
“MikaendIarenotfinishedyet.ButyoucantellHerrVangerthatIthinknowthatweregoingtosolveit.”